Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 2 Chapter 4 - Chaos (NOTE: all posts either to or cc ) From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 18:58:18 -0500 Subject: Aae-Rude Awakenings. As Morgan has her moment of emotional distress thinking of Driscoll's fate, Roscoe mutters something about necks and daggers, then rolls over and falls back asleep. How long he sleeps he isn't sure, but there is a wanderer in his dreams. Roscoe's abilities as a projecting telepath as well as a receiving one kick in, and everyone in the Tardis is given a ring-side seat for this dream. "Hiya Roscoe. Just saw Driss, and he sends his warmest regards." comes a voice from the darkness. "Huh? wha? Who's there??" challenges Roscoe. A tail appears first, that of a diamondbacled rattlesnake. Spidery legs sprout from it and each ends in the foot of a differnt animal. The head of the beast, is that of a lion, with the horns of a ram. Roscoe shrinks back a bit from the sight, but his eyes give evidence that it isn't fear that pulls him back, but anger and hatred. "Chaos." he hisses. The spider legs meld together until there are two human-looking arms and the hind-legs of a Tyrannasaurus in their place. "Aww, what is it with you guys? you're _sooooooooooo_ high strung lately! I was just bored, ran into Driss, chatted about old times, thought I'd come find you. but do you offer me a cup of coffee or a doughnut? NO! You just..." "You said you'd leave us alone. Why are you here?? You gave your _word_!" Roscoe snapped, knowing Chaos could go on forever if he wanted to. Chaos gave a sigh and the ram horns receeded and walrus tusks take their place, "Why ith it everyone'th alwayth giving me a hard time? Boy thethe thingth are hard to talk with!" Chaos spits twice and the tusks fly off into the darkness and disappear as the head turns into that of a dragon. "Like I was telling Driss, I wasn't here to play around with you two this time. It was just coincidence you showed up!" Roscoe gave him his darkest glare and spoke slowly, "You..._ARE_...Coincidence!!!" "Oh, Yhe! I keep forgetting. Hey you wanna throw some bones with me? Winners all teh time, big money big money!" A green visor appears on Chaos's forehead, but a disappointed look crosses his draconian face as the humanoid arms are replaced by the legs of a pig. "Oh well, maybe next time." Roscoe gives a big sigh, then immagines a bottle of rum which appears instantly in his hand. Finishing it all in one swig, he tosses the bottle behind him and it disappears into the darkness. "OK, what _do_ you want then?" Chaos smiled again as the dragon's head changed into that of a cow, "Like I said, just visiting. I actually came to Arcadia with The Controller. Interesting fellow I guess. Creates havok well, but GAWD is he _BORING_. At this minute, all he's doing is _inspecting_ everything for the _BILLIONTH_ time, and talking to that Krazzan guy about their place to steal Oberon's power and store it in this organic battery by enslaving the people of Arcadia and re-shaping the land as The Controller sees fit. Great plan, lots of catastrophies when it'll fail and this dimention implodes in on itself and rips apart the dimentions bordering it but.." Panic has replaced the anger in Roscoe's eyes, "please tell me you're kidding! Oh my lord... You said you knew where Driss was, Right?" "Oh yeh, sure, uh huh, yep, I think, maybe, who knows, who's Driss? moo." replies Chaos as the Dinosaur legs shrink down to match the piggy arms. Roscoe instantly changes into a mammoth dragon with a head larger than Chaos and screams, "STOP THIS NOW AND TELL ME WHERE HE IS!!!" Flame shoots from teh mouth and nostrils and engulfs Chaos as Roscoe shrinks back down to size. When the flames subside, Choas is waiting patiently tapping a piggy foot as his body grows hair and becomes that of a black bear. "Are you quite finished??" Roscoe looks down to the blackness at his feet and replies sheepishly, "Yeh, I'm sorry, I've been under a lot of stress lately. Look, I'll cut you a deal. Take us all to Driss, and..." Roscoe gulps deeply and looks like he's about ready to hurl, "We'll release you from your promise. PLease, I don't know what else..." "_DONE_!!!!!!! Oh goodie goodie goodie!!! Happy day! Happy Day!" Chaos dances about the darkness joyfully, litterally coming apart at the seams and re-forming again. "Look, can you set The Doctor's machine to take us there?" Roscoe asks as he taps his foot impatiently. "Hmmm??? Oh of course!! I _love_ Tardis control panels! I get to have the most fun in them. He He He You know I kept this once Time Lord looking for teh particular Earth for...Well a long time! Done and done!" With that, the dream faded away, and Roscoe sat bolt upright, a bright white glow covering his body. "Ummm Hi guys, I think I'm ready and know where we're going..." "Nice necklace." Cold runs throughout Driss's entire body and with herculean effort he opens his eyes and tries to focus them. Pain long since lost all meaning and became a dull throb in the back of his head beating it time to the shick shick shick sound of the blades continually re-opening cuts in his body to bleed him. Most of the blood was gone long ago, now it simply drains into buckets as fast as his body makes it. "huh? necklace?" Driss asks softly, sounding like he's far away, despite the fact here's right here with himself. "U-um Y-y-your n-necklace. I-I thought i-it was nice." Came a voice from a large grey rat in the corner of the lab. Looking down, Driss notices that he's not completely naked, his necklace is still there. Or was it there all along? so hard to think, so confusing... "U-Um... I-I d-don't want to b-bother you.... but... Are you OK?" asks the rat as he cocks his head. Driss can't help but start laughing, it seems like the funniest thing he's ever heard. Is it? he can't remember... "I'd be better if I was dead, but that's not going to happen so..." The rat scratched his head adn began to rub its chin thoughtfully. Finally deciding on what to do next, he stretches out his paw, "H-hi. I-I'm Squee." "Nice to meet you, I'd shake your hand, but I'm strapped to the wall." Driss replies, then starts laughing hysterically again at his joke. How long _has_ it been since by brain got some blood? he he he Vampire Brains. I vant to suck your blood. he he he The door opens up and in walks the Drow Elf, Krazzan. Squee runs back into the hole he came out of and hides. "Ah, concious again I see. Willing to join the cause yet?" "I'm crazy, I'm not dumb. or is that how it's supposed to go? he he he" Driss replies as his head rolls around limply on his neck. Krazzan's face darkens for a moment, then he smiles all too sweetly, "I've let teh 'Master Controller' have his fun long enough. His methods will take far too long. Besides, my methods will make sure you are loyal to _me_ when it comes time to depose that ancient _human_." And with that, Krazzan walks over to Driss, and Squee shudders as black magic crackles across Driss's body from Krazzan's hands. =========================== Date: Wed, 05 Mar 1997 21:59:54 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: AAE: Something stirring in the darkness He climbed. He didn't know how long he had been climbing, but he knew he was tired and very hungry. It didn't matter. No where to go but up. The shaft was four feet across and in complete darkness. He was wedged across it, back against one wall, feet walking up the other side. It was slow, but there was time. All the time in the world. He was covered in blood and dust and cobwebs. He wasn't sure where the cobwebs had come from, and that bothered him a little. He continued climbing, silently, patiently, with the determination of a glacier. The tower had been a trap, as he suspected. Although he hadn't expected the stairs to lead down instead of up. The first man to challenge him had been almost laughable, offering him money to walk away. Obviously he had no idea who he was. The ninja was more of a challenge, but the ninja again was wrong, he had thought that the man would be helpless without his 'gadgets'. Big mistake, and his last. Then there was the battle where he had finally faced his nemesis. He had almost had him, his foe had known his innermost dreams and used them to attack him. He'd been lucky to escape, diving into that underground river was the act of a desperate man, but it had worked. Where the hell was he though? He had been wandering down here for a long time, but this shaft might lead back to the surface. Might. He felt the edge against his back. He had reached the top. Silently he eased himself over the edge. He sat for a long time, just feeling the cold flagstones beneath him and letting his aching muscles rest. It was still completely dark though. He started crawling away from the hole. Eventually he reached a wall. It was smooth stone, man made; and where men made walls they made doors. He started following the wall, eventually reaching a door. It was a large, wooden door with an iron handle. And it was locked. He rose to his feet and quietly checked himself. No weapons left, no tools, no coat, no hat. Just a pair of combat boots, black combat trousers and the torn remains of a shirt. Time for the mark one lockpick. The third blow from his shoulder splintered the door and he stumbled out into the cold, dim grey light of a large hall. He stopped and, blinking, looked around. The hall looked old, it was set out for a feast, but the feasters were shrivelled corpses, the food had rotted and the drapes were faded, cracked and dusty. And everything was covered in cobwebs. He was feeling distinctly uneasy about the cobwebs now. And then the rattling sound started. =========================== Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 00:34:54 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: Aae-Rude Awakenings. At 06:58 PM 3/4/97 -0500, Dris&Roscoe wrote: > "Hmmm??? Oh of course!! I _love_ Tardis control panels! I get to >have the most fun in them. He He He You know I kept this once Time >Lord looking for teh particular Earth for...Well a long time! Done >and done!" > With that, the dream faded away, and Roscoe sat bolt upright, a >bright white glow covering his body. "Ummm Hi guys, I think I'm ready >and know where we're going..." Roscoe suddenly finds himself three feet off the ground, inches away from the Doctor/KnightShift. The Doc looks...displeased. "CHAOS! You let CHAOS set the controls!?! All I needed was the coordinates, in any form! But not only do you let a beast into MY TARDIS, you let him DRIVE! The Gods only know what he will do while fooling around insode the control console..." A prophetic statement...just then a loud snap is heard as a puff of smoke drifts up from the control console. Electricity arcs through the time rotor as the TARDIS begins to shudder. Books tumble from the shelves, the Doctor's rock collection crashs to the floor, various ornaments fall from the walls, furniture slides around the hard wood floors. Dropping Roscoe unceremoniously, the Doctor lunges for the controls. He franticly throws switchs, pulls levers, and pushs buttons. Electricity arcs across the board as more components burn up. The control room has a faint haze from the smoking console. "No, NO. NO! She is MINE! I won't lose the TARDIS to some Patchwork Punk Godwannabe!" The Doctor scans the console monitors, a look of horror on his face. "Everyone strap yourselves to the nearest post or heavy object!" The turbulance continues, the noise of the buffeted craft blending with the roar of the engines. And another sound...a deep tolling...audible over the din. "The cloister bell...It only sounds in the direst of circumstances. We are in SERIOUS trouble...whoah..." The Doctor stumbles a bit as the room starts spinning. But the Doctor is not dizzy, the room is literally spinning. As the rotation increases, the Docotr and other Callahanians can feel the G-forces pulling them towards the walls. The Doctor grabs onto a handle just beneath the console and tries to remain upright. As the TARDIS careens out of control through the temporal vortex, the Docotr shouts, "Hang ON!" Feet no longer touching the floor, the Doctor holds onto the small handle for dear life. "Must...regain...control...Need...to...activate...emergency...stablizers..." The Doctor claws his way towards the stablizer controls. "Al...most....there..." The Doctor reachs for a large red button. Just as he is about to hit it, his other hand loses its grip on the handle, and he "falls" into the kitchen, slamming into the fridge. *************** The TARDIS materializes in the middle of a long wall in a stone-walled ballroom. Blending in with the other stonework, the TARDIS takes on the shape of a large wooden doorway, fifteen feet high and seven feet wide. As the last wheeze dies away silence reclaims the room... Doctor John Smith (OOC: Are we there yet? ;->) =========================== Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 11:45:54 -0800 (PST) From: " Capricia Davis" Subject: Re: Aae-Rude Awakenings. >At 06:58 PM 3/4/97 -0500, Dris&Roscoe wrote: >> With that, the dream faded away, and Roscoe sat bolt upright, a >>bright white glow covering his body. "Ummm Hi guys, I think I'm >>ready and know where we're going..." A small grey kitten (how did she get here?) looks over at this. She licks her left paw, and brushes at her whiskers. >"CHAOS! You let CHAOS set the controls!?! All I needed was the >coordinates, in any form! But not only do you let a beast into MY >TARDIS, you let him DRIVE! The Gods only know what he will do while >fooling around insode the control console..." The kitten blinks slowly. Three times. Somehow, when the chaos (with a small c) ends, the small kitten is still sitting exactly where she was, with not a hair out of place. Still, she makes a great show out of grooming her fur to express her opinon of these events. =========================== Date: Thu, 06 Mar 1997 21:06:31 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Thank you for flying.... At 12:34 AM 3/6/97 -0600, Doc wrote: >At 06:58 PM 3/4/97 -0500, Dris&Roscoe wrote: >> With that, the dream faded away, and Roscoe sat bolt upright, a >>bright white glow covering his body. "Ummm Hi guys, I think I'm >>ready and know where we're going..." "Roscoe," Morgan speaks softly, holding one hand toward the little man as one would a stove you weren't sure was on, "You are eminating magic like...." She stops as the former wolf is snatched away. > >The TARDIS materializes in the middle of a long wall in a stone- >walled ballroom. Blending in with the other stonework, the TARDIS >takes on the shape of a large wooden doorway, fifteen feet high and >seven feet wide. > >As the last wheeze dies away silence reclaims the room... After a few moments of silence, everyone (except, oddly enough, one small kitten) starts picking themselves up and checking themselves and each other for damage. Satisfied that no ones taken worse than a little bruising, Morgan looks at the ruin that used to be a TARDIS control panel. "I don't suppose you have a spare one of those around?" "Well, I suppose we'd better find out when/where we are. I propose our newly-glamoured friend here," her gaze turns not unkindly on Roscoe, "assume the form of his choice and do a little recon. All in favor?" Greywolf /|\ =========================== Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 12:34:08 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: Aae-This Old TARDIS At 09:06 PM 3/6/97, Morgan wrote: >After a few moments of silence, everyone (except, oddly enough, one >small kitten) starts picking themselves up and checking themselves >and each other for damage. Satisfied that no ones taken worse than a >little bruising, Morgan looks at the ruin that used to be a TARDIS >control panel. "I don't suppose you have a spare one of those >around?" Doctor John Smith/The KnightShift picks himself up off the kitchen tile. He winces as he realizes he has sprained his wrist, but within a few painful seconds of regeneration, it is healed as if it never happened. As more regenerative energy flows through his body, his painful shuffling towards the console returns to his purposeful, invigorated, stride. "The entire console is shot. Will take a few months to repair. But, I think the secondary control console room was offline when Chaos took us for a joyride. We should be able to get around with that. Problem is, it is a long way from here to there...and I can't reconfigure the internal architecture to get rid of the distance, at least not until we find the secondary control room." >"Well, I suppose we'd better find out when/where we are. I propose >our newly-glamoured friend here," her gaze turns not unkindly on >Roscoe, "assume the form of his choice and do a little recon. All in >favor?" "I can't get any readings whatsoever, Roscoe. I don't know where or when we are...We could be in the middle of outer space for all I can tell. Best bear that in mind. There are space suits and tethers in the cedar chest over by the bookshelves. Feel free to use them. Though there is a forcefield to keep our air inside, should it be a vacuum out there." =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 17:17:18 -0500 Subject: Aae-Chaos Erupts! Roscoe hacks a few times to make sure his throat is intact and looks at the glow Morgan was talking about. "Wow, I've never done that before!" While Roscoe is admiring his new shine, the front door bursts open, and a large smelly man wearing dirty overalls with the name Habib on the pocket and carrying a toolbox rushes in. "Hiya, I'm Ed, Tardis repairman. This the Tardis? Hey, of course it is ehh? Ha Ha!" he gives Roscoe a slap on the back that knocks him over, then moves over to the consol. OPening a panel, he crawls inside the tiny space and much banging, screeching and drilling can be heard. "Hmm hmm looks bad. The Flamajam is fused to the weeblefoosle, and there's a rubber chicken in the Limdicker. Oh well, I needd to buy a new car anyways. HA HA HA" The Doctor's eyes are huge and the flexing of his hands causes Roscoe to quickly hold up his own over his throat. But before Knightshift can stangle the poor sidhe, the panel opens again, and a very attractive woman (Looking much like Marilyn Monroe with black hair) wearing nothing but a string bikini appears from it. She giggles a lot and kisses everyone (including Lancett, Morgan, The wolves, the kitten, AND The Doctor's Cat god) full on the lips. After she's done, her gaze turns towards Roland, as her eyes move to opposite sides of her head and the head becomes that of a hammerhead shark. Speaking now in highpitched airy tones with a slight lisp, "Oh Dear oh dear, what shall we EVER do about that DREADFUL outfit? No No No No, this just shall not do!" She begins waving her arms limply in the air as they turn into octupus tentacles and a lobster tail sprouts from her, "Green is just SO Passe' you need something with zip, and pizzaz. Something that says 'Look at ME!' I've got it!" A tentacle waves, and Roland's Peter pan outfit is replaced with a white disco jacket with sequins, paisley vest, adn black silk shirt, and a large white panama hat. "Oh MUCH Better!" Passing by a mirror she notices her appearance, "Hmm I must be in a mood for fish tonight!" Roscoe sighs deeply and kind of hides behind Morgan, "Umm Everyone, meet the embodiment of randominity in the multiverse, Chaos." Chaos's head Changes into that of a Unicorn, "Hmmm Now I must be Ho... Did you say CHAOS??? Oh where? Where??" From everyone's shoulder drops a 3 inch tall clone of Chaos who quickly grows into a fullsized Chaos. "Oh It's you! it's really you!" "I've been a BIG fan for a long time!" "I LOVE your work!" "I love yours too! I've followed it for centuries!" "Oh Oh Chaos! Get a picture of me with Chaos! Oh, wait until I tell Chaos, he'll be SO jealous!!" "I can't believe I'm here meeting Choas himself! I could just DIE!!" "Can you sign this for me? just sign it, To my greatest admirer, Chaos. I wish I could be just like you. That's C...H...A...O..." Roscoe makes his way unseen until he's behind The Doctor. "If you REALLY want to tell him he's not welcome here, be my guest! But watch out for his temper tantrums." Then Roscoe turns into a rabbit and darts through everyone's feet and out the door. One of the Chaoses (Chaosi?) lifts up a bullhorn in one Tentacle "Ok OK OK, form up here for the tour, The tour is about to begin..." A small tour bus about the size of a golf cart appear adn they all climb in. "Ok, now to our left is a human, and to our right is a Dragon, and we are headed for the Bedroom. Please take close notice of the sock drawer!" Out in the hallway, Roscoe weighs the idea of getting re-enforcements, but then decides, being near Knightshift right now would be more dangerous than any of his dark cousins. It was a dirty trick running out of there, but it's not like he _wanted_ Chaos around anymore than anyone else did. But how do you say no to _HIM_? Roscoe heard footsteps coming down the hall, so he changed into a spider and climbed up the wall to watch as a Shadow Dwarf whipped a group of regular dwarves along. The Dwarves didn't seem to notice it, but they didn't seem to be noticing much of anything. After they passed, Roscoe returned to his normal form and went to return inside when he noticed a small Post-It note on the door. NOT A DISGUISED TARDIS. REALLY. Roscoe crumped up the note and returned inside. For the first time, he noticed the main control console was now covered in Duct tape, Baling wire and bubblegum. From somewhere in the tardis, he could still hear Chaos's amplified voice, "Notice the odd araingment of the medicine cabinet... Oops. Does it still count as 7 years bad luck if _I_ break a mirror?? Oh well, now onto the solarium..." "Well, if nothing else, it looks like he took us to the right place..." Roscoe spoke up, ready to duck any incoming attacks. =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! Date: Fri, 7 Mar 97 20:15:19 -0000 From: Roland X First, sayeth Morgan: >"Well, I suppose we'd better find out when/where we are. I propose >our newly-glamoured friend here," her gaze turns not unkindly on >Roscoe, "assume the form of his choice and do a little recon. All in >favor?" Then, croaked Roscoe (who seems in great danger of croaking): > Roscoe hacks a few times to make sure his throat is intact and looks >at the glow Morgan was talking about. "Wow, I've never done that >before!" Roland rises unsteadily. "What...where...oh, my aching head. I take it we're in the right time & place? Or is that wishful thinking?" > Roscoe sighs deeply and kind of hides behind Morgan, "Umm Everyone, >meet the embodiment of randominity in the multiverse, Chaos." Roland gapes. "70's clothes...my One Weakness...gasp-* NOT!!!" His eyes blaze with fire, and he is briefly clothed ala Human Torch, then he is wearing his original Immie out- fit. Only the sleeves of his trenchcoat are still sequined. "I _hate_ disco! ROSCOE..." > One of the Chaoses (Chaosi?) lifts up a bullhorn in one Tentacle "Ok >OK OK, form up here for the tour, The tour is about to begin..." > A small tour bus about the size of a golf cart appear adn they all >climb in. "Ok, now to our left is a human, and to our right is a >Dragon, and we are headed for the Bedroom. Please take close notice >of the sock drawer!" "Hmm...so that's what happens to socks." > After they passed, Roscoe returned to his normal form and went to >return inside when he noticed a small Post-It note on the door. > NOT A DISGUISED TARDIS. REALLY. > Roscoe crumped up the note and returned inside. "Why don't we just issue invitations to the villains to invade?" Roland sighs. > "Well, if nothing else, it looks like he took us to the right >place..." Roscoe spoke up, ready to duck any incoming attacks. (OOC: You asked for it...) Roland holds out his still-sequined arm, and a dagger, a cattle-prod, and a ninja throwing pie (yes, PIE) appear in his hand. All three are hurled at the shapeshifting little... *ahem* Sidhe responsible. All three objects transform into three throwing pies _each._ "Well. Now that _that_ is taken care of, I think we need to set up an attack force. We should-" (& Quoth the Stranger...) >He was feeling distinctly uneasy about the cobwebs now. > >And then the rattling sound started. "Stranger?" "Roland?" The TARDIS asks, sounding a bit drunk. "I could have sworn...no. Must be my imagination." Roland pauses. "But in Arcadia, imagination is just a likely to real as...um, folks, I think Stranger just tried to make contact..." =========================== Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 02:17:20 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! At 05:17 PM 3/7/97 -0500, Roscoe wrote: > The Doctor's eyes are huge and the flexing of his hands causes >Roscoe to quickly hold up his own over his throat. But before >Knightshift can stangle the poor sidhe, the panel opens again, and a >very attractive woman (Looking much like Marilyn Monroe with black >hair) wearing nothing but a string bikini appears from it. She >giggles a lot and kisses everyone (including Lancett, Morgan, The >wolves, the kitten, AND The Doctor's Cat god) full on the lips. The Doctor/KnightShift strides out of the control room and into the interior halls of the TARDIS. Pyewackett, the feline God, scampers after him. The Doctor and the little black God enter a dark room. > After they passed, Roscoe returned to his normal form and went to >return inside when he noticed a small Post-It note on the door. > NOT A DISGUISED TARDIS. REALLY. > Roscoe crumped up the note and returned inside. For the first time, >he noticed the main control console was now covered in Duct tape, The doors close behind Roscoe. >Baling wire and bubblegum. From somewhere in the tardis, he could >still hear Chaos's amplified voice, "Notice the odd araingment of the >medicine cabinet... Oops. Does it still count as 7 years bad luck if >_I_ break a mirror?? Oh well, now onto the solarium..." "I can live without the solarium." The Chaos tour group, Nikkon cameras clicking crazily, suddenly find themeselves unable to leave the solarium. Unable because there is no door. Just walls, ceiling and floor. "Well, if you like the solarium so much, you can keep it." <<<<>>>> The solarium is deleted from the TARDIS architechture. The release of energy surges into the TARDIS, which begins rebuilding itself. The TARDIS control console returns to its normal state. In fact everything returns to its normal state, including Roland's costume. > "Well, if nothing else, it looks like he took us to the right >place..." Roscoe spoke up, ready to duck any incoming attacks. > "Well. Now that _that_ is taken care of, I think we >need to set up an attack force. We should-" "No need for an attack. Chaos has left the building...er...TARDIS" The Doctor strolls back into the room, holding the furry black God in his arms. Putting the cat into the cat basket atop the time rotor, the Doctor taps a few controls and the rotor begins to rise and fall gently. Smiling at the sleeping God, the Doctor turns that same smile to the rest of his companions. "Well, we should be back at--Ah! We arrived! Let's see where Chaos brought us." > "Stranger?" > "Roland?" The TARDIS asks, sounding a bit drunk. > "I could have sworn...no. Must be my imagination." > Roland pauses. "But in Arcadia, imagination is just >a likely to real as...um, folks, I think Stranger just >tried to make contact..." The Doctor pats the TARDIS control console. "Perhaps the sudden boost of energy increased the TARDIS's telepathic circuits' range. The new models can scan a fair range to begin with...She will be a bit 'buzzed' for a short time, but not long. If Stranger is here, we had better move quickly...we already have Driscoll to hunt down." With a flourish, the Doctor throws the switch for the main door. Just before he steps outside someone asks "Where did Chaos go?" "To dinner." The Doctor dons a brown fedora and walks out. <<>> Chaos stands in the solarium, which is being buffetted by unknown exterior forces. "You think I can't get out of a box?" Chaos laughs. "By all means, come out." "Who said that?" The deep voice continues, "I did." Chaos notices a corner of the solarium is no longer there. In its place is some sort of energy. He looks around the solarium and notices other small spots of energy have replaced pieces of the walls. The TARDIS solarium is dissolving. "What's happening? NOTHING can destroy a TARDIS..." "You are not in a TARDIS. You are in the Time Vortex. My home." "What ARE you?" "I am the Chronovore. I exist in the Vortex. I feed on what I find here. I can't eat a TARDIS because it is too well protected..." The Chronovore laughs with a menace that Chaos actually fears. "You are eating the solarium?" "And whatever I find inside..." Chaos finds himself backed into a corner as the energy...the Chronovore grows closer. "But I AM A ***GOD***!!!" "Not here................." =========================== Date: Sat, 08 Mar 1997 23:46:08 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! [OOC: Hi guys] > "I could have sworn...no. Must be my imagination." > Roland pauses. "But in Arcadia, imagination is just > a likely to real as...um, folks, I think Stranger just > tried to make contact..." Elsewhere.... The figure staggered slightly and whispered, in a cracked, hoarse voice... "Roland?" Suddenly he saw movement, the cobwebs covering the opposite wall shimmered and shifted and, no it wasn't a wall, it was a huge archway and something was coming through. It was a spider, but it was the size of an elephant. At least. "Ahhhhh, a mortal, how quaint. Why have you disturbed me mortal?" The figure looked around. "I, ah, apologise for disturbing you. I'll just be leaving if that's OK?" He started moving towards one of the doors. "No I don't think ssso. Not at all. No mortal enters my sanctum and lives to tell the tale." "I am no mortal." The mans eyes blazed "I am the Stranger, wanderer and warrior and I do not want to be your enemy, but I will if I must." The spider shook, it was...laughing. A door burst open and three drow piled through. "Bugger!" The Stranger turned and ran for the table at the head of the hall, diving over it as miniature crossbow bolts rained around him. He rolled to his feet and siezed a candlestick holder. The first drow had reached him and lept onto the table, bringing his sword down towards the Strangers head. The Stranger blocked with the candlestick holder and then reached out with his other hand hooking the drow's knee and bringing him down onto the table. His elbow impacted with the side of the Drow's neck, there was a satisfying crack and the drow was still. The Stranger took his sword and rushed the other elves, ducking and blocking he slashed open the throat of one and disemboweled the other. Now he had two swords. "I'm back, I'm baaad, and I'm pissed off!" He turned, there was movement behind him. The 'guests' at the dinner were rising and moving towards him, although they had been dead for centuries. He closed on them, his foot lashing out at the leader, crushing his chest to a powdery dust. The head and arms fell to the floor, but continued to writhe towards him. He backed towards the door, slashing left and right at the advancing undead, stamping down on any parts that fell to the floor. Behind him another elf silently emerged from the door and stole towards him, a dagger drawn and dripping with some dark liquid. In a few seconds he was behind the Stranger his weapon raised to strike down against his unprotected back. The Stranger killed him without even turning around, one blade lashing out over his shoulder, impaling the elves throat. Reaching the doorway, the Stranger looked through it, before dodging back into the room and kicking it shut. A series of thuds resounded against the door. He turned to face the room. More of the undead creatures were shuffling towards him, they were slow, but they kept coming. One lunged at him, he sidestepped and brought his knee hard into its stomach, which shattered. Three stamp kicks disposed of the head and arms which writhed around trying to grab or bite him. In the distance he saw movement around one of the tapestries. Spiders were emerging from it. They were the size of dogs, and there were dozens of them, they scuttled towards him, a wave of dark, writhing legs. He threw himself into the midst of the undead, blades flashing and striking, feet lashing out left and right. he reached a wall and turned to face the room. "I still live." he hissed. The first spiders reached him, his blades lashed out, slicing the legs off one side of it before his booted foot launched it at a nearby undead who fell to the floor in a mass of dust and cobwebs. All this time, the large spider neither spoke, nor moved, simply watching the fight, waiting. Back over by the doorway more drow were starting to pour into the room. A volley of crossbow bolts hummed towards him, he rolled forward ducking under them, his swords slashing two of them from the air, on his feet he ran at the drow. the first one hadn't time to draw his sword, so the Stranger ran him through and spinning past him drew the drow's sword himself, leaving his own embedded in the hapless elf. He ducked under the next ones slash and ripped open the drow's thigh, rising up he headbutted him before spinning away from him and breaking his knee with a kick. A sword caught the Stranger across the arm, sending a spray of fine blood droplets across the thick, deep carpet of cobwebs. the Strangers own sword took the hand of the elf who had wounded him, who fell backwards his own blood pumping out of the wound. "I WILL LIVE!" the Stranger screamed. Spinning and lashing out the elves were driven back by his ferocity, but there were so many of them... time seemed to slow down for the Stranger, and he seemed to hear a small, calm voice inside his head saying... 'what are you prepared to do' =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 11:31:54 -0500 Subject: Aae-tunnels Roscoe dodges to the left quickly to avoid the ninja throwing pies, successfully dodging two, but taking the third right in the face. Giving a big sigh, he begins wiping it away. "Well, I THINK we're in the right place, at least by what Xerrion (sp?) said about dark sidhe. I saw what looked like a group of dwarvish slave laborers being driven down the corridor like cattle by a Dark Dwarf. Unfortuanetly, there's no telling WHERE exactly we are. All I could see was stone corridors with lots of doors. Tuning in on Driscoll, he's above us about 500 feet and to the west a ways, though his mind seems fainter than it should be. I don't know, maybe it's somekind of interfeerence from this place. I think the best way to scout it out might be for Xerrion and I to pose as Dark Sidhe escorting some prisoners unless someone has a better idea. I don't like the idea of trying a flat out assault on this place. Who knows what they might have in here tothrow at us if we do that." Squee runs through the rat-sized tunnels in the walls towards the thought he just felt. it was a momentary brush, but he was sure it was someone from the village. Maybe... Maybe it was even one of his parents, still alive and looking for him. Whoever it was, it has to be a freind, it just _had_ to be. It felt like it had been a thousand years since the village was destroyed and the sidhe in it imprisoned. =========================== Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 15:09:35 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Aae-tunnels On Sun, 9 Mar 1997 gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Tuning in on Driscoll, he's above us about 500 feet and to the west > a ways, though his mind seems fainter than it should be. I don't > know, maybe it's somekind of interfeerence from this place. Xzerrion speaks up about the interference. `Frankly, I'm surprised you can feel his presence at all. When I was last here, I know there was at least one antimagic field up and running, and if they have any sense at all, he's inside it. Otherwise, I'd have used a trans-dimensional gate to bring him out by now.' > I think the best way to scout it out might be for Xerrion and I > to pose as Dark Sidhe escorting some prisoners unless someone has a > better idea. I don't like the idea of trying a flat out assault on > this place. Who knows what they might have in here tothrow at us if > we do that." `When I was here last, they had a number of armed drow, as well as mages. I also spotted the one Shadow, and where there's one, there may be others. They may have Dark Servants present as well. I'd rather not try escorting in prisoners, but I believe I can make the group of us invisible.' - Xzerrion (with an Xz, dammit :) Still here contributing advice, just the creativity's running a bit low =========================== Date: Sun, 09 Mar 1997 19:38:19 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-tunnels At 03:09 PM 3/9/97 -0800, Xzerrion wrote: >`When I was here last, they had a number of armed drow, as well as >mages. I also spotted the one Shadow, and where there's one, there >may be others. They may have Dark Servants present as well. I'd >rather not try escorting in prisoners, but I believe I can make the >group of us invisible.' Morgan looks slightly confused. "Xzerrion, I'm a little fuzzy on this anti-magic thing. If they have AM shielding, will whatever it is you do to make us invisible work? Does the shielding affect mental abilities, like some of our telepathic links? I expect casting fireballs off fur-generated static electricity wouldn't work, but I'd like to know if things like my truth-sense are going to be affected." "Come to think of it, we know we're in the right place to find Driscoll, but do we know for sure this is the same place you were earlier? Just checking, but I'd hate to plan everything assuming magic _won't_ work and then find out it will. I mean, there's only," She does a quick mental count: me, Xzerrion, Roland, Doc, Roscoe, Lancett... we must have left Crow back in Arcadia... "Not counting the four-foots, a whole whopping half-dozen of us. We go into this without a plan and we're bantha fodder." "By the way, Roscoe, how's Dris doing? I've pretty much shut off that link out of self preservation - is it safe to open it up a little? It's doubtful he'd try sending to me instead of you anyway, but it doesn't hurt to cover our bases." Morgan /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 16:21:28 -0500 Subject: Aae-Plans & advocates. Roscoe rubs his chin thoughfully, but it doesn't seem to be helping the ideas flow much. "Well, as to _my_ link with Driss, my telepathic abilities aren't as much _magic_ as they are just part of my natural magical nature, like a Dragon's flame, or an Elf's longevity. It isn't like a spell, it's something built into the genetic code of my kind. It's how we usually communicate with each other and identify each other. Saves the trouble of trying to figure out who's in what form." He finishes with a smirk, "But as to _contacting_ Driss, like I said, I tried and got no response. He's there, but just not answering me. Unfortunately, my magic and anti-magic detection powers are severly lacking so just from my breif journey out there, I couldn't tell you if spells will work or not." Morgan hears a voice in her head, a familiar voice, but for some reason she can't quite figure out whos... Her own? Driscoll's? Roscoe's? Or... "Don't forget your nature Druid. Oh I like that pun. Remember the energy you felt communing with the trees in the Heart. You've felt the magic this world holds, the power it gives Oberon, the power that is being drained and stored somewhere. Reach out with your feelings for that energy..." Then it's gone. Squee sits at the intersection of three tunnels, trying to decide while trying to find that mind he felt. Then from one of the tunnels walks a large rat dressed in a pinstripe suit flipping a small coin. "Hey. Kid. Whatcha lookin' for?" Squee shrinks back a bit from this newcomer, "Ummm I'm looking for s-someone." "Yous wouldn't be lookin' for the freinds o' that guy back theres wouldcha?" The large rat asked, one paw stuffed in the pocket of his suit, the other still flipping the coin. "U-U-um Y-yeh, I th-think so," Squee stammered, shifting uncomfortably in place. "Well den, the bloke you're lookin' for is Roscoe see? You wanna find him, just head down thats-a-way." The rat replied, pulling his paw out of his pocket and gesturing down a tunnel with its thumb. "Th-thank you. I-I'm Squee. Who are you?" Squee asked putting out his paw. The rat in the pinstriped suit just smiled and slowly faded from view. =========================== Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 18:29:09 -0500 From: Caprice Subject: Re: Aae-Plans & advocates. > "Th-thank you. I-I'm Squee. Who are you?" Squee asked putting out >his paw. > The rat in the pinstriped suit just smiled and slowly faded from >view. Mischief wanders, as a kitten will, having somehow gotten outside the Tardis. A small grey kitten, in rooms of grey stone and grey shadows, exploring grey dusty passageways and crawl spaces. It's probably coincidance that she isn't spotted, triggers no alarms. Or maybe it's just a cat thing. Suddenly her nose twitches, her fur fluffing as her whiskers stand straight out.... She smells something... rat. =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! Date: Mon, 10 Mar 97 18:51:57 -0000 From: Roland X (Stranger) >The figure staggered slightly and whispered, in a cracked, hoarse >voice... > >"Roland?" Roland perks up. "I knew it!" >time seemed to slow down for the Stranger, and he seemed to hear >a small, calm voice inside his head saying... > >'what are you prepared to do' "Oh grife," Roland curses. And concentrates. "Damn gateway won't open..." (Xzerrion) >`When I was here last, they had a number of armed drow, as well as >mages. I also spotted the one Shadow, and where there's one, there >may be others. They may have Dark Servants present as well. I'd >rather not try escorting in prisoners, but I believe I can make the >group of us invisible.' "Okay, new plan. I think I know why they've been after me so badly...my powers, except for my brief stint as Roland Pan, are not magickal in nature. They really can't interfere with my psychic abilities. But there's another problem. I think I've finally solidified my contact with Stranger, but I can't seem to gate him out...and he's in trouble. I may have to gate to _him._" (Morgan) >Morgan looks slightly confused. "Xzerrion, I'm a little fuzzy on this >anti-magic thing. If they have AM shielding, will whatever it is you >do to make us invisible work? Does the shielding affect mental >abilities, like some of our telepathic links? I expect casting >fireballs off fur-generated static electricity wouldn't work, but I'd >like to know if things like my truth-sense are going to be affected." "That's kind of my dilemma," Roland sighs. "In there, I'll be the heavy firepower. Question is, do you _want_ heavy firepower, considering the 'subtle & sneaky' approach we're favoring?" >"Come to think of it, we know we're in the right place to find >Driscoll, but do we know for sure this is the same place you were >earlier? Just checking, but I'd hate to plan everything assuming >magic _won't_ work and then find out it will. I mean, there's only," >She does a quick mental count: me, Xzerrion, Roland, Doc, Roscoe, >Lancett... we must have left Crow back in Arcadia... "Not counting >the four-foots, a whole whopping half-dozen of us. We go into this >without a plan and we're bantha fodder." "Okay, _new_ plan. Roscoe," Roland says, turning cold eyes on the shapeshifter-the sequins are still glinting from his trenchcoat. "You find Driscoll. I stay telepathically linked to you. When you find him, I create a gateway to him, we go in fast, grab him, and get the heck out of Dodge. No fuss, no muss, a minimum of fighting. Then I go help Stranger. Any questions, problems, or flaws in the plan?" =========================== Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 19:06:55 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! At 04:21 PM 3/10/97 -0500, gamer wrote: > Morgan hears a voice in her head, a familiar voice, but for some >reason she can't quite figure out whos... Her own? Driscoll's? >Roscoe's? Or... "Don't forget your nature Druid. Oh I like that pun. >Remember the energy you felt communing with the trees in the Heart. >You've felt the magic this world holds, the power it gives Oberon, >the power that is being drained and stored somewhere. Reach out with >your feelings for that energy..." Then it's gone. And at 06:51 PM 3/10/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > "Okay, _new_ plan. Roscoe," Roland says, turning cold eyes >on the shapeshifter-the sequins are still glinting from his >trenchcoat. "You find Driscoll. I stay telepathically linked >to you. When you find him, I create a gateway to him, we go >in fast, grab him, and get the heck out of Dodge. No fuss, no >muss, a minimum of fighting. Then I go help Stranger. Any >questions, problems, or flaws in the plan?" Morgan mutters to herself, pacing, thinking partly out loud, trying to reason out how all the pieces fit together. First one, then the other wolf joins her. "Roscoe's dream," <*Chaos said something about a*> "Controller" <*who was stealing Oberon's power to try to*> "re-form Arcadia." <*I think that was where he ran across Driscoll. So when we go*> "rescue Dris," <*we'll still have to deal*> "with...." Click. She stops and stares at the Callahanians as the enormity of Chaos's offhand comments sinks in. "Good Gods! That ever-changing friend of theirs was talking about _whole dimensions_ imploding. We can't just grab Driscoll and leave - we've got to stop that guy from destroying Arcadia and who knows where else." The Greywolf looks at Roland. "I think maybe you'd better get Stranger first. We're going to need all the help we can get. While you work on that, I'll see if I can locate the stored Arcadian energy. It's Nature energy, not magic per se, so hopefully whatever shielding they have up won't mask it completely. Finding it should be second...." She stops, and giggles. Somewhere on the edges of her consciousness, she senses she's not the only one appreciating the pun. /|\ =========================== Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 21:16:11 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Admin: Interesting old post Greetings, friends! I was going back though some _old_ posts on the original thread (do you realize we've been at this around six months?), and I found this. It would seem that finding Stranger while we're involved with Chaos isn't mere, uh, coincidence :-). Kinda spooky, eh? Morgan /|\ >Stranger, 23 Sep 1996: >In todays episode, we learn who the mysterious Stranger really is. >"I am cursed with immortality. I dont age, but I can be killed, >however, I get better. Normally I 'wake up' fully grown in another >parallel, memories and skills intact. Oh and my swords are always >with me, but usually I lose my other equipment." > >"My crime was to guess the truth. I come from a part of the >multiverse where the Lords of Chaos and the Lords of Law are locked >in an unending struggle for supremacy. I saws through the lies and >saw the struggle. Whats more I saw it for what it was, pointless >conflict between equally tyrranic forces. Prince Arioch of Chaos >didn't like this, so he cursed me. But there are compensations." > >"He decided to use me, being thrifty and not wanting to waste a >resource. He granted me with a body that developed to optimum human >potential and the ability to learn, really, really fast. For a while >he manipulated me and I fought for him. Trouble seems to find me. >Eventually I saw through that as well. > >well. I slew one of his avatars. He tried to kill me then. However, >MolloM Lord of Law decided he too needed a warrior. He placed exactly >the same curse on me. Now neither of them can remove the curse, and I >know they'll never co-operate." =========================== From: Martin Gerster Subject: Re: Aae-Chaos Erupts! Date: Wed, 12 Mar 97 00:42:09 PST First, on Mon, 10 Mar 97 at 11:06, Morgan, the Wolfmae, wrote >The Greywolf looks at Roland. "I think maybe you'd better get >Stranger first. We're going to need all the help we can get. While >you work on that, I'll see if I can locate the stored Arcadian >energy. It's Nature energy, not magic per se, so hopefully whatever >shielding they have up won't mask it completely. Finding it should be >second...." She stops, and giggles. Somewhere on the edges of her >consciousness, she senses she's not the only one appreciating the >pun. "Ook," replies 'Lancettt' the Sentinel-Lensdragon, vocalizing for what seems the first in a long time. "Not necessarily a good (or a bad) pun but worth an 'A' for effort none-the-less, milady." Then to Roland, the draconian Lensman says,"Roland I do believe that a rescue of the Stranger would definetly be within our baliwick. If you can help me get a telepathic 'lock-down' on the Stranger's location I think by pooling our powere we might be able to gate there, help him defeat his enemies (whose leader I believe I recognize) and then we can gate all three of us back here. One again, the three of us (at the very least) are molded into our roles as protectors of the Multiversal Fictions!" (Not that I'm complaining, mind you ; ) ) Then, on Mon, 10 Mar 97 13:16, Morgan followed with: >I was going back though some _old_ posts on the original thread.... > >>well. I slew one of his avatars. He tried to kill me then. However, >>MolloM Lord of Law decided he too needed a warrior. He placed >>exactly the same curse on me. Now neither of them can remove the >>curse, and I now they'll never co-operate." "Actually," says the Sentinel-Lensdragon, once again addressing the Wolfmae, "It seems that the Stranger is an Avatar of the Universal Champion. Essentially a *Very* powerful soul who is constantly resurrected to be a linchpin in the Conflict between Law and Chaos, another of these avatars/incarnations is Elric of Melnibone', yet another is Dorian Hawkmoon, the list goes on and on. It was originally my understanding that the Eternal Champion was limmited to Michael Moorcock's Fictional Universe but the Stranger's presence here obviously refutes that. That 'beast' we encountered recently was an avatar of the entity I've enountered in the past who has alternately identified itself to me as Xaos, Entropy, Death or Oblivion and is a living represention of the processes that go on in the middle of the conflict between the Absolutes of Good and Evil and Law and Chaos. From our experiences here I'd assume that Roscoe and Driscoll have also had dealings with this Entity." In the middle of all of this, "Lancett's" eyes snap shut and begins to mutter underneath his breath, all that the rest of the telepathic Callahanians are able to catch from under the Sentinel-Lensdragon's powerful personal sheilds is snippets of information, at first unintelligable like; /The Lensman's Load/ and /A Lensman always goes in!/ and then larger bursts of seeming nonsense /I am Grey; I stand between the Darkness and the Night. I am Grey; I stand between the Candle and the Star/ and then it seems as if the memory-shadows of two entities enter his concious mind and merge into one. A strange noise is heard within his mental landscape, which resembles the buzzing of bees and then a vaugly smoky and monotone voice, not 'Lancett's' asks /Who are you?/ and then 'Lancett's' 'voice' answers /You (plural?) of all people know better than to ask that question. This is *what* and *who* I am!/ Suddenly, 'Lancett's' eyes snap open, his mouth twists into a vicious snarl and his Sentinel's ring burns to life. The twisting column of green-flame/energy which erupts out of it quickly transforms into a large, antique, railway lantern, the size of an average man's torso and the color and appearence of green stained glass. Then, "Lancett" shouts, no... he roars, and he isn't *heard* in reality as much as he is *felt* on the astral plane(!?). Felt like a force seven-point-nine earthquake, that is! /IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN BLACKEST NIGHT, NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT, LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT -- BEWARE MY POWER -- THE GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT !!!/ Durring which there is a spectacular fireworks display between his ring and the lantern. Fortunatly, it seems to not have attracted any attention from anyone not in your group of Callahanians. Unfortunatly, after the fireworks display is over and your eyes clear from the after-effects you find the Sentienl-Lensdragon on the floor of the tunnel... completly comatose. The lantern is still there. =========================== Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 20:46:38 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: AAE: Back to the wall The battle still raged in the dusty, ancient chamber, The Stranger whirling and killing, the drow and the spiders harrying him. Ultimately he found himself backed into a corner. A ring of dark elves around him. He glared at them and they sized him up warily. He would kill the first one to get to him, that much was obvious, so they were in no hurry. He felt lightheaded, a bolt from one of their crossbow pistols had caught him in the thigh and he suspected it may have been poisoned. He was still up and fighting, but it was becoming more difficult. The sword in his left hand had been shattered, although the jagged stump that was left had its uses. He was covered in blood, dust and cobwebs and the floor was sticky with blood. Maybe it was a good day to die after all. All this time the great spider had not intervened. "OK, lads, who's first?" The Stranger [OOC: Any help greatly appreciated :-) ] =========================== Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 17:12:10 -0800 (PST) From: " Capricia Davis" Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall >The battle still raged in the dusty, ancient chamber, The Stranger >whirling and killing, the drow and the spiders harrying him. >Ultimately he found himself backed into a corner. A ring of dark >elves around him. He glared at them and they sized him up warily. He >would kill the first one to get to him, that much was obvious, so >they were in no hurry. From behind the group surrounding Stranger, a shadow detaches from the wall. A sleek black cat, like a minature panther, pounces on the smaller spiders that have lagged behind. Claws out he pounced, slashed, his movements like the shadows of a fire's glow. Poisonous bites were ignored. As the piles of arachnid bodies grew, so did the size of the cat. >Maybe it was a good day to die after all. > >All this time the great spider had not intervened. > >"OK, lads, who's first?" Some of the drow turned, to see behind them a shadow-form, like a panther made of night. A dark female voice, like old blood, whispered through the minds of those in the room. ** I do hope this is not a private party... Who wishes to dance? ** -- Caprice, who REALLY is going to get herself involved sometime. I mean it. Really. Not just the cats. Honest. =========================== =========================== Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall Date: Wed, 12 Mar 97 22:18:31 -0000 From: Roland X ('Lancett':) >One again, the three of us (at the very least) are >molded into our roles as protectors of the Multiversal Fictions!" > (Not that I'm complaining, mind you ; ) ) Roland nods, and concentrates harder than ever... >Unfortunatly, after the fireworks display is over and your eyes clear >from the after-effects you find the Sentienl-Lensdragon on the floor >of the tunnel... completly comatose. The lantern is still there. "I've got a lock, Lancett! I can-" Roland looks down. "Bloody nass." Roland concentrates. A portal begins to flicker into existence in front of him-and then Roland vanishes! (Stranger:) >Maybe it was a good day to die after all. > >All this time the great spider had not intervened. > >"OK, lads, who's first?" A dark elf moved-then something large and heavy fell on it hard. The others backed away-and lightning surged through them before dying out. The figure rose- -and Roland shakes his head, dazed, staring at a small army that stares back angrily. He turns and smiles weakly at Stranger. "Hi, Stranger. I'm here to rescue you..." A drow laughs and lunges. Roland parries clumsily; then fire springs up around them, separating the two immortals from the angry fae. "Damn!" Roland says, his smile gaining strength. "My psi powers _do_ still work. Do we need to be here, or should I 'port us out of here?" He touches Stranger's thigh, and the poison oozes out. The flames flicker somewhat. "*gulp* Choose quickly..." =========================== Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 00:45:21 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall At 10:18 PM 3/12/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > "Damn!" Roland says, his smile gaining strength. "My >psi powers _do_ still work. Do we need to be here, or >should I 'port us out of here?" He touches Stranger's >thigh, and the poison oozes out. The flames flicker >somewhat. "*gulp* Choose quickly..." "Hello, I'm the Doctor," said a thin man dressed in a pin-stripe suit with a fedora sitting at a jaunty angle, "And THIS is my Ace," strafing the first row of dark elves. Several fell dead, a few just seriously wounded. The rest of the Drow backed away. "Guys, I can't stay long...I am late for a Bogart film festival..." "...but that should even the odds a bit...And next time, don't take off without backup. Either of you." The Doctor touchs a small device on his belt and vanishs. Just before he fades away, he adds "Don't worry, things work out fine in the end." Elsewhere... The Doctor/KnightShift grumbles "Just once, I wish Roland would wait for us." =========================== Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 23:10:06 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: AAE: Meanwhile, back in the TARDIS.... Back in the TARDIS, Morgan takes stock. Lancett is still out cold (and taking up a fair amount of floor space ), Roland has gated off in search of Stranger, Doc's wandered off somewhere, even the kitten seems to have found someplace else to be. "Well, Roscoe, we might as well make ourselves useful. I think it's about time you and I tried to link in to Dris, and hopefully find out what he knows about where he is and what's going on. The more info we have when the others get back, the better we'll be able to plan our next move. Hold on..." She locates the med packs, sets one near the door and slings another over her shoulder. "Just in case." The Greywolf sits on the floor next to the furry sidhe, and Cutter and Leetah move to her side. "Xzerrion, you want in on this? Another mind wouldn't hurt, and you could verify if this is, in fact, where you were earlier. Or if you'd rather stand guard, that's OK, too." Morgan /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 13:57:52 -0500 Subject: Aae-Confessions and Origins. Roland disappears and Roscoe is looking down at the fallen Lancett when Morgan suggests going out to look for Driscoll. He hears her fine, but doesn't answer, his mind is thinking about the things Lancett brought up about Chaos. Driss is a private person, and would never divulge everything he knew, even to friends such as these, willingly, but how could he allow them to go look for Driss without telling them all. Especially if Chaos is involved in this. Roscoe gives a sigh and sits down on the floor of the Tardis near the Dragon, "before we go anywhere, I think I have some things I have to tell you. You should probably take a seat, as this might take a while." Roscoe's gaze turns back to the unconscious Lancett, "The LensDragon is correct, Driscoll and I _have_ had dealings with Chaos in the past, but Chaos is no one's avatar. Driscoll was _his_ avatar. But as to some of the other things Lancett brought up, they are true. Chaos is neither good nor evil. He cares nothing about either, and therefore his motivations are hard to predict, and his loyalties are impossible. Much about Chaos can only be known by what he says, and I don't know how much of it is true, and how much is fantasy." Now he leans back and gazes at the ceiling as if looking at a particularly beautiful starry sky, "Chaos is a force, an energy, a being older than the multiverse itself. The Multiverse was created from him, and his energies are what bind the very atoms together. Chaos is what gives the spark of life to a jumble of chemicals and water. He is called many things in many worlds, Karma, Kismet, Fate, the Furies, Death, Xanadu, Fubar. The list is as long as the number of dimensions." "Chaos in himself is annoying, and can be dangerous, but what he brings with him is even more so. Chaos is not a God, the Gods were borne from him. He is the raw power of the universe. When Driscoll inadvertently became his avatar, it was because Driss had stolen what he thought to be a magic gem from the realm of Darath, God of the Night of Driss's dimension, Quaren. The Gem turned out to be one of Chaos's teeth, and whoever possessed it, gained the power of a god. If a God possessed it, no other God could question their power. That was from a _tooth_. Many Deities hunt Chaos. Not to kill him, but to possess him and his power." Roscoe gave another sigh and began to rub his temples with his fingertips, "Driscoll realized that the more he used the power, the more he was becoming a part of Chaos. He finally shattered the tooth by channeling the power back in on itself. But if he thought that would end his dealings with Chaos, he was very much mistaken. Chaos began to follow us, hoping for another chance to take Driss back. A few years back, we caught Chaos in a compassionate mood, where he was overly fond of a young man in a cyberpunk dimension. Driss threatened to kill the boy, and to save his life, Chaos agreed to quit interfering in our lives. That was the last tiem we saw him until now, when he found what he saw as a loophole." Roscoe stood again and transformed into a wolf, the glow about his body now localizing itself to his collar. Then, telepathically, [I don't know what we will find. Chaos is fate, he is luck, he is randominity itself. If he has planned this out to get to Driss, he's already made a good start of it, but may think of using one of us to pressure Driss into taking back the power. Then again, he may just be bored as he says and watching this for entertainment. I don't know, and there's no way I can know. But it's only fair you know the truth of what we may begetting into.] Roscoe turns towards the door, [That done, I'm ready to go. Who's going to come with me?] The Controller sits, reviewing security monitors and drinking his tea as he plays a game of chess against the computer. The 342nd turn ends in checkmate, and his attention turns more fully on the monitors in front of him. A smile cracks the wearily looking wrinkled face as he reaches for the intercom switch with one mechanical arm. "There's one too many doors in tunnelway 4, 5th level. I think our guests have arrived. Prepare the 'reunion'." Krazzan lies asleep in his quarters, as a vision of his Black Queen enters his dreams. "It is time Krazzan. Time to seize the power from the Human. It is _your_ destiny to possess it, not his. And when you have it, the drow shall rule Arcadia, and _you_ shall rule the drow by my side." She says to him, her icy cold touch caressing his cheek. He trembles with anticipation, "Yes my queen. It shall be done, and we shall be together, soon!" He awakens and knows what he must do, as the vision of his beloved queen fades from his mind with a cheshire grin. =========================== Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 23:00:02 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall (Caprice) >** I do hope this is not a private party... Who wishes to dance? ** The Stranger gasped as he noticed the cat, remembering another feline warrior, far away now. He didn't recognise the cat, but it was killing spiders and my enemies enemy can be my friend. Hope spread across his face. Maybe he would live after all. The Stranger was nothing if not a creature of Hope. And maybe, just maybe, the cat was from Callahans. >>(Roland) >> "Hi, Stranger. I'm here to rescue you..." "Boy am I ever glad to see you!" >> "Damn!" Roland says, his smile gaining strength. "My >>psi powers _do_ still work. Do we need to be here, or >>should I 'port us out of here?" He touches Stranger's >>thigh, and the poison oozes out. The flames flicker >>somewhat. "*gulp* Choose quickly..." "I'm too weak to hold out much longer..." > The Doctor touchs a small device on his belt and vanishs. Just > before he fades away, he adds "Don't worry, things work out fine in > the end." "Great! Lets get out of here Roland, oh, and grab the cat!" =========================== Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 19:27:14 -0500 From: Caprice Organization: Me, Myself, and I Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall Gareth Owen wrote: > "Boy am I ever glad to see you!" ** Definately not a private party... I am so glad I invited myself ** > "Great! Lets get out of here Roland, oh, and grab the cat!" The cat, now the size of a panther, and still growing, slashes at an injured drow, bringing a clean, quick death. ** Grab the cat INDEED ** The mind-voice sounds somewhere between aggrieved and amused. ** I will, however, accompany you. ** She winds her way over to Stranger, disarming a drow with a swipe of one massive paw. ** You may... call me Mayhem. ** She takes her stance between Stranger and the dark horde, regarding them with a mixture of bloodlust and amusement. ** My enemies call me far worse than that... =========================== Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall Date: Thu, 13 Mar 97 20:26:56 -0000 From: Roland X >>>> "Hi, Stranger. I'm here to rescue you..." >> >> "Boy am I ever glad to see you!" "You may not be so happy when you find out I'm alone... I think the bad guy has something to do with me being here. Either that or incompetence." Roland shrugs, drawing his sword. >> "I'm too weak to hold out much longer..." "That's my cue," Roland says, trying once again to open the gateway. He almost vanishes. "Sprocking GRIFE! What the nass am I doing wrong?" Roland concentrates. "Oh. Stranger, there's a gate-shield around this place. I was able to 'port in because of the way my powers work, but 'windows' are out of the question." >>> "Guys, I can't stay long...I am late for a Bogart film >>> festival..." >>> "...but that should even the odds a bit...And next time, don't >>> take off without backup. Either of you." Roland takes the time to be annoyed. "Look, it wasn't _my_ idea, I was just trying to open a sprocking gateway and I teleported instead! I'm new to psychoportation, okay?" Then he blushes. "Oh, um, thanks for the help." >The cat, now the size of a panther, and still growing, slashes at an >injured drow, bringing a clean, quick death. **Grab the cat INDEED** >The mind-voice sounds somewhere between aggrieved and amused. ** I >will, however, accompany you. ** She winds her way over to Stranger, >disarming a drow with a swipe of one massive paw. ** You may... call >me Mayhem. ** >She takes her stance between Stranger and the dark horde, regarding >them with a mixture of bloodlust and amusement. ** My enemies call me >far worse than that... ** "Glad you could join the party," Roland says, grabbing Stranger's hand and Mayhem's...um, haunch, "but we have to be going now." "No," the spider-thing finally says. "I am not finished with you yet." It concentrates. Roland concentrates yet again, trying to slip away through hyperspace. Nothing. "I _want_ you here. Stop that humanoid-" the thing begins. All three vanish. Meanwhile, back at the TARDIS... (Morgan:) >The Greywolf sits on the floor next to the furry sidhe, and Cutter >and Leetah move to her side. "Xzerrion, you want in on this? Another >mind wouldn't hurt, and you could verify if this is, in fact, where >you were earlier. Or if you'd rather stand guard, that's OK, too." Roland, Stranger, and Mayhem appear in the TARDIS. Roland now sports some new accoutrements-seven arrows and three pieces of swords. "Screwed up the gateway," Roland chuckles, slipping to his knees. "Sorry. At least we got Stranger back. Too bad we can't go back home yet..." Roland loses consciousness. (TBC...I hope! ) =========================== Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 18:08:23 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Aae-Together again At 01:57 PM 3/13/97 -0500, Roscoe wrote: > Roscoe turns towards the door, [That done, I'm ready to go. Who's >going to come with me?] And then, before he could leave :-), at 08:26 PM 3/13/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > Roland loses consciousness. > (TBC...I hope! ) ( No, Roland, we're all just going to stop writing now. ) The Greywolf, who expected someone would need a medic when they returned,calmly grabs one of the med packs and sets to work on Roland and Stranger(Mayhem is unscathed, yes?). Relatively easy work, doing first-aid on theseimmortals :-). After a whiff of some primo single-malt water-of-life (don'tleave home without it ) brings the unconscious Callahanians back to thehere and now she fills them in on Driscoll's past associations with Chaos. "So, folks, we may as well not even _bother_ trying to plan around what Mr.Snafu (_I'm_ not saying his name any more than I can help ) will do,since by definition it'll be something we hadn't planned on." "I guess our next move boils down to do we try stealth or a straight-outassault? It's probably safe to assume our presence is no longer a secret,so we whatever we do it needs to be soon." "BTW, I haven't been able to pin down the exact local of that battery, butnear as I can tell it's in the same general direction as Dris. I should beable to feel it better the closer I get to it. I'm still working on what to do once we find it." =========================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 01:26:34 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: Aae-Together again At 06:08 PM 3/13/97, Morgan wrote: >At 01:57 PM 3/13/97 -0500, Roscoe wrote: >> Roscoe turns towards the door, [That done, I'm ready to go. Who's >>going to come with me?] The Doctor/KnightShift [who was actually within earshot of Morgan and Roscoe all the time, but his WRITER forgot where the three of theme were, in the TARDIS or outside] appears from the inner door of the TARDIS armed to the team with all manner of futuristic weapons. >And then, before he could leave :-), at 08:26 PM 3/13/97 -0000, >Roland wrote: >> "Screwed up the gateway," Roland chuckles, slipping to his >>knees. "Sorry. At least we got Stranger back. Too bad we can't >>go back home yet..." >> Roland loses consciousness. The Doc sees Roland appear inside the TARDIS. "DOH! Won't be needing THESE anymore...", he sighs, turning and staggering under the weight of the various assortment of blasters, bombs and firearmes. The Doc then clanks off to the interior of the TARDIS again. >"BTW, I haven't been able to pin down the exact local of that >battery, but near as I can tell it's in the same general direction as >Dris. I should be able to feel it better the closer I get to it. I'm >still working on what to do once we find it." The Doctor returns, having gotten rid of the arsenal and the Han Solo/Indiana Jones garb. Standing in front of a full length mirror, he takes a quick look at his change of clothes. Blue jeans, Canvas deck shoes, no socks, Tie dyed T-shirt with Chrome Mickey Mouse emblem on the front, brown and black letterman jacket with embroidered patches sewn all over it, and a large chile red backpack slung over one shoulder. "Ah, that is the me I have missed for so long..." Strolling over to the console, the KnightShift/Doctor flips on the exterior monitor. He then opens the outer door. "Well, since we can't plan our attack, why not improvise?" he says, darting outside. Pyewackett the feline god follows him quickly. /Excitement is afoot./ comes the feline thought to the group. All eyes turn to the exterior monitor, which follows The KnightShift/Doctor down the hallway. The monitor is definitely not line of sight, as it follows the KnightShift and Pyewackett around corners, through doors, and changes angles to afford the viewer the best view possible. The KnightShift had not gotten far when he encountered a squad of Dark Elves. He was walking past a corridor when at the opposite end, the squad walked by. For a fraction of a second they stared down the hallway at each other. The KnightShift smiled. "Hello, I'm the Doctor! I believe you want to kill me!" The KnightShift and Pyewackett ran, the Dark Elves close behind.... ===========================