npc1 has connected.

npc2 has connected.

[ussura] PerrySimm says, "Log on."

[ussura] GM says, "There we go"

[ussura] GM says, "So! Let's recap for Era."

[ussura] Charles asks, "So who are we, again?"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "duchess will be here shortly"

[ussura] Vasili says (to Charles), "We're Pyotr's Gang."

Era waves.

[ussura] Pyotr says, "in fact, I'll log her on for recap, just a second"

[ussura] Charles exclaims, "Oh, right!"

Charles exclaims (at Era), "Hey!"

Pyotr exclaims (at era), "yay!"

[ussura] GM says, "The group is attempting to wake up the Drachen that lives under St. Andresgorod Castle."

Charles says, "Good to see you back."

Raelynn arrives, looking for booty.

[ussura] Era says, "Thanks. :-) Thought I'd drop in for the grand finale."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "whoah, Era"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "awesome"

[ussura] GM says, "They made a deal with the drachen skin, and almost had to agree to do stuff regardless of who woke it up, but Sebastien and Charles caught that at the last minute."

[ussura] Vasili says, "yay Era."

Era grins.

[ussura] Vasili says, "although this probably means there will be more fighting"

[ussura] GM says, "But you think that others are also trying to wake him up, having reached their own agreements."

[ussura] GM says (to V), "Hee hee"

[ussura] GM says, "Helping you in this endeavor was Daniele, a snow maiden. However, she was captured by the bad guys, and taken to the castle before you could get there."

[ussura] GM exclaims, "But you're hot on her trail!"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(she is the one who knows how to wake up the drachen)"

[ussura] Charles asks, "Where did we leave of with respect to cooks and wolves royal bodyguards and things like that?"

[ussura] GM says, "You persuaded the Head Cook you were good guys, and she said she'd get word to the Tyomny."

[ussura] Charles says, "Ah, good. Go us."

[ussura] GM says, "And you found the secret passage down to the treasury, which reportedly should also have exits to the old area of the castle."

[ussura] GM says, "(and from there, to the drachen cave--everything was built on top of the older layers, with the drachen cave at the bottom)"

[ussura] Era says, "so we go under the castle, and yell really loud."

[ussura] Era says, "should be a cinch."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "hee hee"

[ussura] Charles says, "Sound classical dungeon architecture."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "also the castle is currently occupied by people who are probably bad guys"

[ussura] Era says, "if we kill them, are they still bad guys? only if there's a necromancer around."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I guess they're people who are bad guys and people who are working for the bad guys but might actually be neutral or even good guys"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "but I think the only good guys in the basement are going to be us"

[ussura] GM says, "Yeah, the castle has both Alexsi's guard (who are basically classic bad guys) and the Tyomny (who are leaderless and confused, but willing to work with the bad guys, since they got there first)"

[ussura] GM says, "Oh, and you have a Jeweler with you who is supposed to help break the 'collar' that they're using to control Daniele (since there are magic gemstones or something in that)"

[ussura] Charles says, "But if we can get Keth properly installed as knias, then they should switch over to her side."

[ussura] GM asks, "All clear?"

[ussura] Charles exclaims, "I think so. Time for a plot twist!"

[ussura] Era says, "no! I just got it straight! grrrrr . . . ."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "You also have a Teacher who gives you a 15% bonus to XP, but takes 7% of all gold that you find."

[ussura] Charles exclaims, "Oh, and don't forget the jeweller!"

[Crows-Nest] Era exclaims, "yay M&M!!"

[Crows-Nest] Vasili says, "I'm really from the bug dimension! Ha ha ha."

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

GM says, "So! Vasili leaps onto the ladder here on the 6th story, and climbs down into the blackness! After a couple seconds, he calls up, "Uh, can someone light a lantern or a torch or something?""

Sebastien exclaims (at Ianka), "wait, you recognized us? but that picture totally failed to capture my appearance!"

Charles takes a lantern from his pack, ties a rope to it, lights it, and lowers it down.

Sebastien says, "the nose was entirely wrong"

Vasili says, "Cool, fire on a rope"

Sebastien says, "if it's dark, that's a good sign -- perhaps no one is ahead of us"

Era asks (of Vasili), "How is the ladder down there?"

Era asks, "Sturdy enough?"

Vasili says, "Seems okay."

Ianka says (to Sebastien), "Hmm. I think you have to admit it was accurate enough for a cartoon. It *is* rather large, even in real life."

[ussura] Vasili says, "(but note Vasili is the second-lightest person here)"

[ussura] Charles asks, "Are you Small?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "yeah"

Sebastien exclaims, "distinguished, I prefer to call it!"

Charles says (to Ianka), "You should see how much goop he smears on it every morning just to get it to look that small."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "hee hee"

Sebastien says, "don't be ridiculous -- the lotion is for my complexion! the *powder* is for the size"

Charles asks (of Sebastien), "You know, I never did find out -- what's that tiny little brush for?"

GM says, "With the lantern swinging unsteadily in the shaft, you make it down past the ground level, and start to feel a chill blowing up from beneath you. The ladder stops, and is replaced by holes in the stone for the last bit before you reach the bottom. When you all assemble at the base, you can hardly tell where the handholds are."

Sebastien says, "while you foreigners are content to go about with your nose-hairs all in disarray, we of Montaigne are not so uncivilized"

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "Yay"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Ha ha ha"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "(and yay setup)"

[Crows-Nest] Vasili says, "Alt: Sebastien says, "Tut. A gentleman must have his secrets.""

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "I knew you'd have no trouble following through."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "apparently my nose holds no secrets"

Sebastien says, "this indeed appears to be quite old"

Sebastien says, "I do hope its strength has lasted the ages"

Era looks around the dunge . . er, basement, whilst the gentlemen discuss inanities.

Pyotr exclaims, "Ahh, solid Ussuran construction!"

Pyotr exclaims, "It'll last forever!"

Pyotr whacks the wall, and watches as a bit of rock crumbles off.

Sebastien . o O ( I suppose if it holds Pyotr, the rest of us should be fine )

Sebastien . o O ( ...so maybe I should have insisted Pyotr go first )

Vasili says, "Hey, always wanted to get into a castle treasury."

Era listens to the odd echoes from Pyotr's thunking about.

GM says (to Era), "You poke your head out from around the corner of the alcove you've descended into, and see one large wooden door, the kind you'd bar shut, but there's no bar on this side. In the wall on the other side is a smaller door, but securely fastened shut. The flickering light from the lantern reveals other passages off into the shadows, from where the breeze seems to originate."

Vasili says, "Oh, guess we're not actually in it."

Vasili lights a dim lantern of his own and heads for the cold breeze.

Pyotr looks around for footprints

[7thsea] Pyotr rolls 4k2: 8 10+7 9 7 | 26

[ussura] Pyotr says, "wits+tracking"

Era sniffs the air.

Charles says, "I wonder if we'll be allowed to take any treasure. It's been a while since I've done anything that I was paid much for..."

[ussura] Era says, "This might be a really good place to go 'wolf'."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says (to Charles), "man"

GM says (to Pyotr), "Nothing here, and you're pretty sure you would have found signs of a mass of people tromping through."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien asks, "yeah, when did we last make any money?"

[ussura] Era says, "Most places are really good places to go 'wolf'."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "hee hee"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "I think maga is dying."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "ILAC"

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "It's fortunate that we're able to eat plot tokens."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Huh."

[clubfloyd] DavidW asks (of Jacqueline), "btw, did you see what I said earlier?"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Tamara probably gave you something, but that was a while ago."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Ha"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "nothing this season, right? but I guess we got rewarded by Tamara at the end of -- yeah"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "I had #maga-fu muted, so it defaulted to here - it shouldn't do that."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to DW), "No, let me scroll back."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien asks (of Charles), "yes, but can we redeem them for handkerchiefs??"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Oh, and Montegue paid Sebastien's doctor bill. Yeah, that's it."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "haha"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Okay, I can fix that."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "I know how it happened."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I guess Sebastien wouldn't realize this, but I suppose breeze -> other exit"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Thanks for catching that."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "no prob. You'd've seen it eventually, I'm sure."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Hm, possibly not - or at least not for awhile - so thanks."

[clubfloyd] inky says, "the last thing I see you saying in recap was "[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Huh."""

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "I will ignore the fact that maga is dying of the plague (which I gave him) and go correct the transcript."

GM says, "Vasili heads out of this smallish area and heads towards the breeze. One of the passages is at least colder than the rest, so he heads that way."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "help maga first"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to inky), "Two lines before that."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to DW), "He is pretending to be unconcious. Poor thing is awake but has no energy."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "I don't want his plague death to be on my conscience."

GM says (to Pyotr), "(You do see signs of passage between the two doors, but nothing further in this area.)"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Nah, no worries - it'll be on mine. I'm the one who gave it to him."

[ussura] Charles returns from phone call.

GM says (to Pyotr), "(and nothing particularly recent)"

[clubfloyd] (from Jacqueline) Jacqueline says, "We really should start burying the corpses farther from the drinking water, I suppose."

Pyotr follows Vasili.

Charles follows Vasili.

[clubfloyd] inky says (to Jacqueline), "whoops, right, sorry"

[clubfloyd] (from DavidW) Jacqueline says, "But I can't spare the time. Must reformat this text so it looks perfect."

Era follows Charles.

[clubfloyd] Jota asks, "Is this related to the weird skin marks that were tracing down his veins a while back?"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to DW), "Indeed. And the longer I leave the corpses, the less there'll be to deal with, afterall."

[clubfloyd] Jota says, "(Also, you muted #maga-fu? Shame.)"

Raelynn scurries forward to not be last

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to Jota), "No, this is from me bringing home some upper respiratory crud."

Sebastien is not paying attention and ends up last

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to Jota), "I mute everything except CF and jacq-chat while playing CF, yeah."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says (to Jota), "maga says no. The weird skin thing left his body, mostly."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline asks, "Why, was their witty banter?"

GM says, "The further in you go, the less well maintained everything is. The walls start to be covered with moss and lichen, and parts of the roof are caved in as well."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "And yeah, the skin thing is now completely gone."

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "Strange parts of my brain are now imagining Sebastien hosting an interior design program in here."

GM says, "You hit a few dead-ends here and there, but keep working your way further in and down."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Hee"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "High Dudgeon for the Messy Dungeon"

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "'A nice historical wall-hanging in gold and jade will complement the delightful natural lichen...'"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "if this were a d&d game someone would have be mapping"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "yay"

GM says, "Finally, you emerge into one place of note--a large hall, with stained-glass windows on both sides; one set lit and the other dark."

Era says, "Creepy."

Vasili says, "Hm. Doesn't seem like the others have .. whoa"

[ussura] Charles says, "s/d&d/Ghogg/"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

Sebastien blinks.

Sebastien eyes windows through his monocle.

Sebastien says, "I do believe this is not an entirely natural formation"

[ussura] Vasili asks, "lit as in setting-sunlight?"

Raelynn asks, "i wonder if the drachen used to have his own thrown room?"

Charles says, "I wonder what's on the other side of that window."

[ussura] GM says, "(sorry; the whole area you've been going through is old-castle, not caves yet.)"

Sebastien says, "I seem to recall we were to come to the treasury first"

Sebastien says, "unless I've misunderstood"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "oh ok"

Vasili asks (of Sebastien), "Or maybe the treasury was one of those doors back near the ladder?"

Sebastien says, "hmm, that could be"

Charles sniffs the air.

GM says, "The workmanship of the first few windows is exquisite--finely carved filigree, amazingly bright colors. As the windows progress, the workmanship gets a bit more crude, and the colors less vivid. By the end, one window is entirely made of clear cut glass, and the last window is open--it's from this window that the breeze you've been following seems to originate."

Charles . o O ( I wonder if drachens smell like dracheneisen. )

Pyotr sticks his head in the hole to see what's there.

Charles . o O ( Or vice versa, I suppose. )

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "I forget what the deal is -- do we just know there's some way down from the treasury, but not know any details?"

GM says (to Pyotr), "The window is high up on the wall, but you could probably clamber up there."

[ussura] Charles says, "Yeah, I think so."

[ussura] Vasili asks, "is the open window on the lit or unlit side?"

Pyotr clamber clamber.

[ussura] GM says, "Right--the treasury was in a part of the Old Castle, and is as far down as most people go."

Pyotr says (to Vasili), "Hey, give me a hand, here."

[ussura] Charles says, "And Borin was able to get to the treasury without too much trouble, IIRC, so the path to the treasury must be pretty straightforward."

Vasili asks, "uh, is it okay if you give me a hand instead?"

GM says (to Vasili), "The lit side--oh, and to answer your other question; yes, it's like sunlight."

[ussura] Charles says, "(Mouse, I mean.)"

[ussura] Sebastien says (to Vasili), "hee hee"

[ussura] Charles says, "Since he didn't seem like the adventuresome type who'd go climbing through high windows."

[ussura] GM says, "Hee"

Pyotr is already half up the wall.

[ussura] GM asks, "Does anyone remember what time it was when you started off here? Evening-ish, I think?"

Vasili shoves a boot up, but without standing directly under Pyotr.

[ussura] Pyotr asks, "what trait? Finesse?"

[ussura] GM says (to Pyotr), "Sure."

[ussura] Sebastien says (to GM), "yeah, that's what we said"

[ussura] Vasili says, "I think it's always evening-ish when adventuring is going on."

[7thsea] Pyotr rolls 5k3: 5 4 4 4 10+1 | 20

Era runs her fingers over the wall.

[ussura] Charles says, "Not always! Sometimes we get woken from our camp by a surprise bandit attack in the middle of the night."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

[ussura] Charles says, "Or Sebastien and Alixandre's camp."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "yay"

[ussura] Charles says, "(Although not so much actual waking went on then, as I recall.)"

GM says, "Pyotr, with Vasili's assistance, manages to make it up to the open window and get his head through. Somewhat to his surprise, he's sticking his head out of a sheer cliff face. The sunset is behind him, but lighting up the clouds ahead of him purple, and the moon is rising to his left. A corner of the city is visible in the valley below, and in the distance, tall black clouds loom."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ok, I was assuming you meant, you know, our *camp*"

[ussura] Charles says, "Ha ha."

Pyotr says, "Ooooh, pretty."

Pyotr yells down what he sees.

[ussura] Charles exclaims, "*Now* I retroactively do!"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "yay"

Vasili says, "Tall black clouds? That sounds good."

Sebastien says, "if this were an adventure novel I believe we should expect the moonlight to reveal something at a certain time"

Era pokes her nose just a bit further down the hall.

GM says (to Era), "The walls are rough-hewn, but seem to be of decent workmanship. You haven't seen any wood since you left the castle proper."

Sebastien says, "unfortunately I don't have any idea what that time would be"

Charles says, "If tradition holds, we'll be climbing that cliff by morning."

[ussura] Era says, "hehehe"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to DW), "Fixed - merci encore."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "You're welcome."

Vasili asks, "What's 'novel'?"

GM says, "(Also, there are figures in the windows; they seem to be scenes from a story. Maybe the Sun, Moon, and Talia?)"

Charles says (to Vasili), "It's a Montaigne storybook."

Vasili looks for any hint of what's beyond the dark windows.

Charles says, "Like 'Little Fifi and the Seven Badgers'."

[ussura] Charles asks, "I forget; who's Talia?"

[ussura] Era asks, "do the dark windows also have a quality progression?"

GM says (to Era), "At the end of the hall is a staircase--that's collapsed and half-filled with rubble."

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "was this the ballet we saw?"

[ussura] GM says, "Yeah."

[ussura] GM says, "It's an older version of 'Sleeping Beauty'."

Era says, "Gentlemen, we may have to turn back."

[ussura] Charles says, "Ah, apropos."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "oh, heh"

Charles says, "We've dug our way through rubble before."

[ussura] Charles asks, "Is this a staircase up or down?"

Sebastien eyes the figures.

[ussura] GM says, "Down."

Vasili says, "It's only half-filled. Maybe it gets better."

Charles ties shifting a few stones, to see how deep the rockpile goes.

[ussura] Charles says, "+r"

Sebastien says, "speaking of storybooks, this storyline looks rather familiar, if I recall Lande's (curse him) performance correctly"

Charles says, "Oh? I have to admit, I didn't really follow the dance too well."

Charles asks, "How did it go?"

[ussura] GM says, "http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#basile"

Sebastien says, "well, you recall it starts off with a lord having a beautiful daughter who falls down asleep or dead when a bit of flax is caught under her finger"

[ussura] Charles says, "I was hoping for the short version, reduced to its relevant elements :)"

Era examines the rubble to see if it came from the surrounding walls, or was relocated from somewhere else.

Charles says, "Ah. Such a prevalent malady in our times."

Sebastien says, "surely it was enchanted flax"

Sebastien says, "...much like our drachen's potion, come to think of it"

Sebastien says, "a king finds her and falls in love with her sleeping form, and puts her away in a bed after, er, having his way with her"

Era says, "If those rocks broke off from the stair case and such, the stairs are probably not stable."

Sebastien says, "(I believe in modern times this would be legally actionable)"

GM says (to Charles), "You move some of the rubble aside, and manage to clear it away enough to get further down the stairs. You notice that some of the rocks you move seem much colder than the rest of them."

Charles says, "This cold doesn't seem natural."

Sebastien says, "nine months later she gave birth to two children, Sun and Moon, and as the babies nursed, one of them sucked on her finger and the flax came out and she came awake again"

Charles says, "I wonder if it means we're getting closer to Danielle."

Era throws caution to the wind (or breeze, rather) and follows Charles down that rickety old stair.

Sebastien says, "unfortunately the king turned out to be already married, and he had a wife that attempted to kill the three of them, but her plans were foiled and the king eventually married Talia"

[ussura] Sebastien asks (of GM), "anything in the windows differ from my recollection of the story?"

Charles says (to Sebastien), "You know, I imagine a lot of women would pay quite well for flax like that."

Charles says, "If she really did sleep right through the birth."

Sebastien says, "an excellent point"

Sebastien says, "I believe some might not even wish to be woken up until the children are 16 or so"

Vasili says, "I dunno, there hasn't been much sign another group already came this way."

[ussura] GM says, "Yes, actually--it focuses much more on the king (or perhaps prince) making his way to the castle, overcoming various obstacles like a wall of thorns. He's finally made it into the castle and past several obstacles when the story runs out, and the final window is empty."

Sebastien says, "so much the better for us, I suppose"

Charles asks, "Because there is nothing more glorious to a parent than an offspring in her teen-aged years?"

Sebastien says, "...interesting! this hardly focuses on the latter part of the story"

Charles says (to Vasili), "It's possible there's another path that we don't know about."

[ussura] GM says, "There also seems to be some sort of war going on when the princess initially is placed in the castle and falls asleep."

Sebastien says, "it's much more about the early part where the king is making his way into the castle where Talia lies sleeping"

Sebastien says, "in this version he doesn't just walk through the doors, but must make his way past a large hedge of thorns and a wall of ice"

Raelynn says, "hm"

Raelynn asks, "it's not a hint to what we are going to face, is it?"

Sebastien says, "and when the princess is put away sleeping, some war is raging"

Raelynn says, "we aren't the "king" going to wake up the "princess"? 'cause i don't want to deal with a wall of ice"

Sebastien says, "well, I shall certainly make careful note of the panels"

Sebastien studies things attentively for later reference.

Raelynn says, "if we had nemka or one of the ice people, the ice would be easy, but..."

Charles rubs his hands on his trousers. "Phew. This is cold work. I'm going to need to get some fire in me if I keep this up much longer."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i meant to ask"

[ussura] GM asks, "Yes?"

Charles tosses one of the icy stones up the stairwell to the others.

[ussura] Raelynn says, "if all the wolves are currently helping Wolf and all went a little crazy"

Charles asks, "Hey, Pyotr, you still got any fire in that bottle of yours?"

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "Era is safe in her wolf-form?"

[ussura] Charles says, "She is a PC, which means that she gets a Will save."

[ussura] GM says, "Hee hee"

[ussura] Vasili says, "I think Alix and Era fought a strange instinct in their wolf skins, but prevailed."

[ussura] GM says, "There were actually a very few wolves in Nariomont's army; not all of them seem to have followed Wolf."

[ussura] GM says, "And yeah, there was an initial pull that Alix resisted way back when."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "oh okay"

Pyotr hands Charles the flask.

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says, "sigh."

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says (to charles), "i read that as a 'Wii save'"

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says, "and i wasn't sure what that meant"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Ha ha"

Pyotr helps pull away stones.

Vasili scrambles down the staircase as well to check things out.

GM says, "Sebastien and Raelynn study the windows while the others clear the staircase enough to allow passage, and finally the way is clear to move on."

Charles takes a drink. "Thanks. Good stuff."

Charles says, "One wall of ice: moved."

Sebastien exclaims, "that wasn't so hard!"

Sebastien traipses down the stairs.

Vasili says, "uh huh"

GM says, "At the base of the staircase is an old doorway. Beyond is a worked passage with stone floors, rough, but worn smooth by years of people walking along it, and now covered with dust and more rubble."

Era goes downstairs, too.

[ussura] GM says (to Sebastien), "Hee"

Vasili picks up one last palm-sized cold stone and inspects it.

Era says, "This place wants a good broom."

GM says (to Vasili), "It's covered with a thin layer of frost that melts in your palm."

[ussura] GM says, "OK, everyone roll me a perception."

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "is it cold down at the bottom of the stairs?"

[7thsea] Sebastien rolls 4k4: 2 10+2 6 9 | 29

[7thsea] Charles rolls 4k3: 4 3 2 8 | 15

[7thsea] Vasili rolls 5k4: 8 9 5 9 4 | 31

[7thsea] Pyotr rolls 3k2: 5 7 6 | 13

[7thsea] Era rolls 4k3: 10+10+3 7 6 8 | 38

[7thsea] Raelynn rolls 3k3: 7 7 6 | 20

[ussura] Pyotr says (to era), "nice"

[ussura] Era says, "Thanks. :-)"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "she's wolfin' out1"

[ussura] Vasili says, "bah. wolf eyes are cheating."

GM says, "As you all pause in the doorway before moving on, Era's ear's twitch. Something made a sound from the hall you just came from; soft, like a pebble falling onto the stone floor."

[ussura] GM says, "er, 'ears'"

[ussura] GM says, "Era's eras ears ear's"

Era straightes up, and motions everyone silent. Her eyes rivet on the hallway where the noise came from.

[ussura] GM says (to Era), "(back up the stairs)"

[ussura] Era says, "okay, so i'm looking (and listening) up."

Vasili grins. And starts looking for places for everybody to hide.

[7thsea] Era rolls 4k3: 5 6 6 5 | 17

GM says, "You all fall silent, but you hear nothing new. You can't actually see the hall from here; you'd have to go back up the stairway."

Sebastien looks around in a perplexed manner.

Pyotr stage-whispers (to Charles), "Dim the lantern!"

[ussura] GM says, "(Vasili and Sebastien also thought they heard something, but didn't think much of it.)"

Charles pulls the shutter closed.

Charles mouths, 'What's going on?', but no one can see it because the lantern was just dimmed.

GM says, "You all blink in the resulting darkness, and wait as your eyes adjust to the faint light from a crack in the lantern, and even fainter moonlight filtering down from the upstairs windows."

[ussura] GM says, "Hee hee"

Sebastien gestures to Era to go back up the stairs a bit.

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(also, do we see any light from up there now that it's dark here?)"

Era tiptoes up one or two stairs.

[ussura] Charles asks, "Aside from the even fainter moonlight?"

[ussura] GM says, "No, no new light."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "yeah, like somebody else's lantern sort of light"

Charles starts to get impatient and turns the crack of lantern light back towards the passage ahead rather than the stairs behind.

[ussura] GM says, "(era'"

[ussura] GM says, "(era's checking the rules for partial transformations and stuff; sorry for the delay)"

[ussura] Charles says, "That's OK. I don't mind being impatient IC."

[ussura] GM says, "hee"

Era flows into her russian blue cat form. Her gray/blue fur blends into the darkness.

Era silently pads up the rest of the stairs to peek into the hallway.

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says, "LINDY!"

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

GM says (to Era), "Your night vision lets you see the hall clearly--almost more clearly than it was when it was lit by your lanterns, since you can now see the whole room at once. And there at the other end of the hall, stands a solitary figure in the shadow of the far archway."

[ussura] GM says, "(Era stepped away from the keyboard for a sec; she returns and tells you this)"

[ussura] Charles asks, "Did she get close enough to tell if she could recognize them?"

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "how far away? would the person have seen our light?"

[ussura] GM says, "(Mixing my player/character identities, but hey.)"

Sebastien mutters "A single person? More likely to be someone following us than one of our enemies, I'd think."

[ussura] GM says, "Someone at the far end would have seen your light before, yes. And almost certainly would have heard you move rocks and stuff."

[ussura] GM says, "She didn't recognize him, and didn't want to risk going closer yet through the better-lit hallway"

[ussura] Era says, "X shadowy figure"

[ussura] GM says, "Hee"

Pyotr says, "Hmm. I don't like leaving people behind us."

Sebastien says, "perhaps I'll go have a chat -- hopefully I won't get into a situation where I need rescuing again"

Vasili motions everybody a bit down the downstairs hallway so the whispers are less likely to filter up.

Pyotr turns back to the stairs.

Charles says, "Could be a friend, even."

Charles says (to Pyotr), "Agreed."

GM says (to Era), "The figure stands quietly in the doorway, keeping to the shadow, but standing in a relaxed pose."

[ussura] Era asks, "cloak? pants? dress?"

[ussura] Alex says (to Era), "Awwwk! Word on the street is that pants are not being worn."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i am going to hang back, if people are going to go up to the person. stay hidden in the darkness and stuff"

[ussura] GM exclaims (at Alex), "Yes they are!"

[ussura] Alex asks (of GM), "Awwwk! So where's my cork nut then?"

GM says, "Not a dress; possibly a cloak."

[ussura] Era says, "hmm."

GM says, "And almost certainly pants ;-)"

[ussura] Sebastien asks (of Alex), "in your pants?"

[ussura] Alex asks (of Sebastien), "Um, seven?"

[ussura] Era says, "now that I'm a cat, I can see great. but I can't tell anyone what I see. bummer."

[ussura] GM says, "Oh hmm."

[ussura] Vasili says, "you can still speak, I thought"

[ussura] Era asks, "nope. well, I can speak cat. does anyone in the party understand cat? Alexi speaks wolf . . . ?"

[ussura] Era says, "forgot about that inconvenient detail."

Vasili says, "My money's on enemy. But we need to find the enemies too."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "do we have enought light that era can read? i figure if i write out the letters in a notebook, she can point to the letters and spell out the words"

[ussura] GM says, "Yeah, you used to be able to communicate through Alix. Oh, hey, we'll give Speak to Ianka ;-)"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "*grins*"

[ussura] GM says, "(and actually, I figure by now you've all been learning a bit of animal-speak anyway)"

[ussura] Era exclaims, "great idea, Rae!"

[ussura] Era says, "make sure you write number 0-9 also."

GM says, "With a combination of very basic animal-speak and Raelynn's sheet, Era manages to communicate with you what she's seen."

Sebastien is walking up towards the person, quite possibly with Pyotr and Vasili

[ussura] Era says, "Raelynn should get a die for that one."

[ussura] GM says, "Oh, sure."

GM tosses Rae a drama die.

Pyotr sneak sneak.

[ussura] Raelynn says, "aw. thanks"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "hey, wait"

GM says, "Sebastien and anyone else with him tromp back up the stairs and stare into the hallway. They see nobody."

[ussura] Pyotr says, "oh, too late to set an ambush now"

Vasili asks, "How about the noisier of us head on a ways, and the quieter of us hide somewhere, so we can catch our own shadow?"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "we'll make a frontal assault"

Vasili says, "Er, uh."

Sebastien says, "hunh, strange"

Sebastien says, "well, onwards"

Raelynn continues hanging back in the shadows but tries to keep everyone in sight

Pyotr drops back and hides in the shadows, waiting to jump on someone.

[ussura] GM asks, "Hey, what's that 'nominate X for a drama die' command again?"

[7thsea] Pyotr rolls 3k2: 4 2 2 | 6

[ussura] Pyotr says, "worst. ambush. ever."

Charles says (to Vasili), "Well. I suppose that's the wisest thing."

Era blends in with the shadows without trying very hard.

[ussura] Sebastien says, "it appears to be 'nominate person' or 'nom person' or 'yay person'"

[ussura] Era says, "he he he he he he he"

Vasili asks (of Pyotr), "Er. What are you doing there?"

[7thsea] Charles rolls 6k4: 2 10+3 10+8 5 10+6 1 | 52

[ussura] Sebastien says, "cut to picture of Pyotr standing on one foot, the other sticking out behind, holding a big rock in one hand"

[ussura] GM says, "There's a contrast."

Pyotr asks (of Vasili), "I'm...um.. shoot, I shouldn't stand right in the door, huh?"

Sebastien is walking on ahead through the doorway, making a bit of extra noise.

Pyotr moves.

[ussura] GM asks, "Some of you are going on and others are staying here?"

Vasili says (to Pyotr), "I pictured you as in the noisy group."

[ussura] Charles says, "I think I am staying here."

[ussura] Pyotr exclaims, "staying!"

[ussura] GM says (to Pyotr), "Try as you might, you can't find a hiding spot that isn't terribly obvious."

Pyotr says (to Vasili), "Oh."

Pyotr, dejectedly, follows Sebastien. *stomp* *stomp* *stomp*

[7thsea] Vasili rolls 8k4: 1 3 5 8 2 1 5 4 | 22

[ussura] Charles says, "(I was going to type that as an emote, but with that roll, I figure that even saying that much in the room implies that someone is actually aware that I've ceased to be there, which presumably isn't the case.)"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "hee hee"

[ussura] GM says, "Ha"

Sebastien exclaims (at Pyotr), "ssh! even if no one else is here, there might be someone up ahead!"

Pyotr, double dejectedly, starts walking normalish.

Vasili . o O ( this hallway isn't the best spot for it, but it might do )

[ussura] Sebastien says, "aww"

GM says, "Era steps back into the stairway, and slinks behind a boulder."

Era steps back into the stairway, and slinks behind a boulder.

[ussura] Era says, "see? no strings. :-)"

GM says, "The forward group heads down the hallway, and turns a corner. The light from their lantern disappears, and all that remains is the faint reflected moonlight. After another five minutes or so, a figure slips down the stairs, picking their way past the boulders."

GM exclaims, "As the figure moves past Charles, he has to stifle an involuntary snort--it's Touissaint!"

[ussura] GM says, "(the guy who worked for LaVache)"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ohHO"

[ussura] Vasili asks, "have any of the rest of us seen him?"

Charles slips his knife from his pocket.

[ussura] Sebastien says, "yeah, I was just gonna say, good thing Charles stayed behind"

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "I think he went to and from the ship a bit, didn't he?"

[ussura] GM says, "Hmm, you probably saw him from a distance, but wouldn't necessarily recognize him up close."

[ussura] Charles asks, "Does my high stealth roll earlier carry over into letting me follow him unnoticed at all?"

Touissaint hangs out in the doorway for another few minutes, watching intently down the hallway where the advance group went.

Charles . o O ( So, he's alone... if LaVache is here, he must still be upstairs. )

Vasili . o O ( A Montaigne. They're good guys, right? )

Touissaint, finally satisfied, walks easily down the hallway, keeping to the right side of the passage.

GM says, "He disappears from view for most of you, but Era can see him stop at the corner where the other group disappeared, peek around, and then relax to wait again."

[ussura] GM says, "(and you think you can safely risk a whisper)"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "is he within throwing distance for me to pin him to the wall? Like his shirt or something? (i assume i can see him clearly enough?)"

[ussura] Charles says (to GM), "(Did you see my question above?)"

Charles faintly breathes the word "ambush".

[ussura] GM says (to Charles), "It's a pretty open passageway, but you figure you could get halfway down in silence/shadows."

[ussura] GM asks (of R), "You're in the advance group?"

[ussura] Charles asks, "If I roll well, could I get close enough to get a knife around his throat?"

[ussura] Charles says, "(Er, not that it's a wrap-around knife... you know what I mean.)"

[ussura] GM says, "A knife collar ;-)"

[ussura] Pyotr says (to GM), "she stayed behind"

Vasili stage-whispers, "Oh! LaVache?"

[ussura] GM says, "We could back up to where he was in the doorway--that would have been fine. Where he is now, maybe not."

[ussura] GM says, "(Or you could wait until he goes on again to see if he reaches a better spot)"

Charles responds, "Underling."

[ussura] Charles says, "Since I did ask the question back then, I think that would be fair :)"

[ussura] GM says, "Oh, OK--you couldn't follow him earlier because he was right there ;-)"

[ussura] GM says, "Sure, go for it, we'll say he was just about to leave to go down the passage."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i am a little confused as to whether the GM replied to me, charles, or both"

[ussura] GM says, "OK, backing up a teensy bit:"

Touissaint hangs out in the doorway for another few minutes, watching intently down the hallway where the advance group went.

Charles, as Touissant begins to move down the passage, falls into step behind him -- matching footfall for footfall, so his own steps are masked by the Montaigne's own. When Touissant stops at the corner, Charles takes another step forward and slips his knife up to his throat.

[ussura] Raelynn says, "oh okay."

Vasili prepares to block the staircase if the guy slips away and runs for it.

[ussura] Charles asks, "And will I need another Stealth roll to succeed at that?"

[ussura] Charles says, "(And will I need to go get my book out to remember how Intimidate works?)"

[ussura] Charles says, "(Or do you want to make up Intimidate rules?)"

Raelynn holds her knife ready

[ussura] GM thinks.

[ussura] Vasili says, "(p. 193)"

[ussura] Charles says (to Vasili), "Ah, thanks."

[ussura] GM types and erases five different options ;-)

[ussura] Charles says, "Hee."

[ussura] GM says, "OK, sure--you have him by the throat, he might try to escape in a sec but for now he freezes."

Touissaint freezes

Touissaint chuckles. "Nice. What do you want?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "for those who didn't just grab their book, Contested Resolve, and each success takes away an unkept die when T rolls anything directly against Charles"

[ussura] GM exclaims, "Thanks!"

Charles says (to Touissant), "You're in this myth over your head. You're going to cooperate with us, or you'll become an innocent bystander. And you know what happens to innocent bystanders."

[ussura] Charles says, "Taking a raise for an Intimidate check."

[ussura] Charles says, "And using a drama die."

Vasili, seeing Charles has him, comes closer, but still quietly.

[7thsea] Charles rolls 5k5: 10+1 1 9 9 1 | 31

[7thsea] Touissaint rolls 3k3: 10+5 6 10+6 | 37

[7thsea] Charles rolls 1k1: 9 | 9

[ussura] Charles says, "Make that two."

[clubfloyd] K-Y says, "This transcript looks cut-off"

Touissaint seems a bit shaken. "What do you want, exactly?"

Charles asks, "Your Captain. Where is he?"

Touissaint says, "By now? Montaigne, at a guess."

Touissaint says, "Wait, I recognize that voice."

Charles presses the knife closer. "You don't want to lie to me."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "oops. I wonder if the latest fix caused that."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "since he is saying "exactly" maybe be being prcise won't be a bad idea"

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "in case he is hedging and means someone else as his Captain?"

[ussura] Charles says, "I think my answer was very precise."

[ussura] Vasili says, "(we actually know OOC that LaVache didn't come)"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "oh, okay"

Charles asks, "Where. Is. LaVache?"

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "eep. The source code looks cut-off too."

Touissaint says, "Almost right--I don't want you to believe I'm lying."

Touissaint says, "He was sailing for Montaigne when I left him. I'd be with him now if it wasn't for that crazy message..."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "he is a saucy dude considering he has a knife at his throat"

[clubfloyd] K-Y says, "I TOLD YOU IT WAS A SHORT GAME"

[ussura] Charles says, "Yeah, but I gotta respect that answer."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "heh"

[ussura] Charles says, "Since, y'know, I did want him to be honest after all."

Charles frowns.

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "Unfortunately, Jacq seems to be idle."

Charles says, "Vasili. The rope."

Charles asks (of Touissant), "Tell me, do you know who LaVache serves?"

Touissaint says, "That was your message, wasn't it? Figures. Well, you got me now."

Touissaint says, "Hmm."

Touissaint says, "He would tell you he serves Montaigne."

Touissaint says, "But we both know he serves himself first."

Vasili gets some rope, and hands it to Charles.

Touissaint says, "Beyond that, he has not confided in me."

Touissaint says, "Though I have my suspicions."

Charles says (to Vasili), "A hand, please, with his hands? Mine are full at the moment."

Charles asks (of Touissant), "And yet you serve him, not even knowing where his loyalties lie?"

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "I mudmailed her about it."

Touissaint says, "He is generous, and I would not be the one to turn on him first."

Vasili says, "Being turned on wouldn't be so great either."

Touissaint says, "Indeed. But this way, I can see his hands."

Charles says, "You would not be the first -- indeed, you even helped him try to kill dozens of loyal Montaigne officers in <City with the exploding ships>."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Quite clearly, I need to proofread more."

Charles says, "Simply because they valued their loyalty to Montaigne over their loyalty to LaVache."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline goes to look.

Charles and Vasilie bind Touissant's hands securely enough that Charles feels he can take the knife away.

Touissaint says, "Kill? By no means. Montegue was a target, true. But the rest of his officers merely follow him through force of personality. They would return to Montaigne with him gone."

[clubfloyd] DavidW asks (of Jacqueline), "Did I tell you about my first day volunteering at the Kidney Foundation last Thursday?"

Vasili says, "Not without ships. Or maybe you really didn't know."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(also, not if they were blown up on the ships)"

Vasili asks, "Anyway, on to the important stuff: Seen anybody else running around down here?"

Touissaint says, "Who is Montaigne if not L'Empereur? LaVache and I serve him to the best of our ability. Montegue did not have the subtety required to deal with him, so L'Empereur tagged him as an enemy."

Charles says, "L'Empereur is a murderer and no one to be respected, less so served."

Touissaint says (to Vasili), "Your group is, I believe, the second. I was following the trail of a different group when yours intersected."

Touissaint says (to Charles), "Thus speaks the Avalonian."

Vasili says, "Aha!"

Charles says, "If *that* is what Montaigne is, then I was correct before, and there is no reason any of you should be spared."

Pyotr gets bored and wanders back.

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(plus we probably hear a scuffle and voices and so on)"

[ussura] Charles says, "Yeah, I haven't been whispering for a while now."

Sebastien says, "great scott, what have we here"

GM says, "A light returns from ahead. Pyotr says, "Hey, there's some sort of door up there we can't get through up ahead.""

Charles says (to Touissant), "But my friends -- including Montegue himself -- have shown me otherwise."

Sebastien eyes the man through his monocle.

Touissaint asks, "Is that a Lyons accent?"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline asks, "huh-uh. How'd it go? Did you completely fail to proofread things?"

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says, "must be a pretty dusty one by now (the monocle)"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Heh"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien exclaims, "I am always polishing it thoughtfully!"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to K-Y), "Also, hang on - just uploading the fix."

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "I'm sure he keeps a small phial of monocole wax on hand at all times."

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "TIming."

Sebastien shifts to a Castillian accent. "Naturally a diplomat must be flexible."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "not exactly. I was given a large pile of income tax receipts to fold, stuff into envelopes, seal, and put stamps on."

[Crows-Nest] Vasili says, "yeah, he has a few specialized monocle-wiping handkerchiefs which don't even count toward his laments of scarcity."

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

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline asks, "Oh, for tax deductions, I guess?"

Touissaint asks (of Charles), "So, your message claimed that Montegue was interested in the drachen here, but if so, he doesn't seem to be the only one. What is your group's interest in him?"

Vasili says, "None. We're looking for that first group."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "yeah. I got about 2/3rds of the way through before someone noticed I was stuffing the office copies and not the real receipts."

Charles says (to Touissant), "Peace in Ussura."

Sebastien says, "old diplomatic habits die hard"

Touissaint says (to Sebastien), "Nicely done, sir. I know where a man of your skills could be well compensate."

[ussura] Touissaint says, ""...d"

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "why is no one asking who the first group was?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "yes, that was a lie, lest I confuse anybody following the plot"

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "So I spent the rest of the day slitting open the envelopes and unstuffing them, then folding the real receipts and stuffing those into the slit and stamped envelopes."

[ussura] GM says, "Heh."

[ussura] Charles says, "Because I have more important things on my mind than some random drachen quest."

[ussura] Vasili says, "because we're rather sure it's Wolf's people and Daniele."

Sebastien says (to Touissaint), "forgive me, but you don't seem to be in a good position to bargain at the moment"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "dunno. verifying it might not be a bad idea"

Touissaint sighs. "True enough."

Pyotr asks (of Charles), "Can we just hit him on the head and keep going?"

Pyotr says, "This is taking too long."

Raelynn remains in the shadows and keeps watch

Vasili asks (of Charles), "So your trap caught him, but you could be a little nicer if he points us at the others, right?"

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "I was there the whole day, and at the end, I hadn't made a single envelope completely ready to mail."

Touissaint asks, "So, you want me to tag along? Or sit here in the dark trying to untie these excellent knots? Or lie in a pool of my own grisly blood?"

Charles says, "I suppose that without LaVache here, dealing with him will have to wait."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "oh, man."

Touissaint says, "Being knocked out! Another excellent option."

Charles says (to Touissant), "So may as well join us for the time being."

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn says, "and the voting falls to: charles (follow) sebastien (sit) pyotr (blood) vasili (knocked out)"

[ussura] Vasili says, "better decide something. I'm starting to like him."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "Not my fault or anything, but a heck of a first day. :)"

Pyotr says (to Touissaint), "Don't worry, I guarantee it won't hurt. Me."

Charles says, "Perhaps you can prove your value."

[Crows-Nest] Raelynn asks, "and did i call it or what?"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to K-Y), "Also, reload at will."

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says (to Pyotr), "ha ha"

[ussura] Charles says, "It sounds like his loyalties are malleable. Perhaps we can convince him to switch sides."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Hm. 17 min idle."

Charles says (to Touissant), "You can tell us about this other group as we go along."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline sends K-Y a mudmail.

Sebastien murmurs "If you do decide to take him along, you might wish to find how he intends to meet up with LaVache again."

Touissaint says, "I don't know much--they are Aleksi's men, accompanied by wolves and young woman."

[ussura] Charles says, "Especially if we can A) make it financially worthwhile to him, and B) persuade that defying LaVache is less dangerous than leaving LaVache to run free and do the Emperor's bidding."

[clubfloyd] DavidW says, "I reloaded it. The truncation error is fixed."

[ussura] Charles says, "(Dangerous to him personally, I mean.)"

[ussura] Vasili asks, "Take every NPC that isn't nailed down, is it?"

[ussura] GM says (to Charles), "Try a cold read."

[ussura] GM says, "Hee hee"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Well, everytime I screw something up I learn what to look for."

[ussura] Charles asks (of GM), "Uh. Straight wits?"

[ussura] GM asks, "You didn't buy it at level 1 a session or two ago?"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Unfortunately, after next week, I'm gone for several weeks. I'll either walk maga through how to do it when I do this next Sunday, or just have someone hold the transcripts until I get back."

[ussura] Charles says, "(Or is Sincerity at all useful for seeing through Sincerity?)"

[ussura] GM says, "It came up, but maybe it was just that you had Spy so it was OK to roll straight wits."

[ussura] GM says, "That was it! Sure, sincerity."

[7thsea] Charles rolls 4k3: 1 3 9 8 | 20

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i have spy if that's what we need"

[7thsea] Touissaint rolls 4k4: 6 10+8 9 8 | 41

[ussura] Vasili says, "(I've been eyeing Performer...)"

[ussura] GM says, "OK, you have no idea where his ultimate loyalties might lie ;-)"

[ussura] Charles says (to Raelynn), "Wits + Sincerity or Cold Read, if you'd like to join in :)"

Charles asks, "A pale woman, about yea high, with <color> hair, a thin nose, and a jewelled necklace?"

[clubfloyd] K-Y asks, "17 minutes?"

[clubfloyd] K-Y says, "now that's dedication"

[clubfloyd] K-Y says, "thanks"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "oh. i don't have either of those in Spy, sadly"

Touissaint says (to Vasili), "I only know them by their tracks. She is barefoot, and has an oddly elongated foot."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "Heh. You're welcome."

[ussura] Vasili says, "I think the thing was if you have Spy you can roll straight Wits (and otherwise you can't use Cold Read at all)"

Touissaint says, "Some of her tracks have condensation in them, too, which is curious."

[ussura] Charles says, "Aha."

[Crows-Nest] (from Raelynn) Daniele screams, "I am melting! I am melting!"

[ussura] GM says, "Yeah, cold read is actually a Performer advanced knack, but we decided it could also be a Spy advanced knack because what the heck, it's toally a spy skill."

[ussura] Charles asks (of Vasili), "Were you taking Performer?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "I believe I will."

[ussura] GM asks, "Let's summarize stuff a bit--is there other particular info you want out of him?"

[ussura] Vasili says, ">FOLLOW WOLVES"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "nah, I think we're just bringing him along"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "probably somebody searches him"

[ussura] GM asks, "Hands tied? Disarmed?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "for anything obviously blooded or weapons"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(is there a way to tell if he himself has porte?)"

[ussura] Charles says, "Unless V or R manages to read anything from him, I'm good to just keep him on leash for the moment to let him see how much more interesting/dangerous we are than LaVache."

[ussura] Charles says (to GM), "Of course."

[ussura] Charles says (to Sebasiten), "Ooh, good question. Yes there is."

[ussura] GM says, "You find a variety of weapons hidden on him, as well as, um, some other plot hooks for later ;-)"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

[ussura] Vasili says, "ah, plot hooks. I was getting hungry."

[ussura] Charles says, "(Which I believe Raelynn took as a Glamour knack?)"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I just figure he's probably meeting up with lavache via some blooded thing, so ideally we'd get rid of it"

[ussura] Charles says (to Vasili), "Yay"

Charles asks (of Touissant), "So are you alone? Or is there an elite team of bodyguards utterly failing to protect you someplace?"

Vasili says, "As if he'd leave them behind if he had them. Or tell us if he did."

Charles says (to Vasili), "True, but it seems polite to at least make conversation as we walk along."

Vasili says, "Good point. Sorry."

Sebastien says, "well, here's this door"

GM says, "You tromp on down the passage to find the door Pyotr mentioned. As you've been going on, the walls have been more and more rough-hewn, but the wall with the door in it is perfectly smooth without blemish. A door lies in the center of the wall, quite dirty and dusty, but in the center is a large silver panel, raised from the door itself. In the center top of the panel is the impression of a paw; below it and to the right is a hand print with long fingers, and to the right of it is a normal human handprint."

Sebastien says, "we didn't see an easy way past it, but we didn't want to shine too much light on it"

[ussura] Charles says, "(I suppose Pyotr and Raelynn are AFK for the moment, but Rae can use Thomas when she returns.)"

Sebastien frowns.

[ussura] Era says, "sorry about the extended afk - I'm back."

Charles says, "Well, this makes sense."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "jsut 1"

Sebastien says, "it appears difficult to get past without Daniele's aid"

Vasili says, "Yup. Interesting."

Charles looks down. "Were the tracks you were talking about go through here?"

Sebastien says, "assuming that is indeed what the center print is for"

[ussura] Charles says, "I was unclear on where exactly those tracks were."

Era examines paw prints and humanoid prints in the door.

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "thomas is a panache trait. do i roll with panache? or just with finesse?"

Charles says, "Perhaps an indirect touch would be sufficient... if those stones back at the stair are still frozen."

Sebastien says, "interesting"

Sebastien says, "well, it's worth a shot"

Vasili says, "Or maybe Nemka's, if necessary. But if they're not past this door, we ought to find them first."

[ussura] Vasili says, "I don't think you need to roll anything to use Thomas's magic-sensing ability."

Charles asks (of Vasili), "Do we know they haven't already come through and closed it behind them?"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "that's what i thought. that the gm just lets me know if there is something to detect"

Touissaint nods, and Pyotr also looks for signs of passage. "Oh, hey, look over here," he says. He points, indicating a water-outline of a bare footprint in a depression off to one side.

[ussura] Charles | Furthermore, for every rank you have in this knack, you may choose one type of sorcery to be able to recognize (i.e. Glamour, Porte, Pyeryem, etc.)

[ussura] GM says, "Oh, right--Touissant is not an additional sorcerer."

[ussura] GM says, "You have to ask if there are already X sorcerers around, where X is your rank in Thomas."

Charles says, "So they passed through here."

[ussura] GM says, "But, checking, the only sorcerers here are the ones you know about."

Charles says, "And unless they left again, or found another hidden passage out of here, then they've already been through this door."

[ussura] Vasili asks, "so did Nemka give Raelynn a way to get in touch, or am I imagining things?"

Charles asks, "Did their tracks cross themselves going the other way?"

Sebastien says, "well, they had all three of the ingredients"

[ussura] GM asks, "She left a blooded item with them, I think. Was there something else?"

Charles says (to Sebastien), "Yes. Assuming a human wolf is enough."

[ussura] Era asks, "prints in door?"

Vasili says, "They'd have an even easier time getting through than we will, yeah."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "a blooded item yes"

GM says, "(the top print looks like http://uniqueartistic.com/3_Browser/catalog/paws_images/tgr2.jpg )"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i forget what it was"

Vasili says (to Charles), "They had actual wolves, I thought."

[ussura] Charles says, "(Is someone trying the rock?)"

Sebastien goes back and fetches one of the frosted rocks.

Charles says (to Vasili), "Ah. Even better."

Charles says, "Well, if all else fails, we can try to ask Sivka for help."

Charles says, "He may be able to contact Nemka somehow."

Sebastien says, "good idea"

Sebastien says, "although I'm not sure this is really the most conducive environment for rabbits"

Charles says, "True."

[ussura] GM says, "Hee"

Vasili says, "Well, not so much better, seeing as the wolves with us are really humans."

[ussura] Era says, "or cats, at the moment."

GM says, "(Sebastien returns with a frosted rock)"

Sebastien says, "well, I guess we can try this"

Vasili touches the human handprint.

Sebastien says, "Lady Era, perhaps you could make a paw for this notch"

Sebastien presses the rock into the middle one.

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "It's interesting how, if you came across a door like this in real life, you would never in a million years actually think it was a locking mechanism requiring the touch of three different species simultaneously."

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

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien asks, "actually, wait, wasn't there an original star trek episode with a similar premise?"

[Crows-Nest] Sebastien says, "er, s/premise/gadget/"

[Crows-Nest] Charles says, "Ha. Probably."

Era mews up at Sebastien, and holds up her paw.

[Crows-Nest] Vasili says, "I might consider it, if I'd recently become wrapped up in a fantastical tale of drachens and so on"

Sebastien exclaims, "oh, yes, silly me!"

Sebastien picks up Era so she can reach

[Crows-Nest] Charles says (to Vasili), "I think I would consider medication at that point."

Charles says, "I don't think it's working."

GM says, "As Vasili touches the human print, the print glows a soft green. When Era puts her cat's paw on the top print, that print glows a soft blue. The rock, when touched to the third print, briefly sparks red and the door trembles for a second. But then it fades again, and the door remains shut."

Charles asks (of Sebastien), "How cold are your hands now?"

Era hisses at the door.

[Crows-Nest] Vasili asks, "and leave behind all your Terabithian subjects?"

Raelynn says, "not cold enough..."

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

Sebastien says, "hrm"

[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Era), "Hee"

Vasili says, "Well."

Sebastien starts to rub them together, then stops.

Raelynn asks, "would a glamour-ized ice cube be as cold?"

Sebastien asks, "can you make such a thing?"

Raelynn asks, "as a real one, i mean?"

Charles says, "I'm not sure what you mean..."

[ussura] Raelynn asks (of gm), "can glamour make an ice cube out of the rock?"

Vasili asks (of Raelynn), "I'm still confused about all your travelling things. Do you think you could go talk to Nemka, or how long might that take?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I think it's got a relatively restricted list of things it can make"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "oho"

Sebastien asks (of Raelynn), "isn't the realm you can travel to a cold one?"

Raelynn says, "it is, but there's no snow there"

Charles asks, "Does this door exist there?"

Raelynn says, "let me check"

Sebastien asks, "could you bring some water there, and leave it for a few minutes?"

Sebastien says, "...or that"

Era says, "You mean to touch it inter-dimmensionally? That's just amazing."

Charles says, "I don't think snow would help -- if cold were all we needed, the rock should be enough."

Raelynn says, "what if i just take my knife there? the metal would get cold"

[ussura] GM says, "I think the interpretation of that Glamour knack was that you could only make that particular list of things. But doing something with Glamour does seem like a reasonable thing to do--as you've spent more time with the snow people, they've seemed to you to be vaguely similar to the Sidhe. Their attitudes and appearance, mostly."

Sebastien says (to Charles), "well, but the forst is already melting"

Charles says, "But a cold *hand*, perhaps..."

Era says, "And it's not hand-shaped."

Raelynn says, "let me check if the door is there."

Era impulsively grabs Raelynn's hand and looks at ther fingers.

Raelynn pops her ring over Era's tail for a way to get back

Raelynn says (to era), "done? i am going to pop over for a sec"

GM says (to Era), "Her fingers are fairly dainty, but still clearly human."

Raelynn concentrates and waits for the now-familiar sense of passing through the membrane

[ussura] Charles says, "Oh, hey, *I* could call Nemka if I had to, assuming the Stone Knight works to wherever he is."

(From Raelynn) SLURP

[ussura] Vasili says, "oho"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "hunh"

[ussura] Charles says, "But I'd like to know what the GM is suggesting could be done with Glamour first, since I dunno how Nemka could send someone here."

[ussura] Raelynn says (to charles), "i am curious about the glamor bit too"

[ussura] Era asks, "could a hand be glamored?"

[ussura] Charles says, "I think a glove would be safer."

[ussura] Era says, "lengthen the fingers, cool it down, voila - snowperson hands."

[ussura] Raelynn says (to charles), "i would have to verify this with the GM, but I should be able to "Bring" someone, say, nemka through the shadow lands to here"

GM says (to Raelynn), "And you emerge in the Dark paths once more. It's pitch black, but there is a slight red glow from the shadow of your ring. The passage does indeed continue beyond your current position, with no door. Or wall, either, at that."

[ussura] Charles asks (of GM), "Are you suggesting that we could add 'ice' to the list of Jack objects?"

Charles asks (of Sebastien), "Do you have a spare glove? Preferably something... stretchy?"

Raelynn pops back out

Raelynn says, "no door or wall"

[ussura] GM says, "(and indeed, it's very cold)"

Pyotr asks, "Can you step past it and come back on the other side?"

Raelynn says, "this is getting much much easier"

Pyotr says, "Maybe there's a normal handle there."

Raelynn says (to pyotr), "i can't get out of the shadow unless there's a blooded item for me to grab ahold of"

[ussura] GM says, "The only way to get back is to touch one of her blooded objects."

[ussura] GM says, "(timing)"

[ussura] Charles asks, "How much space under the door?"

Pyotr exclaims, "Blood the door!"

Charles blinks. "That's absurd. Brilliant, but absurd!"

[ussura] GM says, "None--the seam between the wall and the door is almost invisible."

Raelynn says, "there's no door in the shadows."

[ussura] GM says, "Also, that is fantastic."

Pyotr asks, "can you see items that aren't blooded, there?"

Raelynn says, "i have no idea where my blood will be if there's no door there"

Raelynn says (to pytor), "shadows of items, yes"

Pyotr says, "I mean, maybe if you blood it, it'll show up and you can still get past it, I dunno."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i think"

Charles says, "I thought that things like doors and floors normally couldn't be seen there anyway."

Raelynn says, "hm"

Sebastien helps Era and Vasili and Raelynn stick their hands in the door things again, once Raelynn comes abck with cold hands.

Charles asks, "Didn't you say that you couldn't reach the second story of a building from there, when you first stepped through?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(just to check)"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i *still* like the idea of bringing nemka over, or figuring out the glamor because then i don't have to bleed"

[ussura] Charles says, "So, current plans to try (just to keep track):"

[ussura] GM says (to Charles), "You are at this point entirely in a rough-hewn passage inside the rock."

[ussura] Charles says, "A) Blooding the door and trying to open it from the other side."

GM says (to Sebastien), "No, cold hands alone don't seem to do it."

[ussura] Charles says, "B) Getting really cold in the shadowlands, and trying to open the door with cold hands."

[ussura] Charles says, "C) Trying to see if life with the icefolk have taught us how to use Jack to make ice, and freeze some gloves."

[ussura] Charles says, "D) Call Nemka for help."

[ussura] Charles says, "E) Summon Sivka."

[ussura] Raelynn says (to charles), "*bring* nemka"

[ussura] Charles says, "And F) Bring Nemka :)"

[ussura] GM asks, "You blooded Nemka?"

[ussura] Charles asks, "Does Bringing cost a sorcery die?"

[ussura] Raelynn asks (of gm), "if he is holding my blooded item like i asked him to, shouldn't i be able to bring him?"

[ussura] GM says, "No, the item would just disappear."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "worst comes to worst, i guess i can waste the action to go back, blood him, come back, and then bring him"

[ussura] Vasili says, "she could go to him and then try that weird blood mixing thing, maybe."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ok, so the next easiest plan is to make ice with glamour"

[ussura] Charles says, "That does cost a sorcery die, though, so I'm tempted to try Sivka first."

Sebastien says (to Charles), "here, the left glove of this pair has become hopelessly stained (there is a very small stain on one finger), so I suppose you can take the right, since I won't be wearing either"

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "don't you have rep dice?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "it's still possible Nemka has some way of his own to come."

[ussura] Charles asks, "Especially since if cold hands won't do it, then would icy gloves?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "well, it'd be actual ice"

Touissaint asks, "Hmm. Surely the door responds to substance, and not form?"

[ussura] Charles exclaims (at Sebastien), "Oh yeah!"

Charles tugs on the fingers of the gloves.

Charles asks (of Touissant), "What do you mean?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "I think the idea with using Glamour is that the ice people are somewhat Sidhe-like."

[ussura] Vasili says, "which our NPC is getting at before me"

Sebastien says, "I suppose he means that Era's paw worked as well as a wolf's paw because they were both animals"

Sebastien asks, "so for a snow maiden it must be looking for .. snow? ice?"

Charles says, "Mmm."

Touissaint asks, "It doesn't seem like regular ice would do it. Surely the cold rock worked because this Daniele had actually touched it?"

Vasili says, "no, for magical living snow"

Raelynn asks, "water?"

Sebastien's glance shifts to the melting footprint.

Raelynn asks, "dip the rock in to the condensation?"

[ussura] Charles asks, "Is the floor dirt or rock?"

[ussura] GM says, "It's dirty rock."

Charles presses the glove into the moisture in the print, and then into the handprint in the door.

GM says, "<red glow>"

Vasili says, "huzzah!"

GM says, "<which starts to fade...>"

Charles exclaims, "Quick, the other two!"

Sebastien quickly lifts Era into position.

Vasili presses the human one again, and lifts Era up.

GM exclaims, "And with that, the door slides open!"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(poor Era, yanked in two directions or slammed against the door)"

Era puts her paw on the door, and give the door a good glare, complete with puting her ears back.

Sebastien exclaims, "well-glared!"

Sebastien says, "I imagine we'd better make haste through the door"

[ussura] Vasili says, "you can't slam a cat"

GM says, "On the other side of the door, you see a metal room. Within the room are several things."

Era leaps from her handy perch onto the floor.

[ussura] Charles says, "True, true."

[ussura] Charles says, "They have built-in shock-absorbers."

[ussura] Era says, "X things."

[Crows-Nest] (from Sebastien) GM says "1) a group of armed guards"

GM For one, there's a more normal-looking door on the far side.

GM says, "Second, there are the bodies of two men and a wolf."

Era says, "The last poor people to attempt the door, no doubt, killed for their silent assistance."

GM says, "Thirdly, there are several weird head-sized critters with wings and stingers. Several are lying disabled/dead on the floor. One or two appear to be frozen solid."

GM exclaims, "And several more were buzzing around the far door. When your door opens, they turn on you!"

Charles says, "Ah. Flying voles, I presume."

[ussura] GM says, "If we do this now, we will almost certainly go late, however."

[ussura] Vasili says, "fourthly, a lever to release the friendly flying-vermin-hunting-bats"

[ussura] GM says, "Whoops, forgot to mention that one."

[clubfloyd] Jota asks (of Jacq), "Oh yeah, were you going to email me some gamefiles?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I have time to keep going, but I imagine east-coast folks need to quit soon"

[ussura] Era says, "can we wrap up next time then? IIRC going late usually means at least an hour."

[ussura] Charles says, "I am willing to go late if there are folks who have been itching for a good fight."

[ussura] Charles says, "But otherwise I am happy to stop here."

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says (to Jota), "I am going to. Just that I've been uber busy, then sick, and don't need a game that isn't installed for a couple of weeks yet."

[ussura] GM says, "Heh ;-)"

[clubfloyd] Jota says, "No problem."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "for east coasters, it's pretty much up to pyotr"

[clubfloyd] Jacqueline says, "But I'll be headed out of town in a couple weeks, so maga and I will try to figure out the games for the next few weeks, 'cause maga'll be coordinating and keeping transcripts in my absence."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i am up tonight regardless"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "oh dear"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "oh, let's keep going then"

[ussura] Sebastien asks (of Vasili), "how about you?"

[ussura] Vasili says, "I will regret it a bit tomorrow, but not really care"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

[ussura] Charles says, "If Era would rather stop, though, we might want to save it for when she can play and be awake and all."

[ussura] Pyotr says, "yeah"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "I'm good either way"

[ussura] Era says, "er, um, hmm."

Era says, "I hate to be a party pooper."

[ussura] GM says (to Era), "No pressure ;-)"

[ussura] Charles says, "(Stopping is actually my preference, but I am willing to go either way.)"

[ussura] Era says, "I can keep going, but I'll be in and out."

[ussura] GM says, "Let's go ahead and do this next time, then."

[ussura] Pyotr says, "okay"

[ussura] Era says, "I have to make sure I have clothes to wear to work tomorrow. :-)"

[ussura] GM says, "So yay, thanks everyone."

[ussura] Charles says, "That is useful, unless you are employed at Hardee's."

[ussura] Charles says (to GM), "Also, yay puzzles."

[ussura] Sebastien says (to Charles), "yay"

[ussura] Era says, "yeah, my boss always looks like he belongs on the cover of Fortune or something."

[ussura] Sebastien asks, "did we work out a time for next time?"

[ussura] Charles says, "I don't think so."

[ussura] GM says (to Pyotr&Raelynn), "You are still busy Saturdays, right? Next sunday is bad for Era; the sunday after that might be good, checking..."

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "isn't that the 14th?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I appear to be pretty free for the next couple weekends"

[ussura] Era says, "yep, totally free the Sunday after that."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "next is the 29/30"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "then 6/7, 13/14"

[ussura] Charles says (to GM), "Oh, so I am still not entirely sure what you were implying about icefolk/sidhe/Glamour."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "we are out the 13/14"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "as well as 20/21"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "and 27"

[ussura] GM says, "(My initial idea about Glamour was that you might transform the footprint into something so you could pick it up and use that, but soaking it in a glove worked fine. And blooding the door was *brilliant*, and would also have worked. With the caveat that when Raelynn stepped back through, the bugs would have been after her)"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "whoops ha ha"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "I think he meant you could study the snow people magic to learn how to use glamour to make ice"

[ussura] Charles says, "Careful with the B word."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "it's looking like if we want to finish in october, we have to finish it off by the 7th"

[ussura] Charles says (to Sebastien), "Yeah, but if cold stuff isn't directly helpful here..."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(because snow people magic is like sidhe magic)"

[ussura] Sebastien says (to Charles), "well, yeah, but we didn't know that at the time"

[ussura] GM says (to Charles), "Heh, right."

[ussura] GM asks (of Raelynn), "You're busy the rest of October?"

[ussura] Era says, "If I caught everyone's comments correctly, the 7th works for everyone."

[ussura] Sebastien says, "(arguably it *should* have worked if it was, you know, "snow people ice" and not regular ice)"

[ussura] Raelynn says (to lps), "yeah"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "eid, vacation, coming back from vacation"

[ussura] GM nods.

[ussura] Charles says (to Sebastien), "Good point."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i guess, theoretically, we would be doing nothing but laundry on the 28th so that's an option"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "ha ha"

[ussura] GM says, "Ha ha ha"

[ussura] Era says, "but laundry can take *hours*! :-)"

[ussura] Charles says, "Yeah, I think the 7th is a good weekend for me."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "but it looks like we are good to go the 7th"

[ussura] Raelynn asks, "would it help if we freed up the 6th too?"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "since the GM said today was 1/3"

[ussura] GM says (to Raelynn), "I was about to ask--we could do the 6th and then the 7th if need be for a final huzzah."

[ussura] Raelynn says, "i dunno if we can, but we can try"

[ussura] Raelynn says, "we may have to pretend to be too ill to see the fam"

[ussura] Era says, "would adding an extra hour on the 7th help? we could start earlier if you wanted."

[ussura] Pyotr says, "starting earlier is tricky for us"

[ussura] Charles says, "(I should note that there's a *chance* I might be travelling the weekend of the 6/7, but odds are I won't be.)"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "since 7 is Z's bedtime"

[ussura] Era says, "ah, never mind."

[ussura] GM says, "That was a guesstimate--I think we can probably finish in one session, but Saturday night might be better than Sunday, if that's better for going late."

[ussura] Charles says, "Saturday's a better late day for me than Sunday."

[ussura] GM says, "(and/or for reconvening on the 7th)"

[ussura] GM asks, "Let's schedule it for the 7th, and if R&P find they're free on the 6th, we'll bump it up to then?"

[ussura] Charles says, "Sounds good."

[ussura] Era says, "I'm thinking that rgp'ing is kinda like a gas - it expands to fill up all available time."

[ussura] Charles says, "Heh."

[ussura] GM exclaims, "I'm certainly having a gas roleplaying!"

[ussura] Era says, "hehehehe"

[ussura] Era asks, "so are we agreed? two weeks, from today, same bat time, same bat channel?"

[ussura] Sebastien says, "sounds good to me"

[ussura] GM says, "Alrighty then."

[ussura] Vasili says, "sure"

[ussura] Pyotr says, "cool"