JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession57

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK, so Monkey wrestles Juggernaut to the ground while the Admiral kills the Rose, her archer lackey and destroys the evil heart of the tower. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And if thefreedomstone.com/ is accurate, maybe Juggernaut is on our side and we get to hang out with the iconic Circle. ) think Hah! The Storyteller . o O ( Hah! ) Monkey . o O ( Whoa, whoa. Why am I stuck with wrestling smelly rotten undead monstrosity while you're hogging the laydeez? ) think I'm especially enjoying the forums on that comic... The Storyteller . o O ( I'm especially enjoying the forums on that comic... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( She's too high-class for Monkey... he burned his grubby paws touching her. :) ) Monkey . o O ( Nah, just need some Barry Manilou and good wine to thaw her out. :p ) think Lemme check my "notes" (hahahah) and we can get started. The Storyteller . o O ( Lemme check my "notes" (hahahah) and we can get started. )

's notes are in his pants.

The Storyteller's notes are in his pants. Monkey . o O ( "This calls for... emergency pants!" ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I just saw that strip today in the back of a John Ringo novel. ) think First off: this is a new scene. The Storyteller . o O ( First off: this is a new scene. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh oh. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, all Rose's scene-lengths are off too then... ) think v. true. The Storyteller . o O ( v. true. ) think one less thing for me to deal with. The Storyteller . o O ( one less thing for me to deal with. ) think Oh, Tony: Do you have any familiarity with BESM 1st edition? The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, Tony: Do you have any familiarity with BESM 1st edition? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And so we can jump on her while she tries to power up! Unless she comboed them all for just such an emergency. ) think Can't combo scene-lengths, you know that. The Storyteller . o O ( Can't combo scene-lengths, you know that. )

is pedantic.

The Storyteller is pedantic. TonyC [to Apollonian]: I have read the 1st ed but never actually played it. Why? think Curious. It's a lot simpler than 2nd or Tri-stat. The Storyteller . o O ( Curious. It's a lot simpler than 2nd or Tri-stat. ) think Anyway, I'll ponder it for a bit before I do anything else on the subject of system-switching. Any other systems that spring to mind? The Storyteller . o O ( Anyway, I'll ponder it for a bit before I do anything else on the subject of system-switching. Any other systems that spring to mind? ) think HERO is Right Out. The Storyteller . o O ( HERO is Right Out. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hero? Argh. ) Monkey . o O ( The difference between 1st and 2nd is More Powerz and Skills. ) think Hah! Don't feel like statting up your Ship-Killing Blow as a 10 END, Range Melee, yada yada power? The Storyteller . o O ( Hah! Don't feel like statting up your Ship-Killing Blow as a 10 END, Range Melee, yada yada power? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No, I was about to suggest it when you said Right Out... I can work the system like nobody's business. ) think Unfortunately, I can't... and have very little familiarity with it, really. The Storyteller . o O ( Unfortunately, I can't... and have very little familiarity with it, really. ) Monkey . o O ( And you are absolutely right. It's nobody's business. ) think Egh. bad pun. The Storyteller . o O ( Egh. bad pun. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Wait, so it's a BAD thing to have players work the system better than the GM can? ) TonyC [to jetman]: Yes. jetman [to TonyC]: My whole world is turning upside down! @emit At the bottom of the tower is a door, set in the black stone of the floor and limned in blue-lit runes. It is of bone, and in the center is a great handle of iron. Around you, the necrotic flesh of the tower and the bones and tendons that hold it together shudder every few moments with Juggernaut's measured tread. Aside from the door, the bottom of the tower is empty. Above, the sky is a coin-sized disk. No deathknight pursues you. At the bottom of the tower is a door, set in the black stone of the floor and limned in blue-lit runes. It is of bone, and in the center is a great handle of iron. Around you, the necrotic flesh of the tower and the bones and tendons that hold it together shudder every few moments with Juggernaut's measured tread. Aside from the door, the bottom of the tower is empty. Above, the sky is a coin-sized disk. No deathknight pursues you. think Hm. Could use TIN*, but not familiar with it. The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Could use TIN*, but not familiar with it. ) think Would love love love to use something like TSOY's Keys for XP> The Storyteller . o O ( Would love love love to use something like TSOY's Keys for XP> ) TonyC [to jetman]: Let's take a simple case. D&D game. 1st level party. GM, raised on a diet of anime, throws a troll and 3 ogres. Party immediately ran. GM throws fit at party being "unheroic". think But anyway, your pose. Oh, I'll do Leden's bit. The Storyteller . o O ( But anyway, your pose. Oh, I'll do Leden's bit. ) Monkey . o O ( This is silly, you could have continued with "Monkey opens the door." ) @emit Leden has landed lightly on the cold stone by the time you reach the bottom. He squats down, looking at the door and breathing heavily. Leden has landed lightly on the cold stone by the time you reach the bottom. He squats down, looking at the door and breathing heavily. Monkey grabs the handle and opens the door. think Yes, I know... oh. Door's about ten feet by ten feet. The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, I know... oh. Door's about ten feet by ten feet. ) think and is a trap-door kind of thing. not vertical. The Storyteller . o O ( and is a trap-door kind of thing. not vertical. ) Admiral Kaizoku holds his blade out to stop Monkey, but too late as he says "The door may be trapped..." think What is this, D&D? Psh. The Storyteller . o O ( What is this, D&D? Psh. ) Monkey . o O ( And how did that Ancient Red Dragon got into that 10x10 room? ) think Polymorph! The Storyteller . o O ( Polymorph! ) think ... actually, the older dragons get, the smaller they get. Any rumors to the contrary are spread by pro-draconic bards. The Storyteller . o O ( ... actually, the older dragons get, the smaller they get. Any rumors to the contrary are spread by pro-draconic bards. ) think this is why dragons are never live births. The Storyteller . o O ( this is why dragons are never live births. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ouch. ) Monkey . o O ( No doubt those bards are acting under the Secret Faery Dragon Masters. ) @emit The door is heavy, but Monkey puts his back into it and pulls it up and open, grunting at the effort. It pauses for a moment at 90 degrees, then slams into the floor with a boom that echoes up the shaft. A crudely hewn-stair leads down into blue-lit darkness, and a breath of cold charnel air wafts out of the stairwell. Leden curses. "By the dead gods. It's a door to the Labyrinth." The door is heavy, but Monkey puts his back into it and pulls it up and open, grunting at the effort. It pauses for a moment at 90 degrees, then slams into the floor with a boom that echoes up the shaft. A crudely hewn-stair leads down into blue-lit darkness, and a breath of cold charnel air wafts out of the stairwell. Leden curses. "By the dead gods. It's a door to the Labyrinth." think pose done. getting coffee. The Storyteller . o O ( pose done. getting coffee. ) Monkey says, "Stinky place, this Labyrinth. Think Still Moon is down there?" Admiral Kaizoku says firmly "We are doing the work of the live gods, and will deal with this abomination... and quickly." Admiral Kaizoku says, "I sincerely hope not Monkey... but I suspect she is..." Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, prognosis isn't good. 14 motes, 7 WP. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 18 motes, 5 WP here. Stunt every action. ) Monkey . o O ( And 4 HL (or 3, depending on how you count it.) ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Never a potion of healing when you need one... ) Monkey looks up, hoping to catch sight on something or someone. Finding none, he looks down again and kneels. He shouts, "Ahoy there? Hey, Still Moon, you there?" Monkey . o O ( Red Warrior needs food badly. ) think Hm, two new tastes at once. Chicory + evaporated milk. The Storyteller . o O ( Hm, two new tastes at once. Chicory + evaporated milk. ) @emit Monkey's shout does not echo, but vanishes into the darkness as if smothered in heavy cloth. Monkey's shout does not echo, but vanishes into the darkness as if smothered in heavy cloth. @emit There is no response. There is no response. Monkey . o O ( Luckily, with full anima flare, it will take at least three scenes before Monkey dims enough to be eaten by a grue. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( What does the Admiral know about the Labyrinth and portals to it? Could the 10x10 hole be made larger? ) Monkey shrugs, "Only way to find out" and begins to climb down the ladder. think stair. not ladder. The Storyteller . o O ( stair. not ladder. ) Monkey shrugs, "Only way to find out" and begins to climb down the stair. think And not without powerful magic. The Storyteller . o O ( And not without powerful magic. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I shouldn't mention it, but the thought I had was that the portal was to bring Juggernaut up in some other city... ) Monkey . o O ( Monkey knows nothing about the Labyrinth. And even if he does know what I know, he sneers at the weak ghosts and spectres within. ) @emit Leden looks at the Amdiral. "Do we follow? Or head back up?" Leden looks at the Amdiral. "Do we follow? Or head back up?" Monkey . o O ( Ooo, shiny rock. ) Admiral Kaizoku looks grim. "This portal was raised for a reason, and we will take care of whatever lies on the other end to deny the Mask and his thralls whatever it is. We go down." think Stupid JASIST. The Storyteller . o O ( Stupid JASIST. ) @emit Leden stands, looks at his daiklaive, and follows Monkey, caste mark shining brightly and anima flickering about him. Leden stands, looks at his daiklaive, and follows Monkey, caste mark shining brightly and anima flickering about him. Admiral Kaizoku sticks a knife in the hinges of the trap door before following. Monkey . o O ( Q: How much time has lapsed since the first confrontation between the Solars and Rose? ) think Figure about an hour. The Storyteller . o O ( Figure about an hour. ) think does that sound right? The Storyteller . o O ( does that sound right? ) Monkey . o O ( Good enough. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I thought it was about 5 minutes... ) think First confrontation... Well, we'll call it an hour for Ess rep purposes. Monkey . o O ( Nah. Monkey chasing Rose and you hiding is many minutes compressed into a single turn. ) The Storyteller . o O ( First confrontation... Well, we'll call it an hour for Ess rep purposes. ) Monkey . o O ( Itadakimasu. ) Monkey trusts his intuition and goes deeper. Monkey . o O ( Got to give you props. Maiden in distress is usually on a tower, not in a pit. So points for turning the archetype upside down. ) Admiral Kaizoku follows, blade up, scanning the walls warily and marking the path. @emit The stair goes straight and down. Its walls are lined with jagged runes that glow with a faint blue light, not enough to see much by. After a time of walking, the world opens up around you into a vast cavern. You are on a landing and balcony, and the illumination of your animas barely reaches into the gulf. Down below, you see a pinprick of blue light. The stairs continue down along the wall of the pit. The stair goes straight and down. Its walls are lined with jagged runes that glow with a faint blue light, not enough to see much by. After a time of walking, the world opens up around you into a vast cavern. You are on a landing and balcony, and the illumination of your animas barely reaches into the gulf. Down below, you see a pinprick of blue light. The stairs continue down along the wall of the pit. think To your left, if you care. The Storyteller . o O ( To your left, if you care. ) think pose done. The Storyteller . o O ( pose done. ) Monkey ponders simply taking a shortcut and simply leaping towards the blue light but decides instead to go slowly on the stairs for Kaizoku's and Leden's benefit. Admiral Kaizoku sees the tension in Monkey's muscles as he considers the jump. "We stay together, Monkey..." he says in a quiet, firm voice. think Leden follows Monkey, eyes on the darkness and ears pricked for any noise. The stairs here are three or four paces wide, shallow, and of crumbling stone that by all rights should have long since fallen away. One one step, when Monkey gets to close to the edge, a chunk cracks and falls under his feet. The Storyteller . o O ( Leden follows Monkey, eyes on the darkness and ears pricked for any noise. The stairs here are three or four paces wide, shallow, and of crumbling stone that by all rights should have long since fallen away. One one step, when Monkey gets to close to the edge, a chunk cracks and falls under his feet. ) @emit Here, there are no blue runes, or so you think. After walking a bit, Kaizoku notices a blue line, thick as his palm, on the wall. He traces it up into the darkness with his eyes, and walks on. A little later, another line. A few more steps, and he realizes that the runes in this chamber are simply of very great size. Here, there are no blue runes, or so you think. After walking a bit, Kaizoku notices a blue line, thick as his palm, on the wall. He traces it up into the darkness with his eyes, and walks on. A little later, another line. A few more steps, and he realizes that the runes in this chamber are simply of very great size. Admiral Kaizoku says, "No sign of pursuit... troubling. " think roll Per + Awareness The Storyteller . o O ( roll Per + Awareness ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( spoke too soon! ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Awa and got 5 successes. Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per+Awa-2 and got 4 successes. think much hate for APA style The Storyteller . o O ( much hate for APA style ) xl 6 Leden You rolled 6 dice on Leden and got 2 successes. Monkey . o O ( Citations, eh? ) @emit Kaizoku hears it first, a noise in the darkness above and to your right. It sounds like the wings of those carrion creatures you fought in the skies above Celeren. Kaizoku hears it first, a noise in the darkness above and to your right. It sounds like the wings of those carrion creatures you fought in the skies above Celeren. think Yeah. Much prefer MLA. The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah. Much prefer MLA. ) Monkey . o O ( Well, we are lantern fish from some POVs. ) Admiral Kaizoku says "Back against the wall... more of those giant carrion birds come..." as he raises his blade and puts word to deed. Admiral Kaizoku says, "Monkey, throw them a greeting gift!" @emit Out of the darkness a great shape swoops by, followed by a rush of cold air. It vanishes in a moment, disappearing below the stairs, only to be followed by another. Out of the darkness a great shape swoops by, followed by a rush of cold air. It vanishes in a moment, disappearing below the stairs, only to be followed by another. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Was anyone on it? ) Monkey stays close to the wall but continues walking down. He takes off one of his knives from the bandolier and throws it after the incoming shape. think Not that you could see, but it flew past with its belly to you, as did the other. The Storyteller . o O ( Not that you could see, but it flew past with its belly to you, as did the other. ) think roll to hit. The Storyteller . o O ( roll to hit. ) Monkey . o O ( If the attack is part of the scenery, my counterattack is also part of the scenery. ) think OK. You miss, since it was not an attack... The Storyteller . o O ( OK. You miss, since it was not an attack... ) The knife disappears. With the gloom, it's impossible to tell whether it hits its mark. Monkey . o O ( Monkey has plenty more knives. ) Monkey continues his descent, keeping the wall right beside him. Admiral Kaizoku says "Throw with more vigor next time... and step lively... that was likely the Rose..." He peers over the edge to see where the creatures are going. @emit Though you remain alert, and hear the flap of wings every so often, there is no attack. A short while later, you hear a crash and shatter of stone from somewhere below. Where becomes clear a few minutes later, as you come to a section of stair recently shattered. The wall, too, is damaged, and the gap between the lowest step and the next is a good twenty feet wide. Though you remain alert, and hear the flap of wings every so often, there is no attack. A short while later, you hear a crash and shatter of stone from somewhere below. Where becomes clear a few minutes later, as you come to a section of stair recently shattered. The wall, too, is damaged, and the gap between the lowest step and the next is a good twenty feet wide. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Any clues as to what caused the damage? ) Monkey . o O ( I.e. Not a problem for Monkey, even in his damaged condition. But what about you? ) think Nothing in particular. The Storyteller . o O ( Nothing in particular. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Easy. ) Admiral Kaizoku nods to Monkey as he gathers his legs beneath him and leaps over the gap. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Horizontal leap of 30 feet, so... ) Monkey follows. @emit As does Leden. As does Leden. @emit Ten minutes after the gap, you hear the sound of scrabbling footsteps on the stairs below you. Ten minutes after the gap, you hear the sound of scrabbling footsteps on the stairs below you. Admiral Kaizoku waves his sword in that direction. "Don't slow down for anything less than a Deathknight..." he orders. think Dammit. I'm gonna have to pause for 30 minutes or so to finish the citations and shit. The Storyteller . o O ( Dammit. I'm gonna have to pause for 30 minutes or so to finish the citations and shit. ) think sorry. The Storyteller . o O ( sorry. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No problem. ) TonyC [to Apollonian]: That's fine, we'll bullshit something up. It's our specialty. TonyC [to Apollonian]: Don't be surprised when you come back and find Kaizoku rules the Realm with an iron fist while Monkey wanders Creation and somehow Getting Into Trouble and Leaving A Trail of Broken Hearts. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The reverse would be surprising though. ) TonyC [to jetman]: It would, but it would also be OOC barring some major personality-altering event. TonyC [to jetman]: So, just watched Geobreeders 2. Fun stuff. TonyC [to jetman]: Completely mindless entertainment. jetman [to TonyC]: Like a brain-swapping prana! jetman [to TonyC]: I'm watching Tenjo Tenge now, which has plenty of Exalted fighting in it, and Last Exile. TonyC [to jetman]: Didn't Pinky And The Brain has an episode like that? TonyC [to jetman]: Tenjo Tenge! Tease and Tittilation Tonnage! jetman [to TonyC]: Oh, yes, it gets high marks for pandering indeed. TonyC [to jetman]: On the other hand, we ought to make Jesse watch Last Exile. jetman [to TonyC]: But not as high as the manga, since DC needs to censor it for US release. jetman [to TonyC]: I'm only on the second ep, but it looks very promising. jetman [to TonyC]: Of Last Exile, that is. TonyC [to jetman]: No Exalted fighting in Last Exile, but plenty of things for skyship warfare. jetman [to TonyC]: Indeed, though using musketeers for ship-to-ship combat seems a bit odd when there are perfectly good cannons around. TonyC [to jetman]: I have some speculations about that centering on the need to avoid damaging the opposing ship too badly. TonyC [to jetman]: But it was never adequately explained. jetman [to TonyC]: Granted, I just started, but it seemed like a way to keep score as part of the formalized warfare, and without breaking the enemy ship too badly TonyC [to jetman]: That's pretty much my thoughts too. jetman [to TonyC]: You've seen it all? Does the ending hold together? TonyC [to jetman]: You'll also find later, and this isn't a spoiler, that the nations don't have the tech to build skyship engines. (But they can and do build their own plane's) All skyship engines are leased from the Guild and is crewed by Guildmen. Accidentally destroying them presumably will annoy the Guild. TonyC [to jetman]: As for the ending... not perfectly, but they do hold together. TonyC [to jetman]: I'll give the ending a B. I give the visuals A+. It's very pretty. jetman [to TonyC]: Quite. And now I know what a '57 Chevy Air/Raft looks like. TonyC [to jetman]: Anyway, I'm currently renting Battle Athletes Victory and Full Metal Alchemist. jetman [to TonyC]: How are you finding them? I catch FMA on Cartoon Network sporadically. TonyC [to jetman]: FMA is good. Funimation did a good job at adapting it and, good news for purists like me, has an option for accurate subtitles. TonyC [to jetman]: BAV is meh. A disappointment, since Battle Athletes is a decent little thing. (BA: OVA series. BAV: 26 episodes TV series that's basically the same story as BA.) jetman [to TonyC]: As in "not just a dubtitle" or "pinnfully literate?" jetman [to TonyC]: Painfully, that is. Shouldn't type and eat caramel cookies. TonyC [to jetman]: Not just a dubtitle. TonyC [to jetman]: Compare and contrast to, say, the news on One Piece or Naruto. jetman [to TonyC]: IS there any news on One Piece? I know that Viz is doing a sub-only "season" set for Naruto after the initial dub release. TonyC [to jetman]: I don't quite remember which, but one of the two is getting "dub only, period" treatment. If you say Naruto gets a sub-only, that it must be One Piece that gets the shaft. jetman [to TonyC]: 4Kids made it clear that they wouldn't be doing any uncut sub stuff for One Piece, sadly. jetman [to TonyC]: It's frustrating, as I can tell "Something big must have happened there" and then I have to wait for the manga to catch up to see it. TonyC [to jetman]: I am not a One Piece fan, but this is one of the few cases where the industry shouldn't be supported. TonyC [to jetman]: Not that it matters. For the past year, I spent most of my entertainment budget on manga. jetman [to TonyC]: I was at a panel of translators at the San Diego con and one raised an interesting point... 10 years ago, anime licensing to the US was all found money to the Japanese companies, so they didn't care what the US firms did, leading to thinks like Saban's Sailor Moon (Have you ever seen that trailer?) TonyC [to jetman]: Oh gawd, yes I have. jetman [to TonyC]: Now, it's a major market and they expect their properties to be treated with respect, which may be the cause of the total silence on the Tenjo Tenge manga affair. TonyC [to jetman]: My take on the Tenjo Tenge is... buy the Japanese manga, then get the translation online. TonyC [to jetman]: Perfectly legit, and given that manga is actually cheaper in Japan, you aren't paying that much more. jetman [to TonyC]: I never do that, but I fear that this is the one time I may have to. I was at DC's CMX panel and the answers they gave were nearly Orwellian. jetman [to TonyC]: "We can't talk about it. We can't talk about who can talk about it." TonyC [to jetman]: Either of these two things must've happened: 1. Some higher up didn't pay attention to what kind of manga Tenjo Tenge is. 2. They did pay attention and they thought it was okay, but later they chickened out. TonyC [to jetman]: Ah well. I just buy Genshiken and hope for Kujian Fighter. :) jetman [to TonyC]: I'm not familiar with Kujian Fighter TonyC [to jetman]: It's a fictional fighting game. I'm hoping if Genshiken gets popular enough, it'll be real. jetman [to TonyC]: We don't have a real .hack// online game yet though, and that was very popular! ^_- TonyC [to jetman]: Wait, you mean all those bots in .hack// are actually NPCs? Rats, I knew it was odd that there's so many bots in that game. TonyC [to jetman]: Anyway, unfortunately the real question is whether it was popular enough in Japan. jetman [to TonyC]: Aside from the fact you couldn't buy Twilight Bracelets on eBay? jetman [to TonyC]: How popular does it seem to be? TonyC [to jetman]: I don't know, but Tokimeki Memorial got its own MMORPG, so at least one dating sim is beating .hack//. jetman [to TonyC]: There's a Tokemeki MMORPG?! TonyC [to jetman]: Oh, and Bastard! MMORPG is in dev. Arshe Nei's screenshots == Much T&A. jetman [to TonyC]: Well, that'll be the ultimate powergamer game... TonyC [to jetman]: I don't remember the http anymore, but I've been to both's website. jetman [to TonyC]: BRB. TonyC [to jetman]: And for the ladies (and the discriminating gentleman), Dark Schneider's barechested in tight pants. jetman [to TonyC]: Though the major target market would rather see Nei barechested in tight pants... TonyC [to jetman]: The Nei model is practically naked anyways. jetman [to TonyC]: More than Polno/Porno in her trio of eyepatches? TonyC [to jetman]: You can probably find links by googling Tokimeki Online and Bastard! Online. TonyC [to jetman]: Character doesn't ring a bell. think Jesus, that paper is ass. The Storyteller . o O ( Jesus, that paper is ass. ) jetman [to TonyC]: I only know her from the action figure... she's got a sort of jester's cap, bat wings and very little else on. TonyC [to jetman]: Could be from later in the manga. Maybe from the Dark Schneider in Hell arc. jetman [to TonyC]: http://www.estarland.com/index.asp?page=AnimeMerchandise&cat=AF&product=16714&q And I believe so. TonyC [to jetman]: Ah well, Bastard! never got finished anyway. It's in limbo. Just like Gunsmith Cats. jetman [to TonyC]: Gunsmith Cats has resumed as Gunsmith Cats Burst! TonyC [to jetman]: Wahoo! TonyC [to Apollonian]: My simpathy. jetman [to TonyC]: It's been long enough that I THINK the first collection should be out by now. think Eh, it's my fault... I still don't have a very good grasp on the material. The Storyteller . o O ( Eh, it's my fault... I still don't have a very good grasp on the material. ) TonyC [to Apollonian]: Did we mention that Kaizoku's ruling the Realm with an Iron Fist while Monkey wanders Creation generally Getting Into Trouble? think Yup, I guess we'll have to start a new campaign to do anything interesting. The Storyteller . o O ( Yup, I guess we'll have to start a new campaign to do anything interesting. ) jetman [to Apollonian]: Well, things are going more smoothly now that the Deathlord Shattering Wave spell has been perfected and cast. think How about stable boys in the Mount Meru, dealing with the machinations of petty gods in High Lord Kaizoku's service? The Storyteller . o O ( How about stable boys in the Mount Meru, dealing with the machinations of petty gods in High Lord Kaizoku's service? ) TonyC [to Apollonian]: Somehow that sounds perverted. jetman [to Apollonian]: Indeed. What are you thinking, bringing mature themes to a White Wolf game!? :)

takes his pants off and is happy.

The Storyteller takes his pants off and is happy. TonyC giggles like a poolboy. think Heh. The Storyteller . o O ( Heh. ) think So, there was a scrabbling noise... The Storyteller . o O ( So, there was a scrabbling noise... ) Monkey . o O ( And Kaizoku says don't stop for anything less than a deathknight. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ahead of us, and we charged. ) Naturally. @emit Suddenly a horde of twisted ghosts bursts into the light cast by your animas. There must be hundreds of them, snarling and screaming as the light touches them. Long black claws reach for your flesh. Suddenly a horde of twisted ghosts bursts into the light cast by your animas. There must be hundreds of them, snarling and screaming as the light touches them. Long black claws reach for your flesh. think So, pose your first bits. The Storyteller . o O ( So, pose your first bits. ) Admiral Kaizoku calls out "In the name of the Sun, BEGONE!" Waves and breezes of essence begin to trail behind him as he runs at the horde, rising up as he calls upon the power of his anima banner, the golden light rising up and washing over the mass of unquiet dead to scatter them. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Set anima banner on "Scare." ) think call it a 1-die stunt for ess rep. The Storyteller . o O ( call it a 1-die stunt for ess rep. ) Monkey takes and extends his Ultimately Useful Tube into a staff. He waves it left and right, getting rid of any ghosts who do not make way quick enough for Kaizoku. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( C'mon, botch your Valor, you ghosts! ) xl 4 You rolled 4 dice on something and got 1 botch. think Your wish is granted... The Storyteller . o O ( Your wish is granted... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Blackjack! ) @emit Under the searing light of the sun in this dark place, the horde of ghosts vanishes as smoke in a gale. Nothing is left but a faint ill smell. Under the searing light of the sun in this dark place, the horde of ghosts vanishes as smoke in a gale. Nothing is left but a faint ill smell. Admiral Kaizoku doesn't even slow down as the ghosts evaporate before his anima. "The darkest shadows can be banished by even a spark of light..." he calls out to hearten his fellows. @emit No other threat mars your progress, and after a time you reach the end of the stairs. A rough floor, and in the middle distance a blue light. No other threat mars your progress, and after a time you reach the end of the stairs. A rough floor, and in the middle distance a blue light. Admiral Kaizoku points his blade at the glowing blue light and takes off for it at a dead run, his visage grim and determined under his armor's faceplate. Anyone with a vantage view above can see the three Exalts, illuminated by their anima, race straight toward the blue light glowing in the distance. @emit In a circle of blue fire stands a gallows, and from its frame dangles a cage. In the cage sits Still Moon, seated in a meditative posture. She is dressed as she was in Monkey's vision. Indeed, the cage itself is as it was in the vision. As the three Solars approach, she does not react. In a circle of blue fire stands a gallows, and from its frame dangles a cage. In the cage sits Still Moon, seated in a meditative posture. She is dressed as she was in Monkey's vision. Indeed, the cage itself is as it was in the vision. As the three Solars approach, she does not react. Admiral Kaizoku holds out his arm. "Likely a trap..." he warns, reaching out with his occult perceptions to see what truly lies ahead. think roll Per + Occult The Storyteller . o O ( roll Per + Occult ) Monkey rolled 3 dice on something and got 2 successes. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Occ and got 5 successes. @emit It is only after gazing at her for a few minutes that you notice the hair-thin wires of soulsteel that wrap around Still Moon, binding her into her pose and to her cage. You try to follow the wires, but they vanish into the darkness above. The runes on the ground you do not recognize. They are wholly unlike the characters of Old Realm. The gallows are made of black ash. It is only after gazing at her for a few minutes that you notice the hair-thin wires of soulsteel that wrap around Still Moon, binding her into her pose and to her cage. You try to follow the wires, but they vanish into the darkness above. The runes on the ground you do not recognize. They are wholly unlike the characters of Old Realm. The gallows are made of black ash. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Is Still Moon wet and therefore alive to the Admiral's blindcloth perception? ) think moist enough... The Storyteller . o O ( moist enough... ) Admiral Kaizoku says, "It IS a trap... she is wired in place with Soulsteel... look there." Admiral Kaizoku says, "Call to her Monkey." Monkey says, "Still Moon!" @emit She responds not, nor stirs. She responds not, nor stirs. Monkey turns to Kaizoku, "You sure it's a trap? Maybe they're just too poor for proper chains." Admiral Kaizoku says, "One does not bind with the Five Magical Materials unless there is cause..." Admiral Kaizoku pulls out his other dagger and tosses it across the runes. think is it magical, or mundane? The Storyteller . o O ( is it magical, or mundane? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Mundane. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( How high up is the gallows? ) Monkey says, "Of course there's cause. They thought Still Moon is me and if they thought they had me, they'd definitely bind me with the best material they can find. Too bad they're too poor." think The gallows is about 15 feet at the crossbar. The bottom of the cage is about eight feet above the ground. The Storyteller . o O ( The gallows is about 15 feet at the crossbar. The bottom of the cage is about eight feet above the ground. ) think Quick, any movie recommendations? The Storyteller . o O ( Quick, any movie recommendations? )

is updating his Netflix queue.

The Storyteller is updating his Netflix queue. Monkey . o O ( Versus. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Serenity (due 12/20). ) Monkey . o O ( The Place Promised In Our Early Days ) Admiral Kaizoku says "Monkey, jump. See if you can find where those wires lead" as he studies the runes more carefully, feeling the pressure of time and the Juggernaut on his back. Monkey . o O ( Onmyoji and Onmyoji 2. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Seen Kung Fu Hustle yet? ) think nope. The Storyteller . o O ( nope. ) Monkey . o O ( I'm waiting for Jesse's pose re: tossed dagger. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( It's a must. ) @emit Kaizoku's dagger clatters on the stone under the gallows. Kaizoku's dagger clatters on the stone under the gallows. think it's unaffected by the runes The Storyteller . o O ( it's unaffected by the runes ) Monkey folds the staff back and stashes it in his belt. He then crouches low, draws a knife on each hand, and in one quick leap, bounds toward the top of the cage. Monkey . o O ( Wolf Form. 5m, personal. ) @emit As Monkey passes through the circle of runes, they flare up, sputter, and go out. The cage swings gently as he lands on it. As Monkey passes through the circle of runes, they flare up, sputter, and go out. The cage swings gently as he lands on it. Admiral Kaizoku thinks "Damn" and brings up his sword, expecting something very bad to happen. Like a wolf biting through a rope to free a fellow wolf, Monkey tries to cut the soulsteel wires binding Still Moon. @emit Monkey's blade passes through the wires as if they were nothing, an illusion -- and yet, they remain. He swings at them again, and with no better result. Monkey's blade passes through the wires as if they were nothing, an illusion -- and yet, they remain. He swings at them again, and with no better result. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Is anything happening on the essence/occult level as he tries to cut? ) Monkey . o O ( Tiara gives bonus perception regarding occult matters. Are the wires actually illussion? ) think roll it Per + Occult, with your bonus. The Storyteller . o O ( roll it Per + Occult, with your bonus. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Just Monkey? ) Monkey rolled 6 dice on something and got 4 successes. think Yes, just monkey. Posing The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, just monkey. Posing ) think Oh, and where's Pontoppidan's heart. The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and where's Pontoppidan's heart. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Back on the Sun. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well-secured and warded. ) think Okay. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( As much as it would be handy now... ) @emit The wires... well, they're not quite there. It doesn't look like an illusion, not from what Monkey's seen of illusions, but he can't touch them and he can't cut them. It's as if they were behind a piece of glass that he can't touch. The wires... well, they're not quite there. It doesn't look like an illusion, not from what Monkey's seen of illusions, but he can't touch them and he can't cut them. It's as if they were behind a piece of glass that he can't touch. Admiral Kaizoku calls out to Monkey "Well?" There's one thing left to try and Monkey tries it. He calls on his essence to guide the knife. If the wires are protected by essence, then surely essence will be able to find a weakness. Monkey . o O ( 10m, Excellent Strike. Both personal and peripheral. ) think OKay. Roll a hit. The Storyteller . o O ( OKay. Roll a hit. ) Monkey rolled 19 dice on Excellent Strike and got 10 successes. In answer, Monkey's anima flares totemic. Monkey . o O ( Damage vs object: 19L minus soak, automatically. ) @emit Under his essence charged blade, the wires snap. The runes flare again, and then the ground shakes. Once. Twice. That is all. In the cage, Still Moon opens her eyes. Under his essence charged blade, the wires snap. The runes flare again, and then the ground shakes. Once. Twice. That is all. In the cage, Still Moon opens her eyes. Monkey says, "Good morning." @emit Still Moon says, "Monkey? Oh, dear." Still Moon says, "Monkey? Oh, dear." Admiral Kaizoku watches carefully, still wary. Monkey says, "Well, we just met, but considering I'm so charming and I am rescuing you, I suppose you could call me dear." Admiral Kaizoku says, "Get her out of the cage! We should not linger here!"" Monkey says, "Okay, so technically we met quite a while ago, but it was just a few seconds or so each time... Oh, y'know, he got a point. Let's get you out of there." @emit The cage itself is of some dark metal, iron perhaps. It's certainly easy enough to break a few weak joints and help Still Moon out. She is dressed differently than in your previous encounters -- now she wears a simple white ankle-length dress with a red cord around her waist. The cage itself is of some dark metal, iron perhaps. It's certainly easy enough to break a few weak joints and help Still Moon out. She is dressed differently than in your previous encounters -- now she wears a simple white ankle-length dress with a red cord around her waist. Monkey sheathes one of the knives away and grabs the bars of the cage and pulls it apart with supernatural strength. Admiral Kaizoku calls out "Why were you brought here?" to Still Moon as he checks his back and sets Leden to watch the path and the shaft carefully. Monkey . o O ( Okay, if Still Moon is The Missing Empress, you win. ) @emit Still Moon climbs out, a little shakily. "Bait," she says. "And I'm afraid you took it... Listen." Still Moon climbs out, a little shakily. "Bait," she says. "And I'm afraid you took it... Listen." think Nah, even better. The Storyteller . o O ( Nah, even better. ) Monkey says, "Bah, we'll handle it, whatever it is." @emit You strain your ears but at first hear nothing. Then there is something at the edge of hearing, something deep and terrible breathing in and out in the distance. The sound grows louder, slowly, and closer. You strain your ears but at first hear nothing. Then there is something at the edge of hearing, something deep and terrible breathing in and out in the distance. The sound grows louder, slowly, and closer. Admiral Kaizoku asks "JUST bait, or something more?" as he beckons Monkey down to the ground. Admiral Kaizoku gestures up the ramp, waving his blade to direct everyone to that more defensible position. @emit Still Moon says, "The Mask was never satisfied with Juggernaut. He wanted another moving fortress like it -- as many as he can get. But such a thing would need a body and a soul. The Rose boasted that Thorns had provided the body, and that we would provide the soul..." Still Moon says, "The Mask was never satisfied with Juggernaut. He wanted another moving fortress like it -- as many as he can get. But such a thing would need a body and a soul. The Rose boasted that Thorns had provided the body, and that we would provide the soul..." Monkey jumps down from the hanging cage and waits for Still Moon, ready to catch her should she stumbles. Not that she would ordinarily, but what with being imprisoned and starved... prison food here got to be lousy. @emit Still Moon gathers her skirts up. "So I suggest that we run very fast. The hekatonkhire is coming now that you've cut my strings." Still Moon gathers her skirts up. "So I suggest that we run very fast. The hekatonkhire is coming now that you've cut my strings." Admiral Kaizoku smiles grimly. "His reach is about to exceed his grasp... As he will see. Now, MOVE!" he says, raising his voice on the last, mainly to get Monkey's attention as his armored feet pound up the ramp. Monkey says, "" Monkey says, "Oh, right. Coming!" Admiral Kaizoku says, "Monkey, move ahead fast and make sure the door is clear!" Monkey . o O ( Guh. The thing is I suspect that Still Moon, being unwounded is probably faster. :) ) Monkey says, "Aye aye!" @emit The breathing has grown as you speak, and suddenly it fills the vast chamber -- and it's not breathing, but the beating of millions upon millions of tiny wings in unison as a swarm of dark hummingbirds uncountable in number fly out of tunnel mouths. The breathing has grown as you speak, and suddenly it fills the vast chamber -- and it's not breathing, but the beating of millions upon millions of tiny wings in unison as a swarm of dark hummingbirds uncountable in number fly out of tunnel mouths. Monkey speeds up and overtakes Kaizoku easily. Monkey takes position as vanguard. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They SHOULD be kept back by the power of the sun... ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And Still Moon probably lacks Lightning Speed and Monkey Leap... ) @emit Still Moon shouts, "Where are we going?" as she runs up the ramp after you. Leden takes up the rear. Still Moon shouts, "Where are we going?" as she runs up the ramp after you. Leden takes up the rear. Monkey says, "Silly question. Out, of course." Admiral Kaizoku replies tersely "Up, then out and back to my ship! Watch out for the Rose at the portal..." Monkey . o O ( But those are one-turn bursts. ) @emit You rush up the ramp at breakneck speed, your breath lost in the sound of the hekatonkhire's wings. Below, it clusters around the gallows for a long few moments, long enough for you to climb high above it. Then it begins to ascend in pursuit. You rush up the ramp at breakneck speed, your breath lost in the sound of the hekatonkhire's wings. Below, it clusters around the gallows for a long few moments, long enough for you to climb high above it. Then it begins to ascend in pursuit. think Roll Dex + Athletics. The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Dex + Athletics. ) xl 10 pursuit You rolled 10 dice on pursuit and got 4 successes. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Dex+Ath and got 3 successes. Monkey . o O ( WP for autosuccess, 'coz I can't risk a botch. ) Monkey rolled 8 dice on Dex+Ath and got 3 successes. @emit The swarm is gaining on you by the time you reach the gap in the stair. You all jump it with ease, even Still Moon, her white dress trailing behind her. The blue runes, Kaizoku notices, are glowing brightly. The swarm is gaining on you by the time you reach the gap in the stair. You all jump it with ease, even Still Moon, her white dress trailing behind her. The blue runes, Kaizoku notices, are glowing brightly. think And again, Dex + Ath The Storyteller . o O ( And again, Dex + Ath ) xl 10 You rolled 10 dice on something and got 1 success. Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Dex+Ath and got 3 successes. Monkey rolled 8 dice on Dex+Ath and got 4 successes. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Are they being affected by the anima banner? Or did it expire? ) Monkey . o O ( I believe they're still too far away. ) think Hah. They are not affected by the anima banner, period. Too big to notice, metaphorically speaking. The Storyteller . o O ( Hah. They are not affected by the anima banner, period. Too big to notice, metaphorically speaking. ) think Or are you talking about the runes? The Storyteller . o O ( Or are you talking about the runes? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No, the birds. ) Monkey . o O ( Okay. Doom and Destruction it is. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Definitely have to talk to the Sun about that oversight... ) @emit Something happens just after you cross the gap, the flapping of great leathery wings momentarily overlaying the chorus of the hekatonkhire. Then there is a flurry of pain and a sharply cut off scream below you. Something happens just after you cross the gap, the flapping of great leathery wings momentarily overlaying the chorus of the hekatonkhire. Then there is a flurry of pain and a sharply cut off scream below you. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Leden? ) think and one more roll... The Storyteller . o O ( and one more roll... ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Dex+Ath and got 1 success. think no, not leden. he's keeping up. The Storyteller . o O ( no, not leden. he's keeping up. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ouch. ) xl 10 You rolled 10 dice on something and got 7 successes. Monkey rolled 8 dice on Dex+Ath and got 4 successes. Monkey . o O ( A reasonable guess would be the big raiton/hybrocs getting eaten. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or whoever was on them! ) @emit It's only as you reach the landing that the hekatonkhire catches up to you. Perhaps it's your anima, perhaps something else, but the swarm hovers just at the edge of the light, trapping you against the wall. You feel as if it is watching you. Waiting for the right moment to strike, perhaps. Only a few yards away is the tunnel mouth, but it is blocked by the swarm. It's only as you reach the landing that the hekatonkhire catches up to you. Perhaps it's your anima, perhaps something else, but the swarm hovers just at the edge of the light, trapping you against the wall. You feel as if it is watching you. Waiting for the right moment to strike, perhaps. Only a few yards away is the tunnel mouth, but it is blocked by the swarm. Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku's field, I think. ) Admiral Kaizoku's blindcloth crinkles as he narrows his eyes. "Dark wings for dark wings..." he mutters as an emerald circle with spinning runes in it appears behind him, spinning around and around. Monkey . o O ( Nice. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Activate Emerald Sorcery, casting Death of the Obsidian Butterflies... this is going to suck... ) think geez, you still have enough essence for that? The Storyteller . o O ( geez, you still have enough essence for that? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I'll have ONE left... ) think AH. The Storyteller . o O ( AH. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Just hope they don't swarm in the meantime... ) think Okay. I'll pose it. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. I'll pose it. ) Monkey recognizes what's going to happen and immediately throws himself down flat on the ground. Monkey . o O ( Not nice, telling me to go first and then casting that behind me. ) @emit The obsidian butterflies appear, a storm of glass. Under that sharp wind, the hekatonkhire bulges backwards, a hole appearing in the swarm. A tantalizing glimpse of the tunnel... The obsidian butterflies appear, a storm of glass. Under that sharp wind, the hekatonkhire bulges backwards, a hole appearing in the swarm. A tantalizing glimpse of the tunnel... Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hey, you knew to get down! What was all that occult training for if not teaching you how to dodge spells? ) Admiral Kaizoku calls out "GO!" Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, 2 Essence left! ) Monkey kips up into a run. Admiral Kaizoku follows quickly, bringing his sword up. @emit Still Moon and Leden follow quick, Leden slashing at the hekatonkhire as he ducks into the tunnel. Still Moon and Leden follow quick, Leden slashing at the hekatonkhire as he ducks into the tunnel. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Baaaad feeling. ) @emit Leden shouts, "Go! I'll delay it!" Leden shouts, "Go! I'll delay it!" Admiral Kaizoku shouts back "You WILL be right behind us... that is an order!" Leden shouts up the tunnel, "Tell my wife I love her!" I don't understand that. If you are trying to speak, prefix your words with a double quote (") or the word SAY, i.e. SAY Fnord. For more help on communicating, type HELP COMMUNICATION. @emit Leden shouts up the tunnel, "Tell my wife I love her!" Leden shouts up the tunnel, "Tell my wife I love her!" Monkey . o O ( Ah, great. Now instead of an Abyssal-Solar couple, we'll get an Abyssal-Abyssal couple in the Navy. ) Admiral Kaizoku grits his teeth in anger as he heads up the tunnel for the hole in the side that he made. think WHat? What hole? The Storyteller . o O ( WHat? What hole? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Maybe we can get him back when the Mask is still in the "torture to submit" phase. ) Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku's probably thinking the hole in the side of the tower. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, aren't we through the entrance and back into the tower yet? ) think no. The Storyteller . o O ( no. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ahhh. ) Admiral Kaizoku grits his teeth in anger as he heads up the tunnel once more. Monkey . o O ( We pretty much keep going until something happens. And remember, when the hekatonkhire catches up, Kaizoku's in the back. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yep. ) @emit The hekatonkhire's wingbeats fill the tunnel, turning it into a hell of sound. Behind you, Leden's anima flares and his blade is a blur of jade as he gives way one precious step at a time. Along the walls, the runes flare, brighter and brighter. Then the first hummingbird zips past you, trailing blue sparks. And then another, and another. The hekatonkhire's wingbeats fill the tunnel, turning it into a hell of sound. Behind you, Leden's anima flares and his blade is a blur of jade as he gives way one precious step at a time. Along the walls, the runes flare, brighter and brighter. Then the first hummingbird zips past you, trailing blue sparks. And then another, and another. Monkey . o O ( Of course, if Rose is waiting, Monkey's in front. <sigh> ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Are they doing anything? ) Admiral Kaizoku lashes out with his blue jade daiklave at any hummingbird that gest too close, turning the flat of the blade out to swat them back. @emit And suddenly, you are surrounded and buffeted by the hekatonkhire's passing. Something has changed about its manner, something fundamental... but you can't say what. The runes are now bright as sunlight almost. You keep running, stumbling in the cloud of birds, and throw yourself out into the tower. And suddenly, you are surrounded and buffeted by the hekatonkhire's passing. Something has changed about its manner, something fundamental... but you can't say what. The runes are now bright as sunlight almost. You keep running, stumbling in the cloud of birds, and throw yourself out into the tower. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I hope it didn't eat Leden's soul instead of Monkey's... ) Monkey . o O ( Quick! Find a phonebooth. ) think ? The Storyteller . o O ( ? ) Admiral Kaizoku looks up grimly. "We need to get to the fleet... back to the sub!" Monkey . o O ( Monkey's Soul is the best for your pet hekatonkhire. Accept no substitute. ) Monkey . o O ( Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, mild-mannered town crier Monkey could pull his shirt off to become Superman... ) @emit Above, the tower is filling swiftly with the hummingbirds. As the flow from the stairs tapers off, Leden comes crawling up. "Damn," he says, "I never want to go through that again. Above, the tower is filling swiftly with the hummingbirds. As the flow from the stairs tapers off, Leden comes crawling up. "Damn," he says, "I never want to go through that again. Monkey . o O ( Okay, I got to admit, Mask got standards. He's not accepting a lesser substitute. ) Monkey says, "Back to the sub." think Roll per + Awa The Storyteller . o O ( Roll per + Awa ) Admiral Kaizoku offers his left arm to Leden to support him before dashing back down the abandoned streets of Thorns. think Add the occult bonus. The Storyteller . o O ( Add the occult bonus. ) Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Per+Awa and got 2 successes. Monkey rolled 6 dice on Per + Awa and got 2 successes. Monkey . o O ( On the other hand, maybe they did eat Leden's soul. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Souls aren't fast food... you can't eat them on the run. ) @emit Above and around you, the swarm seems to be thinning. Still Moon points at the wall and shouts, "Look! They're being - absorbed!" You follow her pointing finger and see a hummingbird sink into the wall of flesh. Above and around you, the swarm seems to be thinning. Still Moon points at the wall and shouts, "Look! They're being - absorbed!" You follow her pointing finger and see a hummingbird sink into the wall of flesh. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I wish I had another Ashes to Bonfire gem about now... )

Admiral Kaizoku calls out "We will look more carefully at a distance!" Monkey . o O ( You know, when you're wishing, you might as well wish for a Five Metal Shrike with a fully charged God Cannon. ) Monkey runs toward the shore, or at least where he thinks was the shore. Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK. Or at least a Royal Warstrider summoning spell. Anything necromancy can do, sorcery can do better. ) Admiral Kaizoku has a better sense of direction and calls out "Back to the ship!" as he passes by the spot where Suda and the others were hiding. Monkey screeches to a dead-stop and doubles back to the right direction this time. @emit Around you, the tower shakes. You make it out the slash in the wall just in time. Running across the crater, you can see in glimpses over your shoulder the transformation of the tower. It splits neatly into five pieces from the top down to near the base, five legs that slam into the ground and with a great heaving motion pull the moving fortress from its birthing place. Like an obscene, rotting spider, the thing squats in the crater. On the hill opposite you, Juggernaut sits, empty eyes watching its siblings birth. Atop that thing's head, you can see the flare of necromancy around a figure, tiny at this distance: the Mask of Winters. Around you, the tower shakes. You make it out the slash in the wall just in time. Running across the crater, you can see in glimpses over your shoulder the transformation of the tower. It splits neatly into five pieces from the top down to near the base, five legs that slam into the ground and with a great heaving motion pull the moving fortress from its birthing place. Like an obscene, rotting spider, the thing squats in the crater. On the hill opposite you, Juggernaut sits, empty eyes watching its siblings birth. Atop that thing's head, you can see the flare of necromancy around a figure, tiny at this distance: the Mask of Winters. think Damn, trying to remember what time of day it is. The Storyteller . o O ( Damn, trying to remember what time of day it is. ) Monkey . o O ( Morning. ) think okay. The Storyteller . o O ( okay. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yeah, late morning by now. ) Monkey . o O ( So Our Godzilla will have to battle Their Rodan and Jet Jaguar. Rats. ) Admiral Kaizoku's hand curls around the hilt of his blade as he runs, silently calling on the Sun to strike down this pair of abominations with a lance of solar fire, or to return his full lost powers... his prayer goes unanswered. @emit You reach the sub quickly enough, in less than an hour, only having to slay a single patrol on your way. There, you see Razor Leaf supporting an exhausted Suda. The sub is already out and floating in the water. Seeing you, Razor Leaf shouts, "Hurry!" You reach the sub quickly enough, in less than an hour, only having to slay a single patrol on your way. There, you see Razor Leaf supporting an exhausted Suda. The sub is already out and floating in the water. Seeing you, Razor Leaf shouts, "Hurry!" Monkey spits at Mask's general direction before climbing into the sub. Admiral Kaizoku pushes Leden in first, then Monkey and Still Moon, taking in the twin juggernauts as long as he can. "This will NOT BE PERMITTED!" he calls out over the murdered city before he jumps into the hatch and seals it. @emit Still Moon stops at the water's edge. "I can't follow. I'll find my own way from here. Monkey -- thanhk you for rescuing me. I'll stay in touch." Still Moon stops at the water's edge. "I can't follow. I'll find my own way from here. Monkey -- thanhk you for rescuing me. I'll stay in touch." Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hopefully Monkey will talk some sense into her about that... Oh, wait. ) Monkey says, "Don't get caught again. I don't think we can afford another undead behemoth." @emit She shouts over the water, "Admiral -- not everything has gone for the Mask this day! Look for me in the night!" She shouts over the water, "Admiral -- not everything has gone for the Mask this day! Look for me in the night!" Admiral Kaizoku nods once and snaps off a salute before he dives into the Dolphin and takes over the controls, submerging the vessel until it is out of Thorns Harbor, setting a course for the fleet. think and that's where we'll wrap up for tonight, okay? The Storyteller . o O ( and that's where we'll wrap up for tonight, okay? ) Monkey . o O ( Okie. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yep. ) think 5 bp each. Kaizoku, what are your plans for next session? The Storyteller . o O ( 5 bp each. Kaizoku, what are your plans for next session? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Intercept the Solar Wind Fleet and put all that studying of the Heart on the trip from the west to good use. Try to activate the Heart. ) think Okay. If you take a day or two for rest, you can both regain all HLs. The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. If you take a day or two for rest, you can both regain all HLs. ) Monkey . o O ( The options are clear: Cancel the attack and keep Pontoppidan's existence secret, or at least more secret than otherwise. ) think Plus willpower + motes. The Storyteller . o O ( Plus willpower + motes. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We've got the elemental aboard, so it should be able to heal everyone up in minutes. ) Monkey . o O ( Or continue the attack and hope Pontoppidan takes out one of the behemoth, knowing that Mask is there. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Did Onyx Blossom make it? ) think No. The Storyteller . o O ( No. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Still Moon may have some useful hint, but we still want to use Pontoppidan on the new Juggernaut while it's still weak, and while we have them all in the same place. ) Monkey . o O ( Either way, the fleet won't arrive until tomorrow morning. So we get that much rest. ) Monkey . o O ( Okay, full-scale raid continues as planned. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We will continue the raid though, so the ships can give fire support, so there will be a bit of rest time. ) think You know, I can't think of a better way to end the season than a three-way kaiju battle. The Storyteller . o O ( You know, I can't think of a better way to end the season than a three-way kaiju battle. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, it might be possible to make it four-way... ) think ? The Storyteller . o O ( ? ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Social Fu time... First to convince Suda to take him to Lookshy via her secret way, second to borrow one of the Legion's Thousand-Forged Dragons... ) Monkey . o O ( Impossible. Takes time we don't have. ) think Ah. Wow. That'll be a lot of paperwork... (not that it won't be anyway.) The Storyteller . o O ( Ah. Wow. That'll be a lot of paperwork... (not that it won't be anyway.) ) think Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'll catch you guys later. The Storyteller . o O ( Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'll catch you guys later. ) Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Nite! Great session!@ )