Session 114

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 13

Knockwood: where were we?
Random_Nerd: Let me see...
BethE: Uhh...I think we hadn't picked up the Hell people yet.
Random_Nerd: You had just talked with Shadows about summoning and various other tings.
Random_Nerd: Things, even.

• • • Angelo_ has joined #nobilis.
      

Random_Nerd: Hello, Tpyo.
Knockwood: That's right, he somehow managed to tap our prayer...
Angelo_: disconnected the network cable :-( sorry
Angelo_: my kid destroyed the stopping tip on it...
Random_Nerd: Aaargh.
Random_Nerd: And unless you have a cable crimper it'd be too much of a pain to put a new one on.
BethE: I remember some of the Shadow conversation. He was proud of the telewasp.
Angelo_: yeah, I don't have a crimper

• • • Angelo has signed off IRC (Ping timeout).
      
    • Angelo_ is now known as Angelo.
      

Angelo: yes. Shadow say that this "pet" can interact with nobles prayers
Random_Nerd: Yeah.
Angelo: and offered to give one to you
Angelo: but the amazing players refused
Random_Nerd: Yeah! What possible downside could there be to a creature from outside Creation answering prayers made to you?
Knockwood: assuming it hasn't already happened
BethE: Plus, it might learn musak.
Angelo: well hat it be playtested against nobles's advers effects?
Angelo: or can the creature steal noble id? (as visas?)
Random_Nerd: The wasp has the External template, if you have Unlikely Flowerings.
Angelo: (wasp voice: hello, I'm rain noble I call to order 3500 paellas for locus ABC-DEF-ISAJoke...)
Angelo: never read... :-(
Knockwood: d/lable from Eos-press for free
Random_Nerd: So, anything else before we start?
Angelo: I have downloaded it but never have the timeto read it

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

Random_Nerd: So, you are in the clock tower, in the meeting room. You've just finished talking to Shadows. What do you want to do now?
Theresa: (Skip ahead to Chicago?)
Random_Nerd: _________________START_________________
Random_Nerd: (That works for me. Give me a moment to look over the agreement again, and then we can cut there.)
DanteE: "So, Herb and Lesson are talking accommodations?"
Random_Nerd: (Okay, I've been over it. For the blood of Theresa's, three humans who lived in Amyra. For Dante's skin and the blood on it, six grab-bag damned human souls.)
DanteE: (? thought is was more...)
Theresa: "Well, I think Herb is still getting used to Less...oh, wait, you mean housing?"
Random_Nerd: (Well, you could have gotten more if Theresa hadn't specified Amyran souls for hers.)
Theresa: (Quality, not quantity..)
DanteE: "Right. When we left Lesson was saying the beds should have more spikes
Random_Nerd: (So, are you in Kaerkoven, or in Chicago?0
Theresa: (Chicago is fine with me.  :) )
Theresa: (And Dante brought the bus?)
Theresa: "More spikes? Did he go visit one of the museums again and play Rate the Rack?"
Random_Nerd: (And which of your servants and retainers did you bring?)
DanteE: (Hm... I chose the roof of that building because we got there via elevator)
Theresa: (Uhhh...maybe William? Sam works if he's guised.)
Random_Nerd: (And he still has that pollen. Going to bring Lesson, or leave him at home?)
DanteE: (HOME. Definitely.)
Theresa: (Home.)
Theresa: (Let's keep the freakouts in Chancel for once.  : )
Random_Nerd: (Shall we say you're in the elevator right now?)
DanteE: (OK.)
Theresa: (Sounds good to me.)
DanteE: "Let's see, we popped open the panel... here.:
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and with the chancel gateways, getting anywhere in Chicago or other huge cities is absolutely trivial. You could probably find a path that led to the building, in fact.)
Random_Nerd: W: "Now, let's see. These are Powers of Hell, and they have nothing to gain from you directly now. Do they know you're new Nobles?"
DanteE: "Good question. I suspect word got out..."
Random_Nerd: S: "Ah, the whole 'screw with the new guy' bit? I've heard of it."
Theresa: "Wouldn't be surprised."
Theresa: "Is there hazing when you're new to the Aides? Or is it more of a Fight Club motive...Rule Number One is don't talk abotu new Aides."
Random_Nerd: W: "In that case, if they do something strange or shocking, try not to react. Say, if we get up there, and he's wearing a robe made of living eyes and nerve tissue. Talk about the weather, don't give him the satisfaction."
Random_Nerd: W: "Not exactly hazing, but..."
Random_Nerd: S: "Some stuff like that, to make sure we don't flip out if we see something weird. Have lunch with an ogre, that kind of thing."
Random_Nerd: The elevator continues upward.
Theresa: "Did the ogre tip?"
Random_Nerd: S: "No, but he promised not to eat me."
Random_Nerd: W: "...he did know you're not made of meat, right?"
Random_Nerd: S: "I don't know! He might have still tried."
DanteE: "You guys would know... what did the rumor mill say when we were summoned before the Court?"

• Theresa stifles a laugh.
  

Random_Nerd: Elevator: "Ding!"
Random_Nerd: W: "Rumors said you were going to say something to Entropy to make him eat you. You personally, I mean."
Random_Nerd: S: "I made fifty bucks off that."
Theresa: "Wow...only 50?
Theresa: "
Random_Nerd: S: "I was... moderately certain. But I'm not made of money."
Random_Nerd: The elevator doors open.

• Theresa will step out onto the roof.
  

Random_Nerd: Not too far from the elevator you see a group that is nearly surely the ones you're here to meet.
Random_Nerd: One is a young man in shorts and a T-shirt, which has slits in the back to let out his four wings, which are dripping with blood.
Theresa: (Let me guess...the outfits?)
Theresa: (Bat, Dragon or Bird?)
Random_Nerd: The rest are naked or wearing rags, and have recent wounds and old scars covering their bodies.
Random_Nerd: They look at you with the same mix of cunning, servility, and malice that Lesson used to have.
Random_Nerd: (Insect-like, actually. Beetle wings, except for the blood thing.)
Random_Nerd: He's holding what looks like a spiky cattle goad made of bone in one hand.
Random_Nerd: Overlaid over him, you see the image of him sans wings and with an umbrella instead of the goad.

• Theresa shields her eyes and looks at the group. "If that's not for us, I'd hate to see the next elevator ride."
  

Random_Nerd: He waves his spikey prod at you.
Random_Nerd: (And no, that is not a metaphor.)
DanteE: (How's he look to the Sight?)
Random_Nerd: (To the Sight, he's unmistakably Noble. Very shiny, more than most, in fact.)
Random_Nerd: He runs a hand across his rather mussed hair, and smiles.
Theresa: "Hello. We're from Chancel Amyra."
Random_Nerd: Winged Man: "I believe these are yours?"
DanteE: "Which ones are which?"
Random_Nerd: Winged Man: "Those three over there" *wave of goad* "were from Amyra. That one" *points at a particular one, who cowers* "at least says he used to be a king. That's why we had them, actually. I collect kings, and those two came with him."
DanteE: (Do we recognize those last 3?)
Theresa: "Which King?"
Random_Nerd: (No. But even if you'd passed them in the street you wouldn't know them now. They're skinny and have bruises and scabs all over.)
Random_Nerd: Winged: "I forget which one. I'd have to check the label on the board at home."
Random_Nerd: He looks at the former king again, and stares at a chest wound that looks as though a spear were driven through him.
Theresa: (Oh crud...maybe we shouldnt' let that one near the Treasures...)
Theresa: "Okay, I accept my three."
DanteE: "And I accept my group..."
Random_Nerd: He pulls up his shirt, and reaches into what seems like a bloodless slit in his chest, and pulls out a small demon.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "You! This king, from Board Seven. Who is he?"
Random_Nerd: Rat-Sized Demon: "...Aaaaaaaaaron the Third. Amyra."
Theresa: (Theresa's an Amyra native and a schoolteacher. Did we have an Aaron?)
DanteE: (Weren't they all John?)
Random_Nerd: (Most. Some are named Aaron, as part of the myth surrounding them was that they were descended in part from Moses's brother.)
Theresa: (My guess is that you had to name the other kids something...and if the eldest died, well...)
Random_Nerd: (Also, there may have been one or two Melchizadeks.)
Random_Nerd: (And, yes, you had a few Aarons. This one would have been... two, three hundred years ago, you think.)
Random_Nerd: Rat-Sized Demon: *epic snivelling*
Random_Nerd: Winged: "So, you take possession of these nine humans, in fufillment of the arrangement?"
DanteE: "ah, yes..."
Theresa: "Yes. We have already surrendered the garments."
DanteE: "and the skiN"
Random_Nerd: He waves the bone goad at them, and something that looks like barbed wire scaled down to a tenth of its size seems to fly out of their bones and wrap around the goad. A shower of blood is sprayed about in doing so."
Random_Nerd: (Err, no ")
Random_Nerd: A few other people on the roof look over.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Performance art!"

• Theresa makes a note to see if Sam noticed any bets about Entropy getting affectionate and then the whole eating thought comes up and gets twisted and never mind...
  

Random_Nerd: Dante, the little demon clings to your pantsleg with its little grimy hands.
Random_Nerd: Little Demon: "Do you reeeeaaaaaaaally have a demon working for yooooooou?"
Random_Nerd: (It speaks as though halfway through some vowel sounds it briefly forgot what it was saying.)
DanteE: "Uh, yeah... one of the tall black ones"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "You! Imp! Bad!"
Random_Nerd: The little demon cringes at the word "bad."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Sorry about that. But you have one, right? You know what they're like."
Theresa: "He doesn't cringe as much. He's an Anchor."
Random_Nerd: Little Demon: *shakes violently*
DanteE: aside, to Theresa: "If word on Lesson's gotten out.."
Random_Nerd: Little Demon looks at the winged Noble, at Dante, and then contorts its face and said: "Aaaaaand your demon has staaaatus, and respect, and authoriiiiiity over humans?"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Bad!"
Random_Nerd: He kicks the demon with his right sandal-clad foot. It flies perhaps three feet, and lands with a tiny "Oooof" sound.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "There's no teaching them anything, is there?"

• DanteE checks out the "You'd be surprised..."
  

DanteE: (whoops, merged 2 statements together...)
Random_Nerd: Dante, you feel the itch of someone praying to you.

• DanteE checks out the people we just bought.
  
• DanteE answers. "Hello?"
  

Random_Nerd: Of them, the oldest seems about fifty and the youngest twenty, but that may not correspond to their real ages.

• Theresa shrugs. "So far, Lesson's been a good Anchor for our brother. Took some readjustment time."
  

Random_Nerd: Prayer: "Take me! Steal me! Make me yours! Good imp! Do whatever you say! Good!"
Random_Nerd: On the ground, you can see the little demon's lips moving silently, out of Winged's line of sight.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Oh, they're useful, but an Anchor, really? Do you want the one to come after /you/ to be one of /those/ things?"
DanteE: pray back: "Can't yet...."
Random_Nerd: (He says this in the "But what were you doing stark naked with a shaved sheep in the /first/ place" tone.)
DanteE: "Well, ours was... improved first."
Random_Nerd: Imp Prayer: "Good imp! Good!"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Oh, right, you got a refurbished model. One of Consequences' demons, right?
DanteE: "Yes. By the way, how did you hear about that?"
Theresa: "Plus, our brother had his reasons for Anchoring him. The demon has been useful in dealing with the gangs of the capitol city."
DanteE: "As in, they're now gone..."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Oh, nothing gossips like demons. Especially if they think it might give them a chance to be the stong guy rather than the weakling."
DanteE: (any ex gang bangers in Theresa's group?)
Random_Nerd: (Not as far as you can tell. But they might not be that... fresh.)
DanteE: "Let's get these guys back home..."
Random_Nerd: Imp Prayer: "Please please please, good good! He bad noble, you good noble! Good!"
Theresa: (As to the gossiping demons, I now have the mental image of demons at a hair and horn stylist, chatting. Thank you _so_ very much.)
Random_Nerd: Winged: "You! Get back here! Now!"
Random_Nerd: The imp slinks over to the winged Power.

• DanteE mulls this over...
  

Random_Nerd: Winged: "So, you've got your humans, and we already have the blood. So, is there anything else?"
DanteE: "I think we're all right..."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Oh, and if you ever have any spare kings, or more of the Darkest Lord's blood, I'm always willing to make a deal."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Ba-dum-bum-ching.
Random_Nerd: "
Theresa: "I thought you had to twirl mustaches for that sort of joke?"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Left mine with my other wings, sorry."
DanteE: "Just out of curiosity, what do you do with it? His blood, I mean."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Oh, we can get a good deal for it from other Angels, for their shrines and collections."
Random_Nerd: W: "Just like you could probably get something from the other Angels for... I don't know, one of Ananda's footprints or something. I think both sides have collectors."
Theresa: "I didnt' know he left footprints. Huh."
Random_Nerd: W: "Oh, I mean, like if he walked in the mud or something. But me, I collect kings."
Random_Nerd: W: "Still, that one you have wasn't very good, and he frees up a space."
Random_Nerd: W: "You! Look regal, now!"
Random_Nerd: Aaaron just cringes.
Random_Nerd: W: "See?"
DanteE: (We're both native Amyrans... do we know this Aaron? Something about him being Amyra's Nixon, or somesuch?)
Random_Nerd: (Well, he's older than that. You haven't heard much at all about him, which probably means that his reign was a bit of an embarassment.)
Theresa: "I haven't started up any collections yet. Haven't decided on what I want to keep."
DanteE: "Yeah, we've been busy...
DanteE: "What's your Domain, by the way?"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "The First Hit's Free."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Used to be Slippery Slopes, but I like this version better."
Random_Nerd: W: "So, how does it feel to be part of a deal with the Devi..."
Random_Nerd: W: "Imp! Get in, and get those horns! The ones I was polishing!"
Random_Nerd: The imp climbs his leg and crawls into the slit in his abdomen, under the shirt.
DanteE: (?)
DanteE: (Oh, for a sec I thought that first W was William)
Random_Nerd: (No, sorry, he's not talking.)
Random_Nerd: The imp crawls back out with a pair of polished horns, that look to be made of a combination of horn and iron.
Random_Nerd: The winged Power takes them and puts them on his forehead.
Random_Nerd: W: "Now, where was I? Oh, yes, deal with the Devil."
DanteE: "Interesting. We might just talk again if we deal more with you-know-who
Random_Nerd: W: "Muhuhahahahaha." (In a deadpan voice.)
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Sounds like a plan."
Random_Nerd: Imp Prayer: "Pleeeeeeaaaase!"
DanteE: (Hm... insect traits, horns, claim to be 'the' Devil... Baalzebul?)
Theresa: (My guess just some guy.)
Random_Nerd: (Nah, he's just some guy.)
Random_Nerd: (Yeah.)
Theresa: "The horns are much better than a mustache."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Never could grow a good one, and using miracles for it seems like cheating."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "But these are some nice horns, aren't they?"
DanteE: (Does the iron mean anything, BTW?)
DanteE: "They fit you very well."
Random_Nerd: (They're demon horns, actually. Some demons, like Lesson, have a color like rusty wrought iron.)
Random_Nerd: (And no, most demons don't have horns. This one did.)
Random_Nerd: Imp: "Give him anything for me! Doesn't have to be a lot! He doesn't like me. Something shiny, or sharp, or tasty?"
Random_Nerd: (That via prayer too.)
DanteE: (..... dang moral dilemmas. :) )
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and for the record, the imp-demon thing looks like a very small humanoid figure, of a dark reddish-brown. He's much thicker, proportionally, than Lesson, and has unusually big hands for his size.)
Random_Nerd: (His eyes are a sickly whitish color, like cataracts, but he seems to be able to see.)
DanteE: "Hey, what do you want for the Imp?"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "That one? I don't know. He's not much good, is he? I certainly would never anchor /him/."
Random_Nerd: Winged bends down to pinch the imp's cheek, and says "Noooo, no, you're never gonna be an anchor, nooooo." in baby-talk.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Send me a case of beer from Amyra for him?"
DanteE: "We might just do that. Does he have any skills?"
Theresa: "Lager, mead or the stuff that a Budwiser ambassador tried to steal out of the country and got hung up by his ankles for?"
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Lager. You still make mead there? Weird."
DanteE: "Well, that's kind of a tradition."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Anyway, mead always tastes nasty."
DanteE: "Not a fan of fermented honey?"
Theresa: "Depends on the flowers in season. The 'dendrons make it poisonous."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Blegh."
Random_Nerd: In the background, one of the damned souls looks like she's going to make a break for it.
DanteE: "Excuse me a second..."

• DanteE goes over to the would-be escapee
  

Random_Nerd: They all cower.
Theresa: "We probably should get going. How would you like the beer delivered?"

• DanteE looks her over...
  

Random_Nerd: Winged: "Just leave some up here tomorrow. I'll come by to get it."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Side benefit of Nobility. Nobody steals my stuff."
Theresa: "At least for long." *smile*
Random_Nerd: Winged: "No. They can't. At least humans, demons, things like that. It just doesn't work."
DanteE: to her: "You're with us now. We're no demons, and you're out of hell."
Random_Nerd: He takes his wallet out of his pocket, and tosses it to the ground next to the little demon.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Imp! That's mine, but if you can take it from me, I won't chase you down."
Random_Nerd: The imp reaches for it, but his hand stops, and he looks at it curiously.
Random_Nerd: Then he tries to push his left hand forward by pushing it with his right, but that fails too.
Theresa: "Oh, how interesting." (High..what, Spirit?)
Random_Nerd: (Weird Gift.)
Random_Nerd: He laughs and picks up the wallet again.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Too slow, little guy."
DanteE: (I could do that with a Rune of Runaway...)
Random_Nerd: He waves the goad in his other hand at the damned humans: "Pay good attention to your new bosses. You three over there, you belong to her. You six, you're his."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Anyway, I should be going. So do you want the little guy?"

• Theresa looks at Dante.
  

DanteE: "... sure, why not, we seem to be collecting knickknacks..."
DanteE: "...demons, messages, lost souls...
Random_Nerd: Winged: "As long as I get my beer, and as long as you don't come running to me if he steals your socks or craps in your stereo, he's yours."
Random_Nerd: The little demon clings to Dante's ankle and says "Good good good good, good imp, be good, good" a lot.
Random_Nerd: Winged: "All yours. Have fun with him."
Random_Nerd: Winged: "Anything else?"
Theresa: "We'll have the beer up here within 24 hours. Thanks again."
DanteE: "Great. (to the imp) Don't whiz on my leg..."
Random_Nerd: Imp: "Not bad!"
DanteE: (Yes, they are nice pants, thank you for noticing... :) )

• Theresa will herd the new folks toward the elevator doors...
  

Random_Nerd: THe winged Power beats his insectoid wings and flies away.
Random_Nerd: As he does, he waves the goad, which makes rattling sounds from the wire.
Random_Nerd: At the sound, the humans cower.
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and everyone else who was on the roof has left.)
DanteE: "William, Samuel, let's see if we can't minimize the damage...
Random_Nerd: William: "Ah... yes."
DanteE: "Hopefully, Herb has put together a nice place with minimal stressors.
Random_Nerd: Samuel: "I think I like the 'trenchcoat made of people's eyes' approach better."
Theresa: (Is there any kind of oath of loyalty or something that can tell if someone will be loyal to the Chancel?)
Random_Nerd: William: "And you got /another/ demon? What are you going to do with this one?"
Random_Nerd: The little imp hisses at William.
Theresa: "This one is Dante's. Maybe he can answer phones."
Random_Nerd: (There isn't currently. Herb could make one with a Lesser Creation of Realm, though.)
Random_Nerd: (Or you could use your Irresistable gift to make them unable to act against Amyra.)
Random_Nerd: (Err, lesser /change/ of Realm.)
Theresa: (Hmm...may keep that in mind. Yes, it's taking away free will but on the other hand, I don't want to be stabbed in the back, metaphorically.)
DanteE: "See if you can get their names and something about their lives on Earth..."
DanteE: "I'll try talking to them one at a time to help them adjust."
DanteE: (Big elevators, right?)
Random_Nerd: (Yeah.)
DanteE: quietly: "Check out his highness first."
DanteE: "Just make sure word about him doesn't get out--especially to John--until we say so."
Random_Nerd: Woman Who Tried To Run Away: "So, what now? Instead of getting flogged or pinned to walls, we get fed to your pet demon?"
DanteE: "No... you're now _out_ of Hell.
DanteE: "You'll be seeing sunshine, seawater, grass, trees...
Random_Nerd: Woman: "Oh, sure. The Hell Of Not Being In Hell Anymore, Really, Honest... POOF! DEMONS!"
Theresa: "Oh, you've been through that one?"
Random_Nerd: Man Who Isn't Aaron: "I hate that... That one's not so bad, really."
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and she waved her hands in the air when she shouted "POOF! DEMONS!")
Theresa: "There's one demon there and he works for us. There's the little imp now too, I guess. Would it help if I took an Oath on it?)
Theresa: " even
DanteE: "Wait until we see what it does..."
Random_Nerd: Man: "Look, if you want us to believe you, just rip out our minds already. It's easier on everyone."
DanteE: "Like this?"
Random_Nerd: All nine recoil.

• DanteE zap-heals the guy back to full health
  
• Theresa facepalms. "Dante, don't scare them to...well, that's better."
  

Random_Nerd: He blinks
Random_Nerd: Woman Who Talked Earlier: "You think we haven't seen that one before? Of /course/ you have to fix us before you can hurt us later."
DanteE: "For the last time. We. Are. Not. Demons."
Random_Nerd: Woman: "Of course you aren't /demons/. Demons aren't so bad. You're /Powers/. Dominae. Noblis."
Random_Nerd: Other Man: "Look, all of us know the ropes, just get down to it already. The psyche-out doesn't work any more."
Theresa: "I miss Carrie."
Random_Nerd: Samuel: "Have you ever seen anything like me before?"
Theresa: "Sam, you look like a human."

• DanteE zap-heals each one in turn.
  

Random_Nerd: Sam: "Oh. Yeah. I forget about that. Nice trick with the pollen, that."
Theresa: "Thank you." *smile*
Theresa: (I'm impressed, dear. I was sure that we'd get hell-snark about Sam's appearance. <g>)
Random_Nerd: Another Woman, to William: "So, what are you? You weren't talking earlier, but you don't look like one of us either."
Random_Nerd: William: "I, ah... I work for them. I arrange matters to help them out, and provide knowledge on various matters."
Random_Nerd: All of them turn and look at him as if he said "Oh, I barbecue the babies, and sometimes a kitten or two if babies are too expensive that week."
Theresa: "Fine, fine, just get into the elevator, we'll go to a magical land of gemstones and camels and you can be on your guard for the demons that aren't going to come for you..." *makes shooing motions, having dealt with the kindergarden set*
Theresa: (Oh, great, they think William's a collaborator. Helping demons because he _likes being evil_.)
Random_Nerd: William: "Damn it! I'm not a... capo, collaborator, vichy, whatever you call it!"
DanteE: "I should study them and learn everything there is to know about PTSD.
Random_Nerd: William, to Dante and Theresa: "...sorry about that."
Theresa: "Swearing's okay, William."
DanteE: "That's quite all right, William."
Random_Nerd: The little demon crawls up to Dante's shoulder and shouts: "Bad humans! Bad! Make Noble feel bad! Bad!"
Random_Nerd: They back away as far as there is room in the elevator.
DanteE: -_-
Theresa: (Aww, Dante has his own cheerleader now...)
DanteE: (What time is it back home?)
Random_Nerd: (I don't know, four PM or so?)
Theresa: "Okay, so we're going to Amyra. Some of you have lived there before, most of you haven't. It is now the year (whatever it is) and Amyra was made into a Chancel recently."
Random_Nerd: They all give resigned nods.
Random_Nerd: Demon, whispering to Dante: "Them. Dark clothes one that shouted, one that thinks he isn't human. I work for them, or they work for me?"
Theresa: (Ahh, establishing hierarchy...)
DanteE: "You work for them. On the bright side, they won't demand you eat your own liver."
Random_Nerd: The demon squints with its tiny face.
Random_Nerd: Demon: "Liver?"
Random_Nerd: (I forget, what kind of facial hair does Dante have, if any?)
DanteE: (they really should have a... grr, what's the name for that expression usually represented by the eyes going square and a _boink_ sound?)
Theresa: "We have a place set up for you all to live and we'll be looking into work that you all can do. We request that you respect the lives and beliefs of the rest of the Chancel, just as they shall respect yours. You may be called upon to help defend the Chancel and you can defend yourselves, self defense obviously."
DanteE: (Doesn't)
DanteE: (facefault?)
Theresa: (That works. O.O )
DanteE: (more exasperated than surprised)
Random_Nerd: Tbe elevator reaches your floor.
Random_Nerd: (And there's a gateway to Amyra in the janitor's closet down the hall.)
DanteE: "Here, this should show we mean no harm. Where you were it was a cold early morning...
Theresa: "The Chancel has a Wildlord, Kudzu. The Nobles that are currently in residence are Urbanization, Plants which is myself and Courage-slash-Blades over there with the imp. The other Nobles are currently busy with other projects."
Random_Nerd: The elevator doors open.
Random_Nerd: Woman: "I have something here I'd like to show you." *holds left hand behind back*
DanteE: "Here, a near mediterranean afternoon..."
DanteE: (uhoh)
Theresa: "What is it?"
Random_Nerd: She brings her hand out, and throws a bunch of little bits of sharp metal, which look like barbs pried off the wire from earlier, at Theresa's eyes.
Random_Nerd: (Now, you're Durant and have Aspect 3. You could easily dodge them all, catch them all, or let them hit you without causing more than very slight eye damage. What do you do?)
Random_Nerd: As she throws, she starts to run, but given that you both have impressive Aspect, she might as well be in slow motion.

• Theresa catches all of them in a move that would make a Martial Arts Supreme Master bow and ask for my phone number.
  
• DanteE effortlessly grabs her arm...
  
• Theresa looks down at the barbs. "What were these supposed to do?"
  

Random_Nerd: Woman: "It was worth a try. Get it over with, please."
Random_Nerd: She bows, face down on the ground.
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and for the record, of the nine, two are female and seven male. Neither of the women is from Amyra.)
Random_Nerd: (Most seem to be at least mostly European in ancestry, to the extent that you can tell under the grime and dried blood.)
Random_Nerd: (Two of the ones from Amyra have a somewhat more sharply middle-eastern look than most people there nowadays. Aaron has that too, but to a lesser degree.)

• Theresa Creates a box around the barbs, just in case they shouldn't be left lying around somewhere that they might wander off.
  

Theresa: "Why'd you do it?"
Random_Nerd: The bowing woman starts slamming her head against the floor and shouting "Get it over with! Get it over with!"
Random_Nerd: (How hard is Dante holding her arm?)
Random_Nerd: (If she can't reach the floor, she'll slam it into a wall instead.)
DanteE: (Not that hard...)
Random_Nerd: (Okay, then she'll yank out forcefully enough to smash her head like that.)
DanteE: (I have a feeling you're leading me to something...)
Random_Nerd: (I am? I never even realized!)

• Theresa will Aspect down to hold her so she doesn't hurt herself. "Stop that."
  

Random_Nerd: (I was just trying to make sense of the physical situation.)
Random_Nerd: (Anyway, I need to stop soon.)

• DanteE picks the woman up... being careful not to hurt her.
  

Random_Nerd: Woman: "I'm not falling for it! I'm NOT. So just get it over with, because I don't care."
DanteE: "Follow me."

• DanteE heads outside...
  

Theresa: (To the janitor's closet, you mean? Or through it?)
DanteE: (OK, which way's the nearest pristine meadow?)
Random_Nerd: (In Amyra, or in the middle of Chicago?)
DanteE: (Aren't we already in Amyra?)
DanteE: "Samuel. Which way to Shepherd's Field from here?"
Random_Nerd: (No, you're very near the nearest gateway.)
Random_Nerd: (It's just down the hall from here.)
Random_Nerd: Samuel: "Uh... through there into Amyra, then out into the border again a bit to the right, then across the hall, then in the Employees Only door, and there you are.
Random_Nerd: William looks at Samuel quizzically.

• DanteE walks down a typical Chicago office hallway with a squabbling dirty bloody (naked?) woman over his shoulder and pops into a janitor's closet. Not suspiciously in the least.
  

Random_Nerd: S: "What? I spent a few hours looking into the closest gateway to here!"
Random_Nerd: (She's not naked, but she's not wearing much clothing either. However, given that she looks like a concentration-camp surviver, the effect is hardly sexually appealing, at least unless you have really bizarre tastes.)
DanteE: (OK... I figure 'Shepherd's Field' is a good enough name for a nice grassy park area. When do we get there?)
Theresa: "If everyone will follow him, we can get home and into a nice bath and new clothes, right along now..."
Random_Nerd: (Jump in the door, out into Amyra, back into the border, back into Amyra in under three minutes.)
DanteE: "Right after a quick detour..."
Random_Nerd: (Cut to Shepherd's Field?)
DanteE: (Sure...)
Theresa: (Sounds good.)

• DanteE and Theresa and 9 refugees pop into existence in the middle of a grassy field.
  

DanteE: staying calm: "Look up."
Random_Nerd: They obediently look up.
DanteE: "That is actual sunlight.
Random_Nerd: (Oh, and most of them just seem to be doing exactly what you say, and nothing else other than flinching.)
Theresa: "I know, nothing we can say right now can make you feel like you're not being set up. But we hope that you will call this place home someday."
DanteE: "You're smelling fresh air, sea, assorted plants--sorry about the pollen."
Random_Nerd: Woman, blood running down from a corner of her head, in a nearly sobbing voice: "I won't be fooled again."
Random_Nerd: (Mind if we stop here?)
DanteE: (It's only (a) teenage wasteland...)
DanteE: (And I healed her, why's she bleeding?)
Theresa: (From the floor hitting?)
Random_Nerd: (Yeah, that happened post-healing.)
Random_Nerd: ______________STOP______________________

• • • You are now known as BethE.
      

BethE: We're all wasted...

• • • DanteE is now known as Knockwood.
      

Angelo: clap clap clap - nice nice nice
Random_Nerd: So, what'd you think of this one?
Angelo: I already answred ^______________________^
Knockwood: I should admit that when you talked about a king, the first thing that came to mind was: (Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtPkDhM1Brs)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtPkDhM1Brs
BethE: I liked it. Interesting NPCs. and I'm glad you didn't give Theresa the imp.  :)
Knockwood: I came || that close to Anchoring her, I should(n't) admit...
BethE: *grin*
Random_Nerd: Oh? Why?
Knockwood: The really annoying bit about how every one assumes we're evil
Knockwood: That's RL, not the game.  :D
BethE: William's outburst was cute. As was Sam's 'oh, yeah, I look human now, right...'
Random_Nerd: And I figured that, yeah, they'd hate demons and Nobles and Angels, but they'd hate a turncoat worse.

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 13