[nobilis] PerrySimm says, "Log on."
[Crows-Nest] Penny finds her popcorn and opera glasses
[nobilis] D'chess asks, "should i be making my way to the games? or do we have time?"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "we're all here and the log is on"
[nobilis] Stella beams at everyone.
Alison says (to Davey), "I think they meet alter, at their usual time."
[nobilis] Chaz groans!
Alison says, "Later, even."
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "tee hee!"
Davey says, "oh. huh. I thought they met early, for some reason"
Aisleen arrives, looking for booty.
GM says, "last week they met early"
GM says, "but not on a regular basis"
GM says, "so, let's see"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "i didn't miss anything, did i?"
jwalrus arrives, looking for booty.
[nobilis] Alison says, "Oh, for those who haven't seen it, http://www.shelltown.com/~jota/mage.jpg"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "nyet."
GM says, "last week, after much journeying in the mythic world, our heroes discovered the (an) entrance to Astara"
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus says, "hey, more nobilis"
[nobilis] Chaz asks (of Aisleen), "You rescheduled your other event?"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "dammit, I forgot to read up on last week"
[nobilis] GM exclaims (at Alison), "yay!"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "combination of rescheduling tomorrow and being too sick to actually go anyway"
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus says, "I thought I had, but I don't remember no entrance to Astara"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "That's where Raul led us."
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus says, "oh, this is sunday group, of course"
[nobilis] Chaz exclaims, "Boo sick/yay you here!"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to tyoka), "plenty of comic relief last week"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "then we... disposed of him?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "We dispose of him now, I think."
[nobilis] Stella says, "so if I remember correctly, rip van winkle is still rip van winkling, and we just conquered big bad bone boy."
Alison . o O ( Oooh, ohh! There it is! )
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "right"
GM says, "Raul remembered urgent business and had to return to his chancel, but the rest were presumably planning on finding their way in to Astara at some point, although possibly bringing some other people from the chancel in first"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "we have to go underground, don't we?"
Alison . o O (to Miss Bailey) ( Are you busy today? )
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "who is back atthe chancel?"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "now that we are here, can I create a road back?"
[nobilis] GM says, "in the mythic world, there's a tunnel under the bone field; in the normal world, you're already in a cave, and this entrance is behind some boulders at the very back"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Alison, Gerry, and... mm, Tyoka, I think."
[nobilis] Davey says, "or even just divine a route"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "are we going to empty out the chancel and bring you all here, or still leave people behind?"
[nobilis] GM says (to Davey), "yeah, you can find your way back here in the real world now that you're here"
Alison . o O (to Miss Bailey) ( Or can you help watch the chancel for me for a little bit? )
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Hey, yeah, using anchors could be interesting."
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'd suggest that you come back to get us, if you asked IC."
GM says, "Miss Bailey says "Yes dear, of course. Just a few minutes.""
Aisleen . o O (to alison) ( hey, wanna join us for this exploration? )
Alison . o O (to Miss Bailey) ( Yay! )
Alison . o O ( Nobblies YES! )
Tyoka . o O (to all) ( hey, you find anything? )
Chaz . o O (to others) ( Well, hey.  Now that we're here, I'm starting to think more backup might be nice.  Anyone else want to come? )
Davey . o O ( we've found a tunnel labeled "Astara" )
Alison . o O (to Alison) ( Where's it at? You guys coming back here? Do I gott find you? )
GM says, ""Now that I'm only working part-time, I have so much more free time.""
Aisleen . o O (to tyoka) ( oh nothing much. :) just some dinky tunnel )
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Arr. (to Aisleen), of course)"
Tyoka . o O (to alison) ( thinking to yourself is a sign of impending m... wait, it's not )
Aisleen asks (of Davey), "if you create a road, they can come on it...right?"
Tyoka says (to Alison), "I'll fly us"
Davey says, "yeah, but that'll take a lot of my mojo."
Davey says, "I'm tryin' to think of an easier way. If they ride my motorcycle maybe I can guide it here"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Are we leaving Gerry in the chancel?"
Aisleen . o O (to tyoka) ( make sure your mythic sight is on. it's more fun )
Chaz says, "Or maybe Aisleen can guide them with a breeze at their backs."
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "someone gotta watch it"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "might as well. If he logs on, hecan come join us then"
Davey says, "goin' real-world is better, 'cause of that river"
Stella says, "I wonder if I can create a guiding spark."
Stella says, "GPS R us, and all."
Aisleen is ready with wind
Alison asks (of Miss B), "Let me know if *anything* happens here, 'K?"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "how long would it take them to just fly?"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "How long did it take us to get through all that?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "How long would it take just to take a cab from the nearest amusement park?"
Stella ponders being a lighthouse.
[nobilis] GM says, "you can take a more direct path now that you know where the thing is"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "I think they don't have to follow the same path...right, that."
[nobilis] GM says, "although since you're in a cave here, you probably can't take a taxi the whole way :)"
Alison exclaims, "Are we ready? Let's go!"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "Miss Bailey (five minutes later) . o O (Dear, one of the mages threw up on the Tiltawheel.)"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "sigh. i meant to emit that"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Hee."
Davey . o O ( I'm for a plan that doesn't make anyone use up magic. Can you fly to where we are? )
Tyoka grabs Allison and zooms off at full speed
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hee hee"
Aisleen . o O (to tyoka) ( follow the wind. i will guide the wind here )
Alison exclaims, "Wheeeeeee!"
Davey has big, rippling heebie-jeebies about htis
Tyoka . o O (to Aisleen) ( OK! )
Chaz . o O (to tyoka) ( Just be sure to start in England, or this is gonna be one long trip. )
Tyoka sharply banks to the left
Tyoka . o O (to Chaz) ( Good plan )
Tyoka fly fly fly
GM says, "eventually, Tyoka and Alison arrive, hair somewhat ruffled"
Aisleen waves hands as if she is directing traffic
Alison exclaims, "Hi!"
Stella exclaims, "Hi, Alison!"
Aisleen asks (of tyoka), "need a comb to fix your hair?"
Tyoka says, "that'd tear it all out"
Alison runs up the stairs, "So what's up here?"
GM says, "as mentioned, in the mythic world it's a short flight of stairs leading down, with the word ASTARA above them; in the normal world it's a dark passage behind some boulders. in both worlds, there is the faint tingling of a chancel entrance."
Alison runs down them, then.
Chaz shrugs, skates after Alison.
Aisleen asks, "do we have a light source?"
Davey sighs and stomples down
Aisleen says, "i don't like the dark"
Alison says (to Aisleen), "We got a Stella."
GM says, "Alison's footsteps fade and then vanish entirely"
Aisleen asks, "like a torch or something?"
Tyoka shakes his head bemusedly, follows.
Aisleen says (to stella), "i will follow you. don't leave me behind. please."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "(stella afk, but she glows/follows)"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "will you follow her? will you follow her / wherever she / may go?"
Aisleen follows Stella down the stairs
[Crows-Nest] (from Tyoka) Stella trips and the light goes out!
GM says, "it is very dark in the tunnel -- Stella's light extends a short distance, but not quite far enough to see the walls or the floor"
GM says, "the night seems to press down on you, closer and closer as you proceed -- and then you step out into the fresh air"
[nobilis] Stella says, "stella back"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "fresh air? as in wide open space, not in a tunnel/cave?"
GM says, "almost literally, because you've just walked out of a hole halfway up a tall tree"
Tyoka is already hovering in place
Aisleen scrambles to get her flying and not crash to the ground
Stella continues beaming, just outside the tree.
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to tyoka), "hope you are holding alison"
[nobilis] Stella asks, "is it still dark?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Alison already ran ahead."
Chaz skates down the trunk and grabs Alison before she falls.
Davey exclaims, "waugh!"
Aisleen grabs Davey by the wrist. Steady there
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "(I had said I followed her--I assume she's just in front?)"
GM says, "only Davey, I guess, is scrambling for a -- there we go"
Davey says, "jeez, thanks."
Alison doesn't concern herself about having just run out of a hole, and is praobably out of anyone's reach when she starts falling.
GM says, "taking a breath to look around, now, you see it's nighttime in a old forest"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "i am guessing there is a moon out?"
GM says, "stray moonbeams make their way down through the canopy"
Alison does, however, disolve into a gray cloud before she's fallen too far.
Chaz does a lesser divination of whimsy to see if there's anyone out randomly wandering the forest at this time of night.
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "yay."
jwalrus has disconnected.
jwalrus has connected.
Aisleen asks, "So does this mean we are in Astara? This is it?"
Tyoka says, "per aspera ad astra"
Alison . o O ( Pretty. )
Stella . o O ( dark )
Chaz . o O (to henderson) ( Any progress on something to reverse a heart being cut out of a chancel? )
Davey . o O ( unpaved )
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to davey), "ha!"
Tyoka . o O ( crazy )
[nobilis] Stella laughs.
Aisleen . o O ( hey, i am quite happy with being in trees. there is always a wind blowing through the leaves )
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Can we see the ground?"
GM says (to Chaz), "you can feel -- mm, some creatures of the night, thinking about biting things or looking for grubs or the like -- and, farther off, somebody fighting the urge to leave his bed and go outside"
[nobilis] GM says, "(yeah)"
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus is reading last week's transcript. "inky has way too much fun with the mythic/prosaic distinction"
Alison gradually descends to near ground level.
Aisleen swats at a mosquito with her free hand
Chaz does a ghost miracle to enhance his urge.
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "cough"
Aisleen floats down to the ground and sets Davey down gently
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Yeah, yeah."
Aisleen says (to davey), "no offense, but my arm was getting tired"
[nobilis] Davey says, "oh, I coulda made a road here for one point. I should read the book more closely."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Any paths visible?"
Davey says, "thanks. Hmm."
GM says, ""Not much progress, sir -- we have determined that the heart is likely to take on a physical form when removed, and that it would have to be restored to place in the chancel before it can be reattached -- but we don't have enough information here to determine the ritual to do so.""
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "there is no prosaic/mythic view within a chancel right?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Right."
Davey does his own lesser divination to feel for any thoroughfares nearby
[nobilis] Alison says, "It's all myshaic."
GM says (to Davey), "there's nothing that you might call a highway -- but, hrm, someplace nearby is an old, overgrown road that used to be used by wagons and such"
Chaz . o O (to H.) ( Good work, thanks.  Contact Stella Octavo if you need more basic information. )
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Er, chancel, not stella."
Alison drifts away as a patch of fog, in a pseudo-random direction.
[nobilis] Stella says, "afk feeding ellric - maybe he'll nap, after."
Davey says, "There's an old road thisaway, maybe it'll take us into town"
Davey says, "if there's still a town"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "I was just boggling that she shared a name with our chancel, too :)"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Heh."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "This I don't get - Alison is Impulse, right? So where's all this cloud stuff from?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Gift: shapeshifting, limited."
Aisleen asks (of davey), "will they be all asleep like in Sleeping Beauty?"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says (to tyoka), "her shapeshit is a cloud, a dolll"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "cough"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz asks, "Do you like cloud, doll?"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "sigh, typos"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to Chaz), "Sure do, hon."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "I like apeshit, but..."
[nobilis] Stella says, "ne'er mind, that so didn't work.  ellric no nappy nappy."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "set him lose on the keyboard. :)"
Davey says (to Aisleen), "not the ones gettin' the paramilitary training drilled into their heads"
Alison just sorta scouts around the area, until someone decides to start going somepalce.
Aisleen says, "good point"
Aisleen asks (of davey/all), "shall we walk on to the path?"
GM says (to Alison), "it seems .. quiet"
[nobilis] Stella says, "he'd love that, but the keyboard is OFF LIMITS (as is the mouse, the trackball and the power/reset switch on the cpu.  bad things (tm) can happen. :-)"
Davey says, "guess so. Follow me"
Aisleen follows Davey
Alison does too.
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Any luck with that guy who was thinking about wandering about at night?"
GM says (to Alison), "there are little forest noises, but somehow not as many as you'd expect for a forest this old and (apparently) this size"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "(/girl)"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "poor kid"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "was the person asleep?"
Davey hikes towards the wagon track he felt, creeped out by the stillness
Stella dims to candle power, and flits about the path slightly ahead of davey.
[nobilis] GM says, "no, but ghost miracles generally don't convince people to do stuff unless they're already on the verge of doing it"
Aisleen says (to davey), "I can sing if the stillness is creeping you out"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "OK, thought he was."
Aisleen says, "(not that i am a songbird or anything)"
Tyoka asks, "in a tree by a brook?"
Alison . o O ( Aren't there supposed to be nok--- nocter-- night animals around and making noise and stuff? )
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "sigh. I needed kiz here to get that reference"
Davey says, "that's okay. I'm just not too used to being so far from, well, roads."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "which? led zep?"
Aisleen . o O (to alison) ( i felt bats up there )
GM says (to Davey), "and there it is, the ancient ruts picked out in the moonlight"
GM says, "it must have been well-used at some point, since the area here is fairly clear, but new growth is creeping back over it"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "no. it's a line one of the our friends used to encourage a guy hitting on me that _I_ was trying to discourage"
Alison . o O ( Which way do we go? )
Alison . o O ( Eeny, meeny, miney, moe... )
Aisleen says, "i saw we go where the wind blows."
Tyoka says, "any way the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me"
Tyoka says, "sorry, in a musical mood today"
Chaz says, "There's at least one person over... in that direction."
Chaz points.
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "mama mia let me go, let me go, let me go no no no no no no NO!"
GM says, "(well, there's two ways to go if you want to stay on the road)"
Aisleen looks at where Chaz points
Alison giggles. Well, rumbles, really, but it's probably supposed to be a giggle. . o ( If the wind starts blowing, I won't have much of a choice. )
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "I will not let you go"
[nobilis] Chaz exclaims, "Bizmillah!"
Alison . o O ( OK, let's go find Chaz's person. )
GM says, "(Chaz is pointing mostly perpendicular to the road, on the other side from where you came from)"
Alison goes that way.
Davey says, "hrm"
Tyoka . o O ( righto )
Stella . o O (to group) ( are we trying to be stealthy?  if not, I say one of the fliers do a quick once over of the area. )
Davey asks (of road), "which way to town?"
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Well, Alison can be the most stealthy, as a cloud. )
GM says, ""Zzz .. huh? wuzzah?""
GM says, ""Somebody here?""
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, ""no""
Davey asks, "hello. How are you?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen restrains the urge to stamp on the path to show if anyone is there
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Wait, you can talk to the ground in a chancel?"
GM says, ""Nobody's been on me for months -- do you see all these weeds?""
Davey asks, "yeah. Damn shame. Who usually goes on you?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Or is this a special road?"
[nobilis] Davey shrugs. "Figured it was worth a shot."
[nobilis] GM says, "I think, actually, chancels do generally have a mythical side as well as a normal one, although I seem to recall wavering on this"
[nobilis] GM says, "this one apparently does, though"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh."
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "'wavering', like, from the book?"
GM says, ""Folks from the city, I guess -- they take stuff on their wagons out to my edge there and go through the gate""
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of gm), "does this mean i can talk to the wind?"
Davey asks, "which way's the city?"
Davey walk a few feet to give the road a reference
[nobilis] GM says, "yeah"
GM says, ""Yeah, that way.""
Stella asks (of Road), "do you extend all the way to the city?"
Davey asks, "cool. the gate you mantioned, do you know what it's a gate to?"
Aisleen asks (of wind), "Anything moving in the city? people? animals?"
Stella asks (of Road), "do you know how many or what kind of people live there?"
GM says, ""Well, I did -- I've gotten kinda overgrown in a while and I can't feel that part any more""
GM says, ""The gate was to outside the chancel, I think -- never been out there myself.""
Davey says, "we're gonna try to get the traffic moving again"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Did I find anything, wandering in the direction Chaz pointed?"
GM says (to Aisleen), "(you can do these kind of divinations even without being able to talk to the wind, just as part of your Estate) -- the wind carries fragments of the town up ahead, tall black towers and silent streets, with a vague hint of people who stand and guard"
GM says (to Alison), "eventually, you drift up to the side of a small cottage"
Chaz asks, "Whups, where's Alison?"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Where are you, kiddo? )
Aisleen says, "she followed the direction you pointed"
Chaz says, "Oh.  Smart girl."
Chaz heads out that direction himself.
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Looking for your person -- maybe found it... )
Alison seeps in via the keyhole.
GM says, "there's a single window, so it's not real light (but on the other hand, nobody notices you seeping in); you can vaguely make out a person sitting up on their bed, staring into the darkness"
Aisleen says (to davey), "there are people on guard in the city"
Aisleen says, "we need to make sure we can defend ourselves"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "What do they look like?"
Aisleen says, "or disguise ourselves to look like them"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Male/female, young/old?)"
Chaz says (to Aisleen), "We still have our invisibility spells."
[Crows-Nest] (from Aisleen) Alison asks, "A/S/L?
[Crows-Nest] Alison (to Aisleen) :-P
GM says (to Alison), "they look -- it's hard to say, but you think it's probably a male in his 40s"
Chaz says, "And our stun guns.  And I borrowed Raul's laser before he left."
Stella says, "And he finally showed me how to use one of these grenades."
Stella brandishes a grenade, slightly betther than she used to.
Aisleen says (to stella), "point it away from all of us, remember."
Tyoka says, "Man, the things you do while I'm not there to pay attention"
Alison coalesces back into herself, in the corner, away from where he's looking.
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Stella AFK but watching again."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "what can the wind tell me about the cottage?"
Alison says quietly, "Hello. Whatcha looking at?"
GM says, "he seems to be mumbling quietly to himself ".. don't go out .. stay in bed .. wait for morning .. don't listen to the music .. stay inside .. don't go out ..""
GM says, "He jerks in surprise. "Who said that?""
Alison says, "It's OK, it's just me. I'm Alison."
Alison smiles n a friendly sort of way.
GM says, ""How'd you get in here?""
Aisleen shamelessly eavesdrop on Alison
GM says, "He peers closer. "Are you old enough to be out at night? Where are your parents?""
Alison points in the direction of the door. "I came in that way."
[nobilis] GM says (to Aisleen), "the wind doesn't actually really make it inside, except through the keyhole"
GM says, ""That door's locked! I've got the key myself!""
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "fair enough. does that mean i can't eavesdrop either?"
GM says, "He fumbles around for it and knocks it to the ground"
[nobilis] GM says, "no unless you come stand by the door"
Aisleen says, "sigh. nada. Alison better send us thought updates"
Alison shrugs, offering no real explanation.
Alison . o O ( It's a man... he's nervous. I'm gonna try to be nice to him though. Maybe he'll be nice back. )
GM says, ""I don't know how you got in here, but you'd better stay inside until sunrise.""
Tyoka . o O (to Alison) ( If not, he's dead )
Stella . o O (to Alison) ( want me to pose as your grandmother? )
GM says, ""I'll -- hell, I dunno.""
Alison asks, "Why's that?"
GM says, "He fumbles for a candle, and eventually it lights."
Aisleen sits down by the side of the road to rest and wait for Alison to return from the cottage
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "also afk. medicine time"
GM says, ""Don't you hear the music? It sucks you in.""
Alison listens.
GM says, "(you don't hear anything)"
Alison shakes her head. "Nuh-uh."
GM says, ""People who go outside don't come back -- at least, I think that's what happens.""
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Can we drop our auctoritas for a bit?"
Alison . o O ( He's worried -- says there's music outside. I think it's bad magic music, 'cuz I can't hear it. )
GM says, ""I found Carl's cabin empty, one day, the door open, covers tossed back.""
[nobilis] GM says, "to do what? I think I've said nobilis can't do direct miracles on other nobilis, even with permission"
Chaz looks around in mythic for something music-y.
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Hmm, OK."
GM says (to Chaz), "there's vague - I dunno, sparkles? cobwebs? in the air"
GM says, "which hum quietly in the mythic world"
Chaz reaches out and sweepd his hand through the cobwebs.
GM says, "they snap, one by one, with the faint pressure of your hand"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "(sweeps)"
Alison asks, "Is it army music?"
GM says, "but eventually others grow back"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(BTW, what were the names of the local nobs?)"
Stella asks (of Chaz), "are you getting any indication of  where they are coming from?"
GM says, "they seem to be thicker in some places than in others -- for instance, they seem to be coalescing around the cabin with Alison and the man"
[nobilis] GM says, "Anse, Marchessa of Dew; Seldon, Baronet of Squirrels; Tomas, Marquis of Infomercials"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "you have got to be kidding"
Chaz, on the side of the cottage w/o the window, goes to work breaking up the cobwebs.
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Did he hear my question?)"
GM says, ""Army?" The man gestures vaguely towards his chest. "From the city, you mean? I don't -- I don't like to talk about that.""
Chaz says (to Stella), "Hard to say..."
Alison nods, in an understanding sort of way.
GM says (to Chaz), "these ones feel a bit thicker, requiring a bit more effort to break -- but they're (now) like taut threads, and you snap them casually"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "can i hear this music?"
Alison puts her hand on the man's. "I have a very important question... do you know who Anse, and Seldon, and Tomas are?"
Chaz sees if he can follow one back to its source.
Stella asks (of Chaz), "want a couple of hands?"
[nobilis] GM says, "(no, nobody can hear the music)"
Tyoka asks, "could I destroy them with firebreathing?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Hmm. Do we have any anti-magic? Anything that could counteract a sensory illusion?"
GM says, "The man blinks. "That sounds familiar, but ...""
GM says, ""No, I don't think so.""
Tyoka says, "normal spiderwebs burn like ... gasoline"
Alison asks, "...but it's been a long time?"
GM says, ""Maybe. Were they fairy-tale characters?""
Alison says, "Yeah. Kinda."
GM says (to Chaz), "they seem to -- yes, they stretch back through the trees in the rough direction of the city"
GM says, "growing thicker as they continue"
Alison asks, "If I tell you a story, can you tell me if it's true?"
GM says, ""I .. er .. I can try.""
Stella says, "We need to destroy the source of these things; I'm not sure we can counter them at all effectively from here."
Alison nods. "Well... once upon a time, there was an enchanted magic kingdom..."
Chaz . o O (to Henderson) ( OK, if you can spare a couple mages, here's a new problem:  The folks here seem to be under the influence of some sort of music that draws them to the city at night.  Are there some basic anti-magic chants or rituals we can teach them to counteract it? )
Davey . o O ( ask him what the name of this place is )
Davey . o O ( I'm just curious if it's still called Astara )
Alison says, "The name of the kingdom was 'Astara'. It was ruled by a mighty king, or maybe a queen, who set in place three nobles to command it -- named Anse, Seldon, and Tomas."
GM says, ""Hmm," says Henderson. "This is not unlike the confusion spells we've been working on, only the other way around -- I'll see what I can do.""
Alison looks into the man's eyes, to see how he responds.
[nobilis] Alison says, "(If it is still called that, he should have a response to that...)"
GM says, "The man's eyes are -- dark."
GM says, ""I think that might be right -- it seems very long ago.""
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "I wonder if some inverse madness could help here"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "lesser destruction, that is"
[nobilis] GM says, "I think it depends what you think of as 'madness'"
Alison says, "There was a very important place inside the kingdom, right int he heart of it. Nobody was allowed to go there, except for maybe those nobles... but then one day, some very evil spirits came..."
Alison tries to speak leadingly, to let the man fill in any blanks, if he can.
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "uncloud this person's mind"
GM says, ""... the black towers .. the lands split open ...""
GM says, ""... my heart ripped out.""
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "where did I hear that before?"
Alison nods, listening.
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "hey, you're in the Shire!"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "other than in FIVE"
Chaz sets to work clearing away as many of the cobwebs around the cottage as possible.
Alison asks, "And... something happened to the three nobles...?"
Stella assists Chaz, 'til Alison is done.
Tyoka tries firebreath on the cobwebs, since it can't hurt to try.
GM says, "they seem to be sprouting up faster, now, as the night continues. some are wriggling out of other parts of the forest"
[nobilis] GM asks (of Tyoka), "you realize you're in a forest here, right?"
GM says, ""I .. I don't know.""
[nobilis] Tyoka giggles madly.
Alison . o O ( He's having a hard time remembering what happened here... )
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "(sorry)"
GM says, ""Do you hear the music? It's getting louder""
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "I was thinking of a controlled experiment"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "also, didn't they try to destroy our chancel? just fair if we burn theirs to the ground!"
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
Chaz . o O (to Henderson) ( Uh, any ideas on that anti-magic?  We might need it sooner than we thought.  Like, uh, now. )
GM says, "Tyoka's flame, in mythic, cuts through some cobwebs and sends the trees reeling back"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Was there a ruling on Tyoka's destruction of madness comment?"
GM says, ""I uh -- sorry, sir, I don't have anything yet. I'll keep working.""
Chaz . o O (to henderson) ( OK, thanks anyway. )
[nobilis] GM says, "if he thinks of madness as being general clouding of mind, then a destruction seems useful, yeah"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "he does"
[nobilis] Tyoka asks, "can I do that from outside?"
GM says, "But the cobwebs aren't exactly cobwebs"
[nobilis] GM says, "yeah"
GM says, "and don't all go up"
[nobilis] Tyoka does.
Stella has this arm-waving-cobweb-destruction down to a science.
GM says, "people are grabbing cobwebs right and left, now -- and grabbing is right, since some of them are growing to the size of ropes"
GM says, "Meanwhile, inside, the man's eyes suddenly clear, and he grabs Alison by the shoulder"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "In a good or bad way?"
GM says, ""I remember -- know this -- the towers are not -- are not --""
GM says, "He trails off, suddenly, in a spasm of coughing"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Ah. Good.)"
Alison asks, "Are... not?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Is there a sink?"
[nobilis] GM says, "(no, but ..)"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Or pitcher, or whatever's appropriate here.)"
GM says, ""Not from my childhood," he gasps out, and then tumbles to the ground."
Alison gasps.
Alison . o O ( He's fallen! )
Davey . o O ( the masters of the towers magicked everybody in this chancel. )
Stella beams in the window to help.
GM says, "Outside, the threads start drawing back into the bushes, an army in retreat"
Alison drops to her knees, to check if he has a pulse.
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Which, quite possibly, Alison wouldn't know hwo to do right.)"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(But she can copy what she's seen on TV, at least.)"
GM says, "It's possible he's got a pulse, but if so, it's very weak."
Tyoka . o O (to Alis) ( Open the door! )
Alison says (to Stella), "He was talking, and confused, and then suddenly he stopped being confused, but then he started coughing, and then..."
Alison looks for the key.
GM says, "(is on the ground, where he dropped it)"
Alison grabs it, unlocks the door.
GM says, "*click*"
Stella brightens, to illuminate the room and looks for some water and a towel.
GM says, "You see a pitcher on the table, with a towel next to it"
Stella grabs the towel, pours some water on it, and starts patting the man's face.
Chaz . o O (to henderson) ( OK, crisis averted.  Keep looking, though.  And thanks again. )
Tyoka pops in.
Tyoka asks, "Is he alive?"
GM says, "But the man seems to be gone, or at least so deeply in some kind of coma he might as well be dead for the moment"
Alison says, "I... don't know."
Chaz asks (of Aisleen), "Is he sleeping?"
Stella says (to Tyoka), "I think so.  But his soul seems to be elsewhere."
Alison says, "He's not moving."
[nobilis] Stella asks, "is this like the rip van winkle guy?"
Alison says, "I didn't even know his name..."
[nobilis] GM says, "that guy was sleeping; this guy is probably dead"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "oops, that means I just killed someone"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Who was the RvW guy?"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Ferry cap'n."
[nobilis] Stella says, "he was the guy on the other side of the river who Would Not Wake."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Can I use a Divination of Impulse to tell if he still has any life?"
Stella . o O (to group) ( Folks, I think this calls for a plan of assault. )
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Or would Impulse only detect consciousness?"
[nobilis] GM says, "hmm"
Chaz tries to sense if anyone else inteh forest might be struggling with the desire to wander into the forest.
[nobilis] GM says, "I would think consciousness, yeah"
GM says, "it seems emptier now"
GM says, "even some of the animals seem to have gone, although perhaps that's just because it's getting closer to morning"
Chaz says, "Hmm, army squirrels."
Alison says, "We... we have to do something for him."
[nobilis] Tyoka asks, "so is he dead or no?"
[nobilis] GM says, "he is either dead or in a death-like coma"
Chaz puts his hand on Alison's shoulder.  "I'm afraid we might have to break the spell on this whole place to do that."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "sorry, just got back"
Chaz asks (of Ailseen), "Can you see if he's dreaming?"
Stella asks, "I say we find out more about these towers.  Shall we explore more?"
Davey says, "let's head in towards the city. Carefully."
Alison asks, "And just leave him here?"
Chaz picks the man up, puts him in his bed.
Davey says, "the music he was talking about--that was at night. I wonder what spells they're running in the day."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka sings, "It's over now, the music of the night"
Alison says, "He talked about towers..."
Davey says, "one thing I'm sure of. It's not safe to question the locals. Either we'll be overheard or we'll kill the poor saps"
Aisleen looks for the door to open in to his dreams
Aisleen concentrates very very hard
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "did you find out anything about these towers?"
GM says, "he's -- in a very small box, buried deep underground, in utter darkness"
[nobilis] Aisleen struggles to concentrate. I might zonk out in about an hour or so when the drugs kick in. Until then I will be here
Alison asks, "The towers weren't of his childhood, he said. The lands split open, and his heart was ripped out... does he mean *the* heart, or does he mean *his* heart, or his soul...?"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Ow, no fun."
Stella says, "Okay, never mind about strategy.  Let's knock these towers out."
Aisleen asks (of davey), "we didn't kill the ferry guy, did we?"
Davey says, "I don't think so"
Davey says, "we didn't break the spell, we just struggled across the river"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Come to think of it, I never checked his pulse before. Maybe his heart is in a small box, buried underground."
[nobilis] Tyoka asks, "He's Tannhduser?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "What's Tannhduser?"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "i am guessing no dreams?"
[nobilis] GM says (to Aisleen), "that small-box comment was what you saw"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "ah"
[nobilis] Alison says, "If that's the case, maybe the music that was doing its work on him was also animating his body at the same time."
[nobilis] Alison shrugs. "Or something."
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "Tannh(ae)user"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "german folk tale"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "about a guy whose heart is locked in a strong box"
Aisleen says (to chaz), "he seems to be in a small box buried..."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "actually, i think that, since i am still by the side of the road"
[nobilis] Chaz says (to Aisleen), "I think the drugs are kicking in ;-)"
Chaz says, "I wonder if that's where the heart is."
Alison asks, "His heart? Or the Heart?"
Chaz asks, "Could any of us do some sort of divination to find where the Heart is?"
Davey says, "this isn't our Realm"
Chaz says (to Ailison), "Either, I guess.  Though he did say 'my' heart."
Aisleen asks, "Do you want me to try entering the box?"
Aisleen says, "even though it's not a door like most dreams are"
Alison says, "Maybe we can find where it's at... if it's still beating."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Anyone with super-aspect want to put an ear to the ground?"
Chaz says, "Henderson said it was likely to have turned into an object of some sort."
[nobilis] Chaz says (to Alison), "Heh.  I was thinking that, actually."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "that would be...tyoka?"
[nobilis] Alison smirks. "Tyoka's as much of a weakling as the little girl."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "I have aspect 3."
[nobilis] Chaz checks.  "And I'm the only one that high."
[nobilis] Davey says, "er, we could spend AMPs"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "but I think it's a waste of time. Why would it be beating?"
Chaz says (to Aisleen), "If you think you can, yes, try entering that box."
Stella says, "I still think a frontal assualt on a tower would be revealing."
[nobilis] GM says, "in my capacity as Shagapir's Advising nature, I should point out that your chancel's heart wasn't a literal heart"
[nobilis] Alison says, "If he's still alive, and his heart was removed, then it doesn't seem unreasonable."
[nobilis] Tyoka thwaps Alison.
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh."
[nobilis] Alison says (to Tyoka), "I was wondering when you'd get around to that."
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "(gently)"
[nobilis] GM says, "and that Aisleen's perception was of the guy's dream, not necessarily of the real situation"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of chaz/all), "enter anyway?"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Aisleen), "Sure."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Worst that happens is that you're drawn into his nightmarish comatose state as well."
Aisleen takes a deep breath, scrunches up her eyes tight and enters
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "gee thanks"
[nobilis] Tyoka says (to Alison), "you're quite sarcastic for your age"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Tyoka), "Only on channel, of course."
GM says, "it's dark, the walls are closing in -- there's no air in here, and someplace outside a long finger traces the outside of the box -- and you snap out of the dream again"
Aisleen gasps for breath as she relays the dream
Aisleen says, "it felt like a tomb"
Alison says, "I wonder who's finger."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Er, whose."
Stella says, "Sounds frightening.  No wonder he's comatose."
Alison exclaims, "But he's alive!"
Alison says, "That's very very good."
Davey says, "his soul's in prison. Like everything else's here. We gotta get working on busting them out."
Alison says, "If we go, we should lock the door, and leave the key inside here. With him. And we should leave a note. In case he wakes up."
Stella says (to Davey), "I agree."
Davey steps a few paces down the path, stops.
Davey says, "Geez, I dunno how, though."
[nobilis] GM says, "(hee hee)"
Tyoka says, "bulldoze the towers"
Stella becomes sparky-dancy light bit, and hovers in front of Davey.
Aisleen says, "they have guards posted at the entry of the city."
Davey says, "Did I tell you guys--the prisoner I interrogated. He described their new boss"
Davey says, "said she was a woman with glowing eyes."
Davey says, "they all worshiped her."
Stella says (to Tyoka), "My thoughts exactly.  We just need to figure out how."
Alison says, "Maybe it's her finger."
Davey says, "so, what I'm sayin, she scares me. We need guns.Flamethrowers.  Possibly harpoons."
Tyoka says (to Stella), "with... a bulldozer. nevermind."
Alison finds a piece of paper and a pen from someone, since someone in the party has to have one, and makes a note to leave for the man in the bed. Saying that she's Alison, that he talked to before. And that she's going with her friends to find the towers, and that she hopes he wakes up and will be OK, and stuff like that. Also, that she's leaving him a pretty flower.
[nobilis] GM says, "aww"
Alison then goes outside to find an appropriate flwoer to leave with the note.
Tyoka makes a little origami flower.
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "you took paper from me last time, so i guess it was me again"
Alison says (to Troka), "Pretty."
Alison adds, 'And Tyoka made the flower.'
Stella says (to Tyoka), "Oh.  I thought you meant figuratively.  Like, as long as they got flattened, it didn't matter how."
[nobilis] GM asks, "ok, where to now?"
Tyoka says (to Stella), "sorry, bad joke"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "on the path to the city"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Can I assume that locking the key inside poses no challenge to us worth worrying about? :)"
[nobilis] GM says, "(well, you got in without the key before, so...)"
[nobilis] Alison grins.
GM says, "you guys get on the overgrown road to the city and continue"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Do we need to do anything to figure out which way to go?"
GM says, "you emerge from the forest and into grassy hills; the grass slightly damp with morning's mist"
[nobilis] GM says, "the road pointed Davey to the city"
Chaz says, "Well, the dew's still working."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Oh, right"
Aisleen thinks aloud, "There is a long finger...we saw an arm give a box to Jensen in the scrying pool. Same body?"
Alison looks for squirrels.
GM says, "and as the sun rises you spot the city in the valley ahead -- it consists of small settlements outside the walls, and then a walled-in area, and in the center of the walled-in area, a gleaming black tower"
Chaz looks in mythic.
Alison asks, "Only one tower?"
Chaz says (to Alison), "In this city."
Wilfred has connected.
GM says, "no -- in fact it's three towers, close together"
Davey asks, "what are they made of?"
GM says, "hard to tell from here, but they gleam slightly in the sunlight"
[nobilis] Alison says, "We must be facing east."
Davey asks, "do they look like shiny stone spikes, or skyscrapers?"
GM says, "more like the latter"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "minas morgul? cirith ungol? who knows"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hee hee"
Alison keeps going that way.
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "hey, I wanna know if I'm gonna fight orcs or spiders"
GM says, "people in the settlement outside are starting to wake up; you see a few moving between the houses"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Squirrels."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "also, must fight hard to stop extremely tasteless plane jokes"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Ow."
GM says, "and, as you get closer, the higher-aspect people among you notice a few patrolling guards on the walls"
Chaz says, "Uh, so.  Do we try to sneak?  We still have our invisibility spells."
[nobilis] Stella asks, "can I gather info from the sunlight?"
Davey asks, "can any of us do some concealing mojo?"
Alison isn't, at the moment, trying to sneak.
Davey says, "Sneaking, yes"
Stella says, "I think I can disguise myself pretty well as a sunbeam."
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "I can disguise myself as a sanity-wrenching horror from beyond, but that's not helpful here."
GM says (to Stella), "the sunlight shines down on the city, of course -- you get the impression of reflecting off the towers and see people moving in the area behind the walls -- it seems more prosperous in there, and more industrial"
GM says (to Stella), "there is a glimpse of a squadron of soldiers walking in tight formation in gleaming-white uniforms"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Since Shagapir's soul-twisted, we don't need to worry about being recognized as nobles."
Chaz says (to Alison), "Let's go invisible, kid.  No sense calling attention to ourselves just yet."
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "I so read that as 'white formation in gleaming-tight uniforms'"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Oh, right, forgot about that."
Alison asks (of Chaz), "But then won't people look at us funny when we try to talk to them?"
Chaz says, "True..."
Chaz says, "Maybe if you transform into your doll, I can carry you, and you'll be invisible that way."
Davey says, "guise may be enough, if we don't run into any Powers"
Alison says, "If you wanna."
Chaz says (to Davey), "Once we're in, yes."
[nobilis] Stella asks, "I focus on the light from the towers for a moment.  are they glass and steel or stone or some other substance?"
Chaz says, "But I doubt this place gets many visitors when it's not night."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "Stormtroopers?"
Davey says, "yeah, guess sneakin' in invisible is a good plan"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Actually, I like the idea of Chaz walking around holding a dolly."
[nobilis] Tyoka doesn't know if he can turn invisible
[nobilis] Stella says, "And I'd like to ride in on Davey.  :-)"
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Also, will the spell work that way?"
[nobilis] Stella says, "As a motorcycle."
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'm sure that'd do great things for his rep if any of the kids from school saw it."
[nobilis] Davey blushes
[nobilis] Chaz says (to Tyoka), "We brong along invisibility spells from our chancel."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Brong?  Brought."
[nobilis] Stella asks, "Brong?"
Alison closes her eyes, and ... gets ... smaller ...
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "anything the wind tells me?"
GM says (to Stella), "they appear to be panels of smoky glass set into a black-painted framework"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "yay brong"
Alison cranes her neck to look up at everybody. 'ok, all set.'
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "though I prefer brung"
Aisleen says, "i am going the invisible route."
Chaz picks up Alison, uses one of the invisibility spells.
Stella says, "Folks, these towers seem to be some sort of skyscraper.  I'm going in for a closer look."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Y'know, something occurs to me..."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Some of us have been 'praying' to Henderson..."
Stella beams around the towers and the town, blending in with the sunlight.
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "no, we've been ordering him around"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "I know we can talk to our anchors that way, and that anyone can talk to a noble that way, but can we actually do that with other people?"
[nobilis] GM says, "hmm, good question"
[nobilis] Davey says, "so the mages make us a walkie-talkie"
[nobilis] GM says, "I think the answer is "probably not," but we will say it is ok in this specific since he's a chancel resident and you know him well"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Well, if anyone can talk to us, presumably we have to be able to talk back."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "But, yeah, sounds reasonable."
[nobilis] Alison says, "That's cool."
GM says (to Stella), "you get more glimpses of guards on the street -- a firing range and obstacle course where some are training -- some kind of blacksmith-type shops from which the sound of construction comes"
GM asks (of Stella), "do you want to try and go into the tower?"
Alison says (to Chaz), "Right side up, please."
Chaz says, "Oh, whoops."
Chaz rights alison.
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
Stella . o O (to group) ( I'm going in.  Wish me luck. )
Stella beams in the tower Very Cautiously.
Davey fumbles with an invisibility spell
Chaz holds alison in one hand, readies a stun gun in another, skates up invisibly nearer the wall, but not so close that they can hear him yet.
[interludes] GM has added Stella to the channel.
[interludes] GM says, "Going in through the window is like swimming through murky water"
[interludes] GM says, "but you break the surface on the other side, emerging into a dim corridor"
GM asks, "meanwhile, other people are approaching the city?"
[interludes] Stella says, "I try to blend in with the ambient light as much as possible.  I explore the corridor."
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Can we see each other though we're invisible?  Like, does it work on us?"
[peanut-gallery] Gunther says, "that olounge is so appropriate"
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'd think it'd only work on things without auctoritas."
Aisleen follows chaz as she flies up to the wall, invisible
[peanut-gallery] Aisleen asks (of gunther), "whose?"
Davey tiptoes onward
Chaz skates down a hill, then gently lifts off on an air current.
[nobilis] GM says, "I think when you're within somebody else's auctoritas, they can see you; outside it, other nobilis and higher-perception mortals can see a slight shimmering"
Tyoka flies onward, which should make the least noise
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( If we end up needing to fly over the wall, you can ride with me. )
[interludes] GM says, "you're forced to dim yourself a bit, but are still mildly conspicuous, although not immediately noticeable"
[peanut-gallery] katre says, "awdree's"
GM says, "(everyone's invisible?)"
Davey says, "seems so"
Aisleen turns back, Davey, want a lift?
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Yes."
[nobilis] Alison says, "For the moment."
[interludes] GM says, "the corridor has scattered doors on either side, and then comes to a spiral stairway heading up and down"
Davey . o O ( sure. Better than crunching along in these boots )
[interludes] GM says, "there are faint noises from below"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( can you make yourself something smaller and easier to carry? :) )
[interludes] Stella says, "I diffuse myself as much as possible, and beam down slowly."
[nobilis] Alison exclaims, "Davey the traffic cone!"
Davey . o O ( uh, I guess I could do a flag lady. hey, or a traffic cone )
[nobilis] Chaz laughs.
Aisleen swoops down to pick up Davey and turns to follow Chaz again
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "Hee!"
Davey shrinks, turns orange (invisibly)
[interludes] GM says, "you drift down the stairs, and the noises eventually resolve themselves into voices, coming through a half-open door"
[interludes] GM says, "from which light spills into the dim corridor"
Aisleen says (to davey), "much thanks"
Tyoka asks, "is there anyone left who needs carrying?"
[interludes] Stella says, "<eavesdropping>"
GM says, "after flying for a bit, you folks reach the settlements outside the wall"
[interludes] GM says, "(going inside? or staying outside?)"
Stella . o O (to group) ( there's people in here.  I'm eavesdropping. )
Aisleen says (to davey), "you have a head for heights? I want to fly up and eavesdrop with Stella"
[interludes] GM says, "the voices seem to be discussing some sort of attack "the troops head here .. meanwhile, the second division is outside, waiting for their call .. the traitor meets them and hands over the item .. he stays to give brief directions and then heads out"
Davey . o O ( dropping my won't do me any harm, so go ahead )
GM says, "(stella is actually inside the tower, I should point out, although you might be able to find an open window if you want to listen)"
Aisleen flies around looking for a window
Chaz flies near the settlement, listening.
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Since we're invisible, let's go see the guards. )
[interludes] Stella says, "I continue listening for a bit.  I'll wait till they leave if necessary."
GM says, "there's nothing open near the top of the tower (although you could in theory break one open) -- a window near the bottom is open a crack"
Chaz . o O (to Alison) ( Sure, just a sec. )
Stella . o O (to group) ( I'm hearing this - the voices seem to be discussing some sort of attack "the troops head here .. meanwhile, the second division is outside, waiting for their call .. the traitor meets them and hands over the item .. he stays to give brief directions and then heads out. )
Aisleen hovers to the slightly open window
Stella . o O (to group) ( I'm thinking they're planning another invasion.  We've got to stop them!  I"ll wait till they leave, and see if I can find any clues. )
Chaz . o O (to Stella) ( Any idea on which chancel they're after this time? )
[interludes] GM says, ""So where did it go wrong?" the voices continue. "The traitor worked successfully and the item was used correctly -- we have some evidence that the ritual was begun.""
GM says (to Aisleen), "there seems to be somebody in there giving a presentation of some kind"
GM says (to Aisleen), "she's pointing with one of those pointer sticks at a chart hung up on the wall"
Tyoka says, "Attack Plan.ppt"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "ilac"
[interludes] GM says, ""We had some idea of the strength of their wards but not the exact effect, and so it was difficult to counteract them until we were actually there -- some more surveying should have been done in advance.""
[interludes] GM says, ""We will get this Perfect.""
Stella . o O (to Chaz) ( its starting to sound liek they are discussing the failed attack on our chancel, and trying to find out what went wrong. )
[interludes] GM says, ""But now, lunch.""
Alison . o O ( We're too smart for 'em. )
Stella . o O (to Chaz) ( (a little grimly) WE went wrong, and we'll do it again! )
[interludes] GM says, ""Isn't it too early for lunch?""
Tyoka . o O (to group) ( perhaps we should warn Chancel Boring Library Research )
[interludes] GM says, ""Ok, fine, brunch then.""
[interludes] GM says, "Footsteps from inside come towards the doorway."
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "I beam away!"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( "Can you see the chart?" )
Aisleen lifts davey up to the window
[interludes] GM says, "a man and a woman emerge from inside, turn the corner, and head towards the stairway"
Aisleen continues to listen
[interludes] Stella says, "<examine couple>"
GM says (to Davey), "it sounds, on closer inspection, like the presentation is on some new improvement in the rifling technique on the barrel on their current standard-issue weapon"
GM says, "and possible incantations that can be automatically applied as the bullet flies"
[interludes] GM says, "They're dressed in gleaming white with black bars on their shoulders"
Davey . o O ( huh. looks like they're upgrading their plans. Magic guns. Guess they're rolling right along for the next invasion )
Alison . o O ( Are they going after us again, or someone else? )
Davey . o O ( no idea. this group's just talkin' technique. There's probably hundreds of briefings all going on at once in these towers )
[interludes] GM says, "and are heading downstairs, no doubt for brunch"
Tyoka . o O ( all the more important we take them down now )
Stella . o O (to group) ( the two I found talking seem to be some head honchos.  I'm infiltrating the briefing room. )
[interludes] Stella says, "I head in the briefing room."
[interludes] GM says, "there's a big map spread out on the table"
[interludes] GM says, "which you quickly recognize as your own chancel"
[interludes] GM says, "it seems accurate, if rough"
[interludes] GM says, "on it are various small miniatures, some in the shapes of soldiers, some zeppelins"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Sorry, was afk."
[interludes] GM says, "made from silver"
Davey . o O ( they work through traitors. Maybe we can cultivate some traitors ourselves )
[nobilis] Chaz says, "But Ellric is now asleep."
Davey . o O ( maybe Chaz and Alison can find someone toying with rebelling and we can work on 'em )
Chaz heads over to the guard house, if he can find one, watching for anything interesting along the way.
[interludes] Stella says, "I examine the figures to see if any are something other than soldiers are zeplins"
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( Good idea. )
[interludes] Stella says, "I also look for markings or notations that might indicate who or what was involved."
GM says, "there are several guardhouses"
Chaz . o O (to all) ( If we can find the Nobles, they would presumably be a great help. )
[interludes] GM says, "some seem to be mages, and (being clown-shaped) some seem to be the chancel's mages"
Chaz picks one on whim.
[interludes] GM says, "there is a red-circled area on part of the map labelled "JENSEN""
Chaz . o O (to all=Hey, three towers=) ( three nobles?  Maybe each one is in the basement?  Or *is* the tower? )
GM says, "like the others, it's perhaps two stories high and rectangular, with a few windows"
Chaz listens.
[interludes] GM says, "some other red circled areas are labelled "ENTRANCE 1", "ENTRANCE 2", etc, with a few notes about where they connect to on Earth"
[interludes] GM says, "but no notes as such about who's in charge"
[interludes] Stella says, "once the map has no more clues to offer, I look around for other papers, search desks, etc."
[interludes] GM says, "there's just this table and a cabinet against the wall"
[interludes] Stella says, "<examine cabinet>"
GM says (to Chaz), "you hear the murmur of conversation from inside, and something rattling -- as you keep listening, you realize some kind of dice game is in progress"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Hmm, that was an interesting parsing of the internal '=='."
Chaz finds someone who's thinking of betting it all, goads him into it with a ghost miracle.
[interludes] GM says, "inside the cabinet are some scroll cases, and more silver miniatures, with more soldiers but also things like dragons, ogres, giants, and spiders"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Yeah, apparently Perl matches fromt he right."
GM says, "there is a pause, and then "damn, I'm out!""
GM says, ""Ah well, might as well catch some sleep before patrol -- I'm on the redeye""
GM says, "a chair is pushed back, and then footsteps"
Chaz skootches back.
[interludes] Stella says, "once I"m done with teh cabinet, I head out and down the stairs Very Cautiouisly."
GM says, ""Keep going?" "Nah, I'm out too. Going to pocket my winnings and go drinking.""
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "greedy matching"
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "you want to stop that, match for =?"
[interludes] GM says, "you pass another dim corridor stretching off the stairway, and the stairway continues down"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Nah, not a big deal."
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( stay here or do you want me to look for other windows? )
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to Tyoka), "Except the = is inside a string variable."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka asks, "so?"
[interludes] Stella descends the staircase.
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "So, the MUD doesn't know it's an =."
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "IDGI, but nevermind"
Davey . o O ( let's look around more. This particular group ain't that importanty )
[interludes] GM says, "the staircase apparently hits ground level, as it only continues on as a short corridor leading to a door"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Follow a guard?  Or keep scouting around? )
[nobilis] Tyoka asks, "do we not have unsubtle quantities of C4?"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh.  Nah, just a few stun grenades and stuff."
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "that is regrettable"
[Crows-Nest] GM asks, "I think what he means is you'd have to turn the *s in the exit into .*?"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Let's search the guardhouse. )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Maybe we can find some master keys. )
[interludes] Stella looks at the towers in mythic.
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( OK, let's see if everyone leaves. )
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "that is indeed it"
[interludes] GM says, "from the inside? they still seem, mm, faintly brooding"
Aisleen flies around, looking for other rooms
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( I think it's probably too bright for you to go in as mist undetected. )
Davey . o O ( so, any plans hatching? We could just storm the place the way they did to us, only they have an army and we have, uh, Tyoka, Chaz and my bikers )
Chaz, as he waits, looks at the towers in mythic.
Alison . o O (to Davey) ( We have clowns. But they're at home. )
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( I think finding the heart and/or the original nobles here is our best bet. )
[interludes] Stella says, "I search the tower for anything else the least bit helpfu."
Tyoka . o O ( nothing is more terrifying than clowns )
Davey . o O ( (to Chaz) my thoughts exactly )
Alison . o O ( If we get their zeppelins working again, we have invisible-turning zeppelins. )
Chaz . o O ( tyoka Except... the mimes. )
GM says (to Aisleen), "you locate another few windows which are open and have conversation -- this one is about negating confusion and illusion spells, that one is about the cost/benefit of increasing the frequency of spy reports, and the other is -- ah, hang on"
Tyoka . o O ( I still say we blow this place to smithereens )
GM says (to Aisleen), "that one mentioned "heart-cutting""
[interludes] GM says, "it's a biggish tower, you realize :)"
GM says, "meanwhile, one of the guards steps out of the barracks, coins jingling in his pocket"
Davey . o O ( (to Tyoka) this place isn't evil, though, it's been enslaved )
Chaz peeks in the door, to see if anyone else is in there.
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen sings, "Send in the Clowns"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz exclaims, "Ow!"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Quick, let's duck in now, before it swings shut! )
GM says, "(well, you know there were several of them in there)"
Davey perks up his coney self to hear about heart-cutting
Aisleen goes closer to the room about heart-cutting
[Crows-Nest] Tyoka says, "I can only think of "Shoot all the clowns""
[interludes] GM says, "but you haven't explored upwards, so I'll assume you go that way"
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "How big is the room?  Can I reasonalby fly around undetected?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "you guys started it"
[interludes] Stella says, "sounds good.  Stella floats upwards."
[nobilis] GM says, "it looks like a reasonably wide barracks, with bunks ot either side and a few tables set up down the middle"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "is the window big enough for us to enter the room?"
[nobilis] GM says, "it's only open a crack, but you could pull it open more"
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Chaz), "Why were we flying, again?"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( hover out by the window? or get in? )
GM says (to Chaz), "just as you're glancing away from the towers in mythic to check out the barracks, there is a bright flash of light from the top of one of them"
Chaz shrugs, skate-flys in behind the guy, darts up above one of the bunks, crouches, hovers.
Aisleen . o O ( hm. a bit of whimsy to make one of the people in the room open the window would be convenient )
Davey . o O ( careful, careful )
GM says (to Aisleen&Davey), "a bit of conversation drifts out to you guys -- you catch snatches of ".. the discovered ritual .. should have more consultation .. work to develop ..""
Aisleen hovers to let Davey listen
[interludes] GM says, "the staircase continues past several darkened corridors, eventually terminating at what must be close to the top of the tower; there is another short hallway and a door"
Davey asks, "how many are in that room?"
GM says, "inside the barracks, there are two guys still sitting at one of the tables, and about four people asleep on various bunks"
[interludes] Stella says, "I listen at the door - if no one seems to be present, I quietly beam in."
GM says (to Davey), "it's hard to say; somehow this room is darker than the others. you can make out two shadowy forms sitting at the end of a table near the far wall, but there might be more"
Aisleen looks in to the window
[interludes] GM says, "there *is* someone present -- or at least, you hear footsteps"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of chaz), "can you send some whimsy to get one of these guys to open a window?"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Uh, I dunno.  I'm kind of far away."
Davey . o O ( Stella could open a window in an empty room if we wanna get in and sneak around )
Chaz looks for insignia on the guards.
[interludes] GM says, "they pace back and forth, and then stop -- there is the sound of creaking furniture"
Aisleen . o O (to stella) ( where are you? can you open us a window in an empty room? )
[interludes] Stella asks, "have I seen openable windows anywhere?"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Well, here we are.  You wanted keys? )
Chaz looks around for keys.
GM says, "they are generally plain white uniforms, although one of the two sitting down has a single black bar on his shoulder"
Stella . o O (to group) ( I'm near the top of the tower.  I'm listening to see if this guy is going to leave or fall asleep so I can snoop around some more. )
[interludes] GM says, "yeah, some of the corridors end in windows you could probably open"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Yeah -- barracks and guardhouses and jails are supposed to ahve hooks on the wall with big keyrings hanging on 'em, right? )
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "How does 'guise' work?  Could I make myself look like 'a guard', or can I go so far as to look like one of the guards I've seen?"
[nobilis] GM says, "the former"
[interludes] Stella says, "I sneakily open a window."
[nobilis] Chaz nods.
[interludes] GM says, "it swings open"
Stella . o O (to group) ( Here you go!  I've got a window open - come sneak! )
Davey . o O ( great )
[nobilis] Tyoka asks, "can I check out the rest of the town in invisible flight while they're doing this?"
[interludes] Stella says, "I go back to eavesdropping."
[nobilis] GM says, "yes"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "What's in the guardhouse, aside from the beds?"
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "I do that then"
[nobilis] GM says, "tables in the center, boxes under the beds, stairs leading up"
Chaz . o O (to tyoka) ( Hey, look at the towers in mythic while you're out there.  I saw a flash of light just before coming in here. )
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Any storage cabinets, hooks ont he wall, discarded trousers on the floor, etc?"
Chaz slowly glides near the floor, sets Alison down under one of the beds near a box.
GM says (to Tyoka), "you swoop over the town -- it looks like the bit outside the walls is mostly poor people, farmers, and minor craftspeople; inside the walls are blacksmiths and more industrialized things -- there are apparently some gunsmiths and the like also, and then a few scattered taverns, although most of those are outside the walls"
Alison nods, and tries to peek into the box from here, if possible.
[interludes] GM says, "there is nothing for a while, just the faint scritch-scritch of somebody writing"
GM says, "it's got a big keyhole which you peek through, revealing .. cloth"
GM says, "white cloth."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Does it resemble the uniforms we've seen so far?"
Aisleen flies in to the room
Aisleen silently glides in to the heart-cutting discussion room
[nobilis] GM says, "yeah, that's probably what it is"
Alison sticks one hand in the keyhole, if it'll fit, and feels around for some way to unlock it.
[interludes] Stella says, "I wait a while."
[interludes] GM says, "eventually the writing stops, there is the pause, and then the faint sound of chanting"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( If it's just a uniform, probably not worth it. )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( I think the box has a -- yeah, how'd you know? )
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Wanna check upstairs? )
[interludes] Stella says, "I try to make out the words. I stick my ethereal ear under the door, as it were. :-)"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( OK. )
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( I was watching over your shoulder ;-) )
Chaz sets his hand down for alison to clamber back aboard.
GM says (to Aisleen), "you and Davey fly in the window, and head to where the heart-cutting discussion is going on; unfortunately, it's behind a closed door"
GM says, "you catch a few more words from this side, though: "locate the heart .. ritual object .. can't always rely on someone .. need to work out a way to locate .. to expand to all ..""
Chaz swoops upstairs once Alison is back aboard.
[interludes] GM asks, "it's definitely magic, but you aren't really trained enough to make it out -- something about sending, perhaps? or carrying?"
[interludes] GM says, "but then it stops"
[interludes] GM says, "there is the creak of furniture again, and then footsteps, coming to the door"
GM says, "upstairs are actual rooms, albeit small ones"
Davey . o O ( shit hell. they're discussing how to cut out the middleman and go after chancel hearts everywhere )
GM says, "four of them, each with two beds"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Bounced -- back.)"
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "I beam away!"
[nobilis] Chaz says (to Alison), "We're upstairs; 4 rooms, 2 beds each."
Chaz looks for the largest one/one with a window.
Davey . o O ( no way they'll get all of 'em -- there gotta be Imperators weirder than Shaggy -- but jeez, they're thinkin' big )
[interludes] GM says, "you zip up to the ceiling, since there's not much place else to go"
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Also, anyone sleeping in any of 'em?"
GM says, "they all have windows"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Any dressers?"
GM says, "two have people sleeping on a bed"
Chaz goes in one w/o people.
GM says, "each room has an actual wardrobe"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Let's check the ones with people in 'em -- the other ones probably have their keys with them. )
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Hmm, OK. )
[interludes] GM says, "the door swings open silently. a dark-haired man steps out"
Chaz enters.
[interludes] GM says, "he cocks his head slightly to one side, as if listening, and then walks towards the stairs"
Chaz sets alison down again, pulls out a stun gun and aims it at the sleeping guy.
[interludes] GM says, "(closing the door behind him)"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( You search, I'll stun him if he wakes up. )
Chaz tries to remember how much noise these things made.
[interludes] Stella asks, "I examine the man closely - does he look like A Guy In Charge?"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( new room, or do you want to hear them longer? )
Alison . o O ( Works for me. )
[interludes] GM says, "he carries himself like that, yeah"
[interludes] GM asks, "so you're going to follow him?"
[interludes] GM says, "(since he's walking down the stairs, not waiting)"
Chaz . o O (to tyoka) ( Did you take a look at the tops of those towers in mythic yet?  Something was going on. )
Stella . o O (to folksnearby) ( I just saw an important guy - I'm tailing him. )
Alison goes over to the wardrobe, grabs the edge of the door with both arms, and tries to drag it open.
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Good luck. )
Stella . o O (to Chaz) ( thanks!  I might need it! )
GM says, "Alison tries to open the wardrobe, but it's locked, so she retrieves the key from the guard's pocket, who stirs for a moment, but then slumps when Chaz stuns him"
[interludes] Stella says, "I stealthily follow Important Dude."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "(Any other keys in the pocket?"
[interludes] GM says, "he heads down the stairs for two flights and then turns -- walking, as it happens, towards the heart-cutting room"
Davey . o O ( let's look around more. They're talking about what they want, not about to spill a useful secret )
Alison looks for something to climb up, in order to get the key near the keyhole.
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "ooh!"
GM says (to Davey&Aisleen), "you hear footsteps coming down the corridor towards you guys"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Here, I'll do it. )
Chaz unlocks the door.
Davey . o O ( let's get up near the ceiling )
[nobilis] GM says, "yeah, the key is on a ring of three"
Davey is still a cone
Stella . o O (to guys) ( Important Dude on the loose - take care! )
Chaz opens the window, in case we need a hasty exit.
Alison . o O ( I wonder what the other two keys go to. One is probably for the door to this room. )
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Where are you?  And where is the Dude? )
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( we can ask them once we're away from here. )
[interludes] Stella asks, "where is the heart-cutting room?  is it the map room?"
GM says, "inside the wardrobe are some extra uniforms, a handgun sitting on a shelf, some boots"
[interludes] GM says, "no, it's just one of the rooms in the building"
[interludes] GM says, "with a window"
Chaz asks, "How many bars on the shoulders?"
GM says, "three"
Aisleen hovers near the ceiling
[interludes] Stella asks, "I want to tell folks where I am, and I don't know where I am.  halfway up?  almost down?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i am logging off."
[interludes] GM says, "if you're following the guy, you're near the ceiling"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "davey, feel free to direct where you want me to take you."
[nobilis] GM says, "ok -- byebye"
[nobilis] Chaz exclaims, "Aww.  Get better soon!"
[nobilis] GM says, "glad you could make it"
[interludes] Stella says, "hope that medicine works for you."
Alison scrambles around in the wardrobe, to look for anything behind anything, or hidden.
Aisleen goes home.
GM says, "Aisleen drifts up to the ceiling, just in time, as the man comes walking down the corridor"
[nobilis] Davey says, "hmm. How do I work this remote..."
Davey studies the man
GM says, "he heads to the door without knocking, and swings it open, then steps inside"
Davey . o O ( this your bigwig, Stella? )
GM says, "he's dark-haired and holds himself like he's in charge here and everyone knows it"
GM says (to Alison), "nothing. which, come to think of it, is odd. no personal items in the room at all"
Stella . o O ( Davey Yup.  He thinks he's hot stuff. )
[nobilis] Davey asks, "any chance of following him in, or is the door only open for a second?"
Chaz . o O ( alison Hmm. )
[nobilis] GM says, "he leaves it open"
[interludes] GM has removed Stella from the channel.
Alison . o O ( They're not people, are they? They're toy soldiers. )
[nobilis] Davey says, "okay. Staying within earshot, but trying to avoid getting close enough for detection"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Anything more here?  We already have guns; lets just take the kets. )
[nobilis] Chaz says, "keys."
Alison . o O ( OK. )
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "if you guys don't stop soon, inky will have no break"
Stella . o O (to Davey) ( why don't you follow him for a bit?  I'd like to sneak back upstairs and see what he was writing. )
Davey . o O ( okay )
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "(it suddenly occurs to me)"
Chaz swings out the window, makes sure nobody's watching from below, closes it (most of the way from the outside.
Stella floats back upstairs.
GM says, ""Report," the man says. His voice is oh-so-smooth."
[nobilis] Davey asks, "and can we see the people in the shadowy room now?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison asks, "What's your start time?"
GM says, "Davey and Aisleen drift into the room, ducking under the doorway"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "I'll be breaking here in twenty minutes, then pause for an hour, then next game"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "an hour and 20 mins from now"
Chaz flies up out of earshot of the ground, lets Alison interrogate the keys, looks at the towers in mythic again.
Alison asks (of Keys), "Do you talk?"
GM says, ""Do you have something to unlock?" asks the key"
[interludes] GM has added Stella to the channel.
[interludes] GM says, "(didn't realize you were going to split up again)"
Alison asks (of Keys), "Maybe. What do you know how to unlock?"
[interludes] GM says, "you head up to the door"
GM says, ""I unlock a wardrobe, and two rooms in the tower, and a cabinet in the tower""
GM says, "Once they're in the room, Davey and Aisleen see there are three men sitting in the shadows at the edge of a longish table"
GM says, "in addition to the man who just came in"
Alison asks (of Keys), "OK. How do we get to those rooms, and that cabinet?"
GM says, "(I say "men" but in fact it's too dark to tell about the three, and their voices are in whispers)"
[interludes] Stella says, "I open the door and examine the room."
[Crows-Nest] Chaz exclaims, "It's HeretiCorp!"
GM says (to Alison), ""You are carried in the pocket and then removed at the proper time. Sometimes you are bounced up and down.""
GM says, "Scribed on the end of the table are glowing runes, not that bright except against the darkness here"
[nobilis] Davey says, "good thing we have Aspect"
Alison asks (of Keys), "Does the pocket get turned around side to side, while you're in it?"
Davey memorizes the runes
GM says, ""Our examination of the ritual is nearly complete -- we have identified four separate places where improves can be made""
[interludes] GM says, "the door swings open gently. this is a lavishly-decorated studio, really. there's a desk and a draped bed, a chair at the desk and a mirror on the wall"
GM says, ""That is good. Enumerate them for me.""
[interludes] Stella does a little dance of glee.
[interludes] Stella says, "examines the room thoroughly, starting with desk, but tries to be unobtrusive about the whole thing and leave no traces."
GM says, ""The first place is the process of the location of the Heart -- there are other possible techniques besides the one we have used.""
GM says, ""And was that an error in the previous campaign?""
GM says, ""It was not. Nevertheless, we think it advisable to develop as part of the Plan.""
Davey . o O ( I'm in a room with a bossman and three mage-types. Maybe we can slow this place down by abducting the mages )
[interludes] GM says, "you walk around the room checking the various parts"
GM says, ""And the second?""
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Did the keys hear the question?)"
Davey . o O ( or, of course, the boss-man, only his boss might come after us )
GM says, ""The initial ritual as discovered could permit some improvements. We have identified advances in magical knowledge since it was developed.""
[nobilis] GM says, "(they're thinking about it)"
GM says, ""Sometimes we are tossed from side-to-side, it is true""
[interludes] Stella asks, "can I rifle the desk, too?"
GM says, "The leader-guy laughs, gently. "It has been a while, yes.""
[nobilis] Tyoka says, "you WILL be"
[interludes] GM says, "the mirror is just a mirror. the bed has nothing underneath it. the rug on the floor also conceals nothing"
Alison asks (of Keys), "Do you think you could remember, if I asked... when you get tossed to the side, and when the pocket bounces along stright ahead, and when it tips up or down?"
[interludes] GM says, "the desk, however, has an inkwell, some blotting sand, and a quill on it, plus some paper"
GM says, ""Er, I could try, I suppose""
[interludes] GM says, "then in the drawers"
Chaz chuckles.
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "yay drawers!"
[interludes] GM says, "there is a small crystal hemisphere in the main drawer. one of the side drawers contains what looks like a small harp and a puzzle-box."
Chaz asks (of Alison), "You don't ask much, do you?"
Chaz keeps watching the towers for a flash.
Alison asks, "OK. I'll start you out, if that'll help: you get put in the pocket, then the pocket turns around, and goes out the door... then it tips down, and it walks down the stairs... then it turns to the other door, and walks straight to it... and then do you remember what happens?"
Alison says (to Chaz), "It can't hurt to try. They seem like nice enough keys, after all."
Stella . o O (to group) ( I'm rifling his drawers.  His room is opulent, but unhelpful so far.  I'm hoping this desk reveals more. )
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Neat! )
GM says, ""The third point of improvement is the actual transference of the heart. This is considerably longer than is ideal.""
[nobilis] Alison says, "At at the moment, she has the opportunity to share their perspective of being carried around like that."
Stella . o O (to group) ( I found a small harp and puzzle box and a crystal ball.  I'm wondering if these are hearts. )
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh."
GM says, ""Yes. I have designated some people to examine ways to provide delaying tactics, but this, as you say, is not an ideal solution.""
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Oooh. )
Davey . o O ( great! yoink 'em )
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Also, I didn't really expect this to ork at all, but I figured it was worth trying.)"
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Look at them in mythic. )
GM says (to Alison), ""I could, uh -- there is bouncing, and I am tossed from side-to-side""
[interludes] Stella looks at them in mythic.
GM says (to Alison), ""And then I am carried up for a while, and then sideways""
Stella . o O (to Chaz&Davey) ( good ideas.  I'm doing it! )
Alison asks (of Keys), "To that side, or to this side?"
[interludes] GM says, "the puzzle box is locked with seven locks; the crystal hemisphere is a cup of liquid; the harp is a tiny metal spider"
GM says, ""this side, I think.""
GM says, ""The fourth point is --""
Chaz . o O (to self) ( Hmm, maybe that flash was just Stella. )
GM says, "The leader raises his hand, and the mage stops talking. "One moment, please.""
Alison tugs at Chaz's sleeve, in the direction the keys indicate.
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( Don't forget your stun gun. )
GM says, "The man turns and walks down the corridor."
GM says, "the runes on the table shift into new words"
Tyoka finishes his inspection of the city and returns to the tower only to find everyone gone.
Stella . o O (to group) ( In mythic, I've got a cup of liquid, a spider and a box with seven locks.  I shouldn't be much longer. )
GM says, "The mages look upwards in surprise."
Davey . o O ( nuts )
GM says, "One of them starts fumbling with something under the table"
Davey directs Aisleen to put him down as he shifts to hunam
[nobilis] Davey says, "human even"
GM says (to Stella), "you hear jogging footsteps approaching, and chanting"
Alison says (to Chaz), "C'mon, this way..."
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "I pocket the items and run!"
Chaz flies towards the tower.
[interludes] Stella exclaims, "er, beam!"
[interludes] GM asks, "run where? out the door?"
[interludes] Stella says, "is there a window?  if not, then, yes, out the door and out the open window."
[nobilis] Chaz exclaims, "Shoot 'em!  Shoot 'em!"
Alison tries to go back and forth between interrogating the keys, and relaying directions to Chaz.
Tyoka . o O ( where is everyone? )
Stella . o O (to group) ( I need a diversion! )
Davey zaps with the stun gun
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( Where are you?  Near a window? )
Davey . o O ( aisleen, a gale wouls be cool )
GM says, "the keys, meanwhile, have led Alison and Chaz to a room in the tower with a table in the center and a cabinet against the far wall"
Stella . o O (to group) ( I"m near the top of the tower.  I'm heading for a window, but I"m not sure I'll make it. )
[peanut-gallery] katre asks, "does awdree ever make sense?"
Davey zaps at the guy fumbling
GM says, "Davey zaps with the stun gun, and one of the mages falls under the table"
[peanut-gallery] Valancy says, "I've not seen it happen yet."
GM says, "and let's end it here"
Alison exclaims (at Key), "Great job! Now we get to unlock stuff!"
Davey . o O ( wish I had the Glorious stuff )
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "whoohoo!"
Davey says, "yikes"
Chaz exclaims, "Woot!"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Cool."
Chaz asks, "Next week, Sunday, normal time?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Is next week an off week or an on week?"
[interludes] GM has removed Stella from the channel.
GM says, "unfortunately, next week's my off week, yeah"
Chaz says, "Oh, whoops."
GM says, "but when we resume on the 25th, it'll be back on regular schedule"
GM says, "thanks for showing up today, people"
Alison says, "Our pleasure."
Davey says, "no prob"
Davey says, "good game"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "mm, maga's one-shot then, next weekend"
Tyoka says, "yay game"
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "it was fun!"
Tyoka says, "although I was distracted by eye"
Chaz asks, "eye?"
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Oh--reveal interludes, or no?"
[nobilis] Stella says, "good thing these towers are art-free.  I'd be getting distracted."
[Crows-Nest] Iain asks, "So more of a, if I can be pedantic, two-shot?"
[nobilis] GM says, "Reveal, please"
Tyoka says, "eye problems"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "yes"
Tyoka says, "right eye is itching and tearing"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to Iain), "In our MUD RPG parlance, 'one-shote' tends more to mean one story, as opposed to one session."
Chaz says, "Ow."
[Crows-Nest] Iain says, "More Sir Benjamin is good."
[Crows-Nest] Penny flexes her innuendo-ising muscles
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Since it's very, very difficult to fit a story into a single session online."
[Crows-Nest] Iain says, "Mm."
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to Penny), "I do *not* want to know which muscles those are."
[Crows-Nest] Penny says (to alison), "you're two young to know"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "er, too"
[nobilis] Davey says, "those two are too young also"
[nobilis] Davey says, "ilac"
[nobilis] Stella exclaims, "See you guys in a couple weeks!"
Davey says, "seeya"
Davey goes home.
Tyoka has disconnected.
[nobilis] Stella beams at everyone, and flies away.
Chaz concentrates, and disappears.
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus asks, "has there *ever* been a single-session mud rpg?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "The CoC quickie may have been, but I forgget."
[Crows-Nest] Gunther says, "no, that was also two"
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus asks, "it was? the one with the fire?"
[Crows-Nest] Gunther says, "there was a single-session one that never got finished"
[Crows-Nest] Gunther says, "ooh, that was one only, right"
[Crows-Nest] Gunther says, "also, vampire was"
[Crows-Nest] Gunther says, "2"
[Crows-Nest] jwalrus says (to gunther), "but would require another one to finish and therefore doesn't count"