Session 216

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 31

--»| YOU (Angelo) have joined #Nobilis
«Angelo» HI!
«BethE» Hi Angelo!
«Random_Nerd» Hey, Angelo.
«lazarus» hey Angelo
«Verithe» Hi, Angelo!
«Angelo» :-)
--»| Knockwood (~chatzilla@MagicStar-E048CE2B.dhcp.reno.nv.charter.com) has joined #Nobilis
«Knockwood» Hiyo
«Angelo» Hola!
«Random_Nerd» Hey.
«Knockwood» oh yeah, saw part of that thread on TO
«Verithe» Hi!
«lazarus» hey
«Random_Nerd» So, let's see. Last session, Theresa had accidentially sold herself on ebay to a L_Entropy_666, and due to a miscommunication Kite was going to have to go on two dates with two different nimblejacks at the same time without either one noticing...
«lazarus» My book: #155, inscribed "To Numbers. For what is more admirable than a person of good taste? Ianthe [scrawl]"
«Angelo» and Knock is marring Ftisk, don't forget!
«lazarus» (possibly "Ho Numbers")
«Knockwood» Meanwhile, Carrie is hatching a plan to take down Entropy with the Power of Friendship.
«Random_Nerd» Nah, it's only going to be a civil union. Amyra doesn't recognize marriages where one or more of the newlyweds is cyclopic.
«Knockwood» Backed up by a ridiculous amount of ordinance, yes, but still...
«BethE» (We didn't get anything funny with our inscriptions.)
«lazarus» (I asked :D)
«Angelo» and my book number ... wait! I don't received my book jet! ... sadness fill my heart! :-(
«BethE» Angelo - oh no!  :(
«BethE» RN - that is an awfully specific law.
«Knockwood» I didn't buy one, sticking with the PDF.
«Verithe» :(
«lazarus» (I find it amusing that Ianthe's handwriting is impeccable ... up to her last name :D)
«Random_Nerd» The cyclopsified Amyrans face a great deal of discrimination, Beth.
«lazarus» well, that just won't do.
«Knockwood» then again, you're lucky I'm here, considering Renovation is downtown.
«Angelo» yep Beth, oh no!
«lazarus» all cyclopes now have two eyes and are normal sized!
«lazarus» (can't tell which definition of "cyclopean" the law is using, the proper one or the common one ;))
«Random_Nerd» Sadly, the legislative history is silent on that point.
«Knockwood» checked it out yesterday, actually. Passed by Steve Jackson demoing Zombie Dice in a corner of the skywalk.
«BethE» Well, all of Ianthe's faults are in her last name, so it would look a bit crowded.
«BethE» Errr, I mean, complex. Crowded might indicate she has a lot of faults.  :)
«lazarus» had ;)
«lazarus» and Ianthe's signature looks different than the other person who got hers.
«lazarus» (... grammar sucked there, but I'm sure you know what I meant ...)
«Verithe» Perhaps that is also a fault of her last name?
«Random_Nerd» So, anythings before we start?
=-= BethE is now known as Theresa
=-= Knockwood is now known as DanteE
«DanteE» we taking out that orc camp or what?
=-= YOU are now known as Ftisk
=-= lazarus is now known as Brian
«Theresa» Blargh.
«Random_Nerd» You guys had been talking to three people who claim to be the "Barsoomian Intelligence Agency, in exile."
=-= Verithe is now known as Kite
«Kite» Just that I may be disappearing in an hour.
«Brian» (Barsoom ... John Carter of Mars?, or have I got my pulp series mixed up again?)
«Random_Nerd» (Correct!)
«Random_Nerd» (Their story is that it was an organization on the Martian colony during the lost years.)
«DanteE» so, was there a John Carter?
«Random_Nerd» Yeah, although the books are total exaggerations.
«Random_Nerd» And that, when the reset happened, a few of them were still around, and that they've kept working to keep the world safe for Martian interests, if and when Mars should ever be recolonized.
«Random_Nerd» These guys are several generations down the line.
«Theresa» And Dante may have just fried the Carter descendent's brain.
«DanteE» please. If anything I just slightly warmed it.
«Random_Nerd» The other two seem to have some rudimentary "if a miracle's happening, look the other way and think about purple elephants" training.
«Random_Nerd» But Carter only works there because he was from a BIA family and got fired from his last job.
«Random_Nerd» So he doesn't really take it seriously.
«Theresa» Cerebral warming causes greenhouse gases!
«Brian» I think I missed last session. In fact, I'm fairly sure I did.
«Theresa» You did.

• Ftisk nod nod
  

«DanteE» what do they want us to do?
«Random_Nerd» Any other questions?
«Brian» so what do these Barsoomians want?
«Random_Nerd» They're trying to feel you out, and get an idea of the Noble political/eschatological situation.
«Kite» I have no questions.
«Brian» ok, so nothing in specific atm.
«Random_Nerd» As in "is the world likely to undergo any huge cataclysms, and if it does... will that make martian colonization /more/ or /less/ likely."
«Random_Nerd» They're aware of the existence of Nobles, but very much on the fringes.
«Random_Nerd» So, ready?
«DanteE» Mars betting eaten by extra-creation bishonen...
«Kite» Ready!
«DanteE» allez.
«Theresa» Sure
«Ftisk» yep
«Random_Nerd» ____________START_____________
«Kite» "If you like, Carter, my Aide specializes in Worldview...stuff. I can send you to him for Worldview training."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Carter, go home. You can have the afternoon off, with pay. In fact, go to a bar. Drinks are on me."
«Random_Nerd» He reaches for his wallet, and then remembers that his "BIA uniform" toga/suit thing doesn't have pockets, and goes over to a desk.
«Random_Nerd» He takes some bills out, and hands them to Carter.
«Random_Nerd» Carter: "But it was /hovering/."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "No it wasn't. Free drinks. Go away."
«Random_Nerd» Carter: "Can I at least get changed out of this stupid..."
«Brian» (who was hovering? Ftisk again?)
«DanteE» (I floated a knife)
«Random_Nerd» (Dante made a knife hover.)
«Ftisk» (Why all hate me? :-P )
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Yes. Then go."
«Kite» (Dante did ghost miracles of...yeah)
«Brian» (oh.)
«DanteE» "Like I said, you can believe I did it with mirrors."
«Brian» "Dante's good with smoke and mirrors and magic."
«DanteE» "That might be the best.
«DanteE» (Reminds me, what's the latest on that barkeep that Ftisk spooked?)
«Brian» (... can you quantify the amount of DA is in a person? Or is a kind of on/off condition?)
«Random_Nerd» (Now, it's a ghost miracle, so it's unlikely to have any lasting effect. Ghost miracles by definition have very little effect on the world.)
«Kite» "But I do highly suggest worldview training."
«Random_Nerd» (It's a messy "depends on exactly what you mean by" sort of thing. But if Brian were to get someone to make a diagnostic scale, then he could determine where people were on it.)
«Random_Nerd» Carter heads out.
«Brian» (excellent.)
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "We've been trying to, but he's new. And even with us, that stuff's like fifth-hand knowledge by now."
«Brian» (and presumably manipulate. hm. I do a miracle to reduce DA in you. But you witness it. So DA increases. Huh.)
«Theresa» *to the other Barsoomians* "If he has problems, send us a message. We have some folks that are specializing in this."
«DanteE» (Oh yeah, I was thinking of a group project to make the population DA-resistant)
«Theresa» "It's become a bit of a...environmental hazard around us."
«Random_Nerd» (Oh, and the barkeep is recovering. He's back to work, although he still seems the Dionyl specialist on occasion.)
«Brian» "Around most Nobilis."
«Ftisk» "is like a diva halo"
«Brian» "Your best bet is to be Anchored."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "While we're on the topic, could you answer a question for me on that?"
«Kite» "Anchors?"
«DanteE» "On what, exactly?
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "As I understand it, it's all to do with something that happened to Earth with an angel, centuries back. And it doesn't happen on other worlds."
«Brian» "Yes and no."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "But according to the records, it /did/ happen on Barsoom. That never made sense to me."
«Random_Nerd» (And that's because the whole solar system is part of "Earth" for metaphysical purposes.)
«Brian» "I assume Barsoom is in the realm of Earth."
«DanteE» "That's because 'Earth' in that context is really a blanket term for the entire solar system."
«Brian» "Would make some amount of sense."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Bah. Terracentric thinking, that."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "But if that's how it /works/..."
«Brian» "Nein. Just happens to be the name for the sphere."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Fine, fine."
«Brian» "Worldspheres."
«Brian» "Hanging like fruit from the Ash."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "So, that's real? You've actually seen it?"
«Brian» "If you could get from Barsoom to Planet Earth by rocket, you're in the same world sphere."
«DanteE» "The other worlds are really alternate realities hanging from Yggdrasil."
«Brian» "I have, through the eyes of my servant. Once."
«DanteE» "We have been to Dionyl."
«Theresa» "Yes, we've seen the Ash. Also a Serpent, child of the Ash."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "And it's not a metaphor? It's an actual tree, made of wood, leaves on top, the whole deal?"
«Kite» "An actual tree, yes."
«Brian» "It is bigger than everything. It is so big, I cannot tell you how large it is. And it is, indeed, ash wood."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Damn. I owe my uncle twenty bucks."
«Brian» (Brian might be exaggerating, but he's never tried to find out how large it is :p)
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "So, there was something else we wanted to ask you."
«DanteE» (You may think it's a long way down the street to the chemist's, but that's just piddling to tha Ash.)
«Kite» "Yes?"
«Theresa» (It's larger than there are numbers for it.)
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "In some of the old records, there's discussion of an 'Angel of Barsoon.' Kind of like the one in Out Of The Silent Planet."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "So... is there one, and if so, do you have any way of getting in touch with it? Him? Them, whatever?"
«Brian» "Maybe... was there a floral device described?"
«Kite» "We could try and find out."
«Theresa» "Makes sense. We've met the Angel of Jupiter."
«Kite» "It is very likely, at least."
«DanteE» (did we bring an Aide?)
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "A floral device? Like... some sort of gun that shoots flowers?"
«Brian» "..."
«Random_Nerd» (William, who's mostly staying quiet.)
«Kite» "That sounds like a useless floral device."
«DanteE» to William: "Heard of that?"
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Because, I mean, I've seen some of the old Aetheric Ray Blasters... but they don't work any more, and anyway I don't think they shot /flowers/..."
«Random_Nerd» William:
«Random_Nerd» "Hmm?"
«Brian» "Like heraldry type device."
«DanteE» to W: "an Angel of Barsoom... or maybe of Mars?"
«Random_Nerd» William: "Ah, to the best of my knowledge, there are no ray guns that shoot flowers, sir."
«Kite» "Thank goodness!"
«Theresa» "A device, like a crest or coat of arms. But made of flowers, rather than dragons, lions and odd bits of hippos.
«Random_Nerd» William: "Oh! Yes. Yes, there is. Samael. Angel of Iron, War, and Blood."
«Brian» "the undying?"
«Random_Nerd» William: "Pardon?"
«Brian» "Or was that Sammael with two m's?"
«DanteE» (didn't he get whomped by the Eva pilots?)
«Brian» (Also Hellboy)
«Random_Nerd» William: "My knowledge of angelic lore is largely limited to the political, I'm afraid."
«Kite» (Why does everyone want to whomp Samael? If we whomp him also, I'm going to assume it is an affliction.)
«Theresa» (Son of Nergal...)

• Ftisk land on Dante shoulder
  

«DanteE» (Because he's Angel of War, and therefore going to be in any conflict automatically.)
«Random_Nerd» William: "And you do have some indirect connection to him. Samael is friendly with several of the Watchers."
«Theresa» "Regular angel or Fallen?"
«Random_Nerd» William: "Fallen."
«DanteE» to the Barsoomians: "If the stories of yours are based on real events, they'll have a few tells:
«Theresa» "Hmm."
«Brian» "Easy to get in touch with?"
«Random_Nerd» Ten, to Dante: "Hmm?"
«DanteE» "First, the angel's powers will kind of have a floral motif.
«Random_Nerd» William: "I could get word to him. He doesn't have any Aides working for him or his nobles that I know of, but our communication apparatus is fairly broad within Earthly society."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Why?"
«Random_Nerd» (to Dante.)
«DanteE» "Flowers were made in heaven."
«DanteE» "Second, they'll be fighting handsome 'bishonen' trying to steal existence itself.
«Random_Nerd» Peren: "At some point in this conversation, I think you started talking nonsense to see if we'd believe it."
«Brian» "Or some allegory for it."
«DanteE» "Let's see, what else... " (Help?)
«Brian» "Magic."
«Theresa» *to Peren* "Sorry, but a lot of talking with Nobles sounds like a 'weird out the mundanes'."
«DanteE» (o/~ makes it all complete... o/~)
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Ah. That, the old texts on it still work. Unlike most of the engineering."
«DanteE» "Old texts on what?"
«Kite» "Magic."
«Random_Nerd» Ten concentrates visibly, and after about fifteen seconds his right index finger glows slightly.
«Theresa» "That's because magic as source of power still exists in this timeframe. Advanced technology as on Barsoom does not. Yet."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "I'm not actually any good at it, mind."
«DanteE» (so, he's about to phone home? :) )
«Brian» "Assuming Barsoom was a Chancel, then the laws of engineering and stuff could be different."
«Theresa» (ET phone home?)
«DanteE» (jinx)
«Theresa» "It could have been a society like all of Dionyl."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "It had numerous chancels on it. It was a /world/."
«Brian» "Chancel with an upper-C. Mystic difference."
«Random_Nerd» (Basically, I'm running it so that several key Estates have been excruciated since the Lost Years, so some of the books on science from back then that they managed to preserve are no longer correct.)
«DanteE» "Do you have some of those Magic texts around?"
«Random_Nerd» (For one thing, now there's no breathable atmosphere on Mars, or in space.)
«Brian» "Or engineering texts?"
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "A few. They're copies of copies, but some of the stuff still works."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "But... uh... it's classified. And you don't have a Barsoomian security clearance."
«DanteE» "That's actually a third tell... if there are big holes in the 'reality' of the accounts, it means battles the bad guys won."
«Brian» "Ftisk, can you look up the books and get us copies?"
«Random_Nerd» (Oh, and normally the science books would be changed to match the new rules. These were protected by the same things that protected them from the Big Reset.)
«Ftisk» "Sure Brian"
«Random_Nerd» (Some of them had been in Chancels, others were protected by miracles.)
«DanteE» "We're _Nobles_. I think we automatically qualify as Authorized Personnel."
«Theresa» "What gets security clearance?"
«Brian» (a subtle way of "you can't keep classified information from us" :p)
«Ftisk» "Where are these books?"
«DanteE» "Especially considering we can do Fun Things with reality at will.
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "These days? You have to be the lineal descendant of a member of the active BIA, and work for the exile organization for a number of years."
«DanteE» "For instance... (nudges Theresa) I don't think you had a purple fern in the corner behind you when we came in..."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "We could probably arrange an exchange of information, though. But we'd need to contact superiors outside Amyra."
«Brian» "Would co-ordinates help you Ftisk?"

• Ftisk lc Data so to have that lineage
  

«Random_Nerd» (How?)
«Ftisk» (is all in the record, look! :-P )
«Random_Nerd» (Ah.)
«Random_Nerd» (Touche.)
«Ftisk» "Uhm, Ten, can you check? I'm _sure_ we are of that lineage..."
«Random_Nerd» William: "If all you need is resourches on mortal magic, I believe the Aides have several publications on that. We don't use it much, though."
«Brian» (resourches, William?)
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "You are a /hovering magic snail robot/. I think it's safe to say that you aren't."
«Random_Nerd» (Resources, even.)
«Brian» (It's funnier to think of William briefly being portrayed by Sean Connery)
«Ftisk» "and you are an a-hole with prejudices!"
«Theresa» "Are you discriminating against another member of your group?"
«Kite» "He had the body of a humanoid, once."
«DanteE» (y'know, there's a slight possibility we actually are in that line...)
«Random_Nerd» (Regular or Celebrity Jeopardy?)
«Brian» (Either, but regular form was what I was thinking.)
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "If you can arrange for me to get outside Amyra to contact my superiors, and are willing to promise that you can put us in touch with the Angel of Barsoom, I'm sure I can get them to agree to give you copies..."
«Random_Nerd» (Great, now I'm imagining Meon as Celebrity Jeopardy Sean Connery.)
«Brian» "Angels tend to do what they want."
«DanteE» "Well, it sounds like Samael is angel of _Mars_. There might be a difference..."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Is it big, red, and farther from the Sun than we are?"
«DanteE» (BTW, what do they look like to the Sight and Mythic?)
«DanteE» "Yes."
«DanteE» "Not as big as Earth, though."
«Random_Nerd» (Human. Mythically, there are some weird variant forms of inheritance sprites and the like hovering around, though.)
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Then it's semantics, surely."
«Brian» "Semantics mean things."
«Kite» "I imagine Samael is also the Angel of Kasei and Άρης. The name of the planet doesn't matter."
«Kite» (Apologies for not romanizing the Greek)
«Random_Nerd» (Great, now I'm squinting and trying to see if that's a smooth or rough breathing mark.)
=-= YOU are now known as DragonTisk
«Random_Nerd» (But it's smooth for Ares.)
«DanteE» quietly to Kite: "But is that Barsoom, or should we be looking for an Angel of Literature?"
«Random_Nerd» Ten, to Paren, pointing at the wall: "Look! Hitler riding a unicorn!"
«Brian» (My knowledge of Greek is sadly very very limited. I can barely write the alphabet now :( I should find a way to learn!)
«Kite» to Dante: "Samael is currently our best lead. We can find out after we try to contact him."
«DanteE» "Good point."

• DragonTisk quietly ask Dante "Can I eat one? ... Pretty please?"
  

«Random_Nerd» (Dante, was that loudly enough for a mundane human to hear?)
«DanteE» (No.)
«DanteE» "No, Ftisk, no eating the Martians."
«DanteE» (and that line should totally go in the quote file...
«Brian» (it's not so odd, for us)
«DanteE» (and possibly in a RPOpen thread for Best Out-Of-Context Line)

• DragonTisk dramatically sigh and weave tentacles
  

«Kite» (Agreed!)
«DanteE» to Theresa : "We really need to consider making everyone resistant to you-know-what."
«Random_Nerd» William, quietly: "Really, mortal magic isn't worth bothering with, if you have the real thing, or for that matter a gun, a flashlight, a smartphone, and a multitool."
«Random_Nerd» William: "There's no need to make concessions to get whatever little they know of it."
«Theresa» "I'm not sure how the boss would take that. Sanity, crutch, cage, etc."
«DragonTisk» "What multitool?"
«Random_Nerd» William reaches into his pocket and pulls a mid-sized one out. Usual stuff, pliers, knife, screwdrivers, corkscrew.
«Random_Nerd» William: "Not really my style, but they do come in handy at times."
«DragonTisk» "ah ok!"
«Kite» "Shiny...."
«Theresa» "No sonic screwdriver?"
«Random_Nerd» William shrugs and hands it over.
«Random_Nerd» William: "Ask the Power of Physics. I bet she has one."

• Kite grabs the multitool.
  

«DanteE» to the Bars: "So, anyway... what specifically were you looking for?"
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "An idea of whether the world is likely to end in the next few months, and a line on the Angel of... Mars."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Plus, it's policy to make contact with any known local Nobles."
«Theresa» "Yeah, she probably does by now. Wonder how her Tardis is going. She may pick up a companion or a cybernetic dog just to be complete."
«DragonTisk» "The world is likely to end, Mayans see it right but wrong the year by 5 or 7"
«Random_Nerd» William: "I miss the one before her predecessor. A good old-school Noble. Shame about the whole Strategist thing."
«DanteE» "If that's policy, where were you the past (X) months?"
«Brian» "The world will end in a few months. In a manner of speaking."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "On a scale of one to ten, how likely are we to be killed by rains of fire, jaguars, or whatever?"
«DragonTisk» "Jaguars like outdates OS Xes?"
«Brian» "I think I can tell you." (what is the chance?)
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "We were... look, the whole Barsoom thing sounds stupid. We /get/ that. So we were kinda waiting until we had another excuse."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "And then the armageddon rumors started circulating."
«Theresa» "The Chancel should be safe."
«DanteE» "You know about the Celestial Calendar?"
«Theresa» "Do you know about the Ages? With a capital A?"
«Brian» "Did you know that the Three Musketeers also happened that way, in one universe?"
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Only a little bit. That's the calendar that kept going, while the one on Earth got reset?"
«DanteE» ("Do you know the way to San Jose?")
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "The Three Musketeers got killed by jaguars?"
«DanteE» to Ten: "That's the one.
«Brian» "No, the Writer's Conceit was truth."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "I know that there's supposed to be such a thing. Nothing more."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "That it was actually the diary of D'Artagnan?"
«DanteE» "The short version is, Bad Things have happened when that calendar hits its 1000-year marks.
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Or, at least, based on it?"
«DanteE» "And it's about to."
«Random_Nerd» (And he's getting it slightly wrong because he hasn't read the book in years.)
«Random_Nerd» (Even though that wasn't quite Dumas's framing narrative.)
«Theresa» "Fourth Age is going to happen soon. Lots of changes. Kind of apocalyptic. Most stuff should survive."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "And B...Mars?"
«Brian» "More or less yeah, once."
«DanteE» "You have ... forces lining up on both sides...
«DanteE» "... for a big fight over everything coming soon.
«Brian» (I can't quite remember the framing narrative, either. I do remember reading that D'Artagnan, the actual man, was likely the person who invented the "First rank, Fire! Second rank, Fire!" technique)
«DanteE» "The Nobles here, and the ones we know... are on the side fighting for Creation.

• DanteE seems to have an idea forming... (Duck!)
  

«DragonTisk» ( /me cheers for Dante idea )
«Theresa» "We don't know about other places. But this is our Chancel. Our home. And we will go down fighting for it."
«Random_Nerd» (Basically, that Dumas found several books (some of which actually existed, but were fiction) and from them derived the secret true history of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their sidekick.)
«DanteE» "Basically, if we win the fight... getting you to Barsoom is within possibility.
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Okay. Then what can the Barsoomian Intelligence Agency do for you?"
«DanteE» to Theresa: "What if the Barsoomians help out the Bureau?"
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "We aren't much, but we do have several hundred people worldwide, vaguely aware of the hidden world, and skilled in various useful disciplines."
«DanteE» (aw, our own baby Cammorra. :P )
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "And a lot of them are just /waiting/ for something to actually /do/ other than waiting and lobbying for increased spending on spaceflight."
«Theresa» "Well, if it's helping out the Bureau, that's just here in Chancel. That wouldn't help the folks outside. And the Aides have their own processes."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "In-chancel, that's me, him, the new guy, and the receptionist."
«DanteE» "What does your group know about Lord Entropy, or his friend Shirk?"
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "If you meet a man, woman, or child with bloody hands, try to be seen but not heard."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Don't know about Shirk."
«DanteE» (I think they actually can help, but damned if I know how...)
«Theresa» (Dante - same here. Not sure how to utilize them. Unless they can look for the Phoenixes.)
«Random_Nerd» (Worldwide, they're kind of like the Aides, minus the connections.)
«DragonTisk» (I think them as useless)
«Brian» (they're quirky)
«Random_Nerd» William: "Hmm."
«Kite» (Anchoring and treasure miracles may breathe usefulness into the organization, but Kite isn't interested.)
«DanteE» (Yeah, if they have intel that the Aides don't...)
«Theresa» (But they don't have the training the Aides have.)
«Random_Nerd» (Some, but most of it's really out of date.)
«Kite» (Again, treasure miracles.)
«Random_Nerd» (They do have some training the Aides don't, though. Less shamans, but more magicians, for instance.)
«DanteE» (Hm... any miracles we do use on them might have more of an effect, since they're starting from scratch.)
«Random_Nerd» (And the Aides have very few people who actually know how to be useful in a fight. Most of the Agency people have at least some combat training. Not much on the Noble scale, granted.)
«Theresa» "William, do the Aides employ bodyguards?"
«Random_Nerd» William: "Rarely. We're rarely in situations where a mortal bodyguard is both necessary and sufficient."
«Random_Nerd» William: "Most Aides who're likely to be in danger of their lives ask a friendly Noble for a protective miracle."
«DanteE» to the Bs: "I think you guys can help us...
«DanteE» "I need to check a few things, maybe make some plans, to figure out just how we can help each other.
«DanteE» "Business card?"
«Random_Nerd» He goes over to his desk and fetches two. One is fairly normal, and is for their private detective business. The other made of aluminum, and has the seal of the Barsoomian Intelligence Agency, a stylized and roman-looking sword and shield.
«Random_Nerd» The latter one has contact numbers for several different countries.
«Random_Nerd» (One possible use for the guys. If the end of the age results in big crazy shit happening on Earth, these guys are all over in little pockets. A lot of people who're prepared and calm could be handy in some kinds of emergency.)
«DanteE» "Thanks. We'll talk later. Let us know if Carter wigs out more than usual..."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "If he gets drunk enough, he won't clearly remember the floating knife, and he'll not think of it too credibly."
«DanteE» "Oh, speaking of which... you know about contacting Nobles through flowers?"
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Field treatment for DA in untrained personnel. Crude, but effective."
«DragonTisk» "well, I can eat him"
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Well, you mentioned it earlier."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Don't know how to do it, though."

• Theresa reaches behind her back. "Hocus Pocus" *produces bouquet of our flowers*
  

«Kite» "It is sort of a focus for prayer. We won't be able to communicate back, usually, but it gets a message through."

• Kite points to the metallic gladiolus and blue honeysuckle. "That's mine!"
  

=-= YOU are now known as Ftisk
«Ftisk» (while the barsonian look at the flower)

• DanteE points out which flowers are which
  

«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Prayer. Well... I don't like it, but needs must."
«DanteE» "Yeah, the King said the same thing."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Okay."
«Kite» "I don't understand why so many people are reluctant to use prayer, but I understand that it is a common sentiment."
«Theresa» "It's called prayer but it could also be thought as mobile-thought-sending."
«DanteE» "Like I said, we'll be in touch. And I assure you that's not a brush-off, we really will be in touch."
«Kite» "I think Dante, Theresa and Brian also have cell-phones."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Call it what you like. The Agency has dealt with demons before, and this is no less pleasant."
«DanteE» "... you've done exorcisms?"
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Not personally. But I've seen photos. I gather most are the kind of exorcism you do with a large-caliber bullet from a safe distance."
«Ftisk» "And our resident demon police?"
«DanteE» "Ah, Doom-style. Those are surprisingly effective."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "We have charts, actually. For where you're supposed to aim, for different species. Several kinds of demon are included."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "So he actually is a demon? From Hell, the whole deal?"
«Theresa» "Don't shoot at Lesson, our demon. We would be...upset."
«Brian» "Ayup"
«Ftisk» "lesson? Suuure!"
«Theresa» "Yes. We borrowed his heart. We gave him a new one."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Well, that was what I meant when I said 'dealt with.' We work with them, sometimes. I gather there used to be a lot of demons on Barsoom, more than on Earth."
«DanteE» "If you mean the leader of the Bureau, yes. He's promised to help defend the Ch... Amyra and its people in exchange for getting out of hell and being able to sleep."
«Random_Nerd» (This is because the Angel of Mars is fallen.)
«Theresa» (Makes sense.)
«Kite» "You should probably also avoid shooting Dante's imp."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Hmm?"
«Brian» "Though it might be doing us a favor. Haven't decided yet."
«DanteE» "I got an imp in a trade with a Power of Hell."
«Kite» "He's dong much better, the imp."
«Kite» "He's learned how to serve you guys without slaughtering things, anyway."
«Random_Nerd» (It's also because it's easier to do Planetary Romance-style swashbucklery with some demons to chop up with your unnatutral Earthborn strength.)
«Kite» "Usually."
«DanteE» "Well, we've been turning him into a butler."
«Random_Nerd» Paren: "Fair enough."
«Random_Nerd» Ten looks at William, in a "Wait, you need two?" way.
«Random_Nerd» (And the imp is really more of a valet than a butler.)
«Random_Nerd» (It performs services, but doesn't manage anyone else.)
«Brian» (That's 'cause his drinks often have blood instead of grenadine. He never learns!)
«Theresa» "He's an Aide. Different from a butler. Higher rank. Personal assistant might be closer, not a gentleman's gentleman."
«DanteE» (Well, that part's getting better.)
«Random_Nerd» (Although, thanks to Ftisk's miracle, he knows /how/ to manage domestic staff, if you gave him some to manage.)
«Ftisk» (can be a fun idea!)
«DanteE» (How long would that last before one of his 'staff' drop-kicks him through a window, though?)
«Theresa» (I would think he would run up their pant leg and hold something sharp at a delicate place.)
«Theresa» (Management!)
«Ftisk» (Dante you can anchor the Imp so to be under your wing -» no drop kick)
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "So, we'll keep in touch. Is there any way we can arrange through you to communicate outside the chancel?"
«Random_Nerd» William: "I believe Samuel had some plans to run backbone cable through the borderlands..."
«DanteE» "We're working on that, actually."
«Random_Nerd» William: "Since the Active Writing has a rather low bitrate."
«DanteE» "Anyway, we should get moving... (to the others) back to the BatCave, I've got an idea."
«Random_Nerd» Ten: "Very well. If you have something viable, please, tell us."
«Random_Nerd» William: "Very well."

• Ftisk nod nod
  

«Random_Nerd» William: "Pleasant to meet you, and I hope your coworker recovers without any impairment."

• Theresa rubs her forehead. "How much cable would it take to run across the void?"
  

«Kite» "Bat cave?"
«Ftisk» "The better cable!"
«DanteE» to Kite: "It's an expression..."
«Kite» "You will have to explain it to me, sometime."
«Random_Nerd» William: "He was going to run it across one of the paths that connect with cities. Several, actually. Didn't he talk with you about this?"
«Brian» "Batman. Look it up :)"
«Brian» "I think I suggested he might, but I haven't heard any plans."
«Ftisk» "The old series is here!" *grab dvds from behind Theresa back*
«Random_Nerd» William: "Well, don't tell him that I spilled his plans. He wants to tell you himself when he's ready, I guess."
«Brian» "We'll act suitably surprised. I doubt we'll even remember by then."
«Kite» "Theresa seems to have come well-prepared, today. I must research these DVDs!"
«Theresa» "He may be working on it with Brian. It could be connected to the particle accelerator."
«Random_Nerd» William: "Thanks."
«Random_Nerd» (So, cut to back at the Tower?)
«DanteE» (BTW, can I fly around without causing DA?)
«Ftisk» (okidoki for the cut)
«Kite» (Yes! I can have Kite watching Batman during this time, since I need to go soon.)

• DanteE strolls into the conference room and retrieves his index cards.
  

«Random_Nerd» (If you use guising to look like a bird, you can.)
«DanteE» "William, the Aides know anything about the Barsoomians?"
«Brian» (I shudder to think of the effect, Kite)
«Random_Nerd» (But otherwise, you'll cause at least mild effects if people see you. They'd have to see it multiple times to go really haywire, though.)
«DanteE» (Nuts, there goes my co-miracle-with-Hope Sonic Rainbow idea. :D )
«Theresa» (The old Batman series isn't as shiny.)
«Random_Nerd» (Well, there are ways to prevent DA.)
«Theresa» (So you think Carrie's off working on the new My Little Ponies too?)
«Kite» (But the DVDs are shiny enough!)
«Random_Nerd» (Things Of Amyra miracles of preservation, for instance.)
«DanteE» "It was while I was talking to them that I figured out why I've been just a little unhappy lately...
«Random_Nerd» William: "We know of them. Most of what we know is kinda old, though. I'm rather surprised that they're still going."
«DanteE» "was thinking about how everyone needs 'saving' when I had a little flashback.
«DanteE» "Me, 5 years old. Both eyes in place. Running around in a towel-cape saying that when I grow up I wanna be Superman.
«Random_Nerd» William: "Hmm."
«Ftisk» "Like!"
«Theresa» "You want to be a reporter?"
«Ftisk» "also cuuute mini Dante!"
«DanteE» "No. I wanna _save the world._
«Ftisk» "ah how idealistic!"
«Theresa» "Even if by saving it, you doom it?"
«Theresa» (And which world?)
«DanteE» "Especially considering we've got a grand superheroes-vs-supervillains fight being set up for New Year's Eve.
«Ftisk» "My man won't do things half backed! If he had to break it to save it, I'll go with him!"
«Theresa» "Dante, the changing of the Ages _needs_ to happen."
«DanteE» "That's the trouble. We're not saving people, we're playing politics and hiding from 'the inevitable'.
«Ftisk» "So? we must help impeding doom?"
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "So, you think it's time to kick reason to the curb and do the impossible?"
«DanteE» "(to Ftisk:) No. For starters, we need to encourage Jerren to send his Estate to the bad guys, not us.
«DanteE» to Sam: "And maybe. Scratch that, yes.
«Ftisk» "Painlesser!"
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "I'm in."
«Theresa» "I..don't think it works that way."
«Brian» "I think his Estate is about the Doom that Impends on all of us."
«Random_Nerd» He glances at Brian for approval.
«DanteE» "Theresa, think... you've got Impending Doom. You don't know where it's going, though. What do you do?"
«Brian» "Sam, if you wanna be irrational, go ahead. I plan to be irrational in other ways, I think. Maybe."
«Random_Nerd» (Oh, and before I forget... five personal destiny, on Dante's self-definition struggle. And 2 MPs, your choice of type)
«Theresa» "It would be like you saying that blades can't be used by anyone that is going to use them to kill or hurt someone. It diminishes your Estate."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Okay, boss."
«DanteE» "What you do is, you _get it under control._
«Ftisk» "if possible"
«Random_Nerd» William: "How would we be able to tell?"
«DanteE» "In your metaphor, you make sure the blade is pointed at the guy who deserves the pointy end."
«Theresa» "And you decide who gets the pointy end?"
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "But Theresa does make an interesting point. Most Warmains, when they attack Creation, carry swords. What are you going to do about that?"
«DanteE» "Jerren was created to get Impending Doom under control. We just need to encourage him to point it thataway.
«Theresa» "You can point a blade at a Warmain too, doesn't mean he's going to throw himself on it and die."
«DanteE» "It's a lot better than pointing it at us, which is what they're doing and their allies over here.
«DanteE» "William. I asked you to get a definitive handle on the prophecies about Entropy and the Kings. Any differences in the prophecy that says Entropy will save creation?"
«Theresa» "Yes, but I don't think Jerren is pointing Doom at _anyone_. It's free floating Doom. It's Doom that is neutral and natural."
«Random_Nerd» William: "Nope. It's vague, but it's pretty consistent."
«DanteE» "Then it's Jerren's job to point it."
«Theresa» "Okay, so let's take it further. How are you going to point the Warmain's blades? That's your area."
«DanteE» "That's why he's here, Theresa. Right now he's just going with the flow, but if he _takes control_...
«Theresa» "So, you say that you are going to control the Warmain's swords?"
«DanteE» "And as for pointing their blades?"
«Random_Nerd» (There are things you could do, if you wanted to work on that.)

• DanteE flicks a handful of daggers at the wall, so they stick there in a D shape.
  

«DanteE» "That's what I should be doing."
«Theresa» (Sherlock Holmes did it better!  :) )
«DanteE» "That's what _we_ should be doing."
«Theresa» "What if they use an Abhorrent?"
«DanteE» "We take it from them."
«Brian» "We still have no idea what the apocalypse is actually going to be. Those who do know won't tell us."
«Brian» "Won't even hint."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Do we know yet if the details are fixed?"
«DanteE» "That's what I've been trying to figure out.

• Ftisk nod
  
• DanteE blinks....
  

«DanteE» "Attaris knows."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Because if not... maybe send Attaris some emails about really cool apocalypses she might want to try?"
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "And Jerren, too. He's gotta have some hand in this. Sure, since he's here there's going to be /something/, but he has to have some say in what actually happens."
«DanteE» "Well, him we're meeting with."

• DanteE looks around...
  

«DanteE» "And, if we really want to do the hero thing...
«Theresa» "We are not wearing spandex."
«DanteE» "We need a real Batcave. Or at least one of these big computers monitoring things."
«Ftisk» "hey Spandex is _fine!_"
«Brian» "Would you prefer yellow and blue?"
«DanteE» "We don't need to do spandex. I liked Watchmen anyway."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "We have a server farm in the basement. Does that count?"
«Ftisk» "and we Totally need spandex"
«DanteE» "Hook the AI to it and feed it what we know about what's about to happen."
«Theresa» "And Dante has a butler. But really, shouldn’t we have a plan and talk stuff out with, say, Jerren and Attaris, before we go around kicking in doors and making accusations of hating Creation?"
«DanteE» "Ftisk, peel your eyes off my ass for a few minutes and give us a workstation here."
«Ftisk» ".... sure sure" *puff a workstaton is here!*
«DanteE» "You're jumping ahead, Theresa. We need to level up with lesser bosses first."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "No offense, but I'm pretty sure I'm smarter than that AI."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "And I mean, I can use the server farm too. I do! It's my server farm!"
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "So why not just ask me?"
«Brian» "Sam, any idea what the apocalypse is going to be?"
«DanteE» to Sam: "It's not replacing you, Sam, it's supplementing you."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Well, let's see. It's probably going to be decided by Attaris and Jerren."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "So we know one thing. It's probably going to be /funny/, from the right point of view."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "It's going to change things, but probably not end them."
«Brian» (0:01 here)
«Random_Nerd» (Well, we seem to be winding down. Any last stuff?)
«DanteE» (Hang on...)
«DanteE» "Here's a germ of a plan.
«Brian» "How likely do you see a civil war, or a climactic battle between Creation and Excrucian, as being the apocalypses?"
«DanteE» "We go around, doing small things to help the most people and most of Creation survive whatever-it-is.
«Brian» (damn it, Brian is getting so damn close to asking Jan Ben Jan the questions JBJ did not want to answer)
«Brian» (though, admittedly, I can't remember exactly which ones those were)
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Well, we already /had/ a civil war. That was the first cataclysm."
«DanteE» "We collect allies... Aides, Barsoomians, fellow Nobles, Imperators, maybe even the group that dare not say its name if needed.
«Theresa» "Unless Imperators are using the phoenixes in a celestial game of Angry Birds, I'm not sure."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "But they all seem to involve war in some way. The Fall, the coming of the Excrucians..."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "If we follow that pattern, then a new factional split within Noble society would fit."
«Theresa» "And we want to go talk to the Imperator of War. Let's talk to him first?"
«Brian» "Sounds like a plan."
«DanteE» "And then, when whatever goes down goes down Creation survives."
«Random_Nerd» Sam: "Good point. If Attaris is planning a war... I imagine Samael would at least have some inkling."
«Brian» (I can't remember exactly, but I suspect that JBJ would not have stated support for Brian in the civil war vs Entropy)
«Random_Nerd» (JbJ usually tries to stay as neutral as possible.)
«DanteE» (When are our meetings with Jerren and the Excrucian?)
«Random_Nerd» (He has to be, if he wants to continue in his function.)
«Brian» "Excuse me a minute, please." Brian goes to his office.
«Random_Nerd» ("Soon, but you haven't worked the details out yet" and "as soon as you have enough of a political coalition built that separately negotiating with the enemy isn't political and also literal suicide.")
«Random_Nerd» (You could rush the latter one, but it would probably spook some of your supporters.)
«DanteE» (Hey, they tweaked MindMeister)
«DanteE» (So... we need to grind with sidequests to level up? :) )
«Ftisk» (seem likely)
«Brian» (oh crud, I lost my train of thought. Brian was going to ask JBJ something, related to ... I can't even remember anymore!)
«Random_Nerd» (Yeah, the Excrucian thing... if you did it now, Entropy would have you killed if he found out, and most people would take his side.)
«DanteE» (Brian: civil war, you against Entropy,
«Theresa» (I think you've been nettled, Brian.  :) )
«DanteE» (whether you could start it)
«Brian» (oh, I remember)
«Random_Nerd» (No, whether he /should./ Jan ben Jan really didn't want to answer a question on whether it was a good idea. He seemed somewhat frightened by the prospect.)
«Brian» Brian prays to Jan Ben Jan: "Jan Ben Jan, what is the price for knowing how Entropy's prophecy will be fulfilled - how he will save, and how he will betray, Creation."
«DanteE» (That probably means it isn't, so we should look for another way.)
«Brian» (or possibly that it is.)
«Brian» (can't tell with gods.)
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "A hand. But not yours. Entropy's. So far, he has been unwilling to pay it."
«DanteE» "We can get people on our side by helping them out."
«Theresa» (O.O)
«Brian» (I mean, if it wasn't, then it would be an easy answer: Brian's just a Noble, who isn't much of anything on a hierarchy. If it is, then it risks Entropy's wrath. If it's unclear ... that is where it gets really muddy."
«Brian» (err, ) )
«Theresa» (Get Dante to chop Entropy's hand off?  :) )
«Ftisk» (So entropy ask the price to JBJ)
«Brian» (to JBJ) "Is there an equivalent price?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Anyone can pay the price. The price is Entropy's hand, not his hand along with his consent."
«Brian» (i.e. "what's the exchange rate on specific hands?")
«DanteE» (Will he accept _anything_ else?)
«Brian» (to JBJ) "It would be intriguing if part of the answer were 'pay the price for the answer.' But I was more asking if there was anything else that would fulfill the cost, though I take it not."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "This price is, and remains, non-negotiable."
«Random_Nerd» (Maybe he's just irate that everyone makes a big deal about a prophecy that isn't from him!)
«DanteE» (Well, let him prophesy about saving or destroying Creation!)
«Brian» (to JBJ) "Then I have another question. What is your deepest fear which is grounded in reality? What is the price for that knowledge?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "For that... the first joint of one of your toes. Your choice . Not to be regrown before the end of the age."
«Random_Nerd» (Err, your choice of toe.)
«DanteE» (huh.)
«Brian» (to JBJ) "Done. Take the left 'index' toe joint."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "And, as usual, if anyone asks about it, you are to tell them that it was paid to me."
«Ftisk» "Dante, can we speak privately?"
«Random_Nerd» Brian, you feel an external miracle affecting you. Do you permit it, or resist?
«Brian» (miracle, go ahead!)
«Random_Nerd» You hover in the void above the shape of Jan ben Jan. Next to you is a knife.
«DanteE» (From our POV, Brian went poof, right?)
«Random_Nerd» Yes.
«Random_Nerd» And you did not hear his conversation with Jan ben Jan.
«Brian» (I can't remember how this works - is Brian supposed to cut it out?) (Brian was in his office, behind a closed door. He's not there atm.)
«DanteE» "What is it about, Ftisk?"
«Random_Nerd» (Yes.)
«Brian» "By the way, which joint do you consider the 'first', the closest or the furthest?"
«Ftisk» "privacy, let's go in a office"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "The farthest from your foot."
«DanteE» (Doesn't matter, there's only 1 toe joint)
«Brian» Brian proceeds to remove it, without even trying to dampen his pain.
«DanteE» "... my office, Ftisk."
«Ftisk» "k"
«Ftisk» "I have 2 simple question..."
«Random_Nerd» The severed part seems to be suddenly affected by the gravity of JbJ, and drifts towards him.
«Ftisk» "First why you don't love me, second, will you ever love me?"

• DanteE thinks about the answer a second...
  

«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "My deepest fear which is grounded in reality is that I will not have enough body accumulated to make the sacrifice to determine what I should do to fix things. This is because I am still short, because the current rate of deals will not be enough before the end of the Age..."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "And because it is the only sure solution I can think of to the problems we face."
«Brian» "Which raises the question, what, exactly, are the problems we face?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Yes. It does."
«DanteE» "Ftisk... it's funny, I did some studying of the various types of 'love' as part of my degree.
«Brian» "Were I to ask, could I pay the price?"
«Ftisk» "and..."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "It would depend how complete an answer you required."
«Brian» "Enough to form a plan."
«Brian» "Not necessarily enough to succeed."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "For that, enough to form a plan that would succeed, you would need a price greater than what /I/ could pay at present."
«DanteE» "At some point, I may just love you like a brother.
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "For enough to form some kind of plan... you already possess sufficient knowledge for that."
«Brian» "Perhaps, the five greatest catastrophic events in the near future? But would five be enough, too little, or too much?"
«DanteE» "But I suspect you want romantic love. Not happening... that’s the way I am, Ftisk."
«Ftisk» "brother? ... "
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan seems to think.
«Ftisk» "ah, uhm, never ever?"
«Brian» "Though I can enumerate a few. The Age change, owned by Attaris, the Excrucians, the Kings, Entropy, the coming peace talk thing maybe, and the civil war. That's six, but no detail really on any of them."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "The five most catastrophic events that you /will/ face, or that you /may/ face?"
«Brian» "Let's go with certainty for now. And I'd like some detail about it, not just a name or person or place."

• Ftisk catching back drops "fine then... friend then... only friends..." *Ftisk run away*
  

«DanteE» "I can't be... damn."
«Brian» "And were I to ask you what the Age change would be, could you tell me, or be required to point me to Attaris?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "The price for knowing whether I would prefer to answer that question is one eyelash."
«Brian» (what event would herald the changing of the Age) Brian plucks an eyelash.
«DanteE» "Theresa? Come in here a sec."
=-= YOU are now known as FtiskFlyAwayUnderTheSky
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "I would prefer not to. The price for knowing whether I believe that events would take place better if you functioned based on your current and future knowledge in the matter is also one eyelash."

• Theresa comes in.
  

«Brian» "I have eyelashes to spare, and you need material." Brian also pays that price.

• Theresa looks around. "Where's Ftisk?"
  

«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "I believe that you would be better guided by your own investigations than by prophecy on that point."
«DanteE» "I just hurt Ftisk's feelings. Didn't want to, but it had to be done."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "For the other, the five events... is the outcome of the events required, or merely that they will take place and threaten you?"
«DanteE» "Can you try and smooth things over?"
«Brian» "That they will take place, that I will be required to intervene, and that they threaten Earth's worldsphere."
«Theresa» "What did you tell him? Please tell me it wasn't a version of 'just be friends'. So help me, I think that's an Excrucian attack."
«FtiskFlyAwayUnderTheSky» (LOL!!!)
«Brian» (this is like an anime, flitting between serious end-of-the-world prophecy stuff, and romantic entanglements)
«DanteE» "I basically said I liked him but I wouldn't be his 'lover'... so, a variant of 'it's not you, it's me'."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Understand, when the future of Nobles and Imperators are concerned, there are limits on prophecy. And to events taking place Outside, or instigated by those who are presently Outside, I am largely blind."
«Theresa» "Hmmph."
«Theresa» (So, a nettling instead of an outright Warmain gut-slicing...)
«DanteE» "Come on, you know the alternative would have been worse."
«Brian» "Of course."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "With those limits... your bones. You will have a week to complete delivery."
«Theresa» "I can talk to him but it might not make him feel better. He may decide that he doesn't want to be friends with any of us anymore because it hurts too much to be around you. And kite would be right to support his brother."
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "You may replace them, but not with living matter, only after all five situations have arisen."
«FtiskFlyAwayUnderTheSky» ( /me scrible T. suggestions )
«Random_Nerd» (err, but not with living matter until after all five yada yada)
«Theresa» "I know that there are few things someone in love wants to hear than 'just be friends' or 'it's not you, it's me. There may be a slight preference to hear the words 'oh, the world's going to end, goodbye life and Creation.'"
«Random_Nerd» (This would inflict a deadly wound until the bones were replaced with living matter.)
«Brian» "I may be capable of paying that price. I would need to know if Machinery could provide me with an alternate form in the meantime."
«DanteE» "What-would-you-have-me-do? What could come out of this situation that wouldn't be a disaster?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Mechanical replacements are allowable, as long as they are not alive."
«Brian» (the wound system's screwy in my head right now. What's the implication of Deadly wounds on an Immutable Nobilis?)
«FtiskFlyAwayUnderTheSky» (an affliction?)
«Random_Nerd» (Let me look up Immutable.)
«Theresa» "Part of me wants you to go after Ftisk yourself. I don't even know if you said that you were _sorry_ about leading him on and not telling him sooner."
«Random_Nerd» (And, bear in mind, part of the deal here is that you not just heal yourself.)
«DanteE» "When was I leading him on?"
«Theresa» *sigh* "But I will go. There's no easy way to deal with this. Just a clean way. Like a cauterize."
«Brian» (of course. Immutable does some DR in this version, but I can't remember what) "Then I will either pay within one week, or not receive the answer. You will know by the presence or absence of bones."
«Random_Nerd» (Hmm. With Immutable, you wouldn't start to die of lack of red blood cells.)
«DanteE» "Now you're sounding like... never mind, just talk to him please."
«Random_Nerd» (At least, not for quite some time.)
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Very well."
«DanteE» "... and tell him I'm sorry.
«DanteE» "Now I don't remember if I did or not."

• Theresa nods. "I know you didn't 'mean' to lead him on. You had other stuff on your mind. Other stuff that was more important. But I'm not sure how often Ftisk even falls in love. You're very important to him."
  

«Random_Nerd» (And while you had the deadly wound, you'd have an affliction related to it, and be one Divine Health Level down.)
«Theresa» "I'll tell him."
«DanteE» "I said I could love him like a brother.
«DanteE» "Happy now?"
«Brian» (I mostly meant the health level implications. That's what's screwy in my head)
«Random_Nerd» (That would leave you with one intact Divine level.)
«Random_Nerd» (But half of your really big levels would be down. Another deadly wound, and you'd be down to Tough and Normal levels.)
«Brian» (right. And since Brian's health levels mostly come from donating to JBJ's cause, I'm ok with that. I think.)
«Random_Nerd» (Well, it's your call.)

• Theresa smiles a little. "He already loved you as much as his brother, Dante. He's very emotional and energetic. But I'll go talk to him. Let me know if we have a meeting come up. I may have to head out of Chancel if Ftisk has gone far."
  

«Brian» "May I depart?"
«Random_Nerd» Jan ben Jan: "Yes."

• Theresa heads out.
  

«Random_Nerd» You feel his miracle taking place around you. Do you allow it?
«Brian» (yup!)
«Random_Nerd» You're back in your office.
«Brian» Brian will go out of his office, and call out "Ftisk? I have a favor to ... where is everyone?"
«Random_Nerd» (Mind if we stop here?)
«DanteE» "Dealing with drama."
«Random_Nerd» (That seems a good line to go out on.)
«DanteE» (Hey, chapter title!)
«FtiskFlyAwayUnderTheSky» (sure)
«Brian» (good enough!)
«DanteE» (OK)
«Random_Nerd» ______________STOP______________
=-= Brian is now known as lazarus
=-= DanteE is now known as Knockwood
=-= YOU are now known as Angelo
=-= Theresa is now known as BethE
«BethE» Was I too harsh, Knock?
«Knockwood» OK, there I know I dominated things... sorry all. :)
«Random_Nerd» Eh, I think it worked.
«lazarus» I was thinking the same thing, though, kwd :p (that is, I was dominating things)
«Angelo» Theresa..., is she the Power's heart councilor?
«Knockwood» You're playing the older experienced lady dealing with drama caused by a new college graduate. It works. :)
«BethE» Plus, dude, you led with stuff from your degree. Heaping big red warning flag.
«Knockwood» And we're "family". We bitch at each other periodically.
«lazarus» ... I just had a vision of Captain Planet as an Imperator with the Planeteers as his Nobilis.
«BethE» It would work.
«Knockwood» well, I didn't want to lead with 'EWWW, no!'
«Random_Nerd» Nah. Gaia is the Imperator. Captain Planet is a really high-end Miraculous Anchor that they all have a lot of Treasure Gifts invested in.
«BethE» Well, yes, that would have been a bad start. But so is the thought that Ftisk's emotions are a case study.
«Knockwood» that was more "OK, how do I say what I need to say without hurting him too much..."
«lazarus» but they kind of are: Ftisk is very open and raw with his emotions. It's fascinating.
«Random_Nerd» So, when Captain Planet is off fixing things, that's actually the PCs, using Treasure miracles to work him.
«lazarus» RN: are you willing to stat it up for the thread? :p
«Angelo» well, I like the tact Knock put in Dante’s words
«Knockwood» Anyway... Destiny points. Who gets what?
«Random_Nerd» Angelo, to what extend to you think this is settled in Ftisk's mind?
«Random_Nerd» Well, you saw the stuff you got for your Struggle, right?
«BethE» You broke his little mechanical snail heart!
«BethE» (Snails have hearts, right?)
«Knockwood» +5 points... where exactly? On the main Struggle branch or a sub-branch?
«Angelo» I think this, finally, settled his mind
«Random_Nerd» I think that's personal destiny...
«Angelo» (happy sound from Dante side)
«Knockwood» Hey, Dante was trying to let him down easy.
«Angelo» ok now Ftisk can go completely Warmain without remorses! wow!!!!
«Random_Nerd» Yeah, that's personal destiny.
«BethE» The more passionate the love, the harder the fall.
«Random_Nerd» And Ftisk also gets five, for coming to some sort of a resolution on his own personal issue.
«Random_Nerd» Personal destiny can be spent on any active project.
«Random_Nerd» Or just kept for a rainy day.
«Angelo» Gnam 5! :-)
«Random_Nerd» Also, two MPs, if Ftisk is low.
«Angelo» I had to check but think he need them
«Knockwood» You like "Dealing with Drama" for the chapter title?
«Angelo» yep!
«BethE» I like it.
«Random_Nerd» And, how would you phrase Dante's shift in self-definition, Knock? It's something about "Screw poking around the edges, it's time to start really pushing." but you should probably work out how to word it.
«Random_Nerd» Yeah, I like it.
«BethE» (Well guys, I need to get to bed. Good game! *HUGS*
«Angelo» Night Beth!
«Random_Nerd» Man. I thought this would just be a random one-off with the BIA, but instead this is one of the big sessions storywise.
|«-- BethE has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: All shall love me and despair?)
«Knockwood» It mirrors a RL revelation. I was feeling a little blah about the game until I realized it's because we weren't out saving people.
«lazarus» I'm not sure, but I think Brian would value the answer to his question, even if it meant he had to face things without bones of any sort.
«Random_Nerd» And for Brian's destiny... what's your project for this, Laz?
«Random_Nerd» I know you have one.
«Random_Nerd» Well, I'm in favor of it. Politics is all well and good, but when things are getting this tense, it may be time to go out and boot some heads.
«lazarus» I actually don't think I do. I was looking for information to give to Dante for /his/ project.
«Random_Nerd» Hmm.
«Random_Nerd» Well, then, should we shelf it for now depending on whether you actually go through with it, which would make it easier to categorize?
«lazarus» yup.
«Random_Nerd» Okay.
«Random_Nerd» Oh, and one question.
«Random_Nerd» What do you guys think of the role Jan ben Jan has taken in the game?
«Random_Nerd» I don't want him to just feel like an info vending machine, but it's tricky to avoid given who he is and what he does.
«lazarus» My projects are finding out about Outside (side effect: learn high summoning); civil war; and get Amyra and Earth connected in a sense.
«lazarus» I like JbJ. Brian's making a point to ask him a bunch of questions, because he knows what's at stake, and why JbJ is doing this.
«Angelo» I really like this JbJ! and discovering his motivation give him a more "human" side
«lazarus» but what Brian's doing can make JbJ seem a bit like info machine.
«Random_Nerd» Well, this is tied in with the civil war one.
«Knockwood» I'll probably be a counterweight to Brian, saying don't give uyp your humanity unless it's really really worth it
«Random_Nerd» Since the stuff JbJ can give you is about threats internal to Creation.
«Knockwood» and also, don't screw up and doom Creation trying to save it.
«Random_Nerd» I think Brian is JbJ's favorite client, at the moment.
«Random_Nerd» He's trying to balance between guiding him and milking him for organs.
«Knockwood» ask him what he'll take for Brian's kidney
«Knockwood» er, give
«Angelo» lol
«Random_Nerd» Is there a deal if he gets to cut them both out and leave him in a tub full of ice?
«lazarus» I suppose, if I were more willing, I could play some of this asking for questions as being an internal debate ... but that's not actually how Brian sees it. He wants to be sure, but he's already self-sure, if that makes sense.
«Knockwood» then Dante's the one keeping him grounded. Or, has been...
«Random_Nerd» And part of the thing is that Jan ben Jan doesn't /want/ Brian to be sure as he goes into the civil war stuff.
«Random_Nerd» He's trying to dangle just enough tempting-but-too-expensive-or-implicitly-forbidden stuff to keep him relatively but not fully confident.
«lazarus» What's scaring Brian most right now is he's looking at the timing of when he'd be ready ... and noticing it aligns pretty well with the Age change.
«Knockwood» (BTW, what would it take for me to bump up Blades?)
«Knockwood» laz: yeah, it's almost like he's playing an RPG that sets things up so that things only happen when he's ready for it. :)
«Random_Nerd» (Hmm. One or two step project. Probably two, but with the first step providing some side benefit along the way.)
«Random_Nerd» Yes, there are certain advantages to using dramatic time rather than the Gygaxian track-the-hours mode.
«lazarus» (on the other hand, he thinks that maybe this would prevent a worse cataclysm)
«lazarus» (like, ok, so, civil war breaks out ... but at least it wasn't a rain of fire!)
«Random_Nerd» (Yeah. I mean, if Brian starts a civil war, and kinda messes things up... well, that might suffice.)
«lazarus» (gotta have something, might as well be something under our control?)
«Random_Nerd» (And then Jan's got a lot less trouble to worry about.)
«Random_Nerd» Yep.
«Random_Nerd» So, he feeds Brian enough info to encourage him, but not enough to make it /easy/.
«lazarus» and, of course, this is stuff he hasn't told the others :p
«Random_Nerd» It's a plausible explanation, at least.
«Knockwood» oh... was I right about Jerren's role?
«Random_Nerd» Fits with his knwon motives.
«Random_Nerd» Which role?
«Random_Nerd» You mean in "aiming" disaster?
«Random_Nerd» He does that, but he sees it as secondary to his role in protecting it.
«Knockwood» that he was created because there's Imminent Doom around, and he can get it under control
«Random_Nerd» Yeah, largely.
«Knockwood» and that so far he hasn't because he's, well, new?
«Random_Nerd» With him there, then there's going to be some Doom, but it'll be Doom that's embodied by a largely benevolent and dedicated Serpent.
«Random_Nerd» And you can do worse than that, Doom-wise.
«Random_Nerd» Well, you aren't privy to all that he's doing.
«Knockwood» He'll tell us, I'm sure
«Random_Nerd» Like the Cylons, he Has A Plan. Or, at least, the beginnings of one.
«lazarus» that's all they had, too
«Random_Nerd» Oh, and on the Brian's Civil War thing... with the previous cataclysms, they all formed a new political faction that persists to this day.
«Random_Nerd» Like, the Fallen lost, but they're still around.
«Random_Nerd» If yours plays out like that... how would you see the people on your side functioning after it's all done?
«lazarus» Brian's more hoping to wipe out Entropy and the Kings, and any who'd follow them ... he might succeed at Entropy and Shirk et al, but not the followers. Who'd resent it.
«lazarus» Brian wants to replace the Council of Four setup
«lazarus» if nothing else, because it's stupid having an even number of votes.
«Random_Nerd» Heh.
«lazarus» (and he REALLY CARES about that.)
«lazarus» (it's in his being, you see!)
«Random_Nerd» Well, Entropy wins ties, for many kinds of business.
«Angelo» so Brian hate nmber 4?
«lazarus» yeah, but if you had five, you wouldn't need an arbitrary tiebreaker vote.
«Random_Nerd» Four is a terrible number for a council, yes.
«Random_Nerd» Yeah, but that implies that the idea was that it be efficient.
«Knockwood» Dante figures that someone in charge should have some agenda involving making things better.
«Random_Nerd» Making resolving big business a major headache is in some ways a feature.
«Random_Nerd» Oh, several of them do!
«Random_Nerd» They just don't have the /same/ agenda.
«lazarus» and they're the ones without the big votes.
«Knockwood» yeah, but having the Head Honcho embody Desecration, Scorn, and decay sounds like a Bad Idea.
«Random_Nerd» Yeah. Ananda, the one with the least effective voting power, and HQB, one without tiebreaker power.
«Random_Nerd» Surolam... I need to do more with him.
«Random_Nerd» My version isn't as developed as the default one.
«lazarus» HQB, by contrast, is far more developed :D
«Angelo» grab the default one then!
«Random_Nerd» Nah. Too different from how Surolam's been characterized.
«Angelo» :-/
«Knockwood» how much work is it to integrate the default Surolam with the variant other 3?
«lazarus» I'm not sure exactly how Brian wants to set up a ruling council, but he wants it to be elected - possibly 5 Imperators elected by Nobilis popular vote.
«Random_Nerd» I may borrow some of that "god of the ordinary world" part, though.
«Random_Nerd» That part works.
«Random_Nerd» Hmm...
«Random_Nerd» How happy would Brian be with adding /another/ Councilor?
«Angelo» by powers? not other imperators?
«Random_Nerd» Five's a good number for a small council.
«lazarus» RN: just adding a fifth? It wouldn't solve his major issue being with Entropy, but it would solve his structural issue. Angelo: the idea is that the Imperators can do it, but the Nobilis know what needs to be done. So, elected by the Powers.
«lazarus» (and if we elect Entropy, it's our own damned fault this time)
«Knockwood» _heavily_ influenced by the Imperators, though
«Angelo» 12, I like 12 as number but the council will be better with 5 or 3, the actual ones minus entropy?
«Knockwood» 13.
«Random_Nerd» For that matter, if you're designing things... why not a mix? Some chosen by Imperators, some by Nobles.
«Knockwood» maybe have some fair division so everyone can say 'That's my representative'
«Angelo» 11+1. power elect 11 and the 11 elect a president with tie breakerhands?
«lazarus» tie breaker hands ... better than world breaker hands...
«Random_Nerd» Could have eleven of each, say, and then the Imperator of the Age or someone similar takes the last seat.
«Angelo» yep!
«lazarus» (in fact, Brian is hoping that the Valde Bellum will be at an end, and the Excrucians will be involved as well, since he's hoping that the VB will end by blurring Inside and Outside.)
«lazarus» (... yes, he thinks he knows better than C'neph. This might be a bad thing.)
«Random_Nerd» Could happen!
«Random_Nerd» In fact, if you want to make that happen, now is exactly the time to push.
«Angelo» Ftisk will like the blurring!
«Knockwood» well, we can ask the Ex whose name I'm forgetting what's happening over there
«Random_Nerd» Changes are going to happen, that's definite, but exactly what they're going to be... there's some slack, there.
«Angelo» uhm can I add this as Ftisk project?
«Random_Nerd» And you have a meeting with the Warmains coming soon.
«lazarus» it's kind of what he's trying to push for on that front :) He needs to practice more with shifting perceptions between him and his fetch.
«Random_Nerd» Yes, you can.
«Angelo» :-D
«Knockwood» what's his name, damn it? The Warmain we're meeting.
«Angelo» Vassa
«Random_Nerd» Yeah.
«Knockwood» Thank you. That was gonna bug me all night... :)
«Random_Nerd» The higher self of Ftisk's siblings.
«Angelo» aka Conrad's dad
«Random_Nerd» And they seemed to think that he had some backing within the Warmain community.
«Knockwood» alternatively, we could go after the answers to some questions and/or tie up loose ends.
«Random_Nerd» And if you meet him the way you've planned to, he'll be able to talk with full knowledge of that stuff.
«lazarus» Brian sees the perception changing thing as implying that the Estates /already do/ exist Outside as well as Inside. So trying to figure out how, why, and what it means ... and how to access ... that's something I need to remember to on-screen.
«Random_Nerd» All estates, or just some?
«lazarus» I suppose it implies that some do, which generalises into all can.
«Random_Nerd» That works.
«Knockwood» we know some do, Active Writing.
«Random_Nerd» Yeah.
«Random_Nerd» You know it's possible.
«Random_Nerd» But there's also evidence that it's /rare/.
«lazarus» and given that truth, if we make it happen, then ... there's no reason for the Excrucians to keep attacking, given their stated objectives.
«Random_Nerd» For instance, you know a lot of estates relating to memory and thought /don't/ exist on both sides.
«Knockwood» then again, RN, how much of the Active Writing story was, uh, influenced by what we did?
«Knockwood» ISTR you were surprised when I suggested using it to communicate cross-wall
«Random_Nerd» Well, I wasn't planning on everything of how it worked. The bit about it being on both sides, it wasn't in the original plan...
«Random_Nerd» But in light of what's up with Caesar, it really did make sense that it /would/ be on both sides.
«Random_Nerd» So I changed some stuff to go along with that, because it made for a more consistent metaphysics.
«lazarus» so Brian's first step for this idea is be able to switch perceptions with his fetch. Then he can start playing with his Estate while Outside. And then figure out how to do that for others.
«Random_Nerd» And it helped fix some of the other headaches, too.
«Angelo» win - win
«Random_Nerd» Hmm...
«Knockwood» BTW, that Renovation thing really is happening here. :)
«Random_Nerd» Going to ask them to bring your fetch to the meeting?
«Knockwood» renovationsf.org
«lazarus» oh, that's a thought I hadn't had.
«lazarus» might make it easier!
«Angelo» cool!
«Knockwood» How much more support do we need?
«Random_Nerd» Hmm.
«Angelo» alot!
«Angelo» ( http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html )
«Random_Nerd» An angel, and preferably an older one. Some from Light, or Dark, or preferably both.
«Random_Nerd» Right now, you're disproportionately Wild-heavy.
«Knockwood» ah yeah
«Random_Nerd» A more mixed group makes it look less like Wild fifth-columnism, and more like a genuine faction.
«Random_Nerd» You have Wild down cold, since HQB's in your corner. Consequences has Barakiel's proxy on this, and he seemed to think it was a good idea.
«Random_Nerd» And you have Vulcan, at least if you can get enough others that he isn't standing alone.
«Random_Nerd» So, you want Heaven, Light, and Dark, and maybe Domination or Splintering if you can swing it.
«Knockwood» Caesar help us at all?
«Angelo» we have the diversely Imperator Caesar
«Random_Nerd» Well, Caesar's Wild for most purposes.
«Random_Nerd» He doesn't see it that way, but others do.
«Random_Nerd» Particularly in light of his close association with HQB.
«lazarus» I think I should be going now. g'night!
«Angelo» night laz!
«Knockwood» g'night laz
«Random_Nerd» Man, it's nearly half past midnight.
«lazarus» (I'll probably need to be reminded of what I meant to do, next week :p)
«Random_Nerd» I should head out soon too.
«Random_Nerd» Anything else?
«Random_Nerd» No prob, Laz.
«Knockwood» Angelo, hurry up with the logs. :)
«Angelo» nope
«lazarus» 0124 here :p But I stopped being tired. *shrug*
«Angelo» I'm in vacation
«lazarus» anyway. 'night.
«Knockwood» uh...
«Angelo» so till September no log at all
«Knockwood» who's logging?
«Random_Nerd» I have it logging.
«Angelo» I've the files
«Knockwood» oh good
«Random_Nerd» And I imagine Angelo does too, he just isn't editing and posting.
«Angelo» yep
«lazarus» I haven't figured out how to make this one log, but otherwise it's my favourite IRC program. Sigh. I want logs!
«Random_Nerd» So we haven't lost anything.
|«-- lazarus has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: lazarus)
«Random_Nerd» Want me to just send you my...
«Random_Nerd» Dammit.
«Knockwood» welp, next week then
«Random_Nerd» Yeah.

• Angelo nod nod
  

«Random_Nerd» Good session, guys.
«Knockwood» good night
|«-- Knockwood has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: ChatZilla 0.9.87 [Firefox 6.0/20110811165603])
«Angelo» good night
«Angelo» too slow! .-/
«Angelo» well I goo to, is time to be ready for the beach! :-)
«Random_Nerd» G'night.
|«-- Random_Nerd has left irc2.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: )
«--| YOU (Angelo) have left #Nobilis


Chancel_Amyra
[[Amyra:Chapter_31|Chapter 31]