Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 3
                               Chapter 5

(NOTE: From here on, all messages were sent via e-mail with many cc's.
The folks included were "Driscoll" <gamer@host.yab.com>, "Gareth L
Owen" <pe21@dial.pipex.com>, "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>,
"L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>, "Martin Gerster"
<ofgerst@pluto.njcc.com>, "Michael Jon Knight"
<mjknight@smartnet.net>, "Paul Campbell" <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>,
"Shadow" <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>, caprice@southeast.net,
fuzzy@wco.com, rolandx@ix.netcom.com,)

Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 22:29:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shadow <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>
Subject: Re: So, what's happening?

On Mon, 5 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
> The list is still down (I know 'cause I just had a message bounce),
> and I'm _dieing_ to know what's going to happen next :-).
> 
> The "artifact" is literally up in the air. Now what?
> 
> Morgan the impatient  /|\
> <g>

OOC: Well, unless Fuzzy has something specific in mind for the
artifact, here goes.

Everyone watches the artifact sail up into the air, several people
reacting to Fuzzy's announcement of the artifact's new status as a
bomb. John just stands there oblivious, a smile on his face, thinking
about how the enemy will drive themselves nuts trying to figure out
the _useless_ artifact. 

Just as the artifact starts to come down, it zips to the side and flys
towad an alleyway. The air blurs and a blond haired man steps forward
to grasp the artifact in his hands. He looks down at it briefly, "Nice
work." 

John watches the artifact descend, and when he sees the man his face
contorts and inarticulate sounds come out of his mouth. A blue glow
immediately springs up around him, and his robe transforms into plate
mail. In his hands appears a Big Ass Sword, which seems to change
shape every two or three seconds. The man locks eyes with John and a
smile crosses his face, "Why John, it is still John I presume?, that's
a marvelous new look for you. Decided to de-evolve, 'eh. Fur and
everything. Do you have the instincts to go with it?" 

John snarls and _launches_ the (now) Big Ass Spear at the black-clad
man. He easily dodges it, John's subsequent blasts, and everything
else anyone would care to throw at him. He finally lands atop the roof
of a building by Buffy and Knytt. "John, John, John. You're not still
upset about that claw thing, are you? OH," here he mock slaps his
head, "you're all of them now aren't you. You should let bygones be
bygones. I know you were only 12, but you did manage to save yourself,
didn't you?" 

John voice, amplified by his power, booms out over the square, "YOU
WILL DIE, JADIS!" He proceeds to blast the upper part of the entire
building that Jadis is standing on, which immediately begins to
crumble to the ground. Jadis once again evades John's blast, and
leaps, moves, and teleports all over the place. John immediately and
blindly blasts the spot Jadis appears in, not taking into account what
is behind him. Several times he almost blasts the rest of the Army of
Light, who get out of the way just in time. Whole rows of building are
now in ruins. The guard releases a Lanish on John, who merely looks
down at it as it latches on to him, then glows brighter as it explodes
from overload. After that they just hang back until reinforcements
arrive. After yet another near miss, Jadis flys into the air, avoiding
John's shots. He calls down, "Well, it's been fun, but I've got to be
going now." He shimmers in the air a bit, then blinks out.

John, his rage balked, yells out, "NO!" He looks around, and his eyes
light on the the guard, just as reinforcements come up the street. He
stretches his hand toward them and vaporises them instantly. His eyes
wild, he looks for something else to destroy. 

OOC: John's out of control right now. If anyone wishes to save any of
the guard :) then he immediately targets that person and goes after
them. Failing that, he will begin destroying everything in sight, and
I mean _everything_. If they don't try to interfere, he _probably_ (up
to you guys) won't go after anyone in the CAoL, he will just start to
move off through the city, wreaking destruction.
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 22:38:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shadow <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>
Subject: Re: So, what's happening?

On Mon, 5 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
> The list is still down (I know 'cause I just had a message bounce),
> and I'm _dieing_ to know what's going to happen next :-).
> 
> The "artifact" is literally up in the air. Now what?
> 
> Morgan the impatient  /|\
> <g>

All of this is OOC of course
BTW, when John comes down out of his rage, he's going to be weak as
all heck. Sometimes it may not seem like it, but I always exact a
price for power usage above a certain level.

PS) Never, ever, leave the plotline up to me. I'll do strange things
to it. :)
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 19:47:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re : Aae-night scenes
ReSent-From: fuzzy <fuzzy@wco.com>
ReSent-To: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>

Sorry folks, I have a tendency to fall behind on weekends as I get
involved with other things. Anyway, here's Xzerrion getting caught up.

On Wed, 30 Apr 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
>  Xzerrion and caprice disappear into the maze of stone corridors and 
> wooden doors a few minutes before The Controller arrives at the
> room. The metal arm pulls back the bolt easily and opens the door to
> an empty room. Camera Eyes flip through several energy spectrums
> until they spot the flickering humanoid shapes of magic. "Tut Tut
> Xzerrion. My eyes see witht eh truth of a camera, invisibility will
> not hide you from..." Noting the lack of combatic responses from the
> forms, The Controller moves into the room and reaches out for one of
> them. At his touch, the magic pops like a bubble.

< OOC : To bad, I knew I should have fire-trapped them to add to the
fun.>

>  The Controller whirls around, scanning every section and corner of 
> the room. Then he stands prefectly still as two compartments in his 
> chest open up. A dozen tiny cameras no larger than a finger come 
> flying out via tiny rockets. They all fly out the door and begin to 
> fan out down the hallways.

<OOC again : great, high technology to try to defeat low-brow
mage/thief>

Xzerrion glances around the corridor, knowing that guards are likely
to turn up looking for them any second. <* Caprice, I just had a
brainstorm. Hold still for a minute. *>

Burning spells at a phenomenal rate, Xzerrion makes a few alterations
to his face to appear as just another drow soldier, and shifts the
appearance of his clothing to that of a member of the secret police.
He then turns his attention to Caprice. <* Sorry, but too many extra
drow might attract attention, so you get to be something else. Don't
worry, my spell is only modifying outward appearances.*> Just that
fast, to all appearances, he is accompanied by a hulking, muscular orc
warrior.

<Note for the cameras : these aren't quite pure illusion, this is more
along the lines of an alteration, thinking in classic AD&D spell
terms.>

Abandoning attempts at stealth, he races down the corridor. <*Follow
my lead.*>

Turning to the first drow he sees, Xzerrion orders, `After them!
Drisonel wants that renegade and his human companion taken alive!'

>  The Controller pauses as he is abotu to knock on Matron Drisonel's 
> door to inform her of the arrival of the Army of Light and her enemy 
> Xzerrion. "Damn, they have escaped already, or so they think. I will 
> not be stayed so easily." The large robot pivots and marches down
> the plain hall of the ancient castle.

<OOC : Maybe not so easily, but this should confuse things a bit.>
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 19:52:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

On Thu, 1 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
>    Then Xzerrion, with timing to die for <g>, said:
> 
>> < *Roland, we're moving. If you were planning some kind of
>> distraction to attract the Controller's attention, now might be a
>> good time.*>
<snip>
>    Below them, Drow scramble for cover, fire arrows
> that bounce off both sets of defenses, and more or
> less try to figure out what the hell is going on.
>    *Hey, Xzerrion! How's that for a distraction?*

<* Not bad at all. Just to make sure Caprice and I don't get shot,
this is our new appearance.*> Xzerrion projects and image of the
shapechanges he dropped on himself and Caprice.
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 20:05:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

On Fri, 2 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
>    *Xzerrion?* Roland fires a bolt of energy at Des-
> troyer and flies back as the return blast takes out
> the entire building Roland was hiding behind. *Sweet
> mother of LIGHT! Xzerrion, tell me you've got your
> distraction!* Roland kicks in the hyperspeed and
> rockets into the twisting alleyways around him...
>    TBC (I hope!)

<*Well, I hope I have my distraction. I think in all this confusion,
two more members of the secret police won't be noticed. Moving onward
... *>

Xzerrion races purposefully through the halls, trying to look like
he's chasing down fugitives, even though he's really looking for a way
to descend to the dungeon complex. Soon, he discovers a stairway
leading downwards and, natural explorer that he is, decides to take
it.

<* I'm going in deeper, looking for the prisoners. If I find anything,
I'll send my location. I am now HERE. *> Xzerrion sends a mental map
of the halls he traversed and the stairway's location.
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 23:42:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shadow <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>
Subject: OOC: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

On Mon, 5 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote:
> On Fri, 2 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
>>    Elsewhere...
>>    *Xzerrion?* Roland fires a bolt of energy at Des-
>> troyer and flies back as the return blast takes out
>> the entire building Roland was hiding behind. *Sweet
>> mother of LIGHT! Xzerrion, tell me you've got your
>> distraction!* Roland kicks in the hyperspeed and
>> rockets into the twisting alleyways around him...
>>    TBC (I hope!)
> 
> <*Well, I hope I have my distraction. I think in all this
> confusion, two more members of the secret police won't be noticed. 
> Moving onward ... *>

(Big Grin) If you didn't before, You definitely have a distraction
now. John is currently doing his best 6 foot tall Godzilla impression. 
===========================
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 21:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: So, what's happening?

At 10:29 PM 5/5/97 -0400, Shadow wrote:
>Just as the artifact starts to come down, it zips to the side and
>flys towad an alleyway. The air blurs and a blond haired man steps
>forward to grasp the artifact in his hands. He looks down at it
>briefly, "Nice work." 

<*Another player.*> observes Morgan. <*Wonder if he's on our side?*>

>John voice, amplified by his power, booms out over the square, "YOU
>WILL DIE, JADIS!" He proceeds to blast the upper part of the entire
>building that Jadis is standing on, which immediately begins to
>crumble to the ground. Jadis once again evades John's blast, and
>leaps, moves, and teleports all over the place. John immediately and
>blindly blasts the spot Jadis appears in, not taking into account
>what is behind him. Several times he almost blasts the rest of the
>Army of Light, who get out of the way just in time. Whole rows of
>building are now in ruins. The guard releases a Lanish on John, who
>merely looks down at it as it latches on to him, then glows brighter
>as it explodes from overload. After that they just hang back until
>reinforcements arrive. After yet another near miss, Jadis flys into
>the air, avoiding John's shots. He calls down, "Well, it's been fun,
>but I've got to be going now." He shimmers in the air a bit, then
>blinks out.

"Buffy", presumably still being "protected" by "Sean", heads for
cover. <*Guess not. :-)*>

>John, his rage balked, yells out, "NO!" He looks around, and his eyes 
>light on the the guard, just as reinforcements come up the street. He 
>stretches his hand toward them and vaporises them instantly. His eyes 
>wild, he looks for something else to destroy. 
>
>OOC: John's out of control right now. If anyone wishes to save any of
>the guard :) then he immediately targets that person and goes after
>them. Failing that, he will begin destroying everything in sight, and
>I mean _everything_. If they don't try to interfere, he _probably_
>(up to you guys) won't go after anyone in the CAoL, he will just
>start to move off through the city, wreaking destruction.

<*Hey! A distraction for the distraction!*>

Then at 08:05 PM 5/5/97 -0700, Xzerrion wrote:
>On Fri, 2 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
><*Well, I hope I have my distraction. I think in all this confusion,
>two more members of the secret police won't be noticed. Moving
>onward ... *>

<*He's got a point. Do we want to keep these forms and the
accompanying cover story, or make a change?*>

>Xzerrion races purposefully through the halls, trying to look like
>he's chasing down fugitives, even though he's really looking for a
>way to descend to the dungeon complex. Soon, he discovers a stairway
>leading downwards and, natural explorer that he is, decides to take
>it.
>
><* I'm going in deeper, looking for the prisoners. If I find
>anything, I'll send my location. I am now HERE. *> Xzerrion sends a
>mental map of the halls he traversed and the stairway's location.

<*Well, folks, where to now?*>

Morgan  /|\
<relying on other people for stratigic planning>
===========================
Date: Mon May 05 21:25:00 1997
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: OOC: Re: So, what's happening?

At 10:38 PM 5/5/97 -0400, Shadow wrote:
>PS) Never, ever, leave the plotline up to me. I'll do strange things
>to it. :)

Understatements R Us! ;-)

BTW, I have all of AAE-1 in document files now. 785K total in 8 files,
available in one zip file that's about 260K. Stranger, _see_ what
happens when you sit in the Place complaining about being bored? :-)

Morgan  /|\
===========================
Date: Tue, 06 May 1997 01:11:29 -0400
From: Caprice <caprice@southeast.net>
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

Caprice follows Xzerrion at first, but soon she is telepathically
murmuring directions to him, leading him unerringly to the dungeons.
She has however shut the CAoL out of her mind completely...
===========================
Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 00:54:23 -0700
From: Gareth L Owen <pe21@dial.pipex.com>
Subject: Re: So, what's happening?

Shadow wrote:
> John voice, amplified by his power, booms out over the square, "YOU
> WILL DIE, JADIS!" He proceeds to blast the upper part of the entire
> building that Jadis is standing on, which immediately begins to
> crumble to the ground. Jadis once again evades John's blast, and
> leaps, moves, and teleports all over the place. John immediately and
> blindly blasts the spot Jadis appears in, not taking into account
> what is behind him. Several times he almost blasts the rest of the
> Army of Light, who get out of the way just in time. Whole rows of
> building are now in ruins. The guard releases a Lanish on John, who
> merely looks down at it as it latches on to him, then glows brighter
> as it explodes from overload. After that they just hang back until
> reinforcements arrive.

The Stranger and Kitty launch themselves through a nearby window,
clearing the street just as bits of debris start raining down on it.

"He's pissed!" states the Stranger

"How can you tell?" replies the cat

"Oh, I have an instinct for these things."

They look out and it's clear that they've got the distraction they
wanted.

/* OK, if I've got this right Xzerrion and Caprice have gone in and
are looking for the prisoners, so I guess we can best be occupied in
making sure they're going to have a way out */

A bolt of energy ricocheted through the window, reducing the opposite
wall to molten slag.

"He's definitely not having a good day."

The Stranger
===========================
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>
Date: Tue, 6 May 97 19:30:12 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

>On Fri, 2 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
>>    Elsewhere...
>>    *Xzerrion?* Roland fires a bolt of energy at Des-
>> troyer and flies back as the return blast takes out
>> the entire building Roland was hiding behind. *Sweet
>> mother of LIGHT! Xzerrion, tell me you've got your
>> distraction!* Roland kicks in the hyperspeed and
>> rockets into the twisting alleyways around him...
>>    TBC (I hope!)
>
><*Well, I hope I have my distraction. I think in all this confusion,
>two more members of the secret police won't be noticed. Moving
>onward ... *>

   *I hope so too,* Roland replies.

>Xzerrion races purposefully through the halls, trying to look like
>he's chasing down fugitives, even though he's really looking for a
>way to descend to the dungeon complex. Soon, he discovers a stairway
>leading downwards and, natural explorer that he is, decides to take
>it.
>
><* I'm going in deeper, looking for the prisoners. If I find
>anything, I'll send my location. I am now HERE. *> Xzerrion sends a
>mental map of the halls he traversed and the stairway's location.

   Roland nods. *Thank the Light. Time to end this. Let me know if you
want a fast 'port out.*
   "Well, Destroyer," Roland calls out, using his PK to cause the
acoustics to scatter the sound of his voice and make it impossible to
track, "it's been fun. Thanks for helping me give one of my enemies a
major headache."
   Destroyer looks shocked as Roland fades out...
   ...and then laughs.
   "Great Destroyer, I fail to see the humor in this. He has mocked
you," Gaunt points out.
   "He has outwitted me. That is a rare event. I like this one's
spirit. You may remain, if you wish. I will come for him another
time."
   Destroyer looks at the Drow guards with contempt as he vanishes.
Gaunt quickly follows suit.
   Roland reappears, reforming in his armor.
   Which now looks like a medieval suit of plate.
   "Silver..."
   On his faceplate, a message reads:
   "Now you can remain with the group. You'll look like a standard
bodyguard, and all bodyguards have to do is fight well, look menacing,
and grunt now and then. You _can_ grunt, can't you?
   "-Phoenix"
   Roland sighs...
===========================
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 20:51:58 -0700 (MST)
From: gamer@host.yab.com
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

>>  The Controller pauses as he is abotu to knock on Matron Drisonel's 
>> door to inform her of the arrival of the Army of Light and her
>> enemy Xzerrion. "Damn, they have escaped already, or so they think.
>> I will not be stayed so easily." The large robot pivots and marches
>> down the plain hall of the ancient castle.
> 
> <OOC : Maybe not so easily, but this should confuse things a bit.>
 
 The Controller tunrs from Drisonel's door and an X-window opens in
front of him. Stepping through, The Controller is now standing next to
himself. A mircosecond binary communication passes between them, and
then The Controller opens another X-window adn steps through again.
The remaining Controller closesthe open compartments in his chest
andstarts running the mini-cameras through differnt spectrums,
watching all of them at once. Noticing something strange about one
pair, he sets off.
 Xzerrion and Caprice are just about to the entrance when a large
black form steps out in front of them. "Greetings Callihanians. I knew
you would be brought here sooner or later. Fear not, I'm not going to
kill you, not yet. I need you for my plan still. And though this form
is vulnerable to many attacks you could make, I fear you not for when
you and your ilk stole my life, you took from em the last of my
humanity, but granted me an immortality you didn't expect. Now I am
more machine than man, but I can also network myself like a machine,
allowwing for not just one, bust dozens of Controllers. Now, would you
be so kind as to return to your room so that I may torture you?"
 
 (OOC, OK, now you all know ONE of his new tricks, and the fact that
it IS a post-arcadia Controller <EG>)
===========================
Date: Tue May 06 21:37:27 1997
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: OOC: Re : Aae-night scenes

<Thanks, Dris. Could someone forward a copy of Xzerrion's full
original post to me? Thanks.>

At 09:00 PM 5/6/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 20:51:58 -0700 (MST)
>From: gamer@host.yab.com
>Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes
<biiiiiig snip>
> 
> (OOC, OK, now you all know ONE of his new tricks, and the fact that 
>it IS a post-arcadia Controller <EG>)

<OOC: One more reason for Morgan to not shift back to her "normal"
form any time soon. He's not likely to be too fond of me ;-).>

Morgan  /|\
===========================
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 23:08:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

On Tue, 6 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
<snip>
>  Xzerrion and Caprice are just about to the entrance when a large 
> black form steps out in front of them. "Greetings Callihanians. I
> knew you would be brought here sooner or later. Fear not, I'm not
> going to kill you, not yet. I need you for my plan still. And though
> this form is vulnerable to many attacks you could make, I fear you
> not for when you and your ilk stole my life, you took from em the
> last of my humanity, but granted me an immortality you didn't
> expect. Now I am more machine than man, but I can also network
> myself like a machine, allowwing for not just one, but dozens of
> Controllers. Now, would you be so kind as to return to your room so
> that I may torture you?"

Xzerrion stops, crosses his arms in front of his chest, and glares at
the Controller, somehow looking straight into his eyes dispite the
height difference between them, and shimmers back to his original
form.

`I should hope you're not going to kill me just yet, you complete
idiot! You still don't understand my mission here, and you haven't had
half a clue since Arcadia. I wasn't there then to interfere with you,
and in fact, I couldn't have cared less about Oberon, Titania, or the
rest of the folks in fairyland. I was there to serve my people alone,
by removing the one called Stranger from Arcadia, whether alive or
dead. Now, due to the influences of the CAoL, it was easier to
accomplish this by bringing him out alive. As for the few drow I was
forced to kill, well, they would agreee that they were expendable for
the greater purpose. I *am* sorry about having to destroy the Shadow,
but I could not allow it to understand my people's greater purpose. I,
and several others who support me, wish to wait on control over the
surface until we rule the Underdark entire. I did not intend to meet
with Drisonel if it was avoidable because she opposes my faction in
this goal, but quite frankly, she can take a far longer view and has
greater understanding than a soulless hunk of metal such as yourself.'

He pauses, glancing over at Caprice.

`This one you may not have, for she serves me in this goal. I trust
you have the sense not to challenge me here, for I doubt you have half
the comprehension of the powers of magic that you think you do, and
you are vulnerable to it in ways you cannot imagine. Now, *for the
moment* I will accompany you, not to be tortured, but to take me to
Matron Drisonel, so that I can explain this more fully to her. Lead
the way, Construct.'

>  (OOC, OK, now you all know ONE of his new tricks, and the fact that 
> it IS a post-arcadia Controller <EG>)

< OOC : So I do, and that makes him fair game, if need be. >
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 01:26:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: fuzzy <fuzzy@wco.com>
Subject: Grime and Punishment

\Crow when you get through giving me a set of Lumps... \
\Please finish up with something that will give a good excuse for a
hemispherical hole in the pavement, and No House Mage\

\Friends, I will return as soon as I can. However I must get myself
back into ballance, and the only way I can see right now requires a
trip to the far side of the entropic slope, where the attributes of
Good and Evil as well as Law and Chaos are reversed, to find an
Artifact that will seek to Corrupt its wielder to Lawfull/Good...\

<OOC: Besides the interaction between the Drow House Sigil and the
Artifact He is going after should be 'Interesting'...>

\Of course in theory time will run backward there so I may be around
the next corner waiting...\

ttfn
  Fuzzy with Max Effort keeping only Illusion and Defenses
Effort ---
  L  |  L  |  N  |  L  |  L  |  N  |  C  |  C  |  N  |  C  |  C  |
 G*U | G*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | N*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | E*N | E*U |
  U  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  U  |
Fuzzy Mode Select                                           Sigil
===========================
Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 07:15:09 -0400
From: Caprice <caprice@southeast.net>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

Paul Campbell wrote:
> Xzerrion stops, crosses his arms in front of his chest, and glares
> at the Controller, somehow looking straight into his eyes dispite
> the height difference between them, and shimmers back to his
> original form.

Caprice/Argent's form returns to human... But it is Argent, not
Caprice. Tall for a human, with an unusually powerful build for a
woman. Her hair is pure white, which with ths sharp angles of her face
makes her look like an ice statue, or as if there was some non-human
blood a few generations back. Argent's eyes are the worst part, the
souless eyes of a killer without concious.

<snip> 
> He pauses, glancing over at Caprice.

Argent bows from the neck, acknowledging his glance.
 
> `This one you may not have, for she serves me in this goal. I trust
> you have the sense not to challenge me here, for I doubt you have
> half the comprehension of the powers of magic that you think you do,
> and you are vulnerable to it in ways you cannot imagine. Now, *for
> the moment* I will accompany you, not to be tortured, but to take me
> to Matron Drisonel, so that I can explain this more fully to her. 
> Lead the way, Construct.'

Argent continues to watch the construct with an inhuman gaze. Even if
he had gotten a good look at Caprice in Arcadia, physically there
seems to be nothing of Caprice here.

[OOC: Yes, even a genetics test would show that Argent is not Caprice
from Arcadia.]
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 07:19:47 -0500
From: Michael Jon Knight <mjknight@smartnet.net>
Subject: Re: OOC: Re : Aae-night scenes

At 09:37 PM 5/6/97, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
>At 09:00 PM 5/6/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
>> (OOC, OK, now you all know ONE of his new tricks, and the fact that 
>>it IS a post-arcadia Controller <EG>)
>
><OOC: One more reason for Morgan to not shift back to her "normal"
>form any time soon. He's not likely to be too fond of me ;-).>

'Sean' Knytt throws up his hands at this revelation.

/That's it! Let's rescue Driss's brothers and get the heck outta
here...One more potential Paradox and I'm gonna scream./

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar form with a fishnet
full of small vials containing herbs and powders. The man in question
pulls a list from his pocket and mumbles to himself.

"Let's see, what else was Morgan needing during the battle in Arcadia?
Oh, yes, I can get that in the next star system..." The man steps
through a door, which promptly vanishes.

"Great," Knytt mumbles, "Just great."

The primal scream only lasts a few seconds, but Knytt feels much
better after...
===========================
Date: Wed May 07 07:11:21 1997 (PDT)
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: OOC: Re : Aae-night scenes

At 07:19 AM 5/7/97 -0500, Michael Jon Knight wrote:
>At 09:37 PM 5/6/97, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
>>At 09:00 PM 5/6/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
>>> (OOC, OK, now you all know ONE of his new tricks, and the fact
>>>that it IS a post-arcadia Controller <EG>)
>>
>><OOC: One more reason for Morgan to not shift back to her "normal"
>>form any time soon. He's not likely to be too fond of me ;-).>
>
>'Sean' Knytt throws up his hands at this revelation.
>
>/That's it! Let's rescue Driss's brothers and get the heck outta
>here...One more potential Paradox and I'm gonna scream./
>
>Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar form with a fishnet
>full of small vials containing herbs and powders. The man in
>question pulls a list from his pocket and mumbles to himself.
>
>"Let's see, what else was Morgan needing during the battle in
>Arcadia? Oh, yes, I can get that in the next star system..." The
>man steps through a door, which promptly vanishes.

<OOC: I knew he'd get back to that eventually ;-).>

>"Great," Knytt mumbles, "Just great."
>
>The primal scream only lasts a few seconds, but Knytt feels much
>better after...

Morgan supresses a giggle. <*I don't know if I mentioned this here or
in a conversation in another fiction, but consider: These events
happened aprox. 1000 year ago in Driscol and Roscoe's _subjective_
time frame. Dris was a time traveler. Just because this happened to
them "a long time ago" doesn't mean it was necessarily "a long time
ago" on the _objective_ time line. From _our_ point of view, this trip
to Quaren may or may not have included a time shift. I don't know if
there's any way we can find out, or if it's even relevant.*>

>I *like* being cranky!
<Delenn accent> Crotchety? <\Delenn accent> ;-)

Morgan  /|\
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 16:03:37 -0500
From: Michael Jon Knight <mjknight@smartnet.net>
Subject: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley...

'Sean' Knytt considers the current situation.

/Xzerrion and Caprice are trying to con the Controller into taking
them to Matron Drisconal. Roland X and Silver Phoenix, having taunted
the Destroyer, are returning to the group. Fuzzy is asking 'Triel' to
make a crater where he is standing, so he can find a sigil of Law and
Goodness to counteract the Chaotic and Evil one he has. 'Buffy' is
trying to sort out just where and when we are. Young Roscoe has
vanished. Old Roscoe has vanished. Mischief is looking for bad guys,
and finding tons, apparently. Squee is doing the same. Stranger and
Kitty are trading one-liners. And *I'm* trying to avoid a huge
temporal paradox...Did I miss anyone?

/Ok, the way I see it, there are only two things I have to ensure
occur, or don't occur. Roscoe and Driss have to live through this. And
I can't blow Quaren up...No matter how much I want to...

/Right...so what are my current options? Well, I can leave
Quaren...tempting, but no. I can sit here and do nothing...nah, not my
style at all. I can get that bomb of Fuzzy's back. That has
possibilities, but I will need Johnzilla there calm and rational. I
can check for Driss's family in the prison where Xzerrion and Caprice
are, since they seem to be preoccupied. But, I don't think his
brothers will be there. If they are that important, I would keep them
as close to my best people as possible. Not in the hands of my allies,
in the hands of *my* people. Which means, if I am remembering right,
across the desert to the west. Yeah, that's what I need to concentrate
on. Getting Driss's family out of prison....Now, what have I got to
help me out in that?/

Handing Buffy Squee and the blaster (And making a show of explaining
how to use it, just to keep up appearances. "Point the long end *away*
from you, towards the person you want to shoot, and press the
trigger." with the mental addition /Like Xzerrion learned the hard
way. ;-)/) Knytt ducks into the alley he just saw himself leave from.
He admires the local...long with a right turn at the far end. No one
will be coming down here from that end without choosing it
specifically. Between two tall buildings. No windows or doors. on
either. No prying eyes. Very good spot to do things none of the locals
are supposed to know about.

Knytt removed his Guide from the backpack and pressed a few buttons.

"TARDIS terminal emulator...transmat control panel...search garage
database for satellite AND multifunctional...transmat to current
location..."

A metal cylinder, six feet tall, appeared in front of Knytt. He opened
a panel, flipped a few switches, and shut the panel again. Back to the
Guide...

"Transmat satellite to geostationary orbit..." The satellite vanished.
"Search garage database...Ah, there you are..."

A few moments later, a loud roar echoed out of the alley. A few
bystanders dove out of the way as a dark form tore out of the alley,
leaving a huge cloud of dust. The red streak vanished down a side
street.

/I would have invited you guys to come with, but I didn't want to
break anyone's cover. These windows are tinted, and since it's dark
out anyway, no one should be able to identify me with you. I don't
think John'll notice the traquilizer dart I shot into his shoulder
anytime soon. He should tucker out real quick. Assuming I got the dose
right. I used enough for a human, but he doesn't look all that human
right now. Ah well, was worth a shot. When you are ready to meet me,
holler through the link. I'm heading out west to get a feel for the
planet and our relation to it. I just put Quaren's first satellite in
orbit. Should help us get a map for the area, plus a few other
things./

Knytt swerves to miss a horse-drawn fruit cart. The merchant swears
violently. For years, he will tell his grand children about the 'metal
beast' that had eyes bright as the sun and a roar like thunder.

/Buffy, sorry about running off, but Roland will be getting back soon,
if you need someone to hang onto./ A wicked grin spread across his
face and was projected through the link. /See y'all soon!/

<OOC: Don't mind me, am just stretching my creative legs. Remember,
Knytt can be back with everyone before they realize they need him, so
he is by no means leaving. One of the advantages of being the proud
owner of a TARDIS. :) Oh, what about the car? It's a red Volvo C70
coupe. Think _The Saint_. It's the car Val Kilmer(sp?) drives.>
===========================
From: gamer@host.yab.com
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 17:29:39 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

On Tue, 6 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote: 
> Xzerrion stops, crosses his arms in front of his chest, and glares
> at the Controller, somehow looking straight into his eyes dispite
> the height difference between them, and shimmers back to his
> original form.
> 
> `I should hope you're not going to kill me just yet, you complete
> idiot! You still don't understand my mission here, and you haven't
> had half a clue since Arcadia. I wasn't there then to interfere
> with you, and in fact, I couldn't have cared less about Oberon,
> Titania, or the rest of the folks in fairyland. I was there to
> serve my people alone, by removing the one called Stranger from
> Arcadia, whether alive or dead. Now, due to the influences of the
> CAoL, it was easier to accomplish this by bringing him out alive.
> As for the few drow I was forced to kill, well, they would agreee
> that they were expendable for the greater purpose. I *am* sorry
> about having to destroy the Shadow, but I could not allow it to
> understand my people's greater purpose. I, and several others who
> support me, wish to wait on control over the surface until we rule
> the Underdark entire. I did not intend to meet with Drisonel if it
> was avoidable because she opposes my faction in this goal, but quite
> frankly, she can take a far longer view and has greater
> understanding than a soulless hunk of metal such as yourself.'
 
 "Ahhh. 'Other Drow' and a mention to Drisonel. I take it this is the
one known as... Xzerrion I speak to them under that disguise. Yes, I'm
sure Drisonel shall be very intersted to hear of your capture."

> He pauses, glancing over at Caprice. 
> 
> `This one you may not have, for she serves me in this goal. I trust
> you have the sense not to challenge me here, for I doubt you have
> half the comprehension of the powers of magic that you think you do,
> and you are vulnerable to it in ways you cannot imagine. Now, *for
> the moment* I will accompany you, not to be tortured, but to take me
> to Matron Drisonel, so that I can explain this more fully to her. 
> Lead the way, Construct.'

 "So I suppose I must just wait for this other one to give himself
away" (OOC: Not havin noticed any females in the Guard period, and for
the sake of trying to confuse things more, I'm taking a guess that
Caprice got turned into a MALE Orc warrior. If I'm mistaken, just make
that "herself" above.) "But I am sure you are correct. Once she knows
you are here Xzerrion, I am sure she would wish to carry out the
interogation personally. And to prevent any new tricks on the way to
the room..."
 Xzerrion's hearing picks up the light hissing sound as The
Controller's body begins to enimate an oderless and colorless knockout
gas.
 
 The Controller finds himself satisfied that Xzerrion and the other
are safely captured, and raps on Drisonel's door. Her 'lovely' screech
replies nearly immediately. "who's there? I gave orders I did not wish
to be disturbed. If this isn't important, you'll find yourself on the
other side of a ritual!"
 Opening the dor, The Controller walks in confidently, "If you tried,
somwehow I think your demons would be very disappointed at your choice
of blood sacrifices."
 A half naked Drisonel shrieks again and grabs a fur off the bed to
cover herself with. "How dare you enter without my leave Golem! I
should destroy you on the spot!"
 Menally, The Controller lets out a sigh, physically, a slight bow.
"Please pardon, but I felt this news worthy of such an intrusion.
Xzerrion is under arrest in Zag. Curiously enough, he was the one
requesting a meeting with you. As soon as you are ready, I will
transport you there."
 (OOC: Ok, Xzer, I'll let you take care of Drisonel from here on out.)
===========================
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley...
Date: Wed, 7 May 97 20:41:54 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

>/Xzerrion and Caprice are trying to con the Controller into taking
>them to Matron Drisconal. Roland X and Silver Phoenix, having
>taunted the Destroyer, are returning to the group. Fuzzy is asking
>'Triel' to make a crater where he is standing, so he can find a sigil
>of Law and Goodness to counteract the Chaotic and Evil one he has.
>'Buffy' is trying to sort out just where and when we are. Young
>Roscoe has vanished. Old Roscoe has vanished. Mischief is looking
>for bad guys, and finding tons, apparently. Squee is doing the same. 
>Stranger and Kitty are trading one-liners. And *I'm* trying to avoid
>a huge temporal paradox...Did I miss anyone?

   *Silver is back in the Spirit Realm, sometimes known as the Akashic
or Etheric Plane. I, OTOH, am back, wearing this...armor, which is
holographically disguised as a suit of local field plate.* Roland
smiles ruefully.

>/Ok, the way I see it, there are only two things I have to ensure
>occur, or don't occur. Roscoe and Driss have to live through this. 
>And I can't blow Quaren up...No matter how much I want to...

   (OOC: ROFL!)

>/Right...so what are my current options?
   <snip>
> Getting Driss's family out of prison....Now, what
>have I got to help me out in that?/

   *Um...aren't we _all_ here for that?* Roland notes dryly,
staggering out of the rubble the armor had been buried in.

   <snip II: The Sequel>
>/I would have invited you guys to come with, but I didn't want to
>break anyone's cover. These windows are tinted, and since it's dark
>out anyway, no one should be able to identify me with you. I don't
>think John'll notice the traquilizer dart I shot into his shoulder
>anytime soon. He should tucker out real quick. Assuming I got the
>dose right. I used enough for a human, but he doesn't look all that
>human right now. Ah well, was worth a shot. When you are ready to
>meet me, holler through the link. I'm heading out west to get a feel
>for the planet and our relation to it. I just put Quaren's first
>satellite in orbit. Should help us get a map for the area, plus a
>few other things./
   <snip III>
>/Buffy, sorry about running off, but Roland will be getting back
>soon, if you need someone to hang onto./ A wicked grin spread across
>his face and was projected through the link. /See y'all soon!/

   Roland is suddenly next to 'Buffy' in dumb-slab-o'-meat bodyguard
mode. *Don't worry, Morgan; I'm not stupid enough to get in your way
if you decide to go into 'Highlander' mode.*
   The Freelance Immortal, moving toward the next iteration...I'm
beginning to feel schizophrenic...
===========================
Date: Wed May 07 18:25:23 1997 (PDT)
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley...

At 04:03 PM 5/7/97 -0500, Michael Jon Knight wrote:
>'Sean' Knytt considers the current situation.
>
><sniplet> 'Buffy' is trying to sort out just where and when we are.

<*"Buffy" is trying to find some way to contribute without blowing her
cover. :-( *>

>Young Roscoe has vanished. Old Roscoe has vanished.

<*Um, no, I think "Log" is still with us. He just hasn't said much
recently.*>

<snip>
>Handing Buffy Squee and the blaster (And making a show of explaining
>how to use it, just to keep up appearances. "Point the long end
>*away* from you, towards the person you want to shoot, and press the
>trigger." with the mental addition /Like Xzerrion learned the hard
>way. ;-)/)

Buffy watches and listens to this explaination with wide-eyed
attention, giving every appearance that none of what "Sean" is saying
will be retained more than a few seconds :-). <*Thanks, Knytt. At
least now I'm armed and can join in combat. Too bad I'll have to make
a show of missing a lot. ;-)*>

<snip again>
>A few moments later, a loud roar echoed out of the alley. A few
>bystanders dove out of the way as a dark form tore out of the alley,
>leaving a huge cloud of dust. The red streak vanished down a side
>street.

"Buffy" shrieks as she evades the great beast. Usisng her new "toy",
she shoots at this horrible threat, missing (of course) by a mile and
taking a chunk out of one of the remaining ruins.

>/I would have invited you guys to come with, but I didn't want to
>break anyone's cover. These windows are tinted, and since it's dark
>out anyway, no one should be able to identify me with you. I don't
>think John'll notice the traquilizer dart I shot into his shoulder
>anytime soon. He should tucker out real quick. Assuming I got the
>dose right. I used enough for a human, but he doesn't look all that
>human right now. Ah well, was worth a shot. When you are ready to
>meet me, holler through the link. I'm heading out west to get a feel
>for the planet and our relation to it. I just put Quaren's first
>satellite in orbit. Should help us get a map for the area, plus a
>few other things./

<*OK, keep in touch :-).*>

><OOC: Don't mind me, am just stretching my creative legs. Remember,
>Knytt can be back with everyone before they realize they need him, so
>he is by no means leaving. One of the advantages of being the proud
>owner of a TARDIS. :) Oh, what about the car? It's a red Volvo C70
>coupe. Think _The Saint_. It's the car Val Kilmer(sp?) drives.>

<OOC: Haven't seen it yet, but want to. I've yet to see a Val Kilmer
movie that I didn't at least enjoy his performance.>

Then at 08:41 PM 5/7/97 +0100, Roland X replied to Knytt:
>>/Buffy, sorry about running off, but Roland will be getting back
>>soon, if you need someone to hang onto./ A wicked grin spread
>>across his face and was projected through the link. /See y'all
>>soon!/
>
>   Roland is suddenly next to 'Buffy' in dumb-slab-o'
>-meat bodyguard mode. *Don't worry, Morgan; I'm not
>stupid enough to get in your way if you decide to go
>into 'Highlander' mode.*

<*My blade should be the _least_ of your worries right now.*> Morgan
grins evily through the link, and "Buffy" tries and fails to look
menacing with her new toy. Dangerous, yes, but not menacing.

<OOC: BTW, using the same 'literary license' that lets shape changers
go into and back from a non-human form and still have their cloths
when they change back, I concealed my claymore and other blades when I
shifted into "Buffy". Unfortunately, that means I need to take time to
'shift' them back if I want to use them.>

>   The Freelance Immortal, moving toward the next
>iteration...I'm beginning to feel schizophrenic...

<OOC: Tell me about it ;-).>

Morgan  /|\
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:25:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shadow <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley/in another part of
town.

On Wed, 7 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote:

> 'Sean' Knytt considers the current situation.
[SNIP v5 MKI]
> no one should be able to identify me with you. I don't think
> John'll notice the traquilizer dart I shot into his shoulder anytime
> soon. He should tucker out real quick. Assuming I got the dose
> right. I used enough for a human, but he doesn't look all that
> human right now. Ah well, was worth a
[SNIP v5 MKII]

OOC: I've been tranked. BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

John continues to blast his way through the city. He is now quite far
from the group, and wary Drow are staying waaaayyyyyy back, out of
sight. Suddenly a small cat runs across John's path. Just as he's
about to blast it something changes in his eyes. It is recognition.
The blue glow fades from around him. He utters, "What have I done?"
just as fatigue poisons, the wear of continued use of the power, and
the tranquilizer dart crash down on him. He slumps to the ground and
the only sound is the creak and crash of abused masonry. A few wary
minutes later an aircar descends, the Drow guardsmen come out from
hiding and rush over to John. They pick him up and put him on the
waiting aircar. It quickly flies off. 
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 21:59:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

On Wed, 7 May 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
>  "Ahhh. 'Other Drow' and a mention to Drisonel. I take it this is
> the one known as... Xzerrion I speak to them under that disguise.
> Yes, I'm sure Drisonel shall be very intersted to hear of your
> capture."

`No doubt. I have a few words for her as well.'

>  "So I suppose I must just wait for this other one to give himself 
> away" (OOC: Not havin noticed any females in the Guard period, and
> for the sake of trying to confuse things more, I'm taking a guess
> that Caprice got turned into a MALE Orc warrior. If I'm mistaken,
> just make that "herself" above.) "But I am sure you are correct.
> Once she knows you are here Xzerrion, I am sure she would wish to
> carry out the interogation personally. And to prevent any new tricks
> on the way to the room..."

`Unless your competence is even less than I suppose, she knows
already.'

>  Xzerrion's hearing picks up the light hissing sound as The 
> Controller's body begins to enimate an oderless and colorless
> knockout gas.

Predicting what would be expected to happen, Xzerrion drops to the
ground and begins snoring lightly, to cover the chuckling he is trying
to control about trying to hit an elf with sleep gas when elves rarely
sleep.

>  The Controller finds himself satisfied that Xzerrion and the other 
> are safely captured, and raps on Drisonel's door. Her 'lovely'
> screech replies nearly immediately. "who's there? I gave orders I
> did not wish to be disturbed. If this isn't important, you'll find
> yourself on the other side of a ritual!"
>  Opening the dor, The Controller walks in confidently, "If you
> tried, somwehow I think your demons would be very disappointed at
> your choice of blood sacrifices."
>  A half naked Drisonel shrieks again and grabs a fur off the bed to 
> cover herself with. "How dare you enter without my leave Golem! I 
> should destroy you on the spot!"
>  Menally, The Controller lets out a sigh, physically, a slight bow. 
> "Please pardon, but I felt this news worthy of such an intrusion. 
> Xzerrion is under arrest in Zag. Curiously enough, he was the one 
> requesting a meeting with you. As soon as you are ready, I will 
> transport you there."
>  (OOC: Ok, Xzer, I'll let you take care of Drisonel from here on
> out.)

Drisonel fixes a steely gaze on the Controller. `We will discuss this
later. Now, OUT!'

Once the Controller leaves, Drisonel rises and dons ceremonial drow
priestess robes, then stalks angrily to the cell holding Xzerrion and
Caprice.

<OOC : Is there a Controller still in the room? If so, Drisonel just
ordered him/it out.>

Drisonel cautiously approaches Xzerrion, and gives him a good look.

`You might as well get up now, young one. You may be able to fool my
Golem, but you cannot fool me quite so easily.'

Xzerrion rises carefully, a little groggy but certainly not
unconscious. Seeing Drisonel, he steps forward with a broad smile,
`Ah, Matron, so glad you could join us. Now, I have a proposal that
might interest you. Now, I know what you' thinking, but ...'

<snap>

Xzerrion's speech is interrupted by the crack of a snake-headed whip.
`I have no interest in games or banter, young one, as the *last
survivor* of House Ril'lyntar should be well aware. Now, you have five
seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't have you screaming over the
altar right now for all the troubles you have already caused.'

Xzerrion blinks, and pales slightly. Leaning closer, he stares back
into Drisonel's eyes. `Lloth's favor. Interested?'

Drisonel laughs evilly. `But I already have that, fool. How can a
renogade like yourself help me gain what I already have?' Despite her
words, she listens more closely, a calculating exprssion on her face.

`You know how much trouble the CAoL has been to you in the past. Now I
admit we've had our differences in the past. You've tried to kill me,
I've tried to kill you, you had my house killed off, but that's just
the nature of drow politics. I could have saved myself a lot of wasted
time and effort if I had understood that long ago.'

`True, so you could have. But,' she adds sharply, her hand on the
sacrificial dagger <OOC: Damn Callahanian pun instinct triggered
again>, `Why this change of heart now? I've put you through worse many
times.'

Xzerrion flinches away from the dagger. `It's really rather simple.
Seeing this Harlequinn God actually held in check because of his
family being held hostage just brings home the limitations of these
humans in caring for each other, and showed me that i had held the
same failings. I came here for two reasons. First, to convince you
that interfering in this struggle is beneath our people. And second,
to do something I realize now I should have done long before. To
accept your offer, if it is still open, to join your house in order to
train the new corp of illusionists.'

Drisonel is silent for several moments, distrust warring with the
potential for greater power.

`Accepted, for the moment. But know that my house Mage will be
watching you, as will I. If you betray me, you'll die a thousand
deaths before I'm through. Your first task is to bring the CAoL to me
- in chains!'
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:00:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Objects, and Tricks 

On Fri, 2 May 1997, fuzzy wrote:
> "I've Got It!" Fuzzy turns to run... 
> 
> Priestess Triel's Whip Comes from behind and whips him to the ground
> in convulsions ...
> 
> Fuzzy Spasms throwing the Artifact High and Wide...

High Priestess Triel screams out, "Traitor! Heretic!," as she whips
the House Mage to the ground.

> <OOC: Can you say Magicaly powered Implosion triggered H-Bomb
> Satchel Charge.>
> 
>  <OOC: Fuzzy would not be very suprised Triel's beats him half to
> death for this idiocy, He would even accept it as part of his
> price.>

<OOC: If Crow were any less than what she is you might've gotten
beaten within an inch of your life. As it is, we now have a magically
charged H-Bomb running about, which will fall into ghod knows whose
hands, and might just turn around and bite us on the a$$ if the DM so
chooses.>

Crow's 'voice' is very dry across the link. <*So you are telling me
that we not only have to watch out for the usual assortment of evil
ones, but we also have to be careful not to go near this device that
you created? I hope to the hells that you know of some way to keep
trackof both its location and how close it is to maximum charge.
Otherwise we might find ourselves getting blown to bits at a very
inopportune moment. I know some of us are immortal, but I'd rather not
find out that hard way how many of us aren't.*>

-Kelley, aka Crow. <OOC: Just keeps getting more and more interesting,
doesn't it?>
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:02:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Objects, and Tricks

On Fri, 2 May 1997, fuzzy wrote:
> On Fri, 2 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
>> At 06:11 PM 5/2/97 -0700, fuzzy wrote:
>>> <OOC: Fuzzy would not be very suprised Triel's beats him half to
>>>death for this idiocy, He would even accept it as part of his
>>                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>price.>
>
>> <OOC: Watch it, Fuzzy, I made a comment like that and people jumped
>> all over it ;-).>
> 
> <OOC: Just a statement of his philosophy, He is feeling very
> responsible for a weapon of mass destruction being loose in the
> city, due to one of his choices. >
> 
> <OOC: I'm waiting to see how badly he gets hurt before he says
> anything else...>

<OOC: It looks like Triel is still beating you, screaming obscenities
at you, and you are still writhing on the ground in pain. However,
nary a strike lands, other than the verbal ones. I'm, of course,
presuming that your character is keeping up his part of the act by
seeming hurt.>

-Kelley, aka Crow.
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:07:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

On Mon, 5 May 1997, Paul Campbell wrote:
> Xzerrion races purposefully through the halls, trying to look like
> he's chasing down fugitives, even though he's really looking for a
> way to descend to the dungeon complex. Soon, he discovers a
> stairway leading downwards and, natural explorer that he is, decides
> to take it.
> 
> <* I'm going in deeper, looking for the prisoners. If I find
> anything, I'll send my location. I am now HERE. *> Xzerrion sends
> a mental map of the halls he traversed and the stairway's location.

Crow mentally nods. <*Ok, just be CAREFUL.> A deep sigh then echoes
through the link. <*Who am I kidding?*>
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:11:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: OOC: Re: So, what's happening?

On Mon, 5 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
> At 12:54 AM 5/6/97 -0400, Shadow wrote:
>>Me :)
>> <who is usually a very good strategic planner, but is having too
>>much fun blowing stuff up. If I may make a small suggestion,
>>however, could someone be on hand when I finally do run out of
>>fizzle? Just to carry me back to safety. Or I could become a
>>prisoner :) Yeah, think of the havoc I could wreak then, once I
>>regain my powers.>
> 
> Well, since you're not in the "link", it's be sheer luck if we just
> _happen_ to stumble across you after you stop doing your Godzirra
> impersonation. Too bad, since having someone on the link in the
> prison might be a useful thing. And no one would recognize him as
> being with us (since the John they saw is gone now). Oh, well ;-).

Um, Crow *could* possibly link into John. It'd be draining on her, and
at the moment she's *very* reluctant to do so. Her telepathic
abilities are relatively small, and usually boosted by witchcraft when
they need to be used for any length of time with anyone she's not
emotionally bonded with. Plus, her head is prolly screaming with pain
at the moment just trying to block the blind rage that John is no
doubt broadcasting along with his bolts of power. So linking into that
before he stops being really pissed off is basically out of the
question.
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:28:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Grime and Punishment

On Wed, 7 May 1997, fuzzy wrote:
> \Crow when you get through giving me a set of Lumps... \
> \Please finish up with something that will give a good excuse for a
> hemispherical hole in the pavement, and No House Mage\
> 
> \Friends, I will return as soon as I can. However I must get myself
> back into ballance, and the only way I can see right now requires a
> trip to the far side of the entropic slope, where the attributes of
> Good and Evil as well as Law and Chaos are reversed, to find an
> Artifact that will seek to Corrupt its wielder to Lawfull/Good...\

<*I think I can manage this. Luck and light to you in your quest.*>

<OOC: But if come back as a completely goody-two-shoes paladin, you
might just get whipped again. Just to keep you in balance, of course.
;)>

> \Of course in theory time will run backward there so I may be around
> the next corner waiting...\

<*We'll be looking forward to your return.*>

With that, High Priestess Triel pauses in her furious lashing of the
House Mage. <OOC: Fight? Buildings being destroyed, really? She's been
so ticked about this attempted betrayal of her Goddess that none of
this got through. Though she did manage to subtly duck any blt that
came too close.>

"Insolent dog! For your thankless betrayal you shall suffer worse than
any drow has ever suffered before!" An ominous and bloody glow
suddenly surrounds the furious female, and before the House Mage can
do more than cringe in sudden and complete terror, she extends her
hand an a fiery blast envelopes the hapless drow. This continues for a
few seconds, and when the awful glow fades, nothing remains except a
hemi-spherical hole burned into the pavement. With that, Triel
momentarily faints to the ground.

<OOC: Yes, that was an actual energy blast. Crow begged a favor from
her goddess and it was granted. But channeling that much energy
drained her. So she's gonna be out of it for a moment or two at
least.>
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:36:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: "K. Ohanlon" <bastet@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley...

On Wed, 7 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
> <OOC: BTW, using the same 'literary license' that lets shape
> changers go into and back from a non-human form and still have their
> cloths when they change back, I concealed my claymore and other
> blades when I shifted into "Buffy". Unfortunately, that means I need
> to take time to 'shift' them back if I want to use them.>

<OOC: Um, reason Crow can shift with things changing or going
elsewhere is both due to having an odd mutation among her people that
allows her to shift anything she touches, so long as she remains in
contact with it. Also, she is always wearing this strange belt that
looks to be some kind of metallic mesh. Basically the belt would take
everything and keep it in a particular null dimension, if Crow had to
shift to some animal form or something like that. It's from Sharon
Green's _Silver Princess, Golden Knight_. Awesome book, BTW. Hers has
just been modified a bit so that it also acts like a *big* bag of
holding. but it would also take her some time to bring items back from
the null dimension. Sending them there is easy, getting them back
takes concentration.>
===========================
Date: Wed May 07 23:40:56 1997 (PDT)
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

At 09:59 PM 5/7/97 -0700, Xzerrion wrote:
<snippity snippity>
>Xzerrion's speech is interrupted by the crack of a snake-headed whip.
>`I have no interest in games or banter, young one, as the *last
>survivor* of House Ril'lyntar should be well aware. Now, you have
>five seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't have you screaming over
>the altar right now for all the troubles you have already caused.'
>
<more snippity>
>
>`Accepted, for the moment. But know that my house Mage will be
>watching you, as will I. If you betray me, you'll die a thousand
>deaths before I'm through. Your first task is to bring the CAoL to me
>- in chains!'

<OOC: Whips and chains, hmm? My, aren't we an interesting bunch?>

Morgan the sleep deprived ;-)  /|\
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:40:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: fuzzy <fuzzy@wco.com>
Subject: Re: Objects, and Tricks 

On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
>> Priestess Triel's Whip Comes from behind and whips him to the
>> ground in convulsions ...
>> 
>> Fuzzy Spasms throwing the Artifact High and Wide...
> 
> High Priestess Triel screams out, "Traitor! Heretic!," as she whips
> the House Mage to the ground.

\Thank You.\

[snip]
>>  <OOC: Fuzzy would not be very suprised Triel's beats him half to
>> death for this idiocy, He would even accept it as part of his
>> price.>
> 
> <OOC: If Crow were any less than what she is you might've gotten
> beaten within an inch of your life. As it is, we now have a
> magically charged H-Bomb running about, which will fall into ghod
> knows whose hands, and might just turn around and bite us on the a$$
> if the DM so chooses.>

\Well in a normal Fusion Bomb, it is pumped by a Fission Bomb which is
the dirty part, this at least will have little if any fall-out left
behind because it is pumped by a magical pinch-field like effect.\

> Crow's 'voice' is very dry across the link. <*So you are telling me
> that we not only have to watch out for the usual assortment of evil
> ones, but we also have to be careful not to go near this device that
> you created? I hope to the hells that you know of some way to keep
> track of both its location and how close it is to maximum charge.
> Otherwise we might find ourselves getting blown to bits at a very
> inopportune moment. I know some of us are immortal, but I'd rather
> not find out that hard way how many of us aren't.*>

\Well John's spell made it so that it radiates a feeling of power
indicating charge level, detonation would be at about this ''
Intensity of feel. It can also be tracked by that feel.\

\If it activates in the air say a few hundred feet up the whole town
is probably history\

\If it activates above the air say a few Miles up the Resultant EMP
(Electro-Magnetic Pulse) will disable every piece of Cyberware/High
Tech in Town if not on the Continent, that is not heavily shielded\

\If it activates on the ground the outskirts of town should survive.\

\If it activates in the dungeons under the castle, The castle itself
will be in small pieces and the city will have to watchout for falling
rocks.\

\If Drisonell takes it home then it activates say good-bye to that
city of the underdark.\

ttfn
  Fuzzy With Max Effort
Effort ---
  L  |  L  |  N  |  L  |  L  |  N  |  C  |  C  |  N  |  C  |  C  |
 G*U | G*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | N*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | E*N | E*U |
  U  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  U  |
Fuzzy Mode Select                                           Sigil
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:49:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: fuzzy <fuzzy@wco.com>
Subject: Re: Grime and Punishment

On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
> <*I think I can manage this. Luck and light to you in your quest.*>
> 
> <OOC: But if come back as a completely goody-two-shoes paladin, you
> might just get whipped again. Just to keep you in balance, of
> course. ;)>

\Thats why I have to go, I would end up in that boat if I just quit
using the Sigil.\

> "Insolent dog! For your thankless betrayal you shall suffer worse
> than any drow has ever suffered before!" An ominous and bloody glow
> suddenly surrounds the furious female, and before the House Mage can
> do more than cringe in sudden and complete terror, she extends her
> hand an a fiery blast envelopes the hapless drow.

The blast Intensity flares to an Incredable degree as the link echos
\Oh Shit\

Fuzzy's back door was his second Chaos Gate Talisman, Which leaks
major amounts of energy that will cheerfully become whatever type it
first encounters.

> This continues for a few seconds, and when the awful glow fades,
> nothing remains except a hemi-spherical hole burned into the
> pavement. With that, Triel momentarily faints to the ground.

Make that a Deeeep Pit, Trial is badly singed, and laying at the edge
of a pool of molten rock.

> <OOC: Yes, that was an actual energy blast. Crow begged a favor from
> her goddess and it was granted. But channeling that much energy
> drained her. So she's gonna be out of it for a moment or two at
> least.>

<OOC: also because of that energy leak feeding your energies you
should recover faster and more compleatly than you expected.>

ttfn
  Fuzzy With Max Effort
Effort ---
  L  |  L  |  N  |  L  |  L  |  N  |  C  |  C  |  N  |  C  |  C  |
 G*U | G*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | N*N | G*N | N*N | E*N | E*N | E*U |
  U  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  N  |  U  |
Fuzzy Mode Select                                           Sigil
===========================
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:55:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: AAE: OOps! <g>

On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
>> <* I'm going in deeper, looking for the prisoners. If I find
>> anything, I'll send my location. I am now HERE. *> Xzerrion sends a
>> mental map of the halls he traversed and the stairway's location.
> 
> Crow mentally nods. <*Ok, just be CAREFUL.> A deep sigh then echoes
> through the link. <*Who am I kidding?*>

<* I try, really I do :) *>

- Xzerrion
===========================
Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 06:32:13 -0400
From: Caprice <caprice@southeast.net>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

Argent remains appearantly unconcious through Drisonel and Xzerrion's
discussion. Though she awakes part way through, she keeps her
breathing and position exactly the same. Namely flung in a corner,
face down.

Caprice - Who decided it was best to try not to attract attention, and
is having evil thoughts about who the real Argent might be.
===========================
Date: 8 May 1997 06:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: Grime and Punishment

At 11:49 PM 5/7/97 -0700, fuzzy wrote:
>On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
>> <*We'll be looking forward to your return.*>
>> 
>> With that, High Priestess Triel pauses in her furious lashing of
>> the House Mage. <OOC: Fight? Buildings being destroyed, really?
>> She's been so ticked about this attempted betrayal of her Goddess
>> that none of this got through. Though she did manage to subtly duck
>> any blt that came too close.>
>> 
>> "Insolent dog! For your thankless betrayal you shall suffer worse
>> than any drow has ever suffered before!" An ominous and bloody glow
>> suddenly surrounds the furious female, and before the House Mage
>> can do more than cringe in sudden and complete terror, she extends
>> her hand an a fiery blast envelopes the hapless drow.
>
>The blast Intensity flares to an Incredable degree as the link echos
>\Oh Shit\

Within the link, Morgan sighs. <*I've gotta get a new cover story.
This one's range of acceptable response is too limiting.*>

Buffy stares in terror at the enraged Priestess. When Triel "blasts"
the hapless Mage, Buffy buries her face in Roland's shoulder. Her
shoulders are shaking in what appears to be fear, but within the link
Morgan can be heard chuckling. <*And the Oscar for Special Visual
Effects goes to.....*>

>> This continues for a few seconds, and when the awful glow fades,
>> nothing remains except a hemi-spherical hole burned into the
>> pavement. With that, Triel momentarily faints to the ground.
>
>Make that a Deeeep Pit, Trial is badly singed, and laying at the edge
>of a pool of molten rock.

<*Crow, you OK? If I'm supposed to be scared of you it wouldn't look
right for me to rush over and check your injuries.*>

>ttfn
>  Fuzzy With Max Effort

<OOC: "Any relation to Max Headroom?" Morgan ducks in expectation of a
barrage of mental peanuts ;-).>

Morgan  /|\
<innocent victim of those Callahanian pun instincts>
===========================
Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 19:11:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shadow <pookie@pluto.njcc.com>
Subject: Re: OOC: Re: So, what's happening?

On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
> On Mon, 5 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
>> Well, since you're not in the "link", it's be sheer luck if we just
>> _happen_ to stumble across you after you stop doing your Godzirra
>> impersonation. Too bad, since having someone on the link in the
>> prison might be a useful thing. And no one would recognize him as
>> being with us (since the John they saw is gone now). Oh, well ;-).
> 
> Um, Crow *could* possibly link into John. It'd be draining on her,
> and at the moment she's *very* reluctant to do so. Her telepathic
> abilities are relatively small, and usually boosted by witchcraft
> when they need to be used for any length of time with anyone she's
> not emotionally bonded with. Plus, her head is prolly screaming with
> pain at the moment just trying to block the blind rage that John is
> no doubt broadcasting along with his bolts of power. So linking into
> that before he stops being really pissed off is basically out of the
> question.

Well, John passed out right after he stopped being angry, and is
likely to remain unconscious for a little while. It would be nice to
be linked in some way, I'm gettin' kinda tired of having to play dumb
when I see a nice straight line go by. :) Would John's general high
energy level help out with any links made with him, ie energy
feedback?
===========================
Subject: Re: Grime and Punishment
Date: Thu, 8 May 97 20:18:07 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

Quoth the Lady Morgan:
>At 11:49 PM 5/7/97 -0700, fuzzy wrote:
>>On Wed, 7 May 1997, K. Ohanlon wrote:
 <snipola>
>Within the link, Morgan sighs. <*I've gotta get a new cover story.
>This one's range of acceptable response is too limiting.*>
>
>Buffy stares in terror at the enraged Priestess. When Triel "blasts"
>the hapless Mage, Buffy buries her face in Roland's shoulder. Her
>shoulders are shaking in what appears to be fear, but within the link
>Morgan can be heard chuckling. <*And the Oscar for Special Visual
>Effects goes to.....*>

   *Hey, I don't want to hear about limiting. All _I_ can say is-*
"Ugh." Roland grunts, patting 'Buffy's' shoulder semi-competently.

>>> This continues for a few seconds, and
>>> when the awful glow fades, nothing remains except a hemi-spherical
>>> hole burned into the pavement. With that, Triel momentarily faints
>>> to the ground.
>>
>>Make that a Deeeep Pit, Trial is badly singed, and laying at the
>>edge of a pool of molten rock.
>
><*Crow, you OK? If I'm supposed to be scared of you it wouldn't look
>right for me to rush over and check your injuries.*>

   Beneath the illusion, the armor's HUD kicks in, examining Crow's
life signs. In addition, Roland's biorhythmics reach out to examine
her ch'i flow.

>>ttfn
>>  Fuzzy With Max Effort
>
><OOC: "Any relation to Max Headroom?" Morgan ducks in expectation of
>a barrage of mental peanuts ;-).>
>
>Morgan  /|\
><innocent victim of those Callahanian pun instincts>

   (OOC: 'Innocent?' Yea, right.)

88888888
888888888
888888888
88888888

   ^-- Peanut 'shell' <g>
===========================
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes
Date: Thu, 8 May 97 20:18:21 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

>`You know how much trouble the CAoL has been to you in the past. Now
>I admit we've had our differences in the past. You've tried to kill
>me, I've tried to kill you, you had my house killed off, but that's
>just the nature of drow politics. I could have saved myself a lot of
>wasted time and effort if I had understood that long ago.'
>
>`True, so you could have. But,' she adds sharply, her hand on the
>sacrificial dagger <OOC : Damn Callahanian pun instinct triggered
>again>, `Why this change of heart now? I've put you through worse
>many times.'

   (OOC: You cut me to the quick. <g>)

>Xzerrion flinches away from the dagger. `It's really rather simple.
>Seeing this Harlequinn God actually held in check because of his
>family being held hostage just brings home the limitations of these
>humans in caring for each other, and showed me that I had held the
>same failings. I came here for two reasons. First, to convince you
>that interfering in this struggle is beneath our people. And second,
>to do something I realize now I should have done long before. To
>accept your offer, if it is still open, to join your house in order
>to train the new corp of illusionists.'
>
>Drisonel is silent for several moments, distrust warring with the
>potential for greater power.
>
>`Accepted, for the moment. But know that my house Mage will be
>watching you, as will I. If you betray me, you'll die a thousand
>deaths before I'm through. Your first task is to bring the CAoL to me
>- in chains!'

   'Quietly,' through the link: *Um, Xzerrion? I sincerely hope you
have a plan...or a back door.
   *Oh yeah, that would be me.* <g>
   *Morgan, if he needs an out, I'm going to leave the armor behind.
Try not to ask to much of it; Silver's back in her own plane.*
===========================
Subject: Re: OOC: Re: AAE3 - Meanwhile, in a nearby alley...
Date: Thu, 8 May 97 20:18:33 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

Sayeth the fuzzy mage:

>On Wed, 7 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
>> At 04:03 PM 5/7/97 -0500, Michael Jon Knight wrote:
>[snip]
>>>   The Freelance Immortal, moving toward the next
>>>iteration...I'm beginning to feel schizophrenic...
>> 
>> <OOC: Tell me about it ;-).>
>
>I must admit I'm of two minds on this subject... ;)

   It's a split decision, then?
   (:-)   #:-)   @8^)

   ^-- My (in)famous Three Stooges smileys
===========================
Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 17:38:41 -0700 (MST)
To: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: AAE-Log's activites.

 Ok Ok OK, I was having fun with Xzerrion and ignoring Log, I admit
it. Now's the time to make up for it.
 
 Log runs for cover as the whole inter-party battle begins, muttering
mentally, [Damn, Dwarf is NOT the best form to be in for something
like this.] but no one is really paying much attention to him. Seeing
a bit of a lull as Phoenix disappears, he comes out of his hiding
spot, only to have to run for cover again as Johnzilla begins his bit.
{That's it! I give up! Costume change!] sends Log as he sneaks down an
alleyway to change identities without being seen by any bystanders.
 He pauses to contemplate his choices, knowing that Wolf and Hellhound
are definitely out as Driscoll would recognise him instantly, and
Human, Cheetah and several others are out of the question incase
Roscoe comes with Driss (Damn it's hard to remember all teh little
things after 1000 years!) While he decides, a shadow moves swiftly
along the wall towards him.
 The shadow lashes out, adn a very real sword with a lizard-like arm
wielding it come out of the shadow, sinking the blade deep into Log's
shoulder, cutting open lung and heart alike. A full lizard-like form
steps off the wall as the shadow disappears, adn the lizard-man gloats
over his kill, "O dheas, You have paid the price now for causing
Oberon to betray the O thuaidh!" Log looks up at his killer as a huge
bubble of blood pops on his lips and he spits the blood at the
lizard-thing. The Gruagach na O thuaidh laughs and kicks at Roscoe,
"You're already dead. You just don't realize it yet."
 Log/Roscoe glares at him and coughs out, "I'm alive enough to do
this." Dwarf body begins to strech and turn black and scaley, another
set of arms sprout. Eight inch long claws replace the fingers, and six
inch long razor sharp teeth fill Roscoe's dragonesk head.
 The Lizard starts to scream, but it's cut short as the head vanishes
from his body into Roscoe's mouth.
 {Hmm well for now I think this Night Stalker form will work.]
 Leaving the alleyway, Roscoe takes one look up at the sky, noticing
the moon is nearly perfectly overhead now. Looking down the street
both ways, He's just in time to catch sight of John falling down
drained.
===========================
Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 23:55:28 -0500
From: Michael Jon Knight <mjknight@smartnet.net>
Subject: AAE3 - Go west, young man...

'Sean' Knytt, ex-Vorlon enforcer, escaped operative for the Time
Lord's Celestial Intervention Agency, self-appointed scout for the
Callahanian Army of Light, rogue, scoundral and all around great guy,
pushes his Volvo C70 to it's limits on what can only be laughingly
termed a road. As the tape player blasts David Bowie's "Dead Man
Walking", Knytt fumbles in the glove box for a wireless headset
microphone. Slipping the device over his head, he brings the mic down
in front of his mouth.

"Computer, access GPS satellite..."

The music fades a bit as the computer announces, [No.]

Knytt glares at the small monitor mounted in the dashboard. A gray,
pixelated face is visible on the screen.

[Whadda *you* lookin' at?]

Knytt squints a bit, "Isn't that Harlan Ell-?"

[Yeah, it's him! Got a problem with your computer having a face?]

"Not at all," Knytt replies, "It suits you."

[Yer just saying that. You just want me to do your menial work for
ya!]

"Hey, you're my right hand! I couldn't do a tenth of the things I do
now, without you to help me. I need you, buddy!"

[Ya mean it?]

"Course I do!"

Just then the tape finished and ejected. But instead of loud static,
music blared out of the speakers.

[Hey, cool, the BeeGees!]

"Wait, this is supposed to be a low-tech planet! Where's that music
coming from? Can you check that out for me, please?"

Sounding much more chipper, the computer replied, [Sure thing, boss!
I'll go up to the sat 'n' have a look 'round.]

[Hey, Boss! We got company up here. Bout half a dozen satellites all
pointed at the same place we are. Want I should toast 'em?]

"Naw, but be sure the cloaking and Defensive systems are online. Then
see if you can figure out what they're doing."

[Besides orbitting?]

Knytt grinned, "Yeah, besides orbitting. See if you can work it out
from visual stuff first. Don't want to tip our hand that we're up
there with 'em."

[No problem, boss. Boy, these SDI sats are a breeze to work with. And
cheap, too.]

"And, by the way..."

[Yeah, boss?]

"I do appreciate your work, Sparky."

[Thanks, boss.]
===========================
Date: Thu May 08 23:21:14 1997
To: gamer@host.yab.com, AAE List
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: AAE-Log's activites

At 05:38 PM 5/8/97 -0700, Driscoll (as Roscoe) wrote:
> Ok Ok OK, I was having fun with Xzerrion and ignoring Log, I admit 
>it. Now's the time to make up for it.

<OOC: I fugured you were about somewhere.>

<snip>
> The shadow lashes out, adn a very real sword with a lizard-like arm 
>wielding it come out of the shadow, sinking the blade deep into Log's 
>shoulder, cutting open lung and heart alike.

Morgan doesn't need the lens-link to pick up on this one. Tentatively,
not wanting to interfere with his concentration at a critical moment,
she sends, <*Roscoe? If you want backup....*> She's only a little
worried, knowing he's survived worse and is quite capable of taking
care of himself.

> A full lizard-like form steps off the wall as the shadow disappears,
>and the lizard-man gloats over his kill, "O dheas, You have paid the
>price now for causing Oberon to betray the O thuaidh!" Log looks up
>at his killer as a huge bubble of blood pops on his lips and he spits
>the blood at the lizard-thing. The Gruagach na O thuaidh laughs and
>kicks at Roscoe, "You're already dead. You just don't realize it
>yet."

<*Jeez, they're coming out of the damn woodwork. Next thing you know
it'll be old Longshanks himself.*> (OOC: not that I wouldn't mind
watching a bunch of 13th. century Englishmen meet up with an army of
Drow <wicked grin>.)

> Log/Roscoe glares at him and coughs out, "I'm alive enough to do 
>this." Dwarf body begins to strech and turn black and scaley, another 
>set of arms sprout. Eight inch long claws replace the fingers, and
>six inch long razor sharp teeth fill Roscoe's dragonesk head.
> The Lizard starts to scream, but it's cut short as the head vanishes 
>from his body into Roscoe's mouth.
> {Hmm well for now I think this Night Stalker form will work.]
> Leaving the alleyway, Roscoe takes one look up at the sky, noticing 
>the moon is nearly perfectly overhead now. Looking down the street 
>both ways, He's just in time to catch sight of John falling down
>drained.

<*Well, sword-brother, Knytt's out doing recon, Crow and John are just
_out_, Fuzzy's elsewhere, Xzerrion and Caprice are otherwise occupied,
that leaves you, me, Stranger, and Roscoe with his spiffy new look to
decide what to do now.*>

[Me, too! Don't forget me!] comes a "voice" from Morgan's pocket.
<*Yes, Squee, I know, but I was talking about the grown-ups.*> Squee
and Mischief send the mental equivalent of stuck-out tongues.

<*I think we've called enough attention to ourselves for one night,
folks. What say we get Crow, retreat to someplace private, ditch these
"disguises" at least for now, and see what we accomplish elsewhere
while the local constabulary turns this part of town inside out
looking for us? We can always go back to this "look" later if Xzerrion
needs us to.*>

Morgan  /|\
<estimating that it's no later than, say, about midnight?>
===========================
Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 16:19:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul Campbell <xzerrion@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Re : Aae-night scenes

On Thu, 8 May 1997, Roland X wrote:
>    'Quietly,' through the link: *Um, Xzerrion? I sincerely
> hope you have a plan...or a back door.
>    *Oh yeah, that would be me.* <g>
>    *Morgan, if he needs an out, I'm going to leave the armor
> behind. Try not to ask to much of it; Silver's back in her
> own plane.*

<eg>

OOC : Xzerrion always has a plan. The question is, who's side is he
really on?
===========================
From: gamer@host.yab.com
Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 16:37:55 -0700 (MST)
To: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: AAE-Log's activites

 Log watches the skimmer pick up John adn is tracking it visually when
he feels something thunk into his thigh. Looking down, he sees where a
crossbow bolt has just sprouted inbetween his scales. Following it's
trajectory backwards with his gaze, he finds himself face to face with
an old human shopkeeper who appears to be about 80, holding a crossbow
that looks older than that. The merchant looks into Log's eyes and
proceeds to scream and faint.
 [Hmmm maybe now that things have cooled off, I should choose
something a little... less conspicuous? I'll be right there.]
 A few minutes later, a massive Human steps out of the shadows of an
alleyway. Bright red hair is cut short into a crew-cut, clashing badly
with the bright green and orange glowing tatoos on his face. He wears
a military style uniform with many patches and insignias. On his hip
is an empty holster. "Clothes I can do, weapons are a bit harder.
Hi-tech weapons are nearly impossible. I am Roscoe, formerly a Star
Captain and Mechwarrior for Clan Wolf. Now I am a bondsmadn to
Mechwarrior Richard Driscoll." [Hehehe I haven't used this one in a
while.. err _wont_ use this one for a while? hmmmm Well anyways, I saw
where they took John, I think. Should we go after him now when they
may be expecting us, or head somewhere to regroup and plan out our
next moves?]
===========================
From: gamer@host.yab.com
Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 16:51:08 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Go west, young man...

On Thu, 8 May 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote:
> [Hey, Boss! We got company up here. Bout half a dozen satellites
> all pointed at the same place we are. Want I should toast 'em?]
> 
> "Naw, but be sure the cloaking and Defensive systems are online.
> Then see if you can figure out what they're doing."
> 
> [Besides orbitting?]
> 
> Knytt grinned, "Yeah, besides orbitting. See if you can work it out
> from visual stuff first. Don't want to tip our hand that we're up
> there with 'em."
> 
> [No problem, boss. Boy, these SDI sats are a breeze to work with. 
> And cheap, too.]
> 
> "And, by the way..."
> 
> [Yeah, boss?]
> 
> "I do appreciate your work, Sparky."
> 
> [Thanks, boss.]

 The Controller fields reports from himself in various cities of
Misern, all trianulating the missile launch. Scanning with his own
satelites picks up nothing however, but that is not surprising,
cloaking technology has been around for a long time.
 "Let's open a backdoor and see if we can't get someone to come in and
play." He mutters to himself as the small tight-beam antenna that give
his control over anything electronic pops up. Sending the beam to one
of hte communication satelites, he drops the sheilding and opens up
the uplink dish while sending out coded messages on several channels
at the same time.
 "The codes are nothing but BeeGee's lyrics written backwards, but
until they realize that, it should perk some intrest." He chuckles as
he contemplates everything.
 Finally he drops all security proceedures in the on-board computer
system, except for a passcode proceedure. Then he links a tiny virus
program to the apsscode. Anyone entering _anything_ correct code or
not, will unknowingly receive a Fly virus. The fly being completely
harmless, but reporting any and all computer activity of the infected
system to The Controller.
 "The worm is hooked, the line is dropped, now let is see if we can't
get a nibble."
===========================
Subject: Re: AAE-Log's activites
Date: Fri, 9 May 97 22:10:11 +0100
From: Roland X <rolandx@ix.netcom.com>

Quoth Lady Morgan (aka ljwolfe@eee.org):
><*Jeez, they're coming out of the damn woodwork. Next thing you know
>it'll be old Longshanks himself.*> (OOC: not that I wouldn't mind
>watching a bunch of 13th. century Englishmen meet up with an army of
>Drow <wicked grin>.)

   *Yea, but who would you root for?* Roland replies, grinning beneath
the 'greathelm.' *Me, I'm sort of require by heritage (Irish) to cheer
the Drow...*

   <snippity>
><*Well, sword-brother, Knytt's out doing recon, Crow and John are
>just _out_, Fuzzy's elsewhere, Xzerrion and Caprice are otherwise
>occupied, that leaves you, me, Stranger, and Roscoe with his spiffy
>new look to decide what to do now.*>

   "Ugh."
   *Translation: Not much. We have to find Driscoll's brothers. The
recon folx are doing that. Unless you want to find something to chop
into bitsies-and that wouldn't do much for your cover-I think we're
sorta stuck for the nonce.*

>[Me, too! Don't forget me!] comes a "voice" from Morgan's pocket.
><*Yes, Squee, I know, but I was talking about the grown-ups.*> Squee
>and Mischief send the mental equivalent of stuck-out tongues.

   *Kids today,* Roland adds, grinning wildly.

><*I think we've called enough attention to ourselves for one night,
>folks. What say we get Crow, retreat to someplace private, ditch
>these "disguises" at least for now, and see what we accomplish
>elsewhere while the local constabulary turns this part of town inside
>out looking for us? We can always go back to this "look" later if
>Xzerrion needs us to.*>

   *Perfect! I could use a good bath-ouch-* Roland winces at injuries
left by cosmic energies, which even his recuperative powers have
trouble healing. *-not to mention some time to unbruise...*
   (OOC: Fifth Element. Design by Moebius. Yes, _that_ Moebius. For
once, I could care less about the writing; the stuff's _that_
beautiful. But it's a pretty decent sci-fi flick too. <g>)
===========================
Date: Fri May 09 21:05:50 1997
From: "L.J. Wolfe" <ljwolfe@eee.org>
Subject: Re: AAE-Log's activites

At 10:10 PM 5/9/97 +0100, Roland X wrote:
>Quoth Lady Morgan (aka ljwolfe@eee.org):
>><snip>
>   <more snip>
>><*Jeez, they're coming out of the damn woodwork. Next thing you know
>>it'll be old Longshanks himself.*> (OOC: not that I wouldn't mind
>>watching a bunch of 13th. century Englishmen meet up with an army of
>>Drow <wicked grin>.)
>
>   *Yea, but who would you root for?* Roland replies,
>grinning beneath the 'greathelm.' *Me, I'm sort of
>require by heritage (Irish) to cheer the Drow...*

Morgan gets a distant look in her eyes, remembering things long past
even in her subjective time frame. Old losses, long since healed but
never forgotten. Her brogue, usually barely noticable though the link,
becomes heavier. <*I was 8 when Edward "annexed" Scotland, and 25 when
the Bruce defeated the English dogs at Bannockburn. Seosaidh came back
from that battle - not all the Faoilciarach were so fortunate. Take a
_wild_ guess which side I'd back.*>

<*And before anyone makes any snide remarks, that was _before_ the
Irish and the Scots started developing their "differences".*>

>   <snippity>
>   *Perfect! I could use a good bath-ouch-* Roland
>winces at injuries left by cosmic energies, which
>even his recuperative powers have trouble healing.
>*-not to mention some time to unbruise...*

<*If nothing else, we need to find a place to hide out after daylight.
We don't need the attention we'd get being out in the daytime again.*>

>   (OOC: Fifth Element. Design by Moebius. Yes, _that_
>Moebius. For once, I could care less about the writing;
>the stuff's _that_ beautiful. But it's a pretty decent
>sci-fi flick too. <g>)

(OOC: Don't know when I'll get a chance - tourney this weekend, war
practice next weekend, war the weekend after that... we'll have to
see.)

Morgan  /|\
===========================
Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 23:44:55 -0500
From: Michael Jon Knight <mjknight@smartnet.net>
Subject: Re: AAE3 - Go west, young man...

At 04:51 PM 5/9/97 -0700, gamer@host.yab.com wrote:
<Sparky and Knytt's conversation snipped.>
> Finally he drops all security proceedures in the on-board computer 
>system, except for a passcode proceedure. Then he links a tiny virus 
>program to the apsscode. Anyone entering _anything_ correct code or 
>not, will unknowingly receive a Fly virus. The fly being completely 
>harmless, but reporting any and all computer activity of the infected 
>system to The Controller.
> "The worm is hooked, the line is dropped, now let is see if we can't 
>get a nibble."

SPARKY'S LOG FOR XX:XX:XX, XX/XX/XXXX, PLANET QUAREN, COUNTRY MISERN,
CITY [none] GPS COORDS: [unknown]

The boss tells me this uplink/downlink antenna is pointed at the
satellite I am supposed to crack into. As it came online, I noticed a
coded message embedded in some BeeGees lyrics. If I hear 'Stayin'
Alive' anymore, I'm gonna rip my audio sensors off. The code is a
pathetic thing really. Part of the message, uncoded, is as follows:

"!evila 'niyatS !evila 'niyatS .ha .hA !hA !HA"

This Controller joker is dead. I uplink to his system. It gives me a
user prompt and password request. I reply:

Login: Sparky
Password: pinhead

To my utter amazement, it lets me in. Pinhead is right...this guy must
be a fool to leave his system this wide open. Or a fool to actually
believe, I, Sparky, would fall for such a hairbrained scheme. I send
the lamer sysadmin some email, then get to work.

$flyswatter
The fly has been swatted.

Now then, to work in earnest. I upload my entire operating system to
the satellite and use the lax security to copy it to the other five.
Leaving no trace of the controller's OS. As I am about to erase the
password file, I copy it instead. Then I set all the users to ordinary
user level, with no one having root access...next time they log on,
they will be able to watch what I am doing but no way they can stop
it. I also spot a nissle triangulation program, which I copy and leave
basically as is. It will still do it's job, but I can control the
data. Then I set up the system to otherwise mimic the original. This
way I'll know everything they're doing and can stop it or screw it up.
Then I reset the uplinks to check any data with me before executing
it. Run through the checklist one final time: Old OS front end, but
SparkyOS inside.

END LOG...........

In a meadow, inside a tent that has a small 18"inch satellite dish
next to it, a synthesized copy of Harlan Ellison's voice laughs
quietly to itself.

The email sent to the controller is a video clip of Harlan Ellison in
John Travolta "Saturday Night Fever" getup dancing to the following
song:

          "Stayin' Online"
             by the GBs

Well, I can tell by the way you like to hack,
You're a wanted man: no time to yack.
Encrypted files and UNIX worms.
But I think by now, you shoulda learned.
And now it's too late - yer gonna pay -
And while you looked the other way.
I came online, in cyberspace, and captured all yer hard disk space.
Scream for your mother, or cry, pout and blubber,
I'm stayin' online, stayin online.
Feel yer heart breakin' and yer body shakin'
as I'm stayin' Online, stayin' online.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' Online.

<OOC: Heh, it may not stop him, but it will slow him down a day or
two...with Sparky berating the Controller constantly. ;) To reset the
satellites, they will have to be done in person. Sparky'll stop any
remote attempts. Meanwhile, Sparky will be trying to take over the
Controller's land based, network as well. And, if given the slightest
chance, he will try to take over the Controller himself... For those
not in the know, this is the same Sparky Babylon 5 had in it's
computers. And they had a tough time getting him out then, too. :) I
leave you with a sample quote:

Garibaldi: "Computer?"
   Sparky: "Hey, what are you looking at?"
Garibaldi: "Run diagnostics."
   Sparky: "What? You got a broken arm or something? I've got a
station to run here."
  Ivanova: (irritated) "Computer."
   Sparky: "*Fine.* I'll do a diagnostic. So maybe level 42 *doesn't*
get it's quota of oxygen for today, because I'm *distracted.*"

Enjoy!>
===========================
Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 22:52:46 -0700 (PDT)
From: fuzzy <fuzzy@wco.com>
Subject: Re: OOC: Quiet list

On Sat, 10 May 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote:
> So, as long as no one in Quaren is posting, what's Fuzzy up to in
> whatever fiction he's taken off to?

<You asked, here is his last few moments... as his temporal location
diverges for that of the group. He is traveling into the past.>

 
 Imagine a realm where God the Unmaker boots souls out of heaven to
live for a while and then be Unmade...
 Where every punishment Requires a Good Deed, Where every good thing
is taken away from you and then you are punished for ever having had
it,
 Where by the Grace of Hell, every hangover leads to a good drunk...
And the road to Oblivion is paved with Good Intentions, and Selfless
Acts, God the Seducer desires that Every Soul go Quitely into that
Good Night. 
 
<OOC: Red Dwarf Ref. Episode: Backwards, carried to its illogical
extreme.>
 
 In that realm the only way to protect your existance beyond a single
life time is to prove to the Lord of Hell that He wants your soul, and
that is not easy.
 
\Lucky for me healing is easy here, I almost did not survive that
blast, even with the gate amplifying my defences.\

<OOC: it is possible, under the laws of this realm, that this was his
moment of creation... in other words that he did not survive the
blast>
 
As the Chaos Gate closes behind him, fuzzy syphons as much of the
amplified energy blast thru the gate as he can, Unmakeing several
miles square of Blasted Desert. He is healed and in what would be
equivilent to a large grove of Sequoia after the Blast clears.
 
<OOC: in this realm, effects like this cause healing and regrouth.>
 
\I only needed an excuse for the hole the Chaos Gate would leave if
setup "Down thru the Ground"...\ 
 
 Now the search begins...

End Part 1 

 If someone is willing to share memories with him when he returns, to
find out where he has been and remind him of current status, 'He will
have been gone about 2 years of his Subjective time', all of the tale
will be availible. I'm working on writing it now...

Fuzzy

> My recomendation, OOC? I think the party's become _way_ to
> fragmented. There's 1) Xzerrion and Argent, 2) Knytt, 3) Fuzzy, 4)
> Johnzilla, and 5) Triel, Roland, Morgan, Stranger, Roscoe, and the
> "kids". I guess, since #'s 1, 2 and 3 are in the midst of trying to
> accomplish something and will rejoin when they can, that group #5
> (in some guise) should probably go see what we can do about
> retrieving John.

<OOC: You know that cats arrive when it will be the most frustrating
for somebody, See you then, Although I do agree with the expressed
opinion.>

ttfn
  Fuzzy
===========================