Holes/Session 39

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Session 39 (Overview)

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INT. Cave cavern thing

Amadi is dead. Gravy is still holding her, after shaking the water out of her. Radek had wanted a defibrillator.

Frezak (Gravy): I'm going to make Amadi into sandwiches. It's what she'd want.

RHU

(to Radek)

What about the robots? Don't they have electrical... wires and things?

RADEK

I don't have enough time to jury rig something like that when she's already dead.

RHU

What about her soul? Can you save that in some way, like you did for Mr. Mousie?

GEORGE

You sure she's dead? That stuff went into her.

Radek does some stuff to try to find Amadi's soul or find out what's even going on or whatever, with Gravy still holding her up. (rolled 30 arcana) He doesn't manage to do what he meant to do, but he does discover that whatever she has/had, there's horrible blackness in the way. Hungry blackness. It sees him.

RADEK

Damn it...

No, Rhu, I cannot save her soul, because this darkness is in the way.

Rhu gives Radek a quizzical look.

RHU

You mean like the darkness-beast thing in Midnight?

Radek tugs on his beard in frustration.

RADEK

Why, yes. Quite a bit like that.

You may recall that none of us had a solution then, and things have not changed since.

RHU

(to Radek, distractedly)

Um... Codrichun helped? Maybe...

Rhu gets distracted by the floor.

Amadi, or perhaps what is possessing her, suddenly wakes up and starts struggling. She seems to be trying to bite Radek.

The Gravedigger slams Amadi against the wall a few times.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

No bitey!

No! Bad Amadi!

Amadi gets a bit crushed, and stops struggling. She glares at the Gravedigger with horrible black eyes.

Rhu examines the floor and notices that there seem to be lighter patches on the floor where the black stuff sank in... and there are too many of them. They look like outlines of people...

He pokes them.

RHU

Does ... anybody else see patches all over the floor, or is that my blindness acting up again?

Amadi hisses something and then Dawn appears.

Dawn looks very, very confused.

RADEK

Ah, fantastic. Hello, Dave. We were just about to debate the merits of having your better half possessed by a demon in the hopes that it might destroy the entity currently possessing her.

Do you have any insight on this matter?

Dawn recovers herself a bit, then pokes Amadi.

DAWN

You know, it is a bit like a demon.

(to Amadi)

Hi, demon. How are you?

Amadi hisses something silent and unintelligible, looking quite upset.

DAWN

Sorry, but if you're not her, I'm not doing what you want.

(she looks around at the others)

Um... why are you all looking at me like I should know what to do?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Hey, I wasn't.

DAWN

Radek here is a lot of everyone, okay?

RHU

What's she asking you to do?

DAWN

Oh, she just wants me to destroy you all.

RHU

Oh, okay.

DAWN

Weren't we supposed to be immune to this? How much have we lost..?

RADEK

Just... leave me out of this. I am not an exorcist.

DAWN

Gravedigger, hold her still, please. I got an idea.

Dawn takes Amadi's head in her hands and then headbutts her really hard.

Dawn reels away, tears streaming down her face.

DAWN

Ow ow ow ow ow.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

I can do that too.

RHU

Is that the shadow Amadi in there? Where is Amadi? Maybe she's... elsewhere. I feel a silence that I haven't felt before.

Amadi says something horrible, and Rhu can just make out the words 'All of us'. (will attack failed)

RHU

Have we tried using the Orb of Protection thing? Maybe it'll scare these things away.

RADEK

It repels energy, Rhu.

RHU

The darkness thing might be energy.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

You say there are demons in Amadi?

The Gravedigger lifts up Amadi to shout really loudly in her ear. (rolled 23 intimidate)

THE GRAVEDIGGER

GET OUT DEMONS! SHOOOO

DAWN

They're not demons, just like demons. They're also not really... multiple, either.

RADEK

...Allow me to elaborate.

If it were capable of solving this problem for us, it would just as easily expel your soul from your body the instant you came into contact with it.

GREIBEL

Groovy.

RHU

Oh.

GREIBEL

You'd like traveling the astral plane, Rhu. It's freaky at first but then it's freaky.

(he looks around)

Um, right... cave survey.

Greibel turns into bats and flies away.

RHU

Do we even know that Amadi is still in there? Maybe she's gone back to Midnight or something.

Amidst this, there's a bit of a struggle in Amadi, but the shouting seems to have worked: she calms down, looks a bit confused, and then starts speaking perfectly normally again. Well, relatively normally, anyway.

AMADI

Agh! What? Oh! It worked!

THE GRAVEDIGGER

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SANDWICHES?

AMADI

(looking a bit worried)

They're... nice, I suppose?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

DECEIVER!

AMADI

Eh?

The Gravedigger shakes Amadi vigorously.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

OUT DEMONS OUT!

AMADI

AGH!

No, no, I'm not a demon!

I'm... okay, this is going to sound completely insane, but I'm possessing the... demon. Stuff. Which is apparently possessing your friend.

RHU

You're ...stronger than the demon possessing Amadi?

AMADI

Well... not really. But you guys did apparently give it a bit of a jostle...

(she looks up at the Gravedigger uncertainly)

Or something.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

I shouted really loudly.

AMADI

My name is Haerevan of Salas Vittan. I came here to give you something, though I'm not entirely sure how to entirely go about that at this stage.

(she twiddles her fingers)

Odd. Your shouts transcend the normal barriers of reality?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

It was really loud.

RHU

Don't shout really loudly at it again, this person makes more sense than Amadi usually does.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Aw. Okay.

It occurs to Rhu that the name is the same pattern as the names given for the kings. (rolled 18 history) Anyone who was paying attention might remember that, though.

RHU

We've been told that we are on Arling Tor, although that was several leaps through space and time ago. I think that was another planet.

AMADI

Yes, this is Arling Tor.

(to Gravy)

Can you put me down, please? I don't think anything too horrible is going to happen.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Hmmm. I'll be watching.

The Gravedigger puts the creature down.

AMADI

(nodding)

I would expect nothing less.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

I can also watch really hard.

RHU

(to Amadi)

How did you end up in Amadi, then? Did Gravy's shout call you? Were you just... passing?

GEORGE

Is Arling Tor another name for Cerris?

AMADI

Well, I was really trying to hitch a ride through the rift, but got a bit caught up in all the shadowstuff. This wasn't exactly my first idea, you know.

(to George)

And no, Arling Tor is all of this. It includes Cerris, and Ord, and all the other fragments you call planes as well. The extent of the universe is the name, and beyond that, other universes have their own names.

RHU

Shadowstuff? We were just fighting shadows a minute ago.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

I hit them really hard.

AMADI

They must have been given some sort of medium with which to manifest. A...

(she holds out her hand and a soft ball of light appears over it)

...creation.

In the darkness the light stands out, but not so much so as to hurt the folks. It throws weird shadows everywhere, though.

RHU

...that might not be the best idea. Weird shadows are how our friend died. Or didn't die. Or whatever.

AMADI

(fussing over the ball)

All light casts shadows. A good light creates nothing to be feared.

Rhu clearly doesn't buy this, and glances warily at the shadows from time to time.

RHU

(to Amadi)

Do you know anything about Holes and Darkness Made Solid, where you're from? We seem to be having problems with both today.

Radek fidgets and grumbles in the background.

AMADI

The holes are the deterioration of the universe, spread by contact with other universes. Your own was particularly badly damaged, which is how you came here.

Amadi fiddles with the ball some more, making it do various nonsensical things, trying to reshape it.

RHU

To this planet? Or this cave?

AMADI

To Arling Tor. And Cerris.

(to George)

You know they're aliens, right? They're totally aliens.

GEORGE

Um... okay?

RHU

(to George)

Well, we're from another planet. We were on another planet, then another one, and then we were nowhere, and then we got here.

RADEK

...Is that remarkable in this universe?

Amadi shrugs.

DAWN

Space aliens would be a bit odd here, I think. Ord is the one where they get that. But she means in that you're from another universe.

(to Amadi)

You're an Emissary, aren't you?

The ball of light turns into a ball of sludge and starts dripping.

AMADI

Agh! This is not working.

The Gravedigger stares.

Amadi gives Gravy a nervous look.

RADEK

What, exactly, are you trying to do with that?

AMADI

I'm trying to recreate an object that was... destroyed. Except I don't entirely know what I'm doing.

(irritably)

You know, we're supposed to have the power of gods and then some, but it's like I never got all the memos or something. I'm not even close to a god. I'm a baker, for crying out loud!

Amadi shakes some gloop off her hand.

AMADI

...I should have really let someone else take this one.

It was supposed to be a box. Full of stuff. And a letter. About the box. I'm trying to remake it and it's just not working.

RHU

Are you... sure... we're in another universe? There are a lot of planets, you know. We might just be stuck on a particularly primitive planet. No offence, George.

AMADI

From where you started out? Yes. Definitely different. You're from Arikdirin Vak. I can tell THAT much, at least.

Radek waves a hand dismissively.

RADEK

It hardly matters any longer.

DAWN

You're in a piece of a King. Full of Midnight. Of course it wouldn't work properly.

Amadi stops and stares at Dawn.

AMADI

A King?

DAWN

I... don't know. Maybe?

RHU

(to Dawn)

Midnight! Do you think taking Amadi back to Midnight might help her kick this darkness thing out? ...No, on second thoughts, the darkness-monster thing seems to be even more powerful there.

DAWN

No, no, the emissary should be able to get it out once he finishes what he's doing.

RHU

...Oh. Cool.

Amadi is trying to force some magic and it's not working. She drops an ooze on the ground and it starts bouncing away.

Amadi glares at it angrily.

The Gravedigger starts spouting zen sayings about calm. (rolled 19 religion)

Amadi glares at Gravy.

Amadi calms down a bit.

RHU

(to Amadi)

Radek knows how to build things! Check out that eyebot! And that robot in flames! Maybe he can help you?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

You got a box? We just got some scribbled rocks that some crazy teleporting lady shoved at us.

AMADI

No, I don't have the box. That's the problem. It got destroyed. Well, more 'unmade'. Scribbled how?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

I dunno, they had squigglies. Who has the rocks?

RHU

We got the scribbled rocks from multiple sources. Other Amadi gave me one right before I ended up in the city of the dead and found a sphinx!

(he takes out the two rocks he has and shows them to Amadi)

Greibel has the others, but I think he's still several bats.

Amadi looks them over.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

What's it like, being a baker?

AMADI

It's nice. Calming. No stress, no problems bigger than I am.

RHU

Unless you make a very large cake.

AMADI

Cakes are not problems.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Unless they've caught in fire. I dig graves. I have never buried a cake. Yet.

RADEK

Hmph.

AMADI

Oh, oh.

(she hands the rocks back to Rhu)

I could bake you some coffins later if you'd like. I mean, if you're ever in the area.

RADEK

I suppose you're trying to bake an object into existence too, is that it?

Amadi looks at Radek skeptically.

AMADI

Would that... work?

RHU

(to Amadi)

What? Have you seen them before?

AMADI

Well, no, but these also shouldn't exist, so that actually helps quite a bit. Hold on.

Amadi makes another glowy ball and starts fiddling with that one. This time she makes some progress and then gets stuck again. The result is lumpy and vaguely box-shaped.

AMADI

Well, this is... closer.

GEORGE

The pinnacle of creation.

Gravy goes and buries the first ooze in the meantime (it makes sad noises), then remains alert in case of anything else that needs burying.

The Greibel bats congregate in the air overhead and mush together, and Greibel falls down with a thump.

GREIBEL

What was I looking for, again?

RHU

A way out, I think.

GREIBEL

Oh, right. Did I find one?

RHU

Also, Haerevan expressed an interest in the stones we've found. The ones with symbols on them.

GREIBEL

Here, take em.

Greibel shoves his pack at Rhu, who reaches in hesitantly and finds one sunk to the bottom. It's like reaching through the inside of a lizard.

Rhu shows it to Amadi.

AMADI

Yeah... hold onto them, please. This woman's pockets seem to be portals to other planes.

Rhu hands the pack back to Greibel.

RHU

But what are they? What do they mean?

Radek grumbles quietly.

RADEK

...Bloody divines have it so easy and they still can't do anything right.

AMADI

I am most certainly not a divine. You take that back!

RADEK

Why should I take it back? Here you are, puppeting about a god's corpse, trying and failing to abuse the power of creation.

You're practically halfway there already!

AMADI

Oh, that's a good point. She's a god, she should have power of her own. And she should know more than I do about this stuff... So if I can just use that...

RHU

If we are in another universe, and if this is the same Cerris that we landed on after Sarathi... then have we been in another universe since Sarathi?

AMADI

No, you left Arikdirin Vak via Sarathi, came here, then just took a rather squiggly path through space and time.

RHU

Huh.

Amadi sets the box down, sits down as well, and gives the entire thing a big long think.

Dawn sits down too, opposite Amadi, and also stares at it.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Hmmm.

DAWN

It's simple. Do it like normal, but be her instead of you.

AMADI

She's a god.

DAWN

Gods can do things properly too, you know. They just don't most of the time.

RADEK

You could attempt being insane.

AMADI

Insane?

DAWN

Like spiders.

Dawn does various finger motions to imitate spiders.

Radek points a thumb towards Dawn.

RADEK

...Like her.

DAWN

Exactly like me. Pretend you're me!

AMADI

Or I could just...

Dawn falls over, completely overwhelmed by whatever it was that the entity inside Amadi just did.

DAWN

(staring blankly at the ceiling)

Wuaaaaaagh.

AMADI

Er... are you okay?

(uncertainly)

That... wasn't supposed to happen.

DAWN

Such ceiling... Much universe...

RHU

(to Greibel)

Did you find a way out that doesn't involve climbing all the way back up the secret door? I don't like this cave with its ghostly outlines and shadows, and we could have this conversation outside.

GREIBEL

The voices in my head say we can follow the river out!

DAWN

Wow...

Most everyone looks about uncertainly, at something of an impasse. Currently the problem seems to be drugs - or that nobody with the presence of mind to think of using them would ever actually suggest them.

DAWN

Many drugs...

RHU

I think we should go outside. Unless there's more science to be done with the funky water?

RADEK

Give a moment to find out, Rhu.

He verifies that the hole is gone (rolled 23 arcana) and takes some quick water samples, since the pool of water is still a bit weird.

He comes back to find Dawn still lying on the floor and then just ignores her.

RADEK

Everything looks solid. Everyone want to head out? Amazingly, we seem to have done it. The hole is closed.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Really?

RHU

Seriously?

George finally takes off his earmuffs.

GEORGE

Oh, hey, I can hear!

THE GRAVEDIGGER

But all we did was hit shadows? Really hard.

RADEK

If I had to guess, I would say they were... excess material. The problem was solved when they were created.

AMADI

(nodding)

They would have been created when it was closed.

RADEK

They just happened to be, well, a different problem.

AMADI

Related, though.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

So.... how did it close, then?

RADEK

My device worked, of course.

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Really? Gosh.

Radek frowns.

RADEK

Doubtful, were you?

THE GRAVEDIGGER

Good job, Radek!

The Gravedigger winds up to smack Radek heartily on the back but thinks better of it.

Radek looks appreciative at being spared a violent congratulations, if not so much at being doubted in the first place.

DAWN

(from the floor)

Real science...

RHU

And... do we really want to close them any more? If we really are in another universe, they might be our way back to our own universe.

AMADI

Hold on, I've got this, I've got this!

Amadi does something magicky and the box explodes.

AMADI

Dammit!

DAWN

(pointing vaguely at the ceiling)

Larks... it's larks.

RHU

...outside might actually be a better place for explosions. Less chance of a cave-in. I wonder if the bats will come back now that the Hole is gone.

(to George)

I guess at the least you should get fewer zombies.

GEORGE

Yeah, looks good. Now if only I'd get paid for this.

(to everyone else)

I hope you lot weren't expecting to get paid. I don't even get paid and this is supposed to be my job. Well, not this, obviously, but...

George grumbles.

RHU

Don't you get a promotion, given that you boss went all... (does chomping motions)?

GEORGE

That wasn't my boss.

Radek scoffs.

RADEK

For this? This is hardly work. I enjoy this. Now, if I could be paid to keep present company... well. It would be a more sensible reason than any I currently possess.

They head out. Gravy automatically picks the Amadi-thing up out of habit and whistles.

Gaurav (Rhu): So I guess our new goal is to help Haerevan make the box-thing that will save Amadi somehow?

Ganelon (Radek): I'm not sure that's what it will do.

George picks up Dawn and slings her over his shoulder.

Greibel looks around, rolls the porridge up into a long porridge snake, and then slings the porridge over his shoulder as well.

The porridge wiggles.

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Session 39 (Overview)

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