[nobilis] PerrySimm says, "Log on."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "me too"
[nobilis] Alison says, "So... who's in Amanda's Familia? (And do we know her Imperator?)"
[nobilis] Davey says, "sorry if I'm kida distracted today. I'm feeling a little sick"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of alison), "who?"
[nobilis] Penny says, "um, Jack, I think"
[nobilis] Kiz says, "aww. we'll send chieck-soup vibes"
[nobilis] Gaston says (to Alison), "Jack and Armande, I think."
[nobilis] Kiz says, "well, veggie chicken-soup vibes"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Aisleen), "Apparently someone throwing a party."
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Jack is Shadows, Armande is Cloth."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "oh right. the writer"
[nobilis] Franklin asks, "and Jack made an appearance yesterday, correct?"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "And they're slimy and camp, respectively."
[nobilis] Davey says, "mm, soup"
[nobilis] Penny says, "oh no! maga is not here to play Armande!"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Yeah, Jack has been nosing around Kori and Alexandra's friends."
[nobilis] Penny says, "inky will have to attempt the same level of campness"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "was Jack the same mysterious figure that appeared at the duel and flustered Drake?"
[nobilis] Gaston asks, "And he was there at Stella's duel, no?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "And was Jack mentioned early on in the Sunday sessions?"
[nobilis] Gaston says (to Davey), "Yeah, that's what I'm thinking."
[nobilis] Franklin asks (of davey), "hmmmm yeah?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "I think maybe so"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Davey), "I don't think he was ID'd, but he was shadowy."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "I think in a later session he was identified"
[nobilis] Gaston says (to Alison), "It was either Jack or Eminem."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "the transcript from the week after that"
[nobilis] GM says, "Amanda's familia has Drake and Rike; Cecily's family has Jack, Armande, and Galer"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Rike? Galer? oh dear"
[nobilis] GM says, "Galer made a brief appearance as the host of the party in the early session"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "This is getting all post-modern, what with all the characters busy reading back-issues of their own series."
[nobilis] Aisleen goes back to read the old sessions
[nobilis] GM says, "Rike hasn't been seen yet, only mentioned"
[nobilis] Franklin brings up the 'inside inky's head/outside inky's head' chart, hmmms.
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to gaston), "timing :)"
[nobilis] Franklin asks, "Galer was the host? so was he.. gambling?"
[nobilis] GM says, "(he is, you recall, the Baronet of Awards and inventor of Successories)"
[nobilis] GM says, "right"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "wow, score"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Aha, now I remember."
[nobilis] Franklin asks, "what's a successory?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Do we know what Rike's Thing is?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "I think Awards/successories"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Wait, you already answered."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Sorry."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "unles I'm more confused than I thought"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Okay, I may have to draw some family trees."
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Except there won't be much treeness involved."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "with squirrels napping on the branches"
[nobilis] GM says (to Franklin), "these: http://www.successories.com/Theme.asp?nav_id_store=&nav_id_top=&nav_id_left=2&group_id=&theme_id=2&nav_id_browse="
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Unless someone can suggest an organising principle."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Wait -- Wasn't Inventor-dude seen though?"
[nobilis] GM says, "(they are popularly advertised in in-flight magazines)"
[nobilis] GM asks, "inventor-dude?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "OK, never mind. Successories do not seem to be the sorts of things that require actual inventors to invent them."
[nobilis] Alison says (to GM), "Whoever was stapling with Armande."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i will just hope i understand what is going on when the game starts"
[nobilis] GM says, "aha"
[nobilis] GM says, "that was, um, Herbert"
[nobilis] GM says, "who is in Wendell's family"
[nobilis] GM says, "who was the guy who invented living ink"
[nobilis] (from Gaston) GM says, "So, let's get started -- Edmund, Olga, Harold, Philip, Desdemona and Jennifer turn up at your chancel."
[nobilis] GM laughs
[nobilis] Alison says, "Aha."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "And... do we know whom Edmund's with?"
[nobilis] Davey says, "Chancel Home Depot? or was that just Wendell"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "?"
[nobilis] Davey says, "I remember being very confused and insisting we look at doors"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Hee hee."
[nobilis] GM says, "Edmund's sister Leona, Viscountess of Containers, made an appearance at the party also"
[nobilis] GM says, "I don't know if anyone else from his familia has featured"
[nobilis] Gaston asks, "What's Edmund -- Messages?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Who was it that keeps the Big Book of Nobs?"
[nobilis] Gaston starts drawing a family forest.
[nobilis] GM says, "Imogene, it looks like"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Wait, who? Sheesh."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Do we know anything about her Familia?"
[nobilis] GM says, "no"
[nobilis] GM says, "just that she's duchess of etiquette"
[nobilis] Davey says, "this isn't going to stop without the GM running away screaming"
[nobilis] Alison endeavors to get inky to mention everyone important in this conversation -- not taking detailed notes, but making sure this gets into the log so he can put the pieces together later :)
[nobilis] Alison says, "Er. She? Um."
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Darn these OOC channels and the confusion of personal identity)"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Do we know the imperators or chancel names of any of these folks?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "#nobilis ..gaston put the forest up where we can all see it :)"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Sure."
[nobilis] GM says, "Armande & co are at Locus Style; Amanda & co are at Locus Olympus"
[nobilis] GM says, "oh, and there's also Bronwynn and Rachel and Eric, in Locus Pacific"
[nobilis] GM says, "I don't think any imperator names have been mentioned yet"
[nobilis] Gaston asks, "Rachel? Who's she?"
[nobilis] Alex says (to Gaston), "Awwwk! Word on the street is that Rachel is Spatch's ex-girlfriend."
[nobilis] Gaston asks, "Also, what was Eric's domain?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "hee. i was about to come up with a biblical ref until Alex beat me"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "I remember he was the very first NPC."
[nobilis] GM says, "hmm, maybe she hasn't been mentioned yet. Eric is Adaptability"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Gaston), "Demonology."
[nobilis] Gaston asks (of Alison), "Who, Rachel?"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Gaston), "Eric. Pratchett joke."
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Aha."
[nobilis] Alison says, "(And we probably shouldn't even get into Squirrels and Dew and Telemarketing...)"
[nobilis] Davey says, "did we actually liberate Astara? We could use it as a secret base"
[nobilis] Davey says, "; Since we're in Chancel Bait"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Davey), "I don't think the bad guys have an occupying force there anymore, but I don't know if the Big Bad Guy is still hanging around."
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "I got called afk for a long while, came back thinking I would be missing all the action, and the pre-session session is still going"
[nobilis] Davey says, "yeah, seems like the Silver One's been poking at us, but there was another one."
[nobilis] Alison says, "He might have had a secret stash of Magic and Tanks or something that he could be working out of."
[nobilis] Alison says, "(In Astara, I mean)"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "oh, I just died. You missed it. Alison ate my heart and everything."
[Crows-Nest] Alison asks, "Speaking of death and danger, how are we on Holy Fire and timeouts?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison asks, "Anyone in danger yet?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Wait, I thought the Big Bad Guy -- at least, the guy I'm referring to as the Big Bad guy -- hasn't been encountered directly yet."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "well, our Big Bad Guy has been seen in the scrying pool"
[nobilis] Davey says, "I'm not really sure either"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Franklin), "Dunno about *your* Big Bad Guy, but *ours* jumped out a window and flew away."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "but i am not sure if he is the Real Big Bad Guy"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "oh yeah, that one too"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "We are playing one big story, and there is only one Big Bad guy."
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "people with low spirit need to refresh weekly, I believe, so probably some people have had to do so; but it hasn't been an issue yet"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Aisleen), "That is true. He might have been a Little Bad Guy."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "So there's no our bad guy/your bad guy distinction."
[nobilis] Alison says (to Franklin), "Depends how Big is Big."
[nobilis] Alison says (to Franklin), "I mean, it could be a Bad Guy Team."
[nobilis] GM says, "or a Squad"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Yeah. I hope so."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Since then you can take two down with one hit if you manage a raise."
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "From what I understand, Ghin-Aj of the Lost Chancel is an Excrucian who has his minions rushing around trying to find his body so he can walk the Earth again and be really evil in even more heinous ways."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "wait. isn't Lost Chancel the Chancel Four Winds?"
[nobilis] Davey says, "no"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Franklin), "From what I understand, someone brought an army into our chancel but lost, so we brought a half dozen of us back to his chancel and turned it to rubble."
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "heehee"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "And Vona and Shagapir got together and decided to form both our groups in order to -- I'm not sure what."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Four Winds is Lo's chancel."
[nobilis] Davey says, "it was a chancel cut off in the (still not understood (by me)) effort to find the Lost Chancel"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Lo's chancel isn't lost?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "The 'Lost Chancel' is an ancient, mythic, Lost with a capital L chancel."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Or is it lost, but not Lost?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Aha."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Lo's was a cut-off chancel."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Astara was a cut-off chancel."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Feriaris was almost a cut-off chancel."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Excepting that we rock."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "This notion of a 'Lost Chancel' I think came straight from Vona."
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Er, Feriarum, I mean)"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "Or was it a strange old book? Hmmm."
[nobilis] Davey says, "and that bit with the writing on your library walls"
[nobilis] Franklin says (to Davey), "Yes, that's what started it."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "BTW, is it safe to assume that anyone one group has heard of, the other group has heard of?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "'Where are the lost chancels?' I think it said, in Excrucian."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "right. i remember that"
[nobilis] Gaston says (to Alison), "We seem to be on pretty good terms, anyway."
[nobilis] Franklin says (to Alison), "I think so..."
[nobilis] Alison says, "(What with the Gossip thing and all.)"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "So it seems reasonable that we'd discuss everything"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to gaston), "good terms? i saw your transcripts!"
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen is still smarting from 'Chancel Tacky'
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "I'm not too happy about 'Chancel Boring Library Research,' but that's Raul's fault"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Yeah. So you guys are mean to both us and you."
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Whereas we're all thoughtful and nice and sugar and spice and candied apples."
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says (to GM), "I thought since I wasn't there yesterday when Chaz showed up with Silver's card, that Franklin could possibly pop in and give whatever reading he would have done then"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "er, meant that for #nobilis, but whatever"
[nobilis] GM says (to Franklin), "yeah, that's fine"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to alison), "don't forget cotton candy"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "and I also want to ride the Cone of Tragedy"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "huzzah"
[nobilis] GM asks, "ok, any more backstory questions?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "i was planning to leave early, but we haven't even started yet"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "hm, now I am wondering how exactly Franklin would travel to this chancel from his"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Please god no. I'm already having trouble fitting this onto one page."
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Gaston), "Are you making one too?"
[nobilis] Penny says, "now let's move on to which mortals we've met and which nobilis they could be anchors of!"
[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Franklin), "well, you could find a library near an amusement park"
[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Franklin), "and then take a taxi"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to Aisleen), "I figured we were probably waiting for either Gerry or Chaz or Stella."
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to GM), "And then buy a ticket."
[nobilis] Gaston exclaims (at Penny), "Your font is now too small for the system to handle!"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "that sounds about right"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "every exit 23d on every highway leads to Ferarium"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "oh, you don't like the modern tech. I guess we lend you a zeppelin then"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin putts up in a Model T
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "cmon, tin lizzie!"
[Crows-Nest] Alison asks, "Can we get a zeppelin out of the chancel?"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "I forget if we ended up with any aerial exits or not."
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "I guess there must be some way, since the zeppelins came in"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "(Although, I guess they can just swoop low to get out the highway exits)"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "I have determined that franklin served in world war 2, and can use technology invented up to about 1948"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says (to GM), "Hee."
[Crows-Nest] Penny asks (of franklin), "may or june 1948?"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "hm"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "I ask because"
[Crows-Nest] Penny | On 21 June 1948, the first computer program was fed into an electronic digital computer at Manchester. Its predecessors were essentially mere calculating machines.
[interludes] GM has removed Michel from the channel.
[interludes] GM has added Alison to the channel.
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "hee hee"
[interludes] Alison says, "Oooh."
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "well, but franklin wouldn't have gotten his hands on one"
[interludes] GM says, "So it's a fine day at the chancel when you get a message from Miss Bailey"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "and he especially hates computers"
[interludes] GM says, "<Alison, dear, do you have a moment?>"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Hi! )
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "so may 1948, for practical purposes"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "(http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~robodyne/inventors-world/blasts5.htm is what I'm looking at here)"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Sure -- are you coming for a visit? )
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "(big long list of invention dates at the bottom)"
[interludes] GM says, "<You know I've been working occasionally for ThinkCorp, after you helped me out at the interview -- well, I've run into a rather strange thing here>"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "er, don't let me hold up the action"
[interludes] GM says, "<They had taken me on to work strictly in the toy group (and by the way, your suggestion for the Magic Exploding Educational Dog was quite well-received), but now they've been so pleased with my work there that they've asked me to help out on some of the television shows as well>"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Wow! )
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Will you get to be on TV? )
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "the GM has sneaked off to take a nap"
[Crows-Nest] GM zzz zzz
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(actually, talking to alison here)"
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "ohhh"
[interludes] GM says, "<I'm afraid I'm strictly behind-the-scenes at the moment, dear. But even there I don't seem to be getting much done. We've been doing some focus groups, and -- perhaps I'd better show you. Do you think you could come down to the studio for a bit?>"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Sure! I've never been to a TV studio before! )
Alison shouts, "WHO WANTS TO GO SEE A TV STUDIO? A REAL ONE!"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Where's it at? )
Aisleen asks, "is the cast of West Wing in there?"
Alison says, "I dunno! Maybe."
Aisleen says, "if so, count me in"
Aisleen wants to see Rob Lowe
[interludes] GM says, "<We're in Chicago, dear -- a very nice city, although a touch warm in the summer.>"
Davey asks, "huh? what?"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Okay, rough first attempt: http://diden.net/nobilis/familia.png"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Neat. I'm gonna bring some other nobs with me, 'K? You know them, I think. )
Davey says, "sure, anything to get my mind off the way I dunno what to do about these crazy Excrucians"
[interludes] GM says, "<Of course, dear. Bring anyone you like.>"
[Crows-Nest] Duchess says, "i like the placement of light next to madness"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Eep. Almost just crashed Netscape."
[Crows-Nest] Gaston asks, "Doesn't like PNG?"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "I could do PDF too."
[Crows-Nest] Duchess says, "and empty spaces next to bureaucracy"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Actually, this program claims to do HTML image maps too, which would be cool."
[interludes] Alison . o O ( OK! Be there in a bit. We might bring the invisibisible zeppelins, if we can figure out how to get 'em out. Or maybe not. )
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "there's Wendell, for Writing"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston asks, "Where does he live?"
Alison asks, "It's in Chicago -- should we take a zeppelin?"
[interludes] GM says, "<I'm afraid those might be a bit difficult to land, dear, but I'm sure you will find a way.>"
[Crows-Nest] Kiz says, "wasn't edmund doors? I could be misremembering"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "a Home Depot, Can't recall a name"
[interludes] Alison . o O ( Yeah. Then there's the Davey-Bus... well, we'll figure something out. Seeya! )
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says (to Kiz), "Ohh, that's right."
Davey says, "uh, I think that'd cause a stir"
Alison exclaims, "Or the Davey-Bus? Or motorcycles? Vroom, vroom!"
Alison asks (of Davey), "Well, they're *invisible* zeppelins, *remember*?"
Davey says, "aw, yeah."
Alison says, "But Miss Bailey thinks it might be hard to land them, so I dunno."
Davey says, "yeah, and it gets real windy. Let's just use a nice van"
Alison says, "OK. Gerry an' Chaz an' Stella can stay here and talk to Dew and watch the chancel and stuff, prob'ly."
Davey says, "okay"
Davey makes transforming noises
Davey asks, "hay, what show do they make?"
Alison says, "Dun-duduh... Nob'lis in disguise..."
Davey says, "aha"
Alison says (to Davey), "I think educational TV."
Alison says, "But the good stuff, like where they blow things up."
Davey says, "cool"
Aisleen . o O ( educational TV where they blow stuff up? )
Alison gets in the bus.
Aisleen asks, "Teletubbies?"
GM says, "You all hop into Davey and make your way out to the studios"
Alison says (to Aisleen), "I dunno. Maybe they blow up teletubbies."
Davey says, "I'd pay for that show"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "the typical question everytime Davey transforms...who is driving?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "you need an inflatable pilot like in Airplane"
[nobilis] Davey says, "Davey is. And with the tinted windows, no one's the wiser"
GM says, "Miss Bailey meets you at the door, looking pleased to see you, and ushers you into her office"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Hee."
Alison exclaims (at Miss B), "Hi! It's us!"
GM says, "passing along the way giant smiling peanuts painted on the walls, suggesting this is the place where none other than Pozzie the Peanut and Pals is filmed"
Davey says, "hmm"
GM says, "currently the second-most-popular preschool show on television"
GM says, "Miss Bailey sighs. "But it's not likely to remain that way for much longer if these trends continue.""
[nobilis] Alison asks, "PBS or network TV?"
Davey asks, "up-and-coming competition?"
[nobilis] GM says, "I dunno, PBS seems more likely"
Alison asks, "Oh no! What's happening to Pozzie?"
[nobilis] Davey says, "it's that damn Redwall"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Ah. So no Skippy commercials."
[nobilis] GM laughs
[nobilis] Davey says, "stupid mice"
[nobilis] Davey says (to Alison), "creepy"
GM says, "Miss Bailey closes her office door and then starts bringing up spreadsheets on her computer"
GM says, ""I'm afraid what's happening is kids seem to be getting bored of Pozzie.""
GM says, ""But it's not just us -- it's everyone""
Alison frowns. "Did you try making Pozzie different colors?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to gaston), "you forgot the names of squirrels and telemarketing"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston asks, "Who are they?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "seldon is squirrels"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "tomas is telemarketing"
Davey asks, "what do you mean 'everyone? Kids aren't watching TV anymore?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "and imperator is kirkan-mell"
GM says, "She gestures to the charts she brought up, where bars labelled "Tommy the Talking Pickle", "Pozzie the Peanut", and "Sammy the Seapony" are all lower than they were a year ago"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Thanks."
Aisleen asks, "What are the pre-schoolers doing more off nowadays?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "pony!"
GM says, ""Except this one --" and then you see another bar, smaller than the others, but almost twice as tall as it was six months ago."
[nobilis] Davey says, "eeevil toons"
Alison asks, "So they're all watching... what's that one?"
Davey peers at the chart
GM says, ""I don't understand it," Miss Bailey says. "'Egbert the Octopus' isn't even alliterative!""
Davey stifles his laughter
Davey asks, "who makes it?"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "aww, Sammy the Seapony should have a few devoted viewers, at least"
Alison says, "Mmm. Yeah. But Ectpers the Octopus sounds funny."
GM says, ""Some new spin-off company, let's see -- T&C Productions, they're called""
GM says, ""This is their one real show, but it's a big one -- kids are flocking to it.""
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "when is the show aired? before or after pozzie?"
Alison asks, "Huh. So someone should watch Egbert and figure out why everybody's watchin' that instead... hey, I bet there's someone at the TV station who's job it is to do that, isn't there?"
GM says, ""Well, that's the thing," she says. "They've just been picked up by NBC to be shown at the same time as Pozzie; I'm worried that this is going to make the drop even bigger.""
GM says, ""Oh, sure. We do focus groups and everything. I think we have one going on now, would you like to see?""
Alison exclaims, "Yeah!"
GM says, ""Right this way, then." She leads you to one of those observation rooms behind a one-way mirror, on the other side of which kids are watching tv"
GM says, "it's actually got several one-way mirrors, so you can observe three focus groups at once"
Stella walks the plank to adventure. Arr!
Stella arrives, looking for booty.
GM says, "There about a half-dozen kids in each room, which are stocked with paper and crayons and some toys, as well as a tv set"
Aisleen whispers, this is pretty cool
[nobilis] Stella says, "Greetings."
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to stella), "we are in a tv studio in chicago about to watch an octopus"
GM says, ""That one's showing Pozzie, that one's showing Sammy the Seapony, and that one's showing Egbert," Miss Bailey whispers."
Davey whispers, "man, kids oughtts get out and play more. This is sorta creepy."
Chaz arrives, looking for booty.
GM says (to Davey), ""I always make sure they go out for recess in between shows," Miss Baily says"
Alison stage-whispers, "Will they see us if they look this way?"
[nobilis] Stella asks (of Aisleen), "Why are we here?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "ask the kid :)"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i am still trying to figure that out"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "how many shows do these kids watch?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "My anchor (Miss Bailey) asked us to come -- apparently, all the major kiddie shows are dropping in the ratings for no clear reason, but this one little nobody show is coming out of left field to take 'em all by storm. Most mysterious."
GM says, "As the kids watch, you notice definite differences in their behavior: the ones watching Sammy the Seapony spend most of their time playing with the toys in the room and doodling and only some of the time following what Sammy is saying ("hey kids! let's go for a swim! and then a pony ride! whee!")"
GM says, "the ones watching Pozzie are mostly paying attention but their gaze strays occasionally"
GM says, "but the ones watching Egbert seem completely mesmerized. "Hooray! Egbert!" they shout, and then stand up to follow along with whatever exercise Egbert is doing on the screen"
[nobilis] Davey asks, "and the ones watching the octopus are lined up like sea monkeys in a flashlight?"
Davey says, "hrrm"
GM says, "(apparently Egbert is a physical-fitness octopus -- he's using some of his arms to lift barbells and others to do pushups and jumping jacks)"
Davey cranes his neck to watch Egbert
Aisleen says, "well, at least this octopus keeps kids active"
[nobilis] Stella asks, "are these creatures cartoons, real-life, or people dresed up in costumes?"
[nobilis] GM says, "they're people dressed up in costumes, although Sammy and Egbert both have some cartoon sequences interspersed"
GM says, "the kids watching Egbert do seem to be fiddling with the crayons and stuff, but not very much, and one or two of them are even taking notes: "DU JUMPNIG JAKS""
Alison appears to be in thought. "Who says 'hooray'? 'Hoo-ray'? Kids don't say 'hooray'..."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "pre-schoolers know how to write?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Sure. Not all of them, of course."
Davey mutters 'takiing NOTES?'
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i thought kids learn their alphabet in kindergarten"
[nobilis] Penny asks, "how old are they?"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "hm, how old did you say these children are?"
[nobilis] Stella says, "some are precocious (sp?) - one of my friends' kid taught herself to read before kindergarten."
Alison says, "This is like that time on Scooby Doo."
GM says, ""Mostly pre-schoolers, dear, although we have some that are a few years older than that to see how long they'll stick with the programs""
Aisleen says, "i see"
Alison says, "When the ghost of the wild cowboy turned all those people dead so they were all cowboy zombies."
[nobilis] Penny asks, "and now for the non-US me -- how old is kindergarden age?"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "5?"
[nobilis] Penny says, "oh"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i am not sure, either. since i was in japan at the age"
Alison says, "And then whenever the ghost said to do stuff they did it. And *they* talked funny too. They didn't do exercising though."
Stella eyes Octopussy in mythic.
GM says, ""Zombies, dear? That seems a bit scary.""
[nobilis] Penny says, "I was thinking 3, which is when I started nursery school"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to penny), "that would be pre-school"
[nobilis] Penny says, "and I could talk pretty damn well, but my writing would have been somewhat notable by its lack of writingness"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "some kids read at 3, some don't until 7"
Alison says (to Miss B), "It's OK. At the end they found out he wasn't really a ghost. He was the the amazing Mozzmur. He was a hypnotist, and all those people weren't really zombies, 'cuz he just made them *think* they were zombies."
[nobilis] Penny says (to franklin), "yeah, I could read okay at 3.  but not write."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of gm), "i guess we can just leave it without saying that chaz and stella joined us afterwards in chicago?"
[nobilis] GM says, "yeah, that seems easiest"
Aisleen mutters under her breath to Davey, "Can hypnosis happen via TV?"
[nobilis] Stella says, "our our 'bots were there; whatever is easier."
GM says (to Stella), "well, it's on tv, so it's hard to get exactly what's going on. the octopus tentacles seem to be reaching out of the tv waving its barbells and so on towards the kids"
Aisleen . o O (to ) ( can we somehow swing a visit to the set the octopus is filmed/shot? )
[nobilis] Stella asks, "I thought we were in the studio.  wouldn't that mean we're watching it being taped?"
Alison says, "But he needed this big swirling spinny thing to hypnotize people."
Davey whispers (to Aisleen) "not sure. there was this thing about subliminal advertising back in the day."
Alison says, "Or a watch. I think Scooby got hypnotized with a watch. An old fashioned swinging chain type of watch."
[nobilis] GM says, "this is a focus group at the studio of a different show for which Alison's anchor works"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to stella), "it's a competitor show, and we are watching kids watch it as a focus gorup"
Aisleen asks (of alison), "would a swinging octopus arm with a barbell do the trick?"
[nobilis] Stella says, "ah.  gotcha."
Alison says, "But that was different, because Mozzmur didn't do that part. Scooby did it to himself when Velma was reading about hypnotism in a book."
Davey squints and shakes his head.
Alison exclaims (at Aisleen), "I dunno. Maybe we can try to find out what book Velma was reading!"
Stella says, "So Mozzmur was really mesmerizing."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "also, that thought was to alison"
Davey . o O ( maybe it's nuts to think this way, but maybe they're doing a spell )
GM says, "Suddenly the kids in the octopus room stop watching the tv and look at the toys"
GM says, ""...back in just five minutes," Egbert says, "Count 'em with us!""
Davey . o O ( since the library guys told us about the spell on Penny, with the tape recorder? )
Aisleen asks, "commercial break?"
Alison . o O ( Can we tell if it's magic? )
GM says, ""Now, parents," a voice comes on, from offstage, as a well-dressed man walks on. "Are you tired? Having trouble sleeping? Bed not too comfy?""
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen thinks GM has been watching way too much TV
Davey . o O ( well, we could have a mage watch it. We already have that poor sap looking for evil infomercials )
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "heh."
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( our mages are going to start quitting at the rate we are going )
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Could we get any idea if it's magic or not with the Sight? Or with Mythic vision?"
GM says, ""You know what the secret is? Your pillow! Yes, that's right -- surveys prove that in nine out of ten cases, poor sleeping habits are caused primarily by a misshapen or incorrectly-placed pillow.""
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "how hard is it for the general public to get access to watching a show being taped?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Also, did someone try that already? I may have missed it.)"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "Stella tried, saw nothing other than arms waving dumbbells"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "the tentacles poked out of the screen"
[nobilis] Stella says, "I'd already eye-balled Egbert mythically, and since he's in costume, I didn't get anything.  Might get more with this guy."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Also, was Egbert a cartoon or someone in a costume?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "costume"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "costume"
Stella tries viewing Suave-o Guy in Mythic.
[nobilis] GM says, "right, costume, although there are occasional cuts to a cartoon egbert"
Alison says, "Maybe we should talk to the kids."
GM says, "he also seems a bit -- hrm, suave"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Okay, family tree tidied up a bit -- http://diden.net/nobilis/familia.png"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of gm), "miss bailey going to answer?"
GM says, "There does seem to be something a bit suggestive about the whole thing, although it's not obviously magical"
Davey . o O ( maybe if we get ourselves into a tour of the Egbert studio )
GM says (to Aisleen), ""Well, dear, most studios give tours, but generally not when the show is being taped, unless it's one with an audience. If you could arrange to be in the studio audience, perhaps?""
Davey . o O ( now they're selling pillows. Maybe infomercial guy's on the prowl right here )
Alison says, "I still wanna talk to the kids first though."
GM says, "eventually the five minutes are up and Egbert charges back on stage. "3..2..1..Egbert time!""
GM says, "and the kids' heads all snap back to the screen"
[nobilis] Alison exclaims, "Ow -- whiplash lawsuits!"
Aisleen says, "let's take one of the kids out now, and see whether he gets mad at our taking him away"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "I like how Locus Style's names all line up neatly. Very stylish."
Alison says, "He'll bite you, I bet he will."
[Crows-Nest] (from Franklin) Gaston says, "And I like how my name comes first in Locus Octavo. Very handsome."
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hee hee"
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Mais oui."
Aisleen says (to alison), "good point"
Alison asks (of Miss Bailey), "Who plays Egbert?"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "do any of the kids seem more into the show than others? or just all of them?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "At this point, I'm trying to figure out motive here..."
GM says, ""I'm not sure. They're very close-mouthed about these things, you know - children's television is a hard business""
[nobilis] Alison says, "Is this just another noble who has an interest in Egbert's welfare? (Marquis of Octopods, perhaps)"
Aisleen says, "you know, that commercial seems a bit odd"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Is this an attack on us somehow? If so, it's a vague one..."
[nobilis] GM says, "it looks like the older kids are more interested in the show, but they're all interested"
Aisleen says, "you don't usually see commercials geared to adults in the middle of a children's show."
[nobilis] Davey says, "well, there's probably one or more Powers of Television in all its aspects"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Mmm. Maybe we should ask him/her/them for a lesser divination."
Davey says, "well, I guess to reward the ones who don't just plop their kids down and walk away"
[nobilis] Franklin asks, "also, didn't he say this was PBS?"
Aisleen says, "advertisers usually show kids stuff, like the newest Super Soaker, or a My Little Pony doll during the daylight children prime time, and the adult stuff in evenings"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to franklin), "but just bought up by NBC"
Stella says (to Aisleen), "It could be another distraction from tackling the Chancels.  First Davey's anchor calls him, and now Miss Bailey called you.  I'm half expecting to hear from my granddaughter next."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "oh I see"
[nobilis] GM says, "sorry, Pozzie is on PBS, I meant, and this other show was just bought up by NBC"
Aisleen says (to stella), "alison, hon."
[nobilis] Franklin says, "yes, I got my signals crossed"
Stella says (to Aisleen), "Right.  Sorry."
Alison says, "We could just *make* the kids watch Pozzie instead of Egbert, probably."
Alison says, "But I dunno if that's right."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "question kid. go see the octopus studio. and i am still curious over the commercial placement"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i like a to do list"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "can we fast forward to another commercial break so we can get a kid?"
Alison asks, "Do any kids older than these kids watch Egbert?"
[nobilis] GM says, "sure"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "OK, back to keyboard--been dealing w/Ellric."
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "we should make Ellric watch Eggy"
Alison asks, "I mean, no one old like me or anything watches, right?"
GM says, "Miss Bailey thinks. "I believe they have children viewing up to 7 or 8.""
Chaz . o O (to everyone) ( Hey there--just got back from Octavo with some information.  You all in Chicago, huh? )
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "make the Smiths' lives easier"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Heh."
GM says, ""But not as old as you, dear.""
Emily arrives, looking for booty.
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Yeah -- we're watching kids watch TV. It's kinda cool. But weird. )
Chaz gets up to speed on what's going on.
Chaz . o O (to everyone) ( OK, I'll check out the scrying pools. )
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'm all for the FF to talk to a kid."
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Say hi to Dew! )
Chaz . o O ( alison I will! )
[Crows-Nest] Penny says (to Emily), "woo, boost us back up to equal numbers of each group"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz laughs.
[Crows-Nest] Emily says, "I am jut watching"
GM says, "Ok, another commercial break comes on -- this one for one of those get-the-vocabulary-of-a-college-graduate-in-just-ten-minutes-a-day tapes"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "feh"
Davey looks sleepy
Davey snaps back awake
[Crows-Nest] (from Gaston) Emily says, "Wow, Davey's beer gut is really jutting out this evening."
Alison points, "Let's pick that one."
Chaz goes to a scrying pool to see what's going on at Egbert Studios.
Alison says, "The one that was writing stuff down."
Davey says, "you know, I never watched much TV. is this one of them 'infomercials' people complain about, or is it just an ad? Seems like it's pitched for grownups, not kids."
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "hey now"
GM says (to Chaz), "hrm, weird -- the whole studio's blanked off; the pool just gets grey and misty as soon as you try and scry inside the walls"
Alison says, "It's just a boring commercial."
Chaz watches for a while to see if anyone important-looking exits.
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Are shows like this generally taped or live?"
GM says, "well, lots of people in suits, but it's hard to tell"
Chaz follows one as his whimsy takes him.
[nobilis] GM says, "taped, I think"
Aisleen says (to davey), "no, i agree the commercials are suspicious"
Alison asks (of Miss B), "So can we go talk to the kids now that the commercial is on?"
GM says, "The guy gets in his car, carrying his briefcase, and drives out to the suburbs where he apparently lives alone in a small house"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "can we bring the kids to a separate room so that we don't lose his attention when the commercial ends?"
[Crows-Nest] Chaz asks (of GM), "Where is this?  Also Chicago, or elsewhere?"
GM says (to Alison), ""Well, I hate to interrupt the focus group, but we're really almost done for the day -- here, I'll take you around to the entrance.""
[Crows-Nest] Chaz says, "Channel, but hey."
Alison exclaims, "OK!"
[nobilis] GM says, "also Chicago, yeah"
GM says, "Miss Bailey brings out the kids into a meeting room"
Alison exclaims (at Kids), "Hi!"
Chaz . o O (to everyone) ( The studio's blanked out from scrying, so I'm gonna go there myself.  I'll keep in touch... )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( OK -- maybe you can get some tickets for Egbert's show for everybody? )
GM says, ""Hello!" the kids chirp"
Chaz grabs his standard arsenal (2 invisibility spells, laser gun, stun gun) and heads to the studio.
Alison asks, "Did all of you like watching the show?"
Chaz . o O (to alison) ( Sure, I'll see what I can do. )
GM says, ""We love Egbert!" one says. "Hooray, Egbert!""
Alison asks, "What did you like about it?"
GM says, ""Ummm""
Aisleen . o O (to stella) ( mythic? )
GM says, ""Egbert is more exercising than the other shows -- we can do jumping jacks, like this!""
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "damn, i wish focus groups included naptime"
GM says, "The kid jumps up and down enthusiastically"
Davey . o O ( huh, the tv biz must be pretty serious about industrial espionage )
Stella says (to Aisleen), "I tried looking at informercial guy and egbert guy, and got suavity and nothing, respectively."
GM says, ""And Egbert has more arms! And Egbert is an octopus!""
Aisleen says (to stella), "i meant kids :)"
Stella examines the kids in mythic.
Stella . o O (to Chaz) ( I might join you.  Give me a minute. )
Chaz . o O (to stella) ( I thought light was supposed to be *fast*. )
Stella . o O (to Chaz) ( I'm busy.  Hold your skateboards. )
GM says, "The kids don't seem to be enchanted, but they do seem enthustiastic"
[nobilis] Alison says, "This isn't *feeling* like an execrucian attack. More like a nobilis thing..."
Stella says (to Aisleen), "I'm getting nothing.  They seem normal, just hyper."
GM says, ""We love Egbert! Hooray! Egbert makes us more stronger and more jumping!""
Stella says (to Aisleen), "Though their grammer is atrocious.  Further proof of normalcy, I suppose."
Chaz exits into Chicago through an exit that takes him into the middle of one of those tube-slides in a playground, goes invisible, and flies off to the studio.
[nobilis] Stella says, "And my speeling, too."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Like, some other Noble has a stake in Egbert's company, and decided to give it some extra help, or something."
Alison asks, "Does Egbert eat spinach?"
GM says, "The kids have to stop and think about that one."
Stella says (to Aisleen), "I'm going to go give Chaz a hand.  My kid abilities are not the best, but I can sneak with the best of them.  Ta ta for now."
GM says, ""Uh .. if it makes you more better than Egbert does it," one of the kids finally says, and the others nod their heads enthusiastically. "But he doesn't *like* it," one adds."
Alison stage-whispers, "Like Popeye."
Stella goes someplace where she can change into her superwoman costume.  Or just shift to elemental.
[interludes] GM has removed Alison from the channel.
[interludes] GM has added Chaz to the channel.
[interludes] GM has added Stella to the channel.
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Ignore the stage-whisper, since they responded before I got around to whispering it.)"
Davey . o O ( self-improvement? )
[interludes] GM says, "The two of you arrive at the T&C studio"
Aisleen . o O ( Amanda? )
Alison . o O (to Davey) ( Aha... hmm. )
Aisleen . o O ( or competition? )
Alison asks, "Why doesn't he like it?"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Is it multi-story?"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "hm. this backstory session is beginning to make more sense?"
[interludes] GM says, "it's two stories high"
[Crows-Nest] Penny asks, "y'all know Drake went missing, yes?"
Alison . o O ( I think Competition would want things to be more fair. )
Stella high-fives Chaz.
GM says, ""It's icky." One of the kids makes a face."
Alison . o O ( This is more kinda like cheating. )
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Yeah."
Stella asks (of Chaz), "Any ideas?  I can take any window, but what about you?"
Chaz waves at the air as light beams glow off of his hand.
[Crows-Nest] Gaston says, "Updated again, with some backstory pointers."
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "nobody's seen him since the duel, though I guess I didn't look"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "...in the past couple of weeks"
[interludes] Stella asks (of Chaz), "Any ideas?  I can take any window, but what about you?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "peers in through a few windows."
[interludes] Chaz says, "(Er, emotes that)"
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Maybe Jack's following him around, making shadows around him, so nobody can see him."
[interludes] Chaz says (to Stella), "Go for it--I'll look for an open one, or you can let me in."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "When is the party scheduled for?"
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "well, I had a note from him, so I tried to contact him"
[nobilis] GM says, "I think we'll do it next session, since this was kind of a light one"
[nobilis] Alison says, "If this is being done by a Nobilis, that's probably the best way to get inter-nob gossip on what's up."
[Crows-Nest] Penny says, "and Edmund (and Bronwynn, when Gaston asked) said they'd not heard of him for a while either"
[interludes] GM says, "Most of the shades are drawn tight, but there are a few gaps, through which you can see people typing on computers and talking on phones"
[interludes] Stella beams around the property, getting a feel for the lay of the land, and checking out any promising looking entrances or exits.
[nobilis] NewsBoy hollers, "Extra! Extra! Gaston has posted message 31, about 'Cheat sheet', to the bulletin board! Why won't they pay me minimum wage?"
Alison asks, "So does Egbert do anything besides exercising? And having lots of arms?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen looks at a milk carton and sees pictures of Edmund and Drake, with a caption, "Have you seen these Nobles?"
[interludes] Stella beams in a gap devoid of people.
GM says, ""Umm -- he sings songs! And he teaches us the alphabet! A B C D Z!""
Aisleen tries to remember what shows she watched at the age
Aisleen asks, "Do you watch these shows with mom and dad at home?"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "oh, no, the 5-letter Excrucian alphabet"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Can I find any unattended windows?"
[interludes] GM says, "This office seems to be at least temporarily deserted, although possibly the people have just stepped out for a bit, since their computer is on"
[interludes] Chaz, still invisible, checks out the computer with super-human speed.
GM says, ""Yes! We love Egbert!""
GM says, ""Our parents help us watch Egbert""
[interludes] (from GM) Chaz type type
Alison asks, "Do you watch the commercials, too?"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( that explains the commercials bit )
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "is miss bailey with us?"
Davey asks, "your parents help?"
Stella peruses the desk for any employee id she could "borrow.
[interludes] GM says, "sales projections .. marketing ideas .. contact info at various toy companies and tv studios .. "how to get started in management""
[interludes] GM says, "It looks like they run a pretty tight ship -- no id cards left around."
GM says, ""Well. They watch the show with us.""
[interludes] Chaz says, "A file?  I speed-read it."
[interludes] Stella asks, "Do any of the papers look interesting?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "(the last)"
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "I dunno, not unless you like balance sheets"
[interludes] Stella says, "yay balance sheets."
[interludes] GM says (to Chaz), "the last is what the title says -- a primer in management and marketing"
Davey asks, "is it less good when they don't?"
Alison . o O ( Maybe we should talk to the parents too. )
Stella sneaks out of the office in elemental.
[interludes] Stella sneaks out of the office in elemental.
[interludes] Chaz uses the computer to get into other files on the network, looking in particular for encrypted ones.
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Also, any familar-looking contacts?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "Oh, and I do a search for 'Silver'."
[nobilis] Aisleen assumes she is
[nobilis] GM says, "(yeah, she is)"
[interludes] GM says, "No names that you recognize, although no doubt they'd be familiar if you were in the tv industry -- oh, wait. There is a reference to a 'Silver Delivery Service'"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "how does advertising work on these kind of shows? is there one group at the studio that decides which ads are shown?"
Davey . o O ( I'm wondering whether this is a direct attack on Ms. Bailey to vex Alison, or if we've stumbled on ordinary Noble competition )
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Contact info?"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Also, what do they do for this group?"
Aisleen . o O (to ) ( i am guessing the latter. it seems a fairly harmless attack if the former )
Alison . o O ( Yeah. I agree with Aisleen. )
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( I got a contact here for a 'Silver Delivery Service'. )
[interludes] GM says, "There's no contact info listed, beyond an extension (ie, for calling within the internal phone network). There's also no explanation of duties or even payment, beyond a lot of 'Delivery --- paid (comp)' notes"
Alison . o O ( Even if Pozzie goes off of the TV, Miss Bailey will still get to do toys and games and stuff like that. )
Alison . o O ( But it's still not really fair if someone else is cheating to make their TV show do better than other people's TV shows. )
GM says, ""Ads are generally handled as a separate group from the content managers," Miss Bailey says. "There's a sales staff and a marketing staff that handle that part, and then they talk to the people who actually produce the show about how many time slots there are available for sale and so on""
[interludes] Chaz. o O (Hey, stella--I'm gonna call an extention--can you follow the connection over the phone line?)
[interludes] Stella says, "I'm looking everything over in prosiac and mythic for any hint of magic or generally interesting."
Davey . o O (to Chaz) ( whoa. Delivering what to who? )
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( Checking on that--details are kinda scarce. )
[interludes] Stella says, "think Chaz That's really not my line.  Sorry.  I can look for a departmental phone book though - they usually reference names, phones and locations."
Chaz . o O (to davey) ( But we're at the Egbert STudios. )
Aisleen . o O (to ) ( should we join them all? )
[interludes] Chaz grumbles.  "Hey, they're both electromagnetic waves..."
Alison . o O ( Can anybody else think of anything to ask the kids? )
[interludes] Stella says, "If they were using optical fiber, it would be another story."
Aisleen . o O ( 'Can we talk to your mommy?' )
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen is resisting the urge to say IC, 'Take me to your leader.'
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "you don't see anything really noteworthy, but this isn't exactly your line; the office you're in appears to be somebody who's relatively new in management and working on the marketing side, so there are some notes about the finances (doing well) and future planned shows and stuff, but not much about the existing show"
Davey . o O ( yeah, leet's get a parent's opinion )
[Crows-Nest] Franklin says, "eat egg"
[interludes] Chaz asks (of GM), "OK, I'm gonna do a Hogshead Transcript trick, and dial the extention and follow the telephone spirit to where it goes.  Feasible?"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "don't parents have to sign a form or something to allow kids to be part of a focus group?"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "would we be able to talk to one of them?"
Aisleen says, "like the fine print should say something like, "along with the child's participation, i give the studio permission to ask for follow-up information""
GM says, ""Their parents? Well, the children get picked up at 3 after these focus groups .. ah, in just a few minutes, in fact.""
GM says, ""Oh, I see, you want to interview them? I'm sure we could arrange something.""
[interludes] Stella says, "Okay, since this office is dry, I try finding an empty exec's office."
[interludes] GM says, "I haven't seen the transcript in question, I don't think"
[interludes] Chaz says, "It's when they're in DC, talking on the cell phone to the turned anchor."
Alison nods to Aisleen. "Yeah. That's a good idea."
Aisleen says, "Yes, an interview please."
[interludes] GM says, "ah, hrm, lemme see what they do"
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'm kinda surprised there wasn't any real, proper interviewer here to debrief the kids with us."
[interludes] Chaz says, "(No problem if it won't work here--just an idea)"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Or, if that was Miss B's job, why she didn't toss in any questions of her own :)"
Aisleen . o O (to davey) ( you going to stick around for the interview or try to catch up with stella and chaz to find out about Silver? )
[nobilis] GM says, "(she's letting you talk; other people are talking to the other kids right now)"
[interludes] Chaz says, "I have others if you don't like that one ;-)"
Davey . o O ( I guess I'll go back to the chancel. Dunno what else to say here. I can send you a car for when you're ready to come back )
[interludes] GM says, "Ok, this seems pretty reasonable -- you can figure out where it's going to physically"
Davey waves bye-bye to all, lets himself out.
[interludes] Chaz says, "Excellent."
[nobilis] Alison says, "As a side note, Davey strikes me as someone who would be very well-liked by children."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Possibly to his own dismay."
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "nobilis actually, I feel really ill. I think I want to go lie down"
[Crows-Nest] Davey says, "oops"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says (to davey), "go rest."
[nobilis] Davey says, "right. I'm sick, I need to go"
[interludes] Chaz picks up the phone, dials the extention.
[Crows-Nest] Alison says, "Ugh. Hope you feel better."
[nobilis] GM says, "get some rest, yeah"
Aisleen asks (of alison), "what shall we say to parents to explain your presence in the interview?"
Davey dozes off at the wheel and has remarkable adventures in New Jersey which will be related after the witnesses are disposed of
Davey goes home.
[interludes] GM says, ""SDS?" the voice on the other end says"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "alison can posess miss bailey, right?"
Alison asks (of Aisleen), "Um. I work here?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "Whoops, wrong extention.  Sorry."  (in a guised adult voice)"
[interludes] Chaz hangs up.
[nobilis] Alison asks, "A thought occurs to me. Would a divination of impulse let me find out *where* an impulse came from, or *how* it came about?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(I.e. what is it about Egbert that makes them want to do these things?)"
[interludes] Chaz. o O (Stella--the Silver Delivery Service is on the <fill in location>.  Can you check it out?)
[nobilis] GM says, "hmm"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Also, to Aisleen: yes.)"
[interludes] Stella says, "think Chaz = Um, sure.  I'll look for an exec's office after that, I guess.  <heads to <inserted location>>"
[nobilis] GM says (to Alison), "yeah, probably"
[nobilis] Alison says (to GM), "I'd like to try tht, then."
Alison peeks into the wee little heads for a moment.
[interludes] Chaz returns to the computer to check out any files on the network he can find about Egbert and/or SDS.
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "you zip down the corridor to the office, which has its door closed"
Alison . o O ( Hmm. Wow. )
[interludes] Stella says, "Closed doors should be no problem.  I slide in through a crack, v e r y  s l o w l y, to avoid detection."
Alison . o O ( Y'know how, if you look inside someone's head, from one angle it looks lika like a bunch of buttons and levers and gears and wheels and cogs and things? )
[interludes] GM says, "inside there's a secretary, talking on a phone. "No, I didn't recognize him," she says. "I think you may want to send someone over -- office 3215""
Aisleen says, "hee hee"
[interludes] Stella says, ". o O (Chaz, dear, they're sending someone to investigate your location.  Be scarce, please.)"
Alison . o O ( This Egbert show has pushed all the exact right buttons and pulled all the just right levers and turned all the wheels just the right way to make the kids wanna listen to Egbert and what he's saying and stuff. )
[interludes] Chaz says (to stella), "<Whoops, thanks>"
[interludes] Chaz removes all traces of his having been in the office, hops on his skateboard, and hovers near the ceiling.
[interludes] Chaz says, "(and Stella's presence, natch)"
Alison . o O ( And I mean *all* of the right ones. All the music and the lights and the timing and even the laugh track and stuff. It's all of it together. Like all the little pieces are fingers on your hand and you're playing piano, and these kids are the piano. And it's playing them really, really goo-- I mean, well. )
[interludes] GM says, "And just in time, too. Two men come in, security guards by their look. One steps in the door and walks over to the window to glance out it and scan the street nearby, while the other one examines the desk and the computer"
Aisleen . o O ( that sounds creepy )
Aisleen . o O ( so these kids are programmed )
[interludes] GM says, ""Computer's not locked," one says. "Maybe he was sloppy," the other says. "Maybe, maybe not.""
[interludes] Chaz holds his breath.  In fact, he makes a mental note to just not breathe while he's in the building.
Aisleen . o O ( this doesn't sound like normal nobilis competition anymore )
[interludes] Stella says (to GM), "What does this office I'm in look like?  Is it for well-paid folks, or more for maid service or delivery guys."
[interludes] Chaz watches to see if the security people enter any codes on the computer.  He follows them out when they go.
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "what's the word on interview parents. are we going to do it now?"
[interludes] GM says, "They look for a while longer, then eventually shrug their shoulders and head out. "Up alert level," one says into his walkie-talkie, as they walk out the door."
[nobilis] GM says, "whenever you want, yeah"
[interludes] Chaz does the same trick with the walkie talkie as he did with the phone.
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "it looks like a reasonably high-level administrative assistant's office"
[interludes] Chaz says (to Stella), "They just upped the alert level, whatever that means."
[interludes] Stella says (to GM), "Then I hang out for a bit, and try to see and hear as much as I can. Any interesting papers in view?  Also, Mythic."
[interludes] GM says (to Chaz), "it stretches into the middle core of the office, where it snaps off abruptly"
[interludes] GM says, "(er, middle core of the office building, so the cluster of rooms there)"
[interludes] Chaz says, "'office' == 'office building'?  Timing."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i am ready as soon as alison finishes poking through the brains"
[nobilis] GM says, "mm, branes"
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "once she finishes talking on the phone, she hangs up and takes out a magazine, which she flips through idly"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Do the guards head back that direction, or some other direction?"
[interludes] GM says, "They're making a survey of the hallways, walking down pseudo-casually and glancing into open office doors"
[interludes] Stella says, "Is her office connected to her bosses offices?  If so, I mozy around."
[interludes] Chaz follows them a bit more.
[interludes] GM says, "No, it's apparently just an office on its own. It's not, in fact, clear what her job is -- she's not answering the phones she's got on her desk or taking notes or doing anything except reading her magazine"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Aisleen), "I think I'm more or less done."
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to gm), "FF please"
[interludes] GM says (to Chaz), "one guy pauses a minute after glancing into an office, then steps inside and makes sure the person's logged out and the computer's locked. He pops open a notebook and makes a little checkmark in it"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "Anything written inthe notebook?"
GM says, ""The parents are in the other room, waiting for us to be done," Miss Bailey says. "Did you want to talk to all of them? Or can I let some pick up their children now?""
[interludes] Stella asks, "Are the phones she's not answering even ringing?"
[interludes] GM says, "No"
[interludes] GM says (to Chaz), "it looks like they're a listing of employees, with a set of columns next to each one labelled "Infractions""
[interludes] Stella says, "I head out again, this time looking for an exec's office."
[interludes] GM says, "'Lack of Attention to Security,' 'Failure to Follow Through,' 'Inability to Sell The Product', 'Failure to Be All You Can Be'"
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "hmm"
[interludes] Stella asks, "Why "hmm"?  Is that bad?"
[interludes] Chaz does a divination of whimsy to see what sort of things the guards think about doing but wouldn't actually do because they're being repressed.
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "as you do the survey of the halls, you eventually get the idea that there's an outer ring of offices on the two floors, and then the center cluster of offices are completely blocked off"
[interludes] GM says (to Chaz), "beating people up, mostly"
[interludes] GM says, "They have idle fantasies about somebody breaking in and being able to club them with their flashlights"
[interludes] Chaz says (to stella), "<The central offices seem to be tightly cut off--I couldn't even follow the walkie-talkie spirit in there.>"
[interludes] Stella asks, "By "completely blocked off" do you mean there are closed doors, or its hermetically sealed?"
[interludes] GM says (to Stella), "And (apparently) that's where the big executive offices are, but it's not clear how to get in -- there are four entrances on each floor, but no windows into the hallway, and the entrances are sealed and guarded"
Aisleen asks (of miss_bailey), "i think one set is fine...unless alison has other ideas?"
[interludes] GM says, "Not actually hermetically sealed, but close enough"
[interludes] Chaz says (to Stella), "<Well, someone's got to come out of there *some* time.  Just hang out and slip through.>"
Alison says, "It's OK with me."
GM says, "Ok, so Miss Bailey sends most of the kids and their parents away, and brings in one pair, Ralph and Thelma."
[interludes] Stella. o O (Chaz, good idea.  I'l hang out for a bit, and see w hen I can slip in.  Once I"m in, I may be in for a while, though.  Don't leave without me.
GM says, ""These are some visiting researchers," Miss Bailey explains to them. "They'd like to do a bit of follow-up on today's focus group.""
[interludes] Chaz sticks with the guards until they head back to their hq.
[nobilis] Alison says, "There -- was semi-AFK for a couple minutes, but back now."
Alison waves to Ralph and Thelma.
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Also, it is gradually occurring to me... there are only two PCs in this location.)"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(That would rather explain why there's so much less talking than I'm used to.)"
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Aww."
[interludes] GM says, "They patrol around a bit more, and eventually settle down in their break room (outside the center part)."
Chaz walks the plank to adventure. Arr!
Chaz arrives, looking for booty.
GM says, "Ralpha and Thelma look surprised to see Alison. "Uh .. are you *sure* she's a visiting researcher," they ask Miss Bailey."
[nobilis] Gaston says, "I'll annotate my cheat sheet, and put SLACKER next to everybody else's name."
[interludes] Chaz says, "<I won't, don't worry.>"
Alison says, "I'm an assistant." She smiles. "It's my job to help out and stuff."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Well, two of them are probably sneaking around on #interludes."
GM says, ""..Ah.""
[nobilis] Franklin says, "this session is rather marked by long pauses"
[interludes] Chaz says (to GM), "I also look for an opportunity to snag the notebook, if it's being carried in their back pocket."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Yeah. Right now, for example, I keep waiting for someone else to say something. Since Alison is probably not the best one to actually interrogate the parents."
[interludes] GM says, "It's in the inner pocket of one of their jackets, but the guy has taken off the jacket and draped it over a chair"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Yeah, we're sneaking around the studio."
[nobilis] Alison says, "But Aisleen seems to have gone idle..."
[nobilis] GM says (to Alison), "well, so you can tell Miss Bailey to ask stuff, then"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "I wish that had been a main lude instead of an interlude"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "sorry,"
[nobilis] Gaston says (to Franklin), "Interludes have that special cachet, though."
[nobilis] Alison says (to Aisleen), "No problem."
Aisleen says (to Thelma), "Sorry to take up your time, but we were wanting to follow up on the shows your children were watching in today's group"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "soon all will be revealed"
[interludes] Chaz asks, "He's in an office, or somewhere else?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "(I may have missed a bit when I got disconnected.)"
[nobilis] Gaston is still smug from getting onto an interlude yesterday.
[interludes] GM says, "He's in his break room (outside the core offices)"
Alison . o O ( ;..Franklin 'That'? You mean you did your bit already? )
[nobilis] Gaston says, "Not "getting it on in", please note."
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Franklin), "'That'? You mean you did your bit already?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Er, ignore that non-channeled thought thing.)"
[interludes] Chaz says, "Yeah, just read that off Sara's screen ;-)"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "no, I mean the exploration of egbert's studio"
Aisleen asks (of the_parents), "Does your child talk about Egbert the Octopus TV show at home?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Oh, right."
GM says, ""Ah, which were they watching today? Was it Gertrude the -- oh, Egbert?""
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "the saturday group is on #interludes, too?"
[nobilis] Franklin says, "only the interluders at any given time are on interludes"
GM says, ""Why, yes, we've just started watching Egbert as a family. We really think it brings us together, and it's so educational.""
Aisleen asks, "oh (just enough infleciton of interest)?"
Alison . o O (to Miss Bailey) ( If I need to ask something, do you mind if I use your voice? I think they might look at me funny if I tried to ask them questions. )
[interludes] Chaz says, "OK, I wander off.  I'm going to listen to the air currents, to see if there's any circulation going into the center section of the office complex."
Aisleen asks, "how long have you been watching together as a family?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "Actually, Stella could just beam around in there."
[interludes] GM asks, "wander off with the notebook? or without it?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "But I listen anyway."
[interludes] Chaz says, "Without, for now."
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to franklin), "i just meant that if there are more people on #interludes than in this 'room' we should have swapped :)"
GM says, ""About two weeks, since somebody at our babysitting co-op mentioned it""
Aisleen is taking notes
Aisleen asks (of Ralph), "what do you like about the show?"
Aisleen . o O (to alison) ( can you poke about the parental brain too? )
GM says, "Ralph rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I think it really reinforces family values and then those advertisements include a variety of useful products -- like that salad shooter, remember, dear?""
[interludes] GM says, "Yeah, the air conditioning runs into the center office"
[interludes] Chaz says (to Stella), "<Hey, you can sneak in through the A/C.>"
[interludes] GM says, "but it appears the fans are set up midway in the barrier -- so there's circulation but the fans block most of it off"
Alison . o O (to aisleen) ( Hmm, OK... what do you want me to look for, that'd be different from the kids? )
[nobilis] Franklin says, "that was sort of my gist as well"
[interludes] Stella says (to Chaz), "<I'll check it out> <and Stella proceeds to do so>"
Aisleen asks (of Thelma), "what about you?"
[interludes] Chaz takes up stella's spot waiting for someone to enter/exit the guarded door, while she's off sneaking.
Aisleen . o O ( aha! what about how their branes are for the commercials? )
[interludes] Chaz does idle whimsy divinations to see what the guards speculate about doing.  Esp. anything having to do with people entering/exiting.
GM says, ""Oh, I agree," Thelma says. "Egbert really seems good for our family and for little William.""
GM says, ""Did you hear that it raises children's test scores almost 5%?""
Alison . o O (to aisleen) ( Ha! Hmph. And where'd they hear *that*, I wonder? )
[interludes] GM says, "These guards also seem big on hoping people will try and break in so they can beat them up"
Aisleen asks, "Which study was that, again?"
[interludes] Chaz grins.
[interludes] Chaz exclaims, "We're trying, we're trying!"
[interludes] Stella says, "sounds like some guards I'd like to hang out with.  Maybe I'll break in, so they can have a chance."
[interludes] Chaz casts his net wider, to see what office drones think about.
[interludes] GM says, "marketing, sales projections, meeting the numbers for next quarter"
[interludes] GM says, "Meanwhile, Stella darts through the air conditioning, around the fan, and into the inner offices"
[interludes] Stella says, "whoohoo!  the inner sanctum."
[interludes] Stella says, "I lurk, and search the room."
Aisleen asks (of Ralph), "you mentioned family values. Can you give me an example?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "doht. Thelma hasn't responded to that yet"
GM says, ""Well, William's really gotten into exercising lately -- he used to just lie around after school and eat candy bars, but now he's always wanting me to come and play catch with him, or test him on his spelling""
Alison . o O ( Hmm. Parents look kinda normal, actually. I mean, they like Egbert, but not like the kids to or anything. )
GM says, ""Oh, just some poll -- you know those scientists are always testing things," Thelma says vaguely"
Aisleen asks, "do you know other parents who watch the show with their children?"
[interludes] GM says, "This one has some computers scattered around the room and a few people operating them. They seem to be mainly doing video editing; making some kind of selective touchups to the tapes"
Alison . o O ( I think it's just the kids that it's all aimed super-sharp at. )
GM says, ""Oh, yes, many of the families in our baby-sitting group are doing it -- and we tell all our friends about the show.""
[interludes] Stella switches to mythic to view the touch-ups.
Aisleen . o O ( what is a subtle way to find the name of the baby-sitting group? )
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "is it part of a researcher's role to even want to know this?"
Chaz . o O ( You know, even if the people doing this are the bad guys, we need to get the information on how to do this to the good guys. )
Alison . o O ( Maybe act like you might want to talk to the other people in the group? )
Aisleen asks, "Did William ever watch Pozzie?"
Chaz . o O ( Also, information on word-of-mouth advertising is always good. )
Alison . o O ( If it sounds like it's a special thing to get picked to get talked to, y'know. )
Aisleen . o O (to chaz) ( i think it's the bad guys. it's too creepy )
[interludes] GM says, "The computer appears to be putting makeup on the video, which is standing around alertly, having its posture straightened ever-so-slightly and its nose dusted"
GM says, ""Hmm, yes, I believe he did use to watch Pozzie -- that was the one with the peanut, right?""
[nobilis] Alison asks, "I'm assuming that if Egbert starting telling the kids to do bad things, someone would notice and word would get back to us, right?"
[interludes] Chaz says (to Stella), "<Are they editing an Egbert show?  Can you follow the process backwards?>"
Aisleen nods encouragingly. "Did you ever watch Pozzie with him?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Assuming it wasn't wreathed in some kind of deceptive unnoticability Jedi Mind trick thing."
GM says, ""Hmm -- sometimes it would be on when I was folding laundry or something," Thelma says. "I guess we watched it some. But not like Egbert.""
Stella says (to Chaz), "<They're putting makeup on a video.  And dusting its nose>"
[interludes] Chaz says, "Heh."
Aisleen says, "We would like to follow-up with some of the parents you mentioned in your baby-sitting group"
[interludes] GM says, "(and, yes, this appears to be an Egbert show)"
Aisleen asks, "Would it be possible to get some names of the parents in the group, or the name of the co-op itself?"
Franklin is called home.
[interludes] Chaz tries to get a sense of the whimsy of the folks beyond the door.
GM says, ""Yes, of course --" Thelma scribbles down a name and address. "That's where we hold the monthly get-togethers, or you could talk to Karen early (she lives there) and get member lists.""
[interludes] GM says, "There doesn't seem to be much. They seem very .. focused"
[interludes] Chaz says, "And these people claim to work with children.  Sheesh."
[interludes] Chaz asks (of Stella), "Can you find the studio?  Or something further back in the chain?"
Aisleen takes the caper and gives itto Alison
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "er paper"
Aisleen asks (of Ralph), "you mentioned the advertising. Have you purchased any of the items you saw on those commercials?"
[interludes] Stella says, "I will in a few minutes.  I want to watch here a bit more."
[interludes] Chaz says, "Sure."
[interludes] Stella asks (of GM), "Anything else of interest besides putting makeup on video-spirits?"
Alison looks at the paper, nods, and ... finds someplace appropriate to stash it while Aisleen's talking to the parents.
GM says, ""Hmm, let's see ... that salad shooter wasn't bad. It really cut down on the time it took for me to prepare dinner when it was my night!""
Aisleen asks (of Ralph), "what was the name of the company for that salad shooter?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Not sure if it'd look odd for the assistant, who's given an important paper, to jam it in a pocket :) )"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "considering the researcher is 17, I don't think they would be surprised at anything."
[nobilis] Alison smirks. "Well, *hopefully* they won't realize that."
GM says, ""And then I got one of those vocabulary tapes; I'm hoping it'll get me a promotion at my job -- did you know that people's impression of you is determined 93 percent by the words you use?""
[nobilis] Chaz says, "They'd be surprised if Tyoka showed up and breathed fire on 'em."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "sigh. I miss tyoke"
[nobilis] Alison says, "(Sanity-preservation would probably make them assume she's a young-looking college intern or something...)"
GM says, ""I've got it written down at home someplace, I think -- slice-something""
[interludes] GM says, "They're working pretty diligently, but that appears to be it"
[nobilis] Alison says, "They do seem oddly fascinated with these products, given that the stuff isn't supernaturally focused on them."
[nobilis] Chaz asks (of Alison), "Are you sure?  Did you check?"
Aisleen asks, "You mentioned William being more energetic and wanting to do stuff ever since watching Egbert. Has this been accompanied an increase in aggressive behavior?"
[interludes] Stella says, "In that case, I head on out to lurk elsewhere.  <Chaz, moving on . . .>"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "i think the parents are the actual target. just using kids"
[nobilis] Alison says (to Chaz), "Yes."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "also, thank you, Barnard College Psychology Department. I am having fun remember questions I used to ask during my thesis"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh."
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Aisleen), "Um. If the parents are the real target, why is the show designed to twig in the kids' brains, but not the parents'?"
[nobilis] Chaz says (to Alison), "The show is targeted to the kids, but they're also told to ignore the commercials--maybe the commercials are targetted to the parents."
[interludes] GM says, "The next hallway from here leads off into a couple rooms, one where they're filming (a big one)"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "that's true. but the commercials thing just bug me"
[interludes] GM says, "one or two where they're arguing about scripts"
[nobilis] Aisleen is still waiting to find out if Egbert can be used to make kids into bullies
[interludes] Stella says, "Ooh, ooh!  I <think> as much about the scripts as I can hear on to Chaz, so he can memeorize it, and soak up what I can from filming.  Mythic, too."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Personally, I'm more and more suspecting that Davey may be right: Amanda messing with kids' minds 'for their own good'."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Nah, this has 'infomercials' written all over it."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "(also, moving to thinking...)"
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Chaz), "Are you basing that on what you're seeing there, or what we're seeing here?"
Chaz . o O (to all) ( BTW, the other chancel was bothered by squirrels. )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( They don't like squirrels? )
Chaz . o O (to all) ( And excrucians can become the false power of (x). )
[interludes] GM says, "And then the only other thing of interest is a empty office -- the door is closed and there are two guards outside it, but you can slip in through the window in the wall"
[interludes] Stella says, "Slipping through, then  . . ."
Chaz . o O ( No, the squirrels were all posessed to put this putty stuff on trees, which were then harvested for Franklin's mills, and at night, the wood pulp would ignite.  He lost four mills that way. )
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of GM), "did you miss my question or just busy?"
[interludes] GM says, "well, it's empty -- it looks like an executive office. it's got a big-ass desk and a telephone and a plush chair"
[nobilis] GM asks, "sorry, which question?"
[interludes] Stella says, "A desk with a big ass.  Now *that* is interesting."
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "You mentioned William being more energetic and wanting to do stuff ever since watching Egbert. Has this been accompanied an increase in aggressive behavior?"
[interludes] Stella rifles the desk, taking care to not make look like anyone has been here.
Chaz . o O ( So if Silver is mimicing squirrles to get at Octavo, it doesn't seem unreasonable that he's mimicing infomercials to get at us. )
Chaz . o O ( Though I can't see what the plan is. )
Aisleen . o O (to chaz) ( then, Silver has control over those two nobles? We saved Anse just in time then )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( Huh. So how would infomercials have anything to do with Egbert? )
GM says, ""Ah, hrm," Theresa says. "I don't think we've had any complaints from his teachers about this -- they've said he's very high-energy and is organizing the kickball team but haven't said anything else""
Aisleen asks, "How about at home?"
Chaz . o O ( The show is about how to improve oneself?  And the commercials are *very* infomercial-y. )
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( If Informecials were involved, wouldn't the *commercials* be all weird and focused, and the show all normal? )
Aisleen . o O ( Infomercials + self Improvement? two nobles being used by Silver? )
[nobilis] Alison asks (of GM), "I just want to verify this: the brain's were only affected specially by the show itself, right? And no one had any unnatural reaction to the commercials?"
[nobilis] GM says, "right"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Er, brains, not brain's."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "hm"
[interludes] GM says, "It's surprisingly bare; there are file folders but they're mostly empty, the drawer has a few pencils and pencils and a stapler and not much else. There are some projections for the future growth, with notes on them like "new show should be popular" and "investigate further on third-sigma points and triggers, especially at min 5-10""
Chaz . o O ( The title doesn't always mean the sum total of a noble's power.  I could see how a kid's show would be like an infomercial for kids. )
Aisleen asks (of Thelma), "Have you had any difficulty in disciplining him recently?"
Alison . o O (to Chaz) ( I looked into the kids' brains and the parents' brains, and none of them were affected special by the commercials. )
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "sigh. BC would take my degree away for asking such a blatantly biased question"
Alison . o O ( Either way, I *still* think we should talk to Amanda. )
[interludes] Stella says, "If there is a computer, I try to search it."
GM says, ""Oh, no -- William's been much better about bedtimes and waking up and listening since he started watching the show""
Alison . o O ( If someone else is doing this, they're still stepping on her toes, and she should know about it. )
[interludes] GM says, "there is not"
[interludes] GM says, "although there's a docking bay for a laptop"
Alison . o O ( If it is someone else, maybe she'll even want to help us. )
[interludes] Stella asks, "Swithcing to mythic, then.  Any magic dust on the guy's chair?"
Aisleen . o O (to alison) ( any questions? i am running out of leads. we have baby-sitters, i am curious as to some of those product placements, like the tapes. and this kid is not being used as a zombie machine )
[interludes] Chaz says, "<That seems odd.  Anything hidden?>"
[interludes] GM says, "Doesn't look like it. There's real dust, though -- it seems like it's been a bit since anyone sat here"
Aisleen . o O (to chaz) ( i want a mage to watch some ofegbert, as davey suggested earlier )
[interludes] Chaz says, "<What the heck are they *guarding*?>"
[interludes] Chaz says, "<Does the desk know anything?>"
Alison . o O (to Aisleen) ( I dunno. Egbert toys? )
[nobilis] Alison says, "I'm ready to meet back up with Davey and Stella and talk about things at the chancel, myself."
[interludes] Stella asks (of Dust_in_chair), "So, when did you get here?"
Aisleen asks, "Have there been any demands for Egbert related items from William? such as toys or books?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Since I have a feeling we're not going to get to the bottom of things staying right here."
[interludes] GM says, ""Not recently, ma'am!""
Aisleen . o O (to chaz&co) ( wrapping up here. we should convene at the chancel )
Stella says (to Aisleen), "Interogating some furniture.  Not sure what else we'll find.  Exec's office suprisingly empty."
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "right. this question, and then we are out of here"
GM says, ""Hmm, I don't believe there *are* any Egbert-related items out there yet""
GM says, ""But I'm sure William would be interested.""
Aisleen says, "Okay, thank you very much for your assistance with our research. You have been quite helpful."
GM says, ""Of course, always glad to help""
GM says, "Ralph and Theresa retrieve William and head out"
Aisleen asks (of alison), "home?"
Alison says, "Yeah. This is fishy."
Alison says (to Miss B), "I think we need to go talk to the others at the chancel, to see what they've found."
Aisleen says, "i will be in davey bus if you want tosay something to miss bailey before we go...right"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to gm), "home, James."
Alison says (to Miss B), "You can come with us, if you want. Or I can just call you when we find stuff."
GM says, ""Ok dear .. I have to say, this all seems very strange to me. I do hope you can get to the bottom of this, but please be careful --"
[nobilis] Alison says, "I think the Bus left already."
Alison exclaims, "Oh, I'm alw--most always careful!"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks (of alis), "oh right. davey left. summon him back to take us back? or just fly back?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Hail a cab?"
GM says, "She looks around at the room. "I suppose I'd better stay here and take of things; I still have some reports to write up.""
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "you got money?"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "I have charm and cuteness. Who needs money?"
[nobilis] Aisleen is, like most teenagers, perpetually broke. Even though she is an heiress and stuff
[interludes] Stella asks (of Desk), "What happens here on a usual day?"
Alison nods, "OK. Bye bye, then. I gotta got find Aisleen before she gets lost, since it's a big city and stuff."
Aisleen says (to alison), "Come on, I do have enough for a cab."
[interludes] GM says, ""Not much ma'am!""
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "also, don't remind Aisleen why she usually does not like kids :)"
Alison says (to Aisleen), "Aw. I wanted to try the 'lost in the big city please help us' thing."
Aisleen says (to alison), "be my guest. i will just fish out the wallet and pay the fare when that ruse fials"
Alison fake-sniffles for Aisleen, to demonstrate.
Aisleen says, "er, fails"
[interludes] Stella asks (of Chair), "Who sits in you, and how long have you been here?"
Aisleen looks up and down for a cab
[interludes] GM says, ""I couldn't say ma'am! For quite a while ma'am!""
[nobilis] Alison says (to GM), "Shall we just assume we get back somehow? :)"
GM says, "(a cab arrives and you guys head back to the chancel)"
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "and cuteness wins again"
[interludes] Stella says (to Furniture), "Thanks for your help.  I'll be moving on, now. <proceeds to next exec office>"
Aisleen says (to alison), "thanks for saving me some cash."
[interludes] GM says, "there are no more executive offices"
Alison asks, "Sure thing. Want me to teach you how to do that?"
Alison says, "It's all in the eyes."
Aisleen bats her eyelashes.
Aisleen asks, "like that?"
[interludes] GM says, "it appears that there are low- and mid-level management types, and then this office, which is empty"
Alison exclaims, "Save *that* for Mister the Third!"
[interludes] Chaz says, "That's odd.  There's nobody really running this place."
[interludes] Chaz asks (of GM), "Also, I take it nobody has entered/exited?"
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "i am reminded how impossible this would be if were doing this scene in RL. Jota teaching me how to charm...should be interesting"
[interludes] GM says, "right"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "hee hee"
Aisleen blushes. "Hush."
[Crows-Nest] Alison laughs out loud, trying *not* to imagine.
[interludes] GM says, "Although come 5pm folks eventually pack up and leave"
Aisleen says (to alison), "you did say it's in the eyes"
Aisleen asks, "Should I be trying to cry instead?"
[interludes] GM says, "the security guards checking the inner offices and making sure everyone has left and doors are locked, before leaving themselves, and then going and doing the same to the outer offices"
Alison nods, "Uh-huh. But you have to look like you're trying *not* to cry."
[interludes] Chaz says, "Hey, I wonder if the spirit of the infomercials guy is here somewhere."
Aisleen feels tears welling up, and blinks rapidly.
[interludes] Stella says, "now that it is after hours, this might be easier.  I rifle as many desks as I can."
[Crows-Nest] Aisleen says, "sigh, i am actually trying to do this in front of the computer too"
Aisleen asks (of alison), "like that?"
Alison says, "Yeah, that's good -- and kinda squint a bit between, to make 'em get red quicker..."
[interludes] GM says, "the drawers are mostly locked; they seem to have sales projections, some fancy psychological analyses, program plans"
Alison grins. "OK, next time, you get to get us the free cab fare."
Aisleen . o O (to chaz) ( advise to big brother. your sister is going to wreak havoc on the male population once she is old enough )
Aisleen says (to alison), "er. thanks. i think"
[interludes] Chaz (to Anse) . o O (Hey, can you hear me?)
[interludes] GM says, "hmm"
[interludes] GM says, "I think, no, no response"
Alison . o O ( "Chaz, Stella" Hey, how are you guys doing over there? )
Stella . o O (to Alison) ( Nothing here.  And that's pretty weird. )
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Hmm. If they're going to be a while, anyone mind if I call Amanda? Orshould I just wait for the party, next session?"
Chaz . o O ( Yeah, the head honcho's office has no head honcho.  And hasn't for some time. )
Alison goes to look up Egbert on IMDB.
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "i say go for it, unless chaz and co are coming back soon"
Stella . o O (to Alison) ( I've seen more empty, useless, unused desks and offices than I've ever seen.  I the board ran Benaroya like that, we'd have all been out of jobs in a couple of seasons. )
Aisleen goes to look for Henderson to sic a mage on to watching-egbert detail
[nobilis] GM says, "I'm ending things as soon as Chaz & Stella are done, so I think Amanda should be held off on"
Aisleen . o O (to stella) ( my father would have a fit if any of the companies he ran was like that. )
[nobilis] Alison says, "OK."
[nobilis] Stella says, "I think I'm done.  Lots of emptiness, which is suspicious.  And that's it."
GM says, ""Well, at least he'll be able to watch something besides infomercials," Henderson says"
[nobilis] GM says, "alrighty then"
[nobilis] GM says, "in two weeks we party"
[nobilis] Alison asks, "OK. Anything on IMDB?"
Aisleen says (to Henderson), "no no. we want the henderson guy to keep watching. another mage to do this"
[nobilis] GM says, "scanty information, although they do direct you to alt.tv.egbert-the-octopus"
Aisleen says, "er, infomercials guy to keep watching, anothermage to watch egbert, i meant"
Alison says (to Aisleen), "Aw. Mean."
Chaz . o O (to aisleen) ( Well, they could trade off, presumably. )
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "ATE, as opposed to RAIF. how nice"
Chaz . o O ( Or do it in shifts. )
Aisleen says (to henderson), "or yeah, they can work in shifts. we don't want to kill them"
[nobilis] Alison says, "http://us.imdb.com/Title?0315540"
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
Chaz also relates the information he got from Octavo earlier in the day.
[nobilis] Alison asks (of Chaz), "Which is?"
[nobilis] Aisleen asks, "which is? or should i just read the transcript?"
[nobilis] Aisleen says (to alison), "that rocks"
Chaz says, "The scrap of paper says, "The light brings out the truth and dispels shadows -- may you live in interesting times. Lucky numbers are 32, 15, 49, 6.""
[nobilis] Alison says, "If only 'Rausse' were likely to be German for 'Octopus', we'd have a real winner."
[nobilis] GM says, "hee hee"
Aisleen asks, "Fortune Cookie?"
Alison asks, "It really *is* a fortune cookie?"
Chaz says, "The money the guy had was redirected from it's way to a bank in NJ--I have the name of the bank--they've almost called of the investigation."
Alison asks, "So does that mean Stella will have to fight Jack?"
Chaz says, "And Wilfred agreed to help stall the bill against motorcycles."
Aisleen asks, "Hey, what does the paper form Thelma say?"
Chaz says (to Alison), "That's all I could figure."
[nobilis] Alison asks, "Which money?"
Stella asks (of Alison), "Sounds fun, but is it necessary?"
[interludes] Chaz says, "The money I got from the guy who cut the brakes."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "The money I got from the guy who cut the brakes."
Alison says (to Stella), "I dunno. Maybe we should find out who Truth is first."
[nobilis] Alison says, "Ah, right."
Chaz says (to Alison), "'"
Chaz says (to Alison), "There is no Truth nobilis, actually."
Alison says, "Huh."
[nobilis] Aisleen says, "okay, i gotta go. just pretend i am nodding along and listening"
Chaz says, "Oh, and the bike shop has suspicious record-keeping--fine in and of itself, but it seemed to Wilfred like they were keeping stuff off the books."
[nobilis] GM says, "byebye"
Chaz says, "And the police have suspected them of trafficing in stolen goods."
Aisleen goes home.
[nobilis] Alison waves to Aisleen.
Alison asks, "So maybe they probably thought the bikes were just stolen instead of magic?"
Chaz says, "I think that's about it."
Alison nods. "Yeah. Huh."
Chaz says, "Oh, hey, let's see if the mages have a report back about that business card yet."
Chaz says (to Alison), "Maybe.  Though magically-created bikes would probably look like stolen goods, to the cops."
[nobilis] Stella says, "Um, we have somewhere to be also.  We should wrap up soon."
[nobilis] GM asks, "ok, then, anything urgent?"
[nobilis] Alison says, "Yeah. I think the GM wrapped up a little while ago, but we kinda just kept going :)"
[nobilis] Chaz asks, "Report on that card?"
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Or we can wait for next time ;-)"
[nobilis] GM says, "is tagged with some kind of identifying symbols -- nothing in itself, but it might be used to trigger something else"
[nobilis] (from Alison) GM says, "You got mostly As and Bs, with a C in History."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Heh."
[nobilis] Chaz says, "Huh."
[nobilis] Chaz exclaims, "OK, that's enough for me!"