Difference between revisions of "Holes/Session 56"

A fragment of the Garden of Remembering
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<pre>
<screenplay>
5:12PM    Apheori (GM):  I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
INT. Great rift at Sanessee - caverns


5:12PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Who ever does?
The Rift, suspended like bubbles in the non-space behind Kyrule, is ghastly, but currently not really doing a whole lot, at least overtly. Everything is buzzing. It's a bit like being in a throbbing, whispering, toxic beehive.


5:13PM    Apheori (GM):  Yeah.
The Gravedigger looks at Radek to say something rude/smart.
So.
This map sucks.


5:14PM    Gaurav:  I don't see the new map yet -- I'm still seeing the one with the snail on it.
There is a horrible unfolding of porridge on the Gravedigger's shoulder, and Greibel crawls out of Rasputin like a newborn bird rolling out of something, far, far smaller than it. This makes a lot of unpleasant squishing noises.


5:14PM    Apheori (GM):  Agh crap
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Oh.
Aaaagh!
Now do you see it?


5:15PM    Gaurav:  WOAH
GREIBEL
pretty rifty
GOD CREATED ME UNFINISHED.


5:15PM    Apheori (GM):  I'll take that as a yes.
Greibel slides off Gravy in a horrible sludging.


5:15PM    Ganelon:  I see... a lot.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
 
Aaaagh!
5:15PM    Apheori (GM):  So the dark dark brown is just the edges of the cavern.
The light is floor.
The slightly darker is a five foot drop.
The black is just cracks in reality or something.
The blueish things are the... rift.
Hole.
 
5:16PM    Apheori (GM):  Thing.
Probably.
 
5:16PM    Ellemerr (GM):  I... don't? See the new map?
 
5:16PM    Apheori (GM):  Kyrule just told Radek that they're what he needs to close.
Hmm.
GAN HALP
 
5:17PM    Gaurav:  All four of them?
Poor Radek.
 
5:17PM    Frezak (GM):  hag, you're a GM.
GO to player map.
 
5:17PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Oh, right.
 
5:17PM    Frezak (GM):  There.
 
5:18PM    Apheori (GM):  There's actually six. And that's just what's visible.
And... oh. XD
 
5:18PM    Frezak (GM):  Harrumph!
 
5:18PM    Apheori (GM):  I'm sorry.
 
5:18PM    Ellemerr (GM):  So many GMs in this, huh.
 
5:18PM    Ganelon:  Uh.
 
5:19PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Oooooooo, pretty
 
5:19PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay, we all set?
 
5:21PM    Ganelon:  Think so.
 
5:21PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay, y'all just came to the Rift. Kyrule said this is what you need to close (the freaky gleaming black blue whatever things hovering over a massive crack in reality). Gravy said 'gosh'. Greibel was still in Rasputin.
GO.
(Greibel should probably crawl out at some point.)
 
5:21PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Greibel crawls out
 
5:21PM    Gaurav:  Greibelsputin might be more powerful.
 
5:21PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Which makes a lot of unpleasant squishing noises
 
5:21PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy look at Radek to say something rude/smart.
 
5:22PM    The Gravedigger:  Aaaagh!
 
5:22PM    Frezak (GM):  Because Rasputin was riding Gravy at the time.
 
5:22PM    Apheori (GM):  There is a horrible unfolding of porridge space, like a newborn bird rolling out of something, far, far smaller than it, and Greibel slides off Gravy in a horrible sludging.
HORRIBLE SQUISHING.
 
5:22PM    Greibel:  GOD CREATED ME UNFINISHED
 
5:22PM    The Gravedigger:  Aaaagh!


Radek grumbles.
Radek grumbles.


5:23PM    Radek:  ...''Just'' on time.
RADEK
...''Just'' on time.


5:23PM    Kyrule:  What, would you ''rather'' be finished?
KYRULE
What, would you ''rather'' be finished?


Greibel straightens up and stands
Greibel stands and straightens up.


5:23PM    Greibel:  So....what are we doin' here?
GREIBEL
So... what are we doin' here?


5:23PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy straightens up from his suplexing stance.
Rhu peers over the edge of one of the cracks into the crevice. ''(rolled 10 reality, 24 perception)''


5:23PM    Apheori (GM):  Everything is buzzing. It's a bit like being in a throbbing, whispering, toxic beehive.
Down is just... there is no down. It's all an illusion. He finds himself standing on the edge of nothing, suspended by nothing, and before him might as well be anything. There are... lights. They're oddly pretty.


5:23PM    Frezak (GM): Great!
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): Treating these like natural cracks is... not recommended. Imagine if it were a zone of nothingness that extended past the ground and into the space above?


5:23PM    Gaurav:  Ow.
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): What if your face entered the nothing, and suddenly you had no face?


Rhu peers over the edge into the crevice.
RHU
(pointing)
Look! Lights!


5:24PM    Apheori (GM):  d20
THE GRAVEDIGGER
We might need ''The Thingy'', Radek.


5:24PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+15 perception
Radek sighs, sits down cross-legged, and begins to dig through everything in his possession.
( 9 )+15 = 24
 
5:25PM    Apheori (GM):  Also, when you move about, could you also mention you're moving as well as move the tokens? In case we're not paying attention, and for the sake of the logs.
I need a reality check too.
 
5:25PM    Frezak (GM):  rolling 1D20
( 12 ) = 12
 
5:25PM    Apheori (GM):  From Rhu.
 
Rhu walks to the edge of the crevice and pears down.
 
5:25PM    Rhu:  rolling d20
( 10 ) = 10
 
5:25PM    Frezak (GM):  Oh, right.
 
5:25PM    Apheori (GM):  GAURAV.
 
5:25PM    Frezak (GM):  Pears? He becomes fruit?
 
5:25PM    Apheori (GM):  Oh.
Right.
 
5:26PM    Bear Soup Guy:  He launches a fruit, I think
 
5:26PM    Frezak (GM):  I fire a fruit at the darkness!
 
5:26PM    Gaurav:  d20 to determine where the fruit emerges from?
 
5:26PM    Frezak (GM):  Don't roll a 1.
On Fruit Emergence.
 
5:26PM    Bear Soup Guy:  XD
 
5:26PM    Ganelon:  You've already done something potentially dangerous, I'd say.
 
5:26PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu: Down is just... there is no down. It's all an illusion. You're standing on the edge of nothing, suspended by nothing, and before you might as well be anything. You think you see lights in it.
They're... oddly pretty.
Frezak: You fire it into a crack?
Or you meant Rhu?
 
5:27PM    Frezak (GM):  I meant Rhu.
 
5:27PM    Ganelon:  Treating these like natural cracks is... not recommended. Imagine if it were a zone of nothingness that extended past the ground and into the space above?
 
5:27PM    Rhu:  [points] Look! Lights!
 
5:28PM    Ganelon:  What if your face entered the nothing, and suddenly you had no face?
 
5:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Gan is so right.
 
5:28PM    The Gravedigger:  We might need ''The Thingy'', Radek.
 
5:28PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Ah, yes
 
5:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu starts to fall in.
 
5:28PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Well, Rhu should be fine
He's Rhu, after all
 
5:28PM    Frezak (GM):  What.
 
5:28PM    Apheori (GM):  He gets fuzzy around the edges.
 
5:28PM    Frezak (GM):  Do the whippy thing!
 
5:28PM    Apheori (GM):  But he's moving very slowly.
 
5:28PM    Frezak (GM):  HE'S GETTING HAIRY
 
5:28PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+11 acrobatics to stop myself
( 20 )+11 = 31
 
5:28PM    Frezak (GM):  Oh wow.
Rhu hovers.
 
5:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu is now floating upside down over the crack.
 
5:28PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Double front flip back to the rest of the party
 
5:29PM    Apheori (GM):  Someone might want to grab him.


Radek sighs, sits down cross-legged, and begins to dig through everything in his possession.
Rhu starts to fall in, moving very slowly, and then tries to stop himself. ''(rolled 31 acrobatics (natural 20))'' He winds up doing a backflip, ending hovering in midair over the crack itself.


Amadi jumps up and grabs Rhu, dangling from his leg as if he was a great balloon.
Amadi jumps up and grabs Rhu, dangling from his leg as if he was a great balloon.


5:31PM    Amadi:  Wheeee!
AMADI
 
Wheeee!
5:31PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Oooo, can Greibel use his thorny whip thing?
 
5:31PM    Gaurav:  HA


5:31PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Oh that might be what Frezak was talking about
GREIBEL
GET OVER HERE.


5:31PM    Apheori (GM):  Do it.
Greibel does thorn whip on Rhu and yanks him back down to real ground. ''(rolled 20 vs fortitude)''
 
5:31PM    Frezak (GM):  That was indeed what I was talking about.
Grab the midget.
 
5:31PM    Greibel:  GET OVER HERE
 
5:32PM    Apheori (GM):  Or does Amadi pull Rhu back?
 
Greibel does thorn whip on Rhu
 
5:32PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Or Amadi does it
That works too
Man there should really be a keyboard shortcut for switching characters/names
 
5:32PM    Apheori (GM):  Roll to whip.
 
5:33PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Amadi is really just hanging on. She can't get him done unless she tries, which she's not.
 
5:34PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Oh wow I forgot how to do an attack roll
1d20+the roll?
 
5:34PM    Ellemerr (GM):  (I imagine her getting him down by dragging something very heavy out of her pocket and using that. It's ACME logic.)
 
5:34PM    Ganelon:  d20 + Relevant ability score modifier + 1/2 level + implement enhancement bonus + feat bonuses if applicable.
 
5:35PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Right
 
5:35PM    Gaurav:  I'm imagining Kyrule turning away from the Hole to see half the party hanging awkwardly over the crevice and just sighing loudly.
 
5:35PM    Bear Soup Guy:  rolling 1d20+8
( 12 )+8 = 20
vs uh
Fort
 
5:35PM    Apheori (GM):  Good point.


Kyrule sighs heavily.
Kyrule sighs heavily.


5:35PM    Gaurav:  That's a hit! Rhu's fort is 15.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
(whispering loudly at Radek)
The ''thiiiiiing''.


The Gravedigger whispers loudly at Radek.
Radek holds up one of the marked stones - this one depicting a dragon.
 
5:35PM    The Gravedigger:  The ''thiiiiiing''
 
5:36PM    Ganelon:  Does ''Gravy'' even know what thing he's referring to?


5:36PM    Gaurav:  Are the lights making a will attack against Rhu, or is he free to help with his own rescue?
RADEK
...I may need to create one of these.


5:36PM    Apheori (GM):  Greibel whips out thorns and pulls Rhu and Amadi back down to the quazi stable ground.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
The lights are just really pretty.
But the thing!
Soon as you're pulled down they quit being relevant.


Radek holds up one of the marked stones - this one depicting a dragon.
GREIBEL
We all love the Fantastic Four, Gravy. But we have to learn to accept that they'll never make a good film.


5:37PM    Radek:  ...I may need to create one of these.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
ONny because they fucked up with Doom, Greibel.


5:37PM    Ellemerr (GM):  brb
KYRULE
I dunno, the Incredibles was pretty good.


5:37PM    The Gravedigger:  But the thing!
GREIBEL
Fair point. Let the Incredibles be your Fantastic Four.


Radek frowns and stares up at Gravy.
Radek frowns and stares up at Gravy.


5:38PM    Radek:  ''Which'' thing?
RADEK
 
''Which'' thing?
5:38PM    The Gravedigger:  You know! The super secret thing we don't talk about!
 
5:38PM    Greibel:  We all love the Fantastic Four, Gravy. But we have to learn to accept that they'll never make a good film.
 
5:38PM    The Gravedigger:  The thing that's not a shovel!
 
5:38PM    Kyrule:  I dunno, the Incredibles was pretty good.
 
5:38PM    The Gravedigger:  ONny because they fucked up with Doom, Greibel.
 
5:39PM    Greibel:  Fair point. Let the Incredible be your Fantastic Four.
Incredibles*
 
5:39PM    Radek:  ...Of course. The thing.


5:39PM    The Gravedigger:  Right!
THE GRAVEDIGGER
The thing!
You know! The super secret thing we don't talk about!
The thing that's not a shovel!


5:39PM    Apheori (GM):  Greibel, Rhu, Amai: Perception.
RADEK
...Of course. The thing.


Radek doesn't so much sound like he's having an epiphany as just realizing what Gravy's even talking about.
Radek doesn't so much sound like he's having an epiphany as just realizing what Gravy's even talking about.


5:40PM    Ganelon:  Almost the same thing.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Right! The thing!


5:40PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+15 perception check
Rhu sees a familiar shadow out of the corner of his eye on the other side of some cracks.
( 3 )+15 = 18


5:40PM    Frezak (GM):  Only almost?
RHU
(pointing)
What's that thing over there?


5:40PM    Ganelon:  This one's more deadpan.
When he looks properly, it's gone.


5:40PM    Greibel:  rolling 1d20+12
Rhu shakes his head to clear it, then steps away from the crevice and towards the rest of the party.
( 13 )+12 = 25
 
5:40PM    Apheori (GM):  He's always deadpan, isn't he?
 
5:40PM    Ganelon:  It's not like "Of course!", but more "Oh."
 
5:40PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu sees a shadow that looks really familiar out of the corner of his eye.
Over there.


5:41PM    Ellemerr (GM):  rolling 1d20 + 8
Radek gets out the Navigator and mutters, rather quietly, to Gravy and whoever else might happen to be paying attention.
( 4 )+8 = 12


5:42PM    Apheori (GM):  Amadi and Greibel don't.
RADEK
...I built a machine for the explicit purpose of navigating the space between dimensions.


5:43PM    Rhu:  [points] What's that thing over there?
GREIBEL
That's really impressive. You should be proud.


5:44PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu: It looks like a figure. Like someone you know... but not. And then it's gone as soon as you actually try to look.
RADEK
It was meant to serve as a means of escape. Should a given world fall as completely as this one, we may have been able to-


Radek mutters, rather quietly, to Gravy and whoever else might happen to be paying attention.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
 
Great! Gimme! I'll get the thing! Then I can scoop out everything that's not a hole and you can blow it up and we can go have cake.
5:46PM    Radek:  ...I built a machine for the explicit purpose of navigating the space between dimensions.
 
Rhu shakes his head to clear it, then steps away from the crevice and towards the rest of the party.
 
5:46PM    Greibel:  That's really impressive
You should be proud
 
5:46PM    The Gravedigger:  Great!
Gimme!
I'll get the thing!
Then I can scoop out everything that's not a hole and you can blow it up and we can go have cake.
 
5:47PM    Radek:  It was meant to serve as a means of escape. Should a given world fall as completely as this one, we may have been able to-


Radek twitches a bit and scowls, intensely, at the Gravedigger's impatience.
Radek twitches a bit and scowls, intensely, at the Gravedigger's impatience.


5:47PM    Radek:  ...Give me a moment to make adjustments.
RADEK
...Give me a moment to make adjustments.


5:48PM    Rhu:  Cake?
Radek configures the Navigator, attempting to set it up to go looking for "the thing" - which mostly boils down to extremely strong energy signatures - and bridge a path from here to there. ''(rolled 28 arcana)''


5:48PM    Ganelon:  We could have cake right now if we really wanted.
5:48PM    Amadi:  Alternatively, we could have cake, then blow it up, and scoop up the remains.
5:49PM    The Gravedigger:  No.
5:49PM    Ganelon:  Well, Names, I would like to set this thing up to go looking for "the thing" - which probably just means extremely strong energy signatures, and bridge a path from here to there.
This would necessitate throwing the robot into one of these holes, mind you.
5:49PM    Apheori (GM):  The thing being the not a shovel you and Gravy nearly ran into before?
5:49PM    Ganelon:  Yes.
But if you want me to roll to configure it first before we recklessly throw it into a hole, now's the time.
5:50PM    Apheori (GM):  Do it.
5:50PM    Ganelon:  rolling 1d20+16
( 10 )+16 = 26
5:50PM    Apheori (GM):  Great. You think it's configured. You're not sure what configured looks like.
The squid gibbers helpfully.
The squid gibbers helpfully.


5:50PM    Ganelon:  It ''is'' completely untested.
RHU
 
Cake?
5:51PM    Gaurav:  Are there any boulders around here to hide behind?
 
5:51PM    Apheori (GM):  I guess that's +2 assist from the squid.
 
5:51PM    Frezak (GM):  That's some squid.
 
5:51PM    Apheori (GM):  There are some stalactites.
I dunno where.
 
Radek fiddles with the Navigator for a moment, then draws his wizened old hands back and nods. It is active.
 
5:52PM    Radek:  ...Alright. Now it only need arrive ''outside'' to begin.
 
5:52PM    The Gravedigger:  Gravy pumps his throwing arm helpfully.
 
5:52PM    Frezak (GM):  Oops
 
5:53PM    Radek:  Do try to be ''careful'' with what could be our only means of escape from this horrid place.
 
5:53PM    Ganelon:  Kyrule is likely a reliable means of escape, he just doesn't want to admit it.
 
5:54PM    Apheori (GM):  She's so reliable.
 
5:54PM    Amadi:  I might have a hot air baloon and a twister somwhere... but yes, let's actually succeed for a change.
 
5:54PM    Apheori (GM):  Actually, yeah. She would be contractually obligated to send you all home the instant you ask. XD
 
5:54PM    Frezak (GM):  Success... Is for the weak!
 
5:55PM    Apheori (GM):  Does Grfavy chuck it at a... horrible gleaming shape?
Gravy*


5:56PM    Frezak (GM):  No. I first make a hole to where it needs to a go.
AMADI
A hole of passage!
Alternatively, we could have cake, then blow it up, and scoop up the remains.


5:56PM    Apheori (GM):  Another hole?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
No.


5:56PM    Frezak (GM):  A teeny tiny one!
After a bit of fiddling, Radek draws his wizened old hands back and nods. It is active.
Or...


5:56PM    Apheori (GM):  Where and how?
RADEK
...Alright. Now it only need arrive ''outside'' to begin.


5:56PM    Frezak (GM):  I shovel aside all that is not where it needs to go.
The Gravedigger pumps his throwing arm helpfully.
I just wedge this Conceptual Shovel under the concept of Here and move it aside long enough to pitch this device to There.
MEGA MAGICAL GRAVY FULCRUUUUM


5:57PM    Apheori (GM):  Er.
RADEK
Roll something.
Do try to be ''careful'' with what could be our only means of escape from this horrid place.
And describe what this actually looks like to the others?


5:57PM    Ganelon: This is clearly the best solution.
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): Kyrule is likely a reliable means of escape, he just doesn't want to admit it.
Make another hole.


5:58PM    Frezak (GM):  This isn't a hole!
AMADI
It's like lifting the carpet up.
I might have a hot air balloon and a twister somewhere... but yes, let's actually succeed for a change.


5:58PM    Gaurav:  Can Rhu do some sort of acrobatic assist on the throwing? Otherwise, he can pray to Hazz or something.
Instead of using one of the hovering ''shapes'' associated with the rift itself, the Gravedigger hefts his conceptual shovel and squints a little at the space right in front of him. He wiggles the shovel about, wedging the concept of Shovel under the concept of Here, moving it aside long enough to pitch the Navigator in. ''(rolled 31 shovellage (natural 20))''


5:58PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu: Roll arcana to figure out what he's even doing?
Then he pulls the shovel back with a strange rippling, the space recloses, and the area around sighs with relief that he's done prodding it.


5:59PM    Gaurav:  Hazz first.
The Gravedigger salutes Radek.


5:59PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+10 religion check to pray for our success
Kyrule raises an eyebrow.
( 19 )+10 = 29


5:59PM    Apheori (GM):  Success at what?
Something starts oozing up the shovel, sliding up from the edges of the blade. Dark, gleaming, full of whispers, covering it...


5:59PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+5 arcana check
The Gravedigger shakes the shovel.
( 1 )+5 = 6


6:00PM    Apheori (GM):  As far as you know, they're just talking about digging.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Shoo! Mine! Find your own conceptual tool!


6:00PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy hefts his shovel and squints a little, appears to wiggle the shovel forwards and then it's not there but there and more real and less real than it should. He wedges the haft to keep this ungap open, and pitches the device through, before putting back the shovel. As the area around sighs with relief that he's done prodding it, he salutes Radek.
The stuff ignores him and molds into the form of the shovel, replacing it.
Or at least that's what he TRIES to do.
rolling 1D20+11 SHOVELLAGE
( 20 )+11 = 31


6:00PM    Gaurav:  Success at whatever Gravy and Greibel are up to.
KYRULE
Oh dear.


6:00PM    Frezak (GM):  YEAH MOTHERFUCKERS
THE GRAVEDIGGER
 
Aaaagh! MY SHOVEL.
6:00PM    Apheori (GM):  Yeah, Rhu knows nothing.
 
6:00PM    Gaurav:  Gravy and Radek, sorry.
 
6:00PM    Apheori (GM):  You don't even know who's up to it, let alone that they're up to anything.
 
Rhu wonders what's for lunch.
 
6:02PM    Apheori (GM):  Frezak: It works. The shovel parts the space and gets the device in, but then when he moves to remove the shovel, something oozes out. Dark, gleaming, full of whispers, covering the shovel's blade...
 
6:02PM    Ganelon:  It's Filth.
 
6:02PM    Apheori (GM):  Shh.
 
6:02PM    Ellemerr (GM):  We know all about Filth here.
 
6:02PM    Ganelon:  Sorry, had to make the comparison.
 
6:02PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy shakes the shovel.
 
6:02PM    The Gravedigger:  Shoo!
Mine!
 
6:02PM    Apheori (GM):  Although yes, from what I can tell, filth is totally this stuff. >.>
 
6:03PM    The Gravedigger:  Find your own conceptual tool!
 
6:03PM    Frezak (GM):  It totally is Filth.
 
6:03PM    Apheori (GM):  The stuff molds to the form of the shovel and replaces it.
 
6:04PM    Kyrule:  Oh dear.
 
6:04PM    The Gravedigger:  Aaaagh!
MY SHOVEL
 
6:04PM    Greibel:  Eeeeew
 
6:04PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: How is the navigator supposed to work?


The Gravedigger shakes harder.
The Gravedigger shakes harder.


6:04PM    Apheori (GM):  Like what's it doing?
GREIBEL
 
Eeeeew.
6:04PM    Gaurav:  Might the dark dagger than freaks Dave out help? We could try to scrape it out or stab it or something.
 
6:04PM    Apheori (GM):  Gravy: Roll arcana.
 
6:04PM    Frezak (GM):  You want to STAB my shovel?!
 
6:04PM    Ganelon:  It's supposed to blaze trails, Names.
 
6:05PM    Frezak (GM):  rolling 1D20+4
( 3 )+4 = 7
 
6:05PM    Apheori (GM):  Does it do all this on its own? And then report back?
 
6:05PM    Ganelon:  Look for what it's meant to, find a safe path there, and keep that path stable.
What it should be doing here is a bit different.
Well, a little bit.
 
6:05PM    Gaurav:  Not your shovel, just the icky Filth stuff.
Not enough things are being stabbed right now, is all I'm saying.
 
6:05PM    Apheori (GM):  Frezak: It's still your shovel. Plus or minus a few concepts.
Probably.
 
6:06PM    Ganelon:  It should be attempting to locate The Thing and then establish a bridge between here and there for us.


6:06PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy tries to intimidate the Filth.
The Gravedigger attempts to intimidate the Filth infesting his shovel. ''(rolled 32 intimidate (natural 20))''


6:06PM    The Gravedigger:  Bleeeuargh!
THE GRAVEDIGGER
(making faces)
Bleeeuargh!


6:06PM    Ganelon:  Since I have doubts that it could just grab The Thing and bring it back here, we'll have to go there once it's been found again.
The shovel falls out of the Gravedigger's hand, sliding away like an unreal slippery thing, and impales the ground. This opens up another, stable, hole behind it, revealing a path of sorts leading out of this place, into the dark.
Although if it's doing its (entirely untested) job correctly, the journey should be rather safe.


6:07PM    Apheori (GM):  And now you actually want the thing? Oh dear.
Gravy: Roll intimidate, add whatever you want.
6:08PM    Frezak (GM):  rolling 1D20+12
( 20 )+12 = 32
(str-based)
I am so good at Holes.
6:08PM    Ganelon:  Well.
We found your 20s, Frezak.
6:09PM    Apheori (GM):  At your shovel?
6:09PM    Frezak (GM):  I need to crate these and take them to other games.
6:09PM    Apheori (GM):  Which you're holding?
6:09PM    Frezak (GM):  Yes, Names.
I scream at the filthy bits.
And make faces.
6:10PM    Apheori (GM):  The shovel falls out of your hand and impales the ground, opening up another hole behind it, revealing... not quite a stable path, but something, leading out of this place, into the dark.
Shimmers form a surface to walk on. Not quite stars gleam in the depths.
Shimmers form a surface to walk on. Not quite stars gleam in the depths.


6:11PM    Gaurav:  Ooo.
The Gravedigger strides in, drawing a backup shovel as he goes.


6:11PM    Frezak (GM):  I stride in.
RADEK
SHovels are always good.
Hmph.
 
6:12PM    Radek:  Hmph.


Radek gradually rises to his feet and stares into the hole.
Radek gradually rises to his feet and stares into the hole.
6:12PM    Ganelon:  This looks ''about right'', then?


Kyrule comes over and puts a hand on the shovel's handle, holding it in place, also peering in.
Kyrule comes over and puts a hand on the shovel's handle, holding it in place, also peering in.
6:12PM    Apheori (GM):  About right. Not as good as it ought to have been, perhaps
6:12PM    Frezak (GM):  I draw a backup shovel as I go.


Radek nods to Kyrule.
Radek nods to Kyrule.


6:13PM    Radek:  Keep this open, or I make no guarantees about my return.
RADEK
 
Keep this open, or I make no guarantees about my return.
6:13PM    Apheori (GM):  Gravy: The path is worn, like too old fabric, but it holds underfoot.
 
6:13PM    Ganelon:  He'll follow Gravy.
 
6:13PM    Kyrule:  Good luck.
 
6:13PM    Frezak (GM):  Behind Gravy is a great place to be.
OH
I equip my midget.
 
6:13PM    Greibel:  Bring back cake!


6:14PM    Frezak (GM):  In case.
KYRULE
Good luck.


6:14PM    Rhu:  (to Greibel) Aren't you coming?
Radek heads in after Gravy.


6:14PM    Amadi:  (to Griebel) I'll give you cake on the way?
GREIBEL
Bring back cake!


6:14PM    Kyrule:  Better that fewer go than more.
RHU
(to Greibel)
Aren't you coming?


Greibel looks at Rhu and then suddenly looks like he's realized something awful
AMADI
(to Griebel)
I'll give you cake on the way?


Amadi holds up a cupcake.
Amadi holds up a cupcake.


6:14PM    Kyrule:  Too much wear and it could fall to pieces.
KYRULE
 
Better that fewer go than more.
6:15PM    (To Greibel):  It's definitely going to fall apart.


6:15PM    Amadi:  Aw. You're no fun.
Greibel looks at Rhu and then suddenly looks like he's realised something awful.


6:15PM    (From Bear Soup Guy):  heeeeheee
KYRULE
Too much wear and it could fall to pieces.


6:15PM    (To Amadi):  This is a really bad idea and the others shouldn't come.
AMADI
Aw. You're no fun.


Amadi pouts at Kyrule and eats the cupcake.
Amadi pouts at Kyrule and eats the cupcake.


6:15PM    Greibel:  You heard the Goddess. You don't need all my uh...drugs weighing down this ethereal non-path.
GREIBEL
 
You heard the Goddess. You don't need all my uh... drugs weighing down this ethereal non-path.
6:16PM    (To Amadi):  It could be hilarious.
So many drugs. They're so heavy. I don't know how I manage to walk on my own two legs sometimes.


6:16PM    Greibel:  So many drugs. They're so heavy.
RHU
There might be fighting to do. I should go.


6:16PM    Rhu:  There might be fighting to do. I should go.
AMADI
 
That's probably a terrible idea, Rhu!
6:16PM    (From Amadi):  It's okay. xD
 
6:16PM    Greibel:  I don't know how I manage to walk on my own two legs sometimes.
 
6:16PM    Amadi:  That's probably a terrible idea, Rhu!


Amadi grins at him and gives him a thumbs-up.
Amadi grins at him and gives him a thumbs-up.


6:17PM    Frezak (GM):  Welp.
Rhu runs into the hole after Gravy and Radek.
Come on, Grump.
 
6:17PM    Ganelon:  The Grump's already ''gone''.
 
6:17PM    Frezak (GM):  I'm ahead of you!
 
6:17PM    Apheori (GM):  So's Gravy.
 
6:17PM    Ganelon:  He's gone relative to these clowns.
 
6:17PM    Apheori (GM):  So did Rhu follow?
 
Rhu follows them.
 
6:17PM    Apheori (GM):  Oh dear.
 
6:17PM    Frezak (GM):  AND HE WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN


Greibel stands behind looking around at the darkness
Greibel stays behind a moment, looking around at the darkness. It's dark and threatening.


6:18PM    Apheori (GM):  ...quite possibly.
KYRULE
No, don't...


Greibel it's dark, and threatening
GREIBEL
WAIT FOR ME!


6:18PM    Gaurav:  We all have our dead ends to find.
Greibel chases after Rhu.


6:18PM    Greibel:  WAIT FOR ME!
KYRULE
 
oh, bugger.
Greibel chases after Rhu
(yelling after)
 
Fine! I'll just stay here, all alone with the scary darkness, with nobody to help me keep the path open if something goes wrong! Which it will!
6:18PM    Kyrule:  No, don't...
Oh, bugger.
(yelling after) Fine! I'll just stay here, all alone with the scary darkness, with nobody to help me keep the path open if something goes wrong!
Which it will!


Amadi shrugs her shoulders apologetically at Kyrule and hurries after Greibel.
Amadi shrugs her shoulders apologetically at Kyrule and hurries after Greibel.


6:20PM    Amadi:  Sorry! Key! You know how it is!
AMADI
 
Sorry! Key! You know how it is!
6:20PM    Kyrule:  ...it is a really good thing I'm not really Kyrule.
 
6:20PM    Frezak (GM):  Hah!


6:20PM    Apheori (GM):  Amadi: Gravy carried you.
KYRULE
(cringing)
...it is a really good thing I'm not really Kyrule.


6:20PM    Frezak (GM):  She just leaves to set up a doughnut shop.


6:20PM    Bear Soup Guy:  THE PLOT THICKENS
EXT. Unmade between - a concept
Thick like donut glaze


6:20PM    Gaurav:  Like soup.
The party heads down the path, the Gravedigger leading, Radek behind him, Rhu in the middle, and Greibel and Amadi taking up the rear.


6:20PM    Apheori (GM):  Well, then.
The path is worn, like too old fabric, but it holds underfoot. Around them, stars, beyond multitudes, feel as though they are singing.
You head down the path.
The stars feel like they're singing.


6:22PM    (To Amadi):  The real Kyrule would definitely not survive this.
Radek spends his journey taking observational notes, paying only enough attention elsewhere to continue following the Gravedigger.


Radek spends his journey taking observational notes, paying only enough attention elsewhere to continue following Gravy.
The Gravedigger hums a cheery burial song.
 
6:22PM    (To Amadi):  Fortunately this one not only can, but can even resolve the hole thing if you all get too distracted and don't come back!
 
6:22PM    Ganelon:  "Interesting. One of these stars is tonedeaf."
 
6:23PM    Apheori (GM):  There are a few turns.
 
6:23PM    Bear Soup Guy:  XD
 
6:23PM    Gaurav:  But which one?! We must find out.
 
6:23PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy humms a cheery burial song.
 
6:23PM    Apheori (GM):  One of the forks has a sense of future. One has a sense of endings.
WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE?
BEcause you came to a fork.
 
6:24PM    Frezak (GM):  I vote endings because I am the Gravedigger.


Amadi sings too. The lyrics are pretty much "this is the worst idea and how the universe ends, most likely".
Amadi sings too. The lyrics are pretty much "this is the worst idea and how the universe ends, most likely".


6:24PM    (To Amadi):  Future is the correct choice.
The path twists and turns, and then they come to a fork. One direction has a sense of future. The other hints at endings.
 
6:25PM    Ganelon:  I'm not paying enough attention to make a decision IC.
I think I'd much prefer to end things in a manner which results in there being a favorable future, but uh...
 
6:25PM    Apheori (GM):  It's probably up to Gravedigger/Amadi, since they're in the lead.
 
Amadi points down the "future" path, still singing.
 
6:25PM    Apheori (GM):  Gravedigger still carrying Amadi?
 
6:26PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy droops and follows the midgety finger.
Yeah.
Maybe not?
 
6:26PM    Apheori (GM):  Droops?
 
6:26PM    Ellemerr (GM):  No.
She's on her own legs for a change.
 
6:26PM    Apheori (GM):  Mmkay.
 
6:26PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Since she wasn't even gonna come.
 
6:26PM    Apheori (GM):  Right.
 
6:27PM    Bear Soup Guy:  I've always liked the idea of us failing miserably at the last hurdle and the universe being destroyed while we watch going "Oops"
But favorable future is probably the more sane option
 
6:27PM    Apheori (GM):  But the former would be hilarious.
 
6:27PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Indeed
 
6:27PM    Apheori (GM):  ...and not exactly unprecedented for this universe, either. >.>
 
6:27PM    Frezak (GM):  Nah, just put the universe in its grave, so it doesn't get worse.
Just end it all now!
It's not too late!
 
6:28PM    Apheori (GM):  ...actually I maaaay have already written that ending into the story.
So which way do you go?
 
6:28PM    Ganelon:  Sounds like Future.
 
6:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Droopily following what Amadi pointed at?
 
6:28PM    Frezak (GM):  Yup.
Yup.
 
6:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay.
You go on.
 
6:28PM    Ganelon:  I could probably point out that the future could be ''horrible'', too.
But we'll se.
SEE. Ugh.
 
6:29PM    Apheori (GM):  At some point you notice you're not even walking anymore, just drifting, moving forward. Or whatever forward even is.
The path is woven in shapes that you can't quite make out, patterns more complex than anything you've seen...
 
6:29PM    Frezak (GM):  So it's normal to Greibel, then.
 
6:29PM    Apheori (GM):  And the singing, the star song, it has voices in it now.
 
6:29PM    Frezak (GM):  He basically doesn't know we entered the magic tunnel.
 
6:29PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Truth
 
6:29PM    Frezak (GM):  I DO NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICES.
 
6:29PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: Roll... perform or whatever?
 
6:30PM    Frezak (GM):  Gravy does not listen to the VOICES.
Graves tells him not to.
 
6:30PM    Gaurav:  Should we roll something to not listen to the voices?
 
6:30PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Amadi sings her own songs. Maybe the stars listen.
 
6:31PM    Bear Soup Guy:  BRB
 
6:31PM    Apheori (GM):  Gaurav: If you want.
 
6:31PM    Ganelon:  Perform...?
Sounds like not his area of expertise.
Which ability score? Charisma?
 
6:32PM    Apheori (GM):  I guess just perception.
But add charisma on top if you want.
 
6:32PM    Ganelon:  Oh, it's +0.
 
6:32PM    Apheori (GM):  Oh, well.
 
6:33PM    Ganelon:  I was just asking because, well, that's what older editions which actually had Perform as a skill used.
 
6:33PM    Apheori (GM):  Yeah. >.&lt;
 
6:33PM    Ganelon:  ...Even dancing was purely charisma-based. You could have no dexterity and still be an amazing dancer, somehow.
 
6:33PM    Apheori (GM):  Snrk.
Weird.
 
6:33PM    Ganelon:  rolling 1d20+10 Perception
( 15 )+10 = 25
 
6:33PM    Gaurav:  Maybe you would be dancing adorably badly or something.
 
6:34PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: Some of the stars really are tone deaf.
 
6:34PM    Frezak (GM):  That's not the weirdest thing we'd have learnt.
 
6:34PM    Apheori (GM):  I'll be right back as well.


6:35PM    Bear Soup Guy:  And I'm back
The Gravedigger starts to head down the 'endings' path, but then Amadi comes up beside him, still singing, and points down the 'future' path.


6:35PM    Frezak (GM):  It's like Tag-Team.
The Gravedigger droops and follows the midgety finger, going down that path instead.


6:35PM    Ganelon:  That definitely goes in his notes.
They continue on.


6:35PM    Frezak (GM):  Stars..... suck.....
At some point they notice they're not even walking anymore, just drifting, moving forward. Or whatever forward even is.


6:36PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay.
The path is woven in shapes that can't quite be discerned, patterns more complex than anything...
You continue on, sort of swimming now through the passage.
The sense of power grows, familiar, much like last time, but without the horrid, sickenning strangeness about it.


6:36PM    Frezak (GM):  Well, that's refreshing.
The singing, the star song, it has voices in it now.


6:37PM    Apheori (GM): Another fork.
'''''Frezak''' (Gravy): So it's normal to Greibel, then. He basically doesn't know we entered the magic tunnel.
One way is truth. Another is past, another void.
Amadi: d20.


6:38PM    Ellemerr (GM): rolling 1d20
'''''Bear Soup Guy''' (Greibel): Truth.
( 20 ) = 20


6:38PM    (To Radek):  Last time you did this, there were hints at truth. Like that everything was true...
Amadi sings her own songs. Maybe the stars listen.


6:38PM    (From Ganelon):  Excellent.
Radek notices some of the stars to be tone deaf. ''(rolled 25 perception)'' This, too, goes in his notes.


6:38PM    (To Amadi):  Truth and void. They need to not go past.
As they continue on, the sense of power grows, familiar, much like last time, but without the horrid, sickening strangeness about it.


6:39PM    (To Amadi):  Except if they did, they could...
Then they come to another fork, three ways branching out before them: truth, past, and void.


6:39PM    (To Amadi):  ...so much pain could go away.
Amadi points, a little uncertainly, at void, before moving her finger over to truth.


6:39PM    Ellemerr (GM):  I think maybe when those people mowed the lawn earlier, all the lucky clovers got grind up and flew in through the window. They're now making my eyes and throat itch and making us roll like gods.
The Gravedigger, again, follows the midgety finger.


6:39PM    Apheori (GM):  XD
Truth leads on into light, brilliant, horrible, all-encompassing. It builds slowly, at first, before exploding all around them.


6:40PM    Frezak (GM):  We should mow the lawns on Tuesdays, too.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
For the game I roll like ass in.
Aaagh!


Ellemerr (GM) points, a little uncertainly, at void, before moving her finger over to truth.
AMADI
Sorry. The others were... worse. Probably.


6:40PM    Apheori (GM):  Which way do you go?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Really?


6:40PM    Frezak (GM):  I follow the midgety finger.
AMADI
''Probably''.


6:41PM    Ellemerr (GM):  And that should be Amadi. >.>
The light feels almost like a part of them, but also more than them. It is everything they are and ever were, and everything they've lost as mortals...


6:42PM    Apheori (GM):  Truth leads on into light, brilliant, horrible, all-encompassing.
After a bit it fades into the background like crickets.
 
6:42PM    The Gravedigger:  Aaagh!
 
6:42PM    Apheori (GM):  It is a part of you, but it is also more than you. It is everything you are and ever were, and everything you've lost as mortals...
 
6:42PM    Amadi:  Sorry. The others were... worse. Probably.
 
6:42PM    The Gravedigger:  Really?
 
6:43PM    Apheori (GM):  Ït's only blinding at first. Then it fades into the background like crickets.


Radek pauses briefly from his fervent data-entry, though he doesn't look up from the tablet itself.
Radek pauses briefly from his fervent data-entry, though he doesn't look up from the tablet itself.


6:43PM    Radek:  ...Don't worry, this is well within our projected margins for failure.
RADEK
...Don't worry, this is well within our projected margins for failure.


6:43PM    Amadi:  ''Probably''.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
We have margins?


6:43PM    The Gravedigger:  We have margins?
RADEK
Always.


6:43PM    Radek:  Always.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
I know we have failure, but margins? Gosh.


6:43PM    The Gravedigger:  I know we have failure, but margins?
RADEK
Gosh.
I don't share my calculations on how ''much'' we can fail before the world is destroyed.
 
6:43PM    Radek:  I don't share my calculations on how ''much'' we can fail before the world is destroyed.
It would be bad for morale, and I fear some of you may regard it as a challenge.
It would be bad for morale, and I fear some of you may regard it as a challenge.


6:44PM    The Gravedigger:  Great.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Awesome.
Great. Awesome.


6:44PM    Apheori (GM):  I love Radek.
RADEK
 
This light feels familiar, yes?
6:44PM    Radek:  This light feels familiar, yes?
Although we are experiencing it from a... ''more'' stable environment.
Although we are experiencing it from a... ''more'' stable environment.


6:45PM    Frezak (GM):  I dunno, does it?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Yup! Very!


6:45PM    Apheori (GM):  Very.
They tumble out of the light into a space, clear and vast, but all laid out before them. All around is the light, and all around that is the singing of a thousand and a thousand and a thousand stars. In the middle is another light, small and closed. All the power, all the potentiality, all the promise of the Shovel, and so much more, too. Simply sitting there. Glowing. An orb the size of Amadi's head, colourful and not singing at all.


6:45PM    The Gravedigger:  Yup!
And underneath it all is dark.
Very!


6:46PM    Ganelon:  Now, OOC for a moment, what do you want to do with all this potential?
AMADI
...I mean, I'm pretty sure this is literally the concept of potential, or something close to it.
Well... this is fancy. Or bad. Let's go with fancy.


6:46PM    Frezak (GM):  Excise the horrible thing!
Amadi nods a couple of times to herself to assure herself that it is indeed fancy rather than bad.
So we can blow it up safely.
Use Something to separate Nothing from Maybe.
Then nuke it.


6:47PM    Ganelon:  So... you want to contain the source of the holes (some kind of ravenous, sentient emptiness) and then destroy it?
The Navigator is nearby, floating like the rest of them, marking the path.


6:47PM    Frezak (GM):  Yup.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
 
Aaagh!
Ganelon shrugs.
Oh, hello Mr. Robot. Thanks for doing the thing.
 
6:47PM    Ganelon:  Why not.
 
6:47PM    Frezak (GM):  All right!
 
6:48PM    Apheori (GM):  You tumble out of the light into a space, clear and vast, but all laid out before you.
 
6:48PM    The Gravedigger:  Aaagh!
 
6:48PM    Apheori (GM):  The Navigator is nearby, marking the path, floating much as you are.
 
6:48PM    The Gravedigger:  Oh, hello Mr. Robot.
 
6:48PM    Apheori (GM):  All around is the light, and all alround that is the singing of a thousand and a thousand and a thousand stars.
 
6:48PM    The Gravedigger:  Thanks for doing the thing.
 
6:49PM    Apheori (GM):  An unerneath it all is dark.
You're all just floating. Swimming, sort of. You an move and stuff.


Radek offers the machine a silent nod of congratulations. It performed its task adequately - the highest accolade a robot can receive.
Radek offers the machine a silent nod of congratulations. It performed its task adequately - the highest accolade a robot can receive.


6:49PM    Apheori (GM):  And in the middle is a light, small and closed.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
All the power, all the potentiality, all the promise of the Shovel, and so much more, too.
(to the orb)
Simply sitting there.
Hello! We'd like to fix the worlds, please!
Glowing.
An orb the size of Amadi's head.
Colourful and not singing at all.
 
6:50PM    The Gravedigger:  Hello!
 
6:50PM    Ganelon:  We left ''a'' shovel behind. Do we have spares, or do I need to hammer something into the shape of one?
 
6:50PM    The Gravedigger:  We'd like to fix the worlds, please!
 
6:50PM    Frezak (GM):  We left the concept of a shovel.
I have a selection on mundane ones in reserve.
 
6:51PM    Apheori (GM):  The orb hums. It seems to understand. It seems to even agree.
 
6:51PM    Frezak (GM):  Masterworked mundanity mind you.
 
6:51PM    The Gravedigger:  Thanks!
Don't mind the grump, his heart-metaphor is in the right metaphor-place.
 
6:51PM    Gaurav:  Heh.
 
6:51PM    Radek:  ...Tch.
 
6:51PM    Frezak (GM):  I go grab this stuff.
 
6:52PM    Apheori (GM):  The orb?


6:52PM    Frezak (GM):  Yes.
The orb hums. It seems to understand. It seems to even agree.


6:52PM    (To Amadi):  You don't know what this is. You should know, you think, but you don't.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Thanks! Don't mind the grump, his heart-metaphor is in the right metaphor-place.


6:52PM    (To Amadi):  That may or may not be very worrying. Or neat!
RADEK
...Tch.


6:52PM    Amadi:  Well... this is fancy. Or bad. Let's go with fancy.
The Gravedigger drifts over to the orb and attempts to pick it up with hands not quite real, but more real than anything.


Amadi nods a couple of times to herself to assure herself that it is indeed fancy rather than bad.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Tingly!


6:53PM    Apheori (GM):  The Gravedigger drifts over the orb and picks it up with hands not quite real, but more real than anything in all the worlds.
The orb soaks into his skin, showing the worlds, promising strangeness. The vastness is huge.


6:53PM    The Gravedigger:  Tingly!
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Gosh!


6:54PM    Apheori (GM):  It soaks into his skin, showing the worlds, promising strangeness. The vastness is huge.
The Gravedigger suddenly feels himself losing himself against the hugeness. ''(22 vs will; hit)'' But he can see them. All the worlds, all the realms, universes on top of universes, full of permutations. The all have names, written on the undersides of shapes...


6:54PM    The Gravedigger:  Gosh!
To the others, he looks as though he's glowing massively, the same light trickling out through his seams, absorbing into his hands.
 
6:54PM    Apheori (GM):  Uh, 22 against will?
 
6:54PM    Frezak (GM):  YUP.
I have the willpower of a fig.
 
6:54PM    Apheori (GM):  You feel yourself losing yourself against its hugeness.
 
6:55PM    Gaurav:  Crap.
 
6:55PM    Frezak (GM):  Um.
 
6:55PM    Ganelon:  ...What's this look like on the outside?
 
6:55PM    Apheori (GM):  But you can see them. All the worlds, all the realms, universes on top of universes, full of permutations. The all have names, written on the undersides of shapes...
To the rest of you, he looks like he's glowing massively.
And it's absorbing into his hands.
 
6:56PM    Frezak (GM):  Don't suppose Graves stepss in? >.>
 
6:56PM    (To Amadi):  He's becoming the Worlds.
 
6:56PM    Gaurav:  What sort of names? Can we read them?
 
6:56PM    Apheori (GM):  Go for it.
You can't see them, just him.


Amadi is suddenly convinced that this might actually be more bad than fancy.
Amadi is suddenly convinced that this might actually be more bad than fancy.


6:56PM    Amadi:  Heshouldnotbedoingthat!
AMADI
 
Heshouldnotbedoingthat!
6:56PM    Apheori (GM):  Bring in the Graves!
 
6:57PM    Gaurav:  Oh, that's his view. Got it.
 
Radek is a bit busy holding a hand in front of his face and squinting.
 
6:58PM    Ganelon:  I vote that we use Rhu.
 
6:59PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: It's not even a hand you're holding up, but the concept of a hand, now.
Radek: Also you're seeing a little bit of what Gravy is seeing and feeling, too.
Which might be part of the problem. >.>
 
6:59PM    Graves:  Hey. Get the fuck back, kid.
Y'aint done here yet.
You're not being anything other than Gravy over my dead body.
And I don't have one.
So back you pop.
 
Graves attempts to assume control of Gravy's part of the Gravedigger and yank it back.
 
7:00PM    Apheori (GM):  Does Graves actually appear, is the voice just happening in the space, or is it only in Gravy's head?
 
7:00PM    Frezak (GM):  Graves only exists inside the Gravedigger.
 
7:00PM    Ganelon:  When everything is concepts, I don't see why they couldn't literally be wrestling right in front of us.
 
Amadi drags sunglasses out of her pockets and puts a pair on Gravy, before tossing some to the others, too.
 
7:00PM    Frezak (GM):  He's just a mental construct.
 
7:00PM    Gaurav:  What Gan said.


7:00PM    Frezak (GM):  He MIGHT appear given all this conceptual shizzle, though.
Amadi drags sunglasses out of her pockets and puts a pair on Gravy, before tossing some to the others, too. They don't look exactly right. The lenses appear to be made of very dark soap-bubbleness.


Rhu puts the sunglasses on.
Rhu puts the sunglasses on.


Amadi (the sunglasses don't look exactly right. The glasses appear to be made of very dark soap-bubbleness.)
Radek, also seeing a bit of what the Gravedigger is, is a bit busy holding a slightly conceptual hand in front of his face and squinting, though he, too, manages to get the sunglasses on. They help, sort of. They change the light. They show its colours. But the colours aren't all of it.
 
7:01PM    Apheori (GM):  You all hear an oddly familiar disembodied voice that ain't quite the gravedigger's.
And, uh, roll to yank.
Somhow.
 
Radek stares through the sunglasses, then lowers them and tries to see the light in its entirety.
 
7:02PM    Ganelon:  If he's seeing ''all that'', I want in.
But not into his head.
That'd be terrible.
 
7:02PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: The sunglasses change the light. They show its colours. But the colours aren't all of it.


7:02PM    Frezak (GM):  Um.
An oddly familiar disembodied voice, not quite the Gravedigger's, booms out around them.
If Graves is the mental arm of the gravedigger, he'll yank with the mental equivalent of Gravy's arm.


7:02PM    Apheori (GM):  Although you might be able to use them. Separate them?
GRAVES
Something?
Hey. Get the fuck back, kid. Y'aint done here yet.
You're not being anything other than Gravy over my dead body. And I don't have one. So back you pop.


7:02PM    Frezak (GM):  rolling 1D20+11
Graves yanks at of Gravy's part of the Gravedigger and yanks it back. ''(rolled 25 yanking)''
( 14 )+11 = 25


7:02PM    Ganelon:  Oh, in that case, glasses on.
The Gravedigger tumbles backwards from the orb, and it hums sadly.


7:03PM    Apheori (GM):  Gravy flies backwards from the orb, and it hums sadly.
Radek stares through the sunglasses, then lowers them and tries to see the light in its entirety, just to be sure he's not missing anything.


7:03PM    The Gravedigger:  Urgh.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Urgh.


7:03PM    Apheori (GM):  To Gravy, All the worlds, all the names, vanish immediately.
To the Gravedigger, all the worlds, all the names, vanish immediately.


7:03PM    The Gravedigger:  Aw.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aw.


7:03PM    (To Greibel):  This place has a horrible loneliness about it.
Greibel shivers.
 
7:04PM    (To Rhu):  This place feels oddly lonely. Abandoned.
 
7:04PM    Gaurav:  Can Greibel see all that light/universes stuff? Also, more importantly: did he bring Rasputin in with him?
 
Greibel shivers
 
7:04PM    (To Amadi):  It's lonely. Horrible, dangerous, and so alone, for so long...


Radek raises his conceptual hands - tools of manipulation - and studies the light.
Radek raises his conceptual hands - tools of manipulation - and studies the light.


7:04PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Rasputin follows Greibel everywhere
RADEK
What happened, Gravedigger? I have an incomplete picture.


7:04PM    Apheori (GM):  Rasputin is probably on Greibel's shoulder now.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Um. I saw everything. It's a bit... big?


7:04PM    Radek:  What happened, Gravedigger?
AMADI
I have an incomplete picture.
...Lonely, too.
 
7:05PM    (To Greibel):  Also, yes, you do se some of the worlds and names and light and singing and strangeness. But it's not just the orb. It's everywhere.
 
7:05PM    (To Greibel):  But it's also definitely not actually here.
 
7:06PM    The Gravedigger:  Um.
I saw everything.
It's a bit... big?


Radek scoffs.
Radek scoffs.


7:06PM    Radek:  Of course it is.
RADEK
...That is why we break down the problem.
Of course it is. ...That is why we break down the problem.


7:07PM    Amadi:  ... Lonely, too.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Um. Okay? If it's everything, there's nothing else to be with?


7:07PM    Ganelon:  I would like to attempt to deconstruct this light.
RHU
 
(to Amadi)
7:07PM    Rhu:  (to Amadi) You felt that, too?
You felt that, too? You need something to be lonely, though. What is it? This place? This orb?
You need something to be lonely, though. What is it? This place? This orb?
 
7:08PM    Ganelon:  Separate what is useful from what is not - or if I cannot tell that - study how it changes when parts are removed, and how those parts interact with one another.
 
7:08PM    The Gravedigger:  Um.
Okay?


Amadi frets a little.
Amadi frets a little.


7:08PM    Amadi:  I... don't know.
AMADI
I should know, but...
I... don't know. I should know, but...
 
Greibel walks up to Rhu and embraces him tightly


7:08PM    The Gravedigger:  If it's everything, there's nothing else to be with?
Greibel drifts over to Rhu, swinging his legs comically on the way, and embraces the avenger tightly. They wind up slowly tumbling head-over-heels past everyone else.


7:08PM    Greibel:  I don't want to be aloooooooooone!
GREIBEL
 
I don't want to be aloooooooooone!
7:08PM    Frezak (GM):  MAN-HUG
Avoid touching manbits.


Rhu hugs Greibel back, looking a bit confused.
Rhu hugs Greibel back, looking a bit confused.


7:09PM    Bear Soup Guy:  s/walks/floats
RHU
 
You're lonely too?
7:09PM    Rhu:  You're lonely too?
 
7:09PM    Greibel:  SO ALONE
I wish I had pizza rolls!
 
7:09PM    Rhu:  (pats his head) There, there.
(to Amadi) Do you have any pizza rolls?
 
7:09PM    Ganelon:  Now if this is ''really'' everything that is or can be, logically a permanent solution to the holes must be found here (if such a thing is even possible).
 
7:10PM    Gaurav:  I like to imagine that Greibel collided into Rhu so unexpectedly that they're now spinning head-over-heels past everybody else.
 
7:10PM    Ganelon:  And if it's not, well, we're just going to have to break something.


7:10PM    Bear Soup Guy:  XD
GREIBEL
SO ALONE. I wish I had pizza rolls!


7:10PM    Gaurav:  Unless we're about to spread the Holes to all the universes that haven't yet fallen apart.
RHU
 
(patting Greibe's head)
7:10PM    Apheori (GM):  Gan: Roll arcana and use some sort of tools. You can make them up.
There, there.
You want to break down the light and fiddle with it.
(to Amadi)
?
Do you have any pizza rolls?
 
Apheori (GM) cackles vaguely.
 
7:12PM    Ganelon:  That is correct.
I'm a scientist! Breaking things to understand them is nearly everything I do.
rolling 1d20+16 Arcana
( 7 )+16 = 23


Amadi digs through her pockets for a very long time, eventually bringing out half a rolled-up pizza, slightly burnt.
Amadi digs through her pockets for a very long time, eventually bringing out half a rolled-up pizza, slightly burnt.


7:13PM    Apheori (GM):  Tell me your tools for however you begin.
RHU
 
(to Greibel)
7:13PM    Ganelon:  I imagine that breaking down light is done with prisms. Objects of crystal, glass... you know.
There, see? Eat that up and you'll feel better.
 
7:14PM    Rhu:  (to Greibel) There, see? Eat that up and you'll feel better.
 
7:14PM    Ganelon:  Lenses, too.
 
Greibel takes the roll with a grateful not and gets into a "sitting" sort of position in the nothingness to eat it
 
7:15PM    Bear Soup Guy:  s/not/nod
 
7:15PM    Ganelon:  But there's no need to limit ourselves to the visible spectrum, naturally. Plenty of wave-form radiation's invisible.


7:15PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek uses lenses to separate the light. He winds up with two much smaller orbs, one blue, one groarnge.
Greibel takes the roll with a grateful nod and gets into a "sitting" sort of position in the nothingness to eat it.


7:15PM    Ganelon:  Excellent!
Radek, meanwhile, formulates some prisms and lenses with which to break down the light. ''(rolled 23 arcana)'' Some separates out of the space before the main orb, and he winds up with two much smaller orbs, one blue, one groarnge. They're fist-sized, glowing, floating. They seem to want to be specific distances from the larger orb.
What are the properties of each?


7:16PM    Apheori (GM):  They're fist-sized, glowing, floating. They seem to want to be specific distances from the larger orb.
One of them has an odd feeling of fear about it.
One of them has an odd feeling of fear about it.


7:17PM    Gaurav:  Can we all feel the fear? Maybe Greibel should try communicating with it with a Nature check.
Rhu tries to push himself in the direction of Radek, still bear-hugging Greibel. ''(rolled 14 acrobatics)''
 
7:17PM    Apheori (GM):  Only if you get up close to it.
 
7:18PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Wheee squiggles


7:18PM    Ganelon:  Go for it.
Greibel chomps the pizza bewilderedly as Rhu pulls him toward Radek and the orbs.
I'm going to be sifting through orbs until I can isolate Creation.
If I may.


Rhu tries to push myself in the direction of the fear-orb, still bear-hugging Greibel.
These aren't what Radek is looking for. So he tries again, shifting the two away, drawing out more light. ''(rolled 29 arcana)'' He separates out a single orb this time, pulling it from the ambient light around him. This one has no colour, only a sad song, lost, forgotten. It is black, gleaming almost like the holes themselves, but not, simply a piece of the overall picture.


7:19PM    Rhu:  himself*
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): I hope I'm not just - oh, who am I kidding, if I were destroying entire universes by doing this, I'd still do it without regrets.
rolling d20+11 acrobatics check
( 3 )+11 = 14


Greibel chomps the pizza bewilderdly
Radek leans forward to touch the black orb directly. A means to understand. His forehead settles lightly on its not-quite surface. ''(18 vs will; miss)''


7:20PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu pulls Greibel over to Radek and his orbs.
The orb is a sense of loss, of sacrifice. Of so many things forgotten, of so much given for the smallest of improvements. It is the lives, the worlds, the hells. The family and the love, on so many levels, so many different beings, all faded, all, eventually, gone.
Radek: Make more orbs?
 
7:22PM    (To Greibel):  It's not fear. It's the terror of creation. It's the sense of being overwhelmed by something unexpected, of not knowing how this came about, of unending uncertainty.
 
7:23PM    Ganelon:  Yes.
Until I find the orb that makes.
 
7:23PM    Apheori (GM):  Arcana!
 
7:23PM    Ganelon:  rolling 1d20+16
( 13 )+16 = 29
 
7:24PM    Apheori (GM):  You separate out another orb, pulling it from the ambient light around you. This one has no colour, only a sad song, lost, forgotten.
It is black, gleaming almost like the holes themselves, but not.
It is simply a piece of the overall picture.
 
7:25PM    Ganelon:  I hope I'm not just - oh, who am I kidding, if I were destroying entire universes by doing this, I'd still do it without regrets.
 
Apheori (GM) giggles.
 
7:25PM    Ganelon:  I suppose if touching an orb is a means to understand... I'll try it on this dark one.
Radek has... ''okay'' Will, too.
 
7:25PM    (To Amadi):  The patterns are old, and they held much the same in so many different universes. You never knew what tied them together, but the same things always kept appearing in each...
 
7:26PM    Apheori (GM):  Do it.
How do you touch it?
 
7:26PM    Ganelon:  With my conceptual forehead.
(Alt answer: by treating it like a hackey-sack ball)
 
7:27PM    Apheori (GM):  You bonk your forehead into it?
 
7:27PM    Ganelon:  Well not ''violently'', but yeah.
 
7:27PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay.
18 on will?
 
7:28PM    Ganelon:  I have 19, so that is just barely a success for me.
 
7:28PM    Apheori (GM):  Cool.
The orb is a sense of loss, of sacrifice. Of so many things forgotten, of so much given for the smallest of improvements. It is the lives, the worlds, the hells. The family and the love, on so many levels, so many different beings, all faded, all, eventually gone.
(It doesn't consume you or try to meld into you or anything, though.)


Radek frowns and waves the orb away. Loss is not what he is looking for.
Radek frowns and waves the orb away. Loss is not what he is looking for.


7:33PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: You could probably keep doing this indefinitely, playing the lottery with the light hopinh you'll stumble on the right thing. You need something to narrow it down.
Greibel is still hovering nearby, eating pizza.
But then, you seem to have all the time in the world, here...
 
7:34PM    Ganelon:  Something, eh?
 
7:34PM    Apheori (GM):  Maybe.
You could use Greibel.
 
7:34PM    Ganelon:  ...Elaborate.
 
7:34PM    Apheori (GM):  He's right next to you. He's very perceptive to... things regarding the nature of reality. He might make a good seive.
Sounding board.
Tuning fork.
Collander.
And he's eating pizza.
 
7:35PM    Greibel:  A greasy, greasy collander
 
7:35PM    Bear Soup Guy:  err
Yeah, you know what, Greibel just kind of says that out loud for no reason
 
Radek slowly turns his head towards the druid and fixes him with a steely, discerning glare.
 
7:36PM    Frezak (GM):  Totally believable IC action, BSG :P
 
Greibel looks up at Radek with cheese hanging out of his mouth


7:37PM    Apheori (GM):  XD
GREIBEL
A greasy, greasy collander.


7:37PM    Frezak (GM):  "Whuh?"
Radek slowly turns his head towards Greibel and fixes him with a steely, discerning glare.


7:38PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu's also right there. I dunno if this affects anything.
Greibel looks up at Radek with cheese hanging out of his mouth.
(being the one who pulled Greibel over)


7:38PM    Radek:  I...
RADEK
I...


Radek hesitates, looking very irritated. This is one of the hardest things he's ever had to say.
Radek hesitates, looking very irritated. This is one of the hardest things he's ever had to say.


7:38PM    Radek:  ...I could... ''use'' your help.
RADEK
 
...I could... ''use'' your help.
7:39PM    Greibel:  Well...sure!
 
Greibel wipes his hands on his shirt
 
7:39PM    Greibel:  Whaddaya need?


7:39PM    Amadi:  Hopefully not pizza. I think that was the last of it.
GREIBEL
Well... sure!
(he wipes his hands on his shirt)
Whaddaya need?


7:39PM    Radek:  Come here.
AMADI
I'm trying to separate aspects of value from this core.
Hopefully not pizza. I think that was the last of it.


7:40PM    Gaurav:  Rhu's just trying desperately to not mess anything up in here.
RADEK
Come here. I'm trying to separate aspects of value from this core.


7:40PM    Greibel:  Sounds exhausting
GREIBEL
(drifting closer)
Sounds exhausting.


7:41PM    Radek:  Identifying them is simple enough once they've been isolated. What I need is targets.
RADEK
Identifying them is simple enough once they've been isolated. What I need is targets.
...And this source is too vast to explore. What do you think?
...And this source is too vast to explore. What do you think?


7:43PM    Greibel:  What you need is a metal detector...orb detec....uh...relevance detector....a sieve.
GREIBEL
 
What you need is a metal detector... orb detec... uh... relevance detector... a sieve.
7:44PM    Radek:  That is correct. Thank you for volunteering.
 
7:44PM    Frezak (GM):  "Now, allow me to open your cranium"
 
7:44PM    Ganelon:  Unless the video-game abstraction of "using" Greibel applies here, I'm not sure quite how to do it.
 
7:45PM    Bear Soup Guy:  I am similarly unsure
 
7:45PM    Gaurav:  Just grab him by the legs and shove him head-first into the orb.
 
Greibel makes an "urk" sound
 
7:45PM    Gaurav:  Alternatively, I like my previous idea of trying a nature check on the sad orb.
 
7:45PM    Bear Soup Guy:  XD
 
7:45PM    Gaurav:  Er, lonely orb.
 
7:48PM    Apheori (GM):  Just do the first thing that pops into your head.
And then both roll... something.
 
7:48PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Suppose I'll roll Nature
 
7:48PM    Radek:  Stand-
 
Radek shakes his head.
 
7:48PM    Radek:  ''Float'' over here and focus your attention on the core.
 
Greibel floats over, bumbling into Radek for lack of coordination
 
Radek grumbles irritably and takes out his tablet. After a moment's consideration, he reaches a hand into the screen and pulls out an extremely thin, shining filament, which he plugs into the back of Greibel's head.
 
7:52PM    Ganelon:  I'll stick to my own specialization.
 
7:52PM    Greibel:  Oik!
 
7:52PM    Ganelon:  rolling 1d20+16 Arcana
( 6 )+16 = 22
Pfah.
 
7:52PM    Frezak (GM):  So this is... Shadowrun, now?
 
7:53PM    Ganelon:  Why not!
The first thing that popped into my head was running a cable into Greibel's head.
 
Apheori (GM) giggles.
 
7:53PM    Bear Soup Guy:  And the cable was the first thing that popped into Greibel's head
 
7:54PM    Gaurav:  Hee.
 
7:54PM    Apheori (GM):  Greibel: Roll.
 
7:54PM    Bear Soup Guy:  rolling 1d20+14 nature
( 14 )+14 = 28
 
7:54PM    Ganelon:  I can think of no better way for Radek to interpret what his sieve is seeing, or doing, than by abstracting it to a conceptual computer.
 
7:56PM    Apheori (GM):  Okay.
 
7:56PM    Ganelon:  I would not even consider trying to share thoughts with him. That would be bad for both parties.


7:57PM    Apheori (GM):  Roll again to actually try to get another ball?
RADEK
Now that it's all set up.
That is correct. Thank you for volunteering. Stand -
Or whatever.
(he shakes his head)
''Float'' over here and focus your attention on the core.


7:57PM    Gaurav:  I dunno, Greibel's insane creativity combined with Radek's sharp intelligence could be pretty awesome.
Greibel floats over, bumbling into Radek for lack of coordination. Rhu drifts a bit to the side, not wanting to get in the way.


7:57PM    Ganelon:  rolling 1d20+16
Radek grumbles irritably and takes out his tablet. After a moment's consideration, he reaches a hand into the screen and pulls out an extremely thin, shining filament, which he plugs into the back of Greibel's head. ''(rolled 22 arcana (Radek), 28 nature (Greibel))''
( 10 )+16 = 26
That's the world-ending event right there, Gaurav.


7:58PM    Bear Soup Guy:  rolling 1d20+14 nature
'''''Frezak''' (Gravy): So this is... Shadowrun, now?
( 7 )+14 = 21


7:58PM    Ganelon: Gradek builds something and the whole world goes "oops" as it's just twisted into incomprehensibility.
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): Why not! The first thing that popped into my head was running a cable into Greibel's head.
The last line in the story is a garbled mess of letters, numbers, and symbols with no relation to one-another.


7:59PM    Apheori (GM): You wind up with six orbs, sieved out of the light, hovering equidistant, buzzing.
'''''Bear Soup Guy''' (Greibel): And the cable was the first thing that popped into Greibel's head.
Each on its own is fairly meaningless, just bits and pieces, building blocks of space.
But together, together they add up to something more beautiful than anything you've seen, glowing bright, buzzing, shimmering, full of raw potential.


8:02PM    Greibel:  Oooo, shiny.
GREIBEL
Oik!


8:03PM    Ganelon:  Marvelous.
Now that it's set up, Radek uses this to focus as he unfocuses the light. ''(rolled 26 arcana (Radek), 21 nature (Greibel))'' He winds up with six orbs, sieved out of the light, hovering equidistant, buzzing. Each on its own is fairly meaningless, just bits and pieces, building blocks of space. But together, together they add up to something more beautiful than anything they've seen, glowing bright, buzzing, shimmering, full of raw potential.
I touch one! Same way as last time.


8:05PM    Apheori (GM):  It's... heavy. Forceful. It likes patterns, likes to rearrange things, to pull them down, into place, exactly into place.
GREIBEL
It's not clear what your place would be, however.
Oooo, shiny.


8:05PM    Frezak (GM):  Under its orderly BOOT
Radek leans forward and touches one to his forhead. It's... heavy. Forceful. It likes patterns, likes to rearrange things, to pull them down, into place, exactly into place.


8:06PM    Gaurav:  It's a micromanager!
It's not clear what Radek's place would be, however.


8:06PM    Apheori (GM): I just unintentionall ate an entire meal. O_o
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): I like this one.


8:06PM    Gaurav:  Heh. What was it?
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): And Radek knows what his place is. He is the one who sees the blueprints. He is the one who designs the pieces and decides what they do. Certainly, he is forceful. His goal is to force those designs into place and bring an end to this chaos devouring all of creation.


8:06PM    Apheori (GM): Chicken, green beans, and bread with jam.
'''''Ganelon''' (Radek): I will claim this orb. If it does not understand my place, I simply need to explain it.


8:07PM    Gaurav:  Chicken and jam?
Radek absorbs the orb into himself, and the other five try to come with it at first, then bouncing away and trying to instead use Radek as their cornerstone in its place. But the balance is shifted, and the song of the six, once so beautiful, has become discordant...
 
8:07PM    Apheori (GM):  Bread and jam. >.>
I ate the chicken and I was still hungry, so I ate the beans, and I was still hungry, so I got some bread.
Aaaanyhoo.
 
8:08PM    Ganelon:  I like this one.
And Radek knows what his place is.
He is the one who sees the blueprints. He is the one who designs the pieces and decides what they do.
Certainly, he is forceful. His goal is to force those designs into place and bring an end to this chaos devouring all of creation.
I will claim this orb. If it does not understand my place, I simply need to explain it.
 
8:12PM    Gaurav:  Patiently.
 
8:13PM    Ganelon:  I have all the time in the world.
 
8:13PM    Apheori (GM):  It is very small, and not very bright. It only understands specific things.
How do you claim it?
By absorbing it into yourself?
 
8:13PM    Ganelon:  Yes.
 
8:13PM    (To Amadi):  He's going to turn himself into a god. >.>
 
8:13PM    Frezak (GM):  Oh, GREAT.
 
8:14PM    Apheori (GM):  You absorb the weight orb, and the other five try to come with it, trying to then use you as their cornerstone in its place.
But the balance is shifted, and the song of the six, once so beautiful, has become discordant...
 
8:14PM    Ganelon:  I'll need to know what they do.
Some may be rejected.
 
8:15PM    Apheori (GM):  You touch the others?
 
8:15PM    Ganelon:  Sounds like they're trying to touch me.
 
8:15PM    (From Amadi):  Rather him than me!
 
8:15PM    Apheori (GM):  Only sort of. As much as anything they're trying to remain exact distance away. The distance keeps changing, though, and they keep jittering.
But if you move you'll pretty much certainly start running into them.
 
8:16PM    Ganelon:  I have the power of force, yes? Gravity?
 
8:16PM    Apheori (GM):  Yup.


Amadi frowns just a tiny bit.
Amadi frowns just a tiny bit.


8:17PM    Amadi:  Well... that's not what I'd have done.
AMADI
 
Well... that's not what I'd have done.
8:17PM    Ganelon:  Then may I "tell" these orbs what their place is?
 
8:17PM    (To Amadi):  The hilarious thing is he wants 'creation' - the whole lot of the six comprise that, or at leas a simulacrum of that.
 
8:17PM    Apheori (GM):  Nope.
They have no mass.
They know their own places - at each corner to each other, and to the one you absorbed.
 
8:18PM    Ganelon:  Ah well.
Alright then, let's go examining the rest of them.
 
Radek drifts forwards.
 
8:19PM    Radek:  ...This is what the Gravedigger sought.
 
8:19PM    Apheori (GM):  Another one bonks into Radek.
 
8:19PM    Radek:  Somewhere in this potential is the solution to our problem.
 
8:21PM    Apheori (GM):  This one is distinct, individual. It pushes everything away, and that makes the patterns that the other likes so much. It keeps things from balling, instead spreading out, showing worlds as separate entities. It is alone, and it wants everything to be alone.
 
8:22PM    (To Amadi):  I dunno enough about science to actually mak any of this make sense. >.&lt;
 
8:22PM    (To Amadi):  Help! Don't let him go through them all individually!
 
8:22PM    (From Amadi):  I really cannot help you there!


8:23PM    (To Amadi):  Buggrit.
RADEK
...This is what the Gravedigger sought.
Somewhere in this potential is the solution to our problem.


8:23PM    (To Amadi):  Maybe I'll just have them all swarm him or something.
AMADI
Er... You do realize you're dealing with a deck of cards as though they were all from different systems? Or... uh...
Taking a puzzle ''apart'' in order to swallow each piece, like a curious monkey...


8:23PM    Amadi:  Er... You do realize you're dealing with a deck of cards as though they were all from different systems? Or... uh...
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Taking a puzzle ''apart'' in order to swallow each part, like a curious monkey...
Maybe just sort of herd them into the right place?
[re: each piece]
 
8:25PM    Ganelon:  I have very little idea what I'm doing.
 
8:25PM    The Gravedigger:  Maybe just sort of herd them into the right place?


The Gravedigger hums soothingly at the orbs.
The Gravedigger hums soothingly at the orbs.


8:26PM    Radek:  The right place is "together".
RADEK
But this puzzle is too great to comprehend as a whole.
The right place is "together". But this puzzle is too great to comprehend as a whole. What else would you have me do?
What else would you have me do?


8:27PM    The Gravedigger:  Take the puzzle to where you need it?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Take the puzzle to where you need it?


8:27PM    Apheori (GM):  RAdek: What do you do with the one you just touched?
RHU
We could take it to a god?


8:28PM    Rhu:  We could take it to a god?
RADEK
Pfah.


8:28PM    Radek:  Pfah.
Radek drifts forwards.
 
8:28PM    Ganelon:  Iiiii'll absorb this one too. Radek can live with loneliness.
 
8:30PM    Apheori (GM):  You do this, and it compliments the first one strangely, in some parts exactly, in others not so much. The song is full of holes...
Then the other four all cram into you all at once and forcibly absorb themselves into you as well.
This knocks you over.
 
8:30PM    Ganelon:  I was standing?
 
8:31PM    Apheori (GM):  You were hovering.
In place.
Now you're tumbling backwards.
 
8:31PM    Frezak (GM):  I rush to grab him.
 
8:31PM    Apheori (GM):  Great, Gravy's grabbed him.
 
8:31PM    Frezak (GM):  And prevent old man bones breaking.
 
8:32PM    Apheori (GM):  Radek: It's overwhelming. They all slam into you at once, covering your entire perception with something you're not quite sure what. White. Dark. Raspberry. It fills you, and you're not even quite clearly you anymore. You're not quite clearly anything.
Gravy: He seems a bit stunned and he's glowing, but nothing is overtly broken.
 
8:33PM    Ganelon:  Ooooh my.
 
8:33PM    Apheori (GM):  One of them got a 20. >.>
 
8:34PM    Amadi:  ... Yeah... That's ''one'' of the reasons I wouldn't have done that...
 
8:34PM    Apheori (GM):  Actually three of them managed to get through your will. Oh my.
 
8:34PM    Ganelon:  ''Shit.''
 
8:34PM    Frezak (GM):  Welp.
 
8:34PM    Apheori (GM):  Well, uh... now what?
 
8:34PM    Frezak (GM):  We need to find a new smartypants, this one is going to melt.
 
8:35PM    Apheori (GM):  What, not even going to try to save him?
 
8:35PM    Gaurav:  We'll put him in a jar and carry him around with us.
He can shout at us from in there.
 
8:36PM    Ganelon:  I would like to try to do everything in my power to remain an individual.
I think that's probably important.
 
8:36PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+10 religion check to keep Radek safe, or at least no more unsafe than he is now.
( 17 )+10 = 27
 
8:36PM    (To Greibel):  Just do whatever you do for an overdose.
 
8:36PM    Ganelon:  Whether I have any power to do so is another matter.
 
8:36PM    Gaurav:  Does a Heal check many any sort of sense here?
 
8:36PM    (To Greibel):  He totally ODed on Creation bits.
 
8:36PM    Frezak (GM):  We should really be going to bed over here >.>
 
8:36PM    Apheori (GM):  Your heal check was that religion check.
Ah
.
 
8:37PM    Ellemerr (GM):  Yeah...
 
8:37PM    Gaurav:  You and your ''beds''
 
8:37PM    Frezak (GM):  It's better than spiked pits
 
8:37PM    Apheori (GM):  Rhu: He seems to be getting a little worse. Maybe if you just managed to wake him up?
Okay, let's just... this...
 
8:37PM    Rhu:  WAKE UP, RADEK!
 
8:38PM    Apheori (GM):  That doesn't do anything.
Okay, can everyone come monday?
 
8:38PM    Rhu:  rolling d20+15 heal check to stimulate Radek chemically -- adrenaline injection, maybe?
( 10 )+15 = 25
 
8:38PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Monday sounds fine
 
8:38PM    Apheori (GM):  That actually works.
You have no idea what you actually gave him, of course, but Radek wakes up flailing.
 
8:39PM    (To Radek):  And full of Creation. You did it.
 
8:39PM    Gaurav:  Hey! Rhu has extensive first-aid training.
 
8:40PM    (To Radek):  You can feel it. All the opposing forces, all the concepts, all the bits and pieces that balance each other out. And in the middle of it, encompassing all of it, is you.
 
8:40PM    Frezak (GM):  Should have gone to the expert in chemical stimulants.
 
8:41PM    (From Ganelon):  Yesss
 
8:41PM    Ganelon:  I'll get you guys a proper angry old man impression next week.
 
8:41PM    (To Amadi):  He's a god. He's done it. He's turned himself into a god. The literal sort.
 
8:42PM    Ganelon:  Thanks for getting together. And thanks for running this, Names.
 
8:42PM    Apheori (GM):  Thank you for making it awesome.
I love you all.
 
8:42PM    (From Ellemerr (GM)):  Oh dear, another one? ;P
 
8:42PM    (To Ellemerr):  Yuuup.
 
8:42PM    Frezak (GM):  I would like to thank my dice and totally ignore you guys.
Except BSG because he has a special place in my heart.


8:42PM    Apheori (GM):  Snrk.
The orbs, trying to remain exact distance away from each other and Radek, jitter confusedly as he moves. The distance they want to be seems to be changing almost at random.


8:43PM    Bear Soup Guy:  The part that will eventually clog your arteries, unfortunately
One of them bonks into Radek's face.


8:43PM    Gaurav:  That'll be some autopsy.
This one is distinct, individual. It pushes everything away, and that makes the patterns that the other likes so much. It keeps things from balling, instead spreading out, showing worlds as separate entities. It is alone, and it wants everything to be alone.


8:43PM    Frezak (GM):  My heart is in a tiny jar somewhere, I lost it. I would like it back.
Radek absorbs this one too, drawing it into himself and offsetting the first. They compliment each other strangely, in some ways exactly, in others not so much. The song is full of holes...


8:44PM    Apheori (GM):  I'm sorry, I dunno where anything is in the basement.
Then the other four all slam into Radek all at once and forcibly absorb themselves into him as well, knocking him backwards. It's overwhelming, covering his entire perception with something not quite there. White. Dark. Raspberry. It fills him, and he's not even quite clearly himself anymore. He's not quite clearly anything.


8:44PM    Frezak (GM):  Harrumph!
The Gravedigger grabs Radek, holding him in place. This time it's Radek who's glowing.


8:44PM    Apheori (GM):  It's not even my basement!
AMADI
...Yeah... That's ''one'' of the reasons I wouldn't have done that...


8:46PM    Gaurav:  See you all on Monday at the usual time!
RHU
WAKE UP, RADEK!


8:46PM    Apheori (GM):  YESH.
Radek doesn't respond at all to this.


8:47PM    Bear Soup Guy:  Mmm, sweet adios
Rhu quickly grabs some first aid stuff out of nowhere and stabs Radek with the conceptual equivalent of an adrenaline injection. ''(rolled 25 heal)''


10:53PM  Kyrule:  Test
Radek wakes up flailing, and full of Creation.
Test
</screenplay>
Feck.
</pre>


{{holes nav
{{holes nav

Revision as of 23:38, 23 August 2015

≪ PreviousNext ≫
Session 56 (raw log) (Overview)
INT. Great rift at Sanessee - caverns
The Rift, suspended like bubbles in the non-space behind Kyrule, is ghastly, but currently not really doing a whole lot, at least overtly. Everything is buzzing. It's a bit like being in a throbbing, whispering, toxic beehive.
The Gravedigger looks at Radek to say something rude/smart.
There is a horrible unfolding of porridge on the Gravedigger's shoulder, and Greibel crawls out of Rasputin like a newborn bird rolling out of something, far, far smaller than it. This makes a lot of unpleasant squishing noises.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aaaagh!
GREIBEL
GOD CREATED ME UNFINISHED.
Greibel slides off Gravy in a horrible sludging.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aaaagh!
Radek grumbles.
RADEK
...Just on time.
KYRULE
What, would you rather be finished?
Greibel stands and straightens up.
GREIBEL
So... what are we doin' here?
Rhu peers over the edge of one of the cracks into the crevice. (rolled 10 reality, 24 perception)
Down is just... there is no down. It's all an illusion. He finds himself standing on the edge of nothing, suspended by nothing, and before him might as well be anything. There are... lights. They're oddly pretty.
Ganelon (Radek): Treating these like natural cracks is... not recommended. Imagine if it were a zone of nothingness that extended past the ground and into the space above?
Ganelon (Radek): What if your face entered the nothing, and suddenly you had no face?
RHU
(pointing)
Look! Lights!
THE GRAVEDIGGER
We might need The Thingy, Radek.
Radek sighs, sits down cross-legged, and begins to dig through everything in his possession.
Rhu starts to fall in, moving very slowly, and then tries to stop himself. (rolled 31 acrobatics (natural 20)) He winds up doing a backflip, ending hovering in midair over the crack itself.
Amadi jumps up and grabs Rhu, dangling from his leg as if he was a great balloon.
AMADI
Wheeee!
GREIBEL
GET OVER HERE.
Greibel does thorn whip on Rhu and yanks him back down to real ground. (rolled 20 vs fortitude)
Kyrule sighs heavily.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
(whispering loudly at Radek)
The thiiiiiing.
Radek holds up one of the marked stones - this one depicting a dragon.
RADEK
...I may need to create one of these.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
But the thing!
GREIBEL
We all love the Fantastic Four, Gravy. But we have to learn to accept that they'll never make a good film.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
ONny because they fucked up with Doom, Greibel.
KYRULE
I dunno, the Incredibles was pretty good.
GREIBEL
Fair point. Let the Incredibles be your Fantastic Four.
Radek frowns and stares up at Gravy.
RADEK
Which thing?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
You know! The super secret thing we don't talk about!
The thing that's not a shovel!
RADEK
...Of course. The thing.
Radek doesn't so much sound like he's having an epiphany as just realizing what Gravy's even talking about.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Right! The thing!
Rhu sees a familiar shadow out of the corner of his eye on the other side of some cracks.
RHU
(pointing)
What's that thing over there?
When he looks properly, it's gone.
Rhu shakes his head to clear it, then steps away from the crevice and towards the rest of the party.
Radek gets out the Navigator and mutters, rather quietly, to Gravy and whoever else might happen to be paying attention.
RADEK
...I built a machine for the explicit purpose of navigating the space between dimensions.
GREIBEL
That's really impressive. You should be proud.
RADEK
It was meant to serve as a means of escape. Should a given world fall as completely as this one, we may have been able to-
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Great! Gimme! I'll get the thing! Then I can scoop out everything that's not a hole and you can blow it up and we can go have cake.
Radek twitches a bit and scowls, intensely, at the Gravedigger's impatience.
RADEK
...Give me a moment to make adjustments.
Radek configures the Navigator, attempting to set it up to go looking for "the thing" - which mostly boils down to extremely strong energy signatures - and bridge a path from here to there. (rolled 28 arcana)
The squid gibbers helpfully.
RHU
Cake?
AMADI
Alternatively, we could have cake, then blow it up, and scoop up the remains.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
No.
After a bit of fiddling, Radek draws his wizened old hands back and nods. It is active.
RADEK
...Alright. Now it only need arrive outside to begin.
The Gravedigger pumps his throwing arm helpfully.
RADEK
Do try to be careful with what could be our only means of escape from this horrid place.
Ganelon (Radek): Kyrule is likely a reliable means of escape, he just doesn't want to admit it.
AMADI
I might have a hot air balloon and a twister somewhere... but yes, let's actually succeed for a change.
Instead of using one of the hovering shapes associated with the rift itself, the Gravedigger hefts his conceptual shovel and squints a little at the space right in front of him. He wiggles the shovel about, wedging the concept of Shovel under the concept of Here, moving it aside long enough to pitch the Navigator in. (rolled 31 shovellage (natural 20))
Then he pulls the shovel back with a strange rippling, the space recloses, and the area around sighs with relief that he's done prodding it.
The Gravedigger salutes Radek.
Kyrule raises an eyebrow.
Something starts oozing up the shovel, sliding up from the edges of the blade. Dark, gleaming, full of whispers, covering it...
The Gravedigger shakes the shovel.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Shoo! Mine! Find your own conceptual tool!
The stuff ignores him and molds into the form of the shovel, replacing it.
KYRULE
Oh dear.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aaaagh! MY SHOVEL.
The Gravedigger shakes harder.
GREIBEL
Eeeeew.
The Gravedigger attempts to intimidate the Filth infesting his shovel. (rolled 32 intimidate (natural 20))
THE GRAVEDIGGER
(making faces)
Bleeeuargh!
The shovel falls out of the Gravedigger's hand, sliding away like an unreal slippery thing, and impales the ground. This opens up another, stable, hole behind it, revealing a path of sorts leading out of this place, into the dark.
Shimmers form a surface to walk on. Not quite stars gleam in the depths.
The Gravedigger strides in, drawing a backup shovel as he goes.
RADEK
Hmph.
Radek gradually rises to his feet and stares into the hole.
Kyrule comes over and puts a hand on the shovel's handle, holding it in place, also peering in.
Radek nods to Kyrule.
RADEK
Keep this open, or I make no guarantees about my return.
KYRULE
Good luck.
Radek heads in after Gravy.
GREIBEL
Bring back cake!
RHU
(to Greibel)
Aren't you coming?
AMADI
(to Griebel)
I'll give you cake on the way?
Amadi holds up a cupcake.
KYRULE
Better that fewer go than more.
Greibel looks at Rhu and then suddenly looks like he's realised something awful.
KYRULE
Too much wear and it could fall to pieces.
AMADI
Aw. You're no fun.
Amadi pouts at Kyrule and eats the cupcake.
GREIBEL
You heard the Goddess. You don't need all my uh... drugs weighing down this ethereal non-path.
So many drugs. They're so heavy. I don't know how I manage to walk on my own two legs sometimes.
RHU
There might be fighting to do. I should go.
AMADI
That's probably a terrible idea, Rhu!
Amadi grins at him and gives him a thumbs-up.
Rhu runs into the hole after Gravy and Radek.
Greibel stays behind a moment, looking around at the darkness. It's dark and threatening.
KYRULE
No, don't...
GREIBEL
WAIT FOR ME!
Greibel chases after Rhu.
KYRULE
oh, bugger.
(yelling after)
Fine! I'll just stay here, all alone with the scary darkness, with nobody to help me keep the path open if something goes wrong! Which it will!
Amadi shrugs her shoulders apologetically at Kyrule and hurries after Greibel.
AMADI
Sorry! Key! You know how it is!
KYRULE
(cringing)
...it is a really good thing I'm not really Kyrule.


EXT. Unmade between - a concept
The party heads down the path, the Gravedigger leading, Radek behind him, Rhu in the middle, and Greibel and Amadi taking up the rear.
The path is worn, like too old fabric, but it holds underfoot. Around them, stars, beyond multitudes, feel as though they are singing.
Radek spends his journey taking observational notes, paying only enough attention elsewhere to continue following the Gravedigger.
The Gravedigger hums a cheery burial song.
Amadi sings too. The lyrics are pretty much "this is the worst idea and how the universe ends, most likely".
The path twists and turns, and then they come to a fork. One direction has a sense of future. The other hints at endings.
The Gravedigger starts to head down the 'endings' path, but then Amadi comes up beside him, still singing, and points down the 'future' path.
The Gravedigger droops and follows the midgety finger, going down that path instead.
They continue on.
At some point they notice they're not even walking anymore, just drifting, moving forward. Or whatever forward even is.
The path is woven in shapes that can't quite be discerned, patterns more complex than anything...
The singing, the star song, it has voices in it now.
Frezak (Gravy): So it's normal to Greibel, then. He basically doesn't know we entered the magic tunnel.
Bear Soup Guy (Greibel): Truth.
Amadi sings her own songs. Maybe the stars listen.
Radek notices some of the stars to be tone deaf. (rolled 25 perception) This, too, goes in his notes.
As they continue on, the sense of power grows, familiar, much like last time, but without the horrid, sickening strangeness about it.
Then they come to another fork, three ways branching out before them: truth, past, and void.
Amadi points, a little uncertainly, at void, before moving her finger over to truth.
The Gravedigger, again, follows the midgety finger.
Truth leads on into light, brilliant, horrible, all-encompassing. It builds slowly, at first, before exploding all around them.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aaagh!
AMADI
Sorry. The others were... worse. Probably.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Really?
AMADI
Probably.
The light feels almost like a part of them, but also more than them. It is everything they are and ever were, and everything they've lost as mortals...
After a bit it fades into the background like crickets.
Radek pauses briefly from his fervent data-entry, though he doesn't look up from the tablet itself.
RADEK
...Don't worry, this is well within our projected margins for failure.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
We have margins?
RADEK
Always.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
I know we have failure, but margins? Gosh.
RADEK
I don't share my calculations on how much we can fail before the world is destroyed.
It would be bad for morale, and I fear some of you may regard it as a challenge.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Great. Awesome.
RADEK
This light feels familiar, yes?
Although we are experiencing it from a... more stable environment.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Yup! Very!
They tumble out of the light into a space, clear and vast, but all laid out before them. All around is the light, and all around that is the singing of a thousand and a thousand and a thousand stars. In the middle is another light, small and closed. All the power, all the potentiality, all the promise of the Shovel, and so much more, too. Simply sitting there. Glowing. An orb the size of Amadi's head, colourful and not singing at all.
And underneath it all is dark.
AMADI
Well... this is fancy. Or bad. Let's go with fancy.
Amadi nods a couple of times to herself to assure herself that it is indeed fancy rather than bad.
The Navigator is nearby, floating like the rest of them, marking the path.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aaagh!
Oh, hello Mr. Robot. Thanks for doing the thing.
Radek offers the machine a silent nod of congratulations. It performed its task adequately - the highest accolade a robot can receive.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
(to the orb)
Hello! We'd like to fix the worlds, please!
The orb hums. It seems to understand. It seems to even agree.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Thanks! Don't mind the grump, his heart-metaphor is in the right metaphor-place.
RADEK
...Tch.
The Gravedigger drifts over to the orb and attempts to pick it up with hands not quite real, but more real than anything.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Tingly!
The orb soaks into his skin, showing the worlds, promising strangeness. The vastness is huge.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Gosh!
The Gravedigger suddenly feels himself losing himself against the hugeness. (22 vs will; hit) But he can see them. All the worlds, all the realms, universes on top of universes, full of permutations. The all have names, written on the undersides of shapes...
To the others, he looks as though he's glowing massively, the same light trickling out through his seams, absorbing into his hands.
Amadi is suddenly convinced that this might actually be more bad than fancy.
AMADI
Heshouldnotbedoingthat!
Amadi drags sunglasses out of her pockets and puts a pair on Gravy, before tossing some to the others, too. They don't look exactly right. The lenses appear to be made of very dark soap-bubbleness.
Rhu puts the sunglasses on.
Radek, also seeing a bit of what the Gravedigger is, is a bit busy holding a slightly conceptual hand in front of his face and squinting, though he, too, manages to get the sunglasses on. They help, sort of. They change the light. They show its colours. But the colours aren't all of it.
An oddly familiar disembodied voice, not quite the Gravedigger's, booms out around them.
GRAVES
Hey. Get the fuck back, kid. Y'aint done here yet.
You're not being anything other than Gravy over my dead body. And I don't have one. So back you pop.
Graves yanks at of Gravy's part of the Gravedigger and yanks it back. (rolled 25 yanking)
The Gravedigger tumbles backwards from the orb, and it hums sadly.
Radek stares through the sunglasses, then lowers them and tries to see the light in its entirety, just to be sure he's not missing anything.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Urgh.
To the Gravedigger, all the worlds, all the names, vanish immediately.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Aw.
Greibel shivers.
Radek raises his conceptual hands - tools of manipulation - and studies the light.
RADEK
What happened, Gravedigger? I have an incomplete picture.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Um. I saw everything. It's a bit... big?
AMADI
...Lonely, too.
Radek scoffs.
RADEK
Of course it is. ...That is why we break down the problem.
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Um. Okay? If it's everything, there's nothing else to be with?
RHU
(to Amadi)
You felt that, too? You need something to be lonely, though. What is it? This place? This orb?
Amadi frets a little.
AMADI
I... don't know. I should know, but...
Greibel drifts over to Rhu, swinging his legs comically on the way, and embraces the avenger tightly. They wind up slowly tumbling head-over-heels past everyone else.
GREIBEL
I don't want to be aloooooooooone!
Rhu hugs Greibel back, looking a bit confused.
RHU
You're lonely too?
GREIBEL
SO ALONE. I wish I had pizza rolls!
RHU
(patting Greibe's head)
There, there.
(to Amadi)
Do you have any pizza rolls?
Amadi digs through her pockets for a very long time, eventually bringing out half a rolled-up pizza, slightly burnt.
RHU
(to Greibel)
There, see? Eat that up and you'll feel better.
Greibel takes the roll with a grateful nod and gets into a "sitting" sort of position in the nothingness to eat it.
Radek, meanwhile, formulates some prisms and lenses with which to break down the light. (rolled 23 arcana) Some separates out of the space before the main orb, and he winds up with two much smaller orbs, one blue, one groarnge. They're fist-sized, glowing, floating. They seem to want to be specific distances from the larger orb.
One of them has an odd feeling of fear about it.
Rhu tries to push himself in the direction of Radek, still bear-hugging Greibel. (rolled 14 acrobatics)
Greibel chomps the pizza bewilderedly as Rhu pulls him toward Radek and the orbs.
These aren't what Radek is looking for. So he tries again, shifting the two away, drawing out more light. (rolled 29 arcana) He separates out a single orb this time, pulling it from the ambient light around him. This one has no colour, only a sad song, lost, forgotten. It is black, gleaming almost like the holes themselves, but not, simply a piece of the overall picture.
Ganelon (Radek): I hope I'm not just - oh, who am I kidding, if I were destroying entire universes by doing this, I'd still do it without regrets.
Radek leans forward to touch the black orb directly. A means to understand. His forehead settles lightly on its not-quite surface. (18 vs will; miss)
The orb is a sense of loss, of sacrifice. Of so many things forgotten, of so much given for the smallest of improvements. It is the lives, the worlds, the hells. The family and the love, on so many levels, so many different beings, all faded, all, eventually, gone.
Radek frowns and waves the orb away. Loss is not what he is looking for.
Greibel is still hovering nearby, eating pizza.
GREIBEL
A greasy, greasy collander.
Radek slowly turns his head towards Greibel and fixes him with a steely, discerning glare.
Greibel looks up at Radek with cheese hanging out of his mouth.
RADEK
I...
Radek hesitates, looking very irritated. This is one of the hardest things he's ever had to say.
RADEK
...I could... use your help.
GREIBEL
Well... sure!
(he wipes his hands on his shirt)
Whaddaya need?
AMADI
Hopefully not pizza. I think that was the last of it.
RADEK
Come here. I'm trying to separate aspects of value from this core.
GREIBEL
(drifting closer)
Sounds exhausting.
RADEK
Identifying them is simple enough once they've been isolated. What I need is targets.
...And this source is too vast to explore. What do you think?
GREIBEL
What you need is a metal detector... orb detec... uh... relevance detector... a sieve.
RADEK
That is correct. Thank you for volunteering. Stand -
(he shakes his head)
Float over here and focus your attention on the core.
Greibel floats over, bumbling into Radek for lack of coordination. Rhu drifts a bit to the side, not wanting to get in the way.
Radek grumbles irritably and takes out his tablet. After a moment's consideration, he reaches a hand into the screen and pulls out an extremely thin, shining filament, which he plugs into the back of Greibel's head. (rolled 22 arcana (Radek), 28 nature (Greibel))
Frezak (Gravy): So this is... Shadowrun, now?
Ganelon (Radek): Why not! The first thing that popped into my head was running a cable into Greibel's head.
Bear Soup Guy (Greibel): And the cable was the first thing that popped into Greibel's head.
GREIBEL
Oik!
Now that it's set up, Radek uses this to focus as he unfocuses the light. (rolled 26 arcana (Radek), 21 nature (Greibel)) He winds up with six orbs, sieved out of the light, hovering equidistant, buzzing. Each on its own is fairly meaningless, just bits and pieces, building blocks of space. But together, together they add up to something more beautiful than anything they've seen, glowing bright, buzzing, shimmering, full of raw potential.
GREIBEL
Oooo, shiny.
Radek leans forward and touches one to his forhead. It's... heavy. Forceful. It likes patterns, likes to rearrange things, to pull them down, into place, exactly into place.
It's not clear what Radek's place would be, however.
Ganelon (Radek): I like this one.
Ganelon (Radek): And Radek knows what his place is. He is the one who sees the blueprints. He is the one who designs the pieces and decides what they do. Certainly, he is forceful. His goal is to force those designs into place and bring an end to this chaos devouring all of creation.
Ganelon (Radek): I will claim this orb. If it does not understand my place, I simply need to explain it.
Radek absorbs the orb into himself, and the other five try to come with it at first, then bouncing away and trying to instead use Radek as their cornerstone in its place. But the balance is shifted, and the song of the six, once so beautiful, has become discordant...
Amadi frowns just a tiny bit.
AMADI
Well... that's not what I'd have done.
RADEK
...This is what the Gravedigger sought.
Somewhere in this potential is the solution to our problem.
AMADI
Er... You do realize you're dealing with a deck of cards as though they were all from different systems? Or... uh...
Taking a puzzle apart in order to swallow each piece, like a curious monkey...
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Maybe just sort of herd them into the right place?
The Gravedigger hums soothingly at the orbs.
RADEK
The right place is "together". But this puzzle is too great to comprehend as a whole. What else would you have me do?
THE GRAVEDIGGER
Take the puzzle to where you need it?
RHU
We could take it to a god?
RADEK
Pfah.
Radek drifts forwards.
The orbs, trying to remain exact distance away from each other and Radek, jitter confusedly as he moves. The distance they want to be seems to be changing almost at random.
One of them bonks into Radek's face.
This one is distinct, individual. It pushes everything away, and that makes the patterns that the other likes so much. It keeps things from balling, instead spreading out, showing worlds as separate entities. It is alone, and it wants everything to be alone.
Radek absorbs this one too, drawing it into himself and offsetting the first. They compliment each other strangely, in some ways exactly, in others not so much. The song is full of holes...
Then the other four all slam into Radek all at once and forcibly absorb themselves into him as well, knocking him backwards. It's overwhelming, covering his entire perception with something not quite there. White. Dark. Raspberry. It fills him, and he's not even quite clearly himself anymore. He's not quite clearly anything.
The Gravedigger grabs Radek, holding him in place. This time it's Radek who's glowing.
AMADI
...Yeah... That's one of the reasons I wouldn't have done that...
RHU
WAKE UP, RADEK!
Radek doesn't respond at all to this.
Rhu quickly grabs some first aid stuff out of nowhere and stabs Radek with the conceptual equivalent of an adrenaline injection. (rolled 25 heal)
Radek wakes up flailing, and full of Creation.


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Session 56 (Overview)
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I am going to kill myself with a shovel.