Holes/Session 21
A fragment of the Garden of Remembering
< Holes
Hazz'ridan: Good, you're here. Begin. Ganelon: Now let me just test two things... (Rifle Weapon Attack 13) (Implement Attack 19) Right, missed one. Still, good to go. Gaurav: Are we still in the plaza with the people? Amadi waves a hand in the direction of Dave's hand - or the knife in it - and says cheerfully Amadi: Careful. And I don't have your cane, but I have scones? I should have scones. Have anybody seen my scones? The Gravedigger: Don't look at me. I just have these sandwiches. Apheori (GM): Y'all are in a plaza in Arah mostly talking amongst yourselves. Dave has a dangerous-looking black knive and has been waving it around.There are some folks passing through the area, a few random loiterers around, and a gaggle of giggling girls passing by juggling doughnuts. They divert their course to avoid you when they see the knife. Gaurav: "gaggle of giggling girls", heh Are there any portals around the plaza? Radek: Right. Let me see that knife, Dave. Apheori (GM): There are a few gateways. Dave: Knife. Cane? Er. Greibel: They're going to need to wash their hands... Amadi: Scones! Dave: Did you have my cane? I'd like that back, please. Frezak (GM): Should have taken Expertise (pastry) Dave is still holding the knife rather dangerously. Amadi pats herself on the head and finds a scone. Radek: Why would I need a cane? Because I'm /old/? Dave: You wouldn't. I do. Radek: Well, I haven't got one. Dave: I know *someone* took it. Didn't they? Amadi smiles and munches her scone. Dave: Or did any of that happen? The Gravedigger: If Radek had a cane it would probably fire lasers. Radek: Just stop waving that thing around like a toy and let me see it. Dave: Right, moment. Amadi repeats, just as cheerfully, Amadi: Careful. Dave stops and slashes across her palm, flicks a bunch of blood into the air and yells 'WAFFLES!', and then hands Radek the knife. Frezak (GM): Gravy will try and step away from the waffly blood. Greibel: Somebody get that girl some waffles Ganelon: Does the blood behave like it ought to? Apheori (GM): The blood turns into waffles and bounces off the ground. Gaurav: 0.0 Ganelon: See, this is why I ask for such details. Ellemerr: Bouncing waffles? Apheori (GM): Just once. They were caught by surprise. Frezak (GM): Well, /I/ wasn't surprised. Gravy doesn't want to get food on him. Ganelon: Yeah, she said waffles and everything. Frezak (GM): it's unhygienic. Amadi: I wear the cheese. The cheese does not wear me. Amadi finishes her scone. Dave picks up a waffle, examines it, and then starts munching, all the while trying to look nonchalant. Ganelon: So, what's up with this knife? If I remember right, it's pitch black? Apheori (GM): Right. Ganelon: Like, lightless? Ellemerr: Yeah. Worse than black. Apheori (GM): It... may gleam, but yes. Ellemerr: It's made of shiny darkness. Possibly. At times. Gaurav: "It's just... black. May not even be metal. No light bounces off it." Ganelon: Sounds magical! Apheori (GM): Anyone with reasonable insight may notice that Dave is actually quite freaked out. Maaagic. Ganelon: Mine's 4, so probably not. But I'll totally insight this knife. With my arcana. rolling 1d20+12 ( 8 ) +12 = 20 Apheori (GM): Roll sanity too. Ganelon: rolling 1d20 ( 9 ) = 9 Apheori (GM): You determine that the knife is not any magic you've ever run into, and that it may be connected to the holes. Frezak (GM): It better not be the Subtle Knife. Gaurav: What's that? Ellemerr: But damn, Hester, you don't beat a drunk man with a stick! Frezak (GM): Heeeeeeeeee Ellemerr: Frezak (GM): It's from a book series. Ellemerr: :3 Radek: ...Curious. Could I keep this for a while? Ganelon: I'll also do a mundane material inspection. What *is* it made of? Or at least, what does it feel like? Dave: You shouldn't. It's not yours. Apheori (GM): Smooth, cold, sinister. It's made of Midnight. Or it would be if there were such a thing. Or maybe it wouldn't. It's confusing. But it does remind you of the word 'midnight' as Amadi said it for some reason. Radek offers the knife back to Dave. Radek: Hence why I was asking permission. Just don't lose this. Dave: Like Kyrule did? Radek: In any way. Dave: Erm. Amadi gives Dave a sharp look at the name, and says again - still utterly cheerful, of course, Amadi: Careful. Apheori (GM) takes it gingerly and sticks it in a sheath thingy she's suddenly holding. Frezak (GM): So what now? Dave: (almost panicked) You don't think I don't know that! Apheori (GM): Sorry, the knife taking was Dave. Rhu: rolling 1d20+9 religion check to see if I know anything about any god losing a knife that eats the light ( 7 ) +9 = 16 Ganelon: Well, I have a plan to study the holes, but that's practically all on Radek. (To Amadi): Kryule's supposed to be the reliable one and HE lost the thing. How's that for inspiring? (To Amadi): And the whole reason he had the thing was because Coraline didn't trust you two with it. (From Ellemerr): Yes, I did laught at that. xD Gaurav: Were we going to look for people who might know about the Holes here in Arah? Given that they seem to be Hole specialists of some sort. (From Ellemerr): And that is awesome. Ganelon: That was part of the plan. Frezak (GM): Oh, right, that's what I doing. Apheori (GM): Rhu: You think Hazz may be involved. Gaurav: Involved with Arah? Apheori (GM): The knife thing. Gaurav: Oh! Huh. Ellemerr: Stupid Hazz. >.> Frezak (GM): brb Rhu prays to Hazz'ridan to take care of the knife and its wielder. Ganelon: Taking care of those things is your job! He literally told you to already! Apheori (GM): Hazz'ridan tells Rhu to keep them on the move or you will all be eaten. Yeah, that is totally your job. Gaurav: It's hard to take care of someone who insists on waving light-eating daggers about! I need divine assistance. Ellemerr: Poor Rhu, babysitter of... whatever those girls are. Ganelon: Godlings. I think that's confirmed by now. Ellemerr: Tiny gods :3 Frezak (GM): Godlets. (To Gaurav): You have it. Ellemerr: *giggles* Gaurav: Okay. Let's go interrogate some Arahians. Rhu: ... and let's avoid the wizards this time. Ellemerr: ... I can't be talking much to people in Norwegian. My æ button is filthy. *sigh* Rhu looks up at the Heavens and nods gratefully. Ellemerr: But yeah, go talk to people. Frezak (GM): Yeah, asking about portals. Ellemerr: What does the sky look like? Frezak (GM): Technically, that was the last thing I was doing. Ganelon: I could tell you what it looked like the last time I asked. Ellemerr: NOT that I'm looking. I'm not. Rhu: (to thin air) Oh Great Hazz, you ... wouldn't know anything about this dagger, would you? Ganelon: I'm all for trying to track down someone who might know something about holes, though. Apheori (GM): The sky is full of clouds, golden and bright. It sort of looks like they're forming an inverse whirlpool above you, but it's the brightest part and you can't really tell. Ellemerr: Oh right. I knew that. Apheori (GM): If Amadi looked she could tell, but she isn't looking. Ellemerr: She's not. Frezak (GM): I could use Gravyvision to stare at it. If that's a thing I want to do? Do I? (To Ellemerr): It's a portal as well, and it's not so much bright as it's just too many worlds shown all at once. Apheori (GM): You could. Frezak (GM): I'm somehow under the impression that that is a bad thing. Apheori (GM): It doesn't seem likely to blind you. (To Ellemerr): Should I make Hazz appear in person and descend from the heavens? (From Ellemerr): Isn't that pretty much up to you? (To Ellemerr): It is, but I don't know. Frezak (GM): I don't think i'll take that gamble. let's go bother people. Gaurav: Is anybody in the plaza paying particular attention to a portal? I do like the idea of jamming one of the portals and waiting for maintenance to show up, but that might get us arrested. (To Rhu): The dagger is crafted of the void, a dead end that spreads and hungers. It is of the power to destroy anything, even the gods themselves. Rhu gasps Frezak (GM): Do we know that they're a local construct, or soemthing that's just naturally occuring? (To Rhu): Find the Library here in Arah. It will have the answers you seek, if any can read them. You have the writers with you. They will read it, and they will find your answers. Ganelon: I'm all for messing with portals. "Now this one leads to a hole!" Rhu motions the other party members -- excluding Dave and Amadi -- over, and then whispers to them: Apheori (GM): The portals don't look all that well-organised, so it could be that they're naturally occurring... or perhaps someone just dumped them around at random. Or perhaps they were there before the city was entirely. I think Dave and Amadi come over anyway. Rhu: [whispers] So, Hazz'ridan says that the dagger is crafted of the void, a dead end that spreads and hungers. It has the power to destroy anything ... even the gods themselves, he says. Ellemerr: Amadi might have let go of Gracy but she's sticking close. Gravy* Greibel backs away slightly Rhu: [whispers] He tells us to seek the Library in Arah. He says that we have the writers with us; the library will have the answer you seek -- if any can read them. Apheori (GM): Dave too. Rhu: I think he means them [motions at Dave and Amadi]. He says they will read it and they will find your answers. The Gravedigger: "If any can read them" ? Read the writers? Radek: Have I mentioned that I hate gods before? Rhu: Read the answers. Dave looks at Amadi. Rhu: The library has the answers we seek, if any can read them. But we have the writers with us. They will read it , and they will find your answers. Amadi looks at the cat she was petting until she forgot it and let it go. The Gravedigger: Well, that sounds incredibly helpful. Apheori (GM): The cat is sitting by a gate archway licking its butt. Rhu: Hazz'ridan the Wise provides directions to his chosen people. Plus, libraries have wifi. Amadi: It's not that kind of library, and you don't want to connect to its wifi anyway. Rhu: Why not? We might be able to get in touch with HQ again! I could check my e-mail! Amadi ignores the question and keeps watching the cat with an intrigued expression, sort of as if she's never seen a cat doing that before. Greibel: I don't think e-mail travels through time to far distant unknown planets, Rhu The Gravedigger: So does your god give us any idea where the library actually is? Rhu: Um ... not really, no. Amadi: It should be just where she left it. Rhu: Who, Dave? Amadi looks at Dave, waiting for an answer. Dave: He didn't want to put it there, but I... she... We insisted. We had to leave something, and he wasn't going to argue, not then, not after everything, not after what he would already have to do. Poor, poor, bastard. Amadi: Well, it happened, and it didn't happen, and it should still be there, anyway. Dave: We were his and he was ours and we made him do that! We made him! Rhu: ... Amadi shrugs. Rhu: ... I think we should go find this library. Dave: I used to be sane, you know. Rhu: Would you like to be sane again? Radek: Never would have guessed. Dave: No. I mean, that wasn't me. That was her. Dave looks pointedly at Amadi. Dave: Her! Amadi looks terribly offended. Frezak (GM): I'll go ask a person where the library is. Amadi: Was not! Apheori (GM): You find a random loiterer. Ask away. The Gravedigger: 'scuse me. Could you point us to the library? Frezak (GM): aaaaaand brb again Rhu: It might be a Library with a capital L? Random loiterer: Oh, aye. Down that'away. (he points down a raised street). You can take a portal through D'hanna if you've eyes for dark and it'll be a bit faster, too. Dave: (to Amadi) Well, not... Amadi hrmphs, still offended. The Gravedigger: Ta. Frezak (GM): All okay with not using portals? Gaurav: I am. Those things look dangerous. Bear Soup Guy: We could use the fresh air/exercise Random loiterer nods and goes back to fiddling with a piece of cloth. Ganelon: Yeah, I'm okay with not using portals. Frezak (GM): Walking! What kind of fiddling? As in messing with, or playing music? Apheori (GM): It's unclear. It is making some... interesting noises. Gaurav: "The ostler has a tipsy cat / that plays a five-stringed fiddle; / And up and down he runs his bow, / Now squeaking high, now purring low, / now sawing in the middle." Let's go? Frezak (GM): Yeah, let's go. Bear Soup Guy: ONWARD TO BATTLE. TO GLORY. TO THE LIBRARY! Apheori (GM): Greibel: You notice Dave is nibbling on a mushroom. Ganelon: NOOOOOOO Greibel snatches the mushroom scoldingly Dave looks hurt. Greibel: Here, this may be more appropriate Greibel hands Dave the bong with some of his weaker herbs Dave: The mushrooms work, just need small doses. Radek could probably break it down into something more controlled. Dave takes the bong regardless and then just sort of stares at it. Bear Soup Guy: I was hoping she might do that :P Radek: Do I /look/ like your dealer? Amadi suddenly screams hysterically. Gaurav: Has Dave had any mushrooms since she was knocked out by them back when we were fighting the sphinx? Was the whole running-into-the-portal-to-Arah thing completely mushroom free? Rhu: Mrs. Teatime! Are you okay? Apheori (GM): You didn't see her eating any. Amadi keeps screaming. It's getting very loud. Dave: Amadi... It's... you... Apheori (GM): You may not hear that over the screaming. Frezak (GM): I'll pick up Amadi and sort of shake her a little. (From Ellemerr): I felt that I had to do something when me-but-not-me touched my key. This was the first that came to mind. (To Ellemerr): Yes. Amadi does not stop screaming though it sounds pretty inhuman by now. She also seems to be forgoing the need to breathe. (To Ellemerr): She only has your everything in your hands. Radek plugs his ears. Frezak (GM): I'll clap a hand over her mouth. (To Ellemerr): Stop screaming when she does a thing with the bong. I need to figure out what the thing is, first, but it'll hopefully be obvious. Frezak (GM): This is where we need that... what was it called, Gan? The Pocket Dimension knife? Ellemerr: The sound is not made any lesser by the hand. Rhu walks up to Gravy holding Amadi and tries to look for any obvious causes of pain or harm on her body. Frezak (GM): We could just put her down and run. Rhu: rolling 1d20+12 Heal check on Amadi ( 4 ) +12 = 16 Dave clasps the bong in both hands and raises it into the air, closing her eyes. The bong begins to glow, then Dave as well... Amadi stops screaming and goes sort of limp. Apheori (GM): Rhu: She looks positively freaky. Ganelon: Oh, the Exodus Knife. Frezak (GM): There we go. That. Apheori (GM): Like she forgot how to be flesh and bone and it got a bit mixed up under the skin. Except then it goes back to normal when she stops screaming. Gaurav: Are Dave and bong still glowing? Ellemerr: Yes. That's exactly what I meant with "sort of limp". Apheori (GM): XD They're glowing less. Dave looks at the bong again, takes a huff, giggles, then hastily hands it back to Greibel. Rhu whispers a prayer to Hazz' for the safety of the two godlings. Apheori (GM): The bong is still glowing slightly, Dave isn't. Greibel: Huh....groovy Amadi blinks and looks sort of blurry-eyed at Gravy. Ellemerr: Now go on and explain what I mean with "sort of blurry-eyed". Please. Apheori (GM): The eyes are vibrating and glowing with colour, though you're not quite sure what colour it is. Ellemerr: I love you. Radek: Would you like to explain what that was all about? The Gravedigger: Are you falling to bits again? Rhu: (to Amadi) Are you okay now? Amadi makes a sound that you're pretty certain doesn't actually mean anything. Greibel: Glow bong! Greibel chuckles The porridge reaches down and grabs the mushroom and eats it, then goes back to sitting happily on Greibel's shoulder. Amadi frowns, and looks around. Her eyes are probably still... blurry. Amadi: What... time is it...? Frezak (GM): I'll hoist her over a shoulder if that'll let us move on. Greibel smiles at the porridge Ellemerr: My image of the porridge doing that is adorable. And yes, you can easily move her like that. Bear Soup Guy: The porridge definitely makes emoticon motions with its porridgeness Dave: So many colours... Amadi stares from her vantage-point over Gravy's shoulder at Dave, then at Greibel, then Dave, then the porridge, then Greibel again... Amadi mouths, "Did you...?" Apheori (GM): So y'all head down the street, Gravy carrying Amadi, the others going fairly normally, Dave following a bit behind in something of a daze. I guess Dave is just sort of staring at everything. Everything except Amadi. She's trying to avoid looking at Amadi. Rhu slows down until he's behind Dave so he can keep an eye on both of them. Ellemerr: That's probably a good idea xD Apheori (GM): Definitely. Gaurav: Is it? Not much Rhu can do if one or both of 'em vanish. But he's conscientious like that. Rhu keeps looking around for any religious buildings or statues as we walk through the city (To Ellemerr): You're less likely to vanish now - you could fall asleep and stay in the world. You've now got bits of Dave in you (including her relative solidity), and she has bits of you... (To Ellemerr): Of course in practice nothing could change. Just because you've got bits don't mean you're not still... you. Bear Soup Guy: rolling 1d20+11 just a random perception check for stuff we're passing by ( 16 ) +11 = 27 (From Amadi): Oh, golly. That... might actually be a good thing, of course, but... heh. Well. Gaurav: oo, nice roll Apheori (GM): Rhu sees quite a few statues, of all sorts of things. Some he recognises - gods, types of plants, a few dragon-things. Rhu also sees a few buildings that could be absolutely anything. Bear Soup Guy: Also Gan, is there a reason Greibel's sheet suddenly says he's trained in religion? Apheori (GM): Greibel sees the same, and other things - folks on drugs, a few folks who have the same sorts of auras as his companions, a pair of sphinxes, some trees with flowers that could be useful (he probably picks a few), a guy chasing a bicycle that seems to be trying to get away from him (it's driving itself). And throughout it all, gateways everywhere. (To Amadi): We shall see. Gaurav: Sphinxes? Anybody want to help the bloke with the bike? Frezak (GM): Not particularly. Bear Soup Guy: Greibel will chuckle innocently at the bike man Apheori (GM): You also pass a statue of a robed woman with strings of what might be beads covering her and an elaborate headdress; Dave kind of freaks out at it and hides on the other side of Greibel until you're all well past. (To Amadi): The statue, of course, is you. Or rather, who you both were. Rhu: rolling 1d20+9 religion check on the robed woman ( 13 ) +9 = 22 Ellemerr: Amadi is already on the other side of Gravy's head and is too busy looking blurry-eyed to notice the thing. Ganelon: Greibel is trained in religion because he got the multiclass invoker feat. You don't have to actually do anything with it. You get a cool power from the same feat. Apheori (GM) laughs maniacally. Bear Soup Guy: Oh cool Just making sure it wasn't a typo Thanks Frezak (GM): I MC'd into fighter so i'm intimidating. Apheori (GM): Rhu: No name, but it's old, older than anything here. Cold, too, dark... it reminds you a bit of Hazz, but only a shadow. Greibel: You also may notice that the statue has an aura as well. It's kind of black. And scary. But also warm. Greibel: Mmmm... Rhu peers at the statue curiously as we walk by Gaurav: Are we nearly there yet? Apheori (GM): Right. Amadi closes her eyes and makes content noises. Apheori (GM): You come to the Library. You know it's the Library because there's a sign outside that says 'The Library' in about 40 languages. Gaurav: Does it have a terrible logo? Or stone lions? Apheori (GM): It looks like originally there was only one language (in fancy print) with room to add more, and then some folks added the other main ones in with similar fancy print, then everyone else just sort of scrawled in all the others in whatever space they could find. Gaurav: What does the library building look like? Sorry, I just really like libraries. Ellemerr hugs Gaurav Ellemerr: That's nothing to apologize for,. (To Ellemerr): Time to plagiarise myself. Amadi suddenly gives a loud snore. Amazingly loud for someone of her size, but then, you already know she can scream louder. Apheori (GM): The building itself is a pyramid of sorts, a bit lobsided, a little crazy, with facets everywhere reflecting the light. Windows, apparently, though you can't quite see in. The door is also a window, but a door-sized and -shaped one with a handle. Gaurav: Pretty! Apheori (GM): I guess this is practice. Can't just talk about anything. Do you go in? Dave goes in. Greibel goes in (To Amadi): You'll need to wake up. Yours will be the best. Gaurav: Ellemerr: I was apologising for bugging Apheori about all the details, not for loving libraries! I'd never do _that_. So many pretty libraries. (From Ellemerr): Well they sort of think they need us so I was hoping they'd wake her. Gaurav: Is Amadi still obviously awake? Or does the snore mean she fell asleep? (To Ellemerr): Good point, though they can be pretty unreliable. Ellemerr: If you look, she's asleep. Frezak (GM): I'll probably waddle in but Gravy isn't proficient in libraries. Ellemerr: And you have never seen her sleep before. Apheori (GM): If you don't look, she's awak.e Ellemerr: So you don't know if she snores when she sleeps. Rhu peers at Amadi Ganelon: Radek will go in, of course. He might hate gods but he's got nothing against their knowledge. Bear Soup Guy: Quantum sleep Apheori (GM): How does he feel about drugging gods? Amadi sleeps. She's drooling a little at Gravy. Ganelon: Not too enthusiastic. He doesn't like drugs either. Bear Soup Guy: Not even FOR SCIENCE? Gaurav: As long as Gravy still has a solid grip on Amadi, Rhu's just gonna let her sleep and wander into the library behind Gravy. Ganelon: He would need several gods to drug for that, not just one. (From Amadi): Snrk. Well, it was a fun experiment, or something. Amadi wakes up when Gravy enters the building. Ellemerr: Unless nobody watches. Then she keeps sleeping. Or is it the other way around? Gaurav: Gan: you could come up with a dose-response curve for a single god. Apheori (GM): It's a small line to get to the thing itself. The guard by the velvet rope applies the move-along, one party at a time please, no touching please, see anything? Oh, really. Well, move along, one party at a time please. It turns out to be a book - a very large book as tall as a man and hopefully far wider - open on display behind the rope, but not too far. People do need to be able to read it, after all. Supposing there is anything to read at all. Most don't seem to see a thing, and leave with some disappointment. One guy says something happy about mortars as he takes his leave. And now it's your turn. Do you look? Some of you look, at least. Rhu looks around to see where Dave has gotten to Frezak (GM): PERCEPTION. Apheori (GM): The mouseforged, which was following Greibel the entire time without incident, looks. It makes happy squeaking noises. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+21 ( 1 ) +21 = 22 Uh. Gaurav: Gravyvision GO Apheori (GM): Perception and sanity checks please. Gaurav: Gravyvision NO Apheori (GM): Well, no, just sanity unless you want to add perception ot make up for Gravy. Ganelon: I'll look Apheori (GM): Gravy: You completely fail to notice several things. Frezak (GM): 22 isn't enough to see ANYTHING? Gaurav: Rhu's still looking for Dave, so I could do a perception check for the rest of the room yet, but I'm not really paying attention to the book yet. (From Ellemerr): Er. Do I roll sanity too? xD Apheori (GM): You do, however, notice that the book looks quite old, but in good condition, it's definitely magic, there are a lot of words in it hiding behind the paper, it looks mostly blank, and the guard guy is definitely an immortal, some kind of angel or something from the look of him. Frezak (GM): I'll edge towards the guardguy. The Gravedigger: So.... how'd you get the job? (To Ellemerr): No, you... just tell me what you're looking for. Or what happens to be on your mind. Or something. Amadi attempts to turn and look at the person Gravy is talking to, but is having a hard time of it since her head is behind his back. Ganelon: You wanted sanity and perception from everyone? Apheori (GM): Rhu: Dave is standing in front of the book now. Gan: Naw. Just sanity. Sorry. Ganelon: rolling 1d20 ( 1 ) = 1 I don't know if I should be excited. Amadi wriggles to get down from Gravy's shoulder. Bear Soup Guy: rolling 1d20 ( 7 ) = 7 Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20 ( 9 ) = 9 Sanity, yes? Rhu walks up to Dave and looks at the book from over her shoulder Rhu: rolling 1d20+14 perception check against the book ( 20 ) +14 = 34 rolling 1d20 sanity check ( 18 ) = 18 Frezak (GM): COME ON. I want to play Rhu. Apheori (GM): Curse you both. (From Amadi): Well she's probably thinking about dreams, right now, and the lack of dreams, since I assume she doesn't dream when she sleeps in this world, just like Dave. But she's not awake enough to be freaked out by that, and will probably forget it by the time she is, so... dreams, yeah. Gaurav: :D Apheori (GM): Radek looks at the Book. It shows him things, the edges of things, the unknowns, possibilities. Ways forward, ways around, A niggling detail that has lingered in the back of his mind brought forth into the light to be dissected at length. Here lie answers. Here lie questions. Ponder this, dear artificer, and see a little more of the world for what it is. It is yours, and yours alone. It doesn't help, of course. It's just a little bit of something to add to all the other little somethings he would have gathered up over the years. None of it makes sense after a point, but that's fine. It just doesn't help. Greibel sees things in the Book as well - he already sees more of the world than anyone realises, probably even himself, but he ignores things too. The book won't stand for that, of course. Greibel: Huhm....talk about all your eggs in one basket. Apheori (GM): Greibel is ever moving foward, learning, experiencing, living; the Book takes him back. It showd him home. What he has left behind, and what he may yet return to, if only for a little while, if only in a dream. This home is past and gone, but it is with him still, it will always be with him. It is, in a way, a part of him, but a part easily forgotten and easily ignored. A part far too easily confused for pain. Rhu: The Book is full of words, and in words there are no dead ends, only alterations, variants, transitions. Ways about. These are dangerous words, and indeed the Book as hurt many in its time, perhaps far more than it has helped. A little bit of blood, a little bit of ink, a little bit of sand. Libraries connected together. The words themselves evade Rhu, but perhaps it is for the best - the thing puts him at unease, like it would take something very dear from him... or perhaps give something... something else. It could be so, so important... (To Ellemerr): I suppose Gravy still needs to put you down. >.> (From Amadi): Yes. Apheori (GM): Gravy talks to the guy first. The guy says something about it apparently being needed, so he started doing it. Gaurav: Blood. Apheori (GM): He also says something about things being much less messy now. Ellemerr: The blood is the key.- Ganelon: I'll have a look at Dave, then. See if she's come to some sort of revelation. Apheori (GM): She looks a bit confused, like she's not even sure what she's doing there. Amadi struggles some more and then she says something into Gravy's back that sounds sort of like Amadi: Wouf ee wowm. Ellemerr: phone Apheori (GM): Ack, be right back. Rhu: Can we take a picture of that book? Frezak (GM): You might give your camera sentience. Gaurav: We could try that with Radek's eyebot Ganelon: I'd rather not have another porridge. Frezak (GM): Eyeporridge sounds bad. Apheori (GM): Yes. Ganelon: I wouldn't mind taking a picture, but I don't know if I have the equipment for that. Frezak (GM): Well, we have the fear to record stuff, so pictures should be given. Ganelon: Fair enough. Sure, I'll try that. Apheori (GM): You totally can. Ganelon: Awesome. What happens? Does it mess up my computer? Does the image talk? Is it just a blank book? Apheori (GM): Single-frame or multiple? Ganelon: Let's go with single for now. Apheori (GM): It's a picture! Nothing odd about it. Ganelon: Can I read words on the book in the picture? Apheori (GM): Nope. Blank pages in a general image. Completely innocuous. Ganelon: Ah well. It was worth trying. Frezak (GM): So the book is a... mental machine? Apheori (GM): Maybe. Maybe not. Are you going to put Amadi down? Frezak: ^ Also are you going to try to read it? Ganelon: I thought he already did. Frezak (GM): I thought I was still carrying her. i'll put her down should she request it, otherwise, she's luggage. Apheori (GM): She tried to request it. It wasn't exactly clear. Gaurav: Is there anything else in this library? Rhu would be particularly interested in signs marked "Staff only" doors, not signs Apheori (GM): Guard, another party behind you, someone loitering by a wall/window talking on his phone. There's another door leading outside. Ellemerr: If she gets no response, she'll actually raise her head and request it in an understandable fashion. Apheori (GM): She may have to do that. Amadi raises her head. Amadi: Gracy! Put. Me. Down. Gravy* Ellemerr: I should stop typing and eating; my v dpesm doesn't like it. Frezak (GM): Gravy will 'hrmph' at the rudeness, but comply. Ellemerr: ... Generally my whole keyboard seems to be revolted. Amadi chirps a happy "Thank you" and runs over to the book. Before looking at it, she looks at Gravy and motions for him to come as well. Her face is flushed with childish glee. Rhu: rolling 1d20+14 perception check to listen in on the guy on the phone ( 9 ) +14 = 23 Dave scoots around and hides behind the book when Amadi runs over. Amadi looks at the book. Apheori (GM): Rhu: He's talking about shellfish, something about 'the exchange', and numbers. Frezak (GM): Gravy will plod to the midget. Apheori (GM): Which one? Ellemerr: Probably the one that requested his presence, though I'm not actually sure. Frezak (GM): I don't think of Dave as being as small as Amadi. Ellemerr: Despite them looking sort of like twins. Where "sort of" again has some strange other meaning. Apheori (GM): She's as short, but due to her wings she has a lot more volume. Midgetiness is height-based, though, no? Ellemerr: Yes. Apheori (GM): If anything Dave might appear shorter because she doesn't have any shoes and usually walks on the ground. Ellemerr: ... But I think Amadi does that, too. If I have shoes I don't know of them. Do I have shoes I don't know about? Frezak (GM): If you did, we can't tell you, because then you wouldn't though you did. Ellemerr: Heeee Now, book? Apheori (GM): Book writing is hard. Gaurav: I'm tempted to ask for a Gravyvision read on the number and type of Amadi's shoes, just to see if it destroys the universe. Apheori (GM): I guess Amadi isn't wearing shoes either. How odd. Okay. Um. There was a conversation in #uncyclopedia that really distracted me for some reason. Sorry about that. Ellemerr: We forgive you. Now give us words. Bear Soup Guy: Heads up, I should probably be leaving in about fifteen minutes I've been uncharacteristically busy on Sunday afternoons for some reason Apheori (GM): The book shows Amadi dreams. Not her dreams, and not the dreams she weaves and walks in her own realm, but the dreams of other things, in other places. These dreams are small, and large, subtle and simple. They don't really go anywhere, and they don't ever really end; they shape their dreamers, the rocks, the worlds, the stars. They dream of dreaming, and they dream of what they are, and so it is. And it is hers. All hers, or it will be, once she finds herself, or herself finds her. Dave could have been the one, but Dave isn't the one, because Dave was too soon and isn't really Dave at all, but Dawn. Yes. She was right about that. She was right about a lot of things. And that's fine. It's good to be right. Bear Soup Guy: Although to be fair today I'm doing the thing I was supposed to do last week before running to the ER instead Gaurav: BSG: eep! Why the ER trip? oooh, Amadi got a pretty positive one Bear Soup Guy: Ah, it turned out to be nothing, thought I was having urinary issues again >_< Apheori (GM): >.< GRAVY! LOOK AT THE BOOK SO WE CAN WRAP UP TODAY! Frezak (GM): I thought I was. Since I was being dominated by a midget. Bear Soup Guy: On the plus side, they gave me pills that turned my pee orange and I proved that I am a massive child by immensely enjoying that Frezak (GM): Okay, I look at teh book. I would also be a child. Apheori (GM): Snrk. Being children is fun. Gravy! You see the word 'shovel'. There's other stuff, too, but you can't quite make it out, words that are just out of focus, beneath the page. Bear Soup Guy: XD Gaurav: BSG: YAY! The Gravedigger: Well this is a dumb book. Gaurav: BSG: esp on the turned-out-to-be-nothing front, but hey, orange pee (From Ellemerr): Aaaw, you changed it! Bear Soup Guy: Yeah :D Amadi giggles. (To Ellemerr): What do you mean? He failed his insanity check. Amadi: You can try it again sometime, maybe. Maybe not. Amadi takes Gravy's hand and runs to join the others. She looks extremely happy. Amadi: That was fun. (From Ellemerr): Oh, right. FREZAK YOU ROLL LIKE A HAG (From Ellemerr): That ain't a compliment. Rhu: Weren't you scared? There's something ... not right about that book. Something dangerous. Something ... blood. (To Ellemerr): So did Rhu, which was even more disappointing. (From Ellemerr): ... He definitely did, yeah. (To Ellemerr): I wanted to see him break. Amadi: Pffffff It's the Library. Greibel: Please Rhu, grammar Rhu: I don't know what blood it is, but there's something blood about it. It creeped me out. (To Rhu): You hear the book calling to you. Something about fish. Rhu turns back towards the book Radek: I saw nothing of the sort. Rhu: [mutters] ... fish ... Gaurav: Does that mean i get to do a sanity roll? Amadi gives Rhu a mischievous poke. Amadi: You were probably too busy looking for dead ends. Rhu: rolling 1d20 ( 11 ) = 11 Apheori (GM): Rhu! Sanity! The Gravedigger: Well, does /anyone/ know anything useful now? Apheori (GM): You're sane enough to not be compelled to do anything idiotic. Gaurav: Can I sense what I am being compelled to do, even if I'm sane enough to resist? Apheori (GM): No. Gaurav: Sigh. Rhu turning back to the party. Amadi: I know tons of things! Rhu: Blood and fish. Radek: I saw plenty of answers, none of them relevant to our most immediate problem. Apheori (GM): Dave is still hiding behind the book. Rhu walks up to Dave. Apheori (GM): Also for those of you who saw things, that would be worth a bit of experience if I had any idea how to do that. Since I don't, though, there wasn't really any point in my bringing that up. And yeah, you all get the idea that whatever you came here to find, you haven't found. Something about these two. We'll come back to that next week. Frezak (GM): Maybe I should... bury the book. Gaurav: Clearly, we're not insane enough yet. Apheori (GM): Maybe. Gaurav: Next week, we're all eating mushrooms. Ganelon: You don't really need to track experience. Gaurav: Man, I took a lot of notes today. Ganelon: Campaigns can be run with arbitrary level-ups. Apheori (GM): This one is! Ganelon: I could argue that your arbitrary level-ups could be spaced a bit more evenly, but yes. It still works. Apheori (GM): You wouldn't get much of an argument. Ganelon: I'm in another game with a guy none of you know, and he apparently expects us to level like three times over the course of going through a single dungeon. Frezak (GM): How long is the dungeon? Ganelon: (Standard rules say one level about every 10 fights. We all agreed that was silly). Multiple floors, but nowhere near that much combat. And actually, I shouldn't imply that I'm opposed to the normal leveling progress, but I'm just also not opposed to it being faster. Apheori (GM): Aye. Well, see you all next week. I'ma LUUUUnCH! Ellemerr: Er... no. Apheori (GM) flies out a window. Bear Soup Guy: Yep, bye everybody Gaurav: I knew there was a reason the doors were windows in here. Ellemerr: Amadi will sleep next week. Bear Soup Guy: Awesome book stuff Apheori Apheori (GM): Okay. Gaurav: Yes! This was a fun session. Ellemerr: I sort of forgot that this was a weekend-thing now. *shifty eyes* Apheori (GM): Amadi will be missed. But it should be funny, at least. Ellemerr: So I didn't tell you. Sorry. Gaurav: Apheori: didn't you say we could switch back to weekday games for a bit at some point? Ellemerr: It's apropriate, at least. "Well, that was fun!" *snoore* *poof* Apheori (GM): After the 15th until the 12th. We'll worry about that then. Gaurav: oh, right, the 15th is further away than I thought. my bad. Bear Soup Guy: Well adios all, thanks and see ya next time! Gaurav: bye, BSG! bye, everybody! see you all next week! Ellemerr: *waves* Ganelon: See ya. Frezak (GM): THis felt like a short session. When did we start? Ellemerr: Around four. Or five. Thereabouts. Frezak (GM): Felt more like six to me. Ganelon: It was pretty short. About three hours worth. Apheori (GM): Had to level up first. Could have done that after. Whatever. Sorry.
