Holes/Session 26
A fragment of the Garden of Remembering
< Holes
Apheori (GM): Is gan here? LEIK GUIS LETS GO Woah, these are weird bugs. Anyway. Rhu continues to be sick in spaaaace Gaurav: or in Everything. whichevs. Ganelon: Space is a part of everything. Apheori (GM): Gravy digs into midnight. Gravy, Rhu, and Radek find themselves in a space of utter blackness, except you can all sort of see each other. And hear each other. And possibly each other's minds. Gaurav: o.0 Rhu thinks angry thoughts about Dave, who got him into this mess Gaurav: Is Dave around? Apheori (GM): Greibel, Amdi, and Dave are nowhere to be seen. Does Gravy keep digging? This isn't what you were digging for, but what you were digging for is perhaps here somewhere. Ganelon: Oh man, people hearing Radek's mind? They're not going to like that. Apheori (GM): Go on. Ganelon: It's at all times either incomprehensible jargon or incredibly rude. If you're lucky, the rudeness is done in incomprehensible jargon and thus may not be understood well enough to be offensive. Right now he's thinking about the shielding artifact. And where the hell he is, but I suspect everyone is doing that. Apheori (GM): You're all standing on nothing. I feel like I should point that out. Unless Rhu is sitting. Also the skull is gone. Also the artifact has turned a funny colour. Also Gravy's mind is a shovel. Gaurav: I thought Rhu was floating as in a pool of water. Also: skull vanish nooooooo Apheori (GM): It's a pool of nothing. You sit in nothing. Frezak (GM): Well if my mind is a shovel then I'll keep digging because that is what shovels do. Ellemerr: I don't know where I am. Rhu realizes the skull is missing and looks around frantically for it. Or Dave. Or something. Apheori (GM): Gravy keeps digging. He goes around in no particular direction, and looks rather strange. Ellemerr: Where do you want to be? Ganelon: Well, I was standing on everything not five minutes ago, so this can't be too much stranger. Ellemerr: "Nowhere to be seen" = "nothing". I guess that makes sense. Gaurav: What does Rhu see when he sees Gravy and Radek? Are they floating? Is Gravy partially invisible in his newly dug grave of nothingness? Apheori (GM): Gravy, Radek, Rhu: d20s Ganelon: rolling 1d20 ( 4 ) = 4 Frezak (GM): 8 Gaurav: rolling d20 ( 4 ) = 4 YES Apheori (GM): Rhu sees digging and jargon. Gravy sees a shovel. Radek sees the artifact inside out. Everyone is floating, and everything is solid and not all there. Ganelon: Does it look as mundane on the inside as it does on the out? Apheori (GM): Bits trailing behind. To you, yes. Frezak (GM): I don't know if shovels want to get shovels. Apheori (GM): It's pretty straight forward, but it 's not going to protect you too well from this. You're not entirely a shovel anymore. You can roll again to be more or less of a shovel. Frezak (GM): 8 Apheori (GM): Gravy is partially gravy and partially shovel mind. Rhu, Radek: You see this. Frezak (GM): That's really not helpful information if you want me to tell you what Gravy does. (To Ellemerr): You can't play Amadi here. Amadi cannot exist here, not without the rest of her. Would you like to play the relatively sane whole of which Amadi is a part? *shifty eyes* Apheori (GM): Gravy can do anything. I don't know what he does in that situation. What information do you need? (From Ellemerr): O________O (From Ellemerr): That's terrifying. (To Ellemerr): I'm sorry! Ganelon: I'll occupy myself with the question of "where am I?" (To Ellemerr): You could also just be somewhere else. Frezak (GM): I'd love to know how much of Gravy's mind is the mind that I know. And not that of an inanimate, non-sentient tool. Apheori (GM): Let's go with 80% Gan: Arcana. Ganelon: And a name alone isn't the answer I'd settle on. Properties of this space, for instance, would help to know. rolling 1d20+12 ( 7 ) +12 = 19 Apheori (GM): It's not really space at all. It doesn't really seem to exist, or be here, and neither do you. Thoughts seem to affect it, though, and you seem to be as much thought at this point as solid object. If there is such a thing as a solid object. It's hard to tell. Frezak (GM): Sounds like shovelspace again. Ganelon: Hmm. Frezak (GM): Well, no-shovelspace Ganelon: Then I'll start by imagining boundaries and see if they don't become semi-real. A floor, walls, etc. Gaurav: Rhu gives up on looking for Dave and Skull, and prays to Hazz' to protect them both, wherever they are. Rhu: rolling 1d20+9 religion check ( 12 ) +9 = 21 Frezak (GM): A thermionic valve transducer (From Ellemerr): I can try. I think. If you give me some time to get used to the idea first. >.> Shovel some more, first. Apheori (GM): Radek imagines a room, and a room forms around the three of you, shapes or perhaps ideas of walls and floor and ceiling forming out of the black. You all sort of drift down to the floor and wind up standing/sitting on it. Radek: It seems we have the power to create, here. Apheori (GM): Instead of on nothing. Rhu is lying down on the floor with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Frezak (GM): Gravy imagines Gravy. Apheori (GM): Gravy: Roll insight. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+3 ( 16 ) +3 = 19 Gaurav: (in a senseless, mumbled monotone:) Why do we have the power to create? And where is "here"? And where did Dave go? Rhu: (in a senseless, mumbled monotone:) Why do we have the power to create? And where is "here"? And where did Dave go? (continues mumbling about Dave and skulls and whatnot) Apheori (GM): Gravy winds up with a somewhat confused Gravy spread out before him, which is looking back at the somewhat confused gravy spread out before him. The Gravedigger: Gimme a hand with this digging! We're almost here! Ellemerr: *laughs* Apheori (GM): Two Gravediggers dig in opposite directions. Frezak (GM): Double chances to find something. TEAMWORK Apheori (GM): They hit the walls Radek made and the room sort of falls apart. Frezak (GM): by myself Radek: Hmph. Rhu looks blankly at the two Gravys digging, then back at the ceiling. He sighs wearily before getting up and walking over to see if he can help with either digging effort. Radek: If you're not digging graves, use a machine. Apheori (GM): Rhu: Sanity. Rhu: rolling d20 ( 15 ) = 15 The Gravedigger: Crafstmanship, grumpa. Professional pride. Apheori (GM): What is Gravy digging for? Does he know? Ganelon: Grumpa. Good one. Frezak (GM): He's looking for the One True Shovel That Apparently Isn't Actually A Shovel Apheori (GM): Roll perception to check if he already has it. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+10+2 ( 4 ) +10+2 = 16 Apheori (GM): Amadi: You're in a kitchen. Dave is there, and so is Elia, and another one whose name you don't know. You're not sure she even has a name. There are a bunch of cakes on the table. Gravy doesn't notice he already has it. The shovel. Frezak (GM): It might be Bruce Willis. Apheori (GM): Gan, Rhu: Gravy's getting further away, except he's not actually getting further away. Perhaps just more... spread out? Frezak (GM): Smeared across reality! LIKE JAM Apheori (GM): What reality? And what kind of jam? Radek: Honestly, I have to solve /everyone's/ problems... Apheori (GM): Gan: Feel free to arcana everything. Ganelon: I do know what he's looking for. Do I know where it is? Apheori (GM): Or anything. Arcana it! Rhu continues to try to walk towards the two Gravys anyway. When he notices the jam-smeared-Gravy thing, he stops, then looks around to give Radek an "are you seeing this?!" look (From Ellemerr): In a kitchen... where? Do I know? Gaurav: much like this pug -> http://tumblr.ggvaidya.com/post/86721110009 Radek shoots Rhu a "I know, right?" look right back. (To Ellemerr): It's in your realm. Well, all of your realm. Frezak (GM): I should summon Codrichun to help! :3 Ganelon: Given how intent may be communicated in more ways than just the looks themselves, he probably gets it. Yeah, Codrichun is well-known for helping. Frezak (GM): Totes. Ganelon: All sorts of things. (From Ellemerr): Do I know what I'm doing there? xD Is anything... different? Beside their presence? Gaurav gives up on reaching the Gravys and instead tries to perception these walls by poking at them Rhu gives up on reaching the Gravys and instead tries to perception these walls by poking at them Rhu: rolling 1d20+14 perception check on the walls ( 12 ) +14 = 26 Frezak (GM): I think plural should be Gravies. Because it looks better. (To Ellemerr): You really don't. You shouldn't be here - you should be somewhere else. Something was dug, though, and you bounced. And now you're here with these other fragments, one of whom is reading the paper and ignoring you, the other two... well, Dave is eating a cake and looking around in confusion, and Elia is just screaming silently. But she's no longer a skull, so that's maybe something? Ganelon: rolling 1d20+12 (locating the source of Gravy's search via Arcana) ( 17 ) +12 = 29 Er, not the source. The object. Gaurav: can we distinguish the Gravies in any way? Apheori (GM): Rhu sees the walls fall away. They're both Gravy. Ellemerr: ... I'll... eat a cake. I'm sure cake will make everything better. Mmm, cake. *is ready to scream and run* Rhu just kind of stands there with his finger frozen mid-poke and an "oh shiiiii-" look on his face. Apheori (GM): Radek determines that Gravy, both the Gravies, already have the shovel and that's what they're digging with. Rhu tries to reimagine the wall back into place with his mind. Apheori (GM): Actually locating it, however, kind of fails. The entire concept of 'location' here kind of fails. Rhu: Sanity please. Rhu: rolling d20 ( 11 ) = 11 Gaurav: hmm Apheori (GM): Rhu winds up with a wall right in front of him. This one has some wood panelling, is generally plastered, and is trimmed with some nice boards. It fades away almost immediately. Rhu: Huh! Wait --- Rhu tries imagining another wall, this one nice and solid and made of red bricks. Radek: Gravy! Both Gravies! Apheori (GM): Amadi: It's good cake. Not perfect - it tastes a little old - but good. Radek: Listen to me. The shovel has always been with you! The Gravedigger: Huh. Radek: You're literally using it to search for itself, idiots! The Gravedigger: Well that explains why it didn't work. Thanks, Radek. Radek: Whatever! Just stop making a mess of the nothingness! Apheori (GM): Amadi: Elia keeps screaming silently. Dave smiles at you every time you look at her. The other one never looks up from her paper. Gaurav: Is that one of the Gravies talking, or are they both talking as one? Apheori (GM): One of them is talking, the other is doing any relevant hand motions or whatever. Gaurav: Dave _smiles at Amadi_? Creepy. Apheori (GM): Dave is being GIR. Frezak (GM): Gravy will sheepishly try and put things back. Apheori (GM): Roll arcana or sanity. Ellemerr: Yeah, I feel I have reason to be creeped out over here. Ganelon: Gravy rolling Arcana? Oh, I'm excited. Apheori (GM): You can also roll digging, but I can't promise it won't make things worse? Amadi: So, girls... um. Tea, maybe? Frezak (GM): ARCANA rolling 1D20+3 ( 7 ) +3 = 10 Amadi: ... Am I the only one with a feeling we should be... elsewhere? Apheori (GM): The two Gravies put some things back together and then run into each other. It turns out they're not too good at coordinating two bodies. Amadi: The one with the paper looks up curiously. Elia keeps screaming. Dave says, "Er." Ganelon: Elia must be the worst roommate. Gaurav: Tea! Just the thing to sooth your throat after a silent scream. Frezak (GM): Dave doesn't sound too great either. Gaurav: Does Rhu have his backpack/rest of his inventory with him? ... does Amadi still have her little book of all answers? Apheori (GM): If he checks for it, yes. Amadi has a lot of things. Amadi takes out the tea and starts serving everyone. Miss Paper gets extra sugar. Dave extra milk. Radek: Alright, you two. Three. Whatever. Rhu doesn't know why he suddenly remembered the journal from when they first landed in CAR near the commune, but he looks for it now. Radek: We're only going to get in each others' way in here if we try to work towards different goals. What are we trying to do? The Gravedigger: I'm in my own way. Rhu keeps searching. He finds the piece of tentacle he found in the portal, squeezes it lightly a few times like a stress ball, then puts it away again. The Gravedigger sits down. Apheori (GM): The one with the paper thanks her and goes back to her paper, sipping the tea. Daves stares at her cup in confusion. Elia won't take a cup at all. Radek: You have a Rhu going through his bag, and two Gravediggers sitting before you. Amadi pours the tea into Elia's open mouth, and Dave's cup over Dave's head. Rhu: I have no idea if this will help, but I still have some mushrooms from that stoned philosopher we met in the prison in the town with all the policemen. Apheori (GM): Rhu: You pull out a rock with a bird symbol on it. Gaurav waves the mushrooms and rock-with-bird in front of Radek Rhu waves the mushrooms and rock-with-bird in front of Radek Apheori (GM): Amadi: Elia keeps screaming. Dave blinks, sputters, and then punches you in the face. Radek: ...Really, Rhu? You want to do drugs? Now? Gaurav: Yeah, I suspect Amadi would be the worst housemate of the lot, unless you like your tea with extra sugar and on your head. Frezak (GM): WHO PUNCHED AMADI Gravysense is tingling. He's a defender, gorramit! Apheori (GM): Gravyvision! Do it. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+22 ( 4 ) +22 = 26 Jeebus That's still better than most people. But not great for Gravy. Rhu: It's either the mushrooms (waves mushrooms) or the rock with the bird (waves bird rock). I wish I had that skull back. Apheori (GM): Gravy: Hazz did it. You see some sort of incident with a bunch of fancily-dressed gods. Not-amadi is rubbing her nose. Frezak (GM): I will marshall all my legs and stomp angrily up to Hazz Gaurav: all four legs Apheori (GM): Roll arcana to interact with the Hazz vision. Frezak (GM): Ugh rolling 1D20+3 ( 14 ) +3 = 17 Apheori (GM): Or digging. Frezak (GM): That was arcana. Apheori (GM): Good. Digging results would probably be unpleasant. Radek: Huh. I never took you for a student of the arcane. Ganelon: (Or anything. Young whippersnapper was probably homeschooled) Apheori (GM): Gravy: You get the feeling you're mostly just seeing something that already happened, but you can also touch it if you'd like. What do you do? Basically you have two Gravies sort of standing between a Not-Amadi and a Hazz'ridan. Frezak (GM): Gravy will Mark Hazzridan. Means that Hazz has a penalty to hit other people and Gravy gets to smack Hazz for doing so. Gaurav: I assume Rhu cannot see his God being marked. Apheori (GM): No, he can. Radek and Rhu now see this too, since Gravy's focussing on it. Frezak (GM): It's not an attack, it's making that target aware that Gravy is a presence that will not tolerate violence on the people he wants to protect. Radek sits down with his rifle leaning over one shoulder, and elbows Rhu. Radek: This ought to be good. Rhu: HEY! The Gravedigger: NO HITTING! BAD GOD! Ellemerr: Sorry, I'm being terribly distracted. Please excuse my slowness. >.< Apheori (GM): Gravy: Roll sanity. The Gravedigger: 7 Frezak (GM): Yay! Gaurav: Nicely done. Apheori (GM): Ellemerr: Don't worry. He failed the roll and got something completely different from what you're interfacing with, so you've all the time in the world. Rhu steps up in between Hazz' and Gravy. He takes his maul out, but is clearly confused about who he should support here, and just sort of holds it by his side. Apheori (GM): Gravy: Hazz'ridan sees you. Frezak (GM): My mark is a Burst, so I mark Rhu too. The Gravedigger: NO FIGHTING. Hazz'ridan: Hello, Shovel. Ellemerr: I'm lovin' this. Ganelon: ...Does he appreciate being called that? (To Ellemerr): If he rolls badly enough he might actually become the god of shovels. Apheori (GM) cackles. (From Ellemerr): I'm lovin' this. (From Ellemerr): Frezak: Beware. *cackles* (To Ellemerr): *maniac grin* Rhu sees Gravy staring at him with mark-like intensity, and turns slightly to face him while keeping Hazz' in his peripheral vision. His maul is still down. The Gravedigger: You don't hit the godshard, okay? That one, specifically. Ganelon: "All the others are totes fine) Gaurav: Does the voice sound like Hazz' as Rhu hears him in his head? Hazz'ridan: Godshard? She is no shard. Apheori (GM): Sure, why not. It also sounds a bit amused. Amadi bangs her palms into the table, making the tea pot jiggle. Amadi: FINE. I'm better off without you anyway. Amadi leaves the kitchen, banging the door. Amadi also stood up angrily when she banged her palms into the table. But Ellemerr forgot what she was writing on the halfway. Apheori (GM): The tea spills over the newspaper, and the one at the table looks a bit affronted. Dave rubs her nose, then blasts Elia with something as Amadi leaves. Amadi: You are now outside the cottage. It's a nice little area, with something of a clearing and garden near it, and woods further off. Birds chirp pleasantly. A warm breeze drifts through the leaves. Some flowers bloom mockingly. Rhu: rolling 1d20+14 perception check to check not-Amadi for ... godshardiness ( 9 ) +14 = 23 The Gravedigger: I don't really care. Just don't hit whatever it is again. Amadi harrumphs and glares at the flowers. How dare they be so cheerful and brightly coloured! Apheori (GM): Rhu: This one might actually be sane. Like... really not a shard. Or something. Gaurav blooms as well. Rhu: (to not-Amadi) ... Mrs. Teatime? (From Ellemerr): So... they're seeing Ea? Why did Hazz punch her? Did she punch back? Apheori (GM): Gravy: The not Amadi taps you on the shoulder and asks you what you're doing in her closet. At least you think she said closet. But that doesn't really make sense, does it? Rhu: (to Gravy) I don't think that's our Mrs. Teatime. (To Ellemerr): Yup. Way in the past, or something. I think she asked him to do whatever it was in the first place. As a joke, or something. Possibly to mess with all the other gods' heads. The Gravedigger: Well you want to tell me why YOUR god is going around bopping midgets? Sounds /really/ godly. Amadi stomps over the flowers and towards the... when? She knows she's supposed to be sometime. She's... not sure she wants to. She should probably bring the others. All of them. But she /knows/ she doesn't want to do /that/. Rhu: Bopping ... midgets? Radek: Honestly, it sounds exactly like the behaviour of gods to me. Rhu looks at Hazz' in confusion and the merest hint of a rebuke Not Amadi: Who are you calling a midget? Ellemerr: Heeeeee The Gravedigger looks down. The Gravedigger: You. Hazz'ridan: And what are you doing in the realms of gods, Wayfarers? Rhu: Were you ... bopped ... by Hazz'ridan the Wise and End of All, Mrs. maybe-Teatime? Apheori (GM): Those of you with perception may notice that none of the other gods can see you. Radek: Vacationing. Hazz'ridan, right? I've always held the utmost disrespect for your line of work. Frezak (GM): So I'm about to leave shortly. Not Amadi grins. Apheori (GM): Aww. Rhu: I was lead here by the godshard you asked me to protect, oh Keeper of Finality. I think she might be nuts. Ellemerr: I am not a nut! Nor am I several nuts. Ganelon: Are you suuuuure? Not Amadi looks Rhu over. Not Amadi: If she led you here, she must have been. Rhu: Ellemerr: I was lead here by the _other_ nutso godshard. Gaurav: err, ooc Ellemerr: Oh, that you were. Gaurav: although Ellemerr showing up here wouldn't be _impossible_ I don't think ... Ellemerr: Well, /she/ might be nuts. She was very rude, regardless. *hrmph* Hazz'ridan: (to Radek) Good. Rhu: (to Not Amadi) Seriously. I hope she's okay though. She's ... not herself. (to Not Amadi) You're not Mrs. Teatime, are you? Are you the person I saw in the portal when I met my Lord? s/saw/met/g Not Amadi: Seeing as she's me, I hope so as well. Well, a part of me, I suppose. That would have been another part, I suspect. I guess I'm dead at that point. Apheori (GM): Frezak: How shortly is the leaving? You may vanish at any point. Ganelon: How extended is the leaving, as well? Apheori (GM): That too. Frezak (GM): Pretty much now. I don't know >.> Apheori (GM): Hmm. Rhu takes all this in, glancing at the other gods as I do. Amadi keeps going, glaring and stomping at more flowers on the way. Frezak (GM): LIkely an hour or two. Ganelon: I wonder what would happen if I detonated my megabomb here in the realm of the gods. Apheori (GM) giggles. Apheori (GM): The Gravediggers vanish. We may also want to take a general break at some point until Frezak gets back, but randomly vanishing is normal here. Rhu stares at the space previously occupied by a pair of Gravies Apheori (GM): Amadi: You trample through the woods, and they get darker. Ganelon: I might take a quick nap while he's gone, if it's truly okay. Amadi: Stupid Dave. Sure, so she's anger, but does she have to share it like this? I really am better off without her. Ugh, get out of my head, Dave! I left you; I left you in the heart, and... We're not Her. That's the whole point, and I'm better off anyway. Amadi mutters angrily as she tramples through the woods. Apheori (GM): Aiight, we'll come back to Rhu and Radek and the gods later. Ganelon: Getting angry at anger? Not the most productive way to spend one's time. Ellemerr: I have a ton of things I should've done today that I naturally haven't done. But if her comes back in two hours, that's when I need to sleep. >.> Ganelon: Awww. Ellemerr: he* Ganelon: Well, I intend to return on the hour exactly. Apheori (GM): Hopefully he comes back sooner so we can sort out a saner meeting time. >.> Ellemerr: I won't be far away. If I seem unresponsive, use skype. If it doesn't work, use more skype. Ganelon: And even on a different day, no less. Apheori (GM): Actually, Ellemerr, we could keep going. But yes, a different day would be good. Ellemerr: Hm... for a little bit, I guess. Apheori (GM): So Amadi is trampling through the woods, heading toward... what is she heading toward? Does she even know? Ellemerr: Nope! She's got a little more than half a mind to go where she's supposed to be, but the remaining little-less-than-a-half is struggling. Apheori (GM): Still trampling all the flowers she can find? Ellemerr: Naw, only the ones that are convenient, and have cheery colours. Apheori (GM): Okay. There are a lot of woods. I think she should roll something to determine if she really makes it. Ellemerr: Well - Into the woods we go again; you have to every now and then... rolling 1d20 ( 5 ) = 5 Apheori (GM): Amadi gets distracted by a small shack. Ellemerr: Into the woods, no knowing when; be ready - actually, this seems like too much effort. And I'm never ready for anything. Amadi goes over to the small shack and opens the door. Apheori (GM): How could you be ready? Roll a d20. Ellemerr: No idea. rolling 1d20 ( 6 ) = 6 ^ This is basically my day. Apheori (GM): The inside is a bedroom. There is a big, fluffy bed, and bits of yarn and odds and ends everywhere. And pillows. It hasn't been entered in awhile, and things are a bit dusty. Leaves have blown in under the door. Gaurav: I wonder if Amadi is the only person in this game for whom low sanity rolls are actually bad. Amadi: Trying to tell me something, huh. Apheori (GM): The bedroom doesn't answer. Amadi sighs and gives the bed a long, tired look. You have to sleep to wake up, right? But dreaming... The dreams will always be there. Here. Everywhere. Her mind still torn (is she alone in there? Truly?), she picks up the duvet and shakes it vigorously, before proceeding with brushing bunnies (the dust variety) off the sheets and beating the pillow to a state where putting your head on it won't submerge you in a dusty cloud. Apheori (GM): The dust fills the air with sparkles. Amadi smiles slightly. Amadi: It's all shiny, capt'n. Amadi then goes to bed. Apheori (GM): The feeling is nostalgic, like something from a very long time ago, an old dream oft returned to, and always forgotten. Full of magic and childhood. Covers tucked in around, late evening light sparkling at its end, a long day behind you, and tiredness tugging you into sleep's soft, soft embrace. You don't dream. Ellemerr is somewhere between utterly peaceful and utterly freaked out. Apheori (GM): Heeeee. That's all I've got, then. Ellemerr: I'll do my things. >.> Apheori (GM): I'll get really distracted. Gaurav: how much time do we have before Gan/Frezak may return? Apheori (GM): I dunno. This thing doesn't have timestamps. Gaurav: ugh. well, I'll go get lunch, and be back by 12:30 MT, and hope for the best.someone annoy me on e-mail/sms if I need to hurry back! Apheori (GM): Is everyone back? Gaurav: I'm back. Mm, burger. Apheori (GM): Argh, I should pin my orchid down. It's growing funkily. Ganelon: I'm here. Frezak (GM): *waves* Ellemerr: Oh, if it's not obvious, I'm here too. Gaurav: when are we playing next? Ganelon: I always did like the old tuesday sessions, but any time is probably okay. Frezak (GM): We never stopped. We never started. We are. Apheori (GM): Yes. Frezak (GM): Tuesdays would probably result in me having suboptimal participation. Apheori (GM): Oh gods, these noodles are spicy. Ganelon: When would you suggest then, Frezak? Gaurav: oh dear Frezak (GM): I really wouldn't >.> ONly days I'm supposedly free are Friday and Wednesday Apheori (GM): AAAAAGH BISCUITS How supposed is supposedly? Ellemerr: All days are more or less the same to me now that it's summer. Ganelon: Well he often has time to watch movies on those days, from what I observe. Apheori (GM): Ow ow owo ow ow. Gaurav: Is that the noodles? Apheori (GM): Yes. >.< Okay, where were we? Ganelon: Nowhere. Ellemerr: I'm sleeping. Ganelon: Well, Midnight. Where nothing is. Ellemerr: Or possibly waking. And NOT dreaming. Gaurav: I thought it was everything? The Gravies had just vanished. And not-Amadi was talking sense. And Hazz' was surprisingly untalky. Apheori (GM): I can't get the log to load. >.< Ganelon: Yeah, quite unsettling, that. Gaurav: Oh, and there are other gods somewhere and they can't see us, but I'm not sure where they are :-/ Apheori (GM): You've half barged in on a fancy party. Except they can't see you. And as far as you're concerned they aren't really there, aside from the Not-Amadi and Hazz'ridan. Gaurav: but where are they relative to the room-missing-one-wall we're in? Inside? Outside? Are they in human/elven forms, or looming over us? Apheori (GM): This is kind of... on top of the room? It's hard to tell. They're all about the same sizes as you. So it's just Rhu and Radek and Hazz'ridan and Not Amadi. Rhu blinks Apheori (GM): Gravy: You're now one Gravy. Would you like to be one Gravy in any particular place? Frezak (GM): Both Gravies? I'd like to be with my team. I have a job to do! Radek: So is this what you people do when you're not causing problems for us mortals? Hold tea parties? Apheori (GM): Rhu, Radek: You may or may not notice that Gravy is now standing behind you. Hazz'ridan: Ridiculous, isn't it? Not Amadi: I know, right? Although we're not supposed to be agreeing on things. Why are you agreeing with me? The Gravedigger: Radek, any reason we should be wasting our time here with this... /god/ ? Not Amadi eyes Hazz suspiciously. Frezak (GM): God said in the same way someone would say 'foot fungus' The Gravedigger: We have Holes to fix. Not Amadi giggles. Radek: None whatsoever, though "time" and... indeed, "here", are rather loose concepts in this situation. Rhu: (to not-Amadi) ... are you the old God that Mrs. Teatime and Dave are parts of? Have you ... absorbed them? Not Amadi: Oh, astute. Radek: Would you like to try and escape? I doubt we'll see Amadi behaving this sensibly ever again. Rhu: No, I'm Rhu. The Gravedigger: Time... Are you a god that was? Apheori (GM): Who is everyone talking to? Frezak (GM): Not Amadi. Ganelon: Radek was addressing Gravy. Gaurav: Not Amadi The Gravedigger: (to Radek) Escape? Well we can just leave. AT least in this place that isn't. In this time that isn't. Rhu: (to Gravy) In this time? Not Amadi: Might have been, might be again. Sorry about my selves. I didn't plan on being dead, if it makes you feel better. Didn't plan on a lot of things, though. The Gravedigger: I'm okay with the dead. It's the gods that irk me. Hazz'ridan: Perhaps you should start. Rhu: (to Not Amadi) Were you the person I met in the portal where I met Hazz'ridan Endlord? The one with the curtains? Ellemerr: Sorry, I was praying. This is lovely. Hazz'ridan: (to Rhu) In your time, she is dead. All that remain are fragments, memories. You could not have met Eapherod as she is. Rhu: In my time ... what time is _this_, my lord? What time are we from? When is my home? Not Amadi: Time is past, and present, and future. You're not exactly in time at all, now are you? Could call up anything. That's what Midnight is, you know. Anything. It's not something you should talk to Hazz about, though. Not unless you want real answers. Hazz'ridan emits a general aura of menace. Radek: Can it fix the mess we came from? Rhu: I ... I just want to go home. The Gravedigger: We have a job to do, Rhu. Hazz'ridan: These are the wrong worlds for your home. Not Amadi: These may be, but passage can be arranged. Should I send you to your home, then, little wayfarer from another time? You need only ask, and you could put all of this behind you. Rhu turns and looks at Gravy, then back at Not Amadi (can we just call her Eapherod now? Hazz' used that name) Rhu: No. He's right. We have a job to do. Apheori (GM): Er, right. Frezak (GM): Gravy gives Rhu a hearty pat on the shoulder. Not /too/ hearty unless Rhu has good Con. Gaurav: omg can you roll something on that? It would be hilarious if Rhu fell over. Hazz'ridan nods. Apheori (GM): Fortitude-related? (To Ellemerr): So how do I get Gravy to turn into a god? Frezak (GM): Sure, i'll make an attack Vs Fort. Str. rolling 1D20+6 ( 14 ) +6 = 20 Oops. Gaurav: heee my fort is 14 Rhu goes down in a heap The Gravedigger: Whoops. Sorry, Rhu. Eapherod: I think I'm going to like you guys. At least, I hope I will. Rhu: (muffled, from floor) I'm fine! I think. Frezak (GM): I'll reach down and pick him by the scruff of the.... clothes and put him back on his feet. Gaurav: hahaha that's awesome, thank you (From Ellemerr): He'd hate you, I think. Which doesn't answer your question. My answer to that is: no clue. Rhu dusts himself off (To Ellemerr): He hates everything. >.> The Gravedigger: So, Radek. Do we know how to close the Holes yet? Like, properly, without stranding us 'where ? Frezak (GM): the word " 'where " is the word where proceeded by the sound of two words that don't exist. And aren't said. Because they aren't two words. Rhu: The last time that happend, we prayed to Hazz'ridan the Magnificent and he saved us all. Then Mrs. Teatime punched him in the nose. Radek: Well, my portable hole isn't closed so much as stable... I've yet to figure out the closing part. Eapherod moves and gently pulls Hazz'ridan aside. As she does, the entire scene fades back into the black, leaving the three of you in the room of nothing against nothing once more. Radek: I have ideas, of course, but untested ones. (From Ellemerr): I'll just watch until you tell me to anything else. *shifty eyes* Frezak (GM): I'll heft the Shovel. The Gravedigger: You want to be somewhere a little more real? (To Ellemerr): I've completely lost track of what was supposed to be happening. The Gravedigger: What about you, Rhu? Done with your God for now? (To Ellemerr): So... er. Rhu: No, I ... wait, has he vanished? Then I suppose so. (to Radek) Do you still have the bag with the Hole in it? Frezak (GM): Didn't he just say he did? (From Ellemerr): ^_^; Radek: Of course I do! I'd be a laughing stock if I lost this. Gaurav: I'm wondering if it got pulled into the pocket universe the orb created for you two, or if it was dropped when the arch collapsed. Frezak (GM): Except we'd hardly laugh at radek. Radek retrieves the Rope Bundle of Holding from his bag. Frezak (GM): Well, not for /that/ Ganelon: I hope it really is there. Frezak (GM): Snaaaaakes Apheori (GM): It s there. Do you want to examine it? Frezak (GM): I'm sure Codrichun can help here. Ganelon: I don't know what Rhu was asking for. Does he want to hop in and thus leave Midnight? 'Cause I mean... I guess that's a solution, but the hole is still in there. Gaurav: naah, I just wanted to make sure you hadn't dropped the bag or something (for quite a while last week, I thought you two were _inside_ the bag, which was still in the rubble somewhere). but if you have the bag, then we can experiment with it if necessary. we might have wanted to show it to the gods or something. Rhu starts tapping the walls of the room again Frezak (GM): I could probably tunnel us somewhere. Apheori (GM): I think we should call this a day. I'm about to fall asleep. Something about noodles. Rhu: Carb coma! Frezak (GM): Is that a thing? Gaurav: would these kittens lie to you? https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/5946874368/h8064D9EE/ also: yes -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence did we figure out when we're meeting next? Apheori (GM): Nope. Gaurav: we can figure it out on Skype later I will be able to check because *I'll get my laptop back today!!!!* Gaurav does a happy dance Apheori (GM) collapses on the laptop. Apheori (GM): Sorry. Gaurav: are you apologizing to your laptop? it's 2pm, way past our usual closing time Ganelon: I think she's apologizing for yours. Gaurav: oh. hm. then i shall go retrieve my laptop now and collapse on it myself. I'll check in on Skype for newly scheduled times later. thanks for a fun game everybody! bye! Ganelon: See you later, Gaurav. Apheori (GM): Okay. Ganelon: Okay? Apheori (GM): I'm having connection trouble. I seem to actually be connected now. Gaurav: Yay! Ganelon: So where were we, again? Apheori (GM): Apparently I'm getting constantly disconnected. Gravy, Radek and Rhu are in an expanse of blackness. Out of the blackness, things can be made, and visions conjured up - for instance right now you all are in a room of sorts, imagined out of the black and providing you some semblance of reality to stand or sit on. Greibel: You are somewhere else. Where would you like to be, and do you remember what happened to the mouseforged, because I don't. Agh, crap, I'll be right back. Rhu continues to tap on the walls to check their solidity, basically leaving it to the sensible people to figure out what next. Bear Soup Guy: I don't remember what happened to the mouseforged but I would like to be in a giant swimming pool filled with chocolate pudding Gaurav: I checked up on the mouseforged. He was too damaged to move after the arch collapse, but was last seen sniffing at some cheese Amadi gave him, so I guess he could have followed Amadi and Greibel, Dave or me, or still be sitting round in the rubble. Ganelon: I think Gravy and Radek intended to leave. Gaurav: Wasn't there some mention of maybe trying out Radek's explosions in here? I was hoping for a Midnight-shattering kaboom. Ganelon: Well, I off-handedly mentioned it, but it seems like that would have absurd consequences. Frezak (GM): I was just wondering where to dig to. Gaurav: Can we dream up a map of every Hole in the universe? Apheori (GM): Greibel: d20, please. Ganelon: Well, I doubt we can make things based on information we don't have. Bear Soup Guy: rolling 1d20 ( 16 ) = 16 Apheori (GM): You can dream up anything, but you need to roll for it. Feel free to roll for stray thoughts of, say, sandwiches, too. What pops into your heads? Gaurav: Well, now, sandwiches :-/ Apheori (GM): Greibel: Excellent. Rhu thinks of home Apheori (GM): But first you need to wake Amadi. Or something. She's in a shed or something. Do you want to try? Rhu: ROLL. Rhu: rolling d20 ( 8 ) = 8 Bear Soup Guy: So now I'm in the chocolate swimming pool? Apheori (GM): Not yet. Amadi first. Or are you? No, actually, I think you are. Sorry. Bear Soup Guy: Okie-dokie Apheori (GM): Greibel: You are in a giant swimming pool full of chocolate. Greibel looks around suspiciously Apheori (GM): But you feel like you should wake Amadi, because she's missing this, or something. Bear Soup Guy: Where is Amadi? Ellemerr: In a shed. Sleeping. Apheori (GM): In a shed. Not here. But it's connected to here. Somehow. You can dismiss the thought, or you can focus on it and try to do something with it. Bear Soup Guy: hmmmm I'll mull it over in my head while I do a backstroke through the chocolate pool Apheori (GM): Rhu: You think of home, wishing you could go back, but knowing you can't, not yet. And then you realise you're holding a mop. Rhu looks down at the mop Apheori (GM): Amadi: You can also wake up on your own. Not dreaming is pretty horrifying, after all. Roll to wake. Ganelon: Well then. Let's try imagining something that Radek definitely does not know. Frezak (GM): COMPASSION? Ganelon: No! Bear Soup Guy: XD Ganelon: A recipe, for... Ellemerr: rolling 1d20 ( 10 ) = 10 Ganelon: Honeyed shortbread cookies. Why not. Apheori (GM): Dammit, still getting disconnected. Ganelon: Is that even a thing? I guess it doesn't matter. Apheori (GM): Ellemerr: Again. Frezak (GM): Neutronium Gumbo. Apheori (GM): Totally a thing. Ellemerr: rolling 1d20 ( 13 ) = 13 Apheori (GM): Radek: Roll sanity. Or... arcana. But sanity is funnier. Gaurav: They look delicious actually: http://www.thecrepesofwrath.com/2013/02/20/honey-shortbread-cookies/ Ganelon: You make an excellent argument. rolling 1d20 ( 11 ) = 11 Apheori (GM): You wind up with a recipe for 'complex gumbo'. It looks like another recipe was on the page as well and was torn off, but you can't make out quite what is was, aside from needing to cool, and making 4 dozen. Ganelon: Hmm. Then I suppose I'll have to conjure up the ingredients, huh? Apheori (GM): Greibel: The chocolate pudding is smooth and warm. You drift through it slowly, suspended in puddity. Gan: If you'd like. Bear Soup Guy: Puddity is the best fake word ever invented Ganelon: rolling 1d20 ( 9 ) = 9 Apheori (GM): Amadi: You drift slowly out of the emptiness, sensing once again the shapes of dreams, of everything that you know and are. Suddenly you find yourself pushing for them, harder and more insistently, needing the dreams, needing them to fill you, become you, and... ...then you awaken, sweating and scared, in the bedroom in the shed in the woods, surrounded by nightmares and all the sweet dark things that have protected you for as long as you can recall. Frezak (GM): So, nothing unsual. Apheori (GM): Radek: You summon a bunch of ingredients, but they're not entirely the right ones. One of them, for instance, is a really big fish, and the frying pan full of molten silver doesn't really have any place in the recipe at all. Most of it is right, though. Mostly you just need some gumbo and a big pot. Radek: Hrm. Bear Soup Guy: Ingredients for Gumbo: Apheori (GM): Rhu: Really big fish. Bear Soup Guy: 1) Gumbo 2) Something to put the Gumbo in Gaurav: .... how really big? Apheori (GM): Bigger than Gravy. It winds up sitting on the room's floor a bit away from Radek. He may or may not ignore it. That's up to Radek. Amadi hugs several of the most terrifying nightmares. Gaurav edges away from the giant fish, looking around Rhu edges away from the giant fish, looking around Rhu: (... frantically) Apheori (GM): Amadi: One of the nightmares tries to take the shed's roof off and then squeezes its way into your hair. Rhu tries to conjure a door in the wall of the room that we're in Rhu: rolling d20 ( 13 ) = 13 Apheori (GM): The door conjuring fails. Amadi squees and cuddles the nightmares and grows some extra hair. Radek: I wonder where the structure comes from... Oh, do you need some help there, Rhu? Greibel tries to find someone else Frezak (GM): I will poke the fish. Greibel: rolling 1d20 ( 7 ) = 7 Frezak (GM): For science. Rhu hides behind Gravy Apheori (GM): Greibel: Who did you try to find? Bear Soup Guy: Anyone, really Apheori (GM): Gravy: The fish is firm, and barely gives. Clearly fresh. Bear Soup Guy: Amadi perhaps, since I was with her last I think Apheori (GM): Okay. Frezak (GM): Fish sandwiches? Apheori (GM): Amadi: You find Greibel floating in front of you. He's covered in pudding. Greibel: You see Amadi. There's somethign weird about her hair. Greibel: Hmmm Amadi picks up one of the smaller nightmares and holds it out to Greibel, grinning benevolently. Greibel offers Amadi some pudding Greibel: It's chocolate! Oh okay, let's trade. Greibel attempts(?) to take the nightmare Amadi exchanges small nightmare for chocolate pudding. Greibel holds the nightmare up triumphantly while victory horns play Ellemerr: Now I really want chocolate pudding >.> Apheori (GM): XD Niiice. Rhu is clearly panicking but trying not to show it. Greibel: Whaddaya do with this thing? Gaurav: (to Radek) I'm g-good, thanks. Can we get rid of the fish though? It's ... yeah. Big fish. Ganelon: Can I get rid of it? Apheori (GM): Certainly. Ganelon: Then let it be annihilated. But not in a messy way. I don't want fish guts all over this reality. Amadi: You dream with it, beloved. Gaurav: We could make a window and throw it out. We could put it in the Bag of Holding. Greibel looks at the nightmare skeptically... Greibel and then tries to put it in his head Gaurav: We could throw it through the Hole in the Bag of Holding. Apheori (GM): Greibel: The nightmare oozes down your hands and then wraps itself around your head like a hat. Ganelon: You know? Apheori (GM): Gan: How would you like it annihilated? Ganelon: That's probably how the big fish ended up in Sarathi. Apheori (GM): Caaareful. Greibel smiles triumphantly Ganelon: We threw it in this hole and it ended up in the past to traumatize Rhu. I've figured it out. Greibel: (To Amadi) How does it look? Apheori (GM): Is that what you do? Gaurav: o.0 Apheori (GM): Throw it through a hole? Amadi: You two are adorable. Apheori (GM): How's Gravy? Just thinking/watching? Frezak (GM): He's looking really thoughtful. Without actually doing much thinking. Just practising looking thoughtful. Going 'hmmm' gravely now and then. The Gravedigger: Hmm. Ganelon: Let's spit in the face of physics. And convert the fish into energy. Heat, sound, and light. Rather, another form of energy, since everything is energy in some form. Apheori (GM): Nice. Ganelon: And since the goal here is to be wasteful I can totally make it all flashy, too. Gaurav grins Apheori (GM): Roll arcana to make flashy! Frezak (GM): SHoulda got fire resistance. Ganelon: rolling 1d20+12 ( 20 ) +12 = 32 Frezak (GM): WE ALL BURN Ganelon: HAA HA HA HA HA HA! Gaurav: Oooooooooo. They'll see the flashy all the way way over where Greibel is. Apheori (GM): The fish explodes in a brilliant shower of sparks and strange sounds, which then turn into a phoenix and try to fly away. Bear Soup Guy: That's what I was thinking Apheori (GM): You wind up with a phoenix perching upside down on the corner of not quite wall and not quite ceiling. Greibel sees a flashy. Amadi does not. Radek: There. Much better than a fish. Rhu: Is ... that a fish-bird? Radek: Oh no, I can assure you that not even the smallest trace of fish remains. Apheori (GM): Greibel: You're still in the pool of pudding, within the strange colourful place of utter darkness. Amadi is... elsewhere, but you're interacting through a... what, thin spot or something? Radek: It has been utterly eradicated. The Gravedigger: Hmm. Apheori (GM): Greibel: Would you like to do anything with it, perception the area, try to pull amadi through, eat the pudding, or who even knows? Rhu lets out the breath he's been holding. Bear Soup Guy: I'd like to try to pull Amadi through to where I am so we can go looking for the flashy Apheori (GM): Greibel, Amadi: Sanity, please. Bear Soup Guy: rolling 1d20 ( 5 ) = 5 Rhu: Thanks, Radek. That helps a lot. Radek: But of course. Amadi: rolling 1d20 ( 10 ) = 10 Radek: If you two haven't got somewhere to be going, I think I'll start working on the hole, now. (To Ellemerr): Ready to play Eapherod? >.> (From Amadi): Never, but let's try. Ganelon: Working on closing it, that is. (From Amadi): A sane madgod is pretty daunting. (To Ellemerr): You'll still look and sound like Amadi, but when he pulls you through, you won't be just a fragment anymore. The key is connected to everything, here, and that includes the rest of you, so you'll be talking as the whole. The... yes, sane madgod. (To Ellemerr): We'll see if anyone even notices the difference. >.> Apheori (GM): Greibel: You pull Amadi into a pool of pudding, and you both sink into the chocolate. Gan: The hole in the bag? Ganelon: I don't expect to make much progress, but I've gotta try it out sometime, right? Apheori (GM): Certainly. (From Amadi): The biggest difference will be my even worse slow-ness, I guess. Since I'll be thinking more and asking you questions. Where is this pudding-pool? (To Ellemerr): In midnight. A pool conjured out of nothing in the black of the space behind space. (To Ellemerr): The relevance to you, of course, would be that this was, before the whole Eapherod thing, traditionally your realm, the place where only you could really be, because in a way it was everything you... were. (To Ellemerr): Also something about deathgods. All of yours used this space. You used this space when they failed. Greibel swims back to the top of the chocolate, spitting out a cartoonish chocolate fountain Amadi blinks once, and gives Greibel a pleasantly surprised look. Amadi: Oh, we're here. Gaurav: Especially when you can conjure up any thing you need to assist in your investigations. Greibel: We certainly are! Amadi: I guess that makes you a rather successful Keeper. Greibel: I saw a flashy light thing! We should go investigate. Gaurav: Hee, cartoonish chocolate fountain. Apheori (GM): Gan: What would you like to try? Do you keep the hole in the bag, for instance? Ganelon: Oh yes. We're safer from it that way. Amadi: As you wish. Amadi takes Greibel's hand and guides him to the flashy light. Greibel: Woooooo! Ganelon: As for what to try... Apheori (GM): Gravy, Rhu: Any stray thoughts? The Gravedigger: Hmm. Gaurav: Nope, Rhu is peering curiously at what Radek is up to. He has a good feeling about this. Ganelon: From what I understand, the problem is that these holes are connecting places that should not be connected. But it's not so much a tunnel as it is a... well, hole. I need to sew the opening closed, or put a patch over it. I have no idea how to do this when the substance I'm working with is reality. Gaurav: Are you saying that out loud as Radek? Apheori (GM): Roll arcana to try something arbitrary. Frezak (GM): Radek always knows what to do! Gaurav: And, generally, how to do it with a bang. Apheori (GM): Amadi leads Greibel into the Room. Possibly through a wall. Amadi: And here we all are. Marvelous. Greibel: Convenient! Rhu jumps Rhu: Where did you two come from? Greibel: Would you believe a chocolate pudding swimming pool? Rhu considers this Rhu: Probably not, no. Greibel: Right, we were in the bathroom then Rhu: That's better. Radek just destroyed a giant fish! Apheori (GM): What, together? Kinky. Bear Soup Guy: If a public restroom in the void of everythingness can be considered romantic, then yes Rhu: Now he's sitting there mumbling something about sewing. Greibel: Not sewing fish, I hope. Rhu shrugs in a "who knows" sort of way, and finds a comfortable corner to sit down in. Apheori (GM) falls asleep. Ellemerr: Er Ellemerr pokes the GM. Apheori (GM): Sorry. >.< Radek: Roll to try stuf! Guys! do things! Gravy: Say 'Hmm'! The Gravedigger: Hmm. Ganelon: Finally, I'm back. Rhu tries to make a door in the wall again. Rhu: rolling d20 ( 9 ) = 9 Ganelon: rolling 1d20+12 Hole fixing ( 4 ) +12 = 16 Frezak (GM): Do Irealise that Radek is trying to manipulate reality? Amadi walks up to Radek, looks at what he's doing, and does things to help. She might also correct him if he's wrong. If I can. Ganelon: He could certainly use the help. Apheori (GM): Rhu: The wall seems even more solid. Amadi: You totally can. You know everything. Rhu: Huh. Rhu taps the overly solid wall in confusion. Ellemerr: I'll be doing that, then. Apheori (GM): Radek: It doesn't work, but now you know something not to try. Amadi also shows you something interesting. Ganelon: Innnnteresting? (To Amadi): You could also just plain close the hole if you'd like, though it wouldn't be very helpful in the long run. Apheori (GM): Interesting. *shifty eyes* (From Ellemerr): I don't much want to -do- much myself. It's more... getting them to do the right things. Ganelon: Interesting. We're all back together, though! (To Ellemerr): Exactly. Ganelon: Now we can go somewhere. Does anyone have a preference? (To Ellemerr): You could do everything yourself, determine the fate of the entire universe from start to finish, of all the universes, but then... what the hell would be the point? Rhu: What about Sarathi? Gaurav: sorry ooc Ellemerr: Leaving? I only just got here! Ganelon: Is there anything left of Sarathi? (To Ellemerr): Actually, leaving might be a good idea. Gaurav: Maybe in orbit around Sarathi, going the other way? (To Ellemerr): As much as you know this place, as much as it is your own and even arguably a part of you, there's something alien about it, something not right. A feeling as though something is here with you, uninvited, and watching. Should it notice, really notice your party... (To Ellemerr): Well, that's not an outcome you're familiar with, and generally when you can't see something, that's a very bad sign. Ganelon: Someone remind me of what our goals are. Other than visit the pub. Gaurav: Fix the Holes ... somehow? I guess? Go back home, eventually. Unless we want to hang about in Everything forever. Bear Soup Guy: Fix the godlings too, I'd think Unless they'd prefer not to be fixed Frezak (GM): Put them in the holes! Apheori (GM): Take the lot of them and hurl them in! With a huge load of bombs. Rhu looks around Apheori (GM): What could go wrong? Radek: Alright, godling, we're in your home now. Feeling any more whole? Rhu: Mrs. Teatime, do you know where Dave is? She came through the hole with me and then ... vanished. I've lost the skull, too. Rhu thinks of the skull Apheori (GM): Roll sanity. Rhu: rolling d20 ( 6 ) = 6 Amadi: Dave is here. The thing you call Dave is hardly anything but a distortion of the real thing, and the name doesn't really apply. I am more than Teatime. We should... probably leave. Apheori (GM): Rhu: You visualise the skull and it appears in your hands, old, marked, but all in all, just a skull. Whatever power there was or should have been, it isn't here. Or was there ever any? You don't know. You don't know what you don't know, either. Oh well. Rhu: ... here? Rhu looks around, grasping the skull tightly, and then looking down in surprise when he realises that he has a skull to grasp tightly. Radek: Leave and go where? Amadi: I can't tell you that. It'd be... cheating. Amadi grins. Radek scowls. (To Ellemerr): You also may not even want to leave, considering you'll just go back to how you were. Radek: I can take my research anywhere, but that doesn't make me amenable to wasting my time in transit. Will we be going somewhere *useful*? Gaurav: So. We have a Hole in a bag. We know where one other stable Hole is -- near the village/commune place. We know the wizards know something about making a Hole, and we now know how to make a Hole ourself. Where does that get us? Ganelon: We need a reliable way to close holes now. Gaurav: I liked your idea about sewing the Hole shut or patching it with ... reality. Ganelon: Whatever I tried didn't seem to work, though. (To Ellemerr): Of course you have these silly things like Duty. Which is horribly ironic. Isn't it? (From Amadi): Ew. Gaurav: Hmm. Good point. Amadi: I do hope we'll go somewhere useful. It's not that I particularly want to leave. I rather like it here. I'm just saying... we probably should. Gaurav: Whatever the answer to the Holes problem is, I guess we haven't discovered it. Do we have any B-plots to follow? Otherwise, we could just go exploring: back to Arah, or back to the commune, or back to Sarathi. Hey, we never did figure out the deal with the woman who's house we burned down. Apheori (GM): You may now have discovered the answer, but there are more things to try, more ways to approach the problem. not* Radek: You could try something else. The idea may have been good. What if you used a recipe? Ganelon: A recipe for closing holes? Apheori (GM): Why not? Did you ever make that gumbo? Bear Soup Guy: trying to think how that would look on a minecraft crafting bench Gaurav: A recipe for unscrambled eggs. Ganelon: Nah, it was theoretical. The gumbo remains unmade, because Radek doesn't eat. Apheori (GM): Poor gumbo. Ganelon: The fish was also unmade, though that was for different reasons. Shall I just... imagine a recipe? Gaurav: I'd actually like to go to the cottage where Amadi was hanging out. It seems fun, if nuts. Rhu: We should go to a pub. Apheori (GM): Imagine and roll. If you'd like. Ganelon: rolling 1d20+12 ( 13 ) +12 = 25 Radek: You always suggest that. Why don't you just bring the pub here? Rhu: o.0 I've been trying to imagine a door for the last half hour, and it hasn't worked. I don't think I could imagine a whole pub into existence. Gaurav: which, of course, means he now things of a door again Rhu: rolling d20 door ( 3 ) = 3 Greibel: You just need to open your mind, man. rolling 1d20 imagine a pub with water-skiing in the basement ( 14 ) = 14 Apheori (GM): A door appears, with a fax machine next to it. The fax machine prints out a memo. It makes horrible noises in the process. Rhu picks up the memo and reads it out loud. Apheori (GM): "This is a public service announcement. Rhu is insane." Rhu opens the door and tries to throw the memo outside Radek scoffs. "That's not /news/." Apheori (GM): Greibel: Alas, for it didn't seem to work. The Gravedigger: I'd be surprised if he wasn't. NO offense, Rhu. Apheori (GM): The memo dissipates into nothingness as it drifts away. Rhu: I'm not insane! I'm just ... ooo, pretty. Rhu watches the memo dissipate. Greibel: Note to self, don't walk through the door that makes thing evaporate Gaurav: Is this one of those fax machines that has a phone on it? Ganelon: How about the recipe I rolled for? Can I get a memo of that? Apheori (GM): Gan: Oh, right, sorry. You get it in the air, unfortunately. Ganelon: It's no problem. Apheori (GM): Words appearing in light written on nothing before you. Ganelon: Eh, I'm reading light right now. Computers are amazing. Ellemerr: Word. Frezak (GM): WORDS Apheori (GM): The words describe processes on a rather low level. Arcana to sort out what it even is? Ganelon: Gladly! rolling 1d20+12 ( 3 ) +12 = 15 Man, I can't get average rolls today. Frezak (GM): You roll like a tiefling archer. Ganelon: Apparently. Gaurav: How does a tiefling archer roll? Frezak (GM): Poorly. Very poorly. Ganelon: Yeah, as evidenced today, in a manner such that his mother would be very disappointed. Apheori (GM): It's good enough to tell that it's some sort of assembly language. A recipe of instructions. Ganelon: But one I can't make much sense of? Well, not right away, at least. Perhaps I could take a picture? Amadi sighs at Radek. "You're really complicating things, aren't you. Do you need a translation?" Rhu looks out the door and tries to imagine a path leading away from it, suspended in the Everythingness. Apheori (GM): Take a picture, write it down, you can make a copy somehow. Frezak (GM): SOUNDS LIKE TIME TO BRING OUT CODRICHUN THE HELPER Ganelon: "Helper". Frezak (GM): Totes a helper. Radek: I... Yes, give me a translation. Greibel makes an expression of mock amazement Ganelon: Mock amazement? I'm supposed to be the rude one! Bear Soup Guy: Give and receive :P Amadi waves a hand over the glowing words. Gaurav: Her own hand, I hope. Ellemerr: *smirks* Frezak (GM): It's a hand made of cheese. WHich is of course hers. Using someone else's cheesehand would be weird. Apheori (GM): The words shift and change languages, into something a good bit higher level, but also possibly even more confusing. Gaurav: Hah. One of these days she's going to yank one of our hands off and do something with it. Apheori (GM): But it looks more like spells and less like... like computer instructions. Where the universe is a computer. Ganelon: Hmph. Some translation. But I do know my spellery, too. May I roll again to comprehend it? Apheori (GM): I thought you wanted something you could use. What were you expecting, eggs and toast? Roll. Ganelon: Radek can totes use computer instructions. rolling 1d20+12 ( 3 ) +12 = 15 Wow, not even different. Apheori (GM): He can, but some computers are... more complicated than others. Okay, so you get that it's spells, that they seem... doable, but you can't quite wrap your head around them now. For the sake of mechanics, let's call it a ritual and you can master it later. Ganelon: Gladly. I'll take another picture. Amadi sighs and gives Radek a disappointed look, waving her hand over it again. Radek: I'll look over it again later. You wanted to leave, then? (From Amadi): Please make it so simplified it's not even useful anymore. :P Gaurav: Are these instructions for fixing Holes or just an explanation of what Holes are? Apheori (GM): The words change again, shifting into something larger, but more condensed. A single spell. ...an executable binary. Apheori (GM) runs. Bear Soup Guy: XD Ganelon: Runs for cover? Apheori (GM): Hiding. >.> Frezak (GM): TOTAL DEFENSE. Ganelon: Cowards! Well, worst case scenario, I dive into my own portable Hole. I RUN THE EXECUTABLE. Which is different than running from it. Gaurav: Worst case scenario, it installs adbars on all your browsers. Apheori (GM): The executable runs. What's the arcane equivalent of a library not found error? Gaurav: The universe divides by zero and crashes. Ganelon: I feel like most spells are designed without useful things like readable exceptions. Apheori (GM): Good point. Okay, so the spell executable runs. Do you run it in general, or at the bag of hole? Ganelon: Oh, the hole for sure. Rhu hides behind Gravy again Ganelon: In general sounds like running a default constructor, which could very well be empty. Apheori (GM): The hole closes. The spell crashes. Radek: You get a horrible migraine and a sense that something was missing. Very, very missing. Ganelon: But the hole's closed!? Frezak (GM): My presence is so useful. Apheori (GM): It's closed. Frezak: You may need to carry Radek. Frezak (GM): CAN DO Unless you ask me to roll for it. (To Ellemerr): I was going to make it simplified, but I couldn't think of anything. So I made it broken. >.> Gaurav: What did the rest of us see/hear when the Hole closed? Radek: Nnngh. It's... closed. (To Ellemerr): Also the entity would have noticed that. You would have felt it notice. A sense of impending swarming bad... bad ness? Amadi sighs again. Amadi: You should figure out the proper formulae next time. I think I simplified it too much. (To Ellemerr): Unfortunately in this place it's probably already too late - time is weird and things can have happened whenever as soon as they happen. Amadi shudders. Amadi: We really should leave, you know. Frezak (GM): I'm glad I didn't have to go in again. Radek: ...Taking a break from thinking. Someone else fix things for a while. Amadi: ... No... we should already have left. The Gravedigger: CAN DO. Apheori (GM): It's too late. Frezak (GM): He just says 'Can do'. He doesn't /do/ anything. Dramatic pose. Apheori (GM): The room you made dissolves around you, and suddenly the black is blacker, something horrible and hungry closing around you, cutting off the sense of possibility and the strange colours of the place. Ganelon: Frezak? I think it might be time. Frezak (GM): I WILL FIGHT HUNGER WITH DESTRUCTION Rhu: Rhu clutches at the door handle as it dissolves Frezak (GM): I will use a Standard action to invoke the aspect of Codrichun. And send it at the hunger. BECAUSE I CAN. Apheori (GM): Amadi: It feels familiar, this hunger against the black. As bad as it is, as alien and unnatural, it's... familiar. Frezak (GM): ONCE A DAY EVERY DAY Amadi is very puzzled. And feels too whole to actually be scared, though she's fairly certain she ought to be. Gaurav: "the aspect of Codrichun"? Ganelon: Radek would be talking, possibly asking questions, but instead he's just going to lie down. Frezak (GM): A cloud of boiling blood and grit that wants nothing more than to destroy and be destroyed. Ganelon: And scowl at nothing in particular. Gaurav: HUH cloud of destruction vs cloud of hunger Greibel should turn into a cloud of hornets and then we let the clouds duke it out Bear Soup Guy: Cloud War 2014 Apheori (GM): Sorry, got a phone call. OKAY. There's a horrible hungry expanse of... something, or possibly nothing, surrounding the lot of ye. Gravy summons a mass of boiling blood. The boiling blood, what does the boiling blood do, when sent at the hungry expanse? Frezak (GM): It.... eats. Apheori (GM): Neeeeat. Frezak (GM): It eats and destroys and erodes. It does the terrible un-will of Codrichun. Apheori (GM): The cloud of boiling grit and bloody erodes at the nothing, pushing it back, devouring the hunger for its own, but also being devoured in turn as it goes. So far it seems to be winning. What do the rest of you do? Frezak (GM): Cheer for Codrichun! Morale bonus! Bear Soup Guy: Fear for our lives while watching in awe Gaurav: Is the hunger in one place? Like, can I target whatever the cloud of boiling grit is attacking, or is it all around us? (To Ellemerr): I suggest getting them all out of there, if you can. Apheori (GM): It's all around you. And closing. There's just this cloud pushing it back... Frezak (GM): Hey, I've done my bit. Amadi looks at the fighting things, rising first one eyebrow and then the other and then... Amadi: Okay. We're outa here. Amadi does something to make them be outa there. Radek groans. Apheori (GM): Suddenly you're all not there. And you're somewhere else. Frezak (GM): SWEDEN?! Apheori (GM): Or are you? Gaurav: Hmm. Rhu's going to try to hit it with a ... oh. Never mind then. (To Ellemerr): It just ocurred to me that with the whatever the hell that is around you, attempts to get OUT might not even work. o_O Ellemerr: Again, Finland is more likely than Sweden. (From Ellemerr): Er... I can't help you. Frezak (GM): But I like Sweden! Bear Soup Guy: That should be Finland's national slogan "Finland: More likely than Sweden" Frezak (GM): "Sweden: And you're somewhere else. " Ellemerr laughs. Bear Soup Guy: XD Ellemerr: That's awesome, BSG. Apheori (GM): For a moment, you're somewhere else. Under a tree, in soft grass in a warm summer breeze... Frezak (GM): Prime shovelling territory! Apheori (GM): And then it gets ripped away and you're pulled back into the black, into the HUNGER vs HUNGER deathmatch. Gaurav: Right. Frezak (GM): Can I grant some of my life-force (surges) to empower the aspect of Codrichun ? Apheori (GM): Uh... sure. Frezak (GM): I do that. I fuel the Boiling Cloud with Gravy. Gaurav: 0_0 That was beautiful. Bear Soup Guy applauds Apheori (GM): The cloud isn't pushing it back anymore, but it is holding. Rhu raises his maul and tries to send a Bond of Retribution at the hunger Rhu: rolling 1d20+7 Wisdom vs AC ( 4 ) +7 = 11 urk Apheori (GM): Anyone wanna insight it? Bear Soup Guy: surely Radek: Stop making so much noise! Ellemerr: I like insight! Bear Soup Guy: rolling 1d20+11 insight ( 11 ) +11 = 22 Ganelon: That sounds like a thing which requires thinking. So I'll pass. Apheori (GM): Aye. Ellemerr: ... I'll leave it to BSG this time. Bear Soup Guy: Insight with me! We'll bombard it with insight! Apheori (GM): Greibel: The codrichun thing is a horrible mass of destroyed not-so-horribleness, which seeks to destroy and devour everything it has lost - or at least everything remotely reminiscent of it. Greibel: And you get the sense that what surrounds you, what it is fighting, is the exact same thing. Or something. Gaurav: o.0 Apheori (GM): Rhu's attack failed, incidentally. The codrichun thing pushes it back more, devouring more and growing. Gaurav: I guess that means it's not hittable, although I also like the idea of a hunger manifested as darkness strapping on some armour before taking on adventurers. Apheori (GM): You can't actually tell if the darkness is getting any smaller, though. Maybe, maybe not. Rhu: We need Dave. Or Hazz'. Or both. Apheori (GM): What would happen if you tried to strap armour on the mass of boiling blood? Rhu prays to Hazz. Apheori (GM): All you have is Amadi. Amadi: You have Dave. Silly. Apheori (GM): And codrichun! Frezak (GM): CODRICHUUUUUUN Rhu: rolling 1d20+9 religion check praying for assistance or Dave or both ( 14 ) +9 = 23 Amadi: And we really don't need this to be a dead end. Really. Greibel: I'd like to echo that sentiment. (To Ellemerr): His prayer probably empowers you slightly, since you are Dave. Really Dave. The real one. And they don't even understand. Apheori (GM): The codrichun thing is still pushing the hunger back, getting bigger. Radek: Just... jump into the hole. S'safe now. Apheori (GM): Which hole? Ganelon: His portable hole, of course. The pocket dimension. Now that it is hole-less, we should be able to exist there without being in any immediate danger. Frezak (GM): I DIVE INTO THE HOLE Because Radek said so. Ganelon: Your unwavering faith in me is quite heartwarming. Frezak (GM): That's Gravy for you. Ganelon: He's such a nice guy! Frezak (GM): Aside from invoking aspects of tragic, corrupted Primodials. Ganelon: Well, you're being meaner by helping it win when it wants to lose. Frezak (GM): I know! :D Gaurav: It wants to lose? Apheori (GM): Right, the hole in the bag closed. Ganelon: Codrichun is a tragic figure - he wants to die. But he's lost all hope of actually being able to do so. Apheori (GM): Oh, don't worry. He may be winning now, but there's basically no way he can actually win here. ...I hope. Okay, so Gravy dives in the rope. What about the rest of you? Does Radek even have the strength? Ellemerr: Sure, I'm following... actually, let me know what everyone else says first. Ganelon: He rolls in. Like he's getting out of bed. Rhu: (to Greibel and Amadi) After you? Greibel plugs his nose and jumps in Amadi follows Greibel. Rhu goes in last Rhu: (whispering a prayer to Hazz'ridan as he goes) Bear Soup Guy: Are we able to close the thing from inside of it? Ganelon: I don't think so. That would be dangerous anyways. Apheori (GM): You're all in a pocket dimension, which still smells faintly of dragon. Ganelon: We'd have no way back out that didn't involve more horrible shenanigans involving holes and digging through the fabric of reality. Apheori (GM): Now what? Frezak (GM): Now we have lunch. (From Ellemerr): Is... this still Midnight? O_o Ganelon: I'm afraid that aside from providing this exit, there's not much Radek is in a state to assist with. (To Ellemerr): You're technically still in midnight, but the pocket dimension is also kind of iffy and should let you actually escape. (To Ellemerr): After which point you'd be back to normal. Apheori (GM): Man, the hunger keeps getting horrible rolls. Bear Soup Guy: What resources and environment do we have in this pocket dimension? And will the cloud eventually get to our hole? Gaurav: yay! go away, stupid hunger. Apheori (GM): At this rate, Codrichun might win. Gaurav: heh. Ganelon: I have not stocked my pocket dimension with anything. Apheori (GM): MMM, maNGO. Ganelon: Amadi might be able to provide confections. Amadi: Well, this place is less... er... we could totally leave from here. Probably. I'm not sure I can... take the rope with us. That might get iffy. But we might still want to leave. Greibel sits and rummages through his pack for something to smoke Rhu walks around a bit, assuming there's a floor to walk around on. Ganelon: Radek does not offer up a tremendous amount of resistance to the possibility of losing his rope. Pocket dimensions are incredibly useful, but he got the hole out of it so it's mostly just around for storage. And you know, he wants to be alive more than he wants to keep anything in his possession. Except his genius. That stays, or else. Apheori (GM): Sorry, arms got covered in mango. Gaurav: HA Apheori (GM): And then I sliced my finger open by running into a knife. Gaurav: oof! Apheori (GM): Amadi: Do you rescue everyone? Ellemerr: If all they do is sit/walk around... yes. Apheori (GM): There are strange noises coming from the opening, Amadi attempts getting outa there again. Apheori (GM): Would you like to rescue them to anywhere in particular? (To Amadi): Okay, it looks like Codrichun wins. This is really bad for them, because it means they will now be perceived as a real threat... XD (To Amadi): Having summoned something that devoured an entire chunk of.. it. Ellemerr: Er... *shifty eyes* Do they have wishes? Gaurav: Rhu's focussed on the ominous sounds and trying to figure out what's going on out there and if he can do anything, so, not me. The hunger might also follow us elsewhere, which might be bad. Can we lure it into the Hole near the village? Ganelon: Er. Ellemerr: Well, I'm not asking IC. It's more, do people have anywhere they'd like to go? Ganelon: Actually yeah, that hole and the car would be nice places to revisit. Gaurav: Lure it to the town with all the policemen. They'll arrest it for loitering. Ellemerr: Okay. Ganelon: Since I just fixed my stable hole, having another one to fix better would be great. Ellemerr: I'll aim for that, then. Well, not for the hole itself. But that general area. Ganelon: Yeah. Apheori (GM): Okay! Once again, you're all suddenly not where you were. Now you're somewhere else. And down a rope of holding. Gaurav: Any change in the ominous sounds? Apheori (GM): Something was getting devoured. You don't know details, and when you leave, the sounds are cut off entirely. So yeah. Now you're somewhere else. I'll tell you all about it next time. Ganelon: Does that mean we're ending for today? Ellemerr: Sort of sounds like it. Bear Soup Guy: Good spot for it. Frezak (GM): UNless we swim in MYSTERY Gaurav: Today started with Greibel swimming in chocolate, so there would be a nice symmetry there. Bear Soup Guy: mmmm delicious mystery Apheori (GM): Yes. Love you all bye. Gaurav: Take care! Thanks for a great game, everybody! Bear Soup Guy: adios all
