Session 133

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 15

DanteE: you said there was a reason the Excrucian on C. Jaris and Sakharoth/Suebi appeared where they did at the same time
Random_Nerd: Oh, that.
Random_Nerd: Yeah, that's tied into stuff you're already looking into.
Random_Nerd: If you guys do the sort of thing I expect, you'll at least get closer to seeing what's up in the next few sessions.
DanteE: when have we ever done that?
Random_Nerd: Of course, you guys are PCs. It's as likely as not that you'll forget about the whole "War" thing and go start a garage band with Entropy and Ananda.
Theresa: Eww.
Random_Nerd: And will steal Luc's pants.
Theresa: That has merit.
Random_Nerd: To sell them on Ebay.
Theresa: Bah, more like blackmail to get him to admit as to whether he's connected to Lucifer or not.
Brian: Luc's the serial Anchor, right?
Random_Nerd: Yeah.
Random_Nerd: And the guy who started the Aides.
Brian: right.
Brian: I hate that guy. (;))
Random_Nerd: You guys have never met him in person, but you've met people who have.
Theresa: Why hate him?
Brian: is admitting to loving him any better? :p
Brian: (just joking around. Anchoring Luc is a death sentence :p)
Random_Nerd: I think that most of the Nobles who Anchor him would actually live less long if they didn't.
Random_Nerd: He tends to be the anchor of... well... noobs.
DanteE: which means he's in line to be the Power of N00bs
Theresa: Then why didn't we get him?  :)
DanteE: already taken
Brian: Dante: no, he'll Ascend as the Archetype of Anchor.
Brian: (... or I suppose I shouldn't UA the Nobilis)
Random_Nerd: When you guys started out, you were inexperienced.
Random_Nerd: But you didn't actually have the Noob Nature.
Random_Nerd: It is a subtle, ineffable thing.
Theresa: We didn't stare at The Hands?
Brian: it's not so ineffable: we're still alive.
DanteE: We Are PCs. The Tree itself trembles at our presence. :)
Random_Nerd: It's sort of... okay, so Luc is the Jeeves of Noble Society? He tends to get paired with the Bertie Woosters.
Random_Nerd: Or even the Gussie Fink-Nottles.
Brian: Jeeves is the only reference I got in there @_@
Random_Nerd: Clearly you have not read enough Hugh Laurie.
Random_Nerd: Err...
Random_Nerd: PGW.
Random_Nerd: My brain is crossing wires.
Brian: isn't Hugh Laurie Dr. House?
Random_Nerd: Although Laurie is a big fan of PGW.
Theresa: Hugh Laurie played Bertie Wooster in the British tv version of Jeeves and Wooster with Steven Fry as Jeeves.
Brian: ah
DanteE: Laurie played Wooster in the story written by Wodehouse (going by Wikipedia)
Random_Nerd: Okay, so since my brain is making strange and novel connections, let us play Nobilis!
Theresa: And PG Wodehouswe wrote the Jeeves/Wooster books. Sorry, Jeeves and Wooster books, Jeeves/Wooster is something else.
DanteE: Yeah, I know Fry and Laurie are close, but that's ridiculous
Theresa: The fangirls, man.
Random_Nerd: Shall we start with you guys in the meeting room, about three or four days after the last session?
Brian: Beth: ... you just broke my brain at the potential of the Brian fangirls.
Theresa: Sounds good to me. Theresa will have been pondering flight.
DanteE: So will Dante
Brian: Brian will be doing what Brian does. Acting dazed and confused.
Random_Nerd: True. I wonder how many of Brian's fans have romantically linked him with Dante, or Theresa. Or Lesson!
DanteE: (which I suspect means Beth and I have been considering buying flight)
DanteE: (ow. my brain.)
Theresa: Oh, come on, like it won't have happened. On the Amyra web, there will be fangirl websites. There will be fanfiction, most of which will be partnering you with MarySue-author inserts. And every single one of the Other Nobles. And possibly Monty.
Theresa: There will be hurt/comfort fanfic out there of Brian/Lesson.
DanteE: HOw famous is Lesson?
Brian: (there was some form of summoning that you brought up RN?) ... I can't wait til someone buys wings ... then wingfic!
Random_Nerd: You guys made it so that people knew him as one of you guys' minions.
Theresa: (Pondering buying flight but not quite now.)
Random_Nerd: And a lot of people pay attention to you guys.
Theresa: And it _is_ a good suit.
Random_Nerd: Besides, given what you have him doing, Lesson is much more visible than William, and more so that Sam except in an academic context.
DanteE: (Could build a plot around that, maybe.)
Brian: (could build a plot out of the least of our actions)
Random_Nerd: Ah, yes, High Summoning. You guys can buy MPs toward it, with the intent of purchasing a rating soon.
Random_Nerd: Did you have any questions about it?
Brian: just what the name was. Not going to purchase anything until I know how it works (book's somewhere on my computers) and how many points I have / it takes.
DanteE: It takes 5 points to get the initial pool, right?
Random_Nerd: One point per MP, and then the usual cost for rating in it per level.
Random_Nerd: Or, alternatively, you could spend your points on Chancel Qualities, to make Amyra High-Summoning Friendly.
Random_Nerd: That would cost slightly less, but it would not give you extra MPs.
Random_Nerd: Instead, it would let you draw off your Spirit MPs.
Random_Nerd: This, incidentially, is the way Shadows does it.
DanteE: how much of a can of worms would that open, though
Theresa: That's what campaigns are for.
Random_Nerd: Making Amyra summoning-friendly wouldn't open a huge can of worms. It's a quality you pay for, so it isn't intrinsically going to be a headache.
Random_Nerd: That's not blanket protection from the effects of stupidity, of course.
Random_Nerd: If you summon critters that you might not be able to handle, make sure to do so somewhere that isn't in the middle of town.
Brian: unless we balance it out with an equally negative "we're idiots" rule :p
DanteE: Never summon anything larger than your head, got it
Theresa: We'd never let something loose in the middle of town. *cough*
Random_Nerd: You hardly ever do taht!
Random_Nerd: That.
Random_Nerd: Hello, Tpyo.
Brian: it's been a few months since the last time :p
Random_Nerd: Okay, let's get going.
Random_Nerd: Meeting room okay with you guys?
Brian: sure
DanteE: Sure. Dante is 'egosurfing' Amyra's web, sort of...
Brian: oh no...
Random_Nerd: He will see himself mostly mentioned as Brian's friend.

• Theresa reads over Dante's shoulder.
  

Brian: Brian will be ... reading through Shadow's notes of summoning that we got? (IIRC Shadows offered something like that)
Random_Nerd: ________START________
Theresa: "I didn't know that Amyra had its own deviantart.com..."
Brian: "Oh, yeah, the kids love that one."
DanteE: (<Barbie> Nobility is _hard!_ </Barbie>)
Random_Nerd: (Yeah, he gave a lot of Summoning Creatures From Outside Reality For Dummies.)
Random_Nerd: (Looking for anything in particular?)
Brian: (not really, just a story excuse :p)
DanteE: (definitely _not_ checking on our Rule 34 stuff. While Theresa's watching.)
Theresa: "How many different ways can they spell Dante?"
Theresa: (*grin*)
Theresa: "And how long till they add Ftisk?"
Brian: "They don't know aobut him yet, I think"
DanteE: "Good question, haven't hit it yet.
Random_Nerd: Sam, to Brian: "Did you know that you don't have to be a Noble to do that stuff? I met a dionyl who could, once. Weird guy."
DanteE: "To their credit, the refs to D-A-N-T-E do still outnumber the D-O-N-T-A-Y ones."
Brian: "Really? I figured it would be miraculous"
Brian: to Dante: "That's because of our Official Web Site. You should see it sometime."
Theresa: "You should see the hate mail my office gets. There's a special spam folder for the ones that deal with Brian and how mean I am to him and how I better not be 'nice' to him..."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "It's much harder for normal folks. Every noble could learn it, if they really wanted to. For non-nobles, it's more like one in ten thousand."
DanteE: "And there's a few good ones, like this drawing of me--scar and all--riding Monty.
Random_Nerd: Sam: "And even then, it's probably people with some unusual family history."
DanteE: "Granted, he's about 10-20 times this size now..."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Not really to scale, though..."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Yeah."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "I guess I never saw him when he was small."
Brian: to Sam: "hm. I'd be interested in meeting non-Nobles who can."
Brian: (do we know why Shadows has a Shadowy Twin?)
Theresa: "He was so cute after he ate the feathers and Lesson's heart and all of his siblings."
Brian: "Not so cute when _someone_ had the great idea of teleporting a vortex into his mouth."
Random_Nerd: (Either because he made one in order to do his work, or because he already had one and made contact with it in order to do his work.)
Random_Nerd: (He isn't sure which.)
Brian: (so we don't really know the cause of it, but it seems HS related)
Theresa: "I apologized."
DanteE: "By the way, was is someone here that 'leaked' that my email is Courage@KaerkovenU.edu?
Random_Nerd: (Yeah. You have to have one to do high summoning, and the more you learn, the more powerful/connected the twin is, but it's unclear on the details.)
Brian: "Nope. Probably just random spam crawling"
Brian: "You didn't hit 'unsubscribe' I hope?"
DanteE: "I checked. Turns out that a few years back the theater put up a production of Mother Courage and her Children...
DanteE: "The email stuck around."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "A big part of the problem for mortals, of course, is that we don't have the kind of miraculous power to throw into it."
Brian: "I'd say that's a safety mechanism, Sam..."
Random_Nerd: William: "Plus, if it goes wrong, humans and dionyl and so on tend to be crunchy and delicious."
DanteE: (OK, anything interesting in my accidental email? :) )
Random_Nerd: Sam: "So, less a safety factor, and more a... limiting factor."
DanteE: "Dionyl are crunchy?"
Random_Nerd: William: "Well, they could be."
Brian: "well, their boots."
Random_Nerd: Sam: "We don't go soggy in milk, either."
Random_Nerd: (Dante, it seems that if you want, you can get a great deal on herbal viagra!)
Theresa: (Bah.)
DanteE: (Or I can ask Theresa. :) )
Random_Nerd: (Also, you have received two hundred and eighty seven lolcats.)
Theresa: (Oh, wait, is that some sort of come-on? An offer to make him better for sexing up Theresa?)
DanteE: (OK, what about before today? :) )
Brian: (... lolbilis?)
Random_Nerd: (And two Lol-little-demons. Both of those are from Sam_Dionyl@Aides.edu)
DanteE: (We should go find that Nigerian prince in trouble and help him out. :) )
DanteE: (.edu?)
Theresa: (Awww. I want lolimps...)
Random_Nerd: (Yep. .edu)
DanteE: (Ooh, reminds me, where's my imp?)
Theresa: (I think that we would find the Nigerian prince and find out he's a Noble or Anchor of something.)
Random_Nerd: (They do graduate-level courses in various Aide-related subjects.)
Random_Nerd: (The imp is currently climbing a tree, while being pursued by a german shepherd.)
Random_Nerd: (He has it coming.)
Theresa: (*giggle*)
DanteE: "Oh, this lol-imp reminds me...
DanteE: "First, how the hell did someone gte a picture of an imp with his foot _there_?
Random_Nerd: William looks at Sam.
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Well, it wasn't easy."
DanteE: "Second, can one of you get a collar for the little goof with a tracking or restraining device?"
Theresa: "Did you get another warning about the leash law?"
Brian: (going off for a short time, be back in about 10-20mins. Also, I'll be up forever tonight, so can play until who knows when. Feel free to have me tag along for the ride)
Random_Nerd: William steps outside the room for a moment, walks to his office, and returns holding a cardboard box.
Random_Nerd: It contains a tracking collar, one of those shock collars for dogs, a very sturdy leash, some duct tape, and a baseball bat.
Random_Nerd: William: "I have attempted to predict the next few requests you will have with respect to the small demon."
DanteE: " ... that works."
Theresa: "Nice bat."
DanteE: "Start with just this, though. (tracking collar) He's currently up a tree in the quad. Look for the pissed-off German shepherd."

• Theresa notes to herself that if the Aides have some sort of awards they give each year, she wants to nominate William for the Jeeves category.
  

Random_Nerd: William: "Solid corewood from an ash tree."
Random_Nerd: William: "Should I notify the animal catchers, the other demon, or both?"
DanteE: "Retrieve him for me, if you would, William... you should be able to just tell him I want him here."
Random_Nerd: William: "I will do so."
Random_Nerd: William takes the tracking collar, pauses for a moment, and also takes the baseball bat.
DanteE: "Sam, any word on the other ex-hellions?"
Random_Nerd: Sam: "They seem to have calmed down a little. I believe the woman leader is plotting against you. The king appears to be dating a college student. I don't know how he managed that, he can hardly speak modern languages."
Theresa: "What year?"
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Sophomore."
Theresa: "Hmm, not bad. Possibly impressed with how much he can drink."
Theresa: "Happen to know her major?"
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Annoyingly, it is not history. She's pre-med."
Theresa: "Huh. Hope she doesn't try to dissect him."

• DanteE has a Henry VIII flashback...
  

DanteE: "We should check on his dealings with her."
Random_Nerd: William: "Oh, that reminds me. In a few days, my fiancee will be moving to Amyra. May I make use of one of the ways through the Chancel wall?"
Theresa: 'Sure! We get to meet her, right?"
Random_Nerd: William: "Certainly. She will be interested to meet you."
Random_Nerd: W: "And Sam, please don't do the Attack Of The Puppet trick again."
DanteE: "Silly question... how inured is she to Noble fun and games?"
Random_Nerd: W: "It was funny the first time, but that's it."
Random_Nerd: W: "That depends. She knows about it, more or less, but she hasn't had any formal training in not going crazy. Please don't do big miracles in front of her."

• Theresa looks over at Sam. "Attack of the Puppet?"
  

Theresa: "Does she accept that she can have any kind of flowers, never wilting, of any color for her wedding?"
Random_Nerd: William: "He stripped naked, put on a hand puppet, and waved the 'floating' puppet around. While saying [deadpan]'Wooooo, I'm a floating puppet. Woo.'[/deadpan] In a spooky voice."
Theresa: Aspcet 3 straight face, please.
Random_Nerd: Sam: "Oh, he's not telling it right. And it was great."
DanteE: "Oh... can Chancel Jaris take their population back?"
Theresa: "Uhh...be thankful that Dionyl do not have have a certain human male body part?"
Random_Nerd: William: "They will be moving over in the next week. One other thing, a few of the fish-people have asked permission to become permanent residents here."
Random_Nerd: William: "Oh, and I've told her about the flowers. She would like to meet you, Theresa."
DanteE: "Hm... what's protocol for accepting another Chancel's people?"
Random_Nerd: William: "In general, it has to be agreed on by the Nobles of both Chancels."

• Theresa smiles. "Good. For once a bride has a florist who _can_ work miracles."
  

Random_Nerd: William: "However, I doubt they'll argue. They owe you one."
Theresa: "Should we ask the boss? He might not want fishpeople. Or he might be too interested and change all of us into fishpeople."
DanteE: (Reminds me, has Kudzu said anything about recent events? Or, for that matter, anything?)
Random_Nerd: William: "If I may, I believe that Ymera Kudzu will not mind. He delegates the running of the Chancel to you, ever since you formally took control."

• DanteE pops an image of the Library on the screen...
  

Random_Nerd: (Kudzu is still 'remembering' and has not yet come back of his own initiative.)

• • • Angelo has joined #nobilis.
      

[INFO] Now logging to <file:///home/angelo/.mozilla/firefox/vkuuxfit.default/chatzilla/logs/irc2.magicstar.net/channels/%23Nobilis.2009-06-05.log>.
[INFO] Channel view for ``#Nobilis opened.
=-= User mode for Angelo is now +ix
-->| YOU (Angelo) have joined #Nobilis
<DanteE> (Hiya Angelo!)
<Angelo> sorry :-( I was late...
<Angelo> Hi all!
<Theresa> (It's okay.  :) )
<Theresa> (We were looking at the Amyra internet and seeing how much Dante/Brian slash there is.)
=-= YOU are now known as Ftisk
<Random_Nerd> (Hey. The others are in the meeting room discussing what to do, so Ftisk can wander in at any time. It's about four days after the last session.)
<DanteE> (When's the Council meeting?)
<Ftisk> (ohhh, nice!)
<Ftisk> (ok. lets assume Ftisk wande in now :-) )
<DanteE> "You know, we still don't entirely know what happened on that day."

• Ftisk walk into the meeting room
  

<Random_Nerd> William: "Oh?"
<Random_Nerd> Sam waves to Ftisk.
<Theresa> "Which day?"
<DanteE> "Hiya Ftisk..."

• Ftisk smiles and waves back
  

<DanteE> "The Big Day when Jaris was attacked, Sakharoth reappeared, the boss started dreaming..."
<Ftisk> "What are you doing? Save another world?"
<DanteE> "Who knows."
<DanteE> "Sam, William, have the Aides got any relevant info we can access about that day? I remember you mentioned a number of additions to your Unanswered Questions board..."
<Random_Nerd> William: "We are not the only ones to send unanswered questions to the Society's oracle about that day. Something happened then, and I believe it was big, and I believe it happened Outside."
<DanteE> "Outside?"
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Where the Scruchies live."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Summoning was easier, at that time, and has been somewhat easier since then. Minor creatures from Outside have shown up of their own accord. Breakthroughs by shards were much greater, with a particular emphasis on Warmains."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Tell them the weird bit about the Warmains."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Ah, yes. That was the other interesting part. You understand the Warmain practice of Tempering?"
<DanteE> "... before we came along, the last thing that prompted a mass migration was a series of brush fires..."
<DanteE> "The Warmain takes on some of the aspects of a particularly worthy foe?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Yes. The interesting thing is that several of the Warmain shards were observed to be acting more like their assumed form than they normally would. Even in the cases of known Warmain shards that have been fought or talked with before."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Tell them the mimic thing!"
<Random_Nerd> William: "The mimic thing is conjecture."
<DanteE> "Tell it anyway."

• Theresa rubs her forehead. "I really hope Caesar isn't a real warmain."
  

<Random_Nerd> William: "Well, this is harder to be certain about, because the Mimics always act under a veil of secrecy. But you know how I mentioned that Breakthroughs were greater? There's another side to that."
<Random_Nerd> William: "There are no reliable reports of any mimic activity on that day, either independant or in support of the Warmain attacks."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "I still say that's meaningful."
<Random_Nerd> William: "But that part isn't unprecedented."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Mimics often don't do anything visible, or at least anything that it doesn't take years to figure out."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "It's still interesting."
|<-- Theresa has left irc2.magicstar.net (Excess Flood)
<DanteE> (Oops)
<Random_Nerd> (She's returning)
<Ftisk> (was sendong me the logs... :-( )
<Ftisk> sending
<Random_Nerd> W: "I think we may know more in another week or two. A sizable chunk of Research is working on this."
<DanteE> (Ftisk, you're logging now, right?)
-->| Theresa (~BethL@MagicStar-D88E7E90.hsd1.il.comcast.net) has joined #Nobilis
<Ftisk> (yes)
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "For what it's worth, I don't think... Caesar... is a Warmain. The others acted oddly, but none actually forgot who they were."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Even if he is one, there's something else going on."
<DanteE> "Hm...
<DanteE> "Y'know, somebody in my class did a report on the people who relocated after those wildfires I mentioned...
<DanteE> "Most of them stayed in the city. Granted, in some cases it was because their stuff was gone... but not many. And a lot more stayed than that would account for.
<DanteE> "And they had kind of an accelerated acclimation period....
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Oh?"
<DanteE> "OK, now imagine this.
<DanteE> "There's something equivalent to a series of wildfires Out There Somewhere.
<DanteE> "Something that would cause refugees to come ... here."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Human herd mentality is interesting. It's so familiar, and yet strangely alien."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Now that is an interesting idea. What would Excrucians run from?"
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "It had better not be a bigger, scarier enemy, who effortlessly kills Entropy to establish his power. I hate that routine."
<DanteE> "That, we have no data on. But think about it from the viewpoint of the refugees."
<Random_Nerd> William: "The idea of looking at this as a situation of refugees, rather than an attack in a war, is interesting. Let's see, what sort of things produce refugees?"
<DanteE> "Well, hold on.
<DanteE> "Leaving the why alone for a minute...
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "You know, I was going to say that it depends on whether they're humans or dionyl. But the Excrucians are neither. And humans and dionyl are still far closer to each other than most beings are."
<Random_Nerd> William nods at Dante.

• Theresa quietly asks Sam what dionyl would do. but tries not to bother Dante's train of thought.
  

<DanteE> "Imagine, you have to go somewhere, but it's basically hostile to you. Or at least the population is. What do you do?"
<DanteE> "A few people are going to barge in anyway, rely on strength. Like, say, whoever attacked Jaris."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Get in contact with whatever group is most sympathetic."
<Random_Nerd> William: "In racial background, culture, religion, whatever's available."
<DanteE> "Those who know the place, say from being there before, will come though and hope they're remembered. Like Sakharoth.
<Random_Nerd> (Sakaroth was the Domination. Suebi was the Warmain.)
<DanteE> "The smarter ones... they'll come in, lay low, and try to acclimate before actually doing anything major.
<DanteE> "Those Warmains... are they actually _attacking_ anything?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "The one that hit Locus Jaris was specifically trying to kill her, personally."
<Random_Nerd> William: "I believe that's why you were able to get so many of the people out alive."
<DanteE> "That could be an attempt at a beachhead."
<Random_Nerd> William: "And from what you said, he only attacked you or the other Nobles when you directly interfered with him, correct?"
<DanteE> "He barely acknowledged our presence...
<Random_Nerd> William: "See, if I had been him, and I had been trying to establish myself there, I would have gone for Nobles first. Hit the high-Domain ones if I could pick them out. Because I could take them out far faster than I could a Serpent."
<DanteE> "More to the point, though, how often is it that an Excrucian comes in through the wall and goes straight to a fight with an Imperator?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Even the Warmains don't tend to do that directly. They'll attack an Estate."
<DanteE> "If he had a plan, he'd have built up support before trying that.
<Random_Nerd> William: "More directly than a Strategist would, but even so, they'd cut out an Imperator's support base, not hit him directly unless he's already weak."
<DanteE> "Has Jaris found anything while trying to clean up her Chancel?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Not yet. If anything, that's why they're still being cautious."
<Random_Nerd> William: "If they found a blightstone or whatever, and cleared it up, they'd probably be more confident."
<Theresa> "That kind of action bespeaks panic."
<DanteE> "If this was a standard attack... she'd have found something."
<DanteE> "If this was someone running from a wildfire, that would fit."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "I agree. This wasn't a normal military attack."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "But I have one issue. Warmains really don't like to run. They'll occasionally do it, but mainly only if they have absolutely no chance."
<DanteE> (Do we have a 'log' of our conversation with Alt-Shadows?)
<Random_Nerd> (I have it logged, but I don't know if it's posted anywhere.)
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "If the warmain was running, it would be from something scarier and more dangerous than an Angel."
<DanteE> (I mean IC)
<Random_Nerd> (IC, yes.)
<Ftisk> (the past sessions are all on the wiki)
<Theresa> "I don't like the sound of that."
<DanteE> "Ftisk... looking at what alt-Shadows said, can you spot anything below the surface?"
<Theresa> "And they wouldn't be in the mood of telling us, 'Hey, we're scared, can we sleep in your bed tonight?'."
<DanteE> "Because we've been fighting for 2 ages."

• Ftisk do a fast scan of the log and a ldiv to find something
  

<Random_Nerd> (One moment, please.)
<Brian> (ok, caught up, can call myself back)
<Random_Nerd> (The part that stands out the most is the bit about "James' Father.")
=-= Mode #nobilis +oo Ftisk Theresa by Brian
<Random_Nerd> (You don't have enough information to fill in the gaps, but as Data you can tell that there's an important fact there, one you don't know, that's shaping the conversation.)

• DanteE locates Shadows' flower...
  

<Random_Nerd> (The flowers of your most important contacts are located in pots in the meeting room.)

• Ftisk "There is something that is important but there are not enought informations.... sorry"
  

<DanteE> "Actually... you guys say that it becoming easier for things to come through.
<DanteE> "Can you tell whether that's due to something on our side or their side?
<Random_Nerd> William: "Yes. I have that from three sources, including Shadows."
<DanteE> "I wonder if it's just motivation."

• Theresa studies the window ledge space in the room and how popular we have become.
  

<Random_Nerd> William: "We can't tell that, yet. If you find out, tell us."

• DanteE hooks up Shadows' flower to the screen... (I know, I know, no actual effect. :) )
  

<DanteE> "Calling Shadows..."
<DanteE> (which sounds like a whole different game, actually...)
<Theresa> "We're probably going to get his bugsecretary again."
<DanteE> "Not a problem, we're just checking in... for now..."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Hey. Good timing, you caught me during a break."
<DanteE> "Good to know. Have you recovered from all the work we made you do?"

• Brian looks up from his book zombielike *whispers* "mrr? Why's Shadows on screen?"
  

<Random_Nerd> (Well, he isn't actually on the screen, since prayers are only auditory by default.)

• Ftisk wisper back "because we call it..."
  

<Random_Nerd> (But Dante is using ghost miracles of realm to let you hear what he's getting back from Shadows.)
<Brian> (I know, still, the flower's on the screen?)
<Random_Nerd> (Yes.)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Just about. If you want me to do that sort of thing again, can you wait a day or so? I've nearly gotten the crown, and I'll be more useful once I reach that."
<Brian> (got the mental image of Shadows doing some MMO thing...)
<DanteE> "Ooh, sounds great... by the way, is it still getting easier to summon things?"

• Theresa mentally cheers on Shadows toward his crown.
  

<DanteE> (you're thinking of the Amulet of Yendor.)
<Theresa> (Nah, he's just grinding Other Side rep...)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "The same as earlier, but I'm getting better at it. I think the rules have changed, a little. The Wall is easier to appease, but slightly different methods work better still."
<DanteE> "Just out of curiosity... do any of the things you summon seem, well, 'happy' to be here?"
<DanteE> "Or possibly, glad to not be there?"
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "I normally try for that kind of creature. Jeeves, for instance, likes it here a lot more. Here he's only given non-dangerous work, and he's respected and treated well."
<DanteE> (Jeeves: " :) " )
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "I mean, I'm also learning how to call the harsh and weird things, like Liars or Sightdrinkers. But they aren't my usual specialty."
<Ftisk> (Is a great char (Jeeves)!)
<DanteE> to the others: "Should we tell him my theory?"
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "So, I don't really know. I mean, Jeeves is new, and he's happy to be here, so... kinda?"
<Theresa> "Might as well, Dante."
<DanteE> "Shadows... we've got a wild theory...
<Brian> (no pun intended)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "My favorite kind!"
<DanteE> "Some aspects of the behavior of the folks who've come over lately would be consistent with people running from something.
<DanteE> "Or at least, that they want to come over and aren't particularly concerned with how."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "That's always the case for at least some creatures. Something like Jeeves or the Wasp, while they're useful here, don't always have good lives over there."
<Random_Nerd> Shaadows: "It's so... impoverished, over there. In terms of Estates, I mean."
<DanteE> "When you summon something, what's their usual attitude?"
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Confusion. Struggle. Attempted violence, often."
<Brian> (is Shaadows Shadows' clone?)
<DanteE> "Has that changed or intensified recently?"
<Random_Nerd> (This is the regular Shadows you're talking to now.)
<Random_Nerd> (Oh, yes. Hello again, Tpyo.)
<Brian> (... Star Wars reference went zoom? :p)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "I think so, but I can't tell for sure. Lately I'm calling more powerful creatures. And those are always harder to deal with."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Even Jeeves took quite a bit of effort to subdue, before I got him to realize that I wasn't his enemy."
<DanteE> (Anyone else think of a line of questioning?)
<Ftisk> (no, sorry)
<Theresa> "What is he going to do once he gets his crown?"
<DanteE> "Any new messages on that paper, by the way?"
<DanteE> (Should put a few points into Detect Plot Point next time around... :) )
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Not yet. But I can't open a way and concentrate on it at the same time. I've had Jeeves watching it while I do other summoning-work, but he's seen nothing yet."
<DanteE> "Guess any further communication is up to us..."
<DanteE> "Hey, let us know once you get that crown."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Sorry I haven't worked on it more, but The Boss has orders that supercede my desire to help. That's partially why I wanted to finish the crown first. I'll have more time for my own projects afte taht."
<Ftisk> "Well, after Shadow got the crown, we can resend Gnomely outside... he is an achor now...)
<Ftisk> err "
<DanteE> "... standing or new orders?"
<Brian> (really? That's awesome. Have we made him his tv show yet?)
<Ftisk> (no, no one have theyr TV show as far as I know... but with a bit of realm.... ;-) )
<Random_Nerd> (You've probably dedicated some money to it, and they're doing the hiring and so on now.0
<Random_Nerd> (But you could probably use miracles to speed it up.)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "I'm to get my first crown as soon as I can."
<Ftisk> (well, there can be a TV show on the loved Amyran Nobles)
<DanteE> (Casting would be interesting. "By the way, this will be Brian's favorite show. But if your performance sucks you're ... well, let's not get to that...")
<DanteE> "When did he order that?"
<Theresa> (You'd have people suiciding for forgetting their lines...)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Before I was alive. My predecessor didn't make it to the crowns."
<Ftisk> "He was requestin a TV show afther he return the first time from outside"
<DanteE> "Ah, OK. In that case we'll let you get back to it..."
<DanteE> (Come to think of it, Ftisk can do a LDiv-Data on Shadows' notes, couldn't he?)
<Random_Nerd> (Yeah. It wouldn't grant him the skills or initiations of a practitioner of High Summons, but he'd know the information.)
<DanteE> (Maybe something which could help Shadows get that crown?)
<Ftisk> (ok. I do it!)
<Random_Nerd> (Shadows already knows everything in those notes.)
<Random_Nerd> (His issue is less knowledge, and more just managing to form a stronger connection.)
<DanteE> (Ah, but, the LDiv could detect contradictory, incomplete, or wrong info, right?)
<Random_Nerd> (Correct. It wouldn't be able to tell which of the contradictory positions was correct, though.)
<Ftisk> (but can cut onto the time to spot that there are incorrect data)
<Random_Nerd> (But... okay, you know how Shadows spent a lot of time condensing and simplifying the information he had into the notes he gave you? Ftisk could use miracles to do that much more quickly.)
<Random_Nerd> (Yes, correct.)
<DanteE> (So, Ftick could create a Summoning for Dummies book? :) )
<Ftisk> (my point is can Ftisk help speedup Shadow crown acquisistion?)
<Random_Nerd> (It wouldn't help at this one. He knows everything he needs to, he just needs to do a particular trick thing correctly.)
<Random_Nerd> (But it might help him get his second crown faster after that, by cutting down on conceptual dead-ends.)
<DanteE> "Feel free to call if we can help you at all, as well."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "I will. I'm nearly there. You guys will be the second to know when I manage it."
<Ftisk> "Wish you good luck"
<DanteE> "From all of us."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Thanks, Ftisk, everyone."
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Eclipses is glad I met you guys. Gets me out of the lab, some."
<Brian> "Glad to be of use. Thanks again for your notes... hope to see some progress from myself"
<Random_Nerd> Shadows: "Anyway, have to go see a doppleganger about a wasp. And I'd be glad to talk that stuff over with you, Brian."
<DanteE> (Well, Ftisk can give you Summoning for Dummies, Brian. :) )
<Brian> "Same. Enjoy your chat"
<DanteE> (Is that a euphemism?)

• Theresa resolves to help Shadows get out more too. Maybe a nice Amyra girl for him to date or something.
  

<Random_Nerd> (Which part?)
<Ftisk> (if I can help Brian, I'll do the s.f.dummy)
<DanteE> (IS he actually seeing a doppleganger about a wasp, or does he just have to go to the can?)
<Random_Nerd> (He is, actually. Or, at least, he's making contact with his fetch, and the wasp was the first thing he summoned that can do weird things with Noble powers.)
<Random_Nerd> (Summoning things like the wasp is one of the things he'll be able to do without spending MPs, once he manages to reach the next level.)
<Random_Nerd> Shadows cuts the connection.
<DanteE> "Hm."
<Ftisk> 2so
<Ftisk> "so, we have a maube as answer to your idea"
<Ftisk> maybe even
<DanteE> "William, Sam, don't go telling anyone my theory just yet. Right now it's just a wild guess, with very little to back it up."
<Random_Nerd> William: "If we put it up, it's more likely that we'll be able to correlate it with other people's thought."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Being able to post the other stuff was a big part of why I could tell you the stuff about the warmains and so on. It got other people thinking and sharing their own experiences."
<Ftisk> "We can try to contact Kudzu... maybe he remember more and can confirm deny your (DAnte) idea.)
<Ftisk> "
<Random_Nerd> William: "So, I will keep it to us if you order me to do so, but I belive that it would be a better idea to share it."
<DanteE> to the others: "What do you guys think of my idea?"
<Ftisk> "Can the theory be presented with a beta label?"
<Theresa> "We can try the Heart but I don't want to endanger the Chancel in case he's ticked."
<Theresa> "I think that we could share your theory but with obvious 'just a theory' tags all over it.
<Theresa> "
<Ftisk> "I believe we need a test to it. The conjectures are reasonable ones, but it need to be verified"
<DanteE> "Well, once Shadows gets his crown, we may be able to get something from his alt.
<Brian> "Hypothesis, please."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Okay, let me see. How can we test it?"
<DanteE> "I seriously doubt they're lining a bird cage with a communication method..."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Find a warmain shard who came through at the time, talk to him?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "But one that did, and didn't attack, would be atypical."
<Ftisk> "there are know ones?"
<DanteE> "That the reason that we're seeing more breaches of the Wall is that something is motivating then to come in, like the wildfires we had a few years back."
<Theresa> "The Council might know of ones."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Warmains don't always attack. And when they don't, Nobles can deal peacefully with them.
<Random_Nerd> "
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Heck, Kudzu has a friend who's a warmain, doesn't he?"
<DanteE> "Yes--his 'troops' attacked us in Mexico."
<Ftisk> "Indeed your bos have some nice friendship."
<Ftisk> boss even
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "I'll bet you twenty bucks that I can find a friendly warmain who came through on or around that day, if you give me six hours and the authority to promise a minor favor."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Well, a shard."
<DanteE> "Ah, what kind of favor?"
<Theresa> "Do we also need to hand over the twenty first?"
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "A little one. A divination, or creating something weird."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Nothing major or violent, and probably as a favor to a mortal instead of a Noble."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "There's stuff you people can do almost trivially, that would take months of hard work for one of us."
<DanteE> "... I'm OK with that. You guys?"
<Ftisk> "Ok, count me in"
<Brian> "Sure."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Don't give me the twenty unless I manage it."

• Ftisk extract 20 bucks from a hole in the tail
  

<DanteE> (Ew.  :) )
<Ftisk> (lol)
<Theresa> "I'm in.":
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Okay, I'll be off. Mind if I take a motor vehicle?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Do not ride a motorcycle! Remember what happened last time!"

• Ftisk fold and put away the money
  

<Brian> "We've got plenty."
<Random_Nerd> Sam: "No kidding. It's cars or nothing for me."
<DanteE> "We could also check our memory-loss hypothesis, come to think of it."
<Theresa> "One thing at a time."
<Theresa> (Do we have any other vehicles besides Dante's car?)
<Random_Nerd> (Presumably.)

• Theresa will hand over car keys that are not to Dante's car.
  

<DanteE> "Not really. We're asking what's happening on the other side. If he can't remember, that helps us. If he does remember, that helps us."
<Random_Nerd> (And if not, Sam has one of the badges from the Badge Machine. He could requisition an unused police car or something.)
<Ftisk> (or he can request one from the police)
<Random_Nerd> (Jinx.)
<Random_Nerd> Sam takes the keys and practically jogs out.
<Random_Nerd> William sighs, and sits down.
<DanteE> "He does have a license, right?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Probably not. But he is good at driving."
<Brian> "What would his photo id look like?"
<Ftisk> "And have a badge"
<Random_Nerd> William: "One of the things he likes about Earth. Dionyl doesn't have cars, or at least not many."
<Random_Nerd> William: "That motorcycle thing scared me, though."
<Ftisk> "What thing?"
<DanteE> "What happened?
<DanteE> (Jinx)
<Random_Nerd> William: "Happened about a year and a half ago."
<Ftisk> (seem the jinx night)
<Random_Nerd> William: "He borrowed a motorcycle from a friend. Thought he'd ride it, and get a nice snack from the breeze while he drove."
<Theresa> "Oh no..."
<Random_Nerd> William: "But I don't think he was ready for how fast it went. Going fifty-five or so nearly killed him."
<Random_Nerd> William: "Even afterward, he could hardly eat for months, and barely move."
<Theresa> "Thank goodness it wasn't the Autobahn..."
<DanteE> "You didn't leave the a/c on full blast, did you Brian?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Good thing there weren't any other drivers nearby when it happened."
<Brian> "Why would I use a car?"
<Random_Nerd> William: "Oh, that knd of breeze won't hurt. He can probably even crack the window safely."
<Random_Nerd> William: "It was the strong breeze blowing right through his body that... disturbed his vortices, or something."
<DanteE> "Ah. Just checking."
<Theresa> "Oh, wait, are we going to have to warn the police about Sam driving around?"
<DanteE> "The badge should take care of that..."
<Brian> "He should just turn on the NobleMobile lights"
<Random_Nerd> William: "He's a pretty safe driver. And if they pull him over, they'll know he works for you."
<Random_Nerd> William, to Theresa: "Those keys were to one with government plates, right?"
<Theresa> "Yeah, an official car. Just don't want any more Headless Driver stories going around..."
<Random_Nerd> William: "He'll be fine, then. I never get hassled when I use those ones."
<Random_Nerd> (Should we stop here?)
<Ftisk> (ok for me)
<DanteE> (OK)
<Theresa> (Braaaains...)
<Brian> (sure)
<Random_Nerd> __________STOP_______
=-= Brian is now known as Lazarus
=-= DanteE is now known as Knockwood
<Random_Nerd> Good to have you back, Laz.
=-= YOU are now known as Angelo
<Knockwood> agreed
<Knockwood> Did I dominate the session, tho?
<Lazarus> my internet didn't randomly fail on me today, like it has in the past.
<Random_Nerd> Nah, it worked.
<Knockwood> That is nice
<Theresa> I don't think you did a bad job, Knock.
=-= Theresa is now known as Bethe
=-= Bethe is now known as bETHe
<Angelo> me too
=-= bETHe is now known as BethE
<Lazarus> Bethe -> lethe?
<Knockwood> Did we go in a direction you didn't expect? :)
<BethE> Beth is having trouble typing her own name...
<Knockwood> Capslock?
<Random_Nerd> Nah. This was really about what I'd expected. If anything, there was surprisingly less demonboxing than there usually is with this kind of thing.
<Random_Nerd> I think having a full group may have helped with that.
<Angelo> RN never expect a direction from us... just a random bunch of signals! :-P
<Angelo> one question... I was doing some wiki maintenance
<Angelo> ad came to: Front note - 31 dynasty points as of Session 103
<Knockwood> You realize, the more sure we are that there's some amazing underlying multilayered plot, the more likely it is that RN is pulling everything out of his ass. :)
<BethE> Oh yeah, I forget how we get Dynasty points...1 per session or per chapter?
<Angelo> you have harvest also
<Knockwood> I think it's 1/session
<Angelo> so are on paar with cp?
<Knockwood> plus harvests, minus any we use to supplements our own MP pools
<Angelo> eh, then I need to reread all the logs to update the total
<Random_Nerd> Fortunately, I took Greater Creation Of Multilayered Plots, Automatic When Appropriate.
<Knockwood> last Harvest was when I took the Courage spirits of the dudes in the Factory, I think
<BethE> SO that was probably before the 103 session.
<Angelo> this simplify the calculation then
<Knockwood> (Also means (DELETED FOR RULE ZERO))
<Angelo> how time remain fefore the end of the age?
<Random_Nerd> You have about seven, seven and a half months.
<Angelo> before
<Angelo> oh, so much :-)
<Knockwood> How long before Attaris sets whatever in motion?
<Random_Nerd> I'd have to look back, but two or three months, I believe.
<Angelo> the game's Nobilis exist for the same time more o less
<Lazarus> RN: does >=1 HSMP imply HSMP >= 0, in the same vein as a rank 0 stat means that you can do it?
<Angelo> ?___?
<Random_Nerd> Could you rephrase that?
<Lazarus> does buying High Summoning MPs mean that High Summoning can be done, or do you need at least rank 1 in the High Summoning itself first?
<Random_Nerd> Hmm...
<Random_Nerd> I would say that you need five HS MPs. Before that, I'd say you have HS Not Applicable, but that at 5 you have HS 0 instead.
<Angelo> wasn't that one need 5 HSMP before he can start to use HS?
<Random_Nerd> And that you need to at least have 0 in an attribute before you can use it at all. Same as how Excrucians can't use Domain at all.
<Lazarus> ok, so it's effectively 5 points for access, and then 5 per rank as normal.
<Knockwood> you mean 3/rank
<Random_Nerd> (3/per... yeah.)
<Lazarus> oooh, my numbers in my head are wrong.
<Lazarus> so 5 for access, 3 per rank. ok.
<Random_Nerd> Yeah. 5 MPs, or else living in a chancel with the quality.
<Knockwood> AIUI, you basically get HS as a new attribute
<Angelo> the quality can be purchased with DP
<Lazarus> (just want to know investment numbers) The quality costs how much, and how do I spend points to get that?
<Random_Nerd> Yeah.
<Random_Nerd> Which quality?
<Knockwood> Then again, RN was saying we could make this a HS Chancel
<Lazarus> the HS Chancel quality
<Random_Nerd> One, but you also need magic.
<Lazarus> ok, so that sounds like it could be doable if we want.
<Random_Nerd> It would take at least three points.
<Knockwood> wait, you're thinking of Imperator points
<Random_Nerd> Four, if you want normal instead of fae magic.
<Random_Nerd> And DPs can't be spent on this.
<Random_Nerd> Just CPs.
<Angelo> I get lost.
<BethE> Well, all, I need sleep. Good game.  :) *HUGS*
<Knockwood> we could probably add 2 points of qualities to Kudzu, but it would take some effort to change Amyra.
<Knockwood> g'night Beth
<Angelo> bye Beth. *Hug* back
<Random_Nerd> So, basically, it gets down to how fast do you want it, and how likely are you to use your Spirit MPs for other purposes?
<Lazarus> ok. So, as I understand it, there are two ways of gaining access to High Summoning. The first is the "individual" way where you always have it, for 5 poitns for 5 MPs. The second is adding Magic for 2? points, non-fae for 3, +1 for HS Chancel. That means that it only works in Chancel, but for everyone here?. Now you can have HS.
|<-- BethE has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: All shall love me and despair?)
<Knockwood> What does it take to add a Chancel point, tho?
<Random_Nerd> Spend one character point per.
<Random_Nerd> And that's basically correct, except that in either case, you can use it outside the chancel.
<Knockwood> we each need to spend a CP?
<Random_Nerd> Let me see...
<Lazarus> so, essentially, I get to choose whether to be selfish or not, and if everyone adds CPs, it can happen lots faster?
<Random_Nerd> Oh, true. It's one CP each for the chancel thing.
<Knockwood> (You could argue that's one flaw in Underground, actually...
<Random_Nerd> Yes.
<Angelo> every one... I'm not from your chancell
<Random_Nerd> True.
<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, since he gains less benefit from chancel qualities, would not have to pay.
<Lazarus> oh, ok. So, if someone decides to be selfish, the Chancel route won't work anyway :p
<Knockwood> (You could spend your earned XP on you, or use it to change your society... but not both.)
<Random_Nerd> And either way it works outside the Chancel. Shadows' tendency to only do summonings in his lab is because of a Limit he currently has, not an intrinsic aspect of chancel-based summoning.
<Knockwood> You guys at all familiar with Underground?
<Lazarus> so I might as well just buy HSMPs. Sounds more useful. I should at some point check to see how many points I should have available, though.
<Random_Nerd> Basically, it gets down to if the others also want to learn it.
<Angelo> I'm not. I have the pdf but never had the time ti read it
<Random_Nerd> If at least two of you do, it'd probably be worth taking the plunge.
<Random_Nerd> But if it's just Brian, I'd suggest buying the MPs.
<Knockwood> You could put a sheet for Brian up on the Wiki like the rest of us.
<Angelo> or If you send me your char details I can put one up for you
<Random_Nerd> Okay, I'm heading out.
<Knockwood> g'night RN
<Angelo> Night RN
<Lazarus> I've got the sheet in a Google Docs spreadsheet. It says total cost is 34, with 9 points spent. Thus far, anyway
<Knockwood> What did you spend the 9 points on?
<Random_Nerd> Oh, by the way, one other thing.
<Angelo> can you share it with me?
<Random_Nerd> HS 0 miracle are still useful.
<Random_Nerd> You can summon things that are kinda dumb, but are build on 10 or so CPs.
<Lazarus> Angelo: you've got it shared already. Or so it shows me.
<Random_Nerd> So, more powerful than Aspect or Realm at 0.
<Angelo> I'll check
<Knockwood> that's from UF?
<Random_Nerd> Yeah. Page 51 shows what the various miracle levels do.
<Lazarus> kwd: I've got a 7 point Gift, remember :p
<Random_Nerd> And there's a table that gives the various modifiers, for making the creatures more cooperative and so on.
<Angelo> @Laz: found the sheet
<Random_Nerd> Okay, I'm going to bed. G'night, all.
<Knockwood> g'night RN
<Angelo> re-g'night
<Lazarus> g'night
|<-- Random_Nerd has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: )
<Angelo> So laz put I your sheet on the wiki?
<Lazarus> go ahead.
<Angelo> K!
<Lazarus> Angelo, kwd: opinions on how to do HS?
<Knockwood> BTW, Angelo, I think you're mixing up Dynasty and Character points on the front page
<Angelo> uhoh!
<Knockwood> hm... really depends on what you intend to do with it
<Angelo> I'll fix it.
<Lazarus> I mean: either of you interested enough in order to want it?
<Angelo> no, I'm not interested in HS.
<Angelo> If one I'm intersted in alchemy... but first I nend to beef up Ftisk a bit
<Angelo> I want not I neew
<Angelo> need
<Knockwood> hm... I'll have to think it over...
<Knockwood> and possibly reread UF
<Angelo> well, I must go. Good night!
<Knockwood> g'night Angelo
<Knockwood> you too Laz.
<--| YOU (Angelo) have left #Nobilis


Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 15