Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession19"

Latest revision as of 21:49, 8 June 2010

• Back to Session 18

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I should leave and come back so as to be fashionably late. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I think we've got about four hours of play time tonight, including dinner break. IOW, I have to be in bed around 10:00 pm my time. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK. I suspect that the haunted manse thing has a few more mysteries to unfold and then stab. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Have you thought much about CK's First Age incarnation(s)? )

TonyC materializes out of thin air.

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Sorry guys.

Apollonian [to TonyC]: That's cool. CK only showed up a few minutes ago.

TonyC [to Apollonian]: I simply didn't notice that it's already past 5 Central.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He was a high-ranking official in the Solar Navy at the time, and a sorcerer. I'm not sure how much to detail and how much to leave vague... things like what Monkey was like in relation to him then. )

jetman [to TonyC]: Yes, I did just get in myself.

Apollonian [to jetman]: Given Monkey's "blank slate" nature, I think it's probably irrelevant.

Monkey . o O ( Exactly who Monkey was doesn't matter to me. )

Monkey . o O ( I'm more interestied in the here and now. For example, what do we do with this Manse? )

Monkey . o O ( And the ring. And the well. And the little statues. And the crazy inscriptions. )

The Storyteller . o O ( BRB. In the meantime, what are your plans for the rest of the night? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Find out who set up the Solar deathtrap, undo it, rebuild the place into a manse of justice... )

Monkey . o O ( Sounds good, although I won't be surprised to find it's you. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I don't know... I think the thing was set up after the First Age. The Yozi portal in the basement certainly was. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, yes, that will definitely have to be secured, along with the sand. )

Monkey . o O ( The yozi portal might not be related to the deathtrap. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It is related to the little mouthy guys though, since they made the tunnel down there to their own height, and then lured us up to the deathtrap. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Back. CK, how much liberty do I have to mess with your FA backstory? )

Monkey . o O ( Well, decipher the cipher, figure out the "False Witness" ring, and we should get more information about what's going on. )

Monkey says, "Captain, I recommend burning these screens.""

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, as long as there aren't too many atrocities that he's responsible for... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Go wild. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Let me set the scene, and then give me a minute or two for some frantic typing. Also, are you guys happy with A) Current rate of character growth, B) Current direction of the campaign? )

Monkey . o O ( So far so good. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes on A, though training times have been irregular (partly my fault, to be sure), and yes on B). )

The Storyteller . o O ( _Partly_ your fault, Mr. Sleep Is For Tortoises? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, part of the fault is that of various evil NPCs, for not laying down and dying because it would be convenient for the Captain. )

Monkey . o O ( And Monkeys. I enjoy sleeping. )

The Captain and Monkey stand beside a torn and smoldering screen. On the screen, inside a painted courtyard, are painted children, playing. The darkness on the third floor of the pagoda they are in seems to have lightened a little -- dawn is in a few hours, but the darkness is now natural, not tainted with monsters.

Captain Kaizoku flips his sword over and slides it into the clip on the small of his back. "Monkey, poke your staff through the hole in that screen... see if it still leads to someplace else" he instructs.

Monkey picks up the Ultimately Useful Tube from the floor and pokes the hole.

The Storyteller . o O ( Typing something... The staff goes through and can be seen on the other side of the screen, in this room -- not in the courtyard painting. )

Captain Kaizoku rubs his chin. "What exactly was it like inside the panel Monkey?"

Monkey says, "Looks safe, for the moment. I still recommend the firedust treatment though."

Monkey says, "Oh, it's just like the courtyard outside, with a smashed statue of the sun, and lots of dead dynasts."

Captain Kaizoku says "Clearly not quite enough dead Dynasts..." in an offhand way that surprises even him. "I see..." He undoes his ascot and hands it to Monkey, pointing out "You are bleeding there."

Monkey takes the cloth and wipes the blood off. "Oh, just a little scrape. No big deal."

Captain Kaizoku muses that Monkey said the same thing when White Soul Weeping cut him from stem to stern, but says nothing more. "I believe we may be able to rebuild this place into a Manse we can use Monkey."

Monkey says, "Hmmmm, we'll need a lot of carpenters and masons though. I mean, this place's haunted for sure, so best bet would be to raze it and start from scratch. Always safest way when dealing with haunted mansions."

Captain Kaizoku says, "Spirits and ghosts are not in the walls, but in the shadowlands and underworld Monkey. Those shades will have to be confronted no matter what."

Monkey says, "Either way, we should head back. The men will panic if they find us missing come dawn."

The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry, still typing. What do you do next? )

Captain Kaizoku says "The men are made of sterner stuff than that, but the point is well taken. Take that screen and we will see if we can study it in the light of day Monkey."

Monkey . o O ( How big is the screen and is it foldable? )

Monkey . o O ( For that matter, is it even carriable? I mean, for all I know, it could be some magic screen that loops back into itself. )

The Storyteller . o O ( All of the screens are fourteen feet wide by seven feet high. It isn't foldable. )

Captain Kaizoku hmmms as he notices that. "I see... perhaps we will return for them later Monkey."

Monkey goes back to the hole, looks down, and jumps down.

Captain Kaizoku follows the rope back to the hole and jumps down as well, keeping a careful eye out for any too-deep shadows.

The rest of the manse is quiet and peaceful. As you head through the first floor, a glint of golden metal to the north catches the Captain's eye.

Captain Kaizoku taps Monkey's shoulder to get his attention, then carefully starts forward to the glint.

Monkey . o O ( Not my eyes. 'coz otherwise Monkey will go "ooo, shiny" and pick it up. )

Monkey follows Captain Kaizoku, wondering what he's up to.

The screens end suddenly, creating a wide, open area. In the center is a sarcophagus, wrought in white stone and trimmed with gold. It lies upon a dais made of jade. Around the whole is a wonderfully made magic circle, incised into the wood of the floor and composed of sigils and runes. As the Captain approaches, the circle begins to glow with a soft violet light.

Monkey says, "Oooo, pretty."

Captain Kaizoku stops right in his tracks to take the scene in carefully. "Hold, Monkey" he says. "Tombs of Solars are usually very well protected"

Monkey halts.

Monkey says, "Can I poke it?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "Not with anything you are afraid to lose Monkey."

Captain Kaizoku inspects the circle with his occult eye, searching for any spell triggers.

The Storyteller . o O ( roll perception + occult )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Per+Occ and got 1 success.

Monkey thinks of anything he's afraid to lose.

The captain sees nothing that appears to be a spell trigger, and -- in fact -- this does not appear to be sorcery at all. Thaumaturgy, perhaps? It's... hard to say.

Monkey comes to a conclusion, shrugs, and steps in.

Monkey whistles and tries to lift the lid.

Captain Kaizoku steps forward at the same time, for entirely different reasons. "It seems safe Monkey... this is not high-level magic" he explains even as Monkey lifts the lid.

The cold violet light envelops you, but does nothing.

Well, nothing you can see anyway.

Monkey . o O ( It's a Horrid Wilting! Quick, makes a Fort saving throw DC 22! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I'll never make it on just a 10 sided die! )

Flashback for the Captain: You are standing in the same room, but now it is lit by fire from burning screens and timbers. Your companions are dead, slain by treachery, and the advisor you long trusted -- Pan Medi So -- stands before you. She pauses in the graceful movements of an unfamiliar style. "I am sorry, Lu. It is for the greater good." With swift strikes, she batters past your defenses and cracks your ribs before vanishing into the smoke and flame. You run after her.

Captain Kaizoku steps up next to Monkey to peer into the coffin.

Captain Kaizoku grips the edge of the coffin tightly, feeling a new twinge in his already greatly-abused ribs.

Monkey . o O ( BRB. Need to put coins into the laundry machine in the basement. )

Inside the sarcophagus is nought but dust, millennia-old dust. And a jade box, about the size of a very large book.

Captain Kaizoku reaches for the box and takes it in hand, arms heavy with the weight of memory.

Monkey . o O ( Back. )

Monkey says, "What's in it? What's in it?"

The box is surprisingly smooth, with neither latch nor hinge. Across the top is carved, in Old Realm, "Relics of Lu, the Blasphemous." The lid appears to simply lift off, if you choose to open it.

Captain Kaizoku turns the box over in his hands, searching for a clasp or lock. "Something from before Monkey. My followers fell here back in the last age, betrayed."

Monkey . o O ( Before Monkey. BM. I like that. I oughta start a calendar based on that. Before Monkey. After Monkey. )

Monkey says, "That was a long time ago. <yawn> Well, open the box and see what is inside."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( From the lack of a comma, a new dating system is born! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is the box openable? )

Monkey . o O ( Yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, it is. )

Captain Kaizoku balances the box in one hand and slowly opens it, bracing himself for another rush of memory.

Inside the box, on woven cloth of jade, are a white ivory mask, faceless save for two eyeholes, and a pair of orichalcum hearthstone bracers, forged in the ancient past of the First Age.

Monkey says, "That's it? I was hoping for something... cooler."

Monkey loses interest in the box and pokes around the sarcophagus a bit before losing interest in that too.

Captain Kaizoku lifts the mask up and holds it close to his face, peering through the eye holes. "Such as what, Monkey?" he asks offhandedly.

Monkey says, "I don't know. Dancing statues, loaded dice, something."

As the Captain holds the mask to his face, the surface swirls twists into a face -- a middle-aged man with Western features and a cruel smile, glinting green eyes and strong brows, and on his forehead the mark of the Zenith. Then the face vanishes and the mask is only ivory.

Monkey . o O ( Put it on. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Did the captain see that, or was it on the other side? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Other side. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, score. I just had a GREAT idea. )

Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, does Monkey even notice? I was poking around the sarcophagus, not paying attention to Captain. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, make a Per + Awareness check, then. )

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

The Storyteller . o O ( No, he didn't see it. But the audience did! )

The audience oohs at the foreshadowing.

Captain Kaizoku hmmms. "Monkey, I have heard of masks that change the apperance of the wearer... let me know if you see any change" he says as he puts on the mask.

The Storyteller . o O ( make a Wits + Occult check )

Monkey says, "Of course a mask changes the wearer's appearance, it won't be a mask -"

Captain Kaizoku rolled 5 dice on Wits+Occult and got 2 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Waiting to see what happens before I finish the sentence. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry. Windows updated, keeps asking me if I want to restart. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Anway. The mask matches the description of an artifact often used in Dynastic intrigues, and you'll have to commit 4 motes to activate it. )

TonyC [to jetman]: Btw, I checked those FF7:AC promo. Tifa rocks, but I'm getting Trinity (Matrix) vibes from her. No doubt because of all the black she wears.

Captain Kaizoku commits the Essence and brings up the image of Admiral Barada.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Int + Larceny + 4 dice )

jetman [to TonyC]: Hmmm... that hadn't occurred to me, mostly because I've seen the full outfit on her action figure, and it's overalls.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Disguising and got 5 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Now I'll never get a roll that good when it counts. )

The surface of the mask ripples and turns into a nigh-perfect facsimile of Barada's. Of course, it's on the Captain's body, but still...

The Storyteller . o O ( What's FF7: AC? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, the DVD movie sequel to the Playstation game. )

TonyC [to jetman]: Mmmm, sexy Tifa. Complete with nipples (which made me smile when I noticed it because it shows that 1. SquareEnix is including the hentai-oyaji in their target market and 2. I must be a hentai-oyaji myself.)

jetman [to TonyC]: I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that, but I came to the same conclusions. :)

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( So, does Monkey think that the Captain's trick is a good one? :) )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Two years later. After the event. Narration: A lot of people were saved, but a lot of people died too. <cutscenes of the motorcycle fight scene>

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Wait, actually it's the Lifestream cutscene first. Then the motorcycle fight.

The Storyteller . o O ( Given that I was never able to finish the game... older PS 1 + bad discs = frustrated Jesse. )

Monkey . o O ( Depends. Do you change into Barada? )

The Storyteller . o O ( look up. )

Monkey looks up.

Captain Kaizoku says "Well, did it work Monkey?"

Monkey . o O ( I don't know. Mr. ST? )

The surface of the mask ripples and turns into a nigh-perfect facsimile of Barada's. Of course, it's on the Captain's body, but still...

Monkey says, "- that's neat! Can I try it on? Please plase?"

Captain Kaizoku takes off the mask. "This would be useful for the next time you must infiltrate a place Monkey... practice with it" he says, hand it over. "But it is not for pranks."

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Summary of FF7. Cloud and Sephiroth fight. Aerith dies. Sephiroth casts Meteo. Tifa tries to fill in Aerith's shoe. Cloud beats Sephiroth. Everyone casts Lifestream, cancels out Meteo.

Monkey says, "Ooooo."

Monkey puts on mask and tries to, wait, must get a mirror first so he can see it changes. Mirror, mirror. Awww.

jetman [to TonyC]: That's the briefest summary I've ever seen.

The Storyteller . o O ( That's a pretty cool trailer. )

TonyC [to jetman]: It hits all the important spots.

Captain Kaizoku rolls back his sleeves and clicks on the elaborate Hearthstone bracers, then holds an arm up to inspect them closely.

The Storyteller . o O ( But to get back on track... You know what these are -- no roll required, but need to commit four motes to get them to work. Unsurprisingly, they feel familiar. Rather surprisingly, they also feel bit unpleasant. Some kind of ancient taint in the structure that overlays, but does not interfere with, the flow of Essence through them. )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Something important happened here Monkey, right at the end of things""

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Summary of FF7:AC, from what Japanese I can decipher. Two years later. Advent Children organization rises. I still have no idea what their objective is, but it's led by a Sephiroth clone. But tries to do something bad involving the Lifestream spell. Possibly focused at Aerith's grave. Cloud picks up sword again. Fights AC. Sephiroth-clone tries to kidnap some little girl. Tifa fights Sephiroth clone. Big fight in the city. Sephiroth-clone summons Bahamut. Everyone shows up, fight Bahamut.

Captain Kaizoku looks a bit closer at the taint, seeing if it leads off to anyplace.

The Storyteller . o O ( No. Think of it as an oily sheen over running water. )

Monkey says, "Huh, what?"

Monkey is busy looking for a mirror so he can try the faces.

jetman [to TonyC]: It seems that the lead clone-type guy has Sephiroth's still-living head in a bag. Or at least he talks to it...

Captain Kaizoku suggests "Monkey, try your knife" as he rubs absently at the bracer.

TonyC [to jetman]: Nah. If Sephiroth's still alive, I'm betting he's the hooded guy in white.

Monkey says, "My knife? What about my knife?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "It is shiny, correct?"

Monkey scratches his head, draws one of his knives, and examines it.

Monkey . o O ( I think that's enough Monkey busyness for now. So let's stick to Kaizoku. )

The Storyteller . o O ( hello? )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Let us go back to the camp Monkey... but we will be staying over another night. This may be our new base of operations."

Monkey says, "Alright! Let's go!"

Monkey leads back to the camp.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is there an exit from this place besides the tunnel we came in? )

The Storyteller . o O ( There appears to be an open area to the north. )

Captain Kaizoku points out the way and heads through it, then turns back to see if there is a bare foundation or an intact building.

This is a wide area of gravel strewn over bare earth and stone and bordered by a crumbling wall. From the feel of the Essence, it's outside the manse proper.

Flashback for the Captain: You are standing in the great meditation garden of Zhao Liang -- this place millennia ago. Meditation is the last thing on your mind, though. Around you, your Dragon-Blooded retainers are battling small demons, children without faces, and winning. With the blood of Pan Medi fresh on your hands, you dare not trust anyone, and you move with swift bounds into the surrounding forest.

Captain Kaizoku puts his hand on Monkey's shoulder and then says "This way" as he follows the path of his past self deeper into the forest.

Monkey . o O ( I've been playing Romance of Three Kingdoms too much. )

Monkey follows the Captain.

The forest is thin here, and though there is a boundary of the thorny trees, it is easily passed with little discomfort. A light game trail leads around the manse in an arc, and after a few paces you see the first small statue. This one has much less red in the stone than those on the other path do. Walking along the trail, you see ahead a small shrine, as to a local god. A figure is standing there, lit by a flickering lamp on a staff.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( A living figure? )

Monkey says, "Ahoy there!"

Captain Kaizoku 's hand moves under his coat as he watches for the figure's reaction.

Monkey approach the figure.

Monkey says, "This area is dangerous. There's a well you might fall into, and small little demons with sharp teeth prowls the night. See, they tore my clothes here and here. Even nipped me. The bastards."

Captain Kaizoku says, "I suspect he is waiting for me, Monkey..."

The figure raises the staff as you approach, illuminating its face. It is an old woman, dressed in fine silk robes of green and yellow. Her staff is an ornately carved length of pale wood. "Greetings, Princes of the Earth."

Captain Kaizoku inclines his head. "And greetings to you, spirit of this place. Have I come this way before?" he asks.

Monkey steps aside to get a better view of both Kaizoku and the old woman.

She steps forward out of the shrine and peers closely at the Captain. "Yes. Your spark is familiar." She bows deeply to the Captain, then to Monkey. "I have long awaited your return, Princes of the Earth."

Monkey says, "Me? I don't think I ever been here before. Granted, there was a couple of bumps in my head that might have knocked the memory off, but are you sure?"

Captain Kaizoku is surprised how unsurprised he is at this turn of events, his past life only rarely crossing this strongly with his present. "For us in particular, or the children of the Sun in general? Under what circumstances did I last visit?"

The spirit says, "It is not permitted for me to say. Now that you have returned to cleanse Zhao Liang, the trees will bear fruit."

Monkey says, "Is that the name of this place?"

She says, "Yes. It was once a great place of meditation and peace, but fell under the sway of an Akuma."

Captain Kaizoku nods his head. "I have defeated one taint lurking within..." he says, giving Monkey an affirmitive nod to his question. "Have you felt a change yet, or is there more to do?"

The spirit says, "You are perceptive, Pillar of the Sun. The link between this place and the Demon Realm must be broken before the trees will blossom. You must destroy the words of the Akuma to do this."

Monkey says, "You mean those writing down in the well?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "Who was the one who defiled the place with those words? Pan Medi? Removing them opened a portal."

She nods. "Only then with the altar return to the desert, and the link be broken."

Monkey says, "Altar? The one under which we found the scroll and the ring? What are the scroll and ring for anyway?"

The Storyteller . o O ( sorry, was getting dinner )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Removing the words was simple... will sending the altar back to the desert realm seal the portal afterwords?"

She says, "It is forbidden to speak the name of the Akuma, may their deeds be stricken from the Loom of Fate. I do not know of this scroll or ring. May I see them?"

Captain Kaizoku gives Monkey an approving nod as she asks.

Monkey fishes in his pouch for the ring and gives it to the old woman.

The Storyteller . o O ( test )

Captain Kaizoku removes the planetary alignment scroll from his deep outer pocket and presents it to her.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yep, still there. )

The Storyteller . o O ( whew. )

She examines first the ring, then the scroll, then shakes her head. "I do not know... perhaps they lead to other sanctums the Akuma defiled?"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Was the Sun on that scroll or just the planets? )

The Storyteller . o O ( All seven of the incarnae, plus the constellations )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Then they will all have to be put to rights... if they can be found."

Monkey says, "Thanks, old woman. Now, Captain, shall we continue going back to the ships?"

She says, "If it be so, it will be so. As to your earlier question, Pillar of Heaven, the breach in Creation will be sealed when the altar returns to the sands that bore him."

Captain Kaizoku 's mind is already whirling with plans, a look Monkey has seen before. "I shall make it so. I will return with the next sunset to put things to rights. Perhaps some fruits of truth from the past can be harvested once the portal is sealed?"

Monkey says, "In that case, see you tomorrow, old woman."

The spirit says, "Perhaps. I await your return, Princes of the Earth."

Captain Kaizoku bows in departure and leads Monkey back to the ship. "Rest well Monkey..." he says. "I suspect we will be confronting a demon soon."

Monkey . o O ( FF to tomorrow? )

The path curves around and soon you find yourself near the point where you first found it, earlier this evening. After that, it's a quick walk to the beach...

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Works for me. )

Flashback for the Captain: You were right to distrust the Dragon-Blooded -- after vanquishing the demons, they picked up your trail. You're almost out of Essence, your Hearthstones shattered. Ahead, you see your ship. Can you trust the crew? Not likely. You dive into the bay nonetheless -- none can match you on the sea, and only a fool would dare try. Silently, you climb the anchor chain, murder the officer of the watch, and gather a few things from your cabin. Your armor and daiklave you leave -- their presence may throw the hounds off the scent. Silent as the breeze, you slip out the cabin and make for your boat at the stern. A sudden wash of sorcery surrounds you, and you freeze for a moment before casting Amethyst Countermagic. On the deck you see a squadron of Dragon-Blooded in armor, wielding Essence weapons. Contemptuously, you toss a small glass sphere into their midst. It shatters, and the green smoke that erupts from it strangles them, their desperate screams and choking gurgles filling the night air. The distraction is fatal. A sharp pain -- you look down and see a moonsilver blade through your chest. Whispered in your ear as the world fades: "You betrayed your trust, Lu."

Captain Kaizoku 's hand goes to his chest, feeling where the blade was. He growls at the remembered pain. "This was where my previous life ended Monkey, betrayed by someone who thought I betrayed them" he says quietly.

Monkey has no comment. How could he. He knows nothing of the circumstances.

By the time you reach the harbor, it is almost dawn. The watch has been kept faithfully, with no incidents to disturb the night.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, did you guys finish those characters? )

Captain Kaizoku calls Soothing Balm up to tend Monkey's wounds and then examine his compressed ribs. "We will be remaining here another day... set the crews to training for ground raids" he instructs the officers.

Monkey . o O ( Shainaga? Shainaga was finished last week and put up a few days ago. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Mostly, though they're not up yet, just on paper. Did you have a question? )

The Storyteller . o O ( haven't really checked lately. V. busy at work. Did you give any of the DBs healing Charms? )

Monkey . o O ( My side was heroic mortals only, so I'll skip the question. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No, that didn't occur to me until just this moment. )

Monkey . o O ( Bah. It's just a flesh wound. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Up to you. In any case, Monkey gets patched up right quick. )

Captain Kaizoku spends most of the day sleeping to heal up the bruises.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Does having medical attention double healing time? One bruise per 1.5 hours? )

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

Monkey . o O ( Monkey's wound is L, so we'll just assume that a night's rest does nothing. Moving on.... )

The Storyteller . o O ( how many levels? )

Captain Kaizoku rises to action with the sunset, calling the reputed demon hunter to his side.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I must eat now... back in 10-15. )

The Storyteller . o O ( okay. )

Monkey . o O ( Me? 5. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh. Yeah, that won't help much... )

Monkey . o O ( Wait maybe it's 4. Let me check. )

Monkey . o O ( Nope. It's 5. )

The Storyteller . o O ( That puts you at -2, right? )

Monkey . o O ( Yep. )

The Storyteller . o O ( anything you want to do while david's eating? )

Monkey . o O ( Come to think about it, there might be some spots last week where I figured it as -1 instead of -2. My mistake. Sorry. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No biggie. )

Monkey . o O ( Not sure. I think I'll use the opportunity to snack myself. There's some cherry pie in the fridge that is calling my name. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 'kay. )

Monkey . o O ( Also note that whatever it was in the bag, it can't be Sephiroth's head. Kaaj called it "Mother". My guess it's that it's Jenova, or whatever it was that made SOLDIERS in FF7. )

Monkey . o O ( Oh, what exactly do you want to do with this game? I mean, I know you've asked us what we want to do, but how about what _you_ want to do? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Back. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It was mainlining Mako that made people SOLDIERS, if I recall correctly. And perhaps the man in white is Rufus, doing something to regain Shinra's fortunes? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, mostly just play Exalted. I'm really enjoying this player-driven thing, though at times I'm struggling to keep up. I'm a little amazed that we've almost made it to 20 sessions, too... )

Monkey . o O ( What is Mako? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( How big do you want things to go Jesse? The Captain is hoping to create stresses in the Realm and exploit them. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The energy of the Earth that makes materia, part of the lifestream... which Shinra strip-mines, leading to all sorts of bad things. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. At the moment, I'm thinking that you'll meet up with the northern barbarians, and from there head back to Lookshy... after that, I'm honestly not sure. I do plan on initiating the Realm Civil War at some point, probably after you take out Barada. Hopefully in a dramatic battle. Or something. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And by the way, the Captain was down 5 bruised... I figure he'd get four back. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, the Captain hopes he can relocate the barbarians on the shore to east of the Realm, disrupting the Mask's conquest plans by having doughty warriors there and giving them a much closer base to raid the Isle from. )

Monkey . o O ( Monkey will be happy to escort the Monk into the West, get the Tripitaka, and then back. Just don't forget to remove the headband after ward, <grumble> Goddess of Mercy my ass. )

Monkey . o O ( Oh wait, wrong story. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Better than what happens when Bulma makes the piggy noise, right? )

Monkey . o O ( <sigh> If only Dragonball stayed Dragonball (no Z). It could've been a long fun series. )

Monkey . o O ( Anyway, back to game. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So, you wake up refreshed (4 levels is good) and ready for another evening of messin' with reality. Onyx Blossom responds to your summons and wanders over from the fire. She's a small girl in a red dress, with her ever-present mace at her side. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Did you read her background? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Looking now )

Monkey . o O ( She's obviously made for Kaizoku. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The first thing he looks for in a woman is the size of her fleet. :) )

Captain Kaizoku steeples his fingers as she comes into his presence. "There is a portal to the Yozi desert inside a nearby building... I intend to seal it" he starts off. "Your assistance will be useful for your expertise and in dealing with any stray demons that emerge"

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. What's your standard procedure? Salute or bow? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Bow. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 'kay. )

Onyx Blossom bows. "Yes, captain. When do we leave?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "Immediately. What do you make of this parchment?"

Captain Kaizoku hands over the parchment he found.

You rolled 7 dice on occult roll and got 4 successes.

She looks it over carefully in the fire light. "I don't think it has any occult significance, Captain, despite the symbolism."

Captain Kaizoku says, "I suspect it may indicate areas where other such portals have tainted areas, but that is for later. We move now."

Captain Kaizoku calls the Marukani up, along with Monkey, putting Snarling Wolf in charge of the camp.

The Storyteller . o O ( so the team consists of the twenty Marukani, Monkey, the Captain, and Onyx Blossom? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And White Soul Weeping, he knows this sort of thing too. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah. Okay. )

Monkey whistles a sea chanty as he gets his gear and gets ready to go.

The Storyteller . o O ( We have to wrap up in abou thirty minutes, so, moving quickly... )

Captain Kaizoku lights up his anima banner and leads the troupe through the darkness to the Manse, having the Marukani surround the hole.

The journey back to the Manse is quick and uneventful. The Marukani are not skilled woodsmen, but Batu has a knack for it and takes point with White Soul Weeping. The raiding party arrives at the Manse and the Marukani take up their positions under the Captain's direction.

The Storyteller . o O ( and then? )

Monkey says, "Down here. Get some rope tied to that tree and be careful lowering yourself down."

Captain Kaizoku says, "Yes. White Soul Weeping, Red Onyx and Monkey will go inside with me."

The Storyteller . o O ( Onyx Blossom... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( D'oh. )

Captain Kaizoku sends Onyx Blossom through first, as she is the smallest, then Monkey, with WSW guarding the lower entrance.

The climb is not easy per se, but the four of you get in easily enough. WSW takes up a guard position as the rest of you proceed to the altar.

Monkey says, "Mind your head."

The room is as you remember it, though the sand is definitely a little thicker now. Onyx Blossom unships her mace as you enter, and you can practically see her hair stand on end. "Yes," she says, "This place is definitely tainted."

Captain Kaizoku takes out the bag of mystical sand and contemplates it. "Monkey, move the altar close to the wall. Onyx, have you seen rantines like this before?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "When the altar goes through the portal, that should remove the source of the taint."

Monkey starts pushing.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( RantinGs, referring to the writing. )

You rolled 9 dice on looking and got 9 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Dayum. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( She's compatible with the Captain in one way, at least! )

Monkey . o O ( The old woman wants you to destroy the words, which will port the altar back to Yozi-land. Now, it might be possible to just port the altar straight to Yozi-land, but that wasn't what the spirit said. )

She looks over them, moving around the wall. "Yes... they are very similar to the rantings of infernalist fools. There also seems to be an enchantment laid into them, some kind of binding."

Captain Kaizoku says, "Binding the portal, or something else?"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hey, if its a portal, things go through it. That's where the sand is coming from, right? )

Monkey pushes and pushes.

Monkey says, "All done, Captain."

Onyx Blossom says, "I'm not sure... it looks as if it binds some kind of demon, but the wording is reversed from the usual fashion. It's very puzzling."

Captain Kaizoku draws his long blade. "We will figure that out later then... Prepare yourselves..." He places the edge on the wall above where the altar now rests and begins to scrape downward, wearing away the runes and rantings along the wall.

Monkey . o O ( Possibilities: 1. It's a seal. 2. The old woman's lying. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain determined it was a portal to (desert yozi) beforehand, and messing with the text opened it up. )

Once again, the temperature begins to rise, the sand begins to swirl, and a small breeze appears in the room. As the Captain scratches away more and more of the text, the walls begin to fade on the bare sections...

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

Monkey holds his staff up, getting ready for trouble.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Occult and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( It would probably be a good idea to erase the sections near the entrance last, just in case you don't want to stay in Cecelyne. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( True, but once a section of portal big enough to shove the altar though appears, the Captain wil call out for Monkey to do just that. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

Monkey's caste mark glints in the shadows.

Monkey . o O ( In boring mechanical terms, I activate Flow Like Blood. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Something big is going to happen. )

By the time the captain has scraped away a quarter of the runes, the room is filled with sand, blowing in a strong wind. A green tint covers everything. By the time he's halfway through, the sand is kneedeep, and it's almost impossible to see a foot in front of you -- but it looks like now's a good time to chuck the altar through.

Captain Kaizoku calls out "NOW, throw it through Monkey!" over the howling winds, his own caste mark blazing against the sandstorm.

Monkey takes a deep breath, grabs hold of the altar and lifts it overhead. With a loud "Hyaaah!" he tosses it over into the desert.

Monkey . o O ( Assume I use Strength Increasing Exercise too. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay.. what does that put your Strength at? )

Monkey . o O ( 5. )

Monkey . o O ( Technically, I could go to 6 now. But 5 should be enough, right? Right? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmm.... that's not enough to huck it, but enough to give it a really good shove. It weighs about 900 lbs. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Either way, you can get it out into the desert. )

Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, even with Athletics of 5? )

Captain Kaizoku brings his blade up to a guard position, expecting something to make an attempt to get through while it has the chance.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, forgot about that. My bad. You huck it. )

Monkey . o O ( Wheee? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Now it will hit some sleeping yozi and get it mad. )

The altar vanishes into the sandstorm, which slows and begins to recede. Then, out of the sand, you see a shadow approaching. It is tall, robed, and moving at a stately pace.

Monkey puts his hands over his brows to get a better look. "Ahoy, matey, name yourself!"

Captain Kaizoku starts backing towards the hole in the wall, waving with his free hand for Monkey and Onyx to do the same, not turning his back on it. "His name will make your ears bleed, Monkey!"

Monkey looks toward the Captain, "huh?"

But Monkey follows Captain Kaizoku's example and backs off anyway.

The demon steps into view. Sand drips from his robes and features, and, without expression on his face, he kneels, then kowtows three times to the Captain. Then the wind picks up again, and the sand conceals him.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( What kind of features showed past the robe? )

Captain Kaizoku is troubled by the implications of that respect.

The Storyteller . o O ( He looked like a Dynast, dressed finely and aristocratic in features. Roll Wits + Occult )

You rolled 9 dice on Onyx Blossom demon-recognition and got 6 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Wits and got 2 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Wits+Occ and got 3 successes.

Neither of the two Exalts recognize the demon, but Onyx Blossom gasps. Looking over at her, you see that her usually dark features are unnaturally pale, and her mace dangles from limp fingers. "Finish quickly," she shouts, "before he returns!"

Captain Kaizoku calls out "through the door and behind me!" as he backs to the door, gathering the holy power of the Sun that closed it down before.

Monkey wonders what the big deal's about. Guy doesn't seem that tough.

Onyx Blossom runs through the exit. The wind is nearly unbearable now, and the sand is biting away at your skin.

Monkey will wait until Captain Kaizoku has left the room before leaving himself.

Captain Kaizoku backs up to the exit, and once Monkey is through, unleashes his Anima Banner, burning back the sand and forcing the portal closed with the cobalt waves and golden winds of the raging storm.

Monkey . o O ( Ha! Conflict of priorities here. I remind you that I'm your bodyguard, and as such, I ain't leaving until you are. )

Under the assault of the holy light, the sands slow and solidify, until the end of the tunnel is not a sandstorm but a wall of pale green glass. Strange shapes seem to move behind it and through it, and your eyes water if you look at it too closely.

Captain Kaizoku raises his sword up high and brings it down, sending a new wave of Solar power crashing against the glass wall.

Monkey says, "Well, that wasn't hard at all."

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh, bad idea... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Wait, wouldn't the tunnel vanish if it was closed up? )

The Storyteller . o O ( the glass is the plug... the tunnel (which you're in) is normal. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, I thought the portal narrowed down into a tunnel itself somehow. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Disregard then. The Captain instead feels with his occult senses to see if there's still any dark taint. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No taint -- it's all bottled up inside the glass. Of course, the area still needs a good, solid metaphysical scrub-down, but the source has been cut off. )

Captain Kaizoku lets his anima drop down, though he is still glowing from the power he channeled. "It seems we have done it..." he says, mostly for Monkey's benefit. "You have some idea what to do where a portal was sealed, do you not?" he asks Onyx.

Onyx Blossom is leaning against the wall. There's a small puddle of sick next to her feet, and she's trembling. "Huh, huh, huh," she pants. "Don't know -- never -- never dealt with something that strong before..."

Captain Kaizoku checks to see Monkey's state in the aftermath, then says "None could have handled it better" to her, sincerely.

She trembles in silence, lost in the aftermath of terror. Monkey... is looking at the shiny glass.

Monkey yawns. And peers into the glass. "Something is still out there."

Monkey places his ears to the glass, listening.

Monkey . o O ( So, SAN roll? )

Captain Kaizoku says "Don't touch that" to Monkey, then nods at Onyx, giving Monkey a look that says "She's your recruit and your responsibility."

The Storyteller . o O ( Mostly she recognized the demon and only has a 3 valor. )

Monkey . o O ( There must be a confusion. I don't recall recruiting her. )

Monkey . o O ( Monkey recruited only one person. Black Sam. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... maybe you're right and I got her mixed up with Norio. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Actually, it was the Captain who got her. )

Monkey points at himself and shakes his head.

Captain Kaizoku leads Onyx out of the portal area. "Later, I want to know more of what you saw there..." he says not unkindly.

She nods as she starts climbing up the rope. She seems to be more composed now that she's away from the glass.

Monkey . o O ( Norio is also someone Kaizoku recruited. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Guess I fumbled my Int roll. )

Monkey goes up too. Back to the courtyard.

Captain Kaizoku says, "Come along Monkey."

Captain Kaizoku inspects the Manse from the courtyard again, looking to see if Essence is flowing without taint now that the portal is sealed.

The Storyteller . o O ( roll Per + Occult )

Monkey rolled 2 dice on something and got 1 success.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Occ and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Clean, for the most part. As time goes on, the taint will be flushed out as new Essence flows through. )

Captain Kaizoku follows the flow of Essence to where the Hearthstone will form again.

Monkey says, "Hey, you, and you. Get five others and go around this area and make sure it's safe."

"Sir!" Batu and six of the Marukani take off for a quick patrol of the area.

Captain Kaizoku says, "Monkey, go look at the trees. See if they are showing new growth."

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, it's 10:30 my time now... )

Monkey raises an eyebrow, but goes to check the trees.

The Storyteller . o O ( So I'm going to cut things short. What do you want to get done here at the manse? Well... demesne. It's rejuvenated, but needs time to finish healing. A very few of the trees have the barest hint of new growth. )

Monkey . o O ( Give a quick summary of the aftermath. Figure out how much time elapsed before the next adventure, etc. Then see you? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Cap it off and map out whatever's needed to start making plans to rebuild it into a manse for the future, let the local goddess know that things are pure again... then move on )

Monkey . o O ( We need a Piggy and Sandy look-alikes. Then we can pretend this is Saiyuki. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Chatting with the goddess is easily done... she's all mystical and mysterious, thanks you for doing your thing, looks forward to seeing you again, etc. As for rebuilding, that'll require the services of an architect. Oh, btw: It's not standard elemental manse, and it doesn't feel Abyssal. Or Solar. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, that's cryptic, and I'm not sure the Captain knows enough to wonder if it's Sidereal. )

The Storyteller . o O ( probably. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, from here out, it's sailing north, searching for any V'Neef supply vessels going to or from the fleet. Some easy targets to work out tactics before confronting the fleet up north. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Checking map... )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'll have to work this out later, but I've got the plan, then. Meantime, are we gonig to play sometime next week, or is the holiday ruling that out? )

Monkey . o O ( My first guess on "what feels like Solar but isn't" was wrong. Unfortunately, the second guess seems all too likely now. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Next week at this time should work. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I think I can do that. It'll be another short session, though. )

Monkey . o O ( For me, it seems the holiday's ruling it out. It might be possible though. I'll let you know Sunday. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( How long can it take to commit piracy? What could go wrong? :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Or not. E-mail it is. Also, 3 XP each. Figure the next adventure takes place in about two weeks. Also, give your NPCs 50 XP each... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Got it. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Two weeks of training time? )

The Storyteller . o O ( any other questions? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

TonyC feels sorry for jetman. I mean, for heroic mortals, spending 50 XP is easy.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, healing charms, that's for sure. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( See you soon! Good night! )

Monkey . o O ( Bye bye then )

The Storyteller . o O ( Bye! )

• On to Session 20