Session 104

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 12

Harold: So, last time I checked, we were coming back to the Chancel after an epic battle against a full fledged Excrucian.
Random_Nerd: Yeah. We haven't had active sessions since then, between having only two players, and your character having just been introduced.
Harold: Yeah, the timing wasn't really good for my disappearance...

• • • You are now known as Theresa.
      

Random_Nerd: So, anything before we start?
Knockwood: hm...
Harold: I'm just glad to be back on-line :)
Theresa: What is the protocol of letting someone else's Chancel take up space in your chancel?

• • • Harold is now known as Herbert.
      

Random_Nerd: By ancient and mystical law, they must chip in on rent payments!

• • • Knockwood is now known as DanteE.
      

Theresa: And not put their feet up on the Heart?
Random_Nerd: But there isn't really a general approach, as it doesn't happen a huge amount.
Herbert: Did a piece of their Chancel follow with them? I thought we just sheltered a few fish people?
DanteE: What's the word on other players, BTW?
Theresa: No one seems to be able to be both interested and able to make the time. Haven't heard back from Etheric for a while.
Theresa: Hmm, that is a thought. If their Imperator is still alive, their Chancel still is. I think it's more like the evacuation from a hurricane than refugees fleeing a war.
Theresa: The fishermen of Amyra are going to have a shock. Then again, everyone else has too, why not them...
Theresa: Ready!
Random_Nerd: And if their Imperator isn't alive, there's a pretty good, but not sure, chance that they'll just drop dead.
Random_Nerd: Or, at least, lose their mojo.
Herbert: Regarding new players, with your authorization, I could always put a post up on Midnight's Lair ((Link: http://midnightslair.com/forum)http://midnightslair.com/forum), the rpg forum I visit most often.
Theresa: If Kudzu 'borrowed' one of these guys as well, his reputation will decrease...
Random_Nerd: Hmm. Jocelyn Robitaille posts there, right?
Herbert: Yep.
Random_Nerd: Okay, yeah, I know of the place. I think I even posted in a thread, once, when Joce mentioned a thread about a Nobilis game he was doing.
Random_Nerd: I'd be fine with looking for new players there, what do you guys think?
Theresa: More people are always welcome!
DanteE: Sure.
Theresa: If it gets much worse, I'll be reduced to talking to hand puppets on the wall.
Herbert: lol
Herbert: Should I post or do you want to do it yourself RN (seems you're indeed on the members list)?
Random_Nerd: I've posted all of twice, so it'd make more sense for you to do it, since you're an active participant there.
Herbert: Right. I'll try to do it tonight and I'll contact you if I get answers.
Random_Nerd: Okay. Now, are you guys ready to start?
Theresa: Yep!
Herbert: Yes indeed.
DanteE: OK
Random_Nerd: Preferences on where and when we start?
Theresa: Just coming back into Amyra from the other Chancel? And did the ogre get out too?
Herbert: Agreed. I think we should start exactly where we left off.
Random_Nerd: Yes, he did.
DanteE: Remind me who the Nobles are?
Theresa: Seasons, Migration and...Rivers?
Random_Nerd: Correct.
Herbert: Did the Nobles follow us to Chancel Amyra?
Random_Nerd: Yes, you evacuated them and some fishpeople.
DanteE: OK, then, first step is to check on everyone and find accommodations for our new guests...
Random_Nerd: Start with you guys in the conference room, then?
Herbert: If I remember correctly, I did a few Minor Creations to handle the most pressing matters regarding the fish-people, but I'm sure there's a lot more to do.
Herbert: Sounds good.
Random_Nerd: _____________________STAT_____________________________
Theresa: That or we could be emerging out of the portal created.
Theresa: "I hope that the reinforcements got there in time."
Random_Nerd: (Shall we have your assorted lackeys and hangers-on be there, or just PCs?)
Theresa: (Lackeys are cool on my end. Not that I have any.)
Random_Nerd: (You need to get some!)
Theresa: (I could be working on growing my own, ya know...)
DanteE: (Sure... we can meet our Aides on the shore?)
Herbert: "I guess we will soon find out." Gives a worried look towards the refugees if they're here.
DanteE: "They sent Orion, I think they got there..."
Random_Nerd: (Do you want to /have/ met them on the shore, or to move the current scene there?)
Theresa: (I think move the current scene there. I'd like to work among the refugees.)
Herbert: (I'd start on the shore.)
Random_Nerd: (Works for me.)
Random_Nerd: William: "So... you survived. Good to see it, I was worried."
DanteE: "Yes, and we've brought refugees both mundane and Noble..."

• Herbert turns to the Ogre. "I hope that repays the debt of my Family to your... organization."
  

Theresa: "Orion...I dunno, I thought I saw the Excrucian's horse up in the stars as well..."
Random_Nerd: Samuel: "So, you actually fought a Warmain? I mean, a full one?"
Random_Nerd: Ogre: "It does, and now we owe you a medium-small favor in return, as we discussed."
DanteE: "No, we watched it fight a Serpent while running like hell."
Theresa: "Still in one piece...so to speak."
Random_Nerd: S: "Okay, that makes more sense. But at least you didn't get beaten to death with an abstract concept."

• Herbert tries to figure out what Samuel means by that...
  

Theresa: "Always a plus. Especially without my morning cup of cocoa."
Random_Nerd: (Well, some abhorent weapons are basically weaponized concepts.)
DanteE: "William... talk to the landlord of the place we have you bunking to get accommodations for 3 more...
Random_Nerd: (Like, Colbrand used to be "the quality of life that makes death impossible.")
Theresa: (Yes, demonstrate being beaten to death with a bit of courage...a 4 if Brian were around...  :) )
Herbert: (But Herbert doesn't know that :p)
DanteE: "At least one overlooking the river, for Rivers."
Herbert: "And the fish people. What do they need exactly? I don't suppose they need electricity or waterworks, but perhaps some sort of habitation?"
Theresa: "Three Nobles, a number of fishmen...hmm, should probably have Brian or Herb here talk to the fishermen so we don't end up with something wrong on our plates."
Herbert: (Are the three refugee Nobles close at hand?)
Random_Nerd: (Let's say they're about fifty yards upshore from you.)
DanteE: (Now, could Herb Guise with an Aspect miracle?
Herbert: "That's a good idea. Isn't there some sort of intercom I can use to communicate with the inhabitants of the Chancel?"
Random_Nerd: (So, you could walk over to them, but they can't overhear you where you are without using miracles.)
Random_Nerd: (Well, you've got Realm in crazy amounts, you can more or less wave your hand and decide that there is such an intercom, as of now.)
Herbert: (I'm all burned out on AMP and I have 0 Aspects. Sorry. We'll need someone else to go talk to the fishmen.)
DanteE: (Technically, there is--the Realm's Heart)
Herbert: (I'll arrange it so I'm only transmitting on the docks.)
DanteE: "come on, let's go talk to our guests..."
Random_Nerd: (Well, you can do Realm Creations at will, right?)
Random_Nerd: (Why not just make an underwater-functioning speaker come into being right where the fishfolk are, saying what you want to say?0
Theresa: (You have the Realm to do a lesser creation out the wazoo.  :) )
Herbert: (Indeed. I'll start with the fishermen.)
DanteE: (Just don't actually do it that way, we're trying to impress people... :) )

• Herbert clears his throat.
  
• DanteE brings William over to the Nobles...
  

Random_Nerd: William, to Theresa and Dante: "If you have a moment, later, we'd appreciate it if you told us everything you can about the encounter with the Warmain."
Theresa: "Sure! He had an impressive horse and I prefer to keep the full Excrucians far far away."
DanteE: "Wasn't so impressive after I de-Anchored it.
DanteE: to the Nobles: "Are you all right?"
Herbert: "To all fishermen of Amyra. This is Herbert, head of the Planning Department and Power of Urbanization, speaking. You are to immediatly modify your fishing practices to accommodate the new inhabitants of the Realm."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Rivers is in pretty bad shape, but you saw that Word she used."
Herbert: "Actually, until further notice, you are to stop fishing altogether. More informations will follow."
Herbert: To the others: "That should do the trick."
DanteE: "Want to head downtown and dunk her in our river?"

• Theresa will head over to the other Nobles with Dante too. "Do you have any special needs that we should take into concern?"
  

Random_Nerd: (Okay, for the purposes of description. Seasons: Male human, mid twenties, skinny, looks a little like Brian, actually. Rivers: Fish-person, female, greenish grey, mottled, and looks to have been run through a blender.)
Random_Nerd: (Migrations: Humanoid, but looks to be made out of horn or bone carved into the shape of a person by someone who wasn't really paying attention at the time.)
Theresa: "William, can you please get a supply of some of the healing leaves brought down here for Rivers and any of the fishpeople who have been hurt?"
Random_Nerd: Rivers is in the water, while the other two are standing on the shore by her.
DanteE: (that'd mean she's in salt water...)
Random_Nerd: (She's Durant and Immutable. She's fine.)
Random_Nerd: (But water is still more comfortable than land.)
Random_Nerd: William: "I'll get on that at once."
DanteE: "Maybe you should make some Healing Kelp."
Random_Nerd: (Also, the fish-people can breathe either fresh or salt water. Odd, but they were purpose-shapeshifted by a Noble, rather than being naturally occuring.)

• Herbert does a Minor Divination to find a large section of sea where the fishmen would have all of the food and space they need. Once this is done, a few Lesser Creations of buoys mark off that sector.
  

Theresa: (Would Healing Kelp be a lesser creation since healing leaves already exist?)
Random_Nerd: (Yes.)
Herbert: (What's the Ogre doing?)
Random_Nerd: (Or if it's relatively minor healing, rather than replacing big chunks, it's a Preservation.)
Random_Nerd: (The Ogre is just standing around, looking rather pleased with himself.)
Theresa: "How badly are your people hurt?"
Random_Nerd: Herbert, you find and mark out a suitable stretch of water.
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Of the ones that were healthy enough to evacuate, about a fifth are seriously injured, and about half have minor damage due to the near-riot conditions."
DanteE: "You have healers down there?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "I suspect that the majority of the severely injured will take their own lives, though, so you won't have to worry about them."
Herbert: "WHAT!?"
DanteE: "...Tell them to come here by the shore. Most injured first."

• Theresa looks shocked. "Why would they wish to do that? We can heal them!"
  

Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Cultural thing. You wouldn't understand."
DanteE: Are some nearby?
Random_Nerd: (You can see some from here.)
Herbert: "You're right, I don't understand." Turns to the others. "This is... unacceptable."
Theresa: "_Please_ explain..." *Serpent Code...argghh...*
DanteE: "Some time back I learned how to heal... odd for a Power of Blades, but it has its moments."

• DanteE makes a gesture and Heals the most hurt one he can see
  

Random_Nerd: Migrations: "I fail to see how it's any business of yours."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Trust me, you don't even want to argue with him here."
Herbert: "They are in our Chancel. That makes it our business."
Random_Nerd: The immediately healed one thrashes around in a distressed and confused manner.
Theresa: "Yes, we don't understand. That's why we want to know what's going on."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "While I appreciate your giving us shelter and protection for our chancelfolk, I would also appreciate it if you don't interfere with their freedom more than is necessary."
Herbert: "Are they freely choosing this fate?" Herb looks doubtful.
Theresa: (Urk...interfering with their freedom...sure they're not a Wild Chancel?)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "If they weren't, I assure you, I would already be on it."
DanteE: "I'm of the Light, and we're of the Wild. We'd like as many to survive as possible...
Random_Nerd: (No... but they know that /you/ are.)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Don't worry, anything that they do, they really are doing because they think it's the proper thing to do."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I'm going to go take a walk. Catch up with you later."
Random_Nerd: Rivers waves a fin-arm at Seasons.
DanteE: "My Sister has just created healing leaves down there where they are, so your healers have something to work with.

• Herbert looks tormented.
  

Theresa: "Would you like an escort, Seasons?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "I'm sure they'll appreciate that. Will it be obvious how to use them, or do I need to instruct them in their use?"
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Sure, if you like."
DanteE: "I think you can just break them and rub the juice on their wounds..."
Theresa: *to Migrations* "Just apply the leaves to the wounds and the wounds will heal." *prays to Herb and Dante quick* ~"I'll keep an eye on Seasons."~ *scurries*
Herbert: To Migration: "I REALLY need to know why they think it's necessary for them to take their own lives."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble, I have just heard this argument more times already than I ever would have wanted to."
DanteE: "This place was equatorial when it was part of the world, so it's more a summer destination for migratory species...
DanteE: (What time of year is it IC?0
Random_Nerd: (Late winter/early spring, but Amyra is pretty warm even so.)
Random_Nerd: (You're fairly close to the equator, after all, so seasons aren't quite so intense.)
DanteE: (Oops, make that 'a winter destination'
DanteE: (forgot my biology for a minute)
Theresa: *to Seasons* "It comes up often?"
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Not so much any more."
Random_Nerd: Migration: "How is it even your business?"

• Theresa will let Seasons walk wherever he's wanting to.
  

Theresa: (Because it's our land you're going to burying the corpses in!)
Random_Nerd: Rivers submerges herself entirely.
Herbert: "Let's just say that I need to understand to ease my conscience."
DanteE: "Herb... easy. Guests. Let 'em be."
DanteE: to Migrations: "Long as you and they understand they don't have to."
Random_Nerd: Migration: "Well, I mean, would /you/ rather be crippled for life, or painlessly dead?"
DanteE: "We can fix that."
Random_Nerd: Migration: "But do they want you to?"
Herbert: "Still, to save them from harm just to watch them destroy themselves here..."
DanteE: "... long as the parts are still there..."
Theresa: *softly to Seasons* "Is there anything that you need? How's your Chancel doing?"
Random_Nerd: Migration moves to stand between Dante and the nearest fishpeople.
Random_Nerd: Migration: "Don't do /anything/ to them that they haven't agreed to let you do."
DanteE: "... all right."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I believe that the battle is still taking place. We may have to do some serious rebuilding."
DanteE: (Maybe we should call more backup)
Theresa: (Oh, sure, show them our demon. <g>)

• Herbert moves away, a little bewildered, and turns to more pressing matters.
  

Random_Nerd: The Ogre, on the shore, tries to offer Samuel a cigar. Sam waves a scarf at him in a dismissive manner.
Theresa: *to Seasons* "We'll do our best to help. Need any food? Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if you eat, first..."
DanteE: to Herb: "It's a Noble thing. There are a few Powers that still eat a virgin every full-moon night."
Random_Nerd: William pulls up in a car near the shore.
Random_Nerd: William: "We've got the leaves coming, they should be here shortly."
DanteE: "We've got healing kelp down there, William. Got accommodations?"
Herbert: Using the communication system, Herbert instructs fishermen to avoid the marked off sector of Amyra's sea. Then, transferring said system underwater, he directs the fishmen to their new territory.

• Herbert turns back to Dante: "Virgins? Every full-moon night? That's terrible."
  

Random_Nerd: William: "I have two hotel suites arranged. Still trying to work out something more... aquatic, but I should be getting a call about that soon."
Theresa: (Yeah, it's hard enough to find a virgin every solstice...)
DanteE: "Herb, you can help there..."
Random_Nerd: (Lesser Creation of Virgins, Automatic When Appropriate.)
DanteE: (I meant with accommodations for Rivers, actually. :) )
Herbert: (lol)
Random_Nerd: Seasons, to Theresa: "So... how much of an issue is the whole Dark thing going to be? We can be out of here pretty soon, if it's going to be a problem."
Herbert: (Instead of creating virgins, I go ahead with a Lesser Creation of Aquatic Hotel Room With a View and Trendy Decoration.)
Random_Nerd: Trendy Aquatic Hotel Room: *BAMFs into existence*
DanteE: to Migrations: "So, how are they?"
Random_Nerd: William's cell phone rings.
Random_Nerd: He talks on it for a moment.
Theresa: "Not sure. Wild, freedom, etc. Most of the Family is Light-oriented. Myself, I lean toward your Imperator's code-style. They'll be uncomfortable...but the day'
Random_Nerd: W: "Okay, problem solved, I guess. I'm going to assume that one of you did that."
Theresa: s been crazy and it's not going to get saner."
Theresa: (I had forgotten the Dark part. Makes sense about the killing, then.)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "We get enough arguments about it just between him and the two of us, but at least neither of us is Light."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Just remember, he really does mean well, and the fish-people probably really /do/ want to kill themselves, at least some of them."
DanteE: "Oh... they'll need food. And possibly acocmmodations...
DanteE: (and typing lessons)
Herbert: (I don't suppose that a Lesser Divination of Realm could allow me to determine if some of the fishmen are committing suicide against their will, because of social pressures?)
Theresa: "Because of the pain or the culture?"
Random_Nerd: (Hmm... it would.)
Herbert: To Dante: "I'll use the sub to take a look at the new inhabitants."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Both. And I'll admit that the culture wouldn't be the way it is if he hadn't been interacting with it for a few generations."
Herbert: (Lesser Divination: looking for fishmen that don't want to die despite their wounds.)
DanteE: "I'll join you... don't need a sub, though. :_
DanteE: "Come to think of it...
Random_Nerd: (You pick out about fifteen severely wounded ones who don't want to kill themselves. Two are considering doing it anyway.)
DanteE: "It might be a good opportunity for you to 'stretch', try out what you can do with your new Domain."
Theresa: "How long have you guys been enNobled?"
DanteE: "They need a place to stay, after all."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Rivers is new, she's only been in for a bit over a year. Migrations and I go back a few decades."
DanteE: (Come to think of it, they got a good boost of Courage, they shouldn't be scared...)
Herbert: To Dante: "I'm going to need your advice here. Some of them DON'T want to die. I have no intentions of allowing them to be murdered that way, because of cultural pressures. I'm going to offer them asylum here. Migrations be damned."
Random_Nerd: (Is that said where Migrations can hear you?)
Herbert: (Nope, while embarking on the sub.)
DanteE: "We can heal or help heal them, and see how they feel then."
Random_Nerd: Migrations walks off into the water, seeming to be standing on an invisible flat surface underwater, and to move as freely through water as through air.

• Herbert nods.
  

Theresa: "It's just been a few...months, I think, for us. Time flies while you're beating off attacks and going shopping for your Imperator."
Random_Nerd: Rivers slowly swims off ater him.

• DanteE makes sure to grab some healing kelp
  

Theresa: (Hmm...wonder what sushi made using that would do...)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Have you had any... big attacks, I guess you'd call them, anything like this?"
Random_Nerd: Outside the sub, several injured fishfolks seem to be saying their last goodbyes to other fishfolk. Neither of the two is among them.

• Herbert uses the underwater communication: "Greetings. We offer to ANYONE who wishes it the opportunity to repair the damage that's been done to you by our enemies. If you want to be healed, we have the power to bring you back to full health, no matter the severity of the wound sustained."
  

Theresa: "Not like this, no. Numbers had an attack out in California. We had a Strategist shard sneak into the Chancel but she melted. Capriciousness got attacked in Mexico, then there was the cult... We went up against some heavy-duty Warmain shards in the Mexico thing. But the worst damage we've suffered was from our giant rabbit and his blood."

• DanteE makes sure the healers know about the healing kelp.
  

Herbert: "We can ease your pain and offer you life... and aslum if you desire it."
Herbert: (asylum)
Random_Nerd: The fishpeople nod at Herb.

• DanteE checks out who's hurt.
  

Random_Nerd: One of the ones who was saying goodbye goes over to Migrations and says something to him. He nods, and the two talk for a bit.
Herbert: (I feel we're going to get our own little culture wars ;))
Random_Nerd: The two conflicted ones glance around nervously.

• DanteE helps heal those two in particular.
  

Random_Nerd: The one talking to Migrations finishes talking to him. Migrations says something, and the fishperson nods.
DanteE: (Now, using the leaves doesn't risk DA, but zapping them whole would, right?)
Random_Nerd: (Healing them mundanely or miraculously?)
DanteE: (Mundane, if it's enough)
Random_Nerd: (Zapping them whole would. Now, bear in mind, most of these have just seen two Imperators throw down, so they'll be more at risk than the average person.)
Random_Nerd: (They aren't going to drop dead even without immediate medical care. Mundane will help some, but it won't fix their problems.)
Random_Nerd: Migrations puts his hand on the forehead of the fishperson he was talking to.
Herbert: (Would we avoid DA if we put them to sleep and do it out of sight of their colleagues?)
Random_Nerd: The fishperson suddenly shrinks down into a small polished bone carving of himself, which Migrations hands to one of the other fishpeople who was standing by nervously.
DanteE: (So, they got 99 problems, but the kelp ain't one? :D )
Random_Nerd: (*cough*)
Theresa: (*makes mental prediction*)
Random_Nerd: Seasons, to Theresa: "It's just that this has rather... shaken me up. Things like this just don't happen. We aren't an active front. Or we /weren't/."
Random_Nerd: Another few fishpeople line up to talk to Migrations.
Random_Nerd: Off in the background, a few gather around the bone carving that the one was turned into, and each touch it with their foreheads.
Theresa: "No warning signs at all?"
DanteE: to the two fishmen in question: "We can heal you. But if you want to go that way... we won't stop you."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Nope. Everything was normal, when suddenly the sky tears open and a guy on a horse rides through it."
Random_Nerd: First Conflicted Fishman: "I just don't /know/."
Random_Nerd: A second fishman, not one of the two, goes and starts talking to Migrations.
DanteE: "Don't let the pain and fear make the decision for you. Those go away."

• Herbert looks at the fishmen performing their funerary ritual. (Do they look serene?)
  
• Theresa shivers. "So random...but your Imperator was doing well. I've never seen a full Excrucian before...that power was immense."
  

Random_Nerd: (They look nervous, but it's more... stage-fright, I guess... than fear of death.)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I've seen one before, once. From far away. I like it better that way."
DanteE: (These two are more or less intact, right?)
Random_Nerd: (Nah, both are pretty torn up, but there are those that're worse off.)
Theresa: "Yeah, the farther the better. How has it been being a Noble before this?"
Random_Nerd: (One lost a fin and a chunk of back, one has several broken ribs and a torn gill.)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Eh, we keep busy."
DanteE: (Hm... if Herb re-creates the lost parts of the first one, what'll happen when (if) he goes back to his chancel?)

• DanteE helps the 2nd guy's gill with the kelp.
  

Random_Nerd: (Tough to say.)

• Herbert looks at them. "Your pain will come to an end, one way or the other." Looks at Migrations. "You're free to decide whether your life will continue afterwards. Of course, know that you may not be able to return to your society afterwards, but we'll offer you a refuge, a new beginning."
  

Random_Nerd: Second Fish-Guy: "Here's my problem. I know what's expected, and I don't want to just go through life maimed. But that's not enough. If I go up to be sent over, and I don't really /want/ to, he's going to know."
DanteE: to 2nd guy: "You're not so bad, once your gill heals."
Random_Nerd: Second Fish: "And if he knows, he's not going to do it, and then everyone will know. But what else am I going to do? I know that gills don't just heal up straight, and even if it would, everyone would remember. But I don't want to go and live with strangers either..."
DanteE: "... if you really don't want to go... we can help."
Random_Nerd: Second Fish-Guy: "So, I just don't really see the right way out."
Theresa: "We have plenty of places to eat, various places in the countryside outside of the cities, a giant sentient redwood, one of the last few authentic Amyran ethnic restaurants in the world..."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Oh, hey, this is Amyra? I always wanted to go there some time, see the museums, but I was always too busy. When did you guys get enChanceled, again?"
DanteE: "See... we can fix you. Well beyond what you're probably used to. Going is entirely up to you."
Herbert: "You have to choose between life and death, existence and oblivion. We can't decide for you. But if you choose life, we'll heal you, completely, and offer you a new life, here, in Amyra, where you can be - and become - whatever suits you."

• DanteE makes a patch for the 1st guy's back.
  

DanteE: "Actually... I think he (2nd guy) could go back if he wanted.
Random_Nerd: Second Fish: "Let me think about it."

• Herbert helps, a little clumsily, with the mundane healing.
  

Random_Nerd: Second Fish: "And don't tell anyone we had this conversation, okay?"
DanteE: "Not sure about him (1st guy), because you're actually missing parts..."
Herbert: "Take all the time you need."
Random_Nerd: Migrations waves off a group of fish people waiting in line, and walks over to Dante and Herb.
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "I really hope that I'm not going to hear that you've been pressuring my people."
DanteE: "Trying not to.
DanteE: "Just laying out their options."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Okay, what's your problem with me? Did I shoot your dog or something?"
Herbert: "As long as they choose death freely, I don't see any problem."
Theresa: "A couple of months back, our time. At least as far as we know." *smile*
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I hadn't even heard."
DanteE: "It's all about Life vs. Death, really.
Random_Nerd: Seasons glances at Theresa's missing fingers.
Theresa: "It was kinda quiet. The 100 deaths thing was all over the internation news but the enChanceling probably erased that."
DanteE: "As I'm sure you're familiar with that conflict, oui?" (Smiling)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "So, if you don't have anything against me, why are you coming in and assuming that I'll undercut my own ethics and force people to kill themselves... why, exactly? Why would I even want to do that?"
Theresa: "With our history with the national treasures like the Ark, I'm surprised it hadn't happened sooner."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "So, uh, /does/ it really do the whole Indiana Jones thing?"
Herbert: "The problem isn't with you. This isn't personal. It's a matter of conflicting beliefs. What they are doing troubles my conscience a great deal. But if they do it freely, I can't interfere, even though I'd like to. But if there's some coercion involved..."
DanteE: "Herb's new, doesn't understand the subtleties of the Codes."

• Theresa notices the glance. "Oh, this is the price I paid Jan Ben Jan, Imperator of the Second Age, for knowledge. I won't regrow them for a year and a day."
  

Random_Nerd: Migrations: "And why would /you/ care more about my people being coerced than /I/ would? Are you going to come and wash my car for me, too, since you don't think I'll do it properly?"
Herbert: "Your car isn't park in our driveway...yet."
Herbert: (parked)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Oh, right, the whole Odin deal. Prophecy always scared me, for some reason."

• Theresa laughs. "Well, we try _not_ to let it do the Indiana Jones thing. King John is in charge of the Treasures, hereditary role. At times, he's the only thing between us and very cool special effects."
  

Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Do you think that, if you were a guest in /my/ chancel, I'd be constantly checking /your/ humans to see if you're plotting the destruction of the human race for kicks?"
Theresa: "We needed some hard answers about the End of the Age. Rumor has it that it'll come about when Entropy decides to wear a low cut backless dress to the Oscars. Me, I think that anyone can look good in a well hung dress."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "But then, that's practically your thing, isn't it. Funny, really, how the Light kills humans and the Dark doesn't."
DanteE: (uhoh)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I really hope that what happened in my Chancel doesn't mean the end is coming now."
DanteE: (OK, question about the Dark:
Random_Nerd: Rivers floats by and glares at Dante, and then glares harder at Migrations.
Random_Nerd: (Yes?)
DanteE: (If they cause someone enough pain that they spontaneously decide to kill themselves, is that a win for the Dark, or would they want it to be a more thought out decision?)
Herbert: "I may be missing some of the subtleties of the issue, but I have never killed anyone, and I'm against euthanasia. What's more, we're not interfering in any way with your people's right to choose their fate."
Random_Nerd: (Some would argue it either way. The Dark as a whole does not have a position on the matter.)
Theresa: "I hope that it isn't the End too. Then again, we got it on good authority that there's at least a couple more months before the End. Enough to start a good book but not enough to take up zen mountaining."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Hmm. Wondering if the argument is still going on. How stubborn are your friends?"
Random_Nerd: In the far background: Samuel and the Ogre seem to be either arguing with a lot of handwaving, playing charades, or possibly both.
DanteE: (Two words... first word... chomp? ... Bite? Bite! ... OK ... second word ... you ... oh, me..... Hey!)
Theresa: "Well, Herb's new. He was just enNobled a couple of hours ago. But he's worked in City Hall so he can probably argue if he gets into it. Dante... Dante is honest. And stubborn. I would say that the arguement is still going on but it hasn't escalated yet. See, no explosions!"

• Theresa will lead Seasons toward the museum district if he wants to go thatta way.
  

DanteE: "I am of the Light. I am also Courage. I will not stand in their way if they go... but it should not be their fear that makes the decision."
Random_Nerd: (Have you ever tried to translate the equivalent of "Go and have sexual relations with yourself" to someone when only one of you is a type of being that has sex, or for that matter a body?)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "The way I see it, if they don't make the decision in a sane and considered frame of mind, it doesn't count properly, and in any event, it wouldn't work the way I help them do it, so they'd have to go off and end themselves some other way."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Yeah... and my brother's pretty stubborn, too. So, yes, I would love to take a trip to a museum."
DanteE: "All we're doing is letting them know what their options are."
Theresa: "Right this way. If we're lucky, we might even get to go see the real Treasures. John's cleaned up all of the Strategist gunk and you couldn't even tell she took out a wall. His throat is still a bit sore though, she negated his voicebox."
DanteE: (Didn't I fix that?)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I just hope my Imperator is okay."
Random_Nerd: (Yes, you did.)
Herbert: "Fair enough... Even though I still feel it's something of a waste to have saved them only so they could die here..."
Theresa: (Yes, but I figured that he speaks carefully now. I can retcon, if necessary.)

• Herbert looks a little more relaxed.
  

DanteE: to Herb: "This way it's at least their choice."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "I mean, I know she said that we should go somewhere safe, and she knows what she's doing... but I still worry."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Migrations would never admit it, but I bet he's worried, too. He always gets more argumentitive when he's pretending not to have human emotions."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "But... but you don't get it at all. Out there, they were in danger of getting /killed/."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Murdered!"
DanteE: (That to me or Herb?)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Against their will! This, on the other hand, is quiet, peaceful, and by their own choice."
Theresa: "If anything happens, I'm sure that you'd be one of the first to know about what's happening. And yeah, I'd be worried too if I was away from my Chancel with that going on. But hey, not only is your Imperator there but also the backup we called in as well. The Imperators on our side have been spending an entire Age at killing Excrucians. They have to be good at it."
Random_Nerd: (To anyone within earshot.)
Random_Nerd: Migrations, waving his arms: "Don't you even see the /difference/?"
Random_Nerd: Rivers: "Would you stop yelling, please?"
Random_Nerd: Rivers: "I know you're under a lot of stress, we all are, but this is /not helping/."
Herbert: Calmly and pragmatically: "It /is/ more peaceful. But in the end, they're still dead."
Random_Nerd: Rivers, to Dante and Herb: "I'm really sorry that we had to get into this argument after you offered us refuge."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "So? Everyone dies. Not everyone gets to do it on their own terms."
Herbert: "But I do agree that it's their choice, which is a good thing."
Random_Nerd: Migrations seems to be calming down some, and the carving of his face looks a little less crude.
Herbert: To Rivers: "It's no problem. We're just talking. Right?"
DanteE: "Don't be. It's part of Nobility. We're Wild, happens all the time. :) "
Theresa: (You could throw them to Monty, if he wanted. Death by bunny, come on, that's gotta be suicide...)
Herbert: To himself: "But I'm not so sure that /everyone/ dies..."
Random_Nerd: Migration: "Yes. We're just having a carefully considered and reasoned discussion about important matters."
Random_Nerd: Rivers gives a "I know you've been around longer than I have, but you're still full of it" look to Migration.
Herbert: "I wonder what's happening in your Chancel right now. Can you feel anything at all coming from there?"
Theresa: (Considered, reasoned, and miracle free! What more can you ask for, woman!)
DanteE: "You two (the fishmen)... you know the choices. Stay, heal, go on with your lives. Or go, pain ends, people remember you well. Your choice."
Theresa: (Hey, I know that look!)
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "They're still fighting. But our side is winning."
Herbert: "Good. Can we kill... I mean permanently kill those full Excrucians?"
Random_Nerd: Rivers: "It can be done. I can't do it. I did my best, and it hurt him, and knocked him away from the people, but it still didn't kill him."
DanteE: "We heard.
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "But it can still be done. Problem is, they have a lot more tricks for killing us than we do for killing them. Good thing is, a lot of those tricks work on them, too, if we can steal their tools."
DanteE: "By the way... we have a place for you to stay and heal, in the middle of our river."
Random_Nerd: Rivers: "I'd really rather stay with the people, for now."
DanteE: "No rush."

• Theresa will give Seasons the native-tour of the good stuff in the museum district, including the newly renovated relics room where scholars are recatolguing thanks to Martyrs.
  

Random_Nerd: Seasons: "So... that weird old god. Jan Ben Jan. Does he really know /everything/? Or does he just make it seem like he does, with the whole Delphic mystique and the high price for questions?"
Random_Nerd: S: "Oh, hey, Martys was here?"
Random_Nerd: S: "Did you have the big Light/Dark throwdown then, too?"
Theresa: 'I'm not sure, actually. He's seen a lot. And all of the Age Imperators are weird, moreso than some other Imperators. We also met Third Age and she was...well, let's just say that it was a quick meeting. I would not doubt that Second Age knows much, if not all. And the high price for questions helps cut down on the stupid questions. Plus we were asking questions that it's hard to give exact answers to anyhow. Research on just how an Age ends and reboots isn't exact."
Theresa: just how an Age ends and reboots isn't exact."
Herbert: (Any fishmen accepted our offer? Are they still coming towards Migrations to for the funerary ceremony?)
Theresa: "She was here for our first party, kind of a coming out thing. She and Dante had it out then too but it was a bit more..low-key, I guess? A lot more people around. It was more about physical appearance, at the time, than suicide."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Yeah, she does take a rather... extreme visual approach to her code."
Theresa: "We had her family, the Barakiel famlia and a couple of Dionyl Nobles as well."
Random_Nerd: (The first of the two conflicted fishmen has accepted the offer. The second is still thinking about it. They're waiting until he's done talking to go to him for the ceremony.)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Barakiel... doesn't ring a bell. Angel, I assume?"
Theresa: "Yep. He's...used to be Fallen but now he's not..it's complicated. Angel of Jupiter. One of the Watchers."
Herbert: To Migrations: "If you don't mind, I'll take care of him." Invites the fishmen on board of the sub and takes him below.
Theresa: "He has both Heaven and Hell codes in his family."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Ouch."
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "And I thought we had it rough."
Herbert: (fishman)
DanteE: (below where, though?)
Random_Nerd: (Lesser Creation Of Downstairs!)
Theresa: "Yeah. There's a funky world-view perception going on in his Chancel. You choose whether you get the Heaven-flavor or the Hell-flavor of things. But they're a very competant group of folks. Shadows, one of their younger Nobles, is doing great things with trying to understand Outside. Got my brother Numbers thinking about building a supercollider in-Chancel."
Herbert: (We're on the sub right? Or so I thought...)
DanteE: (Technically, they still need a place to live... the survivors...)
Random_Nerd: Seasons: "Oh, hey, that perception thing reminded me... you guys seem to be a pretty Dionyl-friendly Chancel, right?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations suddenly smiles, and his face looks much less crudely carved for a moment.
Theresa: "Think so. Sam is one of our Aides, along with William. And the Dionyl Nobles who visited seemed to have a good time. Why?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "The invader's been driven off. He's not dead, but he was a Warmain and he made a speedy withdrawal, so that means that they gave him a hell of a beating."
Random_Nerd: Rivers: "Ah, good. If you don't mind, I think I will take you up on that offer of a place to sleep."

• Herbert makes a "Yeesssssss!" as if his favorite football team just won a big game.
  

DanteE: "How badly hurt are your Imperator and Chancel?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Ymera Jeris is alive but wounded. The Chancel... it can be rebuilt. But we evacuated as many of the people as we could, and our Imperator is safe."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "Do you mind if we stay here a bit longer, until our house can be set back in order?"
Herbert: "You're welcome to stay, of course."
DanteE: "Certainly. We've got you accommodations...."
DanteE: "These guys (the fishmen) need a place to stay, though...
DanteE: "Herb?
Herbert: "What kind of houses do they usually use?"
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "We have a sort of coral polyp that's used as a domestic animal, they use it to make most of their houses."
Random_Nerd: Migrations: "But it takes months to make a proper one that way, and you have to carefully feed and direct your house-anemone."
Herbert: "Would more rudimentary installations do the trick?"
DanteE: (How many fishmen are there?)
Herbert: (An underwater city would be a Major Creation I imagine?)
Random_Nerd: (Hmm... about nine hundred. It's a small chancel, population-wise, and there were a fair number of casualties.)
Random_Nerd: (Yes, it would.)
Random_Nerd: (But individual houses would be Minor.)
DanteE: (900 is a tiny city, though. :) )
Random_Nerd: (Well, for humans. Fish-people favor low population densities.)
Theresa: (Makes it harder for the whales.)
Random_Nerd: (Mind if we call it quits about now?)

• Herbert closes his eyes and concentrates. His mind goes back to how he imagined the mythical Atlantis, a majestic submerged city of Greek architecture. He males a few adaptations for the fishmen and goes ahead with a Major Creation of Underwater City.
  

Herbert: (makes)
Herbert: No problem.
Theresa: (I'm okay with that. I can feel myself flagging and it's heading toward midnight. And Theresa is being tour guide.  :) )
DanteE: "Nice one, Herb."
DanteE: (OK, then.)
Random_Nerd: ___________________________________STOP______________________

• • • You are now known as BethE.
      
    • Herbert is now known as Harold.
      

BethE: Whew, for a moment, I thought we were set up. I had forgotten about the Dark.

• • • DanteE is now known as Knockwood.
      

Knockwood: so, Migrations is Dark... what about the others?
Harold: You did a good job defending the Code of the Dark. It gave me a good opportunity to figure out how I'm going to conciliate the Light and the Wild.
BethE: The other two are Serpents, I think?
Random_Nerd: Migrations is Dark, the other two are Serpentine.
BethE: This was very cool and I enjoyed your NPCs, RN.

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 12