Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession34"

Latest revision as of 21:51, 8 June 2010

Back to Session 33

TonyC materializes out of thin air.

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Sorry I'm late.

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Jetman?

jetman has arrived.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yo ho! )

You say, "Hey, all!"

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Anyway, my ride had to pick up his parents at the airport. 10:00 rolls in, still no show. I called him, turns out plane's late. So I called a cab. And here I am.

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Let's all hope that whichever higher being is in charge of internet communication is feeling generous tonight.

jetman [to TonyC]: Hear hear!

You say, "Yes, indeed. Now that I've got my coffee..."

You say, "Before we start: Coolest site I've seen in weeks is http://paperstarships.tengun.net/"

Monkey . o O ( Two weeks ago, according to my memory. The usual suspects entered a cave on the border of a wyld zone. Deeper in, found glowing inscriptions. Further in, a river of gemstone. We're probably within a wyld zone. Finally, a stone gate with a lion's head carved. Kaizoku inspects cautiously. Monkey leaps rashly and knocks on the door. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ayup. Selected cut and paste: )

The gem-stream flows into a pool at the base of the wall, about twenty feet from the shore to the huge door that is set in jade and gossamer in the wall. Inlaid in the door, which has no obvious handle, is the head of a lion with a strange and wicked set to its expression.

The Storyteller . o O ( the last think I saw was Monkey jumping over to the door and landing knee-deep in gems. )

Monkey . o O ( Monkey's feet is in the pool. Or more, if the pool's deeper than I thought )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Knee-deep? No problem.

Suda and Akbar hang back, watching Monkey wade through the gems.

Admiral Kaizoku bites back an admonition of "Be careful," since it IS Monkey.

TonyC [to jetman]: Feel free to respond to Monkey's rashness. But hey, I figure sooner or later someone will have to risk it. So, Monkey, sooner.

Suda's gaze wanders from Monkey and traces the wall carvings around the door frame. After a few moments, she says, "Admiral. Look there, at the carvings on the upper right quadrant of the doorframe." The carvings she points at are unintelligible at first, but after staring at them for a moment, you can make out a sequence of pictographs that depict a figure of some sort fighting a golden serpent and losing. You suspect the figure is a DragonBlooded, from the elemental iconography.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, who's doing what? )

Admiral Kaizoku follows her gaze and pulls out his spyglass for a closer look, moving down the sequence to see if there is more detail. "Hmmm... a golden serpent may suggest Solar Exalted..."

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and is Monkey wearing shoes? )

Monkey knocks again. Louder.

Monkey . o O ( Yes. But definitely not boots. )

Monkey's knocks are more like taps on the stone. The door is a poor sounding board.

Monkey . o O ( Monkey usually goes barefoot on deck, but desert sand is hot, so I can't think of a reason why he wouldn't wear a pair. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, make a Perception + Awareness roll )

The Storyteller . o O ( Plus, desert sand is more likely to have sharp, pointy, and poisonous things in it.. )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Monkey says "Hey, there's sand in my sandals! Is that why they call them that?" )

Monkey . o O ( Ouch. You out-monkeyed me. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Heh. )

Monkey notices -- on around the fifth knock -- that as he raps the stone, the gems inlaid in it shuffle aside under his knuckles, reforming after each knock.

Admiral Kaizoku calls out "Have you found something, Monkey?" as he notes the pause in the knocking.

Monkey cocks his head slightly to the right and examines his hands. After a few moments, he shrugs and pushes the door. Maybe it'll move open.

Monkey says, "Just a second, I'm gonna try pushing it."

The Storyteller . o O ( Using charms? )

Monkey . o O ( genre conventions demands that the door eats Monkey now. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Naw, not yet. Tempting though that may be. )

Monkey . o O ( Nah. Let's rely on ST 3. But if it doesn't move, I'll pump it to 7. )

Suda says, "Or the serpent could be literal, not allegorical. A fire elemental, perhaps, though I know of none that take the shape of a serpent. Or it could be some creature of the Wyld, since we are in a Bordermarch."

Monkey strains against the door, but it doesn't budge...

The Storyteller . o O ( Ramping up the Strength + Athletics, Monkey? )

Admiral Kaizoku remarks "Perhaps. After so much written text though, why would there be a literal pictograph? The creators of this place are not the Dragon Blooded, to be sure."

Monkey stops and shifts his posture to better apply his strength. He spits on the palms of his hands, braces himself as best as he can on the gem-river, and... "Haaaaaaah!"

Monkey . o O ( Yup. That'll be 12 motes. Since there isn't any reason to choose personal or peripheral, I'll use personal essence. )

The Storyteller . o O ( so enhanced Str + Ath is 7? )

Monkey . o O ( Oh, no. Enhanced ST is 7. Combined total is 12. )

Monkey . o O ( If necessary, I'll spend a willpower for a feat of strength, )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. That's what I needed to know. )

Under Monkey's straining palms, the gems inlaid in the door scatter in all directions of their own volition, moving across the stone of the door like ants fleeing spilled water. The door itself still does not move, but Monkey can almost feel it shifting a little under the force of his push.

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Per + Awa check. )

Monkey . o O ( Heck, apply stunt dice if necessary, although I won't recover anything. )

Monkey . o O ( Let's use WP for auto success. )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 2 successes.

TonyC [to jetman]: ST might want you to roll to. The scene happens pretty close by, under Kaizoku's full view after all.

Monkey feels something crawling up his arm and flips it over to see a glittering insect about the size of his thumbnail -- a beetle, maybe? -- clinging to his forearm. Behind you, Akbar shouts, "Look out!" and you hear a scritching noise as many of the gems on the door grow legs and begin marching purposefully toward the lion head carving.

jetman [to TonyC]: Well, Monkey's much closer but...

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Guess it's obvious now. )

Admiral Kaizoku calls out "Step back, Monkey!"

Monkey takes several steps back, taking him in the middle of the pool.

Monkey rolled 2 dice on Temperance? and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku says, "It seems to be a defensive mechanism... force alone will not suffice."

Monkey decides that he'll watch cautiously and see what happens next (it's sooo interesting), but is ready to jump out of the pool if the gems around him starts animating too.

Akbar readies his weapons, while Suda enters a martial arts stance you're not familiar with. The gem-beetles, meanwhile, scurry _into_ the lion carving, disappearing through eyes and mouth. With each gem, the carving bulges out from the door a little more, until, as the last one vanishes between its fangs, the lion's head is almost a fully raised sculpture.

Monkey says, "Uh, moshi-moshi?"

The Storyteller . o O ( What's Kaizoku doing? )

Admiral Kaizoku steps forward in front of Akbar and Suda, wading into the gem-stream as he stands a pace in front of Monkey, locking eyes with the lion carving to see if it reacts, saying "Hail, well met" in Old Realm.

The lion's eyes dart over each of you and your companions, then rest on Kaizoku. It speaks in a melodious maiden's voice. "Greetings to you, noble warriors and bold travelers. By what fair chance do you grace my master's doorstep?"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( In what language? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Your native tongue, whichever that is -- Monkey hears it in Seatongue, you in High or Low Realm, and so on. )

Admiral Kaizoku replies "O guardian, we have come from distant lands seeking an item of my heritage that has found its way into your master's abode. Does your master dwell within now, that we may address him?"

Monkey answers in Seatongue, "It's not chance, we deliberately come here looking for something."

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a presence + socialize roll. )

Monkey . o O ( Two abilities, no atribute? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Time for HPM! )

Monkey rolled 1 dice on Pre + Soc and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, which att? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Color me a doofus. Manipulation + socialize. )

Monkey rolled 2 dice on Man + Soc and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Manip+Soc and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And HPM from personal. )

The lion says, "My master abides, but will see only pilgrims who bring a gift of suitable luster for his hoard, which outshines the very stars in glory. What have you brought to enrich him?"

Monkey . o O ( You want to handle this or you want me to handle this? )

Monkey looks at Admiral Kaizoku to see his reaction.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I'll handle it, though there's no stopping Monkey's interjections, or putting forth some trinket. )

Admiral Kaizoku replies smoothly "The greatest treasure of all, one that cannot be found within currently or ever stolen! I bring stories of the wider world, news of events vast, wonderous and terrifying!"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And did Akbar have any of those statues left? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Unfortunately not. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Thought not. )

The lion is silent for a moment, then says, "Abide a moment while I bring this gift to my master." The gems rush out of the carving in a torrent, falling into the pool. Suddenly hollow, the carving fades back into the door.

Monkey . o O ( Don't bother with trinkets. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He might be really materialistic. )

Admiral Kaizoku turns to his companions. "Come up with your best stories..." he says in a low voice.

The Storyteller . o O ( It's going to about a quarter hour before anything else happens. Meanwhile, I'll brb. )

Monkey whispers conspiratorially, "You mean best best, or BEST BEST?"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmm... Perform would handle storytelling, wouldn't it? )

Monkey . o O ( Yup. )

Admiral Kaizoku replies "Save the best for last, Monkey."

Monkey nods in understanding. "Gotcha.

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Be discreet until we understand the whims of the master of the domain... Fair Folk can be quite capricious."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... think Jesse's still connected? )

Monkey . o O ( Probably. My guess is bathroom. )

After a while, the door splits down the middle and opens outward, gemstones eddying at the corners. Through the doorway, you can see a vast lake of glittering gems. You can't really guess at its size, but you can barely see the far wall. Scattered about the lake are islands of stone, topped with fire-colored spires and buildings that are in turn topped with flames. Directly in front of you, rough-hewn stone stairs rise out of the gems to a walkway about a yard above the surface of the lake. The walkway is some ten feet in width and leads to a central island, where a tall palace stands. On the walkway, a woman in brilliant golden robes with the head of a lion stands. She says, in the voice of the door lion, "Enter the hold of Arvitolashka, the Lion of Near."

The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry. Big pose. )

Monkey says, "Near what?"

The woman says, "Whatever he chooses. I am Alustara, the Door-Warden. Follow me."

She turns and walks down the path, her robes swirling behind her.

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Hey there, arvitolashka" he says as he enters.! How's it going? "

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, my. Lag )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Aw, crap. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Eh? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That's a very odd bug with my program. The word Gr-eet is a command, even when put into a pose. )

Admiral Kaizoku steps forward out of the gemstone stream and knocks his boots clean before heading through the entranceway, not responding to Monkey's question. "Admiral Kaizoku of the Solar Navy and party gr-eet Arvitolashka" he says as he enters.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( There's the proper pose. )

Monkey turns his head to grin at his companions and follows Alustara.

The Storyteller . o O ( Funny... )

Suda and Akbar follow, Suda confidently and Akbar less so. (Make Per + Awareness rolls if you're looking in Suda's direction.)

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku was checking Suda's reaction, as she does know so many secrets.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Per and got 1 botch.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or maybe not )

Out of the corner of his eye, Monkey sees Suda toss a rolled-up slip of paper to one side before she enters the pool of gems.

The Storyteller . o O ( ping )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmm... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Must be important. )

Monkey . o O ( Monkey doesn't react to Suda. So Suda's tossing a piece of garbage. Big deal. He follows the Door Warden. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No, I'm just having lag on my web browser and no lag on this... hopefully the latter continues to be true. )

Admiral Kaizoku continues to follow the warden, relaxed but alert.

Alustara walks ahead of you. The stone of the walkway is volcanic, smooth and unyielding. The heat in this cavern -- for far above you can see a roof, lit by the lake and the fires atop each building -- is not quite oppressive, thanks to the dryness of the place. About halfway to the central island, you pass through a gateway without a gate, an arch of solid ruby carved or somehow shaped like a pair of oaks, their branches entwining above you. As you pass through, Alustara pauses and says, "These trees were once my master's lovers, who thought to mislead him with tales of woe. Such is their punishment."

Admiral Kaizoku looks over the gateway and merely nods, saying nothing.

Monkey says, "Not much for a tear-jerker, eh, your master. Good thing I'm no good at those."

Ahead, you see another arch, this one three megaliths -- two on either side of the path supporting a third laid across them about twenty feet above the path. Each megalith is roughly textured, and as you draw nearer you see that they are covered in writing. The stone is gray, veined with burgundy. In the center of the archway stands a man, naked to the waist, a divided skirt his only garment. In one hand, he holds lightly a long-bladed spear of gossamer. Tattooed on his chest is a lion in gold. His features are sharp and unlovely.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( What does the Admiral know about the proper way to great and treat with Fair Folk? Anything? )

Alustara growls in her throat as you approach the man, and she imperiously waves him aside. "What do you want, Masook? These are guests of the Lion of Near, and you may not bar their way."

The Storyteller . o O ( Very little. Make a Wits + Occult roll. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Occult and got 4 successes.

Monkey rolled 4 dice on Wits + Occu and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Not a legendary success, so probably not much. )

Monkey . o O ( Assume a non-1 difficulty. )

The Storyteller . o O ( He knows the usual bits -- don't make rash promises, be careful what you eat, etc. Aside from that... not much. )

Admiral Kaizoku carefully appraises Masook's stance, musing that these may be animals twisted into human form rather than the opposite... and that this may be a dominance battle.

Monkey . o O ( Is the don't eat part canon? While Gaelic faery lore does say so, IIRC Arabian and Oriental fae-lore doesn't care. In fact, one could argue that refusing food from the host would be rude. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Depends on the Raksha in question... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Maybe some foods are OK and others have bad effects? )

Masook says, "Alustara, you are too kindhearted. Look upon the slender one -- is he not beautiful? His beauty blinds your golden eyes -- as does every pretty mortal that comes to the threshold. Pah! I see clearly: He is dangerous!"

Monkey . o O ( The food itself never have bad effect. It's what eating the offered food means. Hosts always offer guests food. It's hospitality and I believe this is universal. )

Monkey . o O ( But accepting hospitality carries has a lot of cultural baggage, and this varies from place to place. )

Alustara bridles at Masook's insults. "He is a guest! Arvitolashka has extended his protection, and you cannot break that."

Monkey . o O ( This exchange is in Old Realm? )

Monkey . o O ( Or is it universal language that we hear in our native language? )

Masook tosses his spear from hand to hand. "But long ago I swore an oath, and you were my witness -- None of his kind, those warriors of the Dawn, should pass through this arch without feeling the bite of my spear. This _you_ cannot deny!"

Monkey . o O ( I take it back. Accepting hospitality is also pretty universal and the baggage, now I think about it, is pretty much the same. What differs might be how the fae is perceived -- Ah, screw it. That's more sociology and anthropology than I can claim expertise in. )

Admiral Kaizoku had fallen a step back to warn Monkey about how the Fair Folk might admire his beauty, but the comment about the Dawn interrupted that. "How deeply must your spear bite, warrior?" he asks boldly.

Monkey . o O ( language? )

Alustara steps back and turns to you. "He speaks truth, though it chafes me to acknowledge it. His oath was sworn in earnest, and he may not break it, nor may I. Perhaps he will be satisfied with but a little blood."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Old Realm for me. )

Masook says, "Deeply enough for a song to spill from the wound. But my business is not with you, but with him." He points his spear at Monkey. "Come, dangerous one! Accept my challenge!"

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Valor... )

Monkey . o O ( language? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Just Monkey? )

Monkey rolled 5 dice on something and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( yes, he's the only one being challenged. Can't back down, can he? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And can he understand all this? It's being translated by the magic of the place still? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

Monkey . o O ( If he knows he's being challenged, he wouldn't back down. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I didn't think so. )

Admiral Kaizoku steps to the side and motions Akbar and Suda to do the same. He asks Alustara "What happened here to make him swear such an oath?"

Monkey rolls his eyes. "Sheesh. All this talk. You could have cut through the chase. Alright. Let's make this fair."

Alustara said, "I may not speak of that." She turns back toward Masook. "On your own head be it, then! I'll have no part in your foolishness."

Masook grins and spins his spear lazily from left to right. "You'll regret that, I think. Dangerous one! Attend!" He steps forward from under the arch and takes up a guard stance, spear before him.

Monkey drops his pistols and knives and takes off his upper clothes. "No armor. Come to think about it...," he puts a strange metal tube down.

Monkey says, "No weapon either. It'll be a shame if I offend the host of this magnificent place by accidentally hurting his servant."

Monkey . o O ( OOC: Is Increasing Strength Exercise still in effect? )

Suda leans forward and whispers in Monkey's ear, "Be careful. The Creation-born such as ourselves may bring death to a Raksha, but the opposite is true. He may be playing at a deeper game."

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

Monkey . o O ( Just a sec. Let me double-check something. )

Monkey . o O ( Okay. Backscroll done. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. You get to take the lead in the posing. )

Admiral Kaizoku crosses his arms and keeps a careful eye on Masook.

Monkey . o O ( Actually, let's roll initiative. He can get first strike. )

Monkey rolled 1d10+8 and got 14.

On 1d10+18, you rolled 25.

The Storyteller . o O ( Remind me, how are you armed now? )

Monkey . o O ( With nothing. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And he is unarmored but wielding a spear. Okay. )

Masook suddenly leaps forward, spinning his spear in a fast overhand blow at Monkey's shoulder.

You rolled 14 dice on Spear blow! and got 7 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Full Dodge. No charm. Using WP to add Valor. )

Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge please work and got 9 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( describe? )

The Storyteller . o O ( ping )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I see you. )

Monkey confidently waits until the last moment before stepping aside to let the spear passes harmlessly by. Then he moves calmly around Masook, whispering to his ear, "Is that all?"

Admiral Kaizoku laments not telling Monkey the obvious... to sate the lion-man's pride with a shallow hit.

Masook follows his spear, so that he now stands on one edge of the walkway and Monkey on the other. "Ah," he says, "A worthy foe at last? Shall we find out?"

The Storyteller . o O ( roll init again )

On 1d10+18, you rolled 23.

Monkey rolled 1d10+8 and got 12.

Monkey . o O ( You know, let's not bother with init. Some math, and it ends up that he goes first no matter what. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, yeah... he would, wouldn't he? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Until Monkey disarms him at least. )

Masook flips his spear back over his shoulder, dipping the blade into the lake of gems and flinging a spray of jewels up into the air. He leaps up through the spray, his spear a glassy blur before him. Out of the cloud of jewels, he strikes seven diamonds, sounding a chord that sounds like a gull's cry as the diamonds shoot toward Monkey like falling stars.

The Storyteller . o O ( Seven attacks. )

The Storyteller . o O ( and some math... )

Monkey . o O ( Full Dodge. Using WP to add Valor to 1st dodge. This time, after the first attack, pause the action. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

You rolled 9 dice on Diamond 1 and got 6 successes.

Monkey rolled 19 dice on Dodge Please Work and got 10 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Leaping Dodge Method. )

The Storyteller . o O ( okay, action paused. )

The Storyteller . o O ( ping )

The Storyteller . o O ( weird... I can't get anything through Firefox, but this is working fine. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Don't jinx it! )

As Monkeys ducks under the first diamond-tipped spear thrusts, he bends his knees to get the leverage and leaps, turning mid air so he can kick-off the ceiling and gain momentum. He lands far behind Masook, far beyond the arch of the megaliths. Turning around, he yawns and say, "Masook, your oath's fulfilled. I did not pass through yonder arch. Your master's hospitality is safe, as his guests are unharmed. His honor is secure, as his servants are unhurt. Your courage is admirable, but sure you would fail your duty if you break your master's hospitality. Shall we leave it at that? As for me, I swear that I will not attack your master except in self-defense or if my master orders me too."

The Storyteller . o O ( A. Good stunt. B. The ceiling is a couple hundred feet up. C. Call it a 2-die stunt for Essence or Willpower. )

Masook lands in a hail of gems and grounds his spear. "Clever Dawn! We shall cross blades again someday, I am sure." He waves a dismissive had at Alustra. "As he says, my oath is -- as yet -- unbroken. You may proceed."

Monkey . o O ( Wow, that high? I thought 36 yards would've covered it, but I guess I was wrong. )

Monkey says, "Sure thing."

The Storyteller . o O ( It's more like a really big football stadium kinda thing, y'know? Only with a mile or so diameter. )

Admiral Kaizoku passes under the arch with a node at Massok and says "Very well done!" to Monkey as he catches up to him.

Monkey whispers, "Eh, he really isn't worth the time."

Monkey . o O ( Let me caution everyone concerned that Monkey is likely to break the "no attack" oath given sufficient provocation. )

Admiral Kaizoku hands Monkey back his top bundled with his weapons. "Be wary regardless..." he cautions.

Monkey . o O ( Masook triggered Monkey's limit break. Congrats, Jesse! I rationalize avoiding the confrontation by figuring that Monkey really don't consider Masook enough of a challenge to bother with. )

Monkey . o O ( And it wasn't a retreat! It's an advance! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( An advance to the rear? )

In silence, Alustra leads the party onto the island. Passing between two flame-topped towers, you find yourselves in a courtyard before a great hall. "The Lion of Near awaits you, guests." She turns and walks toward another tower, one that stands a bit separate from the others. A few steps away from you, she pauses and says over her shoulder, "I will see you in while. Try to stay intact till then. I do so hate crafting death masks."

Monkey . o O ( I have more WP that I know what to do with! Wheee! And that's the enemy's rear! )

Admiral Kaizoku remarks under his breath "He must be capricious..." and then says to the party "Any thoughts?"

Monkey says, "What was that, Suda?"

Monkey says, "Oh, nevermind. Thought I heard something."

Monkey . o O ( Ooops on my part. )

Monkey solemnly answers, "One must investigate the situation fully first before responding. And thus... let's go in and see what's in the hall." And with that, Monkey enters the great hall with confident strides.

Suda says, "I hope you've got some good stories, Admiral. I'm not sure mine will be up to the task."

Admiral Kaizoku looks slightly skeptical at that notion. "I have seen a few noteworthy events..." is all he responds with as he heads for the great hall door.

Suda and Akbar follow, Suda keeping a careful eye to the rear in case something should come that way.

The hall is roughly circular in form, and in the center is a great mound of treasure, twice Kaizoku's height and spread out over an area as large as the deck of the Unconquered Sun. The hall is lit by lamps carved to resemble Southern men and women, caryatids surrounding the treasure. Of the Raksha lord, you see no sign. You appear to be the only living things in the room.

Admiral Kaizoku says to Monkey "Don't pick up anything" sternly as he walks around the mound, inspecting the treasures, hoping to spot the fragment of the device, a neutral expression on his face.

Monkey says, "Rats."

The Storyteller is suddenly tempted to pull a Gnome King bit.

Monkey says, "Ahoy! Anybody home?"

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Be patient, Monkey"

Monkey sighs and sits down to meditate. (Read: sleep)

The treasure shifts suddenly, and falls aside in a cascade of gold and copper, silver and gems around the coils of a lion-headed dragon who rises up out of the center. It shakes its mane, and jade obols scatter around the hall. Coiling around the center of the treasure, the dragon looms over you like a tower, its head as tall as Monkey's body. "Welcome to the hall of the Lion of Near, Creation-born. I am Arvitolashka!"

The Storyteller . o O ( your pose )

Monkey stands up and claps, "Bravo! What an entrance! I must do that trick myself one of these days!"

Admiral Kaizoku bows respectfully with his arms out, though keeping his eyes up on Arvitolashka. "Greetings, O Lion of Near" he intones. "Your dwelling is magnificent"

Monkey says, "I am called Monkey. This is Akbar, that's Suda, and this is Kaizoku, Admiral of the Solar Wind Fleet."

Arvitolashka's voice is like the sandstorm, hissing and vast and full of menace. "Indeed, it is greater than all others in the desert. And all who see it add to its glory in treasure or in story. My door-warden has claimed that you bear tales of unmatched magnificence. Should she have been mistaken, the price will be a trifle -- merely that one of you submit to my touch."

Admiral Kaizoku hides his concern about what that would mean. "Of that, have no fear!" he declares, putting on some of Akbar's mannerisms. "My companions and I have journeyed far and wide across Creation in order to journey further still, and have seen things from beyond it as well!"

Monkey says, "And what if the tales are indeed unmatched?"

Monkey . o O ( The Law of Narrativism demands that Monkey feed The Lion his next line. )

Arvitolashka lowers his chin down upon to his coils and says, "Should the tales be unmatched, I shall grant you a boon -- but you must amuse me more than my own storyteller." From a distant opening a woman dressed in silk and linen enters the room, She is barefoot, and garbed only in a knee-length skirt and an embroidered vest. On her back, she has slung a stringed instrument of some kind. Her hair is long and yellow, and she appears almost human. She is beautiful, but her eyes are the hard gold of a lioness, and when she opens her mouth to speak you can see her fangs. "My lord Arvitolashka," she says, "I await your command."

Arvitolashka says, "It shall be a contest, four tales against four tales. Desan shall follow each of your stories with one of her own, and I shall be the judge."

He shifts his coils, scales rubbing against treasure. "Now," he says, "which of you shall go first?"

Admiral Kaizoku rubs his chin. "I shall reserve the honor of the final tale for myself... Monkey, would you begin?"

Monkey says, "Delighted to!"

Monkey bows to The Lion, then Kaizoku. "To the lords." He bows to Desan, "To a fellow storyteller." And to Suda and Akbar, "To the most important thing a storyteller need, the audience."

Monkey says, "I begin, with the tale of a monkey. He was born from a stone, nourished by the light of the sun and the dew of the mountain."

The Lion settles in, toying with a scepter of tamarack and gold as he listens. Desann sits crosslegged at the edge of the treasure pile, her instrument in her lap. Suda and Akbar also sit, though rather further from the treasure and the dragon.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Question is, does he want four stories total, or one story from each person? )

The Storyteller . o O ( One from each, probably. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Thought so, which is why the best was saved for last. )

Monkey says, "He looked around to the North, and found the snow. West, and found water. South, sand. And East, trees. Then he sat on the stone and looked down. "I looked, but I am alone. What shall I do?"

Monkey says, "I know! I have looked everywhere but up! I shall go see Father Sun and demand some answers from him! Thus he climbed the mountain for a year and a day, and when he reached the peak, he leapt from it to the heavens. His arrival coincided with the Feast of Calibration, and the gathered gods were surprised by his entrance."

Monkey says, "Two tiger spirits growled. 'Who are you to come uninvited into a festival honoring The Sun himself?' they asked. 'For your impertinence we shall crush your skull and feast on your liver!'"

Monkey says, "'Impertinent!?' the Monkey answered. "My father threw a banquet and I am not invited?! Outrage!' He tweaked the first tiger spirit's ear and leapt from his head to the first table. 'No need to summon servants! I shall help myself,' and with that he ate the Peach of Immortality."

Monkey says, "The second tiger spirit howled and chased the Monkey, but he threw the peach pit at the spirit's nose and leapt to another table. Snatching a cup from a scandalized courtier, he drank the ambrosia. 'This cup is empty! Someone fetch another jar!'"

Monkey says, "Twenty three more tables he threw into disarray ere he arrived at a dais. Five Maidens gathered and said, 'Honorable Monkey, what cause do you have, to wreak havoc in this eve?' 'I come to see my father and ask him a question.'"

Monkey says, "'Ask your question, and we five shall answer it for you, for there is nothing in Creation that we do not know. Our eyes see all, and our wisdom knows no limit.'"

Monkey says, "The Monkey thought about it for a bit, but he raspberried the Maidens and scurried under their skirts. The Lady Moon arose from her seat and accosted The Monkey. 'I am The Moon, consort to The Sun himself. We two are as one. Surely there is no question you can ask him that I might not know of. Ask me. I might even know the answer.' The Monkey thought about it for a moment, but he finally thumbed his nose at The Moon. 'I am sorry, but you are not my father, and while I may ask you the question, you would not know the answer.' The Moon thought about it and she stepped aside."

Monkey says, "Finally, the Monkey reached the throne of The Sun. 'I am The Sun himself. What is it that you seek from me, that you ransack the very heaven itself?' The Monkey kowtowed three times and head still touching the floor, he asked, 'Why?' The Sun thought about it for a bit, and beckoned the Monkey near. The Monkey leapt to his side. The Sun bent his head and whispered."

Monkey says, "The Monkey scratched his head and said, 'Oh.' He thought for a bit and then said, 'Consider it done.' and with that, he leapt back to Creation."

Monkey says, "The rest of the tale you probably know. It is the war waged against the Creators."

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Cha + Performance )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Cha and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmmm... )

Monkey . o O ( Ah shoot. )

Monkey . o O ( I forgot to declare wp use to add Valor. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That's going to be a hard act to follow. )

Arvitolashka nods... "A fair story... but not the fairest I have ever heard. Desan, what tale will you tell?"

Desann plucks a string on her lute, and says, "Hearken, noble lords and common muck, and hear a tale of ancient days, of dross and glory, of grief and sorrow. This is the tale of how death came to the least of sapients, the race that calls itself human."

Monkey . o O ( Hey, you try coming up with a full fledged story on the fly. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I've got one true one, but I need to do Akbar's... )

TonyC [to jetman]: Crab one online.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Looking! )

Desan says, "In the time before the balance of Creation was cast down, when we gazed upon it as an unbreached wound upon the purity of the Wyld, the great Primordials created humanity to praise them, for the gods were burdened with the gears and wheels of the world."

Monkey . o O ( Ah, this should be interesting. )

Desan says, "Now upon the banks of an Eastern river, the humans built a city of mud and straw under the guidance of the Dragon Kings in the height of their power. Upon a great temple in the center of this city, the priest-kings sacrificed to the Primordials, raising bloody hearts in their honor. For each heart, a Dragon King died to be reborn."

Desan says, "Into the hearts of the Dragon Kings, the seed of resentment grew. Were they not great? Did not they shepherd the feeble cattle of humanity in the beautiful and terrible world of Creation? The gods, too, were resentful..."

Desan says, "In the fields and streets of the mud city, the humans lived and ate and shat and bred, heedless of death or disease. They were as children in the nursery, sheep in the pasture. And the Dragon Kings smoldered with hate. The Sun, gazing down from the sky, saw this hate, and found its reflection in his own heart."

Desan says, "So he murmured soft words to Luna in the eclipse of the moon and the occultation of the sun, saying to her, "Let us make war upon the Primordials and cast them down, that we may not be burdened by their whims and prodigies." Luna replied, "Vast oaths have we sworn and great chains bind us: We may not strike at our creators." The Sun knew this to be true. So checked, his hate turned to spite, and his rays nourished the resentment of the Dragon Kings.

Desan says, "Under the Unconquered Sun's gaze, the Dragon Kings grew powerful, for their kind has always loved sunlight. In dreams, the Sun came to them, in signs and portents he spoke to them. And in the courts of Meru he consulted and schemed, and he spoke with the Maker. The Maker knew spite well, and he understood the passion of the Sun and the Moon.

Desan says, "And so it came to pass that the Maker drew forth some Essence of the Sun, and crafted it into Exaltation. He gave it to the Sun and said, 'Here. Though you may not rise against my brothers and sisters, that which you empower may.' The Sun took the sparks of power and hid them deep in his heart. On his long path over Creation, he looked across the world and considered each creature within it -- who might oppose the rulers of the world?"

Desan says, "Each race and kind he weighed and rejected until at last he came to the Dragon Kings. Looking at them, he thought, 'Truly -- they would be magnificent warriors.' He drew forth the sparks and was about to cast them into the hearts of the Dragon Kings, when Luna stayed his hand. "Wait. Blood calls to blood. Should you make them powerful enough to cast down the Primordials, would they not do the same to us?"

Desan says, "The Sun saw the truth in Luna's words. He hid the sparks away, but as he did so, his gaze fell upon the milling herd of humanity. 'What of these?' he thought. 'They are weak, but they are many. With the Maker's craft upon them, they could, perhaps, surpass the Primordials. In time, they might surpass the gods...' And he passed on in his circuit of Creation."

Desan says, "As he rose the next day, the Sun knew what he would do. That day, in dreams, he spoke to the Dragon Kings, and told them: Raise up the hearts of humanity in my honor and you will be rewarded. Slay the least of them and harden the greatest of them. Cull the herd and strengthen it, and you will be free of your burden to the Primordials. The Dragon Kings heard the Sun, and in fierce passion they did as he wished. Death came to humanity, and the Sun watched those that survived. The souls of the slain he gathered and cleansed of memory, that they would return to life feeble and bare of experience. And to the strong, he gave the sparks of Exaltation, that they would betray the rulers of the world."

Desan says, "And so it came to pass. The Dragon Kings culled the herd, and the Sun strengthened the greatest with the blood of their kin. Through lash of death, the Exalted were desparate to avoid it and so fought the harder, and when it struck they would be stripped of power."

Desan plucks a last few notes on her lute and silences the strings with the flat of her hand.

You rolled 12 dice on Charisma + Performance and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Damn... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Are we going to have time for all 8 stories tonight? )

The Storyteller . o O ( No way. )

Monkey says, "Pfft. Not as good as mine."

The Storyteller . o O ( In fact, we should wrap up now. Sound good? )

Monkey . o O ( May I suggest skipping Suda and Akbar's rounds? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( How many successes did Monkey get? And yes, this will give me more time for my heavy-handed propaganda piece. :) )

Monkey . o O ( 2. )

Monkey . o O ( Honestly, I feel cheated. All that work and no stunt dice. I would've awarded myself 3. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. XP handouts: 5 each, plus Monkey gets another one for the way he ended the fight with Masook. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( It was quite well told, I must admit. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmm... enough to boost Perform to 5 on the fly! )

Monkey . o O ( Cool. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And I did find a good fable to use for Akbar about growing money. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And I'm off to bed, then. And to think up three more Fair Folk-ish stories, hopefully better than that last one. )

Monkey . o O ( Excellent, David. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Take care! )

Monkey . o O ( Good night, Jesse. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Nite! )

jetman [to TonyC]: I had a notion... would Monkey be interested in learning Hungry Tiger from the Admiral?

jetman [to TonyC]: Then he could have a "Monkey See Monkey Do" version of the Admiral's deadly attack combo.

TonyC [to jetman]: Nope. It won't mesh with the MA theme.

TonyC [to jetman]: It won't even work, at all.

On to Session 35