Session 111

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 13

Thom: What's going on again? Last we saw was the exit from the court scene and a hostage exchange with Hell, right?
BethE: Yep.
Random_Nerd: Yes.

• • • You are now known as Theresa.
      
    • Knockwood is now known as DanteE.
      

Thom: All right, let's go!
Random_Nerd: When we'd last left Our Intrepid Heroes, they'd made arrangements with Hell to purchase damned souls in exchange for objects touched by Lord Entropy's blood.
Random_Nerd: ___________________START____________________
Theresa: (Are we back at Amyra or still at the Council palace?)
Random_Nerd: The people waiting to meet with the Council of Four mill about nervously.
Theresa: (That answers that.)
Random_Nerd: (You're still at the Council palace at the moment, and you're some distance away from a gateway to Amyra.)
Random_Nerd: (By the way, did you come up with a character sheet for Stories yet, Torscha?)
DanteE: ANyone familiar in the crowd?
Random_Nerd: (Martyrs, or at least it looks like her.)
Thom: (Yep, I have)
Random_Nerd: (Could you send it to me at *email address redacted, sorry, spambots* ?)
Theresa: "If I had known that I would be trading my jacket for souls, I would have worn the Armani."
DanteE: "Is that Martyrs?"
Thom: "Aye, but that's already got its own value in souls."
Random_Nerd: She turns, and nods at you.

• • • Thom is now known as tips.
      
    • tips is now known as Thom.
      

Thom: (Oops)
DanteE: "Hey, what's up?"

• Thom tips his hat at Theresa.
  

Random_Nerd: (For reference, and for those that have not met her yet, the Power of Martyrs looks roughly like an animate corpse that's been scorgued for a good hour with barbed wire.)
Thom: "So, are you going to check in with your people? Seems your Chancel might have a shipment of new residents underway."
Random_Nerd: (She serves the Code of the Dark. She met the PCs at a party they threw.)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "I'm here to beg forgiveness for a sibling, who was indiscreet in a confrontation with the Enemy."
Theresa: "Well, they won't be delivered till tomorrow, if I remember right. It'll be easy to pull up a place for them, especially if Herb's not busy."
DanteE: "And we'll be meeting them in Chicago anyway...
Theresa: (Indiscreet? Is there gossip?)
DanteE: to Martyrs: "If I may ask, what happened?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "You met my brother, the Power of... Existential Discomfort."
Random_Nerd: (*cough*Angst*cough*)
Thom: "Chicago? Where is your Chancel located, anyway? Anywhere I would have heard of?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "He made an unprovoked attack against a Strategist-shard. The shard's parent sent a messenger to Lord Entropy explaining the situation, and I wish to intervene before he's brought before the Locust Court."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Our chancel is in a country which used to be to the east of Denmark, but isn't there now."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Hamlet used to be set there, I believe, before the Enchanceling."
Thom: (Thom speaks in a North Counties drawl. Typing in accent exhausts me, so feel free to substitute "yes" with "aye" and "is" with "be" liberally.)
Theresa: (I think Stories was talking to the Amyra group.)
Random_Nerd: (That works.)
Thom: "Ah. Before Elsinore?"
Random_Nerd: (Perhaps, but she wasn't sure.)
Thom: (Yeah I was)
Thom: (oh)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "I don't know, before my time."
DanteE: "Angst may be in trouble because a Shard 'told on' him?"
Thom: "After mine."

• Thom grins impishly.
  

Theresa: "And our Chancel is Amyra, what used to be Prester John's kingdom in Africa."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "No. The shard... is not in a position to do so. But its master was watching."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Ah, yes. How is your king?"
Theresa: (How were the Treasures after the whole Shard thing?)
Random_Nerd: (Intact, at the end, and he's been able to calm them down.)
Thom: "Prester John?"

• Thom frowns.
  

Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "No, not him. The young one."
Thom: "I remember him. Johannes Mandeville mentions him in his learned catalogue of locations, does he not?"
Theresa: "John's doing well, under the circumstances. The Treasures didn't like the Shard who barged in but they're calming. We have some new folks, refugees from a Chancel that was attacked by a full Excrucian."
Thom: (Thom is... somewhat chronologically displaced.)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs... well, her left eye blinks, and the muscles that her right eyelid would be connected to if it was still connected to her twitch.
Thom: (RN, would you say using one's voice to manipulate objects via sonic vibrations and sweet-talk people to be an Aspect 6 miracle?)
Random_Nerd: (Manipulate the objects to what degree of strength and precision?)
Theresa: "We were called upon to help evacuate their Chancel and the fishfolk there are currently recuperating in our harbors."
Thom: "About that. I've been meaning to bring it up. Do you either of you mind an interview at some point in the near future? The rumours that have been flying around are absolutely outrageous, and I'd like to lay some of them to rest."
Thom: (Strengthwise, maybe a jackhammer or some sort of beyond-human force. Not a great degree of precision. Enough to knock a car into the path of an oncoming lorry or chip stonework off a cathedral.)
Theresa: "Interview? Us?"{
DanteE: "There's a good chance some of the outrageous ones are true, you know..."

• Thom nods and winks.
  

Thom: "Oh yes, you and your Familia are getting a lot of attention recently, even before appearing before the Court here."
Thom: "And I'm sure that some of them are, Dominus. It's sorting out the ones that aren't from those that are that are my concern."
DanteE: to Martyrs: "You know the name of the Excrucian, by any chance?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "No. I know it was a Strategist, that destroying trick of theirs is instantly recognizable."
DanteE: "Wait, when was this?
Theresa: "Urg, I hate that. Destroyed the throat of John...had to work quick to make sure he was still whole."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Two days ago, why?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Yes. I have the feeling that he's liable to become part of my Estate if the right opportunity presents itself."
DanteE: (That's after the attack on Jaris and the reappearance of Sakharoth, right?)

• Theresa is perfecting her 'I do not facepalm in front of other Nobles/Imperators' technique.
  

Thom: (Anyone get around to Anchoring him yet?)
Random_Nerd: (That's after the attack on Jaris, but about the same time as the reappearance of Sakaroth/Suebi.)
Random_Nerd: (No, he's not yet Anchored.)
DanteE: "That... is right about when a missing Domination may have reappeared on Dionyl."
Theresa: (We had discussed it but we weren't sure how the Treasures would take it. He's already been asked to be a Noble and he turned it down. He takes his responsibilities seriously.)
Random_Nerd: (Slightly after Sakaroth, but not too much.)
DanteE: "So an Excrucian was watching them fight?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Has to have been, but it was probably with some sort of weird Excrucian divination."
Thom: (Because I'm not sure if he falls under my Estate a little. Prester John and his descendants are fairly legendary.)
DanteE: (they are _now_)
Thom: "Once in a while I have to envy them that. Divinations that can pierce Noble immunities must be incredibly useful. Make my job much easier really."
Random_Nerd: (Prester John falls under your estate. His descendants do not.)
Thom: (Ah. So the original one then?)

• Thom tips his hat at Martyrs.
  

Random_Nerd: (Yeah. He's dead, but on the other hand you could do divinations to find out about him, make images of him, and so on.)
Thom: "I'm Stories, by the way. It's intriguing to have met you."
DanteE: "Maybe not. The Excrucian that attacked Jaris and the reappearance of Sakharoth were at about the same time."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "And I'm the Power of Martyrs. Pleasant to have met you, as well."
Theresa: "Is it normal for an Excrucian to call foul and petition the referee?"
Thom: "Does anyone mind strenuously if I take notes?"

• Thom brandishes a pen.
  

Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Oh, they /love/ the chance to do that. Well, some of them do."
DanteE: "Where did it happen?"

• Theresa nods at Stories to go ahead.
  

DanteE: (Maybe I should just do a Divination of Clue here... :) )
Random_Nerd: Angst: "Israel. There was an attack on his Estate there. We met the shard there, thought he was responsible."

• Thom presses pen to paper, eyes fixed on the conversation. The pen moves by itself.
  

Random_Nerd: (Err, Martyrs.)
Random_Nerd: (Not Angst.)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Turns out either he was just spectating, or he was trying to sucker us into attacking him."
DanteE: (I'm just wondering how you can have an attack on Angst in Israel)
Random_Nerd: (Same way as you can anywhere else. It just happened to happen there, it wasn't an intrinsically Israel-specific attack.)
DanteE: "Did you manage to divert the attack?"
DanteE: "er, on Angst"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "We stopped it."

• Thom frowns.
  

Thom: (LD newsfeeds on Israel. Large scale destruction?)
Theresa: (Maybe someone was really really happy...I blame evangilists?  :) Lots of tourism...)
Random_Nerd: (Nothing that made it into the news there in the last week seems to have been supernatural.)
Random_Nerd: (But then, Angst would be easier to attack in a small-scale and personal way.)
Thom: (Maybe someone drew up a peace deal and told them to stop whingeing about it.)
Thom: (If Martyrs was involved it might have included casualties. They seem like *such* a nice family.)
DanteE: (Martyrs was indirectly involved...)
Random_Nerd: (She was just support.)
Theresa: (Bah. Not even Nobles can stop the fighting in the Middle East forever. The bacteria that evolved there started fighting and the nuclear cockroaches of the future will do so too.)
DanteE: (Anything else we should do here, or just head back?)
DanteE: "Would you let us know how it goes once you're done?"
Random_Nerd: (You can stay if you want to, but there's nothing I'm really expecting you to do here at this point.)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Sure, I'll send word."
Theresa: "Good luck."
DanteE: "Well, we know Entropy's in a playful mood..."
Thom: "Maybe it's just you."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "I hope not. Petitioning is safest when he's bored."
Thom: "I think someone's got -her- blood up. Literally. There's a black market for the stuff apparently."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Oh, lovely, he's a woman today?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "That's never a good sign."
DanteE: to Thom: "This is probably the Mother of All Silly Questions, but has Entropy been acting unusual lately?"
Thom: (Would I know?)
Random_Nerd: (Unusual for Entropy, or for normal people?)
Random_Nerd: (Yes, you'd know.)
DanteE: (For Entropy, definitely)
Thom: "I haven't really been around long enough to venture to comment on what passes for normal with regard to that august personage."
Random_Nerd: (Entropy has been acting slightly more unpredictable and touchy than usual, but not dramatically so.)
Thom: "From what I can tell - by no means an educated guess - she's been acting a little itchy, like something's under her skin lately. Dunno. Might be that time of the month."
DanteE: (... do not joke about cosmic PMS...)
Thom: ((Link: www.instantrimshot.com)www.instantrimshot.com)
Theresa: (... *delete delete delete*)
Theresa: "They were having to replace some of the floors from where he..she...was pacing."
DanteE: "... Let's ... head back before we get into more trouble."

• Theresa huhs. "Like we don't get into trouble at home?"
  

Theresa: (hehs even)
Thom: "Not Entropy-scale trouble, I hope."

• Thom coughs surreptitiously.
  

Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "Okay, Entropy is female and whimsical today. Might as well go for a long shot, since traditional methods probably won't work. You, you're Stories, right?"
Thom: "So they tell me."
Random_Nerd: M: "How was 'she' dressed?"
Thom: "Something slinky and black I believe. Although that might just have been my perceptions. I'm not entirely sure everyone sees the same Entropy. Something that I believe applies equally to all the other personages in there."
Thom: "In fact, I might be including that in my notebook as a rule of thumb about Ymerae in general."
Random_Nerd: (Red, and only somewhat slinky.)
Thom: (Ah, my mistake. Retcon?)
Random_Nerd: (Nah, the way you said it, that works.)
Thom: (I probably saw a cigarette holder and fingerless satin gloves up to the elbow as well. Totally noir-chic.)
Random_Nerd: Martys: "Can you show me an image of it?"
Theresa: "Touchy, in a literal fashion too."
DanteE: "Also a rather severe face."
Theresa: "Hawk feet."
Random_Nerd: (And, yes, that would fall under a ghost miracle of Stories, free if you have Domain 1 or above.)
Thom: "Hm."
Thom: (Was thinking of an Aspect 1 to sketch from memory.)
Random_Nerd: (Works too.)
Thom: (Focus is a pen that writes on any surface.)
Thom: (Conveniently enough.)
Thom: (Sent you the file btw.)
DanteE: (Yeah, but that means there'll be a pic of Entropy left behind)
Theresa: (As long as no one uses it for dart practice, s'okay.)
Random_Nerd: (Well, Thom has a notebook.)

• Thom rips out a page from his notebook and sketches a small likeness of Entropy as he remembers it on the paper, handing it to Martyrs.
  

Thom: (Naw, no sympathetic magic, even if it works on someone like Entropy.)
Thom: (Tempted to sketch it on the floor but that might provoke offence.)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs looks at it, and stares blankly off into space for a moment.
Random_Nerd: Thirty seconds later, the air shimmers for a moment, and a dress falls through which is of similar cut but modified to fit the fact that Martyrs is about half a foot shorter than Entropy and also practically emaciated.
Thom: (I'm a little confused as to how making pictures constitutes a ghost miracle of Stories, since Entropy probably doesn't fall under my Estate.)
Thom: "I'm... not too sure that's a good idea. Unless you've got shoes that match them. I don't think Entropy is wearing shoes at the moment."
Random_Nerd: (No... but "Okay, so, we were in the Council Chamber, and Entropy was trying out a new look..." is.)
Random_Nerd: (Right?)
_Pampa: (can have I one rove too?) :-P
Thom: (Yep, sounds good.)
Random_Nerd: (One rove too?)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs puts the dress on.
Thom: (Could we stick "linguistic precision" under Virtues? Thom always says exactly what he means to say, like. Can't be magically made to be obtuse or incomprehensible unless that is his intention.)
_Pampa: (ops must be can I have one entropy robe too?)
Thom: (So I might be able to tell someone directions precisely enough to get them to navigate it successfully, assuming no accidents or purely human error.)
Random_Nerd: (That's an interesting idea. Unlikely to give MPs, but it fits your character and the side benefits may be handy.)
Random_Nerd: M: "Okay, so, if sensible approaches are unlikely to work, why not try something unusual."
Random_Nerd: (And, yes, Martyrs normally doesn't wear clothes, but given that she's mussing two thirds of her skin and quite a few hunks of muscle, the effect is not particularly appealing unless you have very unusual tastes.)
Random_Nerd: (Err, missing two thirds, not mussing.)
Theresa: *to Stories* "Are you sure you want to miss this one?"
_Pampa: (hi tpyo!)
Random_Nerd: She tears hunks off of her toes until the bones are exposed, and swallows the hunks of toe-flesh.

• Theresa does not make the comment that they will go straight to her hips. That may be where they _are_ going.
  

Thom: (I was under the impression that Virtues don't give MPs, merely give characters something they are irrepressibly good at as an expression of their integral self.)
Random_Nerd: (Virtues /can/ give MPs, it's just rarer because they have other benefits.)
Thom: "I might want to sit this one out. Preferably far away from ground zero. And interrogate survivors. Should there be any."
Random_Nerd: (Fourth benefit, page 132.)

• Thom he is watching with something like morbid fascination.
  

Theresa: "Hey, it could be worse. Imagine trying to look better than Ananda. It would probably kill you just to _try_."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs gives Thom a look that would seem vaguely smug if she had the facial muscles to properly express that.
Thom: (I was actually thinking "linguistically beautiful" as a more appropriate one, in that people always perceive Thom's way of expressing himself poetic and insightful, even if he's just talking out his arse.)

• Thom manages a wan wink.
  

Thom: "Nothing like good bone structure to pull something daring off, I always say."
Random_Nerd: (Well, what aspect of his personality does this manifest?)
Random_Nerd: Martyrs looks vaguely like Entropy, if Entropy was quite a bit shorter, had a different sort of feet, and had been through a wood chipper.
Thom: (Who doesn't want to put Entropy through a wood chipper?)
Theresa: (So, it's the Cohen Brothers' Entropy?)
Random_Nerd: (Whoever would actually have to do it.)
Random_Nerd: ("Good idea, but who would put the bell on the cat?")
Thom: (Well, he's something of an aesthete, I suppose. And probably has every epic poem ever written running through his head. If I can get under Thom's skin more hopefully that'll start to manifest more naturally as time goes by.)
Random_Nerd: (Hmm. So, he's the sort of person who'd wait when he had something to say until he'd spent a bit of time working out the best wording for it?)
Thom: (Power of Wood Chippers? "Oh great Lord Entropy, I just made this to pulp Excrucians. I was wondering if you could test it out for me and see if it works. I dare you. I double dog dare you.)
Random_Nerd: (I wonder if there's an Excrucian out there with an Abhorrent Woodchipper?)
Random_Nerd: (So, anyway.)
Thom: (Either that or he's just so used to stories (as opposed to mere reportage) being delivered in a manner that's been crafted to be aesthetically pleasing and comprehensible that his manner of self-expression begins to mirror that. Stories are deliberately constructed, as opposed to spontaneous products.)
DanteE: "Trying the 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' gambit?"
Theresa: "Or get Entropy mad at her instead of her brother."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "No, the 'When in doubt when dealing with an Imperator, confuse them' one."
Theresa: "Does the sneeze thing really work?"
Random_Nerd: Martyrs: "You have a Wildlord, you /have/ to know that one."
Theresa: "Well, we use ours in self defense..."
Thom: "Mine's a True God. Just mention Alexandria to him and watch him go off on a tangent, and slip away while he's busy burying something in books."
Random_Nerd: Ogre, slamming iron staff against the ground: "The Council of Four will now listen to the petition of the Power of Martyrs!"
Thom: "That's kind of what I did. I, uh, might have hinted to someone that I wouldn't be back for a while. Until I find something juicy enough to pique his interest, at least."
Theresa: "Good luck!"

• Thom gives her a thumbs-up.
  

Thom: "Knock em dead."
Random_Nerd: Martyrs gives a childhood-scarring grimace and then goes in.
Thom: "My flower's a rose, if you ever want to look me up."
Thom: "Three of them are better."
Thom: (Grimace WAS childhood-scarring.)
Thom: (I had nightmares of being chased by a pink gumdrop.)
Theresa: (Some preferred Hamburgerlar.)
Random_Nerd: ((Link: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/09/10/)http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/09/10/)
DanteE: ((Link: http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2976)http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2976)
Thom: (Stories: totally plugged into pop culture.)
Random_Nerd: (Anyway!)
DanteE: "Anyone think of anything that can help them?
Theresa: "Nope. It depends on Entropy's whimsy, I guess."
Random_Nerd: Dante, you get a prayer-tingle.
DanteE: "Hm, someone's calling..."

• DanteE answers...
  

Random_Nerd: Lesson: "Your boss is awake. Seems agitated. Pacing around in the streets. Needed to do something. Got police to clear the streets, then prayed to you."
DanteE: "Uhoh... Kudzu's reappeared and he's pacing the streets."
Theresa: "Pacing is not always a sign of bad."
Random_Nerd: Lesson: "Will need additional authority with your police in future. Had to use giant rotting thing to frighten them into submission."
Random_Nerd: Lesson: "Also suggested that perhaps giant would eat them. New giant. Not the big one."
Random_Nerd: Lesson: "Could have solved problem faster with more authority."
DanteE: "We need to let the authorities know our menagerie's on their side. And I think we need to get back, _now_.
DanteE: #Be right there, Lesson.#
Theresa: "Okay." *to Stories* "Want to come along? We can give that interview later over some local cusine."
Thom: "I was hoping you'd ask. My departure from my own Chancel was a little... abrupt. A sojourn and some interesting tales to trade when I get back will definitely help out a lot."
DanteE: (Wait, didn't we give Lesson a magic badge?)
Random_Nerd: (Yes. But the police... have a pre-existing relationship with him that complicates things.)
Theresa: (You threaten one police chief with rusty scissors, they all give you grief...)
Random_Nerd: (And the badge doesn't enforce compliance, it merely indicates that he works for you.)
DanteE: (So why doesn't _that_ help with compliance?)
Theresa: (Because I get no respect?  :) )
Random_Nerd: (Say you work for the DMV, and a nutso demon that you know works for the governor bursts in.)
Random_Nerd: (Do you immediately do everything he says, or try to get the new guy to stall him while you duck out the back?)
Random_Nerd: (Especially if you remember when he stabbed your buddy a couple months ago.)
Random_Nerd: (But, anyway, what do you do?)
Theresa: (Head toward the nearest way home.)
Random_Nerd: (You're some distance from a gateway, would you prefer to have arrived at the Council island by boat, plane, or what?0
Theresa: (Boat is fine with me.)
DanteE: (Speedboat?)
Thom: (I'm just along for the ride. Any ride.)
Theresa: (Sure.)
Random_Nerd: (Speedboat works for me. Should we cut to you guys arriving?)
Thom: (I can do shapeshifting, if anyone wants something suitably impressive to ride.)
DanteE: (Why not)
Theresa: (Cut away.)
Random_Nerd: About an hour later, you make it through the nearest gateway and back to Kaerkoven.

• Thom looks around, and makes a few judicious notes.
  

Thom: "Interesting. This was enChanceled recently, yes?"
Random_Nerd: The city is still and quiet, and irregular footprints are stamped into the streets.
Thom: "Late 20th century architecture and all."
DanteE: "Yes, only been a few months..."
Thom: (Does the history of Amyra fall under my purview, or was the entire thing erased from conventional history when it was enChanceled?)
Thom: "Hm. Lucky. You've probably got working electricity and central heating and running water."

• Thom shakes his head.
  

Random_Nerd: (Hmm... now, you can only get the mythical version.)
Thom: "Never knew how I lived without that stuff before now."

• Theresa will use her Noble Sense on the Chancel to see if there's anything unusual.
  
• DanteE follows the tracks to the Big Building Violation
  

Thom: (The John Mandeville guys-with-one-foot-hopping-around with the Sabaton River version?)
Thom: (I keep thinking Umberto Eco and Baudolino)
Random_Nerd: (Yep. And a lot of guys with one arm in the middle of their chests, too.)
Random_Nerd: (They work for the PCs in the Bureau of Monstrosity, which is run by their pet demon.)
Thom: (Wonder if any of the incoming citizens will recognise him.)
Thom: ("Hey yeah, you're that guy, yanked out my liver around the 16th century.")
Random_Nerd: (A big Auctoritas is moving around the city. Most of the anchors are in the Clock Tower. One's in the police headquarters.)
Random_Nerd: The tracks are all over, crossing themselves several times.
Theresa: "Okay, so the Boss is moving around the city. Lesson's at the police department, everyone else is at the tower. Want to each take a track and follow?"
Random_Nerd: They're shaped as though one of the "feet" was a large pickup truck, incidentially.
DanteE: "You have a lock on the boss?"
Thom: (Voltron constructed out of Optimus Prime)
Theresa: *thinks* "Yeeeah, I've got a lock on him. This way." *heads*
Random_Nerd: (Kudzu tends to build his body out of whatever happens to be handy when he decides that he wants a body.)
Thom: (Does "comprehensive Shapeshifting" include potentially mythical beasts?)
DanteE: "Thom, ever meet a Wildlord?"
Thom: (So no "I'll form the head" then.)
Random_Nerd: (Almost certainly yes.)
Thom: (Anyone want a ride?)
Random_Nerd: (More "Oh, hmm, that traffic light would make a good right eye. Yoink!")
Thom: "Not to my knowledge, and from what I've heard, I'd know if I had."
Random_Nerd: (And, yeah, Comprehensive would cover anything that could plausibly physically exist, let's say.)
Random_Nerd: (So, gigantic flying dragons would be out unless you used Aspect miracles to fly, but you could become one.)
Thom: "My Imperator is Ymera Thoth, old Egyptian true god of knowledge and literacy and all that. He's been... reduced significantly. Tends to fraternise largely with his own sort. I think he holds grudges against the newcomers; I haven't gotten a lot of answers about why."
Random_Nerd: (And large land or sea animals wouldn't be a problem unless they were bigger than an African elephant.)
Thom: (Rocs? I'm thinking something big enough to give Dante and Theresa some visual range.)
DanteE: (Y'know, my mother is an Egypt-ophile IRL...)
Thom: (Not all of us can Aspect-run everywhere)
Random_Nerd: (That works. Aspect 2 for sustained flight?)
Random_Nerd: (So, 1 MP, and you can keep going until you do another miracle.)
Thom: (Good enough for me. My current stats are Aspect 1 Domain 3 Realm 0 Spirit 2, with the rest going to Gifts. I'll spend an Aspect MP and shapeshift)
Thom: (Cool. Including changing back, I presume)
Theresa: (I'm okay with Aspect Running at the moment.  :) )
Random_Nerd: (So, all of you arrive at Kudzu's current location?)
Thom: (If I turned into an existing non-mythic bird, do I still pay MP to fly, or does their plausibility not require me to break physical laws?)
DanteE: (Yeah)
Random_Nerd: (If it's just a regular-sized bird, you can fly normally.)
Thom: (Huzzah. What does Amyra look like from fairly reasonable altitude?)
Thom: (Ah, I might do that then, unless Dante wants a lift.)
Random_Nerd: (But for anything big enough to carry one or more people, you need miracles.)
DanteE: (We're both A3, we don't need it)
Random_Nerd: (Yeah, at Aspect 3 they can run as fast or faster than you can fly.)
Thom: (All right then. The proverbial crow, then. Myffic.)
Random_Nerd: You find Kudzu stamping about a park. As usual, he looks like what you'd get if a junkyard and a forest had a baby.
Theresa: *calls* "Hi boss!"
Random_Nerd: He has something human-sized sitting on his shoulder.
Theresa: (Can we see what the something is?)
Random_Nerd: (Sitting on a car seat, actually, and seatbelted in.)
Random_Nerd: (With Aspect 3, yes. It's William.)
Random_Nerd: (He looks scared.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Oh, yes. You."

• DanteE tries phoning William...
  

Theresa: (Oh crud, do we have Imperator Insurance?)
DanteE: (Yeah, Herb.)
_Pampa: (BUt RN you don't say that the aidee are in the tower?)
Random_Nerd: (No, the other anchors are. The Aides are not anchored.)
Random_Nerd: William picks up his cellular phone.
Random_Nerd: W: "Yes?"
DanteE: (The aides aren't Anchored)
DanteE: "William, what the hell happened?"
_Pampa: (ops, sorry)
Random_Nerd: William: "Ymera Kudzu woke up. He wanted my help with a metaphor that former humans would understand."

• Thom lands beside Theresa and erupts back into his original form.
  

Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "What's that down there next to you, Plants?"
Thom: "Strewth, now I know what they meant when they said I'd know when I did meet a Wildlord. I don't suppose this is a good time to introduce myself? Unless this is normal."
Random_Nerd: Every time Kudzu speaks, William winces due to the loud sound right by him.

• Thom takes his hat in his hands and steps forward.
  

Theresa: "This is the Noble of Stories. He was at the Council Meeting. He wants to interview us."
DanteE: "What metaphor?"
Theresa: "Stories, this is Wildlord Kudzu."
Thom: "Ymera Kudzu, I am Marquis of Stories, by the grace of the True God Thoth. I am honoured to be in your presence."
Random_Nerd: William: "I'm sure he'll use it soon. For what happened to him."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Thoth. Haven't met Thoth, I don't think. Courage, Plants, should I talk freely in front of your friend?"
DanteE: "Hold tight, William..."
Theresa: (Well, we did just meet him...)

• Theresa looks at Dante. "What do you think?"
  

Theresa: *to Stories* "Do you publish everything you hear?"
Thom: "Not if you don't want me to. I draw a line between narration and nosiness."
DanteE: "...and, ah, plug your ears. Or just brace yourself..."
Thom: "I try to keep people informed as a courtesy, not as a compunction. I think."
Random_Nerd: William nods.
Theresa: *to Dante* "I vote okay. How about you?"
DanteE: "Might as well...
Random_Nerd: Kudzu speaks slowly, as if reciting a memorized speech.
DanteE: "Lord Kudzu. Do you know what
DanteE: "what's been happening?"
Random_Nerd: K: "It is not uncommon for humans and similar creaturs to have a dream, which is exceptionally vivid when they are experiencing it, but to forget nearly all of it on waking?"
DanteE: "Yes..."
Random_Nerd: He looks at William for a moment. William gives him a thumbs-up gesture.
Random_Nerd: Kudzu, still speaking slowly: "The experience that I had was similar to that. When I was 'asleep,' I remembered everything and knew what I was for and my place in the world. Then I 'awoke' and remembered only fragments."
Theresa: "Ouch."
DanteE: "You... sleep?"
Random_Nerd: K: "This experience was very unsettling, and makes me question myself."
Theresa: (When he was remembering earlier. When he was cranky about being interrupted.)
Random_Nerd: K: "No. But that's the closest thing your servant was able to think of."
Theresa: "Question yourself how?"
Random_Nerd: K: "I, like all of my kind, do not remember what we are, or why we are here. Most of us accept this. But an experience like this makes it more difficult."
Random_Nerd: William whispers in Kudzu's washbasin ear. Kudzu nods.

• Thom whispers to Theresa: "Is your Imperator prone to existential crises?"
  

Random_Nerd: K, slowly again: "It is like an alcoholic who had his condition under control being force-fed strong drink."
Random_Nerd: K: "Oh, and I regurgitated your sibling, but he ran off."
Theresa: "No. I don't think so. He's...he's _ours_. Or we're his." *listens more*
Theresa: "Oh crud...was the regurgitating before or after the remembering?"
DanteE: "Theresa, can you spot James?"
Random_Nerd: (no.)
Random_Nerd: (Unless one of your anchors is dead or elsewhere, and he's in the place where it seems they are.)
Theresa: "No, I didn't see him anywhere in the Chancel, at least. Unless one of our Anchors has died and he's currently having hot cocoa in the tower."
DanteE: "Lord Kudzu... what do you remember?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "That I'm here for a reason. And it /seems/ like I remember the reason, but when I try to say it, it's not there."

• Thom resists writing down "Imperator regurgitates own Nobles. Possibly traumatic. Possibly not. Don't know."
  

Thom: "Tip of the tongue, kind of thing?"
_Pampa: (EXCRU excru La la LAAAA...)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "I'm here because... it's like.... it's as though..."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu stomps on a tree.
Random_Nerd: Then he winces, and the tree pulls itself back together and stands back up.
DanteE: "to destroy? To control? to _take_?"
Thom: "Ymera Kudzu, may I offer a suggestion?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Yes?"

• Theresa murmurs that this is a bit like playing charades with a cloud.
  

Thom: "Have you ever tried -writing things down-? It helps immensely because in a sense, it's not so much about communicating a tricky concept to others as clarifying it for oneself."
Thom: "Well, helps -me- immensely at least. Thought you might give it a try. Not many Imperators have much to do with writing."
Thom: "That's what Thoth says anyway. Think he's a bit sore about that, really."
Random_Nerd: William calls Dante's phone.

• DanteE answers.
  

Random_Nerd: William: "The thing about writing reminded me. Samuel has been having some of his books and notes change themselves for some reason. He doesn't know why. I haven't seen it happen in any writing in Earthly languages, and anything he's written in shorthand is still normal."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "I'll have to try that."
DanteE: to William: "The shorthand isn't Dionyl, is it."
Thom: "Glad to be of help, sir."
Random_Nerd: William: "No, it's one of ours. Their languages are hard to write quickly, so he uses an earthly phonetic script for some things."
DanteE: "Got an idea of what to do with that... we'll get to it once we get this resolved."
Random_Nerd: (And, yes, you've seen him writing in Gregg shorthand before.)
Thom: (Wonder what Kudzu would do if he ever set out to write his memoirs?)
DanteE: (afk a minute...)

• • • _Pampa has signed off IRC (Disintegrated: (Link: http://www.mibbit.com)http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client).
      

Random_Nerd: (Strictly speaking, the language in which he writes is still a Dionyl one, but the script isn't. Written Dionyl languages tend to be very elaborately drawn, like Chinese but more so.)

• • • _Pampa2 has joined #nobilis.
      

Theresa: (How long does it take to write 'Gone Fishing'?)
_Pampa2: (disconnected from DanteE afk, lost something?)
Theresa: DanteE: (afk a minute...)

*** _Pampa has signed off IRC (Disintegrated: (Link: http://www.mibbit.com)http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client).

Random_Nerd: (Strictly speaking, the language in which he writes is still a Dionyl one, but the script isn't.  Written Dionyl languages tend to be very elaborately drawn, like Chinese but more so.)

*** _Pampa2 has joined #nobilis.

Random_Nerd: <DanteE> (afk a minute...)
Random_Nerd: * _Pampa (Mibbit@MagicStar-1E66389C.retail.telecomitalia.it) Quit (Disintegrated: (Link: http://www.mibbit.com)http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client�)
Random_Nerd: <@Random_Nerd> (Strictly speaking, the language in which he writes is still a Dionyl one, but the script isn't. Written Dionyl languages tend to be very elaborately drawn, like Chinese but more so.)
Random_Nerd: * _Pampa2 (Mibbit@MagicStar-1E66389C.retail.telecomitalia.it) has joined #nobilis
Thom: (Oooh, I'm Chinese.)
_Pampa2: (thank you)
Theresa: (I think I'm losing steam...)
Random_Nerd: (Ditto.)
Thom: (It's quarter past four and I'm awwwwwriiiiight)
DanteE: (bak)
Theresa: ( *raspberry*  :) )
_Pampa2: (5:18 here)
Theresa: (I am but a weak Bethcreature, then.  :) )
_Pampa2: (btw raspberry.. what mean?)
Random_Nerd: (So, anything before we stop?)
Thom: (Nope. Didn't expect to get to talk to Kudzu, which was good stuff)
Theresa: (Do you know the expression 'to blow a raspberry'? Kind of like sticking your tongue out at someone.)
DanteE: (Just a reminder to/for me:
Thom: (Hopefully in a helpful capacity)
DanteE: (the plan is, have Samuel transcribe one of his mutating book, then look at how it mutates)
_Pampa2: (no, i don't know the expresion...)
DanteE: (Pampa: you know how you can use your tongue and lips to imitate a fart? That's a raspberry.
DanteE: (usually written spbpbpbpbpbpbt.)
Random_Nerd: (Basically, to loosely stick your tongue out and then blow across it and your lips to make a distinctive sound. It's seen as a taunting gesture, and a somewhat childish one.)
Theresa: (I was sticking my tonuge out, playfully, at you because I'm tired and sleepy and it's late here but you're all fresh and awake.  :) )
_Pampa2: (ohhhh ok i get it now)
Thom: (Pampa, where are you from? There might be a cultural equivalent. It's basically a taunt.)
Theresa: (Thank you, dear. *raspberry at you*)
Random_Nerd: William: "Can I come down from here now?"
_Pampa2: (I'm form Italy and hewre is a "linguaccia")
Theresa: (Oh, cool!)
Thom: (Are Nobles fluent in Dionyl? Or does the Gift of Tongues not extend to creatures from different conceptual realities?)
Thom: (Ah. Come stai?)
DanteE: "Lord Kudzu, would you shrink yourself down to human-size so we don't have to yell?"
Theresa: (We know it but it doesn't always translate perfectly.)
_Pampa2: (Bene grazie, e tu?)
Random_Nerd: (You can read or listen to Dionyl, but you can't speak it well, since it isn't designed to be spoken by creatures made of meat.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu rips William's chair off his shoulder and tosses it towards Dante and Theresa.
Thom: (Sto bene, grazie.)

• DanteE goes to grab William!
  
• Thom ducks.
  

Random_Nerd: (Aspect 1 miracle lets you speak it with a distinct accent but be understood, and Aspect 2 could make you indistinguishable from a native.)

• Theresa Elementals and wraps vine arms aroudn the chair to cushion it!
  

Thom: (Ah.)
Random_Nerd: The two of you neatly catch the falling Aide's chair, to which he is still belted.
DanteE: "William, you all right?"
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and you could write it just fine.)
Theresa: (I can see RN killing William before the wedding...)

• Thom scrounges for his hat, finds it, and jams it on his head. He rummages around in his jacket for a moment, then produces a battered cigar. He offers it to William.
  

Thom: "Looks like you could use one."
Random_Nerd: (Now, there are lots of different Dionyl languages, but the Gift of Tongues covers them all.)
Thom: (Thanks RN)
Random_Nerd: William gives Thom a shaky nod.
Random_Nerd: W: "Thanks. Who are you again?"
Random_Nerd: (And, no, Kudzu wasn't trying to kill William, he's just distracted.)
Theresa: "Stories. Thom, this is Aide William."
Thom: "Stories. Name's Thomas, but you can call me Tam. Just came along to look around."
Theresa: (Tam like the fairy tale Tam?  :) )
Random_Nerd: William: "Pleased to meet you, Dominus. I am William, of the Society of Aides, as started by Luc Ginneas."
DanteE: what's Kudzu doing now?
Thom: (Thomas Lynn, chronologically displaced from medieval Carter Hall by former Power of Stories, a particularly prominent Welsh wizard, to Chancel Thoth, where he grew up and eventually succeeded his patron.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu is staring off into space with his headlight eyes.
Thom: (If that sounds the slightest bit familiar, it's supposed to.)

• Thom mouths 'Luc Ginneas' to himself a few times.
  

Thom: (Any records of him from the in-between times when he -wasn't- an Anchor?)
Random_Nerd: (Thom would certainly know who Luc was.)
Thom: (Ah.)
DanteE: "Hold on... and Theresa, my apologies."

• DanteE heads over to a tree...
  

Random_Nerd: (Luc, basically, has been Anchored more or less continously since the first time he got anchored.)

• • • _Pampa2 is now known as Pampa.
      

Random_Nerd: (And every time his Noble dies, there's some politicing to see who gets the high-prestige anchor next.)
Thom: "I see. It seems Master Ginneas continues to prosper. How's the job coming along, William? You seem to be taking this largely in stride."

• DanteE bends the tree, then uses it as a slingshot to send himself up to where William was.
  

Random_Nerd: (Also, in this game, at least one of his Nobles has been killed by the guy who became his next Noble.)
Random_Nerd: Tree, to Theresa: "Sproing!"
Thom: (Fantastic. He's like a roulette ball. Everyone wants him to go somewhere but somehow nobody just sticks a hand in to move him themselves.)

• Theresa nods at the tree. "Very sproingy. Good job."
  

Random_Nerd: (And you've read enough of the logs to know who the Aides are, right? I ripped off the idea from someone else, but I forget who.)
DanteE: Any reaction to landing on Kudzu's shoulder?
Random_Nerd: Tree, proudly: "Sproing!"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu doesn't seem to notice you landing here.
DanteE: concerned tone: "Lord Kudzu?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "What?"
Thom: (I have. I like William. I thought Snow's thing with him was cute.)
DanteE: "Do you know what happened while you were asleep?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Yes. Someone tried to wake me up. It was very annoying, but I don't think I killed them. Did I?"
DanteE: "No.... that may have been us."
DanteE: "... wait, was it?"
Theresa: (Nah, Herb's still alive. He's guarding the Horse.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Oh. I don't know."
DanteE: (Hm. Do I start by telling him what happened, or asking him what happened?)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Tell me if you find out."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu goes back to staring.
DanteE: "Well... while you were out, the Serpent Jaris was attacked by an Excrucian. We helped by evacuating their population to our ocean.
DanteE: "Those are the fishmen you might be feeling.

• Thom leans closer to Theresa.
  

Thom: 'Fishmen?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Ah. Fishmen. What are fishmen?"
DanteE: "also... the Domination Sakharoth may have returned to Dionyl."
Thom: (Two great flavours that go great together.)
DanteE: "They're in the ocean there... sentient aquatic beings. Herb built them a city."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Never heard of him. Is he a fishman too?"
Theresa: "Anthromoporphic fish. Kinda like mermaids, only both genders."
Theresa: (Uh, which him?)
Random_Nerd: (Sakaroth.)
Theresa: (Ah, thank you.)
DanteE: "Sakharoth? No... he's Dionyl. There's a slight chance he's the Warmain Suebi, though."
Thom: (Thought he was talking about Herb. Was weird for a moment there.)
DanteE: "We just came back from telling the Council about him"
Thom: (Somethingsomething to do with Barakiel might also be relevant?)
Random_Nerd: (Well, he could have been. Kudzu nearly always refers to his Nobles by Estates, and so it would be plausible for him to forget the name of a new one. But he didn't just now.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Don't be silly. Warmains aren't Dionyl."
Theresa: 'He remembers being both the Dionyl and the Warmain."
DanteE: "Whoever it is remembers both being and killing both Sakharoth and Suebi.
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Oh, he's crazy. Okay, then. Did he seem to be handling it well? Newbies often don't."
Thom: (If a Warmain killed another Warmain would he imprint that one?)
Thom: (I mean, he could of, right?)
DanteE: "Well... he had big gaps in his memory.
Theresa: "He's thinking about making a Chancel."
Random_Nerd: (He probably could. But that's speculative, as you've never seen it happen or heard reliable accounts.)
DanteE: "Kind of like James."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Oh, you found James again?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "He's the old Urbanization, right?"
Thom: (Who is out running amok. Word to Lesson perhaps?)
DanteE: "No... I meant how James was before you, um, ate him."
DanteE: "Yes, he is..."
Theresa: (James isn't in the Chancel, though. He would have popped up on Theresa's scan.)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Oh. Okay."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "I'm trying to remember. Is he me, or not?"
DanteE: "It seems whoever goes through the Weirding Wall winds up with holes in their memory.
DanteE: "Rather like, well, waking up from a dream and seeing the dream go away."
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "But I've been right here."
Random_Nerd: K: "Well, no. Over there."
Random_Nerd: He points vaugely downward.
Thom: "You've been through the Weirding Wall?" Thom seems almost agitated.
DanteE: (Let's see... we were specifically charged with investigating this whole screwed-up-memory thing, right?)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Not recently."
Thom: "Your pardon, Ymera; I was directing the question to your Powers."
Random_Nerd: (Well, you were ordered to report everything you do find out. Not precisely to find out new things.)
Thom: "Although now that we're on the topic, do you remember actually passing through the Wall at all?"
Thom: "If I may be so bold as to ask."

• Thom winces; even to him the last sounds tacked-on.
  

Theresa: *to Thom* "Our Brother James, who was Urbanization, went through the Wall. He came back, Kudzu ate him and then Herb was named Urbanization."
DanteE: (And, looking over Session 110, James is to be considered summoned to the next Council meeting)
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "No, I don't remember going through the wall. But I remember /being/ through the wall."
DanteE: "Do you remember anything from before coming through the wall?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "Yeah. I just don't remember /what/ I remember."
DanteE: ".... was that what you were dreaming about, by any chance?"
Random_Nerd: Kudzu: "I wasn't actually /dreaming/. That was a /metaphor/. I wasn't asleep, either."
Random_Nerd: William mouths something to Kudzu.
Random_Nerd: K: "Err, simile."
DanteE: (William's on the ground)

• Thom sidles over to Theresa and whispers, "Would you mind asking him how sharp his memory is of those things he actually remembers? It helps to know if there's been ragged fading or if it's just been excised."
  

DanteE: (I'm on his shoulder)
Random_Nerd: (Yes. But Kudzu has very good eyesight, and William knows this.)
Random_Nerd: (Should we stop now? It's getting late.)
Theresa: (I'm wiped. Sorry, guys.)
Thom: (Me too, s'okay)
DanteE: (Hm. Call it a session?)
Random_Nerd: ____________STOP___________________
Thom: (I'm just glad the time has shifted one hour in my favour. At the moment. Do your clocks change between this session and next?)
DanteE: Yeah, we 'fall back' on Sunday
Pampa: (mine already done *raspberry*)

• • • DanteE is now known as Knockwood.
      
    • You are now known as BethE.
      

BethE: Sleep...glorious sleep...  :)

• • • Pampa is now known as _PamPa_ITA.
      

BethE: And now, I must get to bed. Good game, guys.  :) See you next week!
_PamPa_ITA: I must wake to the 7 and then go to work.... so I will disintegrate just now

• • • Thom is now known as Tam.
      

Tam: Mmmm

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 13