[vodacce] PerrySimm says, "Log on."

Wilson asks, "Oh, Mar's done?"

(From Amber) "GM arrives, looking for food.

Wilson says, "Heh."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "not enough people showed, so we did a short session for Mar"

[vodacce] GM says, "aha"

[vodacce] GM says, "But everyone is here"

[vodacce] GM says, "TAKE THAT, WHIZZARD"

[vodacce] GM asks, "While I am heating my food: does everyone remember what happened?"

Giancarlo, when last he checked, was somewhere outside

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Si signore."

[vodacce] Amber says, "not everythimg"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "No, let's start over from the beginning."

Amber says, "juikkm,,."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "we fought off the guys; sir guy got (seemingly) decapited by amber"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "danel grabbed his body and escaped -- and took meander's son hostage"

[vodacce] Amber says, "scuse ellric"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "wilson ran after"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I believe everyone else from the bad guys is dead and/or captured"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "We were trying to figure out who was the assassin, right?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "although possibly there is one bad guy unaccounted for"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "There is prison dude unaccounted for, sorta."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "oh, that other criminal?"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims (at Niccolo), "Hee!"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Yeah; dunno if he's involved."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "or if they got broken out"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hmm"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Do we have any reason to suspect that Loc has anything to do with the plot at hand?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "oh come on, it's perfectly obvious that Renzino Locricchio was behind everything."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "we're not really in any shape to go after Danel but I suppose we'll have ot"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "We have Guard 2 to help us."

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "hee!"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "there may be other guards at the guardhouse, too"

[vodacce] Guard_2 asks, "Oh?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "You ready?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Who here was injured?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I have one dramatic wound."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "that's it, I think."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hmmm"

[vodacce] Amber says, "I'm down"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I thought I was wounded, but I guess Wilson had patched me up and I didn't get hit any more"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "No, I had patched up Gian."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(of his 21 flesh wounds)"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "right, but I don't think I got hit in the actual fight"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(transcript at http://www.bioc.rice.edu/~lpsmith/IF/7thSea/vodacce/"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oh, right."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Then, yes."

[vodacce] GM says, "Amber got thousands of dramatic wounds"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "since I was just hanging out with meander"

[vodacce] GM says, "(back with food. I'll be slow for a bit)"

Venzi says, "right. well."

Venzi says, "I guess we'd better go after him"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Amber is unconscious with 4, Fortunato is up with a bunch (3?), I don't thhink I have new ones, but probably still have some from the earlier attack."

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "I'm using tracking to follow Danel. Wits?"

Venzi blinks his eyes, wishing the blindness would go away.

Meander asks, "Tha knave is in my household, attempts to kill me, and now he kidnaps my son?"

Amber moans.

Fortunato says, "I imagine you're quite put out."

Meander exclaims, "Yes!"

Fortunato grabs a servant. "Get a surgeon. And not one of those incompetent ones."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 10+2 6 9 | 21

Niccolo asks (of Servant), "Did anyone see who took Riccalbano, or where they were going?"

Venzi says (to Fortunato), "are there any guards elsewhere on the estate? I think we're going to need some help"

[vodacce] GM says, "#belated Yes. Glad you waited to find out."

Wilson casts about around the flash-site, looking for drops of blood and other signs of where Danel went.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(Heh)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "If it had been one of my 3's I could have added another die."

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Er wait, Chiara and I are with Wilson outside, no?"

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Gian), "Yes."

GM says (to Wilson), "There's a trail of gore leading off."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "eew"

Fortunato asks (of Venzi), "There are. You intend to form a party to give chase?"

Wilson exclaims, "He went this way! Guards, Gian! Oh, and Chiara! Follow me!"

Giancarlo asks (of Chiara), "Are you alright?"

Wilson dashes off after the gore.

Chiara follows along, though she looks distinctly unwell

Venzi says (to Fortunato), "that seems like the obvious next step, yes"

Chiara says (to Giancarlo), "After a fashion."

Venzi says (to Fortunato), "unless you have any better ideas"

Surgeon enters the hall. "I have a patient, I hear."

[vodacce] Surgeon asks, "Anyone following Wilson?"

Niccolo follows WIlson, since the servant seems unresponsive.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I am"

[vodacce] Surgeon asks, "And, most importantly, are you splitting the party?"

[vodacce] Surgeon says, "Because this could be *fun*."

Amber moans again, a liitle louder this time.

Surgeon says, "aha"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Arr ... instinct ...."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Unless the servant I was talking to had anything useful to say."

Surgeon bends down by Amber and begins to diagnose.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Being overconfident is a blast."

[vodacce] Surgeon says, "I missed it."

Niccolo asks (of Servant), "Did anyone see who took Riccalbano, or where they were going?"

Giancarlo scoops Chiara up and dashes after Wilson

Chiara is too exhausted even to squirm.

Fortunato says (to Venzi), "I haven't. I will see what of my guards are not indisposed."

Meander says, "Riccalbano..."

Servant says (to Niccolo), "No! I went up to his room to check on him, and he was gone, and his maidservant dead."

Venzi asks (of Meander), "yes?"

Meander sinks to the floor, head in hands.

Niccolo nods. "Then our best hope is probably to take chase after the devil we know."

GM says (to Wilson), "The trail wends its way out of the grounds and onto the street."

Niccolo goes after Wilson et al.

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "I (huff) hope you know where you're going...."

Venzi says, "right."

[vodacce] GM asks (of Niccolo), "How are you finding him?"

Giancarlo keeps an eye out for ambushes, etc..

Venzi steps out into the hall and looks around.

Wilson asks (of Gian), "I'm just following the blood. See, how it goes this way?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Er. By dint of having asked the question the first time before Wilson had left?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Or, if that's not an option, I just go out the door and try to see which way they went."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Niccolo), "I'm tracking, so can't go particularly quickly."

Giancarlo says, "As long as it's not my blood, I'm happy."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Also, there's a bunch of guards milling about/following."

[vodacce] GM says, "Note that Wilson, Giancarlo, and Chiara were outside the room, a little ways away."

Niccolo goes outside the door, looking and listening for any sign of Wilson et al.

GM says, "It then leads its way to a hole in the street"

Fortunato says (to Venzi), "If you can wait here, I will return shortly."

Giancarlo stops and sets Chiara on her feet.

Wilson peers down the hole.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(Ah, they'd left the room and wandered a bit away last session, didn't they? Sorry about that.)"

GM says, "Deep."

GM says, "Dark."

GM says, "Smells."

Giancarlo says, "I heard the Avalons relished "toad in the hole", but this is ridiculous."

Fortunato says (to Meander), "Sir, come with me."

[vodacce] Amber says, "sounds perfect."

Giancarlo peers inside the hole

Guard_2 says, "Ooh, the sewers."

Wilson tosses a rock into the hole.

Guard_2 says, "That's not good."

Chiara looks at Guard 2 with distaste.

Wilson asks (of 2), "Why not?"

Giancarlo asks (of Guard), "Why exactly?"

Meander follows Fortunato out of the hall.

Guard_2 says, "Um, do you know what goes into sewers"

Guard_2 asks, "?"

Guard_2 says, "I mean, I can tell you, but I thought you might know."

Guard_2 says, "And that attracts rats, which attracts larger rats and other things."

Wilson says, "I'm surprised this place has sewers at all. I figured it was all canals and stuff."

Giancarlo says, "Of course we do: things not generally mentioned in the company of ladies."

Guard_2 asks (of Wilson), "What, and use the canals as sewers?"

Surgeon helps Amber sit up, gently.

Wilson asks (of 2), "You mean the canals don't just fill the sewers with water?"

Giancarlo asks, "A lantern. Who's got a lantern?"

Guard_2 says (to Wilson), "They're walled off, and run between and under the canals."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I'm half-elf, so I have infravision"

Guard_2 says (to Wilson), "They're part of old city."

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "ha!"

Niccolo, concluding that the others are too far off to find them now, goes back inside.

Surgeon says (to Amber), "I recommend you avoid contact with sharp, pointed things."

[vodacce] Niccolo also has no clue who's there, aside from Amber and the Surgeon.

Wilson asks (of group), "Well, shall we follow?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "me"

[vodacce] Guard_2 says, "Venzi"

Giancarlo asks (of Guard), "where do they lead?"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "hey, are the assassins still in the hall here?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "The tied up ones? Guess so."

[vodacce] Guard_2 says, "They are."

Guard_2 says, "Down."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Dunno why Fortunato just walked off and left them with us."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "he was going to fetch other guards"

Venzi says, "right then"

Amber says (to Surgeon), "I'll try to dodge faster next time."

Giancarlo asks (of Guard), "Let me rephrase that. Where are the exits?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Ah, good reason."

Guard_2 says, "Some of them have been mapped, but most are just known by the sewer hunters."

Giancarlo says, "bah"

Venzi walks over to the pile of tied-up assassins.

Guard_2 says, "There are exits on many streets, but they don't all necessarily connect."

Venzi says, "I think it's time for some explanations."

Wilson asks (of 2), "Know any good sewer hunters?"

Fortunato returns with several guards and a letter.

Giancarlo hops down onto the edge of the hole and gropes for handholds.

Venzi looks up.

Guard_2 says (to Wilson), "We could probably find one, if you're willing to wait."

Fortunato says, "This was waiting for me, brought by a guard."

Fortunato hands it to Venzi.

Venzi looks it over.

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "Get a pencil. Follow me, mark a trail."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(and if it's in Vodacce, I can even read it)"

Giancarlo says (to Guard), "Find one and tell him to follow Wilson's mark."

Wilson says (to Gian), "*That*, I have. But we still don't have light."

Wilson says, "I'll go get one."

Wilson dashes back to the mansion.

Giancarlo looks to see if any lanterns are hanging from nearby storefronts.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "LIGHT SOURCE PUZZLE"

GM says (to Venzi), ""I do not wish to harm your child. All I require is that you abdicate your position in favor of anyone else; you may have the choice. I will be in contact with you tomorrow. Until then, your son will be safe. I wish this could have been otherwise. -Sir Guy Dixon, Avalonian Ambassador"

[vodacce] Wilson laughs.

Venzi says, "good lord"

[vodacce] GM says (to Chiara), "Should you follow, you will be at -1 unkept for trying to keep your dress clean"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "heh"

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "hee!"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims (at GM), "Ha!"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Remember, the lantern will burn out eventually, but the torch is a treasure, and you can't win if you lose it."

Venzi asks (of Meander), "do you have any idea why he would request such a thing?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "What are the streets lit with, by the way?"

Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "What does it say?"

Wilson dashes back into the hall.

Wilson asks, "Anyone have a lantern?"

Fortunato says, "None of this has made any sense, no."

Venzi says (to Niccolo), "it's a demand for Meander to abdicate his position -- to anyone"

Wilson, after waiting approximately half a second for a response, gives up and takes off towards his room.

Niccolo says (to Wilson), "Not on me, but I'm sure I know where I could find one..."

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "Most of them with nothing."

[vodacce] GM says, "You may choose to regroup (and change, for those who wish to), or forge ahead."

Wilson (over his shoulder) Danel's entered the sewers!

[vodacce] Amber asks, "how's my diagnosis coming?"

Niccolo says, "Ah, good place for him."

Venzi asks, "nothing depends on you specifically ruling here? you were not threatening to put any policies through in the immediate future that a successor would not?"

Giancarlo pulls Chiara aside.

Guard_2 says, "I'm going to return to the mansion and try to find a hunter who might know this section of the sewers."

Giancarlo asks (of Chiara), "(whispering) can you follow Danel's threads in the dark?"

Fortunato asks, "Possibly. Someone different would make different choices, but if he had a specific policy he wished to affect, why allow the choice of successor?"

Niccolo says (to Venzi, Meander), "I'm going with Wilson. They may need more help."

Venzi says, "exactly"

Chiara looks at Giancarlo and shakes her head sharply

Fortunato asks (of Niccolo), "Wait -- there is to be a pursuit through the sewers?"

Venzi says, "hmm"

Surgeon pulls a few bandages tight. "There. You will be okay, but be careful."

Venzi asks (of Meander), "if you were to remain governor, who would inherit from you?"

Niccolo says (to Fortunato), "So I gather -- he didn't stop long enough to explain."

[vodacce] GM says, "(no Meander here, just Fortunato and guards)"

Chiara says (to Giancarlo), "(whispering) I don't know what you imagine, but I have no real skills of... that sort"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "oh, whoops"

Fortunato motions to several guards. "Follow the impatient man, and keep them from going into the sewers until we can find a guide and some better supplies."

Giancarlo says (to Chiara), "Of course ..."

[vodacce] GM says (to Amber), "Your critical wounds are down by three."

Amber asks (of Surgoen), "Thank you for your help. Am I fit enough to go after that <insert descriptive envectives here> Danel?"

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "It's not too much trouble to find a lantern."

Venzi says, "I doubt I'll be much good in the sewers - it'll be dark enough there even with my full vision intact"

Wilson dashes back into the hall, backpack and lantern in hand. He is still in his fomal clothes, and his mask is in danger of falling out of his pocket.

Venzi says, "perhaps whoever would inherit from -- no, that's not possible. hrm"

[vodacce] GM says, "Oh, a note: those of you who were blinded have begun to regain your sight."

Chiara smiles at Giancarlo. "If anyone asks about what happened earlier, I was so distraught that I mistook you for... someone else."

Niccolo says (to Fortunato), "I like to think that I'm a reasonably skilled guide, personally."

Fortunato says (to Wilson), "Wilson, hold."

Giancarlo says (to Chiara), "<grinning> wouldn't be the first time."

Wilson asks, "Everyone ready?"

Wilson says, "Oh."

Wilson asks, "Uh, what is it?"

Fortunato says, "Sir Guy evidently had a plan, which I assume Dixon will carry out."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "they being one and the same"

Fortunato says, "He was going to contact us again tomorrow. Given that, we should have enough time to find a guide and supplies."

Giancarlo asks, "What is taking Wilson?"

Amber limps toward where Wilson headed out.

Surgeon says (to Amber), "I advise against it, but you can do as you want."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Amber), "Actually, I'm in the hall."

Niccolo says (to Fortunato), "Dixon might have trouble with that, but Danel may act in his stead."

Guard runs in, panting. He says (to Fortunato), "Found him!" and points triumphantly at Wilson.

Venzi says, "perhaps Meander intended to transfer his position or powers to someone undesirable, or -- hrm"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "doh"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Hee!"

Fortunato says (to Guard), "Yes, very good. I think you will get to stay behind."

Guard asks, "Sir?"

Fortunato says, "I will explain at length some time tomorrow. For now, see to Meander."

Guard says, "Sir."

Giancarlo loses patience and carefully feels his way down into the hole, all senses on alert.

Wilson says (to Fortunato), "He's carrying Dixon,who's bleeding pretty badly, and is easy to track."

Fortunato says, "I do not if that will hold true in the more, ah, watery parts."

Amber exclaims (at Wilson), "Dixon should be dead!"

Wilson holds up his backpack. "And I have supplies already!"

Wilson says (to Amber), "He may well be."

GM says (to Giancarlo), "You can feel handholds on one side of the hole."

Niccolo says, "And you have a guide already."

Amber looks confused. "Supplies?"

Wilson says (to Fortunato), "Oh, true."

Wilson says, "Darn."

Giancarlo carefully climbs down the handholds.

Fortunato asks (of Niccolo), "I know you are familiar with the canals. Do you know the sewers as well?"

GM says, "It is dark. You may slip on some grue."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "giancarlo is in the sewers, everyone else is out?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh. Yup."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Chiara and some guards are milling around the opening, though."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to Chiara), "I know what you're thinking. Hush."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "heh"

GM says, "The handholds go about thirty feet down, ending at a flat spot."

Giancarlo tests the flat spot with his foot.

GM says, "It's a little squishy."

Wilson looks expecteantly at Niccolo.

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "squishy, si, but is it breathing?"

Niccolo says (to Fortunato), "I haven't lived in the sewers myself, but I know enough about this town that I should be able to find my way around, I'd think."

Fortunato says (to Niccolo), "You've shown a willingness to fight, which is more than I could say for a more experienced guide."

[vodacce] GM says, "No."

Giancarlo draws his sword and uses its longer reach to prod around.

[vodacce] (from Niccolo) GM says, "It's Dixon."

GM says, "Your sword goes a little way into whatever is down there, then scrapes on stone."

Venzi says (to Fortunato), "do you think I can speak to Meander tonight? I would very much like to try and know better what is going on"

Wilson asks (of Fortunato), "Well, is that good?"

Fortunato says (to Venzi), "Yes."

Fortunato asks (of Wilson), "Where did the trail lead? Which entrance?"

Venzi says, "right then"

Wilson says, "Right up the street, left at the corner by the yellow house, mid-block."

Giancarlo . o O ( Danel's bound to have left footprints in this squishiness ... I better not wander off and obscure them. )

Venzi says (to Servant), "go find Meander and ask him if he's able to talk to me tonight, please"

Giancarlo goes climbing back up.

Servant asks (of Fortunato), "Sir?"

Fortunato says (to Servant), "As he says. Go, man."

Servant says, "Yes, sir."

Wilson hands Venzi his backpack. "I grabbed yours, too, just in case."

Servant leaves.

Fortunato says (to Wilson), "Go with two of my men and fetch your companions."

Wilson asks, "And come back? YOu don't want to go right now?"

Venzi says (to Wilson), "thanks -- I've got my sword already, but maybe I'll be needing the lantern, if we're going into the sewers after all"

Fortunato says, "And come back. Let Venzi talk to Meander."

Fortunato says, "And change into something more suitable for the sewers."

Wilson looks rather upset.

Chiara says (to Fortunato), "there you speak eminent sense"

Fortunato says (to Chiara), "Oh, hello."

Wilson looks to his companions for support.

Giancarlo looks about.

Fortunato says (to Wilson), "I cannot keep you from running off on your own, but you will do better to think and prepare."

Chiara shrugs at Wilson.

Niccolo says, "Wilson does make a point. The trail is only going to grow weaker."

Fortunato shrugs. "Then go. But I ask you: why did Danel choose to flee to the sewers?

Chiara asks (of Fortunato), "to avoid being killed?"

Niccolo asks (of Fortunato), "Because he has men hiding there?"

Venzi says, "I don't know about you, but I intend to talk to Meander and try and figure out what is going on"

Fortunato says (to Chiara), "Presumably he and Sir Guy made plans somewhere other than this house."

Servant says (to Venzi), "Sir, he will see you."

Venzi asks, "anyone else coming?"

Venzi follows the servant out.

Fortunato says (to Niccolo), "and equipment, and more, I fear."

Chiara says (to Fortunato), "then following him to wherever he went... but I have no relish for dragging my dress through there"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Perhaps we'll have to fight John and SoreThroat."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "bloody hell, not more avalonians"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(no offense, boss)"

[interludes] GM has added Venzi to the channel.

Niccolo asks (of Fortunato), "And what preparation do you think will make us more ready to meet what he has waiting?"

[interludes] Servant leads Venzi through the house.

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "wait, where is everyone now?"

Wilson asks, "And wouldn't it be better to strike before *he* has time to prepare?"

Fortunato says (to Niccolo), "Better clothes. More than one lantern."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I'm in the big hall with Wilson and Fortunato."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I'm going to see Meander, everyone else except Giancarlo is in the hall with Fortunato"

Fortunato says, "God dammit, children, LET ME DO MY JOB."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Gian), "I guess you and Chiara wandered back."

Fortunato sways slightly, and decides to sit.

[interludes] Servant says, "He is in here."

[interludes] Venzi bows to Meander.

Wilson says (to Fortunato), "Hey, you're hurt."

Niccolo asks, "Alright. Should we meet back here in an hour?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "forgive my rudeness and the lateness of the hour, but I fear the situation has come to a head"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Whoops, I missed Fort's last comment."

Fortunato waves Wilson away. "I'm fine. But Danel's unprepared for Sir Guy's death, I am certain."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "may I ask you some questions, sir, in an attempt to work out what is going on?"

[vodacce] (from Venzi) GM says "Hell, I know I was."

[interludes] Meander asks, "...Venzi, is it?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "it is, sir"

[vodacce] Wilson laughs.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Hee."

Fortunato says, "I can have things ready for you in half that time, if you will be ready by then."

Giancarlo . o O ( how long could it possibly take to get a lantern, anyway? )

Niccolo nods.

Wilson says, "Half an hour, then."

Wilson says, "I'll go grab Gian."

[interludes] Meander says, "They have taken my son."

Wilson dashes out the door.

Giancarlo instructs a couple of guards to stand, uh, guard and trots back to the house.

[interludes] Venzi says, "exactly"

[vodacce] GM says, "yay"

Niccolo says, "I'll get two more lanterns."

[interludes] Venzi says, "and they threaten -- something -- unless you abdicate"

Chiara says, "I'll, ah, change"

[interludes] Meander exclaims, "But Sir Guy is dead!"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "why would they want to do this?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "he may be dead"

Chiara makes a dash for her own room

[interludes] Meander says, "I do not understand."

Chiara . o O ( half an hour to change? what are they thinking? )

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "hee"

[vodacce] GM says, "yay again"

[interludes] Venzi says, "as I said, I must ask you to forgive my rudeness, but time is short and I must be direct"

Niccolo goes off to scrounge them up. Also, to pick up his own spear.

Wilson exclaims (at Gian), "Fortunato wants to gather a party--we leave in... uh, two hours!"

[interludes] Meander says, "I have not always made popular decisions."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "sir, what plans have you made for your succession? about what have you been meeting with the bishop?"

Wilson catches up to Gian. (quietly) "Actually, half an hour. Someone might be listening."

[interludes] Meander looks up.

Giancarlo exclaims, "Two Hours? Danel could be gone and in Ussura by then!"

[interludes] Venzi says, "those seem like the two most important possibilities, but if not then, then there are others"

Giancarlo says, "oh rhubarbrhubarbrhubarb...."

[interludes] Meander says, "Riccalbano was to be my heir, with Stefani to be his regent if necessary."

[vodacce] GM says (to Chiara), "You can drag the somewhat-healed Amber with you."

Wilson says (to Gian), "Grab anything you might need."

Amber . o O ( Chiara will need some help changing. I better go help her. )

Wilson dashes back to the house again.

[interludes] Venzi says, "as I suspected, but why then -- hmm"

Giancarlo says, "on my way"

[interludes] Meander says, "And the Bishop and I -- well, I have had to make hard choices about the vintners' guild."

Amber says (to Fortunato), "You have a most excellent surgeon. Thank you for his services."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "if you chose to abdicate to Riccalbano now, would Stefani still be his regent?"

Amber dashes off to her room.

[interludes] Meander says, "Is this a strike at Falisci? But I am not irreplaceable."

Giancarlo figures he probably doesn't need to change. Grab a few extra throwing knives, that's it. Oh ... and picks up some of that tainted meat from the ballroom.

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "How are my old wounds? They were tended to earlier today; are they better yet?"

[interludes] Meander says, "And by the letter, Riccalbano could still have my position."

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[interludes] Meander says (to Venzi), "For several years yet, yes."

[interludes] Venzi has a brief smile quirk across his face. "In my experience, sir, in a noble house none are irreplacable."

Giancarlo polishes his sword (and knives) with the meat. Not sure if it will work, but, eh, who knows.

[interludes] Venzi says, "so it does not seem like an attempt to interfere in the matter of succession, then"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Excellent."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "any policies or trade agreements or the like which would end when you were no longer in position?"

Wilson dashes into his room again to change.

Chiara is in her room struggling with the closures of her gown

[interludes] Venzi asks, "or treaties?"

Niccolo changes, if there's time after getting the lanterns, but doesn't make it a priority.

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "There is."

Wilson . o O ( Hey, I could make my bluff real. )

[interludes] Meander says, "No. All treaties are with Falisci, with me as my broker."

Amber says (to Chiara), "I recomend the faded blue velvet. Here, let me help."

Chiara says (to Amber), "thanks"

Amber takes over struggling with Chiara's gown.

Wilson leaves his room and dashes up to the contessa's room.

Chiara asks (of Amber), "how are you feeling?"

[interludes] Meander says, "(the broker)"

[interludes] Meander asks, "Someone new could change these, given time, but if that is the case, why not demand a certain successor?"

Amber says, "Like I barely survived a fight to the death."

[interludes] Venzi says, "indeed"

Chiara laughs in a not-really-amused way.

Chiara says, "This is all my fault -- I suspected Dixon, but I didn't want to suspect him."

Wilson vaguely looks for Ridolfo on the way.

Chiara says, "I should have stabbed him in the ribs while I had the chance"

Giancarlo will take a moment to make sure he's got a good sneaky-type pair of boots on.

Amber says, "I don't know what came over me. I'm glad Fortunato employs a good surgeon."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "and nothing is scheduled to happen soon? an important, I suppose, treaty or the like that only you could broker?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "that too seems unlikely"

[interludes] Meander says, "None that I can think of."

[interludes] Venzi says, "hmm"

Amber chuckles, a but shakily.

[interludes] Meander says, "Better I had died from one of the earlier attempts, I wonder."

Amber says, "And I never wanted to see Danel as evil, either."

Chiara says (to Amber), "Understandable..."

[interludes] Venzi says, "that he must resort to this shows that he is getting desperate and must reveal more of his true plans"

Niccolo heads downstairs, his spear slung on his back and a lantern in each hand.

Wilson gets up to the contessa's door, slows, hesitates.

Chiara struggles into the faded dress, one with much less ambitious skirts

[interludes] Meander asks, "Are you helping Fortunato go after him?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "and I suppose the last possibility is someone that has influence over you now, who would not influence a successor"

Wilson looks around for any spider-patch servants

GM says (to Wilson), "There's one down the hall."

[interludes] Venzi says, "once we have resolved this last question, I go"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "reference was made to one time the Contessa was wrong in her predictions -- do you know anything of this?"

Wilson asks (of servant), "Hey! I need to see the Contessa, or at least one of her spiders. Can you check if I can go in?"

[interludes] Meander thinks. "The Bishop, perhaps, but I do what I must."

Giancarlo is already waiting at the appointed meeting spot with a small pouch of the tainted meat. He is relaxed, humming a tune as he runs a strip of the meat up and down the blade of his sword.

[interludes] Meander blanches. "Where did you hear of this?"

Amber throws on some old wear-only-for-doing-chores clothes, then does a quick weapons-check.

[vodacce] GM says, "Once everyone's done RPing we'll restart in the hall."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I am discreet, sir"

Niccolo nods to Gian.

Amber asks (of Chiara), "Ready?"

Servant says (to Wilson), "I, um."

Servant asks, "You *want* to see her?"

Chiara says (to Amber), "let's go"

Wilson exclaims (at Servant), "Hurry, man!"

Servant says, "She's not been quiet this evening."

Wilson exclaims (at Servant), "Riccalbano's life is in danger!"

[interludes] Meander says, "I had a sister."

Servant exclaims, "So will yours be if you walk in there!"

Wilson asks (of Servant), "What doest that mean?"

Amber gives her knife-sheaths one final pat on her way out the door.

Niccolo offers his second lantern to Fortunato or Giancarlo.

[interludes] Venzi looks surprised for a minute, then recovers himself.

[interludes] Meander says, "She was to die in water, according to what the Contessa saw."

Giancarlo says, "I like my hands free, thank you."

Giancarlo . o O ( besides which, light attracts attention. )

[interludes] Meander says, "But I imagine you know how these stories end. She avoided water, stayed away from lakes and streams."

[interludes] Meander says, "And then one night, there was a storm."

[interludes] Meander says, "Lightning, a tree, and the roof fell in, pinning her."

[interludes] Meander says, "Crushed her chest."

Niccolo sets it down then, for whoever wants it.

Wilson asks (of Servant), "What do you mean by 'not quiet'?"

Servant says (to Wilson), "She is not entirely in control of herself."

Wilson says, "Oh, that again."

[interludes] Venzi winces.

Servant says, "And she lashes out."

Wilson says, "Sigh."

[interludes] Venzi says, "at sea I have seen -- men beneath the mast"

[interludes] Meander says, "She died in water, true enough, as the rain fell through the ruined roof."

Wilson asks (of Servant), "I don't suppose she has any spiders in other places?"

Servant asks, "Can I help you instead?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "it is not pleasant"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "but the prediction was not wrong, then?"

Servant eases open the door to the Contessa's quarters. "You can go in, sir, I won't stop you."

[interludes] Meander says, "No, but the interpretation was, rendering the whole thing useless to us."

[interludes] Venzi says, "heh"

Wilson asks (of Servant), "I just need to borrow a poisonous spider. Preferably one that makes people sleep. Do you know what they look like?"

[interludes] Meander says, "Fortunato learned of this when he became my man at arms, and has been skeptical of the Contessa's prophecies ever since."

Giancarlo asks (of Niccolo), "by the way, I brought some meat from the ballroom. Want some?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "I am not surprised"

Servant asks, "Er, eight legs?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "usually his skepticism becomes him well"

Wilson sighs.

[interludes] Venzi says, "but I am afraid this exhausts my last thought, so perhaps I had better rejoin the others"

[interludes] Meander says, "Please. Find my son."

[interludes] Venzi says, "my thanks for your time, sir -- I only wish I had been more help now"

[interludes] Meander nods.

Wilson enters the lobby, looks around for spiders that look anything like the poisonous ones back home, or like any he's managed to sketch so far that might suit the bill.

Niccolo says (to Gian), "I'm not really hungry, but thanks."

[interludes] Meander says, "And tell Fortunato I will step down if I must."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I will make it up later, when we find your son"

[interludes] Venzi frowns

Giancarlo says (to Niccolo), "Oh, it's not for eating."

[interludes] Venzi says, "be careful about what you do, sir"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Hey, can I use my 'insect physiology' knack?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "we know not what they want, or why"

Giancarlo says (to Niccolo), "It's poisoned, you see."

[interludes] Venzi bows and leaves the room

Niccolo says, "Ah, that meat."

[vodacce] GM asks, "Er, eight legs?"

Venzi returns to the hallway with the others

Niccolo says, "Hmm. I don't think I want to take the risk of handling it."

Chiara is standing around trying not to look nervous.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "i.e. it's not an insect?"

[vodacce] GM says, "More seriously, that's more for knowing what parts the insects have"

Venzi glances down at his clothes, decides these are more or less his least-nice as well as most-nice outfit, so what the hell

[vodacce] GM says, "And not, e.g., telling a spider that's poisonous or not without cutting it apart."

GM says, "Fortunato does not appear to have moved from his spot, but there is a small pile of things in the middle of the hall."

Giancarlo checks out the pile

[vodacce] GM says, "There are several spiders inside the room. I'll let you gather a few if you want; some may be poisonous."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Yeah, but if I had studied spiders at all, presumably I'd have noted things like 'poison sac'."

[vodacce] GM says, "Sure. So take a few spiders, cut them apart, and you'll find out if they have a sac or not."

Amber considers swaggering into the hall, but decides against it.

GM says, "The pile contains two lanterns (providing light), two flasks of oil, some rope, a pole, and a very sketchy map."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can I roll anything?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "yay"

Niccolo looks at the map, to memorize as much of it as he can while we're someplace well-lit.

Giancarlo picks up the rope.

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Go ahead and roll your physiology, using wits as your base."

Venzi says, "I've got my own lantern"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Do those lanterns include or not include the ones I brought?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Okeedokee."

Venzi says, "I'm not sure how many we'll need"

Amber asks, "Since its been half an hour, I doubt he's still in the sewers. I'm betting he surfaced somewhere he considers safe. Any ideas?"

Fortunato says, "The map is by a man who purports to know that area of the sewers."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I'm adding a drama die."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 6k3: 6 9 2 1 4 6 | 21

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "They don't."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "ALso, are the oil flasks glass, metal, or other?"

Venzi says (to Amber), "unless he has a hideout in the sewers themselves"

Giancarlo says, "Well, the ones you seek always show up in the last place you look. So we should look there first."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "There are spiders, some of which look like they may be poisonous."

Wilson gathers four spiders that look bright and colorful, like the poisonous ones tend to back home.

Fortunato says (to Amber), "I sent men to the Avalonian ambassador residence."

Niccolo says (to Gian), "That'd be that closet upstairs."

Fortunato says (to Amber), "but I do not expect them to find anything."

Niccolo says (to Gian), "In the guest hall."

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "Other. They're treated fabric, so they're flexible and, er, oil-tight. But also water-tight."

Amber asks, "A well respected government agent, presumably with funds to spare?"

Venzi asks (of Fortunato), "and to the guardhouse, to check on the other prisoners and the guards there?"

Venzi says (to Amber), "he *claims* to be a government agent"

Fortunato says (to Venzi), "Yes."

Wilson runs back down a flight of stairs, passes his room, realizes he didn't have any shoes on, dashes back in to put them on, runs downstairs again.

Fortunato says, "And the men you captured have been most enlightening. They were hired in Bessarion about a week ago."

Amber asks, "Danel and Dixon? You think they were lying about that, too?"

Fortunato says (to Venzi), "They were camped outside of town until tonight, on orders from Danel."

Venzi says (to Amber), "I seem to recall Chiara mentioned something about --"

Chiara looks interestedly at Venzi

[vodacce] GM says, "Were any of those government groups like OSHA around, they'd have made sure the flasks come with a 'keep away from open flame' sticker on them."

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "hee!"

Venzi asks (of Chiara), "did you not say Sir Guy had mentioned to Rosanella that he was ambushed outside Bessarion, or the like?"

[vodacce] GM says, "The sealant is tar-based."

Fortunato asks, "Oh?"

Niccolo says, "Hmm."

Niccolo asks, "So you think they may ahve themselves been the ambushers?"

Chiara says (to Venzi), "he claimed to me that he had been ambushed, yes"

Chiara says, "who knows what the truth is"

Fortunato says, "I do think Rosanella and I need to talk, after I return."

Wilson, breathless, says, "Are we ready?" You look at him and notice that while he now has on a comfortable shirt and his travelling shoes, he's still wearing his dress pants.

Niccolo asks, "But then, wouldn't someone have recognized that he wasn't Sir Guy?"

Fortunato says (to Niccolo), "Who? His appointment was new here."

Giancarlo is still wearing his dress pants, too.

Venzi asks (of Wilson), "I hate to criticize your appearance, but those pants ...?"

Wilson looks down.

Wilson says, "Oops."

Fortunato says, "All we had were letters telling of his arrival."

Wilson says, "Eh, never liked these anyway."

Wilson exclaims, "Let's go!"

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "You can get a new pair when we return."

Fortunato says, "Yes, let's."

Niccolo asks (of Fortunato), "But the house? Who lived there?"

Amber says (to Wilson), "Looks like you need a valet, as well as a body-guard."

Fortunato stands slowly.

Wilson grabs his backpack from where he left it.

Fortunato says (to Niccolo), "It was kept by an independent staff. The house has seen six ambassadors just since I have had my post."

Niccolo takes a flask of oil and hangs it from his belt.

Fortunato says, "Follow me."

Giancarlo is right behind.

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Is anyone carrying the rest of the stuff?"

Fortunato takes three steps, then folds upon himself and onto the floor.

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I got the rope"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "what else is there?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I figured Niccolo would take the pole, but maybe not"

Giancarlo stops himself from tripping over Fortunato

Wilson exclaims (at Fortunato), "You *are* hurt!"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Pole, another flask of oil, and three more lamps aside from mine."

Wilson runs to his side.

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "I ahve my spear."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I'll take a lantern and a flask"

Giancarlo says, "bah"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "diagnose:"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 4 10+5 1 | 19

Venzi grabs the oil and the pole, for no good reason

Giancarlo pulls Fortunato to his feet and returns him to his seat.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "or just the lantern"

Chiara takes a lantern.

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "Have you learned nothing from IF? *Never* leave useless items."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "His shirt is stained very red."

Fortunato mumbles, "...fine, I'm fine..."

Wilson exclaims (at servant), "Get that surgeon who was here earlier!"

Giancarlo says (to Fortunato), "Si, as long as you stay put. We'll be back."

[vodacce] GM says, "Looks like a nasty cut along his ribs, untreated."

Wilson rips off fortunato's shirt.

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes indeed, a cut, and a deep one."

Venzi says (to Fortunato), "I think you had better remain here and watch Meander"

Venzi says, "it is possible there may be other attempts"

Giancarlo . o O ( stubborn little bugger.... )

Fortunato says, "No, promised -- I told him --"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "How many critical wounds total?"

GM says, "Fortunato's out, and white as a sheet."

Venzi says, "right, let's get going before he wakes up"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Though perhaps not one of Wilson's sheets, given the care he takes with dress pants."

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[Crows-Nest] Wilson laughs.

Giancarlo says, "Leave him to the surgeon. Let's go."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Two, I think. The main thing is he went untreated."

Giancarlo sets out.

Niccolo follows.

Amber goes.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "So, maybe 3 now?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes. He won't be fighting much in the near future."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "If he can heal Amber..."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "yeah, but she's a PC"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "The Surgeon should be competant to watch Fortunato without us."

[vodacce] Fortunato says, "That's right, don't TELL anyone about me."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Fortunato), "Hey, I mentioned it."

[vodacce] Venzi says (to Fortunato), "enh, some servant or somebody will come in tomorrow morning"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(though only to you)"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "sorry, brief afk; I'll keep with the rest of the party until further notice"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Isn't the Surgeon still there?"

Venzi says (to Servant), "get that surgeon back"

Venzi says, "have him take a look at Fortunato"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "OK, that's TN 15 for a cure of one critical wound."

Venzi follows the others

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Sorry, thought he was standing there watching us."

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "I thought someone sent a servant off to find the surgeon?"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 7 9 4 | 16

Wilson patches him up as best he can, even though he's obviously unfit to follow.

GM says, "Wilson does a passable job of binding Fortunato using Fortunato's ruined shirt."

GM says, "and in the process keeps the bleeding from becoming worse."

Wilson hands over the job to the surgeon when he comes in. "Take care of him. He's been though a lot."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(assuming the surgeon comes back)"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yeah, assume he did."

Wilson heads out, running again, this time to catch up with everyone.

Giancarlo says, "...the rungs go down about thirty feet and then there's muck ... probably left footprints."

Amber raises an eyebrow at Wilson's dashing about.

GM says, "You're soon at the hole down into the sewers."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, did we get a guide?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "Niccolo"

[vodacce] Niccolo waves, "Me, me!"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "and the map. He, uh, did bring the map, right?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "He has the map."

[vodacce] Amber says, "yay map."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "kick it into the stream"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Hee!"

Niccolo asks, "Any volunteer to go first?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Hey, did Fortunato give us any guards to take along?"

Wilson says, "I can try to track him some more."

Giancarlo says, "I've been in. Here, pass me the lantern a moment."

Niccolo passes Giancarlo a lantern.

Giancarlo begins climbing down.

Wilson follows Gian.

Niccolo follows Wilson.

Amber follows Niccolo.

GM says, "It is dark."

GM says, "Though not so dark now that you have lanterns."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "uh, how is Niccolo guiding us from the middle?"

Giancarlo swings the lantern around in search of footprints and stuff.

Venzi goes in last, after Chiara, lantern lit

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "He assumed Gian could find the bottom of the ladder on his own."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Venzi), "He doesn't know where we're going, but can tell us where we are at any given point."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Right."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Nic), "Unless you have tracking, too."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "Nah, that's your side of the coin."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "great, delegation"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Actually, since I only have wits 2, anyone else have better tracking?"

Niccolo looks around, once he gets to the bottom, to see what paths branch out from here.

[vodacce] GM asks, "You only have wits 2?"

[vodacce] GM says, "I am shocked."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I, uh, have shadowing...."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "*Now* he tells us."

[vodacce] Niccolo grins.

GM says, "The sewers in this part are of stone, and rectangular, wider than they are tall."

[vodacce] Wilson laffs.

Giancarlo passes the lantern back to Niccolo.

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "What's a dramatic adventure without bumbling into matters over our heads?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "this is a non-sneaky character, so no tracking"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "but if you want me to pommel strike somebody, just say the word"

GM says, "The taller members are going to have to duck a bit as they go."

GM says, "Walls are gray, probably due to the stone."

GM says, "And there's a miasma of ick filling the place."

GM says, "The section you're in only goes in two directions."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "blindthorn still as strong as ever?"

Wilson looks for blood.

Niccolo watches the lantern, lest it be over-excited or smothered by fumes.

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 3 6 3 | 9

Giancarlo checks the ick for footprints.

Niccolo points, "That way leads uptown, and there down."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "If that's a TN 10, I'll use a dd."

[vodacce] GM says, "Done by now."

GM says, "On top of the layer of compacted organic material that passes for the floor is a trail of blood."

GM says, "Leading down."

Wilson says, "It goes down."

Amber's head easily misses the ceiling.

Wilson follows, making sure it doesn't suddenly veer off into some secret passage.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "excellent"

Niccolo says, "And so do we."

Venzi blinks his eyes, taking full advantage of being able to see again.

GM says, "I'll need to know the order in which you're going through the tunnels"

GM says, "and who has the light"

Giancarlo follows, a little to one side.

GM says, "for no particular reason"

Niccolo, with a light, should probably follow behind Wilson.

Wilson, presumably, is in front with a latern.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I am last, behind chiara"

Giancarlo specifically does not have the light. And is a little to the side, in the shadows, apart from all the others.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "unless someone else wants to be last"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can we go two abreast?"

[vodacce] GM asks (of Giancarlo), "So near the middle but to one side?"

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Some times, yes."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to GM), "yes"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, how many guards are there with us?"

[vodacce] GM asks, "You mean the Guards you didn't invite along?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "har"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I'm glad we think of everything"

[vodacce] Amber says, "I'm first, with my pistols out. Not carrying the light."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Check your pockets. Did anyone pick up any guards earlier?"

Giancarlo shakes down the chains he'd wound around his wrist earlier, to around his knuckles.

[vodacce] Amber says, "or rather, behind wilson."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks (of Amber), "So, you're pushing past me?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "and I have a light also"

[vodacce] GM says, "So: Wilson, Amber, Niccolo --> Giancarlo (to one side when permitted), Chiara, Venzi."

[vodacce] GM asks, "when the going gets tight, Giancarlo, will you be in front of or behind Niccolo?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Sheesh, that was part of the deal, wasn't it? Gather guards and stuff?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I assumed they were with us."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Yeah. I imagine Fortunato was going to go by the guardhouse and gather people."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Uh ... behind."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "I'd thought it was what Fortunato was spending his half hour on, at least in part."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "enh, they'll come after us"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "with throwing knife."

[vodacce] Amber says (to niccolo), "er, I was thinking if I saw anything, I could shoot it..but didn't realize you were in front. I'll go in front of Chiara, wherever she is."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "But perhaps he was too weak."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "no reason to wait for them when they can have a dramatic rescue in scene 5"

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Amber), "Well. I don't want you to accidentally shoot me in the back, so perhaps I should yield."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "ok, back, sorry, got waylaid downstairs"

[vodacce] GM says, "Okay, and Wilson, Niccolo, and Venzi have lights."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Didn't Chiara have one?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I thought so"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "but I could have handed it off in my own absence"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "venzi grabbed a flask, I though"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "the more lights the merrier"

[vodacce] GM says, "Aha. There. Are. Four. Lights."

Wilson asks, "Hey, what happened to the guards?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I had my own lantern"

Niccolo keeps an eye on how far they've come, and consults the map for any odd passages they might not ahve noticed.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "aha"

[vodacce] Amber puts a pebble of permanent light in a short tube, and blocks off one end.

[vodacce] Chiara says (to GM), "yay"

Venzi says, "they'll be following later, I expect"

Niccolo says, "Perhaps when Fortunato awakes."

Wilson says, "Hmm. Not without Fortunato telling them to come."

GM says, "You occasionally come to branchings. So far the trail has remained visible."

GM says, "The sound of water can be heard, sometimes in the walls, sometimes overhead."

Giancarlo twists the chains around his knuckles so that the medallion with the Bernoulli seal is over his middle knuckle.

GM says, "There are holes above your head from time to time, leading up. Some have rungs."

Niccolo mentally cross-references the water sounds and holes with what he knows about the world topside.

Wilson asks (of Niccolo), "Know where we are?"

Venzi . o O ( hope nobody decides to drop anything on us )

Niccolo nods, "More or less, yeah."

Wilson says, "Excellent."

Wilson presses on.

Venzi says, "it would be interesting to investigate the sewers around the ambassador's residence in town, I expect"

Niccolo says, "A ways downtown at this point -- we've been goign parallel to the coastline."

GM says, "Footwork, everyone, TN 15."

Niccolo points, "In fact, hmm. I think Dixon's house was right... there."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "with finesse, I presume?"

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 6k3: 4 1 1 8 3 6 | 18

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 6k3: 6 4 10+5 7 1 9 | 31

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 7k3: 3 4 7 1 6 8 7 | 22

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 6k3: 9 3 3 10+4 10+7 5 | 40

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 6k3: 2 8 8 1 8 8 | 24

[7thsea] Amber rolls 5k4: 2 9 6 7 1 | 24

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Giancarlo just tap-danced across the ceiling."

GM says, "There is a plink-plink-plink sound, then more of a trickle, and then a fwoosh of dumped water down one of the holes"

GM says, "which you all avoid quite nicely."

Chiara wrinkles her nose

Venzi says, "speak of the --"

Wilson says (to Niccolo), "Interesting."

Giancarlo slips around the torrent without apparently noticing.

Chiara looks around expectantly for someone to do something decisive

Venzi is still walking

Amber asks (of Niccolo), "I don't suppose there are any entrances to it from here, are there?"

Wilson keeps moving.

Giancarlo stays on the lookout for potential ambushes.

Wilson says (to Amber), "Well, there's the one that water just came from."

Niccolo says, "I think there should be one, yes."

Venzi asks, "wait, so does the trail continue or not?"

Niccolo points up the way, "If we turned left up here."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Uh, I thought so."

Amber asks, "Or did the water wash it away?"

[vodacce] GM says, "The trail is still visible."

Wilson says (to Venzi), "Yeah, come on--it goes this way."

Amber says, "That is one seriously injured man."

Niccolo says (to Wilson), "No, the house is over that way -- the watre, from that way, probably came from a way down the street."

Giancarlo says (to Amber), "One would imagine he had his head cut off, or some such."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Watre? Am I suddenly speaking Montaigne?"

Wilson says (to Niccolo), "Ah, I get it."

Amber says (to Giancarlo), "Well, he should have."

Niccolo asks, "Do you want to take a detour to the house, or keep following the trail?"

Amber says (to Nic), "follow the trail."

Niccolo says, "Personally, I don't think we should lose any more time than we have."

Chiara says, "Let's follow the trail"

Wilson presses on again.

Giancarlo follows in the shadows.

[vodacce] Niccolo is AFK.

GM says, "The trail of blood becomes a trail of blood drops."

Venzi says, "hrm"

Venzi asks, "stopped to bind his wounds, hunh?"

Chiara says, "or he bled to death"

Venzi says, "maybe met up with reinforcements"

Chiara says this with some relish

Venzi says, "we should be so lucky"

Wilson says (to Venzi), "Blood does clot on its own."

Chiara asks (of Wilson), "from a severed throat artery?"

Wilson shrugs.

[vodacce] Niccolo is back.

Chiara says, "seems like much of it would've bled out... well, anyway"

Amber says, "Maybe he used a turnicut on his throat." Amber grins."

Wilson presses on, watching for other signs of trailage as well as blood.

Niccolo asks, "Poke the muck. Did he leave anything behind?"

Giancarlo asks, "Who would have thought the old man would have so much blood in him?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(so that I can recognize, say, footprints when the blood runs out)"

[vodacce] Amber says, ".."

[vodacce] Amber asks (of Gian), "what is that a line from?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to Amber), "MacBeth, I think."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, did the blood gradually run out, or suddenly turn to drops?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Mmhmm."

[vodacce] Amber says, "I remember it from the three investigors, oddly enough.'"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Diagnose I guess ;-)"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 6 4 2 | 10

[vodacce] GM says, "Since the trail is getting worse, you'll need to re-roll for following."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "After this experience in the sewer, I'm sure we'll all want to wash our hands for a while."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 10+1 10+10+1 10+1 | 32

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Yeah buddy!"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "aw yeah"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Excellent."

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "whoop!"

[vodacce] Giancarlo exclaims, "You're kidding!"

GM says, "The blood is gone, though there are hints of footprints you can still follow."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Too bad I couldn't have kept that extra 11 ;-)"

Wilson says, "I can still see the footprints."

Wilson presses on.

Chiara follows wilson

GM says, "Suddenly, the footprints stop."

Niccolo says, "Hmm."

Wilson says, "Whoops."

Amber bumps into Wilson as he stops.

Wilson looks at the walls.

Niccolo looks around for exits from here.

Venzi looks up

Giancarlo slides back against the wall and looks cautiously about.

GM says, "There's nothing obvious on the walls, and no exit up."

Wilson feels the walls for catches, lines.

Amber looks down.

Venzi asks, "hmm, they couldn't have got into a boat, could they?"

Venzi says, "even in the middle it seems too shallow"

Wilson says (to Venzi), "I think a dragged boat would be fairly easy to track."

Niccolo says, "It'd have left a trail, yes."

Chiara asks, "Magic?"

Chiara asks, "Stilts?"

Giancarlo goes ahead a few steps.

Amber reaches down to the floor, and feels around, carefully.

Wilson continues pattind down the walls.

Wilson says, "I think it's more likely that..."

Venzi says, "or else this trail is a decoy, and we should look back a bit"

[vodacce] GM says (to Amber), "Finesse roll"

[7thsea] Amber rolls 4k4: 1 2 4 6 | 13

Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "Decoy blood?"

Venzi says (to Niccolo), "the blood stopped a ways back, no"

Venzi asks, "?"

GM says (to Amber), "Your fingers brush against a taut thread"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "oy"

Amber says, "There's something on the floor."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I'm getting out of the way if you pull it"

Giancarlo asks, "eh?"

Amber gently feels along the thread, to find its anchor points.

Wilson asks (of Amber), "What is it?"

Amber says, "Be careful, folks, there's a tripwire, or somesuch, here."

Venzi has walked back a bit along the footprint trail, but turns around.

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 5k3: 6 3 7 8 1 | 21

Chiara says, "this is an awfully organized retreat for someone carrying a dead body to arrange"

Giancarlo says, "So he knew where he was going"

Amber says, "I'm hoping this was a contingency plan, and not the original."

Wilson says (to Chiara), "Well, Dixon was known for his contingency plans."

Niccolo says, "The retreat was probably arranged ahead of time, perhaps by the dead body himself."

Venzi says, "heh"

Amber says, "If not, we're in deep seaweed."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Unfortunately, in the retreat the body kept wanting to go towards the light"

Venzi says, "I don't think what we're standing in is seaweed"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara laughs

Niccolo looks around. "This is one of the older parts of town..."

Chiara asks (of Venzi), "let's not talk about that, shall we?"

Amber continues following the thread.

Wilson asks (of Amber), "Well, where is the thread anchored?"

Amber says (to Wilson), "I'm looking! Be patient."

Wilson says, "Sorry."

Niccolo says, "However, unless Danel managed to become rather lighter, I don't imagine the footsteps would just *stop*."

Niccolo asks (of Wilson), "Are there any signs that they were covered over?"

Giancarlo says, "Perhaps the tripwire opens a trap door."

Wilson keeps feeling the walls for seams.

GM says (to Amber), "You trace the thread back to the wall, where it is joined by a second thread going forward at an angle."

Wilson says (to Gian), "Or a door in the wall."

Niccolo asks, "Or do they lead near a drier area -- someplace prints might not be left so clearly?"

Niccolo says, "Hmm. Unless he decided to climb."

Wilson stays in one place, though, so as not to trip any wires.

Amber begins tracing the path of the new thread.

GM says (to Amber), "Pretty soon it's further than you can comfortably reach and still stay behind the first thread."

Giancarlo steps over the first thread.

Amber moves accordingly.

GM says (to Giancarlo), "Finesse, please."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 3k3: 4 2 2 | 8

GM says (to Amber), "And you."

[7thsea] Amber rolls 4k4: 10+1 7 10+2 7 | 37

Giancarlo begins, "you all stay back, I'm....

[vodacce] Venzi points out the part where he walked back a bit

[vodacce] GM says, "(er, assuming Amber's stepping over the thread, a point which may ahve just been rendered moot)"

GM says, "There's a quiet little *twaaaang!* sound."

Wilson flattens himself against the wall.

Chiara presses herself back against the wall

Amber dodges.

GM says, "Followed by a *thwip* *thwip* *thwip* sound, of wire under high tension snapping back."

Chiara mutters, lovely

Giancarlo slams himself against the wall.

GM says (to Giancarlo), "Footwork, TN 20."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 6k3: 1 10+5 9 10+3 3 6 | 37

[vodacce] Niccolo exclaims, "And now the two-ton weight falls from the ceiling!"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I thought it was the bengal tiger."

GM says, "Giancarlo slams himself against the side wall, which, it turns out, is pivoting rather rapidly along its top, its bottom moving out."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hey, cool"

[vodacce] Amber says, "Oh, I'm sure with all of our brawn 2's we'll have no trouble holding up the ceiling."

GM says, "Fortunately, the wall only gets to about a twenty-degree angle and grinds to a halt."

GM says, "And there's a nasty sqealing sound from behind the side walls that just pivoted up."

[vodacce] Giancarlo exclaims, "Danger-prone Diego does it again!"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

Wilson . o O ( Spiders? )

Giancarlo exclaims, "Light! Pass me a light!"

GM says, "Nothing else happens"

Niccolo says (to Gian), "I think you broke it."

Niccolo passes him up a lantern.

Venzi says, "right, let's go"

Giancarlo tries to see what's behind the wall.

[vodacce] Venzi steps forward and looks under the wall.

GM says, "Behind the wall are gears, very worn and rusted, with pistons to swing the walls out around their top hinge."

Venzi says, "hunh"

Venzi says, "I find it hard to believe sir guy set this up"

Giancarlo asks (of Wilson), "Scientist. Think you that our quarry passed hence?"

Niccolo says, "Someone, if I may point out the obvious, must have built this. I wonder when. Not to mention why."

[vodacce] GM says, "Somewhere, Sir Guy's ghost is saying 'DAMMIT!'"

Venzi says (to Niccolo), "do you think it was the sort of -- hrmm"

Wilson says (to Gian), "I know we're among friends, but please don't call me that. it's dangerous."

Venzi says, "I suppose it is naive of me to think he was in this city for the first time"

Wilson sees if the footprints go on under the wall.

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "We're also among sewers. I don't think Vaticine City is upstairs."

Wilson says (to Gian), "Just as a matter of habit."

Amber says (to Gian), "He prefers 'entymologist.'"

[vodacce] GM says, "They don't. The footsteps resume past the hinged wall section."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Should one of the people who met Rambaldi mention him?"

Giancarlo asks (of Wilson), "Well, can you see if the gears have been used recently, aside from this once?"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "Auntie who?"

Wilson says, "Weird. The footsteps resume after the tripwire section."

Wilson says, "As if he knew about the tripwire, and didn't want to trip it."

Venzi says, "shocking."

Niccolo says, "I wonder how he managed that, carrying a corpse."

Wilson says, "Maybe he was a bit more light on his feet than our friend here."

GM says, "And now that you look, there are handholds and footholds in the hinged wall."

Wilson says, "Oh, hey--he climbed it."

Giancarlo says, "huh."

Niccolo nods. "Reasonable."

Amber says, "All of that, while carrying a near corpse?! Why did he have to be evil? <Amber sighs.>"

Giancarlo says, "Well, let's be on our way, then."

Niccolo says, "Well, we should continue on."

Wilson says, "Well, I think we should press on."

Venzi says, "right"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims (at Amber), "Hee!"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Well, well, well."

Wilson says, "I don't suppose we can push this wall back..."

Giancarlo asks (of Wilson), "Why should we?"

Wilson gives an experimental shove.

Wilson says (to Gian), "I don't want whatever's been cooped up behind this following."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 2k2: 9 4 | 13

Venzi says, "time's a wastin'"

Giancarlo asks, "Relax. What could possibly go wrong?"

GM says (to Wilson), "It wiggles some, but seems stuck."

Giancarlo turns and continues down the passage

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "An hour from now, a group of Fortunato's guards will come looking for us..."

Wilson peers under the wall to see if anything (like, say, a corpse) is blocking the wall.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "And, of Wilson has his way, will be flipped in the air by the wall."

GM says (to Wilson), "Two stone pistons."

Wilson says, "Fascinating."

Wilson says, "Well, onward."

Wilson continues.

Niccolo says, "Indeed."

Amber keeps going.

GM says, "The footprints resume, leading onwards"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Are they as deep as they have been?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Pretty much."

Niccolo says, as they walk, "I imagine he could easily strap the body to his back, while he climbed..."

Wilson says (to Niccolo), "You might want to note that on that map."

Venzi says, "a bit careless of him not to keep the machinery repaired, really"

Niccolo asks (of Wilson), "Do you have a pen?"

Giancarlo asks, "Or tossed it up ahead?"

Wilson exclaims, "of course!"

Wilson hands niccolo a pen.

Niccolo says, "Thank you."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "what, we have ballpoints now?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "quill pen"

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "or are we carrying portable inkwells too?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "and a little ink bottle"

Niccolo asks, "Do you have an ink bottle, by chance?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "aha"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "heehee"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "As opposed to those fixed inkwells."

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Wilson), "yes, actually"

Wilson says, "Here, take the grease pencil."

Niccolo says, "Ah, thank you."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Oh?"

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "stuck into desks?"

GM says, "The tunnels begin sloping up"

Niccolo puts the map on Wilson's back, to mark the passages they've come down and to indicate the trap.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "I don't know. They did that?"

Venzi asks, "hmm, up?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "so I am led to suppose"

Venzi says, "we must be getting out to a surface place and not the sea, then"

[vodacce] Wilson nods.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "admittedly I get this from frivolous and perhaps inadequately researched novels"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Interesting. I'd always thought the desks just hand little holes or hooks or whatever to put a well in."

Wilson presses on.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh."

GM says, "and then the floor goes away"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "well, little holes, right"

Venzi says, "yow"

Wilson peers into the not-floor.

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "The floor what?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "but the point is you wouldn't wander around with an inkwell in your pocket usually"

Niccolo avoids stepping off any sudden drops.

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "Hey, way back when I did a diagnose to see if the blood stopped on its own or if it was patched up. Did I learn anything?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Mmm. Yeah, I imagine they probably didn't have lids..."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I think I got a TN 10."

GM says, "The gap is some fifteen feet in width, and leads down what looks like a dug hole to running water"

[vodacce] GM says, "You weren't able to tell."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "reasonably freshly dug?"

[vodacce] Wilson nods.

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "The hole? Looks old."

Wilson looks to the other side to see if he can see footprints.

[vodacce] Alex says (to GM), "Awwwk! Word on the street is that Hole is deep."

Giancarlo asks, "Huh. Think he crossed, or went down?"

GM says (to Wilson), "Not in this dim light."

Giancarlo hefts the rope that he brought.

Niccolo says, "One is forced to wonder if Fortunato expected this."

Venzi says, "I just so happen to have a pole"

Giancarlo looks around for a spot to tie the rope to.

[vodacce] Wilson switches to his Kestrel personna and pole-vaults over the hole.

Niccolo says, "However, one is also forced to wonder how Danel, if he did so, crossed."

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims (at Wilson), "mind the ceiling!"

Venzi says, "I think it unlikely that he's alone"

Venzi says, "but we may as well go down and see"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Have there been one set of footprints, or more?"

Niccolo looks for any place a rope or pole might earlier have been attached, or any other hand or footholds, or other means of passage.

Wilson says, "Hmm."

[vodacce] Venzi says (to Wilson), "hmm, good poin"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "t"

[vodacce] GM says, "One set of footprints"

Amber asks (of GM), "is there a space betweent he water and the bottom of the hole? I mean, could a boat or canoe navigate it?"

Wilson says (to Venzi), "Well, there's only been one set of footprints."

Venzi says, "that's reassuring"

Wilson says, "But someone else grabbed the kid."

GM says (to Amber), "Hard to tell, but from here it look slike no."

Venzi says, "mrf"

Venzi asks, "there was no blood in the bedroom, then?"

Niccolo says (to Wilson), "Most likely, Dixon intended to rendezvous with them."

Niccolo says (to Venzi), "The maid's blood, most likely."

Chiara says (to Venzi), "I don't think there was time for Danel to have done the kidnapping"

Wilson says (to Venzi), "This trail leads directly from where I lost Danel."

Venzi says, "ah, ok then"

Wilson says, "He never re-entered the mansion."

Wilson asks, "Perhaps Rosanella?"

Giancarlo says, "Well never mind. Someone grab the other end of this rope. I'm going down."

Venzi asks, "and hence never met up with the kidnappers of the kid? unless Riccalbano was taken earlier?"

Venzi grabs the rope.

Wilson says, "I never thought to try to track anyone from the kid's bedroom, but if this dead-ends, we can try it."

Chiara says (to Wilson), "I thought Rosanella was dancing in plain sight most of the evening."

Wilson, since nobody else has above a brawn 2 either, grabs the rope.

Amber grabs the other end of the rope.

Giancarlo ties the other end to himself, gives Venzi a moment to brace himself, then begins climbing down.

Wilson asks (of Chiara), "Know where she was during the fight?"

Chiara says (to Wilson), "that's a point"

Wilson says (to Amber), "Here, help me with this."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Gives Venzi and Amber a moment to brace themselves..."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oops, missed that."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Or, gives Everyone time to brace themselves."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "So we can all be dragged down like dominoes."

Chiara does not bother grabbing the rope, since it seems covered.

Niccolo says, "Mmm. You could just climb down the handholds. It might be easier."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 4k3: 5 1 6 3 | 14

Giancarlo asks, "...handholds...?"

Niccolo points down into the hole.

Venzi says, "heh"

Niccolo says, "Those ones, there."

Venzi says, "well, that seems fairly conclusive"

Wilson says, "Rope's a good backup, though."

[vodacce] GM says, "The hole is not smoothly dug."

[vodacce] GM says, "More like hacked out, leaving rocks and things like that"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "wait, so are there artificial handholds or no?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Not intentional handholds"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I think natural handholds."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "ok"

Wilson braces as Giancarlo lowers himself.

Giancarlo (eventually touches down?)

GM says, "You eventually reach the water"

GM says, "which is flowing onwards into the rock"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "into?"

[vodacce] GM says, "It's a subterranean stream, flowing through a crack/section of the rock. The only reason you can see it is that the rock between the sewer tunnel and where the water is is gone."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "OK, it's a good thing Kestrel's not here after all."

[vodacce] GM says, "If you follow it you might get to Jota's game."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

Wilson exclaims (at Gian), "Try climbing up the other side!"

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "In good time."

Giancarlo pokes around the hole first.

Niccolo asks (of Gian), "How deep is the water? Is there a place to stand?"

Giancarlo asks, "I'm standing, aren't I?"

Niccolo says, "I can't tell from here."

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "So, not much chance that Danel crawled away through the hole?"

[vodacce] GM says, "If Chiara gets wet, that's -2 unkept."

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "Not really."

Niccolo looks at the ceiling, for anyplace to tie a rope for swinging purposes.

Giancarlo satisfies himself that the hole is a lousy exit, and checks to see if climbing the other side is an option.

GM says (to Niccolo), "smoothish stone"

GM says (to Giancarlo), "it is."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "how long is the pole?"

Giancarlo begins climbing, then.

[vodacce] GM says, "about five feet"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "we could strap chiara to it and hurl it across"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "darn"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Man, that's little."

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "Climbing, please."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 4k3: 3 1 4 7 | 14

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Venzi), "hey now"

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "I think Fortunato mainly intended you to do stuff like poke trapped sections with it."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "We should have brought the ones from the canopy. I think they were ten feet."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks (of GM), "Like the wire?"

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "You make it with, if not ease, then competency."

Wilson says, "Let me come across next, to make sure the footprints continue."

Giancarlo . o O ( well, that was fairly ... ungraceful. )

GM says (to Giancarlo), "Now that you're on the other side, you can hear skittering."

Giancarlo says, "Here, I'll take a look."

Giancarlo says, "Er."

Niccolo says, "I still have trouble believing that Danel climbed down there, with a corpse, and back up the other side..."

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "Yes, definitely. You first."

Wilson, keeping a hand on the rope, climbs down, around, and up, preferably without going all the way down.

GM says (to Giancarlo), "and see a ladder"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 4k3: 7 1 5 8 | 20

Niccolo says, "Without at least some sort of help."

GM says, "and some glowing red eyes"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "yeeagh"

Venzi says, "well, I guess Wilson can look for footprints"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "so this is what happened to today's Mareilon campaign"

Giancarlo says, "erg."

Amber takes aim at the eyes.

GM says, "there's a pair"

GM says, "and there's another pair"

Giancarlo readies his sword.

Amber asks (of GM), "something big, or something little?"

Wilson says, "OK, let's see... Oh."

[vodacce] GM says (to Amber), "Hard to tell from your position."

Wilson says, "Uh, guys? Help. Critters."

GM says, "a rat edges out into the light, staring at Giancarlo."

Wilson exclaims (at Rat), "Shoo!"

GM says, "and another one."

Venzi says, "hrm"

Wilson exclaims, "Rats!"

GM says, "a third comes out of a very thin crack in the walls and begin climbing his pantsleg"

Niccolo looks for a rock to throw.

Venzi says, "gunshot might frighten 'em off, but it'll certainly be audible later"

Giancarlo flips a loop of his makeshift brass knuckles (gold knuckles?) off and swings the bright shiny object in front of the rat.

Giancarlo . o O ( WAIT a second.... )

GM says, "The rat pauses, staring, then resumes climbing towards your knife sheaths"

GM says, "a few more rats sidle towards Giancarlo"

Giancarlo almost laughs, and flips the rat a piece of meat.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Ha!"

Amber holsters her pistol.

[vodacce] Giancarlo exclaims, "Almost forgot I had those!"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Excellent."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "yay rat food"

GM says, "The rat grabs the meat and runs. Several other rats set on that first one, and a tug-of-war starts for the meat."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to Chiara), "obligingly poisoned by out resident villain."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "indeed"

GM says, "They scamper off, still fighting over the meat."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "yay"

[vodacce] Wilson says (to GM), "That was hilarious."

Wilson says, "Oh, hey, a ladder."

[vodacce] GM says, "excellent"

Niccolo says, "If we throw one end of the rope to Gian and Wilson, and Venzi and I hold the other end..."

Wilson lowers the ladder into the pit, climbs down.

GM says, "The ladder, I will note, is about twenty feet long."

Venzi asks, "uh, can the ladder span the pit?"

Wilson says (to Venzi), "OH, good point."

Wilson climbs back up.

Niccolo says, "Ah, there we are."

Niccolo says, "I knew Danel must have had a better way to cross."

Wilson pushes the ladder over the pit.

Niccolo tries to catch the end, before it topples down.

Giancarlo assists.

Wilson says (to Chiara), "If you would prefer to climb down and then back up, we can do that."

Wilson exclaims, "But for now, all across that's goin' across!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Giancarlo can send his rat servants to fetch you"

Niccolo asks, "Did you test it's strength?"

Amber says, "I'll test it - I'm light."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "heh"

Amber starts to walk across the ladder.

[7thsea] Amber rolls 4k4: 3 10+8 7 9 | 37

[vodacce] Amber says, "unless the ladder has been buttered, or is weak, I should be able to make it. :-)"

[vodacce] GM says, "Much more graceful than Giancarlo. And the ladder seems plenty strong enough."

Wilson says, "You might want to go across on your hands and..." He trails off.

Giancarlo asks, "yes?"

Amber steps off the other side with a flourish.

Niccolo follows across, holding his spear side-to-side in front of him for balance.

Wilson says, "Well, some of the *rest* of you might want to go across on your hands and feet."

Giancarlo golf-claps.

Chiara puts aside her dignity and tries crawling.

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Chiara), "Be sure to note where you left it--you'll want it back eventually."

Giancarlo gives a hand to lift Chiara up when she gets across.

Venzi follows eventually.

Wilson says, "Let's leave it for the potential guard contingent."

Amber rolls her eyes at Gian's Chiara-specific chivalry.

Venzi says, "good idea"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says (to Amber), "I guess he appreciated the kiss."

Wilson says, "Or, like, hasty escapes."

Chiara says, "or escaping."

Wilson says (to Chiara), "Heh."

Niccolo says, "Or Danel, if he comes back this way while we're still searching."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Heh, it's not like Amber needed it. But I gave her a hand anyway, no? clapclapclap."

Wilson follows the footprints once more.

[vodacce] Amber says, "heh."

Amber follows Wilson.

Niccolo imagines we all do.

Giancarlo follows along, alert.

GM says, "Not far after the dropoff is a side tunnel, blocked by a door-sized grate"

Wilson sees where the footprints go.

GM says, "the main tunnel continues past it"

Niccolo shines his lantern through the grating. Assuming Gian gave it back at some point.

Giancarlo would probably have handed the lantern back before advancing past the pivot-wall. In any case, he couldn't climb the hole with it.

GM says, "More tunnel past the grate, leading elsewhere."

GM says, "The bars are like those of a cell door."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Where do the footprints go?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Past the side passage, though there are marks of a lot of comings and goings through the side and down the main tunnel in the direction you're headed."

Giancarlo says, "hm."

Giancarlo says, "I'm for continuing down the main tunnel."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "So, the footprints go on, but are joined by others who came through this door?"

Wilson says, "The footprints continue, but there seems to have been a lot of traffic through this grate."

[vodacce] GM says, "There are footprints going back and forth down the side tunnel."

Niccolo asks, "Recent traffic, or older traffic?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Tracking to determine age/type of the new traffic."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 2 10+3 4 | 17

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes, sir, there are a lot of footprints."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Hee."

Wilson says (to Niccolo), "Uh, lots of traffic."

Niccolo nods sagely.

Wilson . o O ( Yeah, yeah. )

Amber asks, "Any idea where we are, and why there'd be so much going and coming from a sewer?"

Niccolo prods the gate with the heel of his spear, to see if it moves easily.

Wilson asks (of Nic), "Hey, what does your map say about this passage?"

Niccolo says (to Wilson), "It doesn't, unfortunately. We've been off the map since, oh, before the pivot wall."

GM says (to Niccolo), "The answer is no."

Venzi says, "hrm"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "is there a lock on the grate?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Or hinge?"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "are the holes on the grate big enough to reach through?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Big enough to stuff Amber through?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Hee hee."

Amber says, "When I was in the Musketeers, the only people in the sewers were those that belonged in jail. Or sometimes an institution."

[vodacce] GM says, "A lock mechanism, and hintes."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Oh, good! Let's read the hints."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "yay"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Ha!"

[vodacce] Amber says, "hee."

Wilson tests the grate to see if it's locked.

Giancarlo resists the urge to ask "innocently" if that's where l'Empereur held court.

GM says, "It's very locked."

Niccolo says, "Unless we want to try to unlock it without a key, we might as well keep following the footprints."

Wilson says, "Sigh. Once again, let's keep on going."

Wilson asks (of Niccolo), "Can you make a new map on the other side of that thing?"

Giancarlo asks, "Why would we want to meddling with this grate?"

Niccolo says (to Wilson), "Sure. Let me get that pencil again..."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, this has been one long passage?"

Wilson hands it over.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(Not that I have Cartography, but otherwise...)"

Niccolo asks, "You want me to sketch the tunnels we've found, or something else?"

Wilson says (to Niccolo), "Well, sketching the tunnels we're about to encounter would be ideal, but yeah."

Niccolo does his best -- although mostly it looks like a bendy twig, since they haven't followed any of the other side tunnels to see where they go.

Giancarlo says, "You know ... if someone here had a hairpin ... I might see if I could get this grate open...."

Niccolo says, "There... I think that'd at least be enough to let someone know how to follow this path back where we came, but it wouldn't help them if they strayed from the trail we've been on."

Wilson nods.

Wilson says (to Gian), "It might be useful on the way back, if we're trying to escape."

Giancarlo looks over to the ladies.

Chiara shrugs

Chiara exclaims, "oh!"

Chiara reaches into her hair and extracts a pin.

Chiara says, "Here."

Giancarlo says, "Thank you."

Giancarlo attempts lockpicking.

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 4k3: 6 8 8 2 | 22

GM says, "Tricky..."

GM says, "You work the pin around some."

GM says, "There's a click."

GM says, "And you have a slightly shorter pin."

Giancarlo says, "grf"

Niccolo says, "Look on the bright side."

Giancarlo says, "Next time I go into the sewers, remind me to bring my lockpicks."

Venzi asks, "they won't be unlocking it either?"

Niccolo says, "Perhaps you've now made the lock impassable for our enemies, as well."

Giancarlo pushes on the grate anyway.

Venzi says (to Giancarlo), "come on"

Wilson says, "Well, let's go."

Wilson follows the footprints once more.

Giancarlo returns the pin to Chiara and follows.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "The only thing through the gate is just the kid anyway. Nothing important."

Niccolo follows Wilson's lead.

Niccolo motions for everyone to stop.

Niccolo listens intently.

Wilson stopes.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Also, stops."

Giancarlo asks, "?"

Wilson listens.

[interludes] GM has removed Venzi from the channel.

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 8 9 8 | 17

Giancarlo listens

Amber says, "we all listen."

Chiara holds still

Voice1 says, "told you...direct approach wouldn't..."

Wilson douses his lantern.

Niccolo follows suit.

RaspyVoice says, "...don't think he'd have been convinced..."

Venzi closes the shutter on his

Wilson fades back against the wall.

Voice1 says, "...sent...need plans in case he doesn't..."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 5k3: 3 6 3 4 8 | 18

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 1k1: 10+9 | 19

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "These voices are coming from down the passage in front of us?"

RaspyVoice says, "...has to..."

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Did niccolo move on, or is he still with the group?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Niccolo begins to creep forward, stumbles, but catches himself."

Venzi tries to figure out how many people there are.

Giancarlo readjusts the loops of chain around his knuckles.

Voice1 says, "...don't be an idiot..."

GM says, "Niccolo moves forward, then around a bend in the tunnel."

Amber creeps forward (stealth mode), with one pistol cocked and ready.

[vodacce] GM says (to Amber), "TN 20"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "wait, is there any light in here?"

[7thsea] Amber rolls 8k4: 10+9 5 2 5 8 7 2 1 | 39

[vodacce] GM says, "Some coming from up ahead"

Voice1 says, "...need to sleep..."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Does the passage just turn, or T, ahead?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Just turn"

[interludes] GM has added Amber to the channel.

[interludes] GM has added Niccolo to the channel.

Wilson begins to back down the passageway, back to the grate.

[interludes] GM says (to Amber), "To tell you what Niccolo knows: the tunnel turns, opening into a room. There are two doorways, one on the far wall, one on the right one."

[interludes] GM says, "The voices seem to be coming from the room through the far doorway"

Giancarlo shifts to one side to let Wilson pass.

[interludes] GM says, "And the first voice sounds like Danel."

GM says, "The voices get quieter, making it hard for you to hear."

[interludes] Niccolo is still just listening, at this point.

Wilson stops, moves forward again.

[interludes] Amber says, "I'm assuming raspy-voice is Sir Guy, with his throat cut."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "And the light gets darker, too?"

[vodacce] GM asks (of Wilson), "Headed for the grate?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "No, back to the rest of the group."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I thought the voices were coming our way."

[vodacce] GM says, "Oh. There's some light coming from around the bend."

[vodacce] GM says, "The voices weren't moving."

[interludes] Amber makes a listening gesture and a questioning face at Niccolo.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oh! Gotcha."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "And now they're just talking more quietly, or have moved on?"

[vodacce] GM says, "One or the other, yes."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Or we can't tell?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh."

[interludes] Danel says, "Might as well not make plans, they go wrong so much."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "But the light is constant?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

Wilson waits for Nic and Amber, then.

Giancarlo decides he's curious and wants to see what's happening around the corner, too.

[interludes] Niccolo nods.

Giancarlo sneaks.

[interludes] RaspyVoice says, "If they'd just -- it didn't have to go so wrong."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 5k3: 4 3 3 8 6 | 18

[interludes] Amber makes a going forward, gun cocked motion, and questions Nic again.

Wilson . o O ( Oh great. )

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "er, need DD?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "TN was 20."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 1k1: 9 | 9

[vodacce] GM says, "*need* is such a strong word."

[vodacce] Wilson laughs.

[interludes] Niccolo shakes his head, and points to his ear.

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Or, wait, would it be more fun to fail?"

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Giancarlo), "do not fail"

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Gian), "NO."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Hee."

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Sneaks, don't fail me now!"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Oh, alright. With that drama die is 27."

[interludes] Danel asks, "And if he doesn't abdicate?"

[vodacce] (from Venzi) Giancarlo says "Hey, we can just beat it out of them"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "If the GM wishes to activate my hubris, I will follow, but for now I'll just shake my head at Gian ;-)"

[interludes] GM has added Giancarlo to the channel.

[vodacce] Niccolo exclaims (at Venzi), "Just like Livio!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Tempting, tempting."

Giancarlo sneaks around the corner.

[vodacce] GM says, "Especially since I know you'd be quiet."

[interludes] RaspyVoice says, "I don't know. It's all so *tangled*. Damn threads."

[interludes] Danel laughs.

Chiara gets too impatient and decides to sneak up too

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Spend it! spend it!"

[interludes] Niccolo looks at Gian, points to the far door, holds up to fingers for two voices.

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 6k3: 2 3 4 10+6 2 6 | 26

[interludes] GM has added Chiara to the channel.

[interludes] Giancarlo nods

[vodacce] GM asks, "So only Wilson and Venzi are still down the corridor?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh. Right."

[vodacce] GM says, "Gosh, if the four of them can do it, surely you can, too."

[interludes] Giancarlo asks, "(uh, we don't see who the speakers are, right?"

[interludes] Niccolo points to the three of us, holds up three fingers, doesn't see Chiara yet, and makes a sort of 'come around to the door from either side' gesture with his two hands (with a questioning expression).

[vodacce] Venzi says, "uh, yeah, me with my NO STEALTH KNACK"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Just voices)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(is that an activation I hear? ;-)"

[vodacce] GM says, "I do believe it is. :)"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Woo!"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 5k3: 5 3 2 4 1 | 12

[vodacce] Chiara says, "ow"

[vodacce] Wilson laughs and laughs.

Giancarlo tiptoes to the other side of the door.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Should I dd it?"

[interludes] Danel asks, "of all people to -- what?"

[interludes] Giancarlo tiptoes to the other side of the door.

Giancarlo says, "(er, that didn't happen, no sir.)"

[interludes] Niccolo, tiptoes to whichever side Gian isn't tip-toeing to.

[interludes] GM asks, "(so the two of you are to either side of the far doorway now?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Your call"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Yes)"

[interludes] Giancarlo says, "yeah"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "DRAMA DIE"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(I'm guessing Amber will also wish to, with her guns, but I dunno which side)"

[vodacce] TableSaw says, "That's a great thing to see when logging on."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "2 drama dice, if you want to make it"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I only have one."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "but enh, no big deal. what's the worst horrific trap they could have prepared for us?"

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Venzi), "uh oh"

[interludes] GM says, "As Giancarlo moves forward, he sees two figures sitting across a square table."

[interludes] Amber says, "If I hear Wilson bumbling up, I'll stand up in the middle."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "So, very unlikely to be worth it."

[interludes] Giancarlo says, "(has been waiting to use the makeshift brass-knuckles.)"

Wilson makes it partway down the hall, slips on soemthing he can't see, flails in the darkness.

[interludes] Niccolo gets ready to lay the surprise smack down on anyone evil coming through the door.

[interludes] RaspyVoice says, "'s funny. You think you know about a man."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can I footwork to try to recover?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You mean to keep from making noise? Not really."

[interludes] Giancarlo says, "(also, can I identify the figure that isn't Danel?)"

RaspyVoice says (loudly), "And speaking of a man, you might as well come in, Fortunato."

[vodacce] Chiara exclaims, "!!"

[vodacce] Niccolo exclaims, "Hee!"

RaspyVoice says, "Slowly, please -- I'd hate to have to do something drastic to Riccalbano."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "oh, hrm"

Wilson sloshes up to the door.

Wilson motions eveyone else to stay int eh shadows.

Giancarlo tenses.

Wilson opens the door slowly.

[interludes] Niccolo gets ready to not smack Wilson upside the head. It's not easy.

[vodacce] GM says, "(no door, just an open doorway)"

Wilson (brightly) Hi!

Wilson says, "Fortunato's not here, unfortunately."

Danel says, "And I thought we wouldn't be followed."

Wilson says (to Danel), "I've been following you the whole time."

GM says (to Wilson), "Inside you see a table, a desk, and a giant wodge of very strange machinery."

Wilson asks, "Hey, cool, what's that?"

[Crows-Nest] (from Niccolo) Wilson says, "I'm sorry, I'm lost again. Which corridor lets me out of the manor?"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "heeheehee"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi exclaims (at Niccolo), "yay!"

[Crows-Nest] Wilson exclaims, "Yay!"

GM says, "Oh, yes, and Danel and Sir Guy, who has a terrible-looking dark mark across his neck."

[Crows-Nest] Giancarlo says, "Hee. I read that as "wedge" and I thought "Brie?""

RaspyVoice asks, "Not Fortunato?"

Wilson says (to Raspy), "Uh, I dunno where he is."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "man, they have a resurrection machine?"

Dixon says, "How odd. I expected little short of death could have stopped him."

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says (to Giancarlo), "you're going to like my WIP"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Well, some victims can't handle the pill form."

Wilson says, "I was chasing Danel and followed him here."

Danel stands up slowly.

Dixon says, "Now, now, Danel, we can discuss this calmly"

[Crows-Nest] Giancarlo says (to Chiara), "That sounds dirty..."

Wilson says, "I assume Fortunato's coming, though."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(does he see the kid?)"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "No"

Dixon says, "as soon as Wilson's five friends leave their weapons in the far room and step inside."

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "not unless you drop the brie in the mud object"

[vodacce] GM says, "No sign of the kid."

Danel looks at Dixon.

Wilson says, "Oh, right, weapons."

Dixon says, "Oh, I'm sure at the very least Chiara has come, little as I wish to cause her more pain."

Wilson says, "I *knew* I forgot something."

Giancarlo slides the coiled chains back up to his wrist under his sleeve.

Wilson says, "Uh, they are probably following, but I dunno how far back they are."

Dixon says, "Venzi I could believe that of, but the others seem more able to keep up with you."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "ow"

Niccolo is still waiting to smack *someone*.

Wilson says, "If you say so."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "ha"

Wilson asks, "What the heck is that machinery?"

Dixon sighs. "I don't think I've been clear enough."

Dixon says, "A child's life is in the balance and you play games at which you are not very adept."

Dixon casually lights a pipe.

Dixon says, "Bad for my throat, I'm sure, but that's not what it once was."

Wilson asks, "Is the kid in there?"

Dixon asks, "Chiiiara?"

Danel drags Wilson deeper into the room.

Wilson examines the machinery.

Venzi wanders back to where the grating is.

Chiara looks over at Niccolo and Giancarlo

Dixon says (to Danel), "I wouldn't go out there. I imagine they have an ambush planned."

Giancarlo looks a little puzzled.

Chiara raises her eyebrows

Niccolo keeps to the shadow on his side of the door.

Dixon says, "Time is tight--"

Dixon is interrupted by coughing.

Wilson asks (of Dixon), "Say, want me to look at that?"

Dixon says, "As I was saying, time is tight, and I grow increasingly more desperate. Please don't push me into making yet another rash decision."

Giancarlo glances around for rats.

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "There's no doubt one in the corner, crying and blinking its eyes."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "awww"

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims, "get him to explain his plan before he kills us!"

[Crows-Nest] Wilson says, "Diagnose on sir guy."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 1 6 9 | 15

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Man. I feel so dirty."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Without touching him, you can tell he's got a giant gash in his neck which has somehow been closed and partially healed."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "ie, unnaturally?"

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "Hard to say without a closer examination."

Wilson asks (of Dixon), "Look, I have no weapons. I might be able to do something about that neck. What is it you want?"

Dixon says (to Wilson), "The Voddacceans have a knack for all sorts of subtle things."

Wilson says, "Okay..."

Dixon says, "Occasionally, though, they make more unsubtle discoveries."

Wilson's brow furrows.

Dixon says, "Like what happens when oil is heated, then forced through nozzles."

Dixon says, "You can get a fine mist. Danel, the door, please."

Giancarlo . o O ( uh oh! )

Chiara steps into the room at this moment. "And exactly what is it you propose to do, Dixon? If you do kill the child, you have nothing left with which to bargain."

Giancarlo steps back from the door.

Dixon says, "Ah! Chiara. The apology I owe you might even outweigh that owed Meander."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Has anyone asked him his motive yet?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Villains love to explain their motivations."

[Crows-Nest] Wilson says, "I've asked him what he wants."

[vodacce] GM says, "Please! We have a good hour or two of verbal fencing to go through first."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "They feel they excuse their behaviour."

Chiara raises her eyebrows.

Chiara says, "I am the one who owes apologies -- for not killing you as soon as I began to doubt you."

Dixon puffs on his pipe.

Dixon says, "You are from Vodacce. If you took that approach, you would soon have no acquaintances."

Chiara goes over to the machine and examines it

Wilson says (to Dixon), "What was that about the oil? I don't get it."

Chiara glances over her shoulder at Dixon. "For you, I would make an exception."

Dixon says, "Ah, please, mind the device."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "what can I tell about the device?"

Danel says (to Wilson), "Don't worry about it."

Chiara asks (of Dixon), "Tell me, what have you got against Meander?"

[vodacce] GM says, "A maze of brass and steel, with levers, governors, gears, springs, and more."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "openable?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can I use my science-fu to determine what he meant?"

[vodacce] Venzi laughs

[vodacce] GM says, "device hasnt openable"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "he meant he was going to spray us all with boiling oil"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Sounds like a flame thrower, to me."

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Wilson), "I imagine that hot oil, sprayed, is a rather unfortunate and unpleasant experience"

[vodacce] GM says, "It doesn't look to have an inside per se, just armatures and things like that."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "also, see if you can use your science-fu to flip the device onto its back"

Giancarlo looks up and around for signs of a trap.

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Yay!"

Chiara touches the armatures of the device curiously, watching Dixon as she does so.

Dixon says, "And I still can count to two, and tell that it is different than six."

[vodacce] Niccolo wants to see the machine retaliate with a flying high kick.

Chiara says (to Dixon), "Two is all you are going to get."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, does 'Danel drags Wilson' mean that he has ahold of me?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Is he watching me like the proverbial hawk?"

Dixon says, "Pity. Danel? I think we should be more private."

Danel closes the door.

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "I assume that it opened into the room, so he didn't ahve to get near the actual doorway?"

Chiara says, "What I am wondering is why I should not turn on this device, if it is really so powerful, and get rid of both of you at once. Sparing Meander and his family a great deal of grief... since I see no baby in the immediate vicinity."

[vodacce] GM says, "WIlson: yes. Niccolo: yes."

Chiara continues to examine its levers and governors and other assorted things.

Dixon asks, "Am I that bad of a conversationalist?"

Wilson says (to Dixon), "Yes."

Chiara says (to Dixon), "You're certainly very poor at explaining yourself."

Niccolo points to the other door.

Chiara says, "And an explanation is the only thing you have left that interests me at all."

Giancarlo looks over at Niccolo.

Niccolo looks around questioningly.

Dixon laughs. "Your wit is one of the things I most appreciate about you."

Giancarlo tiptoes over to the other door

Venzi shrugs and returns to where the others are.

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Er, what other door?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "The one you weren't told about, since you did the sneakysneak late."

Chiara says, "At this point, Dixon, your flattery only nauseates me."

Dixon asks, "No thought that I might have a noble goal?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "When we came down the hall, there was a door at the far end of this room and one on the right wall."

Chiara leans casually against the machine.

Dixon coughs some more.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "We've been standing by the one at the far end."

Chiara says (to Dixon), "If you have, I await its explication with great curiosity -- as I believe I already indicated."

[vodacce] GM says, "There's the first room, then the Dixon/Danel room at the far end and an unexamined room to the right."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Are you on the right or left side of this door?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I'm examining the machine while the conversation goes on, to see if I can determine at least where it's controlled, if not how it's controlled."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Also, can we still hear Dix and Dan and Wil and Chi with the door shut?"

Chiara says, "Otherwise, you have proven yourself and your friend villains, and me a fool -- and I would have no compunction about ridding the world of all three of us."

Venzi goes over to the other door, listens at it.

Giancarlo checks out the room beyond the other door.

Dixon says (to Danel), "I do wish you had been right about us not being followed."

Danel shrugs.

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "You can, though muffled. No one's bothering to be very quiet, least of all Chiara"

Wilson says (to Dixon), "Are you kidding? You left a blood swath a foot wide."

Chiara begins looking over the machine in earnest, seeking a switch or other such thing.

Chiara says (to Dixon), "we had high hopes that your head had come off entirely"

Chiara shrugs slightly. "But one can't always get what one desires."

Dixon stands and moves by Chiara. "I do wish you wouldn't."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Leaving me?"

Chiara says (to Dixon), "No? I don't much care what you wish-- so if you've something to say, then say it."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I thought it was Danel that had you."

GM says (to Giancarlo), "In the other room is a large table with a detailed map of Meander's mansion, all floors, and the surrounding estate."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Danel has you."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oh, right."

Venzi says (to Giancarlo), "nice"

GM says, "There are other documents under the table, and a locked chest."

Venzi looks to see if anything in particular is marked on it

GM says, "(which I will come back to once I've dealt with the other room)"

Dixon takes Chiara by the arm and backs her away from the device forcefully. "Very well: You are angry, with reason, and I will not be able to overcome your venom; what I have done is for a good cause and you WILL not turn me from my path."

Dixon says, "And I would be polite but clearly I cannot always get what I desire either."

Giancarlo gives the documents a quick once-over.

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Did either of the side rooms have extra doors?"

Chiara says (to Dixon), "WHAT REASON? You keep insisting this, but I do believe your brain was addled by your injury."

Wilson asks (of Dixon), "What *do* you desire?"

Chiara wrenches her arm free of Dixon's grasp

Wilson says, "You haven't even said."

[vodacce] GM says, "There's a door to the side room just as for the one with Dixon &c."

Chiara asks, "You want Meander gone; that much is clear. But for what purpose?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "As though they lead to the same, fourth room?"

Chiara asks, "If you were so full of nobility and reason, you might have explained to me earlier -- I gave you the opening, but you didn't take it, did you?"

[vodacce] GM says, "No. One room in the middle, with (say) north and east exits into rooms with no other exits."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Oh, OK."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(In which case, we still haven't worked out anything about the brat's whereabouts)"

Dixon grimaces. "There is no explaining, much as I wish otherwise."

Wilson asks, "Not even any demands?"

Dixon says, "Instead, we have a strange detante."

Wilson says, "Sheesh, some villain you are."

Wilson says, "At least you'll have a cool scar."

Dixon says, "I AM NOT A VILLIAN"

Wilson rolls his eyes.

Danel says, "John--"

Dixon exclaims, "SHUT UP!"

Wilson says, "Right, I keep forgetting that part."

Chiara exclaims (at Dixon), "You've proven yourself a murderer and a liar-- ah!"

Chiara asks (of John), "Now we come down to it. Where is the real Dixon Guy?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "er, in the right title etc"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "someone here has not had enough sleep"

Dixon squeezes shut his eyes, then opens them again. "The first in a regrettably lengthening trail of victims."

Chiara circles. "You were his servant, am I right?"

[interludes] Amber says, "try a nap on the floor."

Chiara asks, "And you betrayed him out of-- what? Principle? Greed?"

Wilson says, "Oh, I get it! You're not the villain, you're the villain's pawn."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "if he wants to prove he's not a villain, all he has to do is show us what his wile is"

Danel says, "Give the boy over. Bargain for your life. This has no good solution."

Dixon says, "I am not -- there was no --"

Amber says, "Sure, there's a solution. I could shoot you."

[vodacce] GM asks (of Amber), "Er, um?"

[interludes] Amber says, "I woke up."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "She's been sleepin' ;-)"

[7thsea] Amber says, "I woke up."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(we're not in the room)"

[vodacce] GM says, "Aha. Well, the situation is thus: Dixon, Danel, Wilson, and Chiara are inside a room together. The door is closed."

[vodacce] GM says, "The rest of you are outside in the middle room or the other side room with a table and map."

[vodacce] Giancarlo is in a side room rifling through Dixon's stuff.

[vodacce] Wilson ret-cons:

[vodacce] GM says, "Chiara and Wilson have been playing as if they are the only ones who have arrived."

[vodacce] Amber says, "oh. then I guess i just threatened to shoot the table or themap."

[vodacce] GM exclaims, "Take that, dread parchment!"

(From Wilson) Amber . o O (Sure, there's a solution. I could shoot you.)

Chiara smirks slightly. "I admit, your manners are fairly decent, for one of your class."

[Crows-Nest] Giancarlo says, "Says the courtesan."

Dixon exclaims, "Beautiful! I am to be lectured in class distinctions by a woman for hire!"

Wilson asks (of Danel), "And you're from, what, Bessarion?"

Dixon yanks open a desk drawer and withdraws a pistol.

Chiara snaps, "If you were Vodacce, you would know that it is not simply a question of hire."

Dixon says, "And, no, this is not for me, thank you."

Chiara asks, "Whom are you going to shoot? Me?"

Danel eyes Dixon.

Chiara says, "That would no doubt advance your cause wonderfully."

[Crows-Nest] Giancarlo says, "Uh oh. I think I know who it's for."

Dixon points the gun at Chiara, then Wilson, then somewhere in between.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(like, at Danel?)"

Chiara walks towards Dixon deliberately.

Dixon says, "It's too late, and I am to be undone."

Dixon turns the gun on Danel and squeezes the trigger.

Wilson leaps forward.

Danel throws Wilson to one side, spoiling his leap, as he tries to make the door, but catches a ball in his shoulder instead.

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Och. Of course, the rest of us, who don't know who he's shooting...."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "well then, let's go in"

GM says, "Those of you outside the room start to hear a hissing sound."

Niccolo throws open the door when he hears his shot, his spear already in hand to throw.

Venzi charges out of the room, kicks open the main door, and runs in

Danel tries to open the door, but is instead thrown back by Niccolo and Venzi's entrance.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Is the machinery running?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(or whatever)"

Dixon exclaims, "More!"

Amber runs in the room.

Giancarlo jerks up from what he was doing and bounds out into the central room.

Dixon exclaims, "I knew it!"

Venzi says (to Dixon), "you did say we were out here"

Chiara throws herself at Dixon bodily

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "Not the machinery in the room with Dixon."

Niccolo, seeing Dixon's gun, throws his spear at him.

[vodacce] Venzi says (to GM), "har"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Arr."

[vodacce] GM says, "And now initiative."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Crap."

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 3 dice: 7 8 5

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 1 die: 8

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 2 dice: 7 4

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(sigh)"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3 dice: 6 10 5

[7thsea] Amber rolls 3 dice: 4 8 10

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 3 dice: 10 9 3

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3 dice: 1 2 4

[vodacce] Venzi says, "thank goodness wilson can act first"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I am sure he will do something sensible"

[7thsea] GM rolls 3 dice: 10 2 4

[7thsea] GM rolls 3 dice: 2 4 5

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "But of course!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Round 1 is Wilson."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can we get a re-description of the room and places therein?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Sure."

[vodacce] GM says, "Okay. In the middle of the room is a square table. (Let's pretend that the door is to the south)"

[vodacce] GM says, "In the northeast corner is a weird machine of brass and steel. Just south of that is a desk."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Square room?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes."

[vodacce] GM says, ""Dixon" is by the desk, near the machine. Danel is by the door, bleeding and looking surprised"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Venzi, Amber, Gian, and I are gathered around the outside of the door?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I'm on the inside"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Is the machine self-contained, or do tubes and stuff run out of it into the walls, etc?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You and Venzi are pretty much in the doorway, having busticated open the door."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "since, as you recall, boiling oil is spray around out there"

[vodacce] GM says, "The machine is self-contained"

[vodacce] GM says, "Around the size and rough outline of a Christmas tree"

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "I didn't know we'd had time to enter yet."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can you see through it, or could it conceal something?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "ah, ok"

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "It's like a skeletal tree."

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "It might, but hard to tell."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Are there presents under it?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "And it's not the thing making the noise?"

[vodacce] GM says, "No. The noise is outside the room with the machine."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "That's just... weird."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "And I'm in the NW corner, say?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You have just been thrown towards the west wall. The table is between you and Dixon."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "What about Chiara?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Chiara is near southeast corner"

[vodacce] GM says, "glowering"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "glowering blue?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Did Dixon do anything with the desk before/after shooting?"

[vodacce] Venzi says (to Wilson), "he got the pistol out"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh. True."

[vodacce] GM says, "What Venzi said"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "And the action shudders back into motion with Wilson?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yep"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(and could in theory have flipped a switch in the drawer or whatever)"

Wilson runs around the table, pulls out a spider, flings it at Dixon.

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Maybe it's accoustic."

GM asks, "All that?"

[vodacce] Wilson says (to GM), "And a bag of chips."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "can't you fling it across the table?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Any sufficiently loud noise vibrates a drumhead..."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "One action to get up to Dixon and get out a spider?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You can run or you can fling this round"

[vodacce] GM says, "(as much as you can fling a spider)"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "What would I roll for a fling?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "And what would I roll for a closer fling?"

[vodacce] GM says, "For a far fling, throw with -3 unkept for the spider and distance. Close, just -1"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Next year's party will include spider flinging as part of the feats."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I have Throw(improvised weapon) that I could use."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "OK, just getting closer."

Wilson darts around the table, up to where Dixon stands, pulling a spider out of his pocket as he does so.

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 7k3: 9 4 9 9 7 9 8 | 27

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(footwork)"

[vodacce] GM says, "Right. Round 2: Danel, "Dixon", Wilson."

Danel sees the door open and charges through, shouting "Run!"

Wilson asks (of Danel), "Where's Ricallbano?"

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "At this point he's not paying much attention to you."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I figured as much ;-)"

Dixon spins towards the machine and yanks a large crystal out of its top.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "man, Milo Rambaldi gave Dixon a lot of stuff"

[vodacce] GM says, "Go, Spiderman."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Do Venzi and I cause any passive blockage?"

[vodacce] Venzi asks (of Chiara), "?"

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Venzi), "er, joke"

[vodacce] GM says, "Yes. There's something of a traffic jam in the doorway."

[vodacce] GM says, "Given your action turns, he's probably going to bull through the lot of you"

Wilson darts forward at Dixon, flinging the spider in his face.

[vodacce] GM says, "Throwing, -1 unkept"

[vodacce] GM says, "TN 25 to hit face"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Straight finesse, then."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k3: 10+6 1 10+3 | 30

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Badda-bing!"

GM says, "The spider flies into Dixon's face. If your eyesight were good enough, you'd probably see a very surprised look on the spider's face."

[vodacce] GM says, "Round 3 is Giancarlo"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "right."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "just dashed into central room."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "hold."

[vodacce] GM asks, "Wait, weren't you in the map room?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I dashed out as soon as I heard the shot."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "He was with Venzi, yes?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Right, but Niccolo was by the door, and talked about opening it; Venzi likewise talked about opening the door."

[vodacce] GM says, "I find it hard to believe that you teleported past them once the door was open."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to GM), "He said he was in the central room."

[vodacce] GM says, "Which would leave you on the far side of the Niccolo/Venzi/Danel tangle"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "No, I thought they burst into the room where Danel and Dixon were."

[vodacce] GM says, "No, they're still in the doorway."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(blocking Danel, natch)"

[vodacce] GM says, "(I'm honestly not trying to be difficult; I'm just trying to straighten out causality)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oh, right."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "This is why miniatures are so nice."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks (of Gian), "Can I clarify what room you're in?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(Or meant to be in, I mean)"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Shot went off, I bounded outside the map room (into central room) as Nico and Venzi were bursting down door to Dixon's room."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Right. So, no problems there, right?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Oh, *central* room."

[vodacce] GM says, "I'm sorry. This whole time I've been reading that as the room with Dixon"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh."

[vodacce] GM says, "Which leads us to round 4, in which the GM hopes to redeem himself."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "'central' as in 'where the action is happenin;"

[vodacce] GM says (to Wilson), "(I do believe that's how I parsed it, actually)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh. Probably so. I think I did, too, at that."

[vodacce] GM says, "Round 4 starts with Amber, then Danel, Chiara, and "Dixon""

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(and ends with me)"

[vodacce] Amber says, "if I can shoot dixon, I do that."

[vodacce] GM says, "and ends with Wilson."

[vodacce] GM says, "Possibly. You'll have to shoot through Niccolo, Danel, and Venzi, where by "through" I mean "past""

[vodacce] GM says, "Fortunately you're short, so that should help."

[vodacce] Wilson laughs.

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Do we roll some kind of defense?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "The 'duck a shot you don't know about until you hear the retort since it's from behind you' defense? :)"

[vodacce] Amber says, "since friendly fire isn't, I don't shoot. I shoulder past the guys in the way. or attempt to, at least."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Hold action, then, probably."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(man, all the guys in back have the initiative)"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "hold actions until doorway clears."

[vodacce] GM says, "Yeah, I don't think you have the brawn to shoulder past them."

[vodacce] Amber says, "since you're more awake than I am, I take your advice. Holding action."

[vodacce] GM says, "Danel, meanwhile, tries to push past Wilson and Venzi. There's enough room for him to do so if you're willing to let him."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(Niccolo, not me, i think)"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Niccolo. And I'll let him -- let Amber and Gian have him."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "sure"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "he'll escape, but hopefully it'll all come out ok in the end"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hrm"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "except when he sabotages the ladder, but oh well"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "Did someone say that last time?"

Danel barrels past Niccolo and Venzi, and into the "central" room.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

Wilson exclaims, "Stop him! Make him tell you where Ricalbano is!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Chiara, go."

Chiara leaps at Dixon

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims, "bite him!"

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "what do I roll for your basic body-slam maneuver?"

[vodacce] Amber asks, "shall I tackle him?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Seduction."

[vodacce] GM says, "She's going to kiss him, just like Giancarlo"

[vodacce] Amber asks, "Danel, that is?"

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Wilson), "don't go there."

[vodacce] Amber says, "just like Giancarlo kisses? eew."

Giancarlo smiles. In flawless Eisen: "Ve haf vays of making you talk."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I think Ghogg used Grapple."

Amber tackles Danel.

[vodacce] Giancarlo is a better kisser than his player, I'll have you know.

[vodacce] GM says, "Yeah, Grapple would be good with brawn."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I have no grapple"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I just have jump-and-try-to-knock-over-'cause-c'mon-the-guy-was-half-dead"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Hey, there are rules for attack-to-subdue, right?"

Amber says, "Or rather, I attack to subdue, since I have no wrestling of any kind."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "It is a Very Important Knack if you need to throw a large semi-visible teleporting wolf off of somebody."

[vodacce] GM says, "aka 'brawn'"

[vodacce] Venzi asks (of Wilson), "there are?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I am not sure how often that issue arises in Vodacce."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "roll straight brawn, I guess"

[vodacce] Amber says, "per wilson's player's suggestion."

[vodacce] GM asks (of Wilson), "There are?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "ISTR such, yeah."

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 2k2: 4 6 | 10

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I don't remember any, but hey"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Where you do a normal attack..."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "and now I get my two curse dice"

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1 die: 9

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1 die: 9

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Lemme look it up."

Giancarlo would just wait for Danel to come to him ... use the guy's own momentum ... punch him in the teeth with a fist full of gold chain.

[vodacce] GM says, "Pause for Wilson to look up"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "all attacks are to subdue in 7th sea, since you always reduce people to unconscious first"

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "good point"

[vodacce] Amber says, "Giancarlo would double over in pain from the pain of the chains biting into his fingers were he to try that."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(it would be in main book, if anyone else wants to look, too)"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I don't see 'subdue' in the index"

[vodacce] Amber says, "what the heck, I take on Danel."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Sommething about attacking with the flat of your blade; normal wounds, but they went away at the end of combat."

[vodacce] GM says (to Chiara), "So meantime you throw yourself at Dixon and pretty much miss."

[vodacce] Chiara says (to GM), "right, well, that was expected"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "one would mostly like to get rid of the curse dice"

[vodacce] GM says, "Play it out."

[vodacce] GM says (to Amber), "Just use normal attack rules. You can shoot him, or hit, &c."

Chiara jumps at Dixon, but it doesn't go too well; she winds up barreling into the adjacent wall instead.

[vodacce] Amber says, "ok, I'm attacking but not trying to kill him."

[vodacce] GM says, "Fair enough."

[7thsea] Amber rolls 8k4: 4 10+1 5 10+7 8 2 4 3 | 41

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "Also, in a game where you can fall 200 feet and be perfectly fine if you land astride the back of a horse, you're worrying about gold chains biting into one's fingers?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Pistol shots? (i.e. no defend for Danel)"

[vodacce] Amber says, "no, sword. beating him with it, not slashing."

[vodacce] GM says, "Well, he won't be defending anyway, so roll spanking damage"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "my"

[vodacce] Amber says, "unfortunately, I miss Danel, and wind up beating on Giancarlo instead. How sad."

[vodacce] GM laughs.

[7thsea] Amber rolls 3k2: 1 7 2 | 9

[7thsea] GM rolls 3k3: 5 9 2 | 16

[vodacce] GM says, "Go ahead and RP"

Amber lunges for Danel, but rather than the cut he expects, he receives a thwap accross his head.

Danel exclaims, "Ow!"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Has there been any indication of any room in scope filling with hot oil vapors?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "good point"

Dixon, meanwhile, turns to the back wall and starts pushing on the stones, evidently searching for a given one.

[vodacce] GM says, "Hot oil, no."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "sleeping poisons? teargas?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "Danel's hot bod, yes"

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Venzi), "ew"

[vodacce] GM says, "Wilson's up"

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "ITYMisspelled 'blood'."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "what phase are we on? 4?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "He has spider on face and crystal in hand, right?"

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims (at Niccolo), "she's using the flat of her blade!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Spider in face, crystal in hand, and other hand on stones"

[vodacce] Wilson nods.

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "And I'm sure Dixon used the flat of his bullet."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "it's flat now, sure"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "And walking south on the sunny side of the street."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Is Wilson using his held action, or are we proceding to phase five?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Not held, just phase 4."

[vodacce] GM says, "Wilson has an action in 4."

[Crows-Nest] RogerCarbol says, "Spiderface, spiderface, gonna smack you hard, with his mace."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Are we to that?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Oh, OK."

[vodacce] GM | GM says, "Wilson's up"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oops, missed it, sorry."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Like seven up."

Wilson grabs the crystal out of Dixon's hand. (or tries, at least)

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "But with a new fruitier flavor."

[vodacce] GM asks, "You don't have wrestling, right?"

Wilson asks (of Dixon), "You know that spider's poisonous, don't you? Where's Ricalbano?"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I do not."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I have Dirty Fighting."

[vodacce] GM says, "If you want to gouge his eyes, that's the skill for it."

[vodacce] GM says, "Assuming you have Eye Gouge"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(I don't)"

[vodacce] GM says, "For this let's do finesse -1 kept to grab, and then we can do a contested brawn roll to see who (if either) gets sole possession"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 2k2: 2 3 | 5

[vodacce] Venzi says, "wow"

Wilson grabs at the crystal, but fails miserably.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(man, -1 kept sucks)"

[Crows-Nest] RogerCarbol asks, "What's the poop on this whole kept/unkept thing?"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "you roll X dice and keep the highest Y"

[vodacce] GM says, "Round 5 is Niccolo, Dixon"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "and me?"

Wilson exclaims (at Dixon), "Answer me!"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "so you can lose either unkept (just from X) or kept dice (from both X and Y)"

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "Oh, right."

[vodacce] GM says, "That was an 8 you replaced with an 8."

Venzi says (to Niccolo), "let's flip the table over on him"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Can I attack Dixon, or would I need aphase to run around the table?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You'd need a phase to reach him"

[Crows-Nest] RogerCarbol says, "Oh I see."

[vodacce] Venzi says (to GM), "the hand is quicker than the eye -- you barely see it change"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Would there be anyone in the way if I tried to throw it at him?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, is the machine doing anything?"

[vodacce] GM says, "The machine isn't. and no one is in the way"

[vodacce] GM says, "Oops, wait, Wilson is."

[vodacce] GM says, "having moved to him to grab the crystal"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "If Wilson's in the way, then I'll go with Venzi's idea."

Niccolo says, "Right."

Venzi grabs for the table edge, and heaves.

Niccolo lifts, pushes, and flips.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(or, actually, I suppose we could ram him -- oh well"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Wonder if anything was on that table?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "not any more..."

[vodacce] GM says, "Brawn+throw, TN 20 to hit Wilson and Dixon, TN 25 to hit Dixon"

[vodacce] GM says, "I'll take the better of your two rolls."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "let's just hit 'em both"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 8 6 10+4 | 22

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 3k2: 6 8 10+1 | 19

Wilson says, "Whuf."

GM says, "Niccolo and Venzi flip the table at Dixon and, incidentally, Wilson."

Venzi exclaims, "sorry, wilson!"

Wilson exclaims, "'Sokay! I'll be fine!"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Is he pinned, or just inconvenienced?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Dixon, I mean."

[vodacce] GM says, "Roll 4k2 for damage (Niccolo, since you got the roll)"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Also, man, I'm glad I don't ahve a bodyguard."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 4k2: 10+7 8 3 8 | 25

[vodacce] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "heh"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Oy!"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hey, I'm always *near* him"

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 2k2: 2 10+1 | 13

[7thsea] GM rolls 2k2: 6 3 | 9

GM says, "The table slams into Dixon and Wilson, both of whom are crushed against the wall."

Wilson exclaims, "Ow!"

GM says, "but Dixon seems to have found the stone he's looking for, as the section of the wall in front of him falls away and he tumbles within."

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "Does he still have ahold of the crystal?"

Venzi . o O ( I'll have to make sure this table-tipping doesn't become a habit of mine )

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Can I try to fall in there, too, or no?"

[vodacce] GM says, "As soon as you get that table off of you."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Was that Dixon's action?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Also, was machine hit?"

[vodacce] GM says, "You're sort of smushed up against the wall and machine"

[vodacce] GM says, "And that was the end of Dixon's action."

[vodacce] GM asks, "Also, is that oil you smell?"

[Crows-Nest] RogerCarbol says, "Least reassuring description from a GM: You're sort of smushed up."

[Crows-Nest] Giancarlo says, "hee"

[vodacce] GM says, "Niccolo is up in round 6"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Now am I close enough to attack Dixon, or has he tumbled out of range again?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Dixon is down some sort of slidey-hole."

Niccolo pulls aside the table so he can dive into the passage.

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Oh, it slides?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Like the mossy ramp?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Or, he slides."

GM says, "The passage is about man-sized, and leads into someplace dark"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Yeah, I meant 'it's a slide'"

GM says, "You've also freed Wilson, happily enough."

GM says, "Round 7."

GM says, "Venzi, then Chiara"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "enh, what the hell"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Free Willie!"

Venzi dives after Niccolo

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims, "yay!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Note: Niccolo has not dived in yet, he has merely dragged the table away"

Venzi dives in before Niccolo, then

[interludes] GM has added Venzi to the channel.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "(feet-first)"

GM asks, "Venzi vanishes. Chiara?"

Chiara jumps in the hole also.

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Remove some of us?)"

[interludes] GM has removed Giancarlo from the channel.

[vodacce] Chiara possibly lands on Venzi, which would be horribly embarrassing and all that

[interludes] GM has removed Niccolo from the channel.

Giancarlo of course has no idea about the hole-jumping business....

[interludes] GM has removed Amber from the channel.

[interludes] GM says, "Back to this in a round or so."

GM says, "Round 8. Amber."

[vodacce] Wilson wakes up Amber again.

[vodacce] Amber says, "attacking danel"

[7thsea] Amber rolls 8k4: 1 2 10+10+2 3 5 5 7 3 | 39

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I'll use my held this round."

[interludes] GM says, "Roll damage, Amber"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I feel like the fellow who holds a door for someone, and finds that an entire queue of people have decided to go through right at that point."

[7thsea] Amber rolls 4k2: 3 7 4 2 | 11

[7thsea] GM rolls 3k3: 3 1 1 | 5

Amber thwaps Danel again.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee hee"

Amber exclaims, "Why did you have to be evil?! I hate you!"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "heehee"

Danel goes falling.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "ah, love gone awry"

Giancarlo grabs Danel as he falls. "Where's the kid?"

[vodacce] GM says, "And Giancarlo"

Danel's eyes roll up back into his head.

[vodacce] Chiara says, "giancarlo didn't have to go awry. He already was there."

GM says, "That smell is getting stronger."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "also, I'm guessing they are cooking the baby"

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "is the smell stronger in the center room or in the main room?"

Amber says, "Time to skedaddle."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Is it coming from the crystal-less machine?"

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Do they hear that noise?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "also, I point out the side room has a locked chest plus some other stuff that might need to be grabbed"

Giancarlo drags Danel towards the main action room.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "if you survive"

[vodacce] GM says, "The center room where Danel is; and no."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Yeah, I was going to grab and investigate, but we never got around to it."

[interludes] GM says, "There is a lot of wind as you go sliding down."

[interludes] Chiara fleetingly wonders about how to get back up again

[interludes] GM says, "And then: water."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I think there was some comment about handling it after handling the main room."

[interludes] Venzi says, "wuh"

[interludes] Chiara says, "uh oh"

[interludes] Venzi dives down to be out of the way of anyone immediately behind him, then kicks his way to the surface and looks around.

[interludes] GM says, "Venzi goes first, and as he's coming up, catches a Chiara upside the head."

[interludes] Chiara falls in with a minor shriek and gets a mouthful of water

[interludes] Venzi . o O ( oof, not fast enough )

Giancarlo asks, "Where's that smell coming from?"

[interludes] GM says, "And down the stream you see a boat, and hear muffled cursing."

[vodacce] Wilson asks (of GM), "Is the smell coming from the machine?"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "how wide is the waterway? and is there a shore?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(Whose turn is it?)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(since I'm the closest to it)"

[interludes] Chiara tries desperately to grab onto something stable

[vodacce] GM says, "People aren't paying attention: the machine is producing neither noise nor smell."

[interludes] GM says, "The stream, such as it is, is in sort of a roofed canal"

Wilson exclaims, "It's not the machine!"

[vodacce] Chiara exclaims (at GM), "but you made them all scared about the machine!"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "as well they should be"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "this is just a different bad thing"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Isn't that the neck-re-attacher machine?"

[interludes] (from Chiara) blub blub *blub*

Giancarlo presumably managed to drag Danel into machine room by now?

[interludes] GM says, "There is neither shore nor bank. The waterway is about twenty feet wide."

GM says, "Yes."

[interludes] Venzi realizes Chiara is in trouble, tries to grab her.

Giancarlo asks (of Wilson), "Where ... oh, don't tell me. The hole?"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Although Dixon stole the neck-re-attacher crystal that makes it work."

[interludes] GM says, "but you can see slightly less-dark darkness downstream"

[interludes] GM says (to Venzi), "Do you have swimming"

[interludes] GM asks, "?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "HA HA HA"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Also, can I dive into the hole now?"

[interludes] GM exclaims, "Sounds like a job for drama dice!"

[interludes] Venzi says, "yeah, I have swimming 1"

Wilson says, "That's where Dixon went, yes."

[vodacce] GM says, "Everyone who wants to can go into the hole."

[interludes] Venzi says, "but as you recall, my last attempt was not so successful"

Wilson asks, "But where is Ricalbano?"

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 3k2: 2 10+8 7 | 25

Niccolo dives after Venzi and Chiara into the dark beyond.

[vodacce] GM says, "You will be unable to take the machine, or much of anything else, down the hole."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "the locked chest, maybe"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Or the documents."

Giancarlo glances at Amber, then picks up Danel by the shoulders. "Heave...."

[vodacce] GM says, "Like, and I mention this not because it is important or anything, THE LOCKED CHEST"

Wilson Stay here and get Danel to talk! We'll be back!

Wilson dives into the hole.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "you could also move stuff into the other tunnel"

[interludes] GM has added Wilson to the channel.

[interludes] GM has added Niccolo to the channel.

[interludes] Chiara says, "I don't suppose my screaming and splashing is audible up there"

[interludes] Chiara says, "...no, I guess not."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to GM), "Hey, if I managed to do anything with it during the all the talking, I have its contents or whatever with me now."

[vodacce] GM says (to Venzi), "You manage to grab Chiara and keep her from drowning"

[interludes] GM says (to Venzi), "You manage to grab Chiara and keep her from drowning"

[interludes] Chiara gasps for air

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Giancarlo seems like a suitable person for chest-taking, considering that he was in that room before."

[vodacce] GM asks, "With the contents of the locked chest, the one you didn't unlock, you mean?"

Amber investigates the locked chest,

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Chiara), "honestly, couldn't you have studied swimming?"

[vodacce] GM says, "And please note that the chest is roughly the size of a steamer trunk"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "So, uh, what's going on?"

[interludes] Chiara asks (of Venzi), "How was I to know it would be useful?"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Something makes me wonder if I should make a swimming roll)"

[interludes] Chiara says (to Wilson), "I hope you have swimming"

[interludes] GM says, "But you are nearly capsized when Niccolo and then Wilson hit the water."

[interludes] Venzi begins kicking down towards the boat as fast as he can, holding Chiara

[interludes] Wilson says, "Nope ;-)"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I didn't unlock it because all the roleplay was happening in the other room."

[interludes] Venzi curses with a mouth half-full of seawater

[interludes] Chiara tries not to be any more trouble than necessary while still retaining a deathgrip on Venzi

[interludes] Venzi says, "we're in a sealed-over canal, no banks. Dixon up ahead in a boat"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Which trait?)"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "And then we didn't get around to what I was doing in the meantime."

[interludes] GM says, "Swimming for the new people"

[vodacce] Amber says, "well I'm investigating it now. thhbbbpp."

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "Sorry, no backtracking for that"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says (to Amber), "I may have already investigated it."

[interludes] Wilson asks, "What do I roll if no have swimming, but do have athlete?"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Finesse, Brawn?)"

[vodacce] GM says, "And since we are quickly running out of time: everyone who is still up in the main sets of room let me know what you are doing."

[interludes] GM asks (of Wilson), "Can you run on water?"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Eh?"

[interludes] Wilson says, "I don't understand."

[interludes] Wilson says, "(swim is an athlete advance knack)"

[interludes] Venzi says (to Wilson), "he means it's a good thing Niccolo is going to grab you"

[interludes] GM says, "I was hinting that athlete may not do you much good without the specific swim knack"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "As soon as he figures out what trait to roll."

[vodacce] Amber says, "whether you did or not, I have no idea. I'm doing it now, because even if you did, which you may have, I don't know the results of said supposed investigation."

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "Brawn to grab Wilson and keep him afloat"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 4 4 9 | 13

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Don't we have rules for traits you have at 0?"

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "-1 unkept usually, I think."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Well I was waiting around to get to it."

[interludes] GM says (to Wilson), "You can do -1 unkept with brawn to try."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Got it."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 1k1: 3 | 3

[vodacce] Amber says, "okay, then i'll investigate it with you, if you like."

[vodacce] Amber asks, "wits?"

[interludes] Wilson says, "Blub"

[interludes] GM says, "Yeah, Wilson starts sinking."

[interludes] GM says, "Niccolo, you grab him, but the two of you are barely afloat. You'll have a little bit of time before you'll have to roll again to keep afloat."

[vodacce] GM asks, "So the two of you are in the side room with the chest? And Danel is in the room with the machine?"

[vodacce] Amber says, "that long sentance sounded rude upon re-reading it. sorry."

[interludes] Wilson says, "blub Wall! blub"

[interludes] GM says (to Venzi), "You head after the boat, but are hampered by a sodden Chiara who is suddenly wearing about a hundred pounds of clothes."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "wait, so danel's loose?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Danel is unconscious."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "No, he's unconcious."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "ah, ok"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "<sigh> I was going to toss Danel in and jump in after, but that was on the assumption that "after the action in the main room is done", you'd get back to what my investigations in the side room were."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Gian's dragging him around."

[vodacce] Amber says, "we're in the room with the chest, yes."

[interludes] Chiara tries to kick in a helpful manner

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "So fine. Danel is in the side room. We're investigating the chest and documents."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "blbOWmphfbl"

[interludes] Venzi sighs, tries to figure out how the hell to tear away some of these clothes, decides he can't even get them unsnapped.

[vodacce] GM says, "The chest, as mentioned before, is about the size of a steamer trunk, only taller. It is very locked."

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "swimming + brawn again, please."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 10+4 9 4 | 23

[vodacce] Wilson'helps'

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 1k1: 7 | 7

Amber says (to Gian), "can you pick locks? Sadly, I hve no hair pings."

[interludes] GM says, "And suddenly Wilson and Niccolo pop to the surface, despite Wilson kicking so as to push the two of you deeper underwater."

Giancarlo asks, "Maybe a stiletto?"

Amber says, "pins."

GM says, "There is a strange pop! sound from the center room"

Amber says, "I have a small dagger."

[vodacce] Wilson tries to get to the wall

Giancarlo looks up and closes the door.

Amber proffers the dagger.

Giancarlo says, "That might work."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 5k3: 7 5 10+2 6 2 | 25

GM says, "The smell is starting to concentrate in your room."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "Ylac."

[interludes] Wilson says (to Niccolo), "Indeed."

[vodacce] GM says, "You work the stiletto around, but can't quite get the tumblers to fall."

Amber starts lock-bashing on the other one with the pommel of her sword.

Giancarlo curses.

[interludes] Niccolo exclaims (at Wilson), "Get upright... before kicking!"

GM says (to Amber), "At the first strike, the sparks cause little pop!s of explosion."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "ow"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Oh, *that's* what oil vapor's for."

Giancarlo exclaims, "Wait!"

[vodacce] GM says, "Just be glad Amber didn't shoot when she wanted to."

Amber stops bashing on the locks, and investigates the hinges instead.

Giancarlo exclaims, "Douse the lanterns!"

GM says, "There are more pops from the central chamber."

GM asks, "Will you be staying in the room?"

Giancarlo exclaims, "NO!"

[interludes] Niccolo idly thinks, for no reason, of the lantern he was holding until he dropped it to grab Wilson.

[interludes] Venzi says, "hee hee"

Giancarlo says (to Amber), "we better run for it."

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "Think we can carry the chest AND Danel?"

Amber exclaims (at Gian), "Grab the trunk handle - let's take it with us!"

[interludes] GM says, "Venzi and Chiara are about twenty feet in front of Wilson and Niccolo"

[interludes] GM says, "Though none of you are setting any water speed records."

Amber grabs a handle and starts t ugging.

Giancarlo grabs the other handle

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Am I to a wall yet?"

[interludes] Chiara tries, if plausible, to ditch any unnecessary skirt-age

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Am I still holding Wilson up? Or is he fair on his own?"

[interludes] GM says (to Wilson), "You are to a Niccolo. He'll have to direct the two of you."

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "You have Wilson."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hrm"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Ah. Niccolo is aiming for Venzi, Chiara, and Dixon."

[interludes] GM says, "But the current is sweeping all of you down the stream."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims (at Niccolo), "Get me to a wall! I'll be fine! Follow Dixon! I mean John!"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Possibly hampered by Wilson's attempts for a wall."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I suppose the chest is going to be rather more durable than Danel"

Giancarlo takes a peek out into the central room.

[interludes] GM says (to Wilson), "(note: there is a wall, but no real place to stop and hold onto, as the walls and ceiling form a partial circle"

GM says, "The central room smells horribly, and the air seems to waver in front of you."

Giancarlo says, "(temperature rising?)"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Hmm. Danel's lean/fat ratio suggests he might not be a practical floatation device.)"

GM says, "No rise in temperature"

GM says, "The trunk is rather cubical, and luckily has handles on front and back long ends."

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Also, oil's lighter than water, right? Would the oilskin I have help WIlson at all as a floatation device?"

Amber and Giancarlo pull the trunk from the room.

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "Some. But for now you've got him just fine."

[interludes] GM says, "The boat is making very good time, now that Dixon's got oars to water"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "can we actually see Dixon?"

Amber says (to Gian), "I bet this is valuable. Its pretty heavy."

[interludes] Venzi says, "are"

[interludes] Venzi says, "er, arr"

Giancarlo struggles to bring the trunk back, around the corner.

[interludes] Venzi asks, "can I plausibly fling a knife at him without drowning me or Chiara?"

[interludes] GM says, "I think that will be beyond even your dramatic skills."

Giancarlo says, "Only reason I'm doing this <grunt> is this gamble that they may have stuck Riccalbano inside."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Faster... he's headed for the harbor..."

[vodacce] Venzi asks (of Giancarlo), "you'd better open the chest then, eh?"

[interludes] Chiara says (to Venzi), "Let go of me and go after him"

GM says, "There's a foomp-foomp-foomp noise from around the corner you just turned."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "I tried."

GM says, "And then --"

[vodacce] GM says, "Panache plus leaping, please"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "no sense leaving you to sink -- enough undersea treasure as it is, eh?"

Giancarlo says (to Amber), "Wait..."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 3k3: 5 3 3 | 11

[interludes] Chiara says (to Venzi), "no sense... letting that bastard... get away"

[interludes] Wilson searches the walls for anywhere to grab on.

[7thsea] Amber rolls 3k3: 2 3 10+10+1 | 26

[interludes] Venzi says, "I don't intend to let him get away"

GM says, "Amber leaps forward, carrying part of the chest with her, which serves to shield Giancarlo from much of the blast of flame that pushes them down the tunnel"

[interludes] GM says, "There's a bright flash from behind you."

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Have you tried prising the lock open?"

[interludes] GM says, "And this seems like a good time for swimming + resolve"

[interludes] Niccolo takes a breath and ducks.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Amber tried bashing it and it had an esplosion."

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 3k2: 2 1 4 | 6

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k3: 3 4 1 | 8

[interludes] Chiara pushes away from Venzi

[interludes] Venzi says, "been nice knowing you guys"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Pfft."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 6 10+2 1 | 18

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1k1: 6 | 6

[vodacce] GM says (to Giancarlo), "2k2 damage for you; Amber's relatively unharmed"

[interludes] Niccolo surfaces, wonders where everyone else went.

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 2k2: 6 1 | 7

[interludes] GM says, "Underwater you see light flash past you, then die out."

[vodacce] Niccolo says (to Wilson), "But bashing and prising are different."

GM says, "On the plus side, that smell is all gone now."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Inserting a blade and trying to lever it apart."

GM says, "And you've been blown down to the place with the grate."

[interludes] GM says, "And then Niccolo resurfaces."

[interludes] Venzi coughs

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I would bet that it, too, would have caused an explosion."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(How much light is here?)"

[interludes] GM says, "As your eyes adjust from the flash of light, you notice two things: you can see stars, and you can't see anyone else who was with you."

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Er, I rolled a 7. Was that my damage or my brawn check?"

[vodacce] GM says, "Damage. You'll need a brawn check for it."

[7thsea] Giancarlo rolls 2k2: 9 3 | 12

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Guys? Hello? Hello?!?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Man. I love 7th Sea explosion rules."

Niccolo looks down, to try to find anyone under the water.

[interludes] Niccolo looks down, to try to find anyone under the water.

DockHand asks, "Who's there?"

Giancarlo rolls across the floor and slams against the wall, coughing.

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "Perception, TN 15"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 4k3: 9 10+5 7 3 | 31

Giancarlo exclaims, "We were about to ask the same question!"

[interludes] Niccolo dives for the nearest body.

[interludes] DockHand says, "(er, that was here)"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I think that was a mischannel."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Ooh."

[interludes] GM says, "Good thing Chiara is wearing bright clothes."

[interludes] Venzi says, "to hell with us, tell him to grab Sir Guy"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(If that was here, I shout 'help!' before going down)"

Giancarlo says (to Amber), "I'm going back for Danel."

[interludes] GM says, "(That was here)"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Brawn + swimming?)"

[interludes] GM says, "You shout 'Help!' and then down you go. Resolve + swimming"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 5 1 1 | 6

[interludes] DockHand exclaims, "Oi! People in the water!"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Uh-oh)"

[interludes] GM says, "You find Chiara, who grabs hold of you. That part goes well enough."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Gian), "Amber doth sleep again."

[interludes] GM says, "Then there's that part where you head back up that doesn't go so well."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "But let's say she tries to open the chest whilst you go after Danel."

Giancarlo staggers to his feet and strides back.

[interludes] GM says, "I'll need resolve rolls from everyone."

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 3k3: 6 10+5 3 | 24

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 4k4: 4 10+3 6 4 | 27

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 2k2: 2 7 | 9

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 2k2: 1 7 | 8

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Do I get any benefit for being the last one to go down?)"

[interludes] GM says, "Venzi, your need for air is getting acute."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I'm happy to start swimming to the surface any time I can"

[interludes] GM says, "Niccolo, your need will be acute shortly (since, as you note, you went down last)"

[interludes] GM says, "Resolve + swimming to head for the surface, TN 10"

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 3k2: 7 7 4 | 14

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 1k1: 2 | 2

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 3k2: 5 1 5 | 10

GM says, "The rooms are -- well, they aren't looking very good."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oh, whoops resolve."

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 2k2: 9 3 | 12

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 2k2: 2 10+4 | 16

[interludes] Niccolo gasps.

Giancarlo asks (of GM), "Where's Danel?"

[interludes] Venzi takes a deep breath of air

[interludes] GM says, "You all reach the surface, though desperate for air."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "hell, where's chiara?"

[interludes] Chiara wipes the water from her eyes and scans for Dixon.

[interludes] Venzi says, "ah, great"

Wilson takes a deep breath.

[interludes] Niccolo, as soon as he can breathe proper, points to the boat. "Criminal! Boat!"

GM says, "He's still in the far room."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "now where's dixon? and did I hear someone shouting?"

[interludes] Wilson says, "(sigh)"

Giancarlo checks for signs of life.

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "Which boat do you mean, the boat, the boat, the boat, the boat, the boat, the boat..."

[interludes] DockHand exclaims, "Over here! Can you swim? We have a rope ladder down for you!"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "The little one, which is really too small to be setting out on he sea."

GM says, "He's, hm."

[interludes] Venzi exclaims (at DockHand), "stop that man! Meander's orders!"

GM says, "I wouldn't touch him."

[interludes] DockHand asks, "Which man?"

[interludes] Venzi grabs Chiara and starts swimming over there

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Aww."

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "toasty, eh?"

[interludes] Niccolo swims toward the dock hand.

[interludes] Venzi says, "the man that just came out of this tunnel in a boat"

[vodacce] GM says, "A little."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "I was hoping he'd explain a few things"

GM says, "The machine is droopy"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "dammit"

[interludes] Niccolo looks for the right boat. Presumably it couldn't have gotten *too* far.

GM says, "though still partially intact"

GM says, "The smaller springs and such were flash-boiled away"

[interludes] Wilson forgets about trying to swim anywhere, and just bobs up and down, taking deep breaths when up.

Giancarlo curses.

[interludes] GM says, "The problem is going to be picking it out from all the other gondolas and smaller boats making their way around the docks from canals to canals."

DockHand dives in to help people to the ladder.

[interludes] DockHand dives in to help people to the ladder.

GM says, "(pretend you didn't notice that)"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Do we get Perception for that?)"

[interludes] Venzi gets out, sees that Chiara gets out, and starts looking around for Dixon

[interludes] GM says, "Once you're no longer at eye-level with the sea, yes."

Giancarlo checks the documents and maps.

[interludes] Niccolo helps Wilson up the ladder, then follows.

[interludes] DockHand drags the kicking Wilson to the ladder.

[interludes] Wilson exclaims (at DH), "Thanks!"

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 4k3: 4 10+6 2 7 | 27

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 4k3: 4 7 8 2 | 19

[interludes] Venzi says, "(perception roll)"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara reads this as Designated Hitter

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 4k4: 7 8 7 2 | 24

GM says, "The map is ash on the table, as are most of the documents."

[interludes] Chiara says, "(what's the TN to recognize his boat?)"

Amber lock bashes.

[interludes] GM says, "35, due to time delay and you only seeing it from behind"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Just for reference, what did I pick up when I gave them the quick once-over earlier?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "yarr"

[interludes] Chiara says, "drama dice, then"

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1k1: 3 | 3

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1k1: 4 | 4

[interludes] Chiara says, "bah"

[vodacce] GM says, "Er. Good question."

Amber says, "<thwap, thwap, thwap.>"

[interludes] GM says, "We haven't heard from Wilson yet."

[interludes] Wilson snorts.

GM says, "Eventually the lock gives under your tender ministrations."

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 3k2: 3 1 10+6 | 19

[vodacce] GM says, "We can straighten that out with the general what-you-find-in-the-chest bit."

Amber opens the trunk.

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Did Wilson actually *see* the boat at any point? I seem to recall that he spent most of his above-water interest looking at the walls :)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[interludes] Wilson says, "Heh."

Giancarlo checks to see if any documents are salvageable. Also, >SEARCH TABLE. Then goes back to chest.

[interludes] DockHand asks, "What happened here?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "the man we're chasing is wanted by Meander. very badly."

[interludes] Chiara says (to DockHand), "There is someone very evil who tried to kill Meander GETTING AWAY RIGHT NOW"

[interludes] Chiara is nearly hysterical

GM says, "There are a few pages in the middle of one stack still unburnt."

[interludes] Wilson says (to DH), "He kidnapped his son."

[interludes] Venzi says, "he's got a big gash on his neck. it's very distinctive."

[interludes] Venzi says, "help us look."

[interludes] Chiara says, "and if there is not a boat to go after him I am jumping back IN THE WATER so FIND SOMETHING NOW"

[interludes] DockHand says, "Right, I'll call the wtach"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Oh, rot..."

GM says, "One of which says 'bread cheese beer eggs' and all of which have been crossed through."

[interludes] Chiara says (to DockHand), "THAT COULD TAKE ALL YEAR"

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Niccolo), "eh?"

Giancarlo . o O ( Must be a code for something. )

[interludes] DockHand asks, "Look, I have boxes I move. What, you think I have a ship in my pocket?"

[interludes] Venzi looks for a nearby boat which can be commandeered.

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Venzi), "I'm sure Fortunato, if he's awake, will be ever-so-pleased to hear how we've done so far."

GM says (to Amber), "Inside the chest:"

[interludes] Venzi says (to DockHand), "I think you don't want to annoy Fortunato"

[interludes] Chiara says (to DockHand), "I don't really care what you have or where you keep it"

[interludes] Niccolo joins Venzi -- looking for something small, light, fast.

Giancarlo returns to the thwapping.

GM says, "A book, another odd machine, some more writings, and a map."

[interludes] GM says, "(one moment)"

Amber peruses the book.

Giancarlo says, "Success? The sword is mightier than the lockpick, I see."

Giancarlo checks out the writings.

GM says, "The book is a journal, Avalonian, written in very small handwriting."

GM says, "The writings vary. One of them is 'Sir Guy Dixon' signed over and over."

Amber asks, "This book is gibberish to me - can any one else read this?"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "and then "sir john dixon" "sir john dixon-carter" "john dixon" "sir john carter-dixon" "xoxoxo""

Giancarlo says, "Not me."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "yay"

[interludes] GM says, "Okay. There are some smaller ships tethered, including a gondola."

[interludes] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "I believe this is your hour"

Amber knocks on the bottom and sides of the chest to see if they may be hollow.

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Niccolo), "steer that, can you?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "yay gondola chase scene"

[interludes] Chiara gets into the gondola

[interludes] Niccolo says, "I'm sure the owner won't mind. Much."

Amber says, "and the top."

Giancarlo . o O ( Hm. Forgery. )

Venzi grabs Wilson, pulls him in, gets in himself

Niccolo jumps in, grabs the pole.

[interludes] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "Meander will pay for the borrowing. Later."

[7thsea] Amber rolls 4k4: 1 9 10+5 6 | 31

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Can I follow along along the bank?"

GM says, "It doesn't sound hollow."

Venzi says, "er, channel"

[interludes] Niccolo jumps in, grabs the pole.

[interludes] GM asks, "What, now Wilson has a water fear as well?"

[interludes] Venzi gets in, grabbing Wilson unless he really doesn't want to come

Amber examines the machine.

Giancarlo takes one sheet of the writing as evidence, and checks out the map.

[interludes] Wilson says, "No, I just wanted to be available on the bank if they caught up with him."

[interludes] Niccolo sets out in the direction Dixon was last headed, whether Wilson's in or not.

[interludes] Wilson says, "But if it can't be done, I'll go along in the boat."

GM says, "The map shows a number of sewer tunnels and openings. One exit is marked near something labeled 'bricked-up cistern'"

[interludes] GM says, "I think it'll be tough"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Feel free to jump)"

[interludes] GM says, "since it looked like Dixon was headed back along one of the canals"

Giancarlo grabs the map like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline.

[interludes] DockHand exclaims, "Hey! That's stealing!"

Giancarlo says, "Aha."

[interludes] Chiara blows a rude air-kiss to the Dockhand

[interludes] Niccolo exclaims (at Hand), "Governor's business!"

GM says, "The machine is compact, with a nozzle at one end and some shiny things on the side."

Giancarlo says, "Now all we need is a "you are here" arrow."

[Crows-Nest] (from Chiara) Niccolo says, "Talk to the Hand."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims (at people), "I'll follow along the bank--good luck!"

[interludes] Niccolo exclaims, "Take it up with Fortunato. Tell him Dixon Guy sent you!"

GM asks (of Giancarlo), "Will the part that looks quite like three rooms in an L configuration do?"

[interludes] Venzi says (to Niccolo), "hee hee"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[interludes] Wilson asks (of DH), "Where's the port authority?"

Giancarlo says (to GM), "Fine by me."

[interludes] GM says, "(That's no good -- he'll think it's Chiara mis-saying Sir Guy's name again)"

[interludes] Chiara says (to GM), "bah"

[interludes] Chiara says, "we always play these games when it's late and I'm tired"

GM says, "The fastest way is through the grated-off passageway."

[interludes] DockHand says (to Wilson), "Port authority? That'd be Fortunato's business."

Amber says (to Gian), "Let's go bash some bricks."

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Anyone local?"

Giancarlo exclaims, "Si!"

[interludes] DockHand says, "Old Man Wilson's probably at his post."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Should I roll?)"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Where's that?"

[interludes] GM says, "Yes, please."

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Wits, Finesse...?"

Giancarlo embarks on wanton destruction of the grated area.

[interludes] DockHand points Wilson towards the harbormaster's hut.

Amber and Gian dash off down the tunnels.

[interludes] DockHand says (to Niccolo), "Brawn for speed."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 5k2: 1 6 2 8 9 | 17

[interludes] Wilson jogs off.

[interludes] Chiara stands in the front of the gondola peering out looking for anyone with a partially-detached head.

Amber says, "thwap thwap thwap.""

[interludes] Wilson asks (of Wilson), "Hey, you there?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "aie"

[interludes] Venzi says, "the idea of an old wilson is too horrific to contemplate"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "zzz--huh?"

[interludes] GM says, "You make headway down one of the canals. Traffic is light this late at night."

GM says, "Eventually you're able to move enough stones that you think you can break the door free."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Quick! I've been sent by Fortunato. A man who abducted Meander's child is in a boat on these canals right now!"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson exclaims, "Whaat!"

Giancarlo says, "oof."

Giancarlo says, "finally."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Can I try to guess where he's going, and head him off?)"

[interludes] GM says, "Sure, once you see him."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Alert the guards! Don't let any ship leave harbor for any purpose, until Fortunato gives the go-ahead!"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Are there any ships due to sail tonight?"

[interludes] Niccolo pushes down the canal, with slow steady strokes.

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "Fortunato's given the go-ahead for ships to leave?"

Giancarlo says, "Think we just need the machine and the book..."

[interludes] GM says, "Perception for the people in the boat."

Giancarlo says, "I have the map."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Oh, none can leave? Excellent!"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 4k3: 6 3 3 7 | 16

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "No, nobody is to leave!"

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 4k4: 2 3 10+2 8 | 25

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 4k3: 10+1 10+2 8 5 | 31

[interludes] Venzi says, "I'll use a drama die if I need a 35"

[interludes] GM says (to Venzi), "There! Just turned down a side canal! You'd recognize the end of that boat anywhere."

[interludes] Venzi exclaims (at Niccolo), "that way!"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson exclaims, "There aren't any ships leaving this late!"

[interludes] Niccolo paddles thatta way.

[interludes] Venzi says, "(as quietly as he can)"

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Good!"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 5k2: 5 9 7 9 1 | 18

Giancarlo tries to pull the door away

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Assuming we want another Brawn for speed)"

[interludes] Chiara is so pleased by this achievement that she kisses Venzi

[interludes] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "yay speed"

GM says, "It's still stuck. Perhaps a good kock"

GM says, "kick"

Giancarlo gives it a swift kick to the hinges.

[interludes] GM says, "You're gaining on it."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Alert the guards! The man's name is John, but may be goign by the name of Sir Dixon Guy. He's (describe the guy), with a large, bloody cut on his neck."

GM says, "The door goes flying"

[interludes] Venzi readies a knife.

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "Sir Dixon Guy? You mean Sir Guy Dixon, that ambassador fellow?"

[interludes] Wilson says, "Uh, right. Only it's not really him! It's an imposter."

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "I wonder whether I get interference from the fact that I think of Guy as a last name thanks to Neil K"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "maybe I'm just brane-dead, alternatively"

[Crows-Nest] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[Crows-Nest] GM laughs.

Giancarlo and Amber presumably lug stuff along the tunnel, following map

GM says, "Your way forward is clear"

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "But he's loose! We have to catch him!"

GM says, "And fortunately you still have a working lantern to help you through the tunnel."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson squints at Wilson. "Say, how do I know you're not just feeding me a tall tale?"

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "OK, now that we're after him, can I head him off?"

[interludes] GM says, "Sure. Navigation, TN 25, to come up with a faster way to get you in front of him."

[interludes] Wilson says (to Wilson), "Right, like I'd make this up."

[interludes] Wilson looks the man straight in the eye.

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Hmm. Would that be Street Navigation?"

[interludes] GM says, "(yes)"

[interludes] Wilson says, "We have to catch this man. Ricalbano's life may be at stake."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 6k3: 3 4 1 1 6 8 | 18

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "This is not the Wilson you are looking for"

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 1k1: 2 | 2

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Curse it. Last DD)"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Oratory?"

[interludes] GM says, "You can still continue to catch up to him the hard way."

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 5k2: 2 10+8 3 2 9 | 27

[interludes] Venzi says, "woo"

[interludes] Venzi says, "this gondola's flyin'"

GM says, "Pretty soon you reach the spot marked on the map"

[interludes] Niccolo exclaims, "He's got too many options...I don't dare second guess him... but he won't get away!"

GM says, "and emerge into the night"

[interludes] Chiara gets out her knife

[interludes] GM says (to Wilson), "Yes, TN 25"

Giancarlo looks around, taking stock of location.

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Resolve?"

[interludes] GM says, "panache"

[interludes] Niccolo moves up from slow steady strongs, to unnusually fast, but still controlled and steady strokes.

[7thsea] Wilson rolls 5k3: 6 10+9 3 4 8 | 33

Giancarlo asks (of GM), "where are we?"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(s/strongs/strokes)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "woo"

GM says, "You're near some of the storehouses"

GM says, "judging from the mercantile signs"

[interludes] Venzi asks (of GM), "where are *we*?"

[interludes] GM says, "on pause for a moment"

GM says, "There is a flat grassy spot just across the street"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "Well, all right. But you'd better not be pulling a fast one."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "What do you want me to do?"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Are there patrol boats? Guards?"

[interludes] GM says, "You're near the university, near the outskirts of town."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "Patrol boats?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "flat grassy spot?"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "There are guards, sure."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "more of a knoll, really"

[vodacce] GM says, "The kind of one you'd get if you took a cistern in the ground and covered it up a while back with dirt."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Find some guards, put them in boats, and tell them to make sure no boat sails tonight."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson asks, "I can't leave my post here. Why don't you find some?"

[vodacce] Amber says, "joseph from the bible comes to mind."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Oh, I was thinking of the picnic that time when Niccolo was accosted, and wondering if Abrielle weren't at the bottom of this after all."

[interludes] Wilson says, "For the rest of the guards, give them the description of Sir Dixon, and tell them to keep a look out. Alert the mansion (and fortunato) if they see anything."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Tell me where they are."

[interludes] Wilson asks, "What can you do from here?"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "Now, wait a minute. You've got me running from one end of the town from the other."

[vodacce] Amber asks, "Does danel have a brother he doens't like?"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "Back to the mansion?"

[vodacce] GM says, "heh"

[interludes] Wilson says, "No, just instructions for the guards."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson scratches his head. "Well, I can collect the harbor fees."

Amber says, "Sure. Let's get some sleep."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Sorry, I was unclear."

[interludes] Wilson says (to Wilson), "You said yourself no boat ships out tonight."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "Well, sure. It's too late."

Giancarlo says (to Amber), "there's the question of where they hid Riccalbano."

Amber asks, "Wait. Cistern? Investigate?"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "You'd be a damnfool to go now."

[interludes] Wilson says, "This man's desperate."

[interludes] GM says, "You've started to pull close to the other gondola"

[interludes] Wilson says, "He'll stop at nothing. And he *is* a damfool."

[vodacce] Amber props open her eyes with toothpicks, and attempts to rub a couple of braincells together.

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(What part of town are we in, BTW?)"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "what?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "near university, on outskirts"

[interludes] GM | GM says, "You're near the university, near the outskirts of town"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "You think they put the baby in a well?"

Amber says, "Um, dirt-covered cistern? Hidden kid? Let's take a look."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "he threw the baby out with the bathwater ha ha ha"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "How about that."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson scratches his head.

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Thanks. How close are we to the other boat? Venzi/Chiara-leaping distance?"

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson says, "I'll see what I can do."

Amber investigates grassy knoll.

[interludes] GM says, "You are about in leaping distance."

Giancarlo refers to map to see if the cistern should be accessible from the tunnels.

[interludes] Wilson exclaims (at Wilson), "Thank you!"

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Venzi, Chiara), "Can you jump?"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "what's the TN like to leap?"

GM says, "The cistern isn't accessible from the sewers, but Amber finds a point where the ground is very soft"

[interludes] Venzi says, "(since I have no leaping)"

[interludes] GM says, "With the able steering of Niccolo -- ut oh"

Amber starts digging.

[interludes] Chiara says, "(I have no leaping either)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "I have balance, but I suppose that's not much help until I land"

[interludes] GM says, "Hm. TN's only 15, but you'll need to do -1 for the leaping"

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Do you have anything you can throw?"

Amber asks (of Gian), "Can you get a shovel? Or something?"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "which trait? finesse or brawn?"

[interludes] Niccolo tries to pilot ever closer, if he can.

[interludes] GM says, "finesse for this"

Giancarlo says, "Hm. I'm not sure this ... oh, alright."

[interludes] Venzi says, "enh, what the hell"

[7thsea] Venzi rolls 2k2: 9 7 | 16

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Woo!)"

[interludes] GM exclaims, "Woo!"

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Wooo!"

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 2k2: 3 3 | 6

[interludes] GM says, "You sail across, landing in the boat."

[7thsea] Amber rolls 2k2: 6 3 | 9

Giancarlo goes and bangs on an appropriate merchant's door.

[interludes] Chiara leaps too, and falls into the water instead. Doh.

[vodacce] Amber says, "rolling brawn to see how fast I dig."

[interludes] Venzi grabs Dixon

[vodacce] GM says, "In this case, it looks like the sod was removed in a square. Five minutes and you can have it removed."

[interludes] Niccolo's probably going too fast to stop for Chiara even if that were a sensible thing to do.

[interludes] Kid exclaims (at Venzi), "ohgodohgodpleasedon'tkillmeyoucanhavetheboatIswear!"

[interludes] Venzi sighs.

Merchant exclaims (at Giancarlo), "WHAT!"

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Kid), "where's the guy who you got this boat from?"

Merchant asks, "Do you know what time it is?"

Giancarlo exclaims (at Merchant), "SHOVEL!"

[interludes] Kid says, "Idon'tknowhesaidIcouldhavetheboatandIwasgoingbacktotheuniversity andcouldyoutaketheknifeawayfrommythroatplease"

[interludes] Wilson thanks the other wilson and runs back to the mansion.

[interludes] Venzi says (to Niccolo), "hold it! we've lost him"

Merchant comes out brandishing a shovel. "I'll give you a shovel!"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(If he's not paddling, I presume I can pull aside easily?)"

[interludes] Venzi says (to Kid), "steer over to the side, please"

[interludes] Chiara rolls, for the sake of argument, an attempt to swim

[interludes] GM says, "You can now, and can even get poor Chiara"

[7thsea] Chiara rolls 1k1: 10+9 | 19

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Kid), "We won't kill you if you tell us exactly where he went."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims (at Chiara), "Whoo!"

[interludes] Venzi says (to Chiara), "hey, you're picking this up"

[interludes] Kid says, "Okaysureokay"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Good."

Giancarlo says (to Merchant), "Your generosity is appreciated, but I insist on paying for it."

[vodacce] Amber says, "go chiara. nice roll."

Merchant exclaims, "Oh!"

[interludes] Niccolo goes back for Chiara while Venzi finishes with the kid.

Merchant hands the shovel to Giancarlo. "When you put it that way."

[interludes] Kid takes deep breaths.

[interludes] Niccolo holds out the pole for her.

[interludes] Chiara grabs the pole

[interludes] (from Venzi) Niccolo is pulled in also

[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Chiara), "IYKWIM"

[Crows-Nest] Chiara says, "HEY NOW"

Giancarlo puts the appropriate cost (and a little extra) in the Merchant's hand.

Merchant exclaims, "Thank you!"

Giancarlo says (to Merchant), "Good night."

Giancarlo turns on his heel and trots back to Amber.

[interludes] Kid says, "I was walking back to the university along the docks when this man with a raspy voice asked me if I wanted this boat"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "great, where was this? how far? how long ago?"

[interludes] Chiara asks, "back at the docks?"

[interludes] Kid says, "I told him to go be drunk somewhere else, but then he pulled up to the docks and said I could have it"

[interludes] Kid says, "At that point I didn't want him to change his mind -- do you know how hard it is to get around here if you don't have a boat? -- and took the boat and left him there."

[interludes] Kid exclaims, "That's all I know, truly!"

[interludes] Venzi says, "great, thanks for your help"

[interludes] Venzi gets back into the gondola.

[interludes] Venzi asks, "about-face?"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Right."

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Kid), "wait, one more thing -- he didn't have anyone or anything with him, did he?"

[interludes] Kid says, "No, just him."

Giancarlo assists in the sod removal, if it hasn't been completed already.

[interludes] Kid says, "But he had this horrible scar"

[interludes] Venzi says, "that's not all he'll have, when we catch him"

[interludes] Niccolo pushes off.

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "OK, where exactly are we going?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "back to the docks, I think."

GM says, "In short order you've removed the dirt, revealing a trapdoor set in bricks."

[interludes] Venzi asks (of GM), "are there a separate set of docks by the university?"

Amber opens the trapdoor.

[interludes] GM says, "The university is on the land side of the town. (Well, the land-ish side of town.) There's only one main set of docks."

Riccalbano cries!

[interludes] Wilson races up to the guardhouse.

[vodacce] Venzi exclaims, "yay!"

Giancarlo says, "Awwwwwww."

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Hey! Wake up!"

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Yay!"

Giancarlo reaches in and gently picks up the baby.

[interludes] Niccolo tries to manage a shortcut back to the docks.

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "...played by Ellric Smith"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "hee hee"

[interludes] Guard_2 opens the door. "What -- oh! Fortunato will want to see you!"

[interludes] Wilson exclaims, "Yes!"

[interludes] Wilson asks, "Where is he?"

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "So we're back where we started from, except that A) we've lost some time, and B) we no longer know how Dixon's travelling?"

[interludes] Guard_2 says, "In here. C'mon."

Amber is glad Danel is dead, and Dixon is about to be. Anyone who could do this to a baby needs to be dead, quick.

Riccalbano cries!

[interludes] Wilson follows, leaving water pooling behind him.

[interludes] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "yes"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "I don't know about you, but I'm a little battered and not sure we can carry the child AND the machine with us. What say we hide the machine in here?"

[interludes] Fortunato says, "Tell me you have brought me Sir Guy's head."

[interludes] Niccolo poles faster. "Right. All the more reason to hurry."

[interludes] Wilson says (to Fortunato), "He gave us the slip, sadly."

[interludes] GM says, "You pole your way to the docks."

Giancarlo says, "I'll cover up the spot. Er, here, holding him is making me feel a little funny."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson exclaims (at Niccolo), "You! Stop!"

Amber says (to Gian), "Hold him like this <holds her hands just so> and see if that makes him happier. He probably is hungry, too. We need to get him home first thing."

[interludes] Old_Man_Wilson exclaims, "No boat sails tonight!"

[interludes] Wilson says, "But he's close! He was travelling by boat."

[interludes] Venzi climbs out of the gondola

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Anyone who looks like they've been standing here a while), "Did you see a guy, with a scar on his neck come through here about <time interval> ago?"

Amber asks, "Sure, stash the machine here. Want me to hold him?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "we lost him, curse it"

Giancarlo says, "Yes, please."

[interludes] Fortunato asks (of Wilson), "I knew I should have gone. What about Danel?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "he didn't have Riccalbano, so there's some hope Amber and Giancarlo found him"

[interludes] Venzi says, "last we saw him he was unconscious"

Giancarlo deposits the machine in the hidey hole, closes the trap door over it, and begins replacing the sod.

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "There is general non-information to be had."

Amber cuddles the baby, and makes soothing noises.

[interludes] Wilson says, "I don't know. Dixon turned on him at the last minute, and he was left behind with Gian and Amber. I presume they've dealt with him. Oh, and Dixon isn't dixon--he's 'John'."

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Anyone), "Did anyone see him? He's <description>. He's a wanted criminal and very dangerous. We must apprehend him."

[interludes] Fortunato asks, "'John'?"

[interludes] Fortunato says, "A fine, distinctive name."

[interludes] Wilson says, "Dixon's former right-hand-man."

[interludes] Venzi says, "the scar on his neck is pretty distinctive"

[interludes] Niccolo gets out of the gondola and starts accosting random individuals, since there's no other obviously useful course of action.

[interludes] Wilson says, "He lives, but he has a horrible scar on his neck, as might be imagined."

[interludes] Chiara says, "I suppose there's no point in going back to his townhouse -- he'd be a fool to return there"

[interludes] Random_Individual says (to Niccolo), "Yeah, I think I may have seen him"

[interludes] Chiara says, "but since we have no idea who his allies might be, it's difficult to guess..."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I'm not sure what additional plan he might have at this point"

[interludes] Random_Individual says, "headed down that street over there"

[interludes] Wilson says, "He didn't have Riccalbano with him."

[interludes] Fortunato says, "So: no Danel, no Dixon, no Riccalbano"

[interludes] Niccolo exclaims (at Random), "Thank you!"

[interludes] Fortunato says, "I shall have to declare this evening a total success."

Giancarlo wipes off his brow when he's satisfied, and proffers an arm. "Well, mother, do you think junior would appreciate a little stroll by the governor's mansion?"

[interludes] Random_Individual says, "Don't mention it."

[interludes] Venzi says (to Fortunato), "and Meander's still alive. now, if you'll excuse us .."

[interludes] Venzi follows Niccolo, I guess.

[interludes] Wilson says (to Venzi), "Uh, Fortunato's with me, back at the mansion."

[interludes] Niccolo starts down the street, trying to figure out where he'd likely be headed if he went this way.

[interludes] GM tries to follow the teleporting Venzi

[interludes] Venzi says, "(oh, whoops, sorry)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "(I was thinking Fortunato was here on the docks)"

[interludes] Wilson says, "We got him on the run, though, sir."

Amber says, "You might want to stay here, and see who comes for the baby. I'll take him back home, and see that someone is taking care of him, then I can come back and join you."

[interludes] Fortunato asks, "Do you know where he was running *to*?"

[interludes] Wilson says, "And he's alone."

[interludes] Venzi just follows Niccolo, then

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Maybe Wilson should be interludes2, for clarity)"

[interludes2] GM has added Wilson to the channel.

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Heh."

[interludes] Chiara follows as well, at great speed

[interludes] GM says, "There is one guy sleeping against a dock building."

[interludes] Wilson has left the channel.

[interludes] Chiara asks (of guy), "HEY! YOU! have you seen a man with a cut neck?"

Giancarlo says, "Well, as you wish ... though I somehow don't think anyone will be coming by...."

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Guy), "Did you see <describes Dixon, emphasises scar> come through here?"

[interludes] GM says, "When you go to touch the guy, you notice he's sporting a cut neck"

[interludes] GM asks, "And, now that you look closely at him isn't that Dixon's cloak?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "like, cut all the-- er"

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Fort), "He's been abandoned by everyone at this point. I think Danel will tell Gian and Amber where Riccalbano is."

[interludes] Chiara frowns, leans down

Amber says, "You could be right, but I hate to risk it. I'll return as soon as I can."

[interludes] Niccolo pulls up his chin to see his face.

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Dixon shot him in the end."

[interludes] Venzi stands back, hand on his knife

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Are there other ways out of the city?"

[interludes] GM says, "It is not Dixon."

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Besides the docks?"

Amber darts down the street with the baby, in full stealth mode.

[interludes] Venzi turns and looks around

[interludes] Venzi says, "(so is it a fresh cut?)"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(The trail of carnage continues...)"

[interludes] GM says, "The man is slightly clammy to the touch."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "OK, we're on the right path, at least... let's keep going."

[interludes] Venzi says, "no, wait"

[interludes] Venzi says, "wait wait"

Giancarlo strolls away from the scene, whistling. Then doubles back and finds a hidden hiding place.

[interludes] Venzi asks, "could dixon have been in disguise?"

[interludes] Chiara asks (of Venzi), "hm?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "I suppose that doesn't make sense either"

[interludes2] Fortunato asks, "You mean besides the three sides of the city not bound by the sea?"

[interludes] Venzi sighs

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "A hidden hiding place, shielded with wooden wood."

[interludes] Chiara says, "I don't think he could have replaced his face this whole time"

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Well, how many roads?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "what with rubber face masks not existing yet"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(This is where Venzi realizes that, due to dramatic convention, only if we keep following the trail of corpses will people keep dying...)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "heh"

Niccolo keeps going.

[interludes] Niccolo keeps going.

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Are there places we could set up blockades?"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "There are two main roads. I'll set my men to watching them"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "well, I was thinking more magic, but yeah"

[interludes] Chiara does too

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "but there is plenty of forest land to vanish into."

[interludes] Venzi asks (of GM), "but was it a fresh cut? or a scar like Dixon's?"

[interludes2] Wilson nods sadly.

[interludes] GM says, "A fresh cut, made in the last hour, you'd guess."

[interludes] Venzi says, "ok"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "A moment."

[vodacce] GM asks (of Amber), "You headed to anyplace particular in the mansion?"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Also, I'd think he'd need good Vodacce poisons to get that clammy feel just right without dying)"

[vodacce] GM asks, "Like, oh, the guard house?"

[interludes2] Fortunato calls in Guard_2.

[interludes2] Guard_2 asks, "Sir?"

[vodacce] Amber says, "sure, I'm going to the guard house. All those maternaly instinctive guards will make excellent nannies."

[interludes] Niccolo looks for any signs of where/if Dixon may have turned.

[interludes] Venzi says, "(I could believe it of him, but this ain't him, so)"

[interludes] Venzi looks for more random passers-by

[interludes] GM says, "No real signs."

Amber bangs on the guard house door.

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "Blockade the two main roads, and send men to the docks and double the patrols. Roust them out of bed if you need."

[interludes2] Guard_2 says, "Will do -- one moment."

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "Can I make a tracking attempt?"

[interludes2] GM has added Amber to the channel.

[interludes] GM says, "Sure."

[interludes] Venzi looks at the building the guy was sleeping against, or nearby ones, for entrances.

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(-1 unkept, I assume)"

[interludes2] Guard_2 opens the door and sees Amber. "Oh!" He sees Riccalbano. "Oh!!"

[interludes] GM says, "Yes."

[interludes2] Wilson turns around.

[7thsea] Niccolo rolls 2k3: 1 6 | 7

[interludes] GM says (to Venzi), "It's a bar near the docks, closed now for the evening."

Amber exclaims, "I need at least two guards, and a nanny. Right now!!"

[interludes] Niccolo sighs. "This... may be a dead end."

[interludes2] Wilson exclaims, "..Amber!"

[interludes] Venzi tries the door. And windows?

Amber exclaims (at Wilson), "Wilson!"

[interludes2] Fortunato runs to Amber. Riccalbano!

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(By now, aren't we past evening and into middle of the night?)"

[vodacce] Amber exclaims, "Fortunato!"

[interludes] GM says, "The windows are shuttered, and the doors closed and locked."

[interludes] Chiara says (to Niccolo), "I refuse to believe that he escapes."

[interludes2] Wilson asks (of Amber), "Where's Danel? And Giancarlo?"

[interludes] GM says (to Niccolo), "You're getting on 3 in the morning."

[interludes] Venzi sighs.

[interludes2] Amber exclaims (at Guard), "2 Never mind about the nanny!"

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Chiara), "Well... do you have any ideas?"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "Theus alive, you found Riccalbano."

[interludes2] Amber says (to Wilson), "I thought they were with you."

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "Please, come with me. We must go to Meander."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I suppose we can keep walking down this street"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "All else can wait."

[interludes] Chiara looks for any dark alleys he might have gone down

[interludes] Niccolo nods.

[interludes] Niccolo follows the street.

[interludes2] Wilson follows.

[interludes2] Amber exclaims, "Giancarlo is guarding the place we found Ric, and Danel is dead. Praise Theous!"

[interludes] GM says, "There are dark alleys, but town is really deserted this early in the morning."

[interludes2] Amber bursts into tears.

[interludes2] Wilson comforts Amber.

[interludes2] Wilson says, "(getting her rather wet in the process)"

[interludes] Venzi says, "hell if I know"

[interludes2] Fortunato leads the group in a fast march to the house, upstairs and to Meander's room.

[interludes] Chiara says, "how far could he have gone? he has a practically-chopped-off-head"

[interludes] Venzi says (to Chiara), "(you can't do anything with sorte, can you?)"

[interludes2] Fortunato says (to Servant), "I must see Meander now."

[interludes] Venzi says, "and we hit him with a table"

[interludes] Chiara says (to Venzi), "(he's unbound, 'member?)"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "Never mind that. Come on."

[interludes2] Amber squirms away from Wilson, and gets ahold of herself.

[interludes] Venzi says, "(nuts)"

[interludes2] Fortunato leads everyone into Meander's suite.

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Amber), "Through that slide was a canal. I, uh, don't swim that well."

[interludes2] Amber says (to Wilson), "You're wet."

[interludes2] Meander asks, "Fortunato?"

[interludes2] Meander exclaims, "RICCALBANO!"

[interludes2] Meander jumps up and runs to Amber.

[interludes2] Amber hands Meander his son.

[interludes2] Ludovica says, ";:enters from the bedroom. "Riccalbano!""

[interludes] Niccolo asks, "If you were him, where would you run to?"

[interludes2] Fortunato murmurs (to Amber and Wilson), "Let us leave them for now."

[interludes2] Wilson retreats.

[interludes2] Amber says, ""I think he is hungry, but other than that, he seems fine. You have a very healthy boy."

[interludes] Venzi says, "hrm"

[interludes] Venzi says, "I think I'd have another safehouse in the city, and try and go there"

[interludes2] Ludovica takes Amber's hands. "Thank you. Thank the both of you!"

[interludes] Venzi says, "presumably in this area around the docks, so I could try and sneak out later"

[interludes] Venzi says, "not that this is much help"

[interludes2] Amber blushes.

Giancarlo settles down to wait. <sigh>

[interludes2] Amber says, ""It was meant to be. It was the will of Theus."

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Ludovica), "It was your mother-in-law who set us on this path. She may not be doing well, but I think she was right to gather us."

[interludes2] Amber says something appropirate, and turns to leave the couple alown.

[interludes] Venzi shrugs.

[interludes] Niccolo looks at his sewer map.

[interludes] Venzi goes back to look at the guy, and takes a look at the cloak

[interludes2] Wilson actually retreats now.

[interludes2] Wilson . o O ( Oh, sheesh, the spiders! )

[interludes] GM says, "The cloak is distinguished merely by being recognizable as the one Dixon was wearing throughout the evening."

[interludes2] Wilson opens his pocket to see if they're still OK.

[interludes] Venzi says, "and nothing in its pockets, I suppose"

[interludes2] GM says, "They are, though they look shaken up."

[interludes2] Amber says (to Fortunato), "Giancarlo is guarding te spot we found the baby, inc ase anyonw comes to find him. I need to go back."

Chiara has disconnected.

Chiara has connected.

[interludes] GM says, "One piece of paper."

[interludes] Chiara says, "(arrgh, computer crashed)"

[interludes2] Wilson asks (of Amber), "Where is that?"

[interludes] Chiara says, "and this channel has no-recap"

[interludes] Venzi looks at the paper from the cloak

[interludes2] Amber describes the spot and gives directions to the grassy knoll.

[interludes] Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "Find something?"

[interludes] GM says, "It has one word: 'Dionna'"

[interludes2] Wilson exclaims, "They *buried* him? The cretins!"

[interludes] Venzi says, "'Dionna', is all it ssays"

[interludes] Chiara says, "well, that's informative."

[interludes] Venzi says, "hrm"

[interludes2] Amber exclaims, "The dead and soon-to-be-dead cretins, indeed!"

[interludes2] Fortunato says, "If you will forgive me, assuming you have no more information regarding Danel or Dixon, I must sleep."

[interludes] Venzi says, "(can't do any sorte on her, can you?)"

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Fortunato), "No problem."

[interludes] Venzi says, "hr"

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Amber), "You might want a couple guards with you, but, then again, maybe not."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Maybe Fortunato can make something of the name."

[interludes] Chiara says, "hmm"

[interludes2] Wilson says, "I'm pretty sure it's just Dixon alone at this point."

[interludes] Chiara says, "There's a Dionna University"

[interludes2] Wilson exclaims, "And I need to change. See you later!"

[interludes] Chiara says, "The Villanova university"

[interludes] Venzi says, "yes, but -- hrm"

[interludes2] Amber says, ""I've already commandeered guard_2, and company."

[interludes] Chiara frowns

[interludes] Venzi says, "I suppose --"

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Excellent."

[interludes2] Amber gestures to the guards. Lets' go!

[interludes] Venzi asks, "perhaps he was looking for information about the device there?"

[interludes2] Guard_2 exclaims, "Right!"

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Just make sure they stay far enough away from teh spot to be inconspicuous."

[interludes] Chiara asks, "Do we even know what the device is?"

[interludes2] Wilson heads to his room to change out of his wet things.

[interludes] Venzi says, "Rosanella is from Villanova"

Giancarlo waits until he thinks the news about Riccalbano's return should have spread through the mansion.

[interludes] Venzi says, "(er, right?)"

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Chiara), "Personally, I suspect it was related to his miraculous recovery."

[interludes] Chiara says, "the only other lead I can think of is to try to find his friend, Milo Rambaldi"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Bessarion)"

[interludes] Chiara asks (of Niccolo), "the name?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "(which is in Villanova)"

[interludes] Niccolo says, "(Oh, OK)"

[interludes] Niccolo says (to Chiara), "The device."

Amber and guards bolt through town, and arrive at the grassy knoll.

[interludes] Venzi says, "let's go talk to the two of them"

[interludes] Venzi says, "um"

[interludes] Venzi says, "I suppose it's not really urgent at this point; if they were going to flee they'll have fled"

Giancarlo watches from hiding spot a minute before stepping out behind them.

[interludes] Niccolo says, "I think we should see Fortunato first. He'll want to know what's going on."

Giancarlo says, "<yawn> took you long enough."

[interludes] Venzi says, "yeah"

[interludes] Venzi sighs

[interludes] Niccolo says, "And perhaps his guards might be able to put out word to track down Dixon. Or, John."

Amber says (to Giancarlo), "Gian, have you seen anything. Teh kids folks detained us."

[interludes] Chiara shrugs. "You two can go ahead. I'm going to keep looking."

[interludes] Venzi says, "right, although hopefully Wilson will have notified them"

[interludes] Chiara has her knife out.

[interludes] Venzi asks (of Chiara), "for what, exactly?"

[interludes] Chiara says (to Venzi), "Him."

Giancarlo says, "No. It's been quiet as a ... an unhaunted tomb."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I don't think this is going to find him"

Giancarlo asks, "And what do you mean, "detained"?"

[interludes2] Wilson, dry again, takes the spiders up to deposit them back in their room, looks for Ridolfo.

[interludes] Venzi says, "unless you have a better lead, come back with us to Fortunato"

[interludes] Chiara says, "I can't afford for him to live."

[interludes] Venzi asks, "the wound to your pride was so severe?"

[interludes] Chiara smiles slightly.

Amber says (to Gian), "They just wanted to see me and shake my hand hand and say thank you. They were worried."

[interludes] Chiara says, "I could explain, but then I would have you to worry about as well."

Giancarlo says, "Oh. I thought you meant "clapped in irons"."

[interludes] Venzi raises an eyebrow. "Kind of you."

Amber says, "We should hide. Guards - post yourselves about, inconspicuously."

[interludes] Venzi says, "but, as I said, you are not going to find him, and the streets are not exactly safe"

[interludes2] Wilson says (to Servant), "Hey, I need to find Ridolfo."

Amber asks (of Gian), "You haven't seen anyone?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "and if you do not come along, I will carry you back"

Amber looks around for a convenient melt-away spot.

[interludes] Venzi says, "damp skirts and all"

Giancarlo says, "No. Frankly, I don't think anyone's going to come for the child, now that it's probably known that he's been returned."

[interludes] Niccolo says, "Meanwhile, I *shall* go. Pardon me."

[interludes] Chiara makes a gesture of indifference. "Then they are unsafe. Go back to -- I don't think you would try that, if you have any sense."

[interludes] Niccolo goes set off toward the watch house.

[interludes] Chiara turns away and sets off down an alley.

Amber says, "You could be right. We could leave these guards here, and head out, if you want."

[interludes] Venzi grabs her arm

[interludes] Chiara says, "STOP it."

Amber asks, "Where did you want to go?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "don't be silly"

Amber asks, "Anyplace on that map look intriguing?"

Giancarlo says, "to bed. It's been a bit more of a party than expected."

[interludes] Chiara says (to Venzi), "do you honestly suppose that Fortunato will find him? He will wait until morning, arrange guards... and fail"

[interludes] Venzi asks, "whereas you will succeed because why?"

[interludes] Chiara says, "if I do not find him, my life is already forfeit."

Amber says, "Let's get our xp, money and fun reward(s) first. That's what I'm holding out for."

[interludes] Chiara says, "it doesn't matter that I am unlikely to succeed; I must try."

[interludes] Venzi rolls eyes.

[vodacce] Wilson exclaims, "Hee!"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Boom goes the fourth wall."

[interludes] Chiara says, "He knows things that would kill me and people I am associated with. Now let me go -- I didn't expect you to understand."

[interludes] Venzi frowns.

[interludes] Venzi says, "I didn't realize it was like that"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "I imagine the GM wants the party to re-unite, at least..."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Which might take a while."

[interludes] Venzi says, "but I would still point out that you have no leads, and the best two leads we do have lead back to Fortunato first"

Giancarlo asks (of Amber), "I don't suppose you know if the others are alright?"

[interludes] Venzi says, "so come and talk to him, and then come back and scour the streets if you must -- Sir Guy won't get much better of a lead than he has now"

[interludes] Chiara says, "by morning... who knows"

Amber says, "Wilson was fine, but wet."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I'm talking about another hour at most"

[interludes] Chiara sighs

[vodacce] Wilson knocks on Ridolfo's door. "Hey, wake up!"

[interludes] Chiara says, "Very well. But he must die, and soon."

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Also, here."

[interludes] Venzi says, "I admire your dedication but it's being wastefully directed"

[interludes] Venzi says, "as you wish"

[interludes] Venzi lets go of Chiara's arm and turns to walk back, seeing if she follows

Giancarlo says, "I assume that means the others are somewhere around. Wilson might know someone who could translate the book,"

[interludes2] Ridolfo stumbles out, bleary-eyed.

[interludes] Chiara follows slowly and without any great enthusiasm. She keeps checking the shadows for signs of lurkers.

Amber says, "Wilson reads avalon."

[interludes2] Wilson asks (of Ridolfo), "Hey, do you know anything about the spiders the Contessa owns?"

[interludes] Venzi glances around also, but more in the on-the-streets-at-3am kind of way

Giancarlo says, "Oh, is it Avalon? I couldn't tell."

[interludes2] Ridolfo says, "Huh? No, not really."

Giancarlo lies ...

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Drat. You did that think with the webs, earlier, right?"

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "What kind of spiders made those webs?"

Giancarlo begins walking back to the mansion.

[interludes2] Ridolfo shrugs. "She gave me the webs."

[interludes2] Wilson says, "The reason I ask is that Dixon escaped, but I dropped a spider on him first, who may still be with him."

Venzi and Chiara eventually arrive back at the mansion also

[interludes2] Wilson says, "I was hoping we could track him that way."

[interludes2] Wilson asks, "Is the Contessa doing better?"

Amber heads back tot he manner, leaveing te competent gurads at the knoll.

[interludes2] Ridolfo says, "I don't think we can."

[interludes2] Ridolfo says, "And she is doing better, though her sanity is not always firmly in her grip."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Competent...."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "The gurads are competent. The guards leave something to be desired."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "hee"

[vodacce] Chiara asks, "a gurad is a brand of band-aid, right?"

[interludes2] Amber says, "hey, so I'm tired and can no longer spell. at least I'm herer."

Giancarlo and Amber probably arrive just after Venzi and Chiara.

[vodacce] Amber says, "hey, so I'm tired and can no longer spell. at least I'm herer."

Niccolo arrives shortly after Giancarlo and Amber, most likely.

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Yep, you are herer than you were before."

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Ridolfo), "Well, drat. At least Riccalbano's back. But don't tell people yet; they're staking out the place where he was hidden."

Venzi asks (of Giancarlo), "Dixon got away. what of Danel and Riccalbano?"

Amber says, "Danel is toasty."

[vodacce] GM says, "Poof, you all meet each other and can catch each other up on what has occurred."

[interludes2] Wilson says, "Also, here again."

[interludes2] Ridolfo exclaims, "That's wonderful!"

Niccolo says, "The guards are watching the roads and docks."

[interludes2] Wilson exclaims (at Ridolfo), "Yup!"

Giancarlo says (to Venzi), "Riccalbano's safe again. Danel, well, one would hope (crosses self)."

Amber says, "And the gurads are guarding the knoll."

Niccolo asks, "What knoll?"

Venzi says, "I don't understand the purpose of the corpse in his cloak"

Giancarlo says (to Niccolo), "The one where Riccalbano was hidden."

Amber says, "The one where we found teh baby and stashed the machine."

Giancarlo asks (of Venzi), "The ... what?"

Niccolo asks (of Venzi), "To distract us, if the boat-switch failed?"

Venzi says, "we found a dead body dressed in Dixon's cloak, with a sheet of paper in the pocket"

Niccolo asks (of Gian), "You found Riccalbano?"

Venzi asks, "with one word on the paper -- Dionna?"

Giancarlo says (to Nico), "yes."

Niccolo asks, "Ah, good. Was he alive?"

Giancarlo blinks. "Dionna! The university.

Amber says, "yes."

Venzi asks, "yes, but ..?"

Niccolo says, "Even better."

Giancarlo says, "Yes. No buts."

Amber says, "he was hungry, and wanted his mother."

Niccolo says (to Gian), "I'm glad that answers that for you."

Wilson comes down, joins the others.

Wilson says, "Dionna, huh? Weird."

Niccolo asks (of Gian), "Tell us, if you will, how that helps anything?"

Giancarlo asks, "The university at Dionna ... the strange machines ... Villanova ... Bessarion.... Has anyone spoken to Rosanella?"

Venzi says, "exactly"

Venzi asks (of Fortunato), "did you send anyone to speak to Rosanella?"

Amber hands a book to Wilson. "Can you read this?"

Niccolo says, "And of course, we have not, as we just got here."

Wilson takes it, reads.

Niccolo says (to Venzi), "Thank you, but I'm not Fortunato. You may be more tired than you thought."

[vodacce] GM says, "Fortunato is where I want to be -- asleep. :)"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Pardon, I thought "yes, but...?" was in response to Amber."

Niccolo says (to Venzi), "Fortunato's home abed, after a long and injurious day."

Venzi says, "damn, I was hoping he'd still be here"

Venzi says, "well, I suppose she'll still be here or not here in the morning"

Venzi says, "I'm for bed."

Giancarlo says, "I need a bath. And then, bed."

Niccolo says, "I as well, I think."

[vodacce] Wilson asks, "Anything in the book?"

[vodacce] Amber says, "words. lots of words."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Excellent."

Wilson says, "I'm much to jumpy to sleep. But I have a little light reading to help."

Giancarlo says (to Wilson), "Don't get killed over it."

[vodacce] GM says, "I'm going to have to do the twenty minutes of wrap-up some other time, folks. I can't think right now."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Heh."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "s'fine"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "No problem."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Neither can we."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Reasonable."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "True."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "(well, us east-coaster's can't.)"

[vodacce] Amber says, "'salright, my brain cells are boiled anyway."

[vodacce] Venzi asks, "anything else before we quit?"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Like XP?"

[vodacce] Amber asks, "when do we meet again?"

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "Yeah, when do we do the wrap up?"

[vodacce] GM says, "I dunno. Not Saturday night."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Drama dice that we can spend during the wrap-up? :)"

npc1 has disconnected.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "heh"

npc2 has disconnected.

[vodacce] Amber asks, "tomorrow?"

[vodacce] Alex says (to Amber), "Awwwk! Word on the street is that tomorrow is the second day of the rest of your life."

[vodacce] Giancarlo asks, "If it's 20 minutes, maybe Tomorrow (today) evening?"

[vodacce] Chiara says, "not during alias"

[vodacce] GM says, "Tomorrow's probably out for me, sorry."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Yeah, a 20 minute wrap-up shouldn't take more than an hour at most."

[vodacce] Amber says, "20 minutes in this group takes at least an hour."

[vodacce] GM says, "There's nothing mroe to do but talk."

[vodacce] GM says, "since Dixon got away"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "ok, if tomorrow's out we can discuss what to do later"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks (of GM), "What do you think takes us so much time?"

[vodacce] Chiara asks (of GM), "was that inevitable?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "er, when to do"

[vodacce] GM says, "leaving open the door for VODACCE 2: THIS TIME IT WILL TAKE SEEN YEARS"

[vodacce] GM says, "er, SEVEN"

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "heh"

[vodacce] GM says (to Chiara), "Not inevitable, but very likely."

[vodacce] Chiara says, "pfeh."

[vodacce] Niccolo exclaims (at Chiara), "You'll need to check his Wile to see if he's a returning villain. OOOPS we can't!"

[vodacce] GM says (to Niccolo), "I dunno. I think I may not be good at running a tight, fast game."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "(Sorry, that was funnier in my head)"

[vodacce] Amber says, "or we chat a lot. but that makes it fun."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "I'll take a complicated plotty game over a tight one any day"

[vodacce] GM says, "I've got to go. Have to get up in four hours and teach then sing then make lunch for a visiting friend."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "yow"

[vodacce] Niccolo waves to GM, and other sleepers.

[vodacce] Venzi says, "thanks for game"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Oy."

[vodacce] GM exclaims, "Will settle things soon. G'night!"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Yes, thanks much."

GM has disconnected.

[vodacce] Amber says, "good game"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Was fun."

Amber has disconnected.

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "aye"

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Yeah, good game."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "also, I AM STILL CONFUSED"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "OK, about what?"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "the plot stuff"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "WHY in the world he did any of this?"

[vodacce] Wilson says (to Venzi), "The journal will presumably esplain much."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "yeah"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "but until then, I'll be confused"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Which will be nice."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Perhaps Meander is in some deep way Evil in the eyes of someone who considers themselves to be Good."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "But yeah, the reasons behind this are murky."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "Next "session" will take place in the morning after Wilson's read the thing."

[vodacce] Niccolo says, "Or maybe he was just bribed."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "whatever ... i need sleep. up in four hours to go to church and go to church...."

[vodacce] Giancarlo says, "'night"

[vodacce] Venzi says, "night mis"

[vodacce] Niccolo asks, "Any objection to a closing of the log?"

Giancarlo has disconnected.

[vodacce] Wilson says, "There's also the deal with the people arriving next week from Bessarion."

[vodacce] Wilson says, "Nope."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "oh yeah, that"

[vodacce] Wilson says, "I'm sleepin', too."

[vodacce] Venzi says, "which connects to the university too"

[vodacce] Wilson wave!

Eolo has disconnected.