Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession33"

Latest revision as of 21:51, 8 June 2010

Back to Session 32

The Storyteller . o O ( brb )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Pretty much what I figured, though the ability to raise a Trait is an interesting one. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Back. Aside from the Trait-raising -- and remember, Trait is anything on the character sheet with dots after it, though I wouldn't let this spell apply to most Backgrounds -- the interesting thing is that the spell can be used on memories and experiences. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So, for example, Kaizoku could imprint his captains with his own knowledge of the eastern Inland Sea, or of Imperial Customs arrangements, and so on. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I was just thinking that... or of a certain elaborate plan he had. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Has Suda let on about this spell and what it can do? It's sure cut down the time needed to learn other spells. )

The Storyteller . o O ( True. You probably know this, but if Kaizoku has a weakness, it's his elaborate plans. Or his distractability. )

The Storyteller . o O ( She hasn't yet, but she'll probably use it next time you want her to teach you something. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Those, and his unwillingness to hurt innocent people, which luckily no one's caught on to, in part because he kills the guilty with such aplomb. And he does want to learn Sapphire Banishment, now that he has the XP. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( This would be a good way to raise his Int a dot too, which was low on the list due to the long training time. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ah, the beef's ready... sorry, but I'll be back in 20 or so. )

The Storyteller . o O ( True. The spell doesn't explicitly state Attributes, but I'm flexible. )

The Storyteller . o O ( NP )

TonyC materializes out of thin air.

Monkey . o O ( I thought I explicitly said "Start without me." Or are we at a point where Monkey needs to make a decision? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, hey. Well.... )

The Storyteller . o O ( It's more like "The GM forgot we were starting at nine, not ten... and David is off eating 'beef.'" )

The Storyteller . o O ( So think of it as our usual leisurely start! )

Monkey . o O ( What is 'beef?' )

Monkey . o O ( Jetman, if you read this, say something so we can get started. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm hoping it's just a roast, but the way he put it makes me wonder. I think he's still got ten minutes or so to go. And now, I'd better check the archives to remember where we were. (Doubtless about to embark on some damn-fool idealistic crusade.) )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Back. And it was Freedom Dip. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Freedom Dip? That's from Roger Rabbit, isn't it? )

Monkey . o O ( Freedom Dip, eh. Sound like a good name for the damn-fool idealistic crusade. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No, this is formerly "French dip." With "oh, just" dipping sauce. )

Monkey . o O ( Right, let's get started. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And tonight's crusade is "Lecture the Fair Folk on the evils of human slavery and steal their stuff." )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( But not in that order. Ready. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Coffee's on, we're ready to go. )

The Storyteller clears his throat and pops his knuckles.

Kaizoku: Slavery is evil.

Fey: I agree.

Kaizoku: Eh?

Fey: It makes for a tasteless meal. I mean, really, if you want the best quality food out of your cattle, you don't work them to death.

Monkey . o O ( Just kidding. Also, it seems I'm lagging. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh-oh. And the Fair Folk let other people do the working to death, as expensive oarsmen on ships. )

The morning sun is hidden by the sandstorm that assails Chiaroscuro. and the heroes break their fast with pastries and cheese brought up to their rooms in covered bowls by the servant girl of the inn. Listening to the howling wind outside Kaizoku's shutters, Suda says, "I wonder how long this will last? It is extremely inconvenient."

Admiral Kaizoku nods as he bites into a wedge of the goat-cheese of the area. He looks to Akbar with a questioning glance about the length of the storm.

Monkey says, "We've been through worse."

Akbar shrugs. "Could be no more than a few hours. Could be a day or two. I would guess only a few hours, though -- one of the Tri-Khan's pet thaumaturges is probably doing something about it right now."

Monkey says, "Although I must say that having sea-water in your biscuit isn't as bad as having sand in your porridge."

Admiral Kaizoku says "Visibility is more important with a Stormwind than with a ship, Saru... though if the local mages are not up to the task, we may take matters into our own hands."

Akbar nods. "Certainly true, Master Monkey. Of course, I prefer neither..."

Monkey says, "Nothing to do at the moment. I'm going to take a nap. Master Jaff, wake me up when the weather improves."

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Since we have a moment, honored matriarch, perhaps we might contact the owner of this inn about items of mutual interest."

Master Jaff says, "Oook."

Suda says, "How do you propose doing this, and what will you say?"

Admiral Kaizoku says, "The local messengers may be fallible, so I suggest calling up one that is less so... As for what, it is clear that an alliance at the very least is needed.""

Suda listens to the sandstorm for a moment before replying. "Well, this inconvenience will also serve to mask a spell, if that is what you had in mind. I wonder how eager this Admiral Sand will be for alliance, though. By all accounts, he is somewhat more... subtle."

Admiral Kaizoku says "Subtlety for its own sake is not a virtue, and working within this corrupt system will not advance the cause we were called back for. If the shadows are working together so closely, so must the light."

The Storyteller . o O ( BRB -- must get coffee )

Monkey . o O ( Except canonically, the shadows are all planning on backstabbing each other. <grin> But from Kaizoku's POV, they probably look like they're in cahoots, so give it a go! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hey, they're all ganging up on HIM! What else could matter? :) )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And did you get the email I sent Tony? )

Monkey . o O ( Nope. Haven't checked the mailbox. Why? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Nothing urgent. Jesse typed up the text for Gift of Knowledge and I sent it on to you. )

The Storyteller . o O ( back. )

Suda looks at Kaizoku for a long moment. "Yes, it must. Well! What would you have the message say?

The Storyteller . o O ( Do you want to learn Infallible Messenger now? It'd be a good excuse for her to whip out the Gift of Knowledge, as it were. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Not yet... Saph. Banishment first. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

Monkey . o O ( I suggest saying hi. )

Admiral Kaizoku thinks a moment. "'This is Admiral Kaizoku, commander of the Solar Navy. I wish to meet with you to discuss the growing shadows over creation and what can be done about them.'" he dictates in a low voice, adding on a couple of meeting times and places, one in a week here, one in a month in Paragon.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He was last in Paragon, right? )

The Storyteller . o O ( As far as you know, yes. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Good enough. )

Suda repeats the message to herself and then says, "All right. I will cast the spell."

Monkey . o O ( Speaking of Paragon, do we know of the Oath? How about the oathbound anathema? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I sure don't know about it. )

Admiral Kaizoku hrms. "Should the weather be beyond changing, perhaps you might spend some time revealing some of the spells of the Sapphire Circle to me"

She brushes the crumbs from her dress, stands, and begins casting. Green energy surrounds her, but it is the nature of her skill that it is somewhat dampened and dimmed compared to when Kaizoku summons up the power of the Emerald Circle. The energy gathers in a cocoon before her, spinning in the center of the room. The cocoon bursts open in a silent display of light, and a small figure floats in the air, supported by swiftly-beating wings. Suda leans forward and whispers in its ear. The messenger vanishes in a flash as soon as she straightens.

Monkey . o O ( There's a couple ways to get around the sandstorm. 1. Use your own thaumaturgy. 2. Use Calling The Wind's Kiss. 3. Ask Suda to negotiate with the wind elementals. 4. Ignore visibility and use Stormwind Rider and use dead-reckoning to navigate. A solar can know the precise time of the day by spending a mote, so you have an infallible timepiece. )

Suda says, "That should find him. I wonder how he'll answer us?

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Perhaps he has access to sorcery as well... otherwise, a message at one of the times."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( My own thaumaturgy was on the list, but it takes a couple of days to get results... Calling the Wind's Kiss only works on sails. I have a much more flamboyant and abusive idea though, inspired by good Admiral Sand and the Hearthstone we picked up. )

Monkey . o O ( What Hearthstone? I don't recall picking up a Hearthstone. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The Admiral attuned to the Manse he was training at. )

Monkey . o O ( If you're thinking Halcyon Port's Hearthstone, I am quite sure that the stone stays there. )

Monkey . o O ( Mere attunement does not grant you a hearthstone. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh, what? Why? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Suda wasn't using it... who else would? )

Monkey . o O ( I'm under the impression that the Hearthstone is used to mask Halcyon Port whenever a ship gets too close. If you have the Hearthstone, you get the benefit, but Halcyon loses its masking. )

The Storyteller is looking up the manse page.

Monkey . o O ( I just can't see Suda nor Kaizoku willing to risk revealing Halcyon Port's location by bring the Hearthstone over here. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The camo job didn't seem to have anything to do with the Hearthstone, a Seacalm Gemstone. It was all just clever construction. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. No, looking at the page, I'd say that's one of the manse's inherent powers, not the hearthstone. The hearthstone's power is just that the bearer's ship will never sink from poor handling or bad weather, not that it'll control weather. )

Monkey . o O ( Then I'm mistaken. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh-oh... laggy... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And a stone like that used on a sand ship... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sure. The sand ship won't sink. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or tip over? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well... )

The Storyteller . o O ( No, I suppose not. )

Monkey . o O ( I thought the reason you shied from Stormwind Rider was visibility. How does a sand ship gets around this problem? )

Monkey . o O ( Btw, I don't really care what method is actually used, as long as it takes the minimum amount of real time. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, the Hearthstone does say "At sea" so it might not work... but it protects against all sailing-related mishaps, and isn't going as fast. In any case, the storm may pass before that's needed. )

Monkey . o O ( FF until sand storm passes? How much time does it take? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, forgot -- you said another line of dialogue earlier, didn't you? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( About learning spells if the sandstorm goes on too long? )

Suda says, having finished her spell and sat down to some tea, "That would be an excellent way to while away the time, yes. Let us begin with a fundamentally useful spell, a sorcery that permits the banishing of demons of the second circle..."

Admiral Kaizoku replies "A fine notion. Pay attention... Saru. This will involve the basics of many demons we are sure to confront."

Monkey opens one eye and says, "I'm paying attention."

Monkey starts training in the art of sleeping with one eye open, a handy skill to have when you work for Kaizoku.

Admiral Kaizoku says, "After all, some are large enough to swallow you whole, and that would be inconvenient."

Monkey's head makes some movement that's vaguely nod-like.

Admiral Kaizoku pulls Monkey's hand flat on the table and gets out a knife, putting it into the table between his fingers without looking as he pays attention to Suda.

For the next hour or so -- as Akbar does figures in his notebook and Monkey "pays attention" -- Suda lays out a basic demonology for Kaizoku. About halfway through a digression on Zsofika and how she decimated the 32nd Imperial legion whan summoned by a Lunar warlord in the fourth century of the Empress' reign, Suda stops in mid-sentence.

Admiral Kaizoku tenses suddenly, looking to both sides, but not turning around. "What is it?" he asks under his breath.

She says, "Bah. Enough lecturing. You need to know this now, I think, not later. Come with me." She gets up and walks out the door, heading for her own room.

Admiral Kaizoku stands and follows, motioning Monkey and Akbar to stay there as he goes. "Yes?" he asks when they are in her room. "You have some book that is more to the point?"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Though Monkey is sure to follow! )

Monkey . o O ( I'm not sure how to respond to the knife. )

Monkey rolled 4 dice on Side-Step Reflex Technique and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( It was just to make sure Monkey was paying attention, setting up the traditional knife between the fingers game. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Which is something I'm sure Monkey aways pays attention to. :) )

Monkey . o O ( The thing is, I'd be paying attention to the knife, and not the lecture. )

Suda says, "No, a spell. Also of the Sapphire Circle. It will allow me to implant the knowledge in your mind directly, without need for tedious lecturing and practice. Though practice has its own virtues in sorcery, it must often yield to expediency." As she speaks, she is clearing a space in the center of the room on the floor. "Take off your coat and sit here. I will sit here, like so, and we will begin -- Monkey!" she shouts as the impulsive one's head appears around the door. "Stay there and make sure we're not disturbed!"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Paying attention to something is better than paying attention to nothing. The Admiral knows total victory will take steps. )

Monkey looks up and says, "Sure."

Admiral Kaizoku slowly takes off his coat and sets it aside, moving his sword to his lap as he sits down. "Directly into my mind?" he asks a bit cautiously.

Monkey goes back to Akbar and winks, "Kaizoku and Suda, eh. I guess spring is finally there for the admiral." He snickers.

She mutters under her breath, "Most of all by you. I swear, of all students, he is the worst... Nevermind! Kaizoku. Begin meditating in the Silurian mode, as I taught you month before last. This will prepare your mind to accept the knowledge safely -- and without letting either of our minds impinge on the private thoughts of the other." She sits cross-legged opposite the Admiral and begins chanting. Sapphire Essence comes into being between her lips and dances out into the air, forming the characters of the spell.

The Storyteller . o O ( And... fast forward to her having taught the Admiral Sapphire Banishment. )

Monkey picks up the knife and tosses it in the air and catches it as it goes back down.

Admiral Kaizoku rubs his head as he stands. "How very... intimate" he remarks as he puts his coat back on, reviewing the suddenly present intricacies of banishing demons. "I can see many uses for that spell... can it channel patience?" he asks as they approach Monkey downstairs.

By the time Suda and Kaizoku are done, Monkey is juggling a knife, a bowl, a fruit, and a boiled egg.

Suda stands up, looking none the worse for wear. "I hope you don't need to use that spell any time soon, Admiral, but with your attitude, I suspect it will come in handy. And channel patience? That would be a formidable use... but sadly, a rather unlikely one."

Admiral Kaizoku says, "That is something I have been curious about... why do you oppose the Deathlords so vigorously? It is not because of your bloodline of a minor god, I supsect..."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That was her cover story originally, BTW. )

Outside, the howling wind is beginning to fade. Akbar closes his notebook and puts away his lead. "Well, that was a bit faster than I expected. Perhaps the Tri-Kahn has a pet Dragon-Blooded taking care of weather matters for him."

Admiral Kaizoku watches Monkey's antics but dismisses them as mostly harmless for the moment... even helpful, considering the topic of conversation, which shouldn't be overheard.

-- Storyteller Disconnect --

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And by the power of retro-editing, so shall it be! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Arg. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, that was a bit faster for reconnect than usual. Let me repeat myself. )

Suda says, "In days of old, we were advisors, not warriors. Since the... ah... change in management, we have had to take on many new responsibilities that were once handled by your branch or the, um, Silver Department, if you take my meaning."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( What did you last see Jesse? )

The Storyteller . o O ( The bit about conversation not being overheard. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Monkey had a line. )

Monkey . o O ( Repeating the lines. )

-- Storyteller Disconnect --

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( B) )

The Storyteller . o O ( what'd I miss? )

Monkey says, "Uh. Oh hey, you're done. That was fast. Are you sure you don't need to take another hour? But anyway, weather got better. Should we pack?"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And then I said Suda would get to respond to that. )

Suda says, "And I have taken on the duty of dealing with the threat of the Deathlords, or at least some of them."

The Storyteller . o O ( ping )

The Storyteller . o O ( Whew. )

Monkey . o O ( Let's reconstruct this. After Suda answers, Kaizoku left the room? )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm not sure... I'm assuming that all of you are back in Kaizoku's room. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I guess I was too vague, but I posed the Admiral leaving to go downstairs, walking and talking with Suda right after the spell finished. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, and I thought Monkey and Akbar were still in their room. )

Monkey . o O ( You did. Anyway, meanwhile Akbar said something about weather improving. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, my bad then... I thought they were in the common room. )

Monkey . o O ( So Monkey answered with "not barging in" which apparently Kaizoku overheard. So he asks. And Monkey avoids the question. That's the sequence of events. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

Monkey says, "So, should we pack?"

Admiral Kaizoku goes to the window and looks out, focusing on business once more. "The storm has subsided, so yes, pack up, Saru. We make for our new destination immediately. Akbar, have the supplies been secured?"

Monkey starts packing up.

Akbar says, "For the most part. I'll need about an hour to secure some last-minute things -- fresh food and water, mostly. What manner of transport are we taking? Sandship, yeddim... or the usual?"

Admiral Kaizoku consults the regional chart to find the best path. "The usual... We have little time to waste" he says tersely.

Akbar takes out his notebook and crosses out a few items on his list. "Right. I'll be back in an hour or so." He takes his leave of you for the moment.

Admiral Kaizoku turns to Monkey. "Have you ever encountered the Fair Folk, Saru?"

The Storyteller . o O ( brb, getting more coffee -- and Monkey has, IIRC, met up with Western Rakshas. )

Monkey . o O ( RL interruption. Pause. )

Monkey . o O ( Right, back. Now, fey (not gonna bother with the new terminology). Monkey never met a Fair Folk, but I don't see why he hasn't seen in before. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Back. )

Monkey . o O ( I mean, never met in play, but could have in backstory. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I thought it was part of his backstory, but I may be misremembering. )

Monkey says, "Do they look like fish-men?"

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Not in the desert, no. They are often cruel and always capricious, so be on your guard."

Monkey says, "Of course."

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Be careful about making any promises or taking any trinkets from them as well. The only object we desire from them is the puzzle fragment. "

Monkey . o O ( You might be misremembering Still Moon, who way way back in the beginning was undefined, and fae was explicitly mentioned as a possibility. )

The Storyteller . o O ( true. A possibility. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. FF. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK. )

A shade over an hour later, Akbar walks back into the common room, followed by a porter bearing several bags and boxes. "Put them over there," Akbar says, and after the man does so, the purser drops a few coins in his hand and dismisses him. "Sir, we're ready to go whenever you give the word."

Admiral Kaizoku says firmly "The time is now... Monkey, get Suda and then pick up your share of the load... we will walk outside of town for a picnic and then depart."

Monkey says, "Sure."

Monkey walks to Suda's room, knocks, and announces, "We're ready, Madam." Then he walks back down and picks up some of the bags and passes them to Kaizoku before picking up some other luggage.

Admiral Kaizoku hefts some of the supplies himself. "What do you know of our destination, Akbar? Have you negotiated with the Fay before?" he asks as he heads into the hall.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh oh. )

Monkey . o O ( So, how's Xenosaga II? )

Akbar hoists up a pack and slings a waterskin over his shoulder before saying, "No sir, never."

Monkey . o O ( Oh, good. )

Admiral Kaizoku leads the way as a bodyguard might, heading into the street and to the gate. "We have something in common then..." he remarks casually.

Monkey says, "Right, let's go."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And it's good, though sidequests are needed to get lots of important skills. )

Monkey walks straight out of the inn.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( FF to the trip? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Continuing that tangent for a minute... Should I pick up an X-Box, PS2, or PSP? )

Whether the route he chose is the shortest one out of the city is not certain though.,

Monkey . o O ( PS2. Why do you need portability? )

The Storyteller . o O ( I don't, I just have gadget lust. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Seconded on both. It's too easy to lose or get stolen, IMHO. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Well, if I don't get a PSP, I can get a PS2 AND an X-Box... if I can get the wife to go along with it, of course. )

Monkey . o O ( Microsoft got Hiroyuki Sakanobu(sp?) and Nobuo Uematsu working for them, but until they actually finishes that project, don't bother with X-Box. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Since you have a wife, you don't need the only thing the X-Box offers... Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball. )

Monkey . o O ( Very good point there, David. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. True... But the wife loves the Oddworld games. )

Monkey . o O ( Bah, use the money you saved from not getting X-Box for a Dance Dance Revolution pad (a good one) and play that instead. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or if you hate your neighbors, the taiko drum controller. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, that'd go over well with the downstairs neighbor. I'm 230 pounds and we have squeaky floors. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Back to the action? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( But to sum up, I own a PS2 and have never felt the urge for any other console. )

Monkey . o O ( I get urges for GBA:SP, but I can usually wrestle it down. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I've got a Gamecube, and am quite happy with it. The selection's not so great, but some of the GC exclusives -- like Zelda: The Wind Waker, or Pikmin -- have been absolute gems. )

The Storyteller . o O ( But anyway. )

Monkey . o O ( Wonder if I should get Rumble Roses or just rent it.... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Never tried it myself. )

Monkey . o O ( Look it up. It beats DOA in terms of bounce and jiggle. :) )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Those girls must hurt themselves a lot! )

It's a journey of some ten hours -- and three separate castings of Stormwind Rider as the Admiral has to stop every so often to take bearings based on Suda's notes -- but late in the evening, you arrive at a barren valley, where an oasis once was, which should be the trading ground. A once-over of the area determines it to be clear of any human life, and precious little animal life beyond mice, snakes, and the like.

The Storyteller is looking at the Rumble Roses site. Wants to kick Flash-obsessed web designers in the nuts.

The Storyteller . o O ( Wow. That game looks amazingly tacky. )

Monkey says, "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Admiral Kaizoku says "Set up camp, but lightly... I am not expecting this to be a pleasant encounter" as he looks around for any Wyld or sorcerous traces. "But perhaps I will be wrong."

Monkey . o O ( I have a category for games like Rumble Roses. It's called 120% Cheese. )

The Storyteller . o O ( yeah... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Right up there with BMXXX, only not as bad. )

Monkey . o O ( But occassionally, I want cheese. And when I feel like cheese, might as well go for the 120% Cheese. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Heh. Makes perfect sense! )

The night passes peaceful and cold, the diamond-sharp stars above and the pale moon on the horizon your only light until the sun crests the eastern horizon.

Monkey . o O ( Cue generic rest music. Set HP/MP to full. )

Over the morning meal, Suda hauls out her tracking contraption. "Well, shall we try this, Admiral?"

Admiral Kaizoku is up with the dawn, as he always is. "I suspect they will find us soon, if they are as sharp as legend has it..." he says as he goes over to Suda, bringing out his two parts and infusing the rig with his Essence.

Monkey explores a bit around the camp and makes sure there's nothing curious around.

Monkey . o O ( Because if there is one, Monkey wants to be there first! )

The results are gratifingly quick: The rig tugs sharply toward the southwest. Suda draws a line in that direction in the sand, then takes a bearing from the sun. "Akbar, may I have some paper?" Akbar hands her a clean sheet, and she jots down some notes. "Are you familiar with the principle of triangulation, Kaizoku?"

Admiral Kaizoku replies "Quite familiar, yes. How far shall we go for the second leg of the triangle?"

Suda says, "Let's start with a mile due west and see what the result is. We may need to go further." Without further speech, she sets off at a brisk walk, her robes flapping in the gentle, hot breeze.

Admiral Kaizoku gives a nod to Monkey and Akbar, packing up and heading after her, hand on the hilt of his sword. "Stay alert."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We're overdue for something, but I don't want to jinx it. )

Monkey nods back.

Monkey says, "Where are we going?"

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, while I'm thinking about it -- everybody make Per + Occult rolls. )

Admiral Kaizoku says, "To narrow down where the fragment is Monkey, using a special technique."

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Occ and got no successes but no botches either.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Occult and got 6 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Doesn't matter then! )

As he follows Suda -- who is intent on keeping a straight path -- Kaizoku scans the horizon. He notes something odd about the south, something undefined. It reminds him of the Wyld zone that he went through a year and a half ago, escaping a Realm escort.

Monkey says, "Special technique? Interesting. What's it called? Harmonious Treasure Locating Approach? Five Elemental Poles Navigating Technique?"

Admiral Kaizoku replies simply "Triangulation, Monkey. Now, stay alert to the south... do you notice what is wrong there?"

Monkey says, "Triangulation? It's exotic, and does kinda rolls off the tongue, but are you sure it should be that short a name?"

Monkey says, "South?"

Monkey looks to the South.

Monkey says, "Looks like another barren desert to me."

Monkey says, "Say...."

Admiral Kaizoku keeps up a steady pace as he says "Note the shimmering horizon? That is a Wyld border there."

On the horizon, for brief moment, you see the spires of some fantastic city, then a gust of wind blows sand across your line of sight and it's gone. Heat haze? Mirage? Or something else?

Monkey says, "I see that, but are you sure? I mean, could be just a heat-wave."

The Storyteller . o O ( Speaking of, everyone make Stamina + Survival rolls. )

Monkey rolled 5 dice on Sta + Surv and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Sta and got 5 successes.

You rolled 5 dice on suda survival and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Woo! And should I roll for Akbar? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sure. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 2 dice on Akbar Sta and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( No problems, then. )

After perhaps half an hour of walking, Suda stops. "Let us try again here," she says.

Admiral Kaizoku says, "I am certain, Monkey. The sun is in the wrong direction for that..."

Admiral Kaizoku says "Keep a perimiter Monkey..." as he goes to infuse the device once more, keeping an eye on the south.

Once again, the device indicates a southwesterly direction. Suda notes, calculates, and frowns. "Hm. Doublecheck these, would you?" She hands Kaizoku a sheet full of figures and diagrams.

The Storyteller . o O ( Int + Lore )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Int+Lore and got 2 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Switching comp. Don't be alarmed by the redirect/ )

The Storyteller . o O ( Her figures are accurate, but not helpful. You're going to need a wider angle to triangulate, probably by at least ten miles. )

TonyC has reconnected.

Admiral Kaizoku shakes his head. "We need to move further, at least 10 miles, and better fifteen... stand close, everyone... this heat is not to be walked in."

Everyone clusters around the Admiral.

Monkey . o O ( Stormwind Rider again? )

Admiral Kaizoku calls on the power of Stormwind Rider and zips along the dry wasteland to a good spot some fifteen miles away.

From a distant southern dune, strange eyes watch the flash of Essence and the whirlwind that rushes along the sand. A lion purrs, "Intriguing..."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( At the old spot, or the new one? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or that we can see at all? )

The Storyteller . o O ( What? )

The Storyteller . o O ( No, way south of you. Not in-character knowledge. )

Monkey . o O ( He's basically asking if Kaizoku sees your cutscene. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So I guess not! )

Monkey says, "Are we there yet?"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( You should have gone before we left! )

Admiral Kaizoku nimbly steers the small tornado over the sands for about a quarter of an hour before finding a suitable place and ending the spell.

Suda sets the device down -- again -- and readies her pen and paper.

Admiral Kaizoku once more powers the ancient fragment with the energy of the sun. "I sincerely hope it is not deep in the Wyld... unless you have some spell to deal with that?"

Suda says, "Unfortunately not. I have had few dealings with the Wyld..."

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Then let us hope for the best... and keep a tight lookout, Monkey! Now... what do your figures show?"

Monkey looks around and sees... sand and more sand. Drats, not even flying fishes to entertain him. "Master Jaff, I say with absolute conviction that the sea is far superior than desert. I mean, here, you can't even fish!"

Suda's pen scritches across the paper for a few minutes before she answers. "Here. It's about thirty miles due south of us." She points. Following her pen, you see a rocky formation rising out of the desert, its eastern edge caught up in the haze of the Wyld zone.

Admiral Kaizoku tightens his expression as he looks on the rocky formation. "Gather around again!" he calls out, preparing a second Stormwind, using his power more confidently after the long meditations.

Monkey nimbly joins in for the ride.

Sometimes, Creation reacts to sorcery in odd ways, especially where the fabric of the world is weak or warped. This is one of those times. As the Admiral's stormwind travels across the dunes, a sandstorm spirals out of the wind's base, and by the time you reach the edge of the rock, you are surrounded by a bone-cutter of a storm.

The Storyteller . o O ( You're safe in the stormwind, but make a Wits + Survival roll... )

Admiral Kaizoku leans forward and presses on in the teeth of the storm, knowing the best chance for safety is with those rocks, and that the Stormwind should keep out debris.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Wits and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Should have put those extra three points into survival... )

Monkey rolled 4 dice on Wits + Surv and got no successes but no botches either.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Anyone else need to make that roll? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Nope. )

Monkey . o O ( Good. :) )

Ahead, the Admiral can barely make out a shadowed cleft in the rock, and he steers the stormwind into the crevasse. It turns out to be a cave, deep but descending at a shallow incline. Withing a minute, the only wind is that created by his spell, and he can drop it safely.

Monkey says, "Is this the place?"

Admiral Kaizoku's caste mark is burning brightly as he lets the Stormwind dissipate. "We shall see, Monkey" he says as he puts his hand on his blade. "Stay alert... Suda, the device."

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Perception + Lore roll. )

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

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Lore and got 3 successes.

This cave is not natural, not a fissure carved out by wind and sand. The floor is too level, and you can see strange figures and characters carved across the ceiling and walls. They bear a resemblance to Old Realm, but you cannot read them. At the very top of the ceiling, the characters are faded, rubbed down to mere scratch marks.

Monkey . o O ( I salute the Chinese for discovering tea, the Americans for chocolate, and the Dutch for mixing chocolate with milk and sugar. Ah, and the Pacific Islander for macadamia nuts. Mmmmm. )

Admiral Kaizoku muses to himself "What is older than Old Realm?" as he takes in the strange runes on the ruins. "This was a building of some sort, not a cave" he informs his crew.

Monkey says, "That's interesting. I wonder if there's more inscriptions deeper in. It might still be intact."

Monkey goes deeper in the cave.

Monkey . o O ( The gods (possibly even the primordials, when they condescend to use language) use Old Realm. There's no language older than that. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Admiral, do you activate the device? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, when it's ready )

The Storyteller . o O ( Consider it done, then. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hrm, now the Imperial March is playing... bad omen? )

As the Admiral fills the device with Essence, it unequivocally points deeper into the cave. Suda hmms and looks interested.

Monkey . o O ( Resembling does not mean older. And no, it's not a bad omen. After all, isn't Kaizoku going to go over to the Dark Side? )

Monkey . o O ( I'm first! )

She packs the device back up and takes a look at the characters on the walls. "I've never seen anything quite like this," she says. "It looks almost like a parody of Old Realm, though I can't read it."

When it gets deep enough that there isn't enough light, Monkey flares his anima banner, producing plenty of light to see with.

The Storyteller . o O ( Actually... )

Admiral Kaizoku replies "Quite... a fallen offshoot of the locals, corrupting the tongue?" He follows Monkey into the cave, with Akbar taking up the rear.

The Storyteller . o O ( What's your marching order... Oh, staying ahead of me, eh? )

Monkey . o O ( We don't need to stinkin' marchin' order. I don't see any d20 around. :p )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Are there six cloud giants in a 10' by 10' room? )

Monkey . o O ( Cloud giants? Crap. Are they the good giants or are they evil like all the other giants? )

The cave -- or rather, tunnel -- is about twenty feet high, and twice that in width. In shape, it describes an ellipse with sharpened sides, like a fat stem of grass. The air is dry and hot, and after a while you realize there is a rhythmic breeze, first moving out of the cave and then back in. The comparison to breathing is both inevitable and unnerving. As you move further down the cave, you notice that the characters on the walls and ceilings begin to glow with a fiery light, first like the damped coals of a dying fire and rising in vitality the further down you go.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They're pinatas of XP and must be broken open. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Mouth is right... but this is no cave! )

Admiral Kaizoku loosens his daiklave in its clip. "Use your staff Monkey... tap the path ahead in case it changes into... something other than stone."

Monkey scans the inscription and dismisses them if/when he finds it's in some strange language and goes further in.

The Storyteller . o O ( Its clip? )

Monkey . o O ( Dude, I am so not going to use my uber-cool artifact as a 10 foot pole. Oh, alright. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Heh. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( It has a belt clip instead of a sheath, swiped from the FF VII Advent Children trailer. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... )

-- Storyteller Disconnect --

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmph. )

Monkey . o O ( Dear Ligier. Your four thousand year old plan is finally coming to fruitition. Some fool of a solar is going down the behemoth's mouth as I write this and like men, his curiosity was aroused by the glamor we put around the inscriptions. Little does he know that he is reading prayers from the Broken Winged Crane. Still, master, you must act fast and claim his soul before he finishes the prayer and becomes Ebon Dragon's servant. Your servant, Barada. )

The Storyteller . o O ( oooh... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hey! )

The Storyteller . o O ( But anyway. )

Eventually, after perhaps a mile or so, you find a change in the tunnel. A crack in the floor, some five feet in length and a foot in width, spills forth a stream of scintillating jewels which flows down deeper into the tunnel. Suda looks at the stream and says, "Ah. I suspect that indicates that we are in the Bordermarches..."

Admiral Kaizoku nods once. "That may indeed be the case... don't touch anything, Monkey" he says. "And stay to the right." The Admiral motions the party to start moving again.

Monkey says, "We're rich- What? Why not? There's a gem mine right here and, ah, crap, you're right. We're pirates, not miners."

Admiral Kaizoku lets that pass. Monkey can convince himself better than the Admiral, most times.

Monkey says, "So, how much farther in?"

Another mile passes under your feet, and another. In the red light of the fiery symbols, you come to a halt before a wall cutting off the tunnel. 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.

Akbar looks at it and says, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Monkey . o O ( Woohooo, we're meeting First and Forsaken Lion! )

Monkey . o O ( Just kidding. )

The Storyteller hastily rewrites the adventure.

Admiral Kaizoku bends his knees to peer into the mouth of the lion, lighting it up with his glowing Caste Mark. "A secret mechanical trigger, or a mystic one?" he asks Suda, making an occult examination of the head.

Monkey uses his staff and taps the door with the staff's end three times.

The Storyteller . o O ( Note that the pool of gem-water stretches about twenty feet between dry land and the door -- do you wade into it? )

Monkey . o O ( Me? Nope. Twenty feet is one quick leap. Wading wastes several precious seconds to could be used looking at the door. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And it's lapping at the door. You can't get to the door without getting your feet wet, as it were. )

Monkey's feet get slightly wet from the waves of the gem-stream.

Monkey . o O ( No idea about the rest. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Think of it like this -- the wall and the sloping floor create an angle like the deep end of a swimming pool. This is filled by the runoff from the gem-stream. By inference, of course, you can tell there must be somewhere for the stream to go, since the pool isn't getting any larger. )

Admiral Kaizoku is more surprised than he should be as Monkey leaps over to the far side of the door, biting back his rejoinder to save his breath.

-- Storyteller Disconnect --

The Storyteller . o O ( This is a little irritating. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( What did you last see? )

Monkey . o O ( You know, D&D and Exalted has quite a different mind-set. My D&D rogue would've been seen as obsessively cautious in Exalted, while Monkey would've been seen as suicidally/stupidly brave in D&D. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Admiral Kaizoku surprised. )

-- Storyteller Disconnect --

On to Session 34