PerrySimm says, "Log on."

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "The one nice thing about Jota doing it is that he always puts some amusing description at the top when he mails it ;-)"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "ha ha"

Not a valid command. Try typing 'help'.

The Seventh Sea

This is it! The mythical Seventh Sea! Arr, there'll be plunderin' tonight!

You can see: Shh! sign, dartboard, Cast of Characters, Saturday 6pm EST group, Sunday 3pm EST group, Jehiela, Yasmina, fudge dice, sorte deck, megacounter, aspect tracker, dice bag, drama die dispenser, pile of 10-sided dice

Players: Hans, Arvid, GM, Gert, Miseri

Visible Exits: south

PerrySimm says, "Whoops, log on for real now."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "So I believe we left off on horseback?"

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "Another reason for him to do it is that he remembers to type 'walk the plank' when he starts."

[Crows-Nest] Limax says, "Heh"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "well, you guys were on horseback"

[Crows-Nest] Hans says, "Heh."

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "Everyone *important* was on horseback."

GM says, "Right. When last we left our heroes, Arvid and Hans had just discovered that two students, Pierre Pervenche and Andre-Nicolas Valois, have disappeared, and Gert has discovered that two horses are missing from the stables."

[Crows-Nest] Hans asks, "What was the page with all the NPC's?"

[Crows-Nest] Gert looks it up.

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "http://spod-central.org/~lpsmith/rpg/transcripts/helvetica/NPCs.txt"

GM says, "I actually think there should be at least about ten to twenty minutes between Arvid's and Hans's discovery, and Gert's discovery."

GM says, "If Arvid and Hans want to specify another looking-for-the-boys stuff first, now's the time."

GM says, "er, 'any' looking-for-the-boys stuff."

[Crows-Nest] Hans asks, "Were Lucille and Edmond (or whatever their names were) captured as well?"

[Crows-Nest] Hans says, "Ilac."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Were Lucille and Edmond (or whatever their names were) captured as well?"

[7thsea] GM says, "Edmond was captured. Lucille is missing."

[Crows-Nest] Gert asks, "Wait, Lucy and Edmond?"

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "HMMMM"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "ha ha, I didn't notice that"

[Crows-Nest] Hans asks, "Didn't we have that whole conversation at the end of the last session?!?"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "not about that specific one, I don't think"

Arvid says, "if those boys overheard us ..."

[Crows-Nest] Hans | [7thsea] Hans asks, "Did their family have any Porte-imbued artifacts?"
[Crows-Nest] Hans | [7thsea] Hans asks, "Perhaps in the form of bedroom furniture?"

Arvid says, "they're just the age to do some damnfool thing like running off for a rescue attempt"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "excellent"

[Crows-Nest] Hans | [7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah, well, I'm still not going to climb inside of it without a good reason."

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "I remember you saying that, but I didn't catch the names."

Arvid says, "if we're lucky we can stop them before they get horses out"

[7thsea] Hans says, "So, I'm trying to remember exactly how we found their missingness."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "The tray of water was outside the door, left neatly on a table, and there was no one around?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "we just came out of the room where we were interrogating the guy and they'd put down the cups and had vanished"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] GM says, "you sent them out on a distractionary errand, and they never came back."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "we could also assume they've been kidnapped"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but I am hand-waving assuming we don't assume that"

[7thsea] Hans says (to GM), "SOmeone must have come back, if the tray was there."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "never came back into our room"

[7thsea] Hans says, "But it wasn't knocked over, so presumably someone didn't grab them and drag them off right there."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Since there'd be signs of a scuffle that Arvid would have noticed."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "(Pierre and, er, what's his name...?"

[7thsea] GM says, "Andre-Nicolas."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "Andre"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Ah, right."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I am choosing to pretend that I have just realized the connection between Pierre and the rest of the family we were discussing"

Hans says, "Well, I think this must be one of two things."

Hans says, "They came back with the water, decided we should not be disturbed, and went to bed."

[7thsea] GM says, "Well, Pierre isn't exactly one of Arvid's star pupils."

Hans says, "Or they listened at the door, heard something disturbing, and did something stupid."

Arvid says, "these are teenage boys we're talking about here"

Hans says, "They are Montaigne, so I think it might be the second."

Arvid says, "humpf"

Hans says (to Arvid), "I apologize. I am sure that you would never listen at closed doors."

Arvid says, "I would never be so silly as to leave after having done so -- that would give it away"

Hans says, "Well, as you say. They are teenage boys."

Arvid says, "exactly"

Arvid asks, "so, the stables?"

Hans says, "And, as you say, we should check the stables."

Arvid says, "right"

Arvid heads for the stables

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "There, and now we have said IC what we figured out OOC after the last session!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

GM says, "Y'all arrive at the stables at about the same time. Gert has just been counting the horses."

[7thsea] Hans says, "(It's always nice to keep the PC's caught up on their motivations.)"

GM says, "I'm pulling a bit of retcon here and saying that the horses taken were Klara Sessemann's and Sir Galahad Locksley's, and that Adelheid Sessemann doesn't have her own horse."

Gert exclaims, "Two of the horses are missing!"

Arvid says, "so much for luck"

Hans mounts his own horse.

Arvid says, "they'll probably break their necks riding in the dark like this"

Hans says, "It is luck that made this trouble."

Arvid says, "true enough"

Gert asks, "I sent the girls back--they're OK. Where are the boys?"

Arvid says, "probably riding hell-for-leather to charouse"

Hans says (to Gert), "I think you will find that when you find those horses."

Gert blinks.

Gert exclaims, "Well, you can explain on the way. Let's go!"

Arvid says, "our stranger friend turned out to have news of Pierre's family"

Gert hops on the fastest horse that's left.

Gert charges out of the stable!

Arvid scribbles a brief note that doesn't really explain much and tacks it to the door with a knife.

GM says, "The monastery bell tolls for Compline."

Arvid says (to Hans), "I hope your horse can carry two -- I'm too old to make it on my own"

Hans says, "Two, and their armor as well."

Arvid says, "excellent"

Arvid struggles up with cursing and assistance.

Hans slaps the horse's flank jsut as Arvid's almost on, and off they go.

GM says, "It should take about 6 hours to make it to the nearest Montaigne town -- 4 if you don't really care about arriving on a dead horse."

[Crows-Nest] Gert says, "I take my weapon with me (which, er, I haven't actually decided what it *is* yet) and my lantern."

[7thsea] Gert asks (of GM), "Literally?"

[Crows-Nest] Arvid says, "I'm not sure what we're doing about supplies but I guess we'll work that out on the fly"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "(also, when the heck is Compline?"

[7thsea] Gert says, ")"

[Crows-Nest] Hans says, "Supplies? Pfft."

[7thsea] GM says, "as in, the horse drops down dead within a mile or so of your destination. Compline is 'late in the night'."

GM asks, "Uh, what equipment *do* you have on you?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, I care about arriving on a living horse."

Arvid says, "I have nothing to speak of"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I am OK arriving on a horse that is no good for any more riding, but not on a horse that is literally dead."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Also, would a horse actually run itself to death with an unfamiliar and not-completely-expert rider?"

[7thsea] Hans asks (of Gert), "Any more riding ever, or any more riding that day?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I think we had a discussion of horse speeds post-game and decided it was too complicated"

[7thsea] Gert says, "That day."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Heh."

Arvid says, "(that said, I guess we have whatever stuff we'd grab from going out in the woods to look for people)"

[7thsea] Hans has his sword and his gauntlet and panzerhand, since he took those when they went out to look for the girls in the woods.

Hans has his sword and his gauntlet and panzerhand, since he took those when they went out to look for the girls in the woods.

Arvid says, "plus apparently I have a quill and ink since I scribbled a note"

GM says (to Arvid), "always useful for a scholar to have on his person."

Gert probably has some cash.

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah, Gert probably has my cash too, grr."

GM cues the chase music.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Oh, and I assume one of us stole a lantern from the stable."

GM says, "Off down the road past the monastery, to the crossroads at the Schaedelbrecher pass"

[7thsea] Gert says, "*that* cash I already spent."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "also, it still seems like a dumb night to ride, but oh well"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Probably Gert, since she's leading."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "er, it seems dumb to ride at night"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah, I still have the lantern from the woods."

GM says, "East goes to Eisen, west to Montaigne. I'm guessing you turn west."

Gert exclaims, "Indeed!"

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Fortunately, I do not recognize any problem with that."

Gert gallop gallop gallop.

GM says, "As the road descends, the woods get thicker and darker ... there's something lying in the middle of the road up ahead."

Gert exclaims, "Ahoy!"

[7thsea] Arvid asks (of GM), "hey, are we going through the creepy woods?"

Gert gallops up to take a closer look, and shines the lantern.

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "or just the normal woods?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I think the creepy woods are easy."

[7thsea] Hans says, "East."

[7thsea] Gert says, "You also think they're easy."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Well, true."

[7thsea] GM says, "woods at night are always creepy. no matter how normal they look in daylight."

[7thsea] Hans says, "It is home, after all."

GM says (to Gert), "It's a huge black wolf."

Gert asks (of wolf), "Are you alive?"

GM says, "First and most obvious, it looks light something smashed into its head, taking out an eye ... claw marks in the back of its head, ripping out part of its scalp."

GM says, "It's clearly dead. There are also other wounds, more consistent with swords."

Gert shudders.

Gert exclaims, "Well, this is the right way!"

Gert gallop gallop gallop.

Arvid says, "I suppose"

GM says, "And a leetle further up ahead are its friends, investigating."

Hans gallop jump gallop gallop.

[7thsea] Hans says, "I am slightly curious what left claw marks on the back of a wolf's head."

Arvid says, "when wolves start fighting amongst themselves, it seems like a bad sign"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Perhaps we've got an Ussuran around here."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oho."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Who was Pierre's friend?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Andre-Nicolas Valois?"

GM says, "Two more wolves, these ones alive, sniffing down the road, prowling ... they jump up and turn towards you as you approach, growling."

Hans says, "They say that in the east, there are wolves who can think like men."

GM says, "Initiative"

Gert attempts to gallop past them, slashing at them with her axe or axe-like weapon.

[7thsea] Hans rolls 2 dice: 6 8

[7thsea] GM rolls 3 dice: 8 9 10

[7thsea] GM rolls 3 dice: 8 4 1

[7thsea] Arvid rolls 2 dice: 1 7

[7thsea] Gert rolls 3 dice: 2 5 4

[7thsea] Hans says, "I bet Gert could shoo them away."

GM says, "The first wolf leaps, trying to unhorse Gert."

[7thsea] GM rolls 6k3: 10+6 3 4 2 4 6 | 26

GM says, "(This would be using Riding as passive defence, I think)"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Sure."

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "Which would be a hit!"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "I guess if we're in combat, what's the deal with drama dice? lowest trait plus the 2 or 3 we have from last session?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Does Arvid use my Ride for his passive defense as well?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "gosh, I hope so"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee"

GM says, "It bowls Gert over onto the ground."

[7thsea] GM says, "Yeah, I think so ... since there's just the one horse, and Hans is in control."

GM says, "TWO"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Also, I forget, what did you say about the applicability of Parry in these situations?"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Am I prone, or can I attack?"

GM says, "No wait, Arvid still has a move on ONE."

Arvid says, "I delay"

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Yeah, I think we were using the standard drama die rule."

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "I'd say both ... no reason you can't attack while on the ground; I mean, the wolf is right there."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Well, I want to stand up; if I can also attack I shall do so (on 2)"

[7thsea] GM says (to Hans), "Parry can be used as an active defence for someone other than yourself. As in, you want to block a strike aimed at someone else."

[7thsea] Hans says, "But only Active? OK."

Arvid says, "and by "delay" I mean "hang onto the horse and Hans for dear life""

[7thsea] GM says, "Also, remember drama dice refresh every session."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "All of them, or just the base?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Oh, hmm."

Gert stands up, gripping her now-more-fully-defined two-handed axe.

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Does that mean that you start each session with max(your initial number, the number you had at the end of the last session)? Or some other function?"

Gert exclaims (at wolves), "You're slowing me down!"

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "I mean, you get new drama dice (equal to lowest trait) every session, in addition to whatever you had from before."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Woo."

[7thsea] Gert says (to GM), "(can I attack, or no?)"

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "Uh, I think no. It's a bit of a struggle getting up with the wolf practically on top of you."

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "OK, then--phase 3!"

GM says, "THREE"

GM says, "FOUR"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Me, but the wolf goes first."

[7thsea] Gert says, "(since it has an 8 left over, and me with a 5)"

GM says, "The wolf lunges again"

[7thsea] GM rolls 6k3: 10+9 3 2 10+5 7 9 | 43

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "I shall not try to active defense against that!"

[7thsea] Gert says, "(sheesh)"

[7thsea] GM rolls 4k2: 10+7 7 2 7 | 24

[7thsea] Gert rolls 5k4: 4 7 4 7 9 | 27

GM says, "24 flesh wounds"

Gert takes a deep gash to the side, but presses on!

Gert swings her axe in retaliation!

[7thsea] Gert rolls 6k3: 7 6 7 9 2 7 | 23

GM says, "FIVE"

[7thsea] Gert says, "(still 4)"

GM says, "Er, no, Gert on 4 and 5."

GM says (to Gert), "go and go."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "I rolled--do I hit?"

[7thsea] GM exclaims, "Oh! yes!"

[7thsea] Gert rolls 8k2: 1 6 1 8 4 1 7 8 | 16

[7thsea] GM rolls 3k3: 2 6 7 | 15

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "Yay!"

Gert's axe bites deeply into the wolf's left flank!

Gert follows up with a swipe to its head.

GM says, "The wolf is sent rolling across the road. It leaps up, but is clearly bloodied."

[7thsea] Gert rolls 6k3: 10+2 1 8 6 3 9 | 29

[7thsea] GM rolls 3k3: 9 4 5 | 18

[7thsea] Gert rolls 8k2: 6 2 3 5 1 1 5 6 | 12

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Do we know the TN to hit the wolves?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Less than 23."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Or equal to."

[7thsea] GM says, "20"

GM says, "SIX"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "So the second is 12 flesh wounds?"

[7thsea] GM says, "yes"

Hans was about to fend off the wolf attacking Gert, but quickly realizes -- seeing the wolf blood on her axe -- that this may not be a wise move for him.

Gert's axe grazes the wolf's ear.

Hans exclaims (at Wolves), "Get back!"

Hans swoops in, swinging his sword at the second wolf.

[7thsea] Hans rolls 7k3: 7 9 4 10+5 9 10+10+8 9 | 52

(From GM) Wolves exclaim (at Hans), "Rarrr!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "OK, I knew I should have called for a raise."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Enh, the raises on damage don't do much anyway."

[7thsea] Gert says, "(when you have a high brawn to begin with)"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Brawn adds to unkept, right?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Right."

[7thsea] Hans rolls 6k2: 6 10+6 2 7 8 1 | 24

[7thsea] GM rolls 3k3: 4 2 6 | 12

GM says, "Second wolf yelps"

GM says, "It's badly wounded."

GM says, "SEVEN"

[7thsea] Hans says, "If these wolves are smarter than Hans, they will retreat on phase 8."

GM says, "The wolves are being a little more cautious now ... not so much with the snarling and leaping."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "did Gert take a dramatic wound? or just a bunch of flesh wounds?"

[7thsea] GM says, "Bunch of flesh wounds."

GM says, "On Eight, I think the wolves do in fact retreat."

Gert shakes her axe. "And don't bother any more travellers, you hear me!

Gert collects her horse and swings up again.

Arvid improvises a bandage for Gert so she doesn't leave a big blood trail behind us.

Gert says, "Oh, right, thanks."

GM says (to Gert), "your horse is kind of skittish after the encounter. You're lucky it didn't decide to bolt all the way to Bois-Franc without you."

Arvid says, "and try not to aggravate the wound too much -- don't go jumping over any chasms"

Gert just grunts.

Hans asks, "Are there any signs of runaway horses?"

Hans asks, "Do we know if the boys passed here safely?"

Gert calms her horse down again, and heads on!

GM says, "The journey to Bois-Franc is (relatively) uneventful. There's no sign of the boys, though."

Gert looks around for someone like a night watchman.

GM says, "It's about 3 or 4 in the morning as you reach the walls of the town ... this place is like a fortress in the middle of the woods."

Hans says, "Ah, well-built."

GM says, "High wooden palisades, gates."

GM says, "There's a sentry tower at the east gate."

Hans exclaims (at Sentry), "Hail!"

GM says, "And presumably the west gate as well, but that's on the other side of town."

(From GM) Sentry says, "Who goes there?!"

Hans says (to Sentry), "We are from the Geneva College to the east! We come looking for two of our young charges."

Gert says (to sentry), "I'm Gert, and this is Hans and Arvid--we're looking for some boys that may have come by here earlier? We think they may be in danger, or at least heading for it."

(From GM) Sentry says, "Hang on...."

GM says, "A window in the gate opens up, and someone looks out. (Easier to talk than shouting up to the sentry)"

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "Yeah, what? Lost a couple of students, did you?"

Hans says, "Ja."

Gert asks, "Right--have they come by here?"

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "Didn't see no-one. What makes you think they came here?"

Gert says, "Because there aren't any other towns on this road."

Hans nods. Good answer.

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "Most likely the wolves got them. Or the other dark creatures out there. Hell, I don't know if you're not one of them dark creatures yourselves, masquerading as teachers.

Gert says, "They didn't, uh, bribe you to say you didn't see 'em, did they? We're trying to help."

Hans asks, "What, we cannot be dark creatures *and* teachers?"

Gert says, "Well, dark creaturs don't usually carry lanterns."

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "Bribe? ME? Hmph!"

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "(suspiciously) true, they don't...."

Gert asks, "Anyone else at all supposed to have come by here in the last few hours?"

(From GM) Gatekeeper laughs. "It's the middle of the night. No-one travels these roads at night. Not if they know what's good for them."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Does the road go around the town, or only through it?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Could the boys have just ridden past without the sentry noticing?"

Gert swings down and looks for tracks.

[7thsea] GM says, "You could easily go around the town, true."

GM says (to Gert), "we'll have a Wits+tracking roll."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh, lovely."

[7thsea] Gert rolls 2k1: 6 5 | 6

Gert scratches her head, puzzled.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

Arvid sighs, and hops down from his horse.

Arvid says, "(or, rather, Hans's horse)"

[7thsea] Arvid rolls 5k4: 8 6 5 3 2 | 22

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "anything else?"

Arvid says, "you can't look in the middle of the road -- any tracks there would have been obliterated long ago"

Hans asks (of Gatekeeper), "Could they have gone past without you seeing them?"

GM says (to Arvid), "well, you do find tracks some distance from the gates...."

Arvid asks, "hunh, what's this?"

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "mostly we're just looking out for intruders. Oh, and aristos trying to sneak in on their way through to Eisen."

GM says (to Arvid), "They stop on the road, then lead of into the underbrush."

Gert exclaims, "Oh, I was just looking in the wrong place!"

Arvid says, "(mutters) I suppose they're just the sort of fools not to want to sleep in an inn tonight"

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "we ARE the last safe stop before they leave the borders, you know.

Gert says (to Sentry), "Thanks for your help! I think we found 'em."

Gert asks, "If we show up with 50 bandits on our tail, be sure to open the gate for us, OK?"

Hans asks (of Gatekeeper), "Ha. Trying to save them from the fate that befalls a coward in Eisen?"

Gert hops back up on her horse and follows Arvid.

(From GM) Gatekeeper presumable shrugs, though you can't see his shoulders. "Bloody aristos and their soft, pampered ways." He turns away and spits.

[7thsea] Gert says, "(are my flesh wounds gone, BTW?)"

GM says (to Arvid), "Some distance off, you find a clearing, with the horses tethered to a tree. Boys are nowhere in sight."

[7thsea] GM says, "It's a new scene, so yes."

Arvid says, "hunh"

Arvid exclaims, "over here!"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Cool."

Hans asks, "Are you calling us or them?"

Arvid says, "oh, you're here already"

Arvid yawns

Arvid says, "I'm too old to stay up this late"

Arvid says, "or early"

Gert calls "Pieeeerrrrrre! Annnnnddreeeee!"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "is it like 3am now? if we left at 9pm and rode for six hours?"

[7thsea] GM says, "yes"

Gert calls "You're going to need our help, you know! Come out!"

(From GM) Echo says, "Pieeeerrrre! Annnnnddreeee!"

Arvid exclaims, "come out now and we won't make you work in the scullery for more than the next six months or so!"

Gert asks (of Arvid), "Can you track them from here?"

Arvid says, "the horses have scuffed up the ground, but let me see"

Gert pokes around looking a bit herself.

[7thsea] Gert rolls 2k1: 10+9 1 | 19

[7thsea] Arvid rolls 5k4: 8 2 3 4 9 | 24

[7thsea] Arvid exclaims, "nice!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "see, you're learning fast"

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "I feel so smart!"

GM says, "There doesn't seem to be anything for some distance all around, but then you find some disturbance in the dirt near the wall, around a corner from the sentry tower. And a muddy footprint on the wall."

Gert says, "Oh, I get it."

Gert exclaims, "Well, at least they're not dumb enough to spend the night outside!"

Gert scales the wall.

[7thsea] Gert says, "(climb+finesse)"

[7thsea] Gert rolls 4k3: 10+9 1 2 9 | 30

Arvid looks nervously at the wall.

Hans asks, "Why don't we just go in by the gate?"

Gert looks at Hans like he's a very very simple man. "Because we're following them!"

GM says, "Against all odds, Gert manages to find enough handholds to get to the top of the wall."

Hans says, "Oh. Yes."

Gert asks (of Hans), "But why don't you take the horses in the gate?"

Gert lowers a rope down to Arvid.

Hans asks (of Arvid), "Are you with me or with Gert?"

Gert exclaims, "He has to come this way to keep tracking them!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Note: there may be less bouncing against hard rock while being pulled up the rock face if you go with me."

Arvid says, "I appreciate Gert's rope but I think the gate is more suited for my aching bones"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Gert sighs.

Arvid says, "perhaps we'll meet you on the inside"

Gert says, "OK, I'll wait here so you can find the spot."

Hans exclaims, "Don't lose the trail!"

Arvid says, "you can, uh, practice what I was showing you while you're waiting"

Gert exclaims, "OK!"

[7thsea] Gert rolls 2k1: 5 2 | 5

Hans leads the horses back to the gate.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Gert peers at the wall intently.

Hans exclaims (at Gatekeeper/Sentry), "Heil!"

Gert calls out "Take the boys horses in, too!

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "You again?"

Hans says (to Gatekeeper), "You may need to keep a closer watch on your walls."

Hans says, "They are easier to climb than they look."

Arvid elbows Hans in the ribs

(From GM) Gatekeeper frowns. "Are they? Hmph."

Hans exclaims, "What? It is good advice!"

Arvid says, "what he means to say is, we've decided to be sensible and find a room for the night"

Hans says, "Yes, that as well."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Not *our* room, but *someone*'s room for the night, anyway."

(From GM) Gatekeeper sighs. "Well, come on in, then."

Hans says, "Danke."

Gert takes a deep breath and exhales, enjoying the crisp night air. She stands on the top of the wall and looks out over the rooftops in one direction, and trees in the other.

Hans leads the horses inside.

(From GM) Gatekeeper opens the gate to let you in. "If you're still concerned about your two missing students, you could take it up with the judge later in the morning, but he's a busy man."

Arvid fumbles around in his purse and finds a tip for the gatekeeper.

Hans says (to Gatekeeper), "Thank you."

Hans asks, "Do you know where in town two boys looking to get a soft bed without being noticed would probably go?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I am expecting the elbow, this time."

(From GM) Gatekeeper accepts tip. "Merci. That's Judge Jean Dupin. He and his crew arrived a few days ago and are setting up in the town hall."

Arvid provides it.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "On the assumption that if they knew that, then it wouldn't be such a place anymore."

(From GM) Gatekeeper says, "Two boys? I suppose they'd look for the inn. Up near the square, across from Mme L'Amour's.

Hans exclaims, "Ah, good!"

[7thsea] Gert asks (of Hans), "Did you get the boys' horses, too?"

Hans waves and rides off toward the square.

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Er. Nope?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "OK, I'll get 'em next if need be."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I figured we could take them when we leave the city"

Hans eventually thinks to look up at the wall as he rides by, to see if Gert is still up there.

Gert exclaims (at Hans), "Some fiancee *you* are. You weren't even looking for me!"

Gert asks (of Arvid), "Can you find their trail from down there?"

GM says, "Bois-Franc is a lumber town. Mostly woodcutters and carpenters. Whole place smells of sawdust."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Hans asks (of Gert), "So you admit that you cannot take care of yourself, then?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(I guess doing it that way risks them sneaking out and missing us, but bringing in the horses and making a scene risks tipping the boys off)"

Gert snorts. "Pretending that you cared would be nice, is all."

Hans exclaims, "Bah. If I had to pretend, it would not be worth the bother!"

Hans says, "It is only because I do not pretend that you know I do."

Hans looks smug in his logic.

Gert beams. "You got that right!"

Gert asks (of Arvid), "So where'd they go?"

Gert says, "Should be plenty of footprints in the sawdust."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, I half hope that we are waking up the town by shouting at each other from opposite ends of the wall."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee"

Arvid says, "yes, though it's hard to find out where they landed without scrutinizing every inch of the wall"

Arvid says, "but let me see"

GM says, "There's a lot more tracks of random people coming and going in the town, though."

[7thsea] Arvid rolls 5k4: 9 5 7 7 5 | 28

[7thsea] Gert asks (of GM), "Can he tell if he needs a drama die?"

[7thsea] GM says, "I don't think it is possible to be able to tell which tracks belong to the boys."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "presumably failing to track them isn't actually the end of the world (or the adventure)"

[7thsea] Gert says, "No, we pack up and go home."

[7thsea] Gert says, "That's OK."

Arvid shakes his head. "Can't tell from here -- too many footsteps everywhere."

Gert looks disappointed. "Oh, well. I'll go get the boys' horses and meet you inside."

Arvid says, "hmm"

Arvid says, "we may want to make some kind of escape in a hurry"

Arvid says, "in that case it might not hurt to have horses outside"

[7thsea] Arvid asks (of GM), "do we know where pierre's family ended up? are they actually in this city?"

Gert says, "I don't think five of us can ride two horses."

[7thsea] GM says, "you *could* ask the gatekeeper."

Hans asks, "Why do we need to escape?"

Hans asks, "Are we not the ones chasing them?"

Gert says, "I'm worried that if we leave the horses, they'll get eaten or stolen, or that the boys will leave on them again."

Arvid says, "if we catch them before they end up in the hands of the revolutionaries, yes"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I thought the family was actually captured."

Arvid says, "but given our luck thus far .."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yes"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "but are they captured here? or captured there?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "There, but the 'judge' sounds revolutionary to me."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "presumably the judge the gatekeeper mentioned is the guy who does the execution"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Oh, hmm. I'd have assumed they'd be taken to the capital or someplace like that."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "me too"

[7thsea] Gert says, "(but that's me==lucian, not Gert, since I didn't hear that bit ;-)"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "but then why is this judge here?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I assume there are new judges everywhere."

[7thsea] Hans says, "With dungeons and guillotines and huge city crowds to watch."

Arvid says, "well"

Gert asks, "Since we can't all five ride two horses, can I bring them in?"

Arvid shrugs

Arvid says, "as you like"

Gert exclaims, "OK, see you in a sec!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(the poor gatekeeper)"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Perhaps the judge decides whether or not they get taken to the city."

Gert hops down from the wall (if such a thing is feasible, climbing if not), gets the horses, and heads inside.

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, I wonder if Gert is going to let on that these are two new horses, and not just the same two that he just saw a minute ago."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

Arvid says, "when she gets back we had better see about the inn, and salvaging what remains of my night's sleep"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "In fact, can we sneak out our horses over the wall, just to mess with them?"

Arvid says, "and then tomorrow the judge"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha ha ha"

Hans says, "Right."

[7thsea] Hans says, "(Between me and Gert and Arvid building a simple pulley system...)"

GM asks, "So, making your way to the inn?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Nah, I'll just toss 'em, and you can catch 'em."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Gert), "Yeah, but we don't want Arvid to feel left out."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Maybe he can ride them."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha"

Hans says, "It must be that building with the picture of a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine and a Montaigne word on it."

Gert knocks on the stable gate, but if nobody answers, just stables the horses herself.

[7thsea] Hans says (to Gert), "Check for anyone sleeping in the straw."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "like rats"

Gert peers around the stable for anyone sleeping.

[7thsea] Gert rolls 2k1: 4 6 | 6

Gert, satisfied, returns to the inn.

[7thsea] Hans says, "I guess taking in their horses means that the boys can't just get them and take off again while we're asleep."

Arvid says, "right, it says "The Loaf and Jug""

GM says, "On the town square. There is the town hall, with the police HQ right next to it. There's candle-light glowing in one of the police HQ windows -- a small, barred window."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, Gert will be annoyed when she finds out that we never bothered stabling our horses."

GM says, "At one side of the square are several contraptions (guillotines), some of them loaded onto wagons. This must be where they're being built."

Hans rides by the station and peeks in the window.

Gert goes up to the window and peeks in.

Hans says (to Gert), "Ah, there you are."

Gert waves.

Hans asks, "So are you going to stable these horses or not?"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Hey, what happened to '@think'?"

[7thsea] Hans . o O ( Hmm? )

GM says (to Gert), "The window looks into a prison cell. There's a boy, about 12 years old, nodding off at a table. Two guards are sitting nearby, looking very bored."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "on channels you use @think, off-channels you use think"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh, it's a channel-only thing? Hmm."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "it's kind of a goofy system"

Gert . o O ( Now *there's* a tempting target for two high-spirited boys. )

[7thsea] Hans says, "@think is the channel equivalent of the 'think' action."

GM says (to Gert), "every now and then, as the boy looks like he's about to fall asleep, one of the guards pokes him and wakes him up again."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Calling it a 'system' implies that it was somehow systematic."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "well yeah"

GM says, "Everyone appears to be asleep at the Loaf & Jug."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "does the boy look like a younger version of Pierre?"

[7thsea] GM says, "He does."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh man"

Arvid says, "there ought to be a pull-cord to wake the knives-and-boots boy or something"

Arvid says, "or maybe he's just sleeping over the stables"

Gert looks at the base of the window she's at for similar footprints.

[7thsea] Gert rolls 2k1: 10+9 5 | 19

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "woo-hoo!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "And does Lucille look like a dream-version of Suzanna, I wonder."

GM says (to Gert), "not hard to spot."

Gert goes to get Arvid.

[7thsea] Hans says, "So: thinking logically..."

Gert exclaims (at Arvid), "I found more signs of them!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Given the footprints outside the wall, the boys are probably inside the city."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Also, given the footprints at the base of the window."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Given the light in the window, it seems likely that they would have looked inside."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "maybe we should have brought Suzanna along to use as a decoy"

Arvid says, "why, sure enough -- you're getting good at this"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah. So, given that, if this is Ed, it seems almost certain that they must intend to break him out."

Gert beams.

[7thsea] Gert says, "Exactly."

[7thsea] Hans says, "And if they haven't done so yet, then that can only be because they are still in the middle of setting up/enacting their plan."

Arvid says, "just a little more care and less haste and you'll be an expert"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Since I can't imagine them deciding to go to bed and do it in the morning."

[7thsea] Arvid exclaims, "it's 3 in the morning! they've been riding for six hours after a full day!"

[7thsea] GM says, "that means they'"

[7thsea] GM exclaims, "that means they're more insane now than usually!"

Hans mutters to himself, "If I were a teenaged boy, what sort of plan would I think of for breaking my brother out of this prison?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "though admittedly they may not want to risk waiting another 24 hours"

Arvid says, "well, they probably can't smuggle in a loaf with a file inside"

Arvid says, "unless Andre has unexpected baking skills"

Gert says (to Arvid), "I think you're right about us needing to escape."

Hans says, "Whatever their plan is, it must involve distracting the guards somehow."

Gert says (to Arvid), "Maybe you can take all four horses out the front."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

GM says (to Arvid), "speaking of baking, 'Mme Lamour's', across from the inn, is a patisserie. There's a light on in the window upstairs."

Gert says (to Hans), "And, given the wood, that means fire."

Gert says, "And given the guillotines, that means that stack of guillotines over there."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "where is the patisserie relative to the police HQ?"

[7thsea] GM says, "Across the square."

[7thsea] Gert says, "I am justifying this by declaring that I am busy working on spending my next XP on Wits ;-)"

[7thsea] GM says, "You'd have a pretty good view from there."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "practice makes perfect"

Arvid points to the patisserie.

Arvid says, "perhaps they intend to watch and see when he's brought out, and intercept them then"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Can we get an ASCII layout or something? I'm starting to lose my visualization."

[7thsea] GM says, "Um. Not sure how to do that. Imagine a square. Town Hall is in the middle of the south side. Police HQ is beside it. Road in the middle of the north side, with Inn on one side of road, Patisserie on other."

Arvid says, "or perhaps we should repair up there and take the opportunity to watch ourselves"

Arvid says, "...and get some sleep"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "And the square itself is open?"

[7thsea] GM says, "yes"

[7thsea] GM says, "Oh, and stack of guillotines on either the east side or west side of the square, doesn't matter which. Say, same side as the inn."

Hans asks, "Do you think they have the patience for a plan like that?"

Arvid says, "for their sake I hope so"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Is Andre the same age as Pierre, or younger?"

[7thsea] GM says, "same age"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but he probably goes along with whatever Pierre says"

[7thsea] Gert says, "OK, maybe something like this:"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah, I was just wondering if he was dreaming about Lucille."

[7thsea] Gert |
[7thsea] Gert |     IIII |  | PP
[7thsea] Gert | ---------|  |----------
[7thsea] Gert | -----------------------
[7thsea] Gert | |                      |
[7thsea] Gert | -----------------------
[7thsea] Gert |     THTHTHTHTH  PHQ

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yes"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "pretty snazzy"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "and guillotines set up in the square on the left/west side"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Aha, yes."

Gert heads over to the patisserie.

Arvid says, "there we go"

Arvid follows Gert.

Hans asks, "Should we do anything to the guillotines, in case things go wrong?"

Gert listens at the door.

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "so have we actually stabled our horses in the inn?"

[7thsea] GM says, "I think Gert put the horses in there."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "because it would be funny if we sneakily stable them there and then go sleep in the bakery and tomorrow the innkeeper wonders where these extra horses came from"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Gert put the boys' horses in there."

[7thsea] Hans says, "But not ours."

GM says, "As you get close to the patisserie, you can hear someone softly singing a lullaby at the window."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "if things go wrong we will disguise ourselves as the executioners and then punch out the other guards and push over the guillotine and leap onto the nearby wagon and charge out through the gates"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Got it."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yay"

[7thsea] Arvid asks (of Hans), "so ours are ..?"

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Well, mine's underneath me still."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "oh ok"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "uh"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I am not sure that is as stealthy as it could be"

[7thsea] Gert asks (of GM), "What language?"

GM says, "Whoever it is stops as you get right up to the patisserie."

[7thsea] Hans asks, ";Did anyone tell me we were being stealthy?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "well no"

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "Montaigne"

Arvid says (to Hans), "perhaps you should stable those two"

Arvid says, "if we intend to sneak up on the boys"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Is the window an open window, or shuttered?"

[7thsea] GM says, "Open"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but Pierre and Andre would speak montaigne too"

Hans asks (of Arvid), "But then how will we make our daring escape?"

Gert waves in the window.

Arvid says, "we can get them out again when it's time for that"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah, I only know of two people in this town whose first language isn't Montaigne."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "this is totally going to be some stranger, you realize"

Gert calls, softly, "Hello? Is someone there awake?"

GM says (to Gert), "a figure leans out. In the light, you can see it's a very young woman with long blonde hair, holding a baby."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

(From GM) Young mother says, "what is it? what do you want?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "unless this is wossherface, but she's captured"

Gert says, "Oh, what a precious child."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "The mother?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "(I don't think Lucille could be old enough to be a young woman holding a baby.)"

Gert says, "We're looking for two boys who we think need help."

[7thsea] Hans says, "(And Pierre's mother probably isn't all that young."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "good point"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "at least, I hope lucille isn't a young mother, the hussy"

Gert says, "And since you have a light on, we guessed they may have asked you."

(From GM) Young mother says, "....oh?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Could be Andre in a wig, of course."

Gert is speaking softly, so as not to wake the baby.

(From GM) Young mother says, "Who are you?"

Gert says, "My name is Ger...trude. Gertrude."

Gert . o O ( Wait, my name *is* Gertrude. )

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(twice)"

(From GM) Young mother says, "Why are you looking for these boys, then?"

Gert says, "I'm responsible for them, and they ran away."

Arvid says, "first, because they've run away from school"

Arvid says, "and second, because they're about to do something stupid"

Arvid says, "and third, because it's four in the morning and I will be very upset if I've stayed up this late for nothing"

[7thsea] Hans asks (of Arvid), "OK, if those are good enough reasons, then shouldn't someone be looking for us?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "we're professors, we're entitled"

Gert asks (of woman), "Hey, um... did you know they have a kid in the jail over there? Did he steal something or something?"

GM says, "The young mother points to a stair over at one side of the patisserie. "I'll meet you there.""

Gert walks over to the stair.

GM says, "It's an outside stair, with a barbershop pole beside it. The young woman appears at the door at the top of it."

Arvid . o O ( I wonder if anyone complains about finding hairs in their food )

[Crows-Nest] (from Hans) GM says, "And then slides down the pole."

(From GM) Young mother says, "My name is Louise. Louise Beauclair. I think I know the boys you mean ... one of them had red hair, yes?

[7thsea] GM says, "That would be Andre"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "uh, yes? no? I don't know"

[7thsea] Hans says (to lps), "YOu need to add photos to NPCs.txt"

Arvid says, "...yes."

[Crows-Nest] Limax laughs politely

Arvid asks, "do you know where they are now?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I'll get right on it."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "Pierre: :-) Andre: 8-) Lucille: :-)8"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "Woo woo!"

(From GM) Louise bites her lip. "There have been a lot of comings and goings. The boys were here. They wanted to know all about the town hall."

Arvid says, "I'm not surprised to hear that"

Gert asks, "What did you tell them?"

(From GM) Louise bites her lip. "I don't mind saying I think the way Dupin is treating the prisoners is quite shameful, but it will be all the worse for them if they try anything."

Hans looks back over his shoulder at the town hall and the alley beside it.

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Is there an alley beside it? Or are the two buildings adjacent?"

Arvid says, "then we are precisely in agreement"

[7thsea] GM says, "sure, there is an alley. Alleys are like ropes, there is always one handy."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee"

Arvid says, "there was one particular prisoner, a boy, who they seemed intent on keeping awake"

[7thsea] Hans says, ">INV 'You are carrying one 50 ft. hempen rope, one 10 ft. pole, five iron rations, and a small alleyway.'"

(From GM) Louise says, "They have a pair of aristos locked in one of the upper cells, and their son down there -- you see the lighted window? They are keeping him awake at all hours, hoping he'll give in and tell them where his sister's gone."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "wait wait what"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Wait?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "That sounds exactly right to me."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "didn't the other guy tell us the boy was missing and the sister was found? or am I just confused?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh, hey, the parents are here too."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Oh, did he? I don't remember what he said."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah, other way 'round, is what I remembered."

[7thsea] GM says (to Arvid), "no, other way around."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "ok, so what she told us matches up with what the other guy told us?"

Arvid says, "hrm"

Arvid says, "(aside, to Hans and Gert) the boys may feel they should locate the sister first, since there's supposedly no execution until she's found"

Gert nods.

Hans says (to Arvid), "But if the brother knows her whereabouts, then surely she can be retrieved after the rest of the family is safe."

Gert asks, "What did you tell the boys about the town hall? And which way did they leave when they left?"

Arvid says, "but getting the rest of the family out will put the city in an uproar and make it twice as hard to find her safely, I would think"

Gert (still aside) "I would have thought the sister was out of town. But in any event, we need to find the boys."

(From GM) Louise says, "They went into auto-executioner factory."

Hans says, "They didn't take their horses, so they haven't left town."

Gert says (to Louise), "Thank you for your help."

Gert heads over to the factory.

Hans asks, "Factory?"

(From GM) Louise says, "Nothing's happened yet ... but a little while later, I saw someone come out of the inn and creep into the factory as well."

GM says, "Louise points to the carpentry workshop behind the stacks of guillotines (or, as they're apparently called for now, auto-executioners)"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Gert asks (of Louise), "Someone kid-sized or adult size?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "They can kill twelve cars a minute."

[7thsea] Gert says, "The official name is Coiffeurs or something silly."

(From GM) Louise says, "Older ... a woman, I think."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "this louise is well-informed"

[7thsea] GM says, "Yeah, well, you're on the stairs to a *real* Coiffure right now."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Heh."

[7thsea] GM says, "She has the benefit of being kept up at strange hours by the demands of a newborn baby."

Gert exclaims (at Louise), "Thank you!"

Gert now actually heads over to the carpentry workshop.

[7thsea] Hans says, "Ah, yes, the benefit."

Hans says (to Louise), "Thank you."

GM says, "Louise nods and slips back indoors."

GM says, "The carpentry workshop is dark, and these autoexecutioners standing all around cast shadows all over."

GM says, "There doesn't *seem* to be anyone about."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hey, maybe I'll try being stealthy."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "perhaps we should put out a small pile of nuts and berries and then hide"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha ha"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I could stealth... ish."

Gert tries to slip inside without being heard, and then listens.

[7thsea] Gert rolls 6k3: 2 5 8 8 6 3 | 22

[7thsea] Gert says, "(stealth/finesse)"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Or you could do so much better."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I like how Hans is developing the right attitude for marriage over the course of this adventure"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha ha"

[7thsea] Gert says, "It's actually a morality play."

GM says, "and this is the part where you bump into Andre-Nicolas as he creeps out of the place."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Can I try to clap my hand over his mouth, or is he too far away?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I'm just worried that she is going to be picking up Wits."

[7thsea] Hans says, "This is going to make sneaking out of the house much harder."

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "go right ahead."

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "If you're sneaking out of the house, I'm coming with you!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "best marriage ever"

Gert claps her hand over Andre's mouth and hisses "Shhh! It's me."

(From GM) Andre says, "!!"

Gert exclaims, "Quietly!"

Gert shakes her head. "Students these days."

[Crows-Nest] (from Hans) Andre . o O ( The giantess with the pitchfork!!! )

Gert hisses, "Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work."

Gert says, "...without our help."

(From GM) Andre jabs his finger towards the square.

Gert releases Andre. "So tell us what the plan is, and we'll grade your work."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

(From GM) Andre says, "No time ... there's some crazy lady in here, she's going to blow up the place and we've got to get out NOW."

Gert asks, "Is Pierre OK?"

[7thsea] GM also tosses a drama die at Gert

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "Yay!"

(From GM) Andre says, "yesyes can we get out of here now?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Also, hey, right, sawdust."

Gert shrugs, and sprints towards the police hq.

Gert exclaims (at Arvid), "Arvid! Get the rest of the horses!"

Gert says, "Maybe a couple extras, too."

Arvid asks, "what, wait, which?"

Gert exclaims, "The factory's about to explode!"

Gert exclaims, "No time like the present for a distraction!"

Hans says, "See? I told you they had to distract the guards."

GM says, "boom."

GM says, "It's actually a tiny, tiny explosion, off near the back of the workshop."

GM says, "Andre has time to say, 'well, that was pathetic.' before there's another boom and the place goes up in flames."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha more"

GM asks, "In about two minutes there will be complete chaos in the square. what are you up to?"

Hans says (to Andre), "Ah, well done."

Gert and Andre are running towards Police HQ; I'm asking him where Pierre is.

Hans says, "We may be best served to wait until everyone else has rushed to the remains of the factory."

(From GM) Andre says, "I didn't do it! It was this crazy lady -- Pierre said we should let her do whatever it was she was doing, that she had the right idea.... He was going to help her...."

Hans says, "And then we can enter the police station with relatively less notice."

Arvid says, "hmm, I think I am following Gert and Andre and Hans, although not very quickly"

GM says, "People are coming out of various buildings, in nightclothes and panic."

Hans feigns panic.

Hans asks, "Mein Gott in himmel what was that noise and so on and so forth?"

Hans exclaims, "Rhubarb rhubarb!"

Gert says (to Hans), "Sounds like a good idea to me."

GM says (to Arvid), "You see two figures dart out of the workshop and into a dark alley."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Did one of us just fetch extra horses?"

[7thsea] Arvid exclaims, "nope!"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I asked Arvid to, but he hasn't yet."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "it was supposed to be me but I think I changed my mind"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Man, that Arvid."

GM says (to Hans), "One of the people from the town hall falls in beside you. "The factory! How...? But this must be arson!""

Arvid says, "oh bloody hell"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Well, I'm sure we can fit all... nine of us on these two, right?"

Arvid breaks off from following the others and goes to follow those two instead.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I'm not sure you're going to be able to break out the family"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but you might be able to talk with the kid alone"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Ed?"

[7thsea] Alex says (to Hans), "Awwwk! Word on the street is that ed is the standard text editor."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

(From GM) Man from Town Hall says, (to Hans) "did you see what happened?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(I have been trying to think of some way of proving we're his friends, but nothing is coming to mind, so I hope you have)"

Gert says (to Andre), "Here's the plan--Hans and I are getting Pierre's family out of the jail in the confusion. You meet us by the west gate with some horses--maybe Arvid will help. Yours are in the stable, first stall on the right."

Hans exclaims (at Man from Town Hall), "There was this crash, like a lamp falling off of a hook!"

Hans exclaims, "And then a whoosh, and then a boom!"

[7thsea] GM says, "Actually, I think Hans is probably the most likely to be able to convince Edmond that you're on his side."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "do they know each other?"

(From GM) Man from Town Hall says, (to Hans) "Damn!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "also, ironically, Hans is the only one too short to peer into the cell"

[7thsea] GM says, "A nobility thing."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hmm, reasonable enough"

[7thsea] Hans exclaims (at Arvid), "I am taller than all of you!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "because you're on a horse?"

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "Exactly!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha more"

Hans asks (of Man), "Is there anyone inside of the building? Anyone who might be trapped?"

(From GM) Man from Town Hall runs off to join a makeshift bucket brigade.

Hans sidles away toward the police station window.

(From GM) Man from Town Hall says, (to Hans) "There shouldn't be!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "No, no, you just ran off."

[7thsea] Hans says, "You don't see me sidling away in a suspicious direction."

(From GM) Man from Town Hall shouts, (to Hans as he runs off) "There shouldn't be!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Hans peers in the window. Any guards still visible?

GM says (to Hans), "The guards have run out of the cell. Edmond is alone."

Hans exclaims (at Window), "Psst!"

GM says (to Arvid), "A short distance down the alley, you see one of the figures -- a woman in skirts -- come running back up towards you."

GM says, "Edmond : "whuh?""

Arvid asks (of woman), "where's Pierre?"

Hans says (to Edmond), "We are are here to help you."

GM says (to Arvid), "She screeches to a halt when she sees you. "Pierre? Who?""

Hans asks (of Edmond), "Do you know how many guards there are in the station?"

(From GM) Edmond says, "Huh? Who are you?"

Arvid says, "Pierre, you know, the one who just helped you blow up the factory"

(From GM) Edmond says, "I dunno. I've seen four ... always the same four.... now who are you, exactly?"

Hans asks (of Edmond), "I am a friend of your brother. At least, if you are Pierre's brother. Are you Pierre's brother?"

Hans says, "My name is Hans Kleinberg."

(From GM) Woman says, (to Arvid) "the boy ... he's back there ... there were guards coming up the alley. He said he'd hold them off."

Arvid asks, "and you let him?"

Arvid asks, "dammit, woman, he's a teenager and no better than a fool -- how old are *you*?"

Hans says, "I am from the Geneva College where your brother goes to school."

(From GM) Edmond says, "A foreignor ... maybe it's better to trust a foreignor ... is that dracheneisen?"

Hans asks, "Ja! Would you like to see?"

Hans holds his sword up to the window.

(From GM) Woman says, (to Arvid) "what could I do? I can't fight!"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "can't you swear by your honor as a noble or something?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "he'd probably dig that"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I swear by the blood of my fallen ancestors"

Arvid grumbles and shakes his head.

(From GM) Edmond says, "Geneva College! Is Lucille there? Did she arrive safely?"

Hans exclaims, "Nein! We only just learned today that she was missing!"

Arvid says, "well, clearly it's up to me to get him out of trouble again"

Hans asks, "But I am certain that we can find her! We found you, did we not?"

(From GM) Woman sinks to the ground, holding her head. "It's all my fault! Everything is all my fault...."

Arvid says, "I suppose they won't kill him, they'll just throw him in jail with the others"

Arvid says, "honestly, you're as bad as he is"

Hans says, "Wait there -- I will come through and open the door for you."

Hans trots inside of the police station.

Arvid grabs her arm and pulls her up.

Arvid says, "now then, stop being hysterical or I'll slap you"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Is it relatively easy to find the door to his cell from the inside?"

Gert meanwhile was watching the door, counting the people coming out, but when she sees hans go in, she follows.

(From GM) Edmond says, "Didn't you receive a furniture shipment yesterday? We saw it as we were trying to get away from the guards -- they'd already shot Monsieur St-Seraphine -- I hid Lucille in the wardrobe ..."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, oh dear."

[7thsea] GM says, "Yeah, finding the door to the cell is easy."

[7thsea] Hans says, "I *warned* you about that wardrobe."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "apparently so"

[7thsea] Hans asks (of GM), "Is it locked? Is there an obvious keyring nearby?"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "No guards around?"

Gert heads upstairs to get the parents.

[7thsea] GM says, "Locked, no key, no guards."

Hans exclaims (at Door), "Stand back!"

[7thsea] GM says, "bwaha."

Hans exclaims (at Steinflanken), "Trample!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "you rode your horse into the jailhouse???"

Gert asks (of doors), "Monsieur and Madame Cap-Royal? Are you there?"

[7thsea] GM says (to Hans), "That is a drama die moment."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Awesome."

[7thsea] GM says (to Hans), "Also, a Resolve + Ride roll."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "It was the Cap-royals, right?"

GM says (to Arvid), "The woman hiccups and shuts up."

GM says (to Gert), "yes."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Throwing in a DD."

Arvid says, "now then"

[7thsea] Hans rolls 4k3: 3 10+3 10+5 1 | 31

GM exclaims (at Gert), "you hear movement inside, and then a face appears at the door ... good heavens, it's Baron Schriftsteller!"

Arvid says, "let's go find Pierre and see where he's gotten to"

(From Hans) K-RASH!

Arvid says, "I don't suppose you know where his sister is? it would save a lot of bother"

GM says (to Gert), "No wait, this guy is thinner, not quite so beefy ..."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Wait, who's Baron Schriftsteller?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "wait, Baron Schriftsteller is the head of the college"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "and head of our town and stuff"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "oh hmm"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh! Hunh."

GM says (to Hans), "the door crashes in under the horse's hooves."

Gert asks, "Mr. Shriftsteller?"

Hans exclaims (at Edmond), "Climb up!"

GM asks (of Gert), "He looks confused. "I am Rodolphe Pervenche, Comte du Cap-Royale. What is happening?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "man"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I hope you guys have a good plan for getting out the locked front gate"

GM says (to Hans), "Edmond climbs up behind you."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Don't you remember? Gert and I were discussing it earlier."

Gert says, "We're getting you out of here. I'm here with Pierre! Er, or at least we came after him. You see, first Suzanne and some friends went into the woods... Er. Never mind. Stand back"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I was in favor of using a pulley, but Gert felt that part was unnecessary."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

Gert whacks the door with her axe!

GM says (to Arvid), "Pierre is ... well, disarmed by now. One guard is down, but the other two have him at swordpoint."

[7thsea] Gert rolls 6k3: 3 6 3 3 1 1 | 12

Gert says, "Damn doors."

[7thsea] Gert rolls 6k3: 3 5 8 1 1 4 | 17

Gert exclaims, "Arrgh!"

Gert adds a drama die!

Arvid exclaims, "hey! you!"

[7thsea] Gert rolls 7k4: 1 10+1 1 10+6 1 8 4 | 39

GM exclaims (at Gert), "chop ... chop ... Chop!"

Gert asks, "Come on--there's a big fire, so nobody's paying attention. Your wife with you?"

GM says (to Gert), "Three chops later, the door is damaged enough to be not much of an obstacle. The Comte and Comtesse are both there."

GM says (to Arvid), "the guards look up."

Arvid asks, "what are you doing, you fools? do you have any idea who he is?"

Arvid walks closer.

[7thsea] GM says, "Of course, we have the non-combat character facing the guards."

Gert says (to Comte&Comtesse), "My name is Gert.. er, Gertrude... er, I'm here to... um, come on."

Arvid asks, "do you realize what a crime against the revolutionary cabinet it would have been if you killed him?"

Gert turns around and runs downstairs.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah, in retrospect this wasn't good planning"

GM says (to Gert), "nobody's asking any questions. They follow you downstairs. Where Edmond's cell is pounded wide open."

Hans rides out with Edmond and looks around the square.

GM says (to Ervid), "(incidentally, where did you leave the woman?)"

Gert says, "Ah, Hans. Always have to outdo me, don't you."

Arvid says, "now, if you just examine this document, it should make it clear who exactly we're dealing with here"

Arvid says (to GM), "I told her to stay in the shadows"

GM says (to Arvid), "(good.)"

Arvid comes forward with a piece of paper in his hand to show to a guard.

Hans says (to Gert), "I just wonder that you are not carrying the Baron on your shoulders."

(From GM) guard says, "He was aiding an abetting a Suspicious Character."

Gert heads out the door and heads west.

Gert . o O ( I hope Andre's gotten that gate open. Or at least has the horses. )

GM says (to Hans), "the 'baron' looks annoyed. "Count!""

Arvid exclaims, "a suspicious character? a suspicious character? if you want suspicion, you're likely to be under it after what you've almost done tonight!"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "I have only been paying the faintest attention to what Arvid's doing. Is he rescuing Pierre from himself?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "two guards have him at swordspoint"

Hans exclaims (at Count), "Right! Yes! That!"

GM says (to Arvid), "The guard hesitates."

GM says (to Arvid), "The guard looks at the paper. (What is it?)"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Can we seem him once we re-enter the square?"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "See Arvid?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah."

Arvid says, "it says "lecture notes for tomorrow: history of battle of bulgar, Y1403-1409 ... discuss role of potatoes .. buy whiskey""

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha ha ha"

GM says (to Arvid), "then the guard looks VERY confused."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Some day, Arvid will discover vodka, and will then write his Grand Unified Theory of History."

GM says, "(as does Pierre, who was not expecting to see Arvid, of all people, but has the sense to keep his mouth shut."

Arvid smashes a sudden vicious kick into the guard's knee as he's reading the paper

[7thsea] Arvid rolls 6k3: 7 4 4 4 2 10+3 | 24

Gert says (to Hans), "Come on, we're heading out the west gate."

Hans exclaims (at Gert), "We need more horses!"

Gert says, "I hope Andre's there with the horses."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "assuming that's a hit I'm spending a drama die to use my virtue to make that a dramatic wound"

GM says, "Guard goes down. Other guard yells, 'Hey!" -- and Pierre punches him in the face."

[7thsea] GM throws drama die at Arvid.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hooray"

[7thsea] Gert says, "woo"

Arvid exclaims (at Pierre), "I thought you'd never get on with it!"

[7thsea] Hans asks (of Gert), "So, before I follow you: did anyone *tell* Andre that his horses were no longer tied up outside in the woods?"

[7thsea] Arvid says (to Hans), "ha ha ha"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah, I told him which stall they were in."

[7thsea] Gert says, "And told him to get extras."

Hans follows Gert, hoping she knows what she's doing.

(From GM) Pierre says, "sorry, sir." He grabs his sword. "Let's get out of here."

Arvid says, "that's the first sensible thing you've said tonight"

Arvid runs off with Pierre back to where we left the girl

(From GM) Pierre says, "I haven't said anything else tonight."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha ha"

Arvid says, "good, more for me"

GM says (to Arvid), "the woman is waiting where you left her. She's actually in the act of wringing her hands."

Arvid says (to Pierre), "I think Hans and Gert and Andre were at the stables"

Arvid says, "oh, honestly, I hope you're not learning anything from this woman"

Arvid says, "she's a positive menace"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Is Arvid a negative menace?"

Arvid says, "(er, s/stables/police HQ/)"

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Try gates, at this point."

[7thsea] Gert says, "*he* doesn't know that."

[7thsea] Gert says, "But can probably figure it out."

[7thsea] Gert asks (of GM), "Any sign of Andre/horses?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "From the state of the police HQ?"

Arvid pokes his head out of the alley into the square, sees some confusion and people running around

GM says, "Andre has liberated a number of horses from the stables."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "I also haven't been keeping track of your half here -- are you guys just planning on running for the gates?"

GM says, "Some of them are adding to the confusion."

Gert says, "OK, BaCount; up you go. Um, hmm. Hang back, I'll go first."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Apparently, Gert sent Andre to get the horses and to open the gates."

Gert hops on a horse, and rides off to the west gate.

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "While Gert and I rescued Edmond and the parents."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "And now we're all meeting back at the gates to try to make a daring escape."

[7thsea] Hans says, "You, Pierre, and your lady friend are welcome to join us."

Arvid says, "...oh, I suppose they're probably heading for the gates by now"

Arvid says, "come on"

Gert exclaims (at Guard), "Hey, can you open the gate? Need to get an early start this morning! I'm off to Charouse!"

Arvid says (to woman), "you too -- I don't know what your business is and you can explain later, but I suppose you'd better come with us"

GM says, "Actually, there's a further complication at the west gate."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "It's on fire?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Wait, west? Aren't we going east?"

[7thsea] Arvid exclaims, "exactly what they won't expect!"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Or is this a Subtle Ruse?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Aha."

[7thsea] Gert says, "I figured the east guard already saw us."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "uh"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "or I dunno, -- oh"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ok, I guess that is sensible enough"

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "But! Complication!"

GM says, "There's this older gentleman -- kind of lean and grey -- waiting there. also a trio of younger men. They'd look quite forbidding if they weren't dressed in nightshirts and dressing gowns."

Gert exclaims, "Uh... hi!"

[7thsea] Gert says, "(I assume the gate is closed?)"

GM says, "Older gent's eyes light up when he sees the Comte. "See?" he says to the other three. "I told you it was meant as a distraction.""

[7thsea] GM says, "It is."

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "No, I told them to hang back!"

Hans says, "No, it was just a convenient coincidence."

[7thsea] Gert says, "I was going on ahead."

[7thsea] Gert says, "So the gate would be open when they got there."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Gert), "Damn nobles. Can't expect them to follow orders."

[7thsea] GM says, "Ah, okay, sorry."

[7thsea] Hans says, "...wait a sec..."

GM backspaces.

(From GM) Older gent says, "Going somewhere in a hurry, Madame?"

Gert exclaims (at gent), "Yup! Have to get to Charouse!"

(From GM) Older gent says, "And why?"

Gert says, "I was hoping I'd wake up in time, but then there was an alarm anyway."

Gert looks around. "Is the guard around? Can we open the gate?

[7thsea] GM says, "and clearly I am dyslexic, because Gent and his minions should have been waiting at the *east* gate, not the west gate."

Gert says, "I'm off to see my dad."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "maybe he sent more minions to the other gate"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Really? Ha."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah, minions would make sense."

(From GM) Older gent says, "how is this an emergency?"

Gert exclaims, "It's not an emergency, it's just a long trip!"

[7thsea] GM asks, "Where is everyone else, by the way?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(like, in the movie he'd send a big group to the other gate and then put himself and a couple guys here to catch the people who think they are being clever)"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I am hanging back like Gert said"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "assuming I have arrived by now"

(From GM) Older gent says, "then a delay of an hour or two should not make much of a difference."

Gert says, "And I was up anyway."

Gert exclaims, "Oh, come on!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I figure I am mostly doing what Gert told me to, and wondering if that is actually a good idea."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, wondering how hard it would be to do to this gate what I did to the door earlier."

Gert says, "Can you open it just a little? I'm small."

(From GM) Older gent says, "You must understand, there has recently been something of a catastrophe in town. And perhaps I am paranoid, but the idea of someone wanting to escape -- excuse me, to leave -- immediately after ... well, it is suspicious."

Gert meanwhile is busy looking at the gate trying to figure out how to open it.

GM says (to Gert), "basically lift the bar and push."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, I don't know how we're expecting to to get out of this when the school is essentially this town's next neighbor to the east."

[7thsea] Hans says, "*And* Gert told them all our names when we arrived."

(From GM) Older gent says, "Do you have a name, Madame?"

Gert exclaims, "Yup!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

Gert asks, "Be kind of weird to not have a name, now, wouldn't it?"

Gert looks quizzically at the guy. "Uh, unless you don't have a name. No offense, if you don't."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "the thing is that our town is kind of complicated politically"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "so I think it's not quite as simple as them sending an army to get it back"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Yeah."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "they might send agents"

(From GM) Older gent raises a brow. "You are not a local, then. a recent visitor?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "So we should put out the word to be wary of anyone trying to sell insurance, book a vacation, or scout out acting talent."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Gert says, "Can't you tell I'm Eisen by my accent? My dad got a job in Charouse and I'm off to see him. I'm just heading through."

GM says, "(At this point, everyone should be grouping up together near the gate. This would count as being Extremely Suspicious.)"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I'm sort of hoping hans is going to do something clever here"

Hans says (to Arvid et al.), "I don't think this is working."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Oh, well that's just great."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

Hans says, "Rash or dramatic, I might be able to handle."

Gert hops off her horse. "Look the disturbance was a fire, right? I'd smell like, uh, I dunno, gunpowder or smoke if I had anything to do with it. Smell me!

[7thsea] Hans says, "But you're asking a lot."

Arvid says, "well, look, there's that wagon over there"

Arvid asks, "can't you do something with that?"

Hans says (to Arvid), "Right."

Gert holds out her arm to the guy to sniff.

(From GM) Older gent raises a brow. "I see. Well, I am Jean Dupin ... these are my associates, Marcel Beaufort, Joseph du Paix and Victor Gilbert."

Hans gets off his horse, lights some tinder, and throws it into the dry hay in the wagon.

Hans then braces himself and gives the wagon a mighty SHOVE toward the gates!

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

Gert backhands the guy when he leans forward to sniff (assuming he does)

Hans re-mounts his horse. "After that runaway wagon!

(From GM) Dupin backs off from Gert's arm. The other three guys chuckle.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I was thinking just trying to sneak through in the wagon or something"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but yeah, why not blow more stuff up tonight"

[7thsea] Gert says, ">UNDO"

[7thsea] GM throws drama die at Hans

Hans exclaims (at Gent), "Fire! FIRE!"

GM says, "and then the flaming wagon comes trundling down and people scatter."

Gert lifts the bar from the gate!

[7thsea] Gert rolls 4k4: 9 1 4 7 | 21

[7thsea] Gert says, "(brawn)"

GM says (to Gert), "and you don't have to push because the wagon does it for you as it barrels through."

Gert exclaims, "Oh, hey, the gate's open. Bye!"

Gert swings back up on her horse and heads out!

GM exclaims, "Right!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha ha"

Hans says (to Gert), "Sorry to interrupt your chat! Arvid was getting impatient."

Gert throws the bar at the scattered guys, first.

Arvid gets boosted up onto a horse by Pierre, protesting all the way

Gert says (to Hans), "Eh, it was a boring conversation anyway."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Do we need to do anything else?"

GM says, "Everyone comes charging through after the wagon. You can hear Dupin and his underlings shouting behind you ... no shots are fired, as might be otherwise expected: Beaufort, Joseph du Paix and Gilbert are lawyers, not guards."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Are we headding around the town and back to the east road?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Or are we going west to fake them out?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "(I vote east.)"

[7thsea] Gert says, "I'm content to let someone else decide."

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "East it is, then!"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hmm, I would have voted west, since (I assume) this is the only real road between here and our town"

Gert hangs out in the back of the procession, watching for followers.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but I am ok with whatever"

[7thsea] Gert says, "East is back to our town."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "If we go west, that puts us deeper into Montaigne."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] Hans says, "ANd gives them time to better blockade our route back home."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but, I mean, I figure they will be able to catch up to us since we have women and kids and old professors"

[7thsea] Gert says, "So we'll loop around through the forest or just along the edge of the walls or something."

[7thsea] Hans says, "We've also got good horses, and we're already riding."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah, fair enough"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I don't know what kind of troops the judge has with him"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(also story-wise I thought it'd be more interesting to go west first)"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, Andre probably stole their horses."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah, all their horses are loose, that's true"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ok, east it is"

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "Well, there's also the Lucille plotline."

[7thsea] GM says, "There might need to be some reorganising of horses. The woman arsonist isn't much good on a horse."

[7thsea] Hans says, "You probably missed the part where she was trying to get to Geneva."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "wait, she was?"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "so is she actually suzanna?"

Hans swings around to follow the road back east, around the town and then on toward Geneva.

[7thsea] Hans says, "No, she was supposed to be hiding in the wardrobe."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "man, now we have to go to narnia to track her down?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "or I guess in 7th sea the place with the talking animals is ussura"

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "But we just came from there!"

Arvid says, "wait wait slow down"

Arvid says, "I'm falling off her"

Arvid says, "#8903"

Arvid says, "er, here"

GM says, "The woman arsonist, as it turns out, is a) a terrible horsewoman, and needs to ride pillion with someone else, and b) Antoinette Guillot, inventor of the auto-executioner."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "whoah"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Appropriate."

Gert puts Antoinette behind her.

[7thsea] Hans asks, "So that's nine of us, right? On six or so horses?"

Arvid says, "Mme Guillot? I am quite familiar with your medical work -- some very interesting anatomical studies"

GM says, "You're probably safe from pursuit, though it's advisable to minimise resting time or whatnot."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "man, nine?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Myself with Edmond, Gert with Antoinette, Pierre with Arvid, Andre, the Comte and the Comtessa?"

(From GM) Antoinette says, "All I wanted was to give those poor convicts a humane death ... better than being hacked at seven or eight times by some clumsy executioner with a blunt axe....

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "there was another guy, right? who looked like the baron?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "He's the Comte."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "oh ok"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I thought that was Pierre's father."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Timing."

[7thsea] Arvid asks, "are they related?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Pierre and Pierre's father? I think so."

Arvid says, "so it is, I suppose"

Gert says (to Antoinette), "Well, that makes sense."

Arvid says, "we can't control how our inventions are used"

Arvid says, "but may yet feel some responsibility for it"

GM says, "Along the way, Andre shows you this grappling-hook gun that he made, and which they used to get over the wall on their way in. He gets quite excited and enthusiastic about it. Seems Edgardo, the handyman, gives Andre free use of the school workshops."

Hans asks, "Do you have to shoot past someone to use it on them?"

GM says, "Seems he also used it when they encountered a wolf enroute."

[7thsea] Hans says, "A-*ha*."

Gert says, "Oh! OK, I thought maybe you were Ussuran."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

(From GM) Andre says, "Well, it's not exactly meant as a weapon, but it's got a pretty good power behind it.... I could probably improve on it, give it enough oomph to go maybe as much as fifty feet straight up! though the recoil might take your arm off...."

Gert exclaims, "That could be a drawback!"

Hans says, "Ha! You just need to work on the strength in that arm."

Hans says, "I recommend starting with one-handed pull-ups."

Hans says, "And then we can work our way up from there."

(From GM) Andre says, "I don't know. Maybe with some spring-loaded shock absorbers...."

(From GM) Pierre rolls his eyes.

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Alrighty--are we done for the evening?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee"

[7thsea] GM says, "Just one more thing ... as you're riding into Geneva."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I think so, unless something is ab-- timing."

GM says, "It's a bit before noon as you ride into Geneva. Baron Schriftsteller himself is out in the town square, and waves to you as you come in."

Hans says, "Baron! We have guests."

GM says, "There's a moment of shock as the Cap-Royals and the Baron come face-to-face -- except for Pierre, who bursts out laughing (he of course has known all along about the striking similarity between the Baron and his father.)"

(From GM) Baron says, "I ... see...."

Gert exclaims (at Count), "Now you know what I meant!"

(From GM) Baron says, "ahem. Be that as it may, there's been a bit of a disturbance at the inn. M. le comte, Mme la comtesse, I hope you will accept lodgings at my castle for the nonce."

Gert asks, "A disturbance?"

Arvid . o O ( we have an inn? maybe I shouldn't have stuck what's-his-face on the school campus )

[7thsea] Gert says (to Arvid), "Hee"

(From GM) Baron says, "A murder."

Gert says, "Oh, man."

Hans asks, "Who?"

(From GM) Baron says, "Rather a curious murder. A wagon driver -- I understand he delivered a load of furniture here yesterday."

Hans says, "...ah."

(From GM) Baron says, "Master Bergen will have all the information. He might still be at the Inn, if you want to speak to him."

Arvid says, "well, thank goodness it's nothing urgent -- wake me in three days"

Gert says, "If the guy's already dead, I need to sleep."

Arvid goes off to his cottage to sleep

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha, timing."

Hans asks, "Will he still be nearby in the morning?"

Hans says, "Or the evening? Or the... er..."

(From GM) Baron says, "I understand that Bergen wants a closer look. Supposedly, he was completely drained of blood."

Gert says, "The dead guy? Probably."

[7thsea] Hans checks the list of NPCs to remember who Bergen is.

Gert says, "Aiee"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Ah. Right."

(From GM) Baron says, "So Bergen might be moving him into the one of the school rooms for a better examination."

Hans asks, "Blood sorcery?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Disturbing idea:"

(From GM) Baron says, "Possibly."

Gert exclaims, "A Vampyr!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Blooding someone else's blood."

Gert says, "That'll give me nice dreams."

[7thsea] Arvid exclaims, "that happened in ussura!"

Gert exclaims, "'night, everyone!"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Ha"

[7thsea] Hans says, "And then Bringing it."

(From GM) Baron says, "Indeed."

[7thsea] Hans says (to Arvid), "I don't remember that."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "there was a bit where the wosshisface was checked for blooded items but then someone was able to teleport to him anyway"

Gert says (to cap-royals), "I'll show you the wardrobe, but we didn't find anyone in it."

Hans says, "We will find her, though."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Oh, right. I thought you meant the bit with the heart half-porte hole."

GM says (to Gert), "They're all quite anxious to see the wardrobe, too."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "oh yeah, that too"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Man, those porte sorcerers are all kinds of disturbing."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Good thing we're rescuing them."

(From GM) the Comte says, "What disturbs me most is that the one man who could tell us anything about what happened to Lucille afterwards -- this wagon driver -- is now dead under mysterious circumstances."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Also, we are going to have to hold those Pevenches accountable for any bad-nobling they've done."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Since they are our responsibility now."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "(do we know if they have porte?)"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I don't think so."

[7thsea] Hans says, "But, plot-significant Montaigne nobles."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Seems not entirely unlikely."

Gert thinks but doesn't say that her first thought was that Lucille was the one that killed him.

[7thsea] Arvid says, "good point"

[7thsea] Gert says, "(at least, not to the cap-royals. Probably to Hans and Arvid later)"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "if she's a vampire we can use the guillotine to cut off her head so we can bury her at a crossroads"

[7thsea] Hans asks (of Gert), "You're thinking that he was a villain and she was protecting herself from him?"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Or that she is actually evil and that maybe they were right to want to kill the family?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Since, y'know, I'd feel awfully guilty then."

[7thsea] Gert says, "They're the Pevensies! They can't be evil."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "perhaps in this alternate universe aslan is a bad guy"

[7thsea] GM says (to Arvid), "bite your tongue."

[7thsea] Hans says, "Or maybe in this universe they all turned out like Edmund."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "ha ha"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "that would be awesome"

[7thsea] Hans says, "And Eustace had to show up later on to save the day."

[7thsea] Gert says, "OK, then. So, when's a good time for our next game? I'm free mornings, if that works better than evenings for folks."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] Gert says, "Heh."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I am busy all next weekend, I'm afraid"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Hmm. I can probably arrange to be free Saturday morning/afternoon."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "hmm"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Or, er, the following Saturday morning/afternoon, I guess."

[7thsea] GM asks, "Saturday morning or early afternoon (depending on timezones) two weeks from now?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Sounds good."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hmm, Sara's folks will be here that weekend."

[7thsea] Gert checks with Sara.

[7thsea] Gert says, "Yeah, that weekend's no good for me, I'm afraid."

[7thsea] Gert says, "(they're here the 12th through the 18th)"

[7thsea] Hans says, "I think we're going to have to consolidate inky's bad weekend and lps' bad weekend somehow."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Hee hee"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Which one can we more easily move?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "I dunno, I'll check"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Hrm. And I don't think there are any holidays approaching."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "the specific deal is my family is having a party on sunday that I probably have to help clean up for on saturday"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but something saturday may be workable for me"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "but I'll have to check"

[7thsea] Gert exclaims, "In ComedySportz, we did a game where we'd play through a scene with just one person, but acting as if other people were there, and then replay the scene adding in the missing people (who hadn't seen the original). So maybe we could do that!"

[7thsea] GM says, "haha"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Heh."

mamster hollers, "I am going to show off my funny new olounge, and then I'll be back tomorrow."

[7thsea] GM says, "so...."

[7thsea] Gert says, "OK, so, check back with inky about Saturday the 7th AM, and then maybe the 21st."

[7thsea] GM says, "ok"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "yeah"

[7thsea] Gert says (to GM), "Thanks! This was an awesome session."

[7thsea] Hans exclaims, "Yes it was!"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Any session where you get to help blow up a town is a good session."

[7thsea] GM says, "Thanks. I must say, though, you all blew through it a lot faster than I expected."

[7thsea] Gert says, "See, the rule still holds true."

[7thsea] Gert says (to GM), "Heh."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Part of it was the factory blowing up early. Which was great, because it meant we couldn't hang around planning on doing what we ended up doing anyway."

[7thsea] GM says, "I pulled up Dupin and his guys because you all had to at least have seen their faces before you left town. You'll be seeing them again."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "Were you expecting us to talk with the judge etc first?"

[7thsea] GM says, "At some point, meeting the Judge and his underlings."

[7thsea] GM says, "also, Louise's husband, and their landlady."

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Were you planning to blow up the factory when you did?"

[7thsea] Hans asks, "Or did that happen because we investigated it?"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "all sorts of people we might have met and didn't"

[7thsea] Hans says, "And the meat pies we could have eaten."

[7thsea] Gert says, "I liked Louise."

[7thsea] Hans says, "But something tells me that maybe we might be better off having missed out on that."

[7thsea] GM says (to Hans), "Nnnnot exactly. I wasn't expecting there to be such a big explosion, but the situation called for it."

[7thsea] GM says, "I was more expecting you all to find Antoinette Guillot *after* the guards caught her."

[7thsea] GM says, "and the planning, escape, etc. to occur after that."

[7thsea] Gert says, "And rescuing all six of them from jail."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Or maybe five, if Andre escaped."

[7thsea] GM asks (of Hans), "hee ... figured it out, did you?"

[7thsea] Hans says, "Only just now, but yeah."

[7thsea] Arvid says, "oh, I see"

[7thsea] Arvid says, "man"

Arvid says, "ok, anyway"

Eolo has disconnected.

[7thsea] GM says, "Well, nothing bad has happened to the Beauclairs yet! And maybe nothing will. But I don't see them coming back into the plot...."

[7thsea] Gert asks, "wait what?"

Hans has disconnected.

[7thsea] GM says (to Gert), "Louise Beauclaire. Barbershop pole. Upstairs from Mme L'Amour's patisserie."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Is that a Sweeney Todd ref? I don't know that story at all."

[7thsea] GM says, "You don't have to."

[7thsea] GM says, "But yes."

[7thsea] Gert says, "Gotcha."

PerrySimm exclaims, "Log off!"