Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 3 Chapter 21 Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:03:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE : Confrontations On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 11:55:32 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000546 "P. Campbell" said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997, Caprice wrote: > > OOC: Well just don't say it! Post coming in! You've got Argent and > Caprice there, no way to tell which is which, roscoe, squee chasing > mischief, and a DROW... pose something! ;) < OOC : If you insist ... > Xzerrion enters the room, casually teasing Morgan and Roland, when he looks up and freezes in mid-word. Ak'hasta looks back at him, apparently relaxed as far as anyone in the room who doesn't know him well can read. `Well met, Xzerrion Rilynt'tar.' Xzerrion glares at Ak'hasta with narrowed eyes. `Greetings to you as well, Ak'hasta Yvaness. I thought you were dead.' A : `Not quite, I'm afraid. Two hundred years of practice have left me with certain skills. You, on the other hand, I was quite sure would still be alive, as you've always had enough luck for ten drow.' He pauses, a look of old pain in his eyes. `You're the only one who might know. What became of my daughter, Tezrantha?' X : `She's well enough, no thanks to your efforts. I broke her away from the Zhentarim, and left her in Silverymoon for a time as I attended to business her and in Arcadia.' Ak'hasta jumps out of his chair at that one. `No thanks to my efforts? How do you think you even got into the Yvaness complex, without my deploying the guards in such a way to allow it? I made certain there was a minimum of soldiers between you and your objective, and my supposed incompetence damn near got me bent over an altar! I did what I could without risking my position, and went a step beyond that!' X : `You could have joined me.' A : `Just two problems with that, young Xzerrion. One, you would never have trusted me, and two, I had no wish to be hunted down by Drisonel for what remained of my life, which would doubtless be short. Or are you forgetting that your last entrance to House Yvaness was on a suicide mission?' X: `If that's how you feel about this, than why are you here now? Or are we all betrayed, with a hundred drow warriors, mages, and priestesses waiting outside the room to take us all?' A : `Maybe I'm too tired of living as Drisonel's weaponsmaster, seeing nothing but death each day. Maybe her lack of respect and that of our house mage pushed me too far. But it was not either of those, but a reason you, of all those here, should understand.' He places an arm around Argent. (And yes, he remembers which side of him she was on) I'm joining with you for love.' Xzerrion looks carefully at Ak'hasta, then extends a hand. As they shake hands, Xzerrion whispers, `Against my better judgement, I'm trusting you for now. Betray us, and you'll wish Drisonel had you over that altar.' Ak'hasta smiles and nods. - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:04:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:00:54 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000547 "P. Campbell" said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > > Knytt strolled into the training room, grabbed her bag and returned > to find a comfortable seat. She broke down the blaster rifle and put > it away. She also rehung the katana and scabbard from the duffle > bag. Setting the duffle bag to one side, she leaned back in the > chair, crossed her legs, and watched the rest of the group. > > "Hi, gang, who's your friend?" Ak'hasta shakes his head, already tense from meeting Xzerrion. /Might as well get this over with .../ `Weaponsmaster Ak'hasta, formerly in the service of Matron Drisonel Yvaness. And you are, milady?' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:34:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE : Confrontations On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:21:48 -0400, in Message # 00000548 Caprice said: At 12:03 PM 7/20/97 -0700, Xzerrion wrote: > >A : `Maybe I'm too tired of living as Drisonel's weaponsmaster, >seeing nothing but death each day. Maybe her lack of respect and that >of our house mage pushed me too far. But it was not either of those, >but a reason you, of all those here, should understand.' He places an >arm around Argent. (And yes, he remembers which side of him she was >on) I'm joining with you for love.' Argent leans in against Ak'hasta... It is obvious she loves him, and equally obvious that she is willing to tear the lungs out of anyone who makes a move against him. Caprice just stays in the background, watching the dialogue. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:49:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:36:09 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000549 fuzzy said: > On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:00:54 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000547 > "P. Campbell" said: > > Ak'hasta shakes his head, already tense from meeting Xzerrion. > /Might as well get this over with .../ `Weaponsmaster Ak'hasta, > formerly in the service of Matron Drisonel Yvaness. And you are, > milady?' Fuzzy and Nemisis in native form, arrive stepping out of the Elemental Plane of Air just in time to catch the above, Noting the arm around Argent... \Caprice, He is her chosen?\ assuming a positive response \So be it, The Choice is every Queens right.\ "Kinship Greetings, Lord Ak'hasta, I known as Fuzzy" as Ak'hasta turns his attention toward Fuzzy he realizes that Fuzzy has a Demon on his arm, (You know 'Lady May I Escort you' on the arm of)... "I will accord you the trust due a chance met stranger for Argent's Sake" =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 13:18:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:12:31 -0500, in Message # 00000550 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 12:00:54 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000547 > "P. Campbell" said: > >Ak'hasta shakes his head, already tense from meeting Xzerrion. /Might >as well get this over with .../ `Weaponsmaster Ak'hasta, formerly in >the service of Matron Drisonel Yvaness. And you are, milady?' "I'm no lady...Knytt is the name...FORMER Weaponsmaster for Matron Drisonel? You do like to live dangerously, don't you?" Knytt glances at Xzerrion then Argent, then Roscoe. "Hmm. I see the customary threats of violence upon betrayal have already been made." /Not that I disagree with them, Xzerrion./ "And that Argent is willing to vooch for your good intentions, as is Roscoe." /Since the man's throat isn't torn out./ "So, the question becomes, why are you here? For love? To fight? Or something else?" /We may be telepathic, but he doesn't need to know that./ "Oh, excuse me a moment." Knytt walks into the kitchen with a small pet dish. She returns with it, filled with water, and sets it down for Pyewackett. Petting the cat, she asks /Caprice, what do you think of our new guest? And, Mischief, you are welcome to join Pyewackett in his meal./ Pyewackett adds *By all means, Mischief. Trout is good for clever kittens, and it tastes good, too. Squee is welcome to join us, also, if all that destruction has made you hungry.* Knytt rises, nods a greeting to Fuzzy, and retakes her seat. --Knytt and Pyewackett =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 14:19:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 14:20:14 -0700 (MST), in Message # 00000551 gamer@host.yab.com said: > On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:12:31 -0500, in Message # 00000550 > Michael Jon Knight said: > > "Hmm. I see the customary threats of violence upon betrayal have > already been made." /Not that I disagree with them, Xzerrion./ "And > that Argent is willing to vooch for your good intentions, as is > Roscoe." /Since the man's throat isn't torn out./ "So, the question > becomes, why are you here? For love? To fight? Or something else?" > /We may be telepathic, but he doesn't need to know that./ "Oh, > excuse me a moment." Roscoe sends to Knytt [He already knows I am. Instincts die hard and upon seeing a drow here with Argent adn Caprice, I delved into his mind to see his true reasons for being here, as Oberon trained us and granted us the gifts to do. He is honest in what he told Xzerrion that he is here not for war, but for love. I don't know if he will battle for us, but he will not battle against us unless we force it.] > Knytt walks into the kitchen with a small pet dish. She returns with > it, filled with water, and sets it down for Pyewackett. > > Petting the cat, she asks /Caprice, what do you think of our new > guest? And, Mischief, you are welcome to join Pyewackett in his > meal./ > > Pyewackett adds *By all means, Mischief. Trout is good for clever > kittens, and it tastes good, too. Squee is welcome to join us, also, > if all that destruction has made you hungry.* Squee looks at the fish. Like mos tyoung boys, he is ALWAYS hungry. shifitng into kitten form himself, he joins in on the feast. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:04:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Sun, 20 Jul 97 17:52:30 +0100, in Message # 00000552 Roland X said: >On Fri, 18 Jul 1997 22:52:09, in Message # 00000523 > "L.J. Wolfe" said: > >"Ah dinna ken Wallace wo' mind," Morgan says, kissing Roland. They >look into each others eyes, and the new-found love that had briefly >taken a back seat to winning the battle came flooding back. They >kissed again, the loving, lingering kiss of lovers long separated. *Mmm...I could get used to this,* Roland sent. *Once we save this rock, what do you say we go live happily ever after?* >On Sat, 19 Jul 1997 09:14:07 -0500, in Message # 00000527 > Michael Jon Knight said: > >/By all means, we can discuss it at the Guild. I've been rather >preoccupied of late and need to refresh my memory on the plan again >anyway. But Fuzzy's hospital may be a good headstart on getting some >of that data we need./ *The Assassins' Guild?* Roland comments coldly, and the Blaze 'persona' shows itself to be more than a facade. *As I recall, our 'host' ejected us, giving us five minutes to leave or else. I don't think we're wanted back, and quite frankly the feeling's mutual.* >On Sat, 19 Jul 1997 02:35:44 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000524 > fuzzy said: > >I just found out about the Hospital and Replicating Streacher Teams >as I came up stairs.\ *Now _that_ sounds like a better meeting place. Besides, my biorhythmics-my life powers-have increased. My skills as a healer may be useful.* =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:04:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 97 18:00:19 +0100, in Message # 00000553 Roland X said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 14:20:14 -0700 (MST), in Message # 00000551 > gamer@host.yab.com said: > > Roscoe sends to Knytt [He already knows I am. Instincts die hard and >upon seeing a drow here with Argent adn Caprice, I delved into his >mind to see his true reasons for being here, as Oberon trained us and >granted us the gifts to do. He is honest in what he told Xzerrion >that he is here not for war, but for love. I don't know if he will >battle for us, but he will not battle against us unless we force it.] *Without his permission?* Roland sends, and in an uncharacteristic fit of paranoia checks his own psi defenses. *I suggest that you not do that to one of my kind...it's considered a grave insult among my people to scan a non-hostile without consent. Death-duels have been fought over such things in my world's past, and I doubt that a weaponsmaster of the Sidhe-kin Drow would think twice about something like that. *Anyway, the assassins will return to their barracks soon, and last I checked we were not exactly welcome there. We should discuss this elsewhere.* And though the others can't sense any one thought that would bear this out, a vague sense of discomfort can be felt emanating from Roland... =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:05:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:02:42 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000554 "P. Campbell" said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > > "I'm no lady...Knytt is the name...FORMER Weaponsmaster for Matron > Drisonel? You do like to live dangerously, don't you?" Xzerrion sends, <* You're no lady? I'll keep that in mind. *> Ak'hasta shakes his head. `A recent habit. I recieved an order I could not obey, and it was thought best for me to disappear from under her eye.' > Knytt glances at Xzerrion then Argent, then Roscoe. > > "Hmm. I see the customary threats of violence upon betrayal have > already been made." /Not that I disagree with them, Xzerrion./ "And > that Argent is willing to vooch for your good intentions, as is > Roscoe." /Since the man's throat isn't torn out./ "So, the question > becomes, why are you here? For love? To fight? Or something else?" > /We may be telepathic, but he doesn't need to know that./ "Oh, > excuse me a moment." `Why am I here? You'd best ask my lady Argent that, as she chose to take me to this place. I'm not even sure where exactly here is.' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:07:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:05:29 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000555 "P. Campbell" said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 gamer@host.yab.com wrote: > Roscoe sends to Knytt [He already knows I am. Instincts die hard > and upon seeing a drow here with Argent adn Caprice, I delved into > his mind to see his true reasons for being here, as Oberon trained > us and granted us the gifts to do. He is honest in what he told > Xzerrion that he is here not for war, but for love. I don't know if > he will battle for us, but he will not battle against us unless we > force it.] Xzerrion sends, <* If he is honest as you say, I would suspect that he will fight for Argent, but I don't know how far to trust him with the rest of us. *> - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:49:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 17:33:41 -0500, in Message # 00000556 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 97 17:52:30 +0100, in Message # 00000552 > Roland X said: > >>On Sat, 19 Jul 1997 02:35:44 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000524 >> fuzzy said: >> >>I just found out about the Hospital and Replicating Streacher Teams >>as I came up stairs.\ > > *Now _that_ sounds like a better meeting place. Besides, >my biorhythmics-my life powers-have increased. My skills as >a healer may be useful.* /True enough, but it seemed to be a point of almost subconscious congregation. We will have to return now, if for no other reason than to pick up our people. Beyond that, I have no problems with moving to another location./ --Knytt =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:49:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:36:12, in Message # 00000557 "L.J. Wolfe" said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 97 18:00:19 +0100, in Message # 00000553 > Roland X said: > > *Anyway, the assassins will return to their bar- >racks soon, and last I checked we were not exactly >welcome there. We should discuss this elsewhere.* And >though the others can't sense any one thought that >would bear this out, a vague sense of discomfort can >be felt emanating from Roland... Morgan, whose arm is already around Roland, gives him a hug. She deliberatly chooses to speak aloud, so that if anyone within earshot wants to disagree they can. "Kuri knows we're here, apparently has no problem with it, and I get the distinct impression that her opinion carries a lot of weight in this guild. Blacky was upset because it sounded like we thought we were 'above' helping the rebellion. That shouldn't be much of a problem after last night. Now," she looks around at the reassembled Callahanians, "do we have any outstanding business _other_ than deciding how we're going to rescue Driscoll's other brother and take out the Controller, anyone still need to be filled in on anything? Because I've just had a _very_ tiring couple of days day and would like to get some rest." The way she looks at Roland suggests that she may be tireder still before she actually gets any sleep. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:49:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:39:59 -0400, in Message # 00000558 Caprice said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:12:31 -0500, in Message # 00000550 Michael Jon Knight said: >Petting the cat, she asks /Caprice, what do you think of our new >guest? And, Mischief, you are welcome to join Pyewackett in his >meal./ Caprice responds on the link, /I know why she loves him... Argent is a part of me now... That makes it hard to be objective./ >Pyewackett adds *By all means, Mischief. Trout is good for clever >kittens, and it tastes good, too. Squee is welcome to join us, also, >if all that destruction has made you hungry.* Mischief sprouts gossamyr wings and flutters up and away from the persuing Squee to pounce on the trout and join Pyewackett in his meal. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:04:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:52:57 -0400, in Message # 00000559 Caprice said: On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:02:42 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000554 "P. Campbell" said: > >`Why am I here? You'd best ask my lady Argent that, as she chose to >take me to this place. I'm not even sure where exactly here is.' Argent replies, "As long as Caprice and I are within a certain distance of each other, no attempt to scry us out will work. And I covered up Ak'hasta's and my... confrontation. Driscoll doesn't know he's defected yet. I brought him here as we needed a safe place to spend the day, and if I didn't inform the you all what had happened one of you might have taken a shot at him." =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:49:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:39:23 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000560 fuzzy said: > On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 17:33:41 -0500, in Message # 00000556 > Michael Jon Knight said: > > /True enough, but it seemed to be a point of almost subconscious > congregation. We will have to return now, if for no other reason > than to pick up our people. Beyond that, I have no problems with > moving to another location./ \Roland, If I understand your boosted powers correctly, If Nemisis opens a Planar Gate you could modify the Resonaces of it to be a point to point Teleport Gate, This would reduce the strain on either of you, and be less abrupt as each person could walk thru under their own power...\ \The Hospital is Scry shielded and without a Keyed Mind Pattern Telepathic and Teleport Shielded, A general health statement on a specific patient can be gotten by addressing the hospital itself Telepathicly (no, it isn't self aware, but since when did anyone expect a secretary to be?)\ \Also the hospital has certain built-in boosters, If Nemisis or Roland are linked to it from inside they will be able to TPort the entire facility, Nemisis would also be able to PlaneShift it. And the Hospital will defend us long enough to get fully awake if anything tries a sneek attack.\ \Nemisis seems to have decided that building is more fun than fighting, The city appears to be being repaired and up-graded with Running water and electricity throughout.\ =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 20:18:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping (fwd) On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 22:15:49 -0500, in Message # 00000563 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:52:57 -0400, in Message # 00000559 > Caprice said: > >Argent replies, "As long as Caprice and I are within a certain >distance of each other, no attempt to scry us out will work. And I >covered up Ak'hasta's and my... confrontation. Driscoll doesn't know >he's defected yet. I brought him here as we needed a safe place to >spend the day, and if I didn't inform the you all what had happened >one of you might have taken a shot at him." Knytt nods. And back to: >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:39:59 -0400, in Message # 00000558 > Caprice said: > >Mischief sprouts gossamyr wings and flutters up and away from the >persuing Squee to pounce on the trout and join Pyewackett in his >meal. Knytt rises again from her seat. "Well, you are quite right that someone might have taken a shot at Ak'hasta. As things stand now, though, I don't think that is a problem. However, right now, we need to get moving. I presume, Ak'hasta and Argent are welcome to come along or stay here. I leave the choice up to them." =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 23:49:35 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:38:27 +0100, in Message # 00000564 Roland X said: >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 15:36:12, in Message # 00000557 > "L.J. Wolfe" said: >Morgan, whose arm is already around Roland, gives him a hug. She >deliberatly chooses to speak aloud, so that if anyone within earshot >wants to disagree they can. > >"Kuri knows we're here, apparently has no problem with it, and I get >the distinct impression that her opinion carries a lot of weight in >this guild. "She's not-" >Blacky was upset because it sounded like we thought we were 'above' >helping the rebellion. That shouldn't be much of a problem after last >night. "But-" >Now," she looks around at the reassembled Callahanians, "do we have >any outstanding business _other_ than deciding how we're going to >rescue Driscoll's other brother and take out the Controller, anyone >still need to be filled in on anything? Because I've just had a >_very_ tiring couple of days day and would like to get some rest." *If anyone gets any grief from the assassins, let me know. I'm in a mood to be _more_ than happy to deal with any ingrates.* >The way she looks at Roland suggests that she may be tireder still >before she actually gets any sleep. Roland catches the look Morgan regards him with. *Ahem-later, that is.* =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 23:49:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:45:13 +0100, in Message # 00000565 Roland X said: Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis Sent: 7/21/1997 2:44 AM >On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:39:23 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000560 > fuzzy said: > >> On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 17:33:41 -0500, in Message # 00000556 >> Michael Jon Knight said: >> /True enough, but it seemed to be a point of almost subconscious >> congregation. We will have to return now, if for no other reason than to >> pick up our people. Beyond that, I have no problems with moving to another >> location./ Roland sighs. *I bow to superior intelligence.* >\Roland, If I understand your boosted powers correctly, If Nemisis >opens a Planar Gate you could modify the Resonaces of it to be a >point to point Teleport Gate, This would reduce the strain on either >of you, and be less abrupt as each person could walk thru under their >own power...\ Roland nods...this would have been beyond him mere hours ago, but since taking Gaunt's head- -that line of reasoning stops dead in his tracks as he shifts to thinking through the logistics. *Sounds feasible.* >\Nemisis seems to have decided that building is more fun than >fighting, *Would that everyone felt the same,* Roland sends emphatically. >The city appears to be being repaired and up-graded with Running >water and electricity throughout.\ *I wouldn't be so sure of the culture shock about such developments, but we have to move the entire population to another world, so the long-term impact seems to be moot. The Nemisis hospital seems a perfect place to move to after collecting everyone from the Guild Hall.* =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 23:49:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Strange Dreams pt. I On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:49:38 +0100, in Message # 00000566 Roland X said: >On Sat, 19 Jul 1997 22:36:46 -0700, in Message # 00000532 > Gareth L Owen said: >Meanwhile, on Quaren, the Stranger's body lay fast asleep, in a >slumber no-one could wake him from, while his wounds healed at a rate >modern doctor's would consider impossible. Roland gave Stranger's body a psychic once-over. *'Looks' like a healing trance. I hadn't thought his injuries were that bad. He'll be fine, AFAIK. We'd better get him to the Nemisis hospital all the same. *Which reminds me-where the devil is the Lensdragon?! I mean to have a few words with him,* he adds, but the worry in Roland's 'voice' is unmistakable... =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:48:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:35:58 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000567 fuzzy said: > On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:45:13 +0100, in Message # 00000565 > Roland X said: > >>On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:39:23 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000560 >> fuzzy said: >> >>\Roland, If I understand your boosted powers correctly, If Nemisis >>opens a Planar Gate you could modify the Resonaces of it to be a >>point to point Teleport Gate, This would reduce the strain on either >>of you, and be less abrupt as each person could walk thru under >>their own power...\ > > Roland nods...this would have been beyond him mere hours > ago, but since taking Gaunt's head- > -that line of reasoning stops dead in his tracks as he > shifts to thinking through the logistics. > *Sounds feasible.* \Good, Let Nemisis know when you are ready to implement the method.\ >>\Nemisis seems to have decided that building is more fun than >>fighting, > > *Would that everyone felt the same,* Roland sends emphatically. \Would that no-one had need to feel differently\ Whistful Tones >>The city appears to be being repaired and up-graded with Running >>water and electricity throughout.\ > > *I wouldn't be so sure of the culture shock about such > developments, but we have to move the entire population to > another world, so the long-term impact seems to be moot. > The Nemisis hospital seems a perfect place to move to after > collecting everyone from the Guild Hall.* \Explaining Futility to Joshua would be simpler than explaining Culture Shock to Nemisis, However she seems to have noticed the standard kitchen pump format while we were setting-up the weapons caches earlier and has been using that appearance in kitchens and bathrooms for metered water taps 1 pump of the handle releases 1 liter of fresh water. As for the Electricity I think it will be a while before they even notice, child safety type outlets and nothing to plug into them.\ =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:49:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Strange Dreams pt. I On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:44:30 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000568 fuzzy said: > On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:49:38 +0100, in Message # 00000566 > Roland X said: > > Roland gave Stranger's body a psychic once-over. > *'Looks' like a healing trance. I hadn't thought his > injuries were that bad. He'll be fine, AFAIK. We'd better > get him to the Nemisis hospital all the same. '\Nemisis call in a streacher team, Instruct the Team to relay these instructions: Diagnostics and Support Only No Intrusive Proceedures Alert Immediatly Incase of Crisis Instructions Compleate\' \The Streacher Team will have him there faster than we could, also they have the interfaces to handle Emergency Room admitance smoothly\ > *Which reminds me-where the devil is the Lensdragon?! > I mean to have a few words with him,* he adds, but the > worry in Roland's 'voice' is unmistakable... \I Wish I knew...\ =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 09:04:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 10:47:45 -0500, in Message # 00000569 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:45:13 +0100, in Message # 00000565 > Roland X said: > > Roland sighs. *I bow to superior intelligence.* Knytt grins, /Yes, Morgan is very convincing.../ =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 16:04:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Hospital Care On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 16:02:07 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000572 fuzzy said: About the Hospital Nemisis Built, It is not Part of Nemisis. Building: A Geodesic Sphere with a 16 meter radius, Embedded in a Foundation\Socket to the equator. The outer wall is 0.3 meter thick High Grade Ceramet with built in active Scry, Telepathy, Teleportation, and Dimensional Distortion (including Gates) Blockers, These are effective versus Magic, Psi, and Tech methods, and these can be disabled on request by known Mind Patterns. The Building is equiped with equalateral triangular turrets at both poles, each turret vertex contains a swivel mounted weapon Capable of tapping Elemental and Para-Elemental planes for output effects, ie Fire, Ice, Water, Lava. Socket: This contains a water reservoir fed from the Elemental Plane of Water to supply water to the city, and Boilers. The Boilers are fired by a tap on the Elemental Plane of Fire, to drive the Steam Turbines that supply Electricty for the city. Booster: A room in the center of the Building contains the interface that When connected to by an individual will cause normally personal powers to affect the Hospital as a whole. Examples: Nemisis connects to the Booster and then PlaneShifts herself the hospital is PlaneShifted at the same time without being a load on Nemisis. Roland connects to the Booster and then uses his Force Field a Force Field of the same density is created around the Building without being a load on Roland. This works for most energy field and resonance effects regardless of Magic, Psi, or Tech origin. Staff: 9 Doctors, 27 Nurses, and 81 Orderlies. All of these are synthetic humaniods simular in intent to the emergency medical hologram in Star Trek Voyager, none have sentience potential or creativity, but they are equiped with better bedside manners, and can learn from the optional living staff that there are facilties for built-in. Wardens: Sensor Clusters in each room look for any hostile actions inside the hospital, when any is detected the Wardens are activated, they will then terminate the designated Hostile. Building and Staff are self repairing. Facilties for 5000 Patients. The Diagnostic systems can Identify most enchantments and other field effects and counter them as needed. The Hospital uses highly developed molecular technology able to repair most damaged organisims. The Pharmacy is capable of Analyzing any Drugs or other chemical substances, and creating a synthetic as needed, if undesireable side effect are noted, an attempt will be made to identify the behaviour of the active ingredient and a synthetic created that minimizes side effects. It is possible to induce Regeneration clinicaly to replace lost limbs and repair malfunctioning organs, Actual Rejuvination is possible but disabled at present. All NanoTech used in the hospital are special purpose hardcoded devices, "that is not programable after creation". Simple Injury: Non-Critcal Wounds, Poisons, Infections, Etc. Average treatment time 15 minutes. Complex Injury: Severed or Crushed Limbs, Poorly healed old Injuries, Systemic malfunction, Organ Failure, etc. Average treatment time 3 hours. Regrowth: Limb or Organ Replacement, Etc. Average treatment time 5 days. =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 17:34:09 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Aae-leaps adn bounds On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 17:36:33 -0700 (MST), in Message # 00000573 gamer@host.yab.com said: OK, I'm jumping ahead a bit, if anyone has unfinished business, don't distress, go ahead and finsih it, I just want to write these. ;-) It's nearly dusk again before Magi comes to take the Harlequin God for the fourth and final battle in the forest. The two Gods face off, but Darath is much more obviously cautions and careful for his movements and actions than he has been before. He does not rush to the attack, he ignores Driss's taunts and feints and parries the thrusts perfectly. All the while, staring intenetly into the Theif God's eyes. Fianlly, Darath speaks, softly as to only be heard by his opponent. "I know about the off-worlders." The God of Theives is taken back slightly by this and his timing slips by a fraction of a second. Darath uses that fraction to open up a gash on his enemy's bicep. "why I don't know what it is you could mean dear Darath, we all know there is no other world than Quaren!" "Bullshit fledgling. You think we are the center ofhte universe? That we are the most advanced and most intelligent of people? There are billions of other dimentions, and you have gathered beings from some of them to fight for you below. Admit it!" Darath swings for Driscoll's forward leg, but he flips up and away before it lands. "If I were to have done such a thing, and you knew about it, I find it hard to believe you would not have smashed them from existance by now. Hmm maybe they do exist and you're just getting soft..." Darath growls and raises the greatsword for an overhead chop at Driss, which is the opening Driss was waiting for. The rapier snakes in as Driss dodges to the side, razor sharp tip slipping between the breast and blackplates and through the chainmail to be stopped by the armor on the other side of the body. Darath falls to his kness, looks up at Driscoll and mutters, "I will find out." Driss smiles at Magi and the only observer, Dwar. Then he turns and walks away into the woods, trying ot hide the growing concern inside him. Old habits and sleep patterns die hard, and though many of them did not go to sleep until midday, the assassins find themselves waking up all too soon afterwards. Kuri Neko is first. She looks over at her husband where he fitfully sleeps. Donning a silk robe, she sneaks out and down the hall, through the comon area to Blacky's Quarters. She knocks softly and speeak to the door. "Blacky it is I. I have business I wish to speak with you before everyone arises." Getting no answer, she tests the door and finds it swings open easily. Inside is a very neat adn tidy room, with pegs on one empty wall marking where weapons would normally sit, adn the perfectly made bed giving no signs of having been used. She steps out of hte room, worry across her face adn catches one of the trainees sneaking out of the kitchen with a half eaten chickenleg in hand. "Leander." he jumps and drops the leg and stands there trembling. "when did you last see Blacky?" "Umm well I saw him during the battle last night, he was passing out weapons but after that... I dunno." "Did anyone see him return? Go ask now!" As he runs off to waken the other trainees she plops into a chair to think. To think of possibilities other than the one nagging at her. Other than the one that seems the most logical. Fianlly, the trainees, in various states of undress, assemble next to her in the common area. Leander steps forward. "Umm well, I asked everyone and no one;'s seen him since the fighting last night." Kuri's blood felt like someone had just dropped ice cubes into her veins. "We must find him. I am worried about him. And since he is currently missingm I...will take on.... The Guildmistress possition. Today you will all scower the city. We will find him!" They all bow to her and run off ot their rooms to get dressed. She turns back to Blacky's room, steps inside closing the door door after her, then collapses to her knees and begins to cry mournign the loss of her friend. Darath the Black sneaks to his workroom, careful not to arouse the notice of the Golem. retrieving his Soulstealer Sword from a high shelf, he summons to him nine skeletons. Handing them each a scroll, he sends them off on their ways , each to a different city. Hiding the sword again, Darath the Black goes to his chapel for his evening prayers while his calls for an assassin to kill the Golem for him race their way across the desert on untiring legs. =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 07:19:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 07:06:42, in Message # 00000574 "L.J. Wolfe" said: >On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 10:47:45 -0500, in Message # 00000569 > Michael Jon Knight said: > >>On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:45:13 +0100, in Message # 00000565 >> Roland X said: > >>>> On Sun, 20 Jul 1997 17:33:41 -0500, in Message # 00000556 >>>> Michael Jon Knight said: > >>>> /True enough, but it seemed to be a point of almost subconscious >>>> congregation. We will have to return now, if for no other reason >>>> than to pick up our people. Beyond that, I have no problems with >>>> moving to another location./ >> >> Roland sighs. *I bow to superior intelligence.* > >Knytt grins, /Yes, Morgan is very convincing.../ "Why, thank you," Morgan giggles, and can't resist adding, <*We girls have got to stick together.*> ;-) OOC: Things have gotten a bit nebulous. In light of what's been posted, it seems most likely we all congregated at the Guild Hall. Shall we say we crashed there after deciding to make further plans after everyone gets some rest? Other ideas? Bueller? =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 09:34:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Strange Dreams pt. I On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 12:20:32 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000576 Shadow said: > On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:44:30 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000568 > fuzzy said: > >> On Mon, 21 Jul 97 02:49:38 +0100, in Message # 00000566 >> Roland X said: >> >> *Which reminds me-where the devil is the Lensdragon?! >> I mean to have a few words with him,* he adds, but the >> worry in Roland's 'voice' is unmistakable... > > \I Wish I knew...\ OOC: Well, I can't remember if he mentioned it, but Martin's been away RL, so he'll write himself back in when he gets back, if he's not already. =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 09:58:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 12:39:38 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000577 Shadow said: In the aftermath of the battle, John can be seen walking around the battle site, speaking into a headset. Occasionally, members of the Ghost Legion will run over and deliver a message, then be sent on a new errand. Several times John has to go over to fallen masonry or a blasted gun turret and use his power to remove the rubble. Two of the soldiers recovered are still alive, but three are not. Nowhere to be seen is the commander, and John looks increasingly worried. He gives the command for a gate to be set up, and two of the men raise long metal poles into the air, one end planted firmly into the ground. As the poles align, there is a snap and a smell of ozone as the gate forms, a translucent, watery veil flowing between the now freestanding poles. The men assemble, but still the commander is nowhere to be found. John closes his eyes for a moment and his power flares. He staggers a bit and leans heavily on his staff, but a smile crosses his features, "Acting Commander Kouri, take the men across, I'll send Biles after you once I get him away from the nurses." Kouri grins and gives the orders. "And men... You have my thanks for your help this day." In an undertone, "Kouri, if you would convey my personal thanks to these three gentleman once they've been revived? Very well." The Ghost Legion marches through the gate, and a very tired John begins to walk towards the Hospital. =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:34:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:20:12 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000579 fuzzy said: > On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 07:06:42, in Message # 00000574 > "L.J. Wolfe" said: > >>On Mon, 21 Jul 1997 10:47:45 -0500, in Message # 00000569 >> Michael Jon Knight said: >> >>Knytt grins, /Yes, Morgan is very convincing.../ > > "Why, thank you," Morgan giggles, and can't resist adding, <*We > girls have got to stick together.*> ;-) "Are you sure that shouldn't have been superior cuteness?" \No functional male has much of a chance versus any female they care about.\ > OOC: Things have gotten a bit nebulous. In light of what's been > posted, it seems most likely we all congregated at the Guild Hall. > Shall we say we crashed there after deciding to make further plans > after everyone gets some rest? Other ideas? Bueller? OOC: sounds good to me, the Nemisis -> Roland gate trick can be held in reserve incase something comes up. =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 11:04:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:40:53 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000580 "P. Campbell" said: On Tue, 22 Jul 1997, fuzzy wrote: >> "Why, thank you," Morgan giggles, and can't resist adding, <*We >> girls have got to stick together.*> ;-) > > "Are you sure that shouldn't have been superior cuteness?" > \No functional male has much of a chance versus any female they care > about.\ Xzerrion notes, <* Agreed, I already rode halfway across the known world for one, once. In a desert, yet. *> >> OOC: Things have gotten a bit nebulous. In light of what's been >> posted, it seems most likely we all congregated at the Guild Hall. >> Shall we say we crashed there after deciding to make further plans >> after everyone gets some rest? Other ideas? Bueller? > > OOC: sounds good to me, the Nemisis -> Roland gate trick can be held > in reserve incase something comes up. (|:-)> - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 11:34:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: Aae-Dawn in Dibis On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 11:16:55 -0700, in Message # 00000581 Lorena Wolfe said: > On Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:40:53 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000580 > "P. Campbell" said: > > see Morgan, Shadow, and Roland react to the presence of one of > Drisonel's main henchmen sitting in the guildhall on Argent's arm. > (not literally sitting on her : that would be painful.) > Well, Roland already said, " *Without his permission?* Roland sends, and in an uncharacteristic fit of paranoia checks his own psi defenses. *I suggest that you not do that to one of my kind...it's considered a grave insult among my people to scan a non-hostile without consent. Death-duels have been fought over such things in my world's past, and I doubt that a weaponsmaster of the Sidhe-kin Drow would think twice about something like that." I assume that means we already know who he is, and have picked up the current status of things from the others in the psi-web. Morgan, at least, has nothing else particularly to say on the subject right now. =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 13:04:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Info for Planning sessions On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 12:34:35 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000599 fuzzy said: \I have had a chance to review Dorn's Logs this is what I found...\ > On Sun, 13 Jul 1997 21:52:10 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000408 > caprice said: > > Caprice inhales deeply... brave-but-stupid award> Those words through the link are the only > warning that Caprice gives... > > Caprice reaches... > ... and twists... > ... and splits... Since she had not said otherwise, Dorn attempts to follow via his own teleport ability. > ... who spins threads of reality, trying to grab everyone for the > teleport back... [snip] > As all the minds work together, as they fight the clock, a few > seconds at most, not nearly enough time... They teleport out, > viciously wrenching at the reality of the controller's base, sending > waves of damage both great and minor... Unfortunately as Caprice departs he almost arrives... Half of his mass is vaporized in the distortion waves and the rest is scattered in chunks ranging from 1/2 Kilo to 2 Kilos each, in the local area of the Physical, Astral, and Ethereal Planes; Most of the chunks arriving on the Physical Plane confict with already present matter and are destroyed. [Snip, Merge] > On Mon, 14 Jul 1997 19:26:13 -0700 (MST), in Message # 00000430 > gamer@host.yab.com said: [snip] > The lair is in an uproar as The controllers bring teh auto defenses > down to code green again. This explains why they did not notice the pieces of Dorn, Lots of chunks of equipment to hide in. They pieces take on shapes to be indistguishable from the others until local activity stops. [snip] > The Controller^2 overrided his locked body and removed it from his > counterpart's influence. Lookign around at the abandonded tomb, he > gave an mental sigh "I shall not join him in his death, but he is > right about it being foolhard to stay here." Moving to the control > console, he sets it to auto destruct the lair at teh movement of > anything larger than a great dane inside, and sets he timer to begin > the detector program in 2 minutes. The departures and activities are recorded by a piece of Dorn. > Taking one last look at the Lair, he steps into the TARDIS and it > fades away to elsewhere in Quaren so that he may plot his next > movement away from both himself and the Army of Light. Dorn gathers himself up into pieces no larger that 2 Kilos and then scours the Planes for other parts which have also grouped on a Plane by Plane basis, on one sub-plane of the Ethereal was a 1/2 Kilo piece all by itself, at that mass it cannot planeshift so he had to go get it. Finally re-assembling elsewhere and rebuilding his mass from ores extracted from the Elemental Plane of Earth. \The other brother has been moved, I don't know to where. We must assume that base to be booby trapped, however we can try to set it off later to make them think they got at least one of us.\ \Nemisis has decided that following an unknown transport type uninvited is too dangerious, She and her Splits will not make that mistake again.\ =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 17:04:14 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: OOC: double checking who's where On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:08:24 -0700, in Message # 00000604 Gareth L Owen said: >>> Stranger: body-Guildhall; mind/spirit-off somewhere else :-) > > Stranger: Body- Hospital room 307, > Diagnostics report Status as Spirit Quest, > Stranger: Spirit- Location Unknown > > If this is not true now it will be soon, Unless The Strangers Writer > says otherwise. The Stranger strided confidently into the Castle, there were men in the green uniforms of riflemen running every way, almost panicing. The Stranger grabbed the highes ranking officer he could find, a fresh faced looking Lieutenent. "You there man, what's happening here, and stand to attention when a superior officer addresses you." The man looked surprised and snapped to attention. "Sir, we're preparing to try and defend the castle, there's a French column on it's way under the Marquis de Camargue." "Succinct, how many men do you have?" "One hundred and fifty, sir." "And the French?" "Around a thousand." "OK, are you in charge?" "Yes sir. I mean, no sir, not now a major has arrived. Sir." The Stranger couldn't help but laugh. "OK. Tell your men we're not going to try and defend this castle we're going to suicceed defending the castle. I want your twenty best shots in the cliffs overlooking the valley, another fifty at the head of the valley and the rest in the castle itself. I reckon the ones at the head of the valley can get five volleys off before the French charge reaches them, tell them to fire four, no more then run back and the castle troops will cover them..." This went on for some time, when the French eventually arrived, they faced a wall of determined fire that melted away as they approached, with their officers cut down by snipers in the hills above. The battle lasted half a day, the French would not give up and the British could not. The Marquis clearly wanted what lay in the castle more than life itself. At the end The Stranger fought back to back in the Chapel with a young Rifleman, the Stranger with a French cavalry saber he had acquired and the rifleman with his bayonet. Suddenly it was all over, the Marquis was dead at the Stranger's feet and the remaining French troopers fled back down the way they came. The exhausted British soldiers let them go. "You fought well son." "Thank you sir. Just did what I 'ad too like." The Stranger couldn't place his accent, London? Merseyside? Scottish? Odd. "What's your name?" "Atkins, sir, Private Tommy Atkins." Stranger nodded. "The lady was right sir, you're a demon with that sabre." "Lady? What lady?" "Oh, you'll meet her soon enough sir. Permission to see if my mates are OK sir?" "Oh, yes, of course." "Thank you sir." Atkins trotted off, almost contentedly. Stranger sagged suddenly, feeling a deep gash in his arm for the first time. The air was full of gunsmoke and his tunic was covered in other mens blood. He kicked the corpse of the Marquis. "Stupid bastard! Look what you made me do." "Peace Stranger." This a womans voice, from behind him. He turned, the chapel faded, everyhting faded, except the woman and himself. She wore a long flowing white samite dress and had long blonde hair that fell in tresses to her waist. "Who the hell are you?" "I am the guardian of the grail, adn I'm here to thank you for preventing the Grail from falling into the hands of a very wicked man." "The Grail? I never thought that was real. Why does it have power?" "It is a precious and hol.." "No! The real reason. Admit the truth to me, I think you owe me that." The Strangers eyes almost glowed with passion. "Because of faith. People believe in it." "Thank you. So why shouldn't I destroy it and free peiople from it." "It's a force for good, it's power is to heal." "So? It still stops people being truly free." "Besides, Stranger, it owes you a favour now, and the more people you chose to help with that favour, the more powerful it will be for you." The Lady's eyes laughed at Stranger, he understood what she was driving at. "OK, damn you, send me back to Quaren then." +++ The Stranger fell through the darkness, his mind reached out hungrily. "I said I'd return, I will keep my promise." +++ The Stranger awoke with a start, throwing bedsheets back as he did so. He was in some sort of hospital room, but he knew he was on Quaren. His wounds were fully healed. He sprang from the bed and started to dress, donning the arabian clothes given to him by Driscoll a few short days ago. Maybe it was just a dream in the Pyrenees. He strapped on the throwing dagger sheath to the small of his back. No, it couldn't have been a dream. His longsword and ninjato were slung around his hips. Yes, probably a hallucination. The Falchion was slung across his back. A sleep induced hallucination. The Colt Python he'd found on the battlefield was tucked into his waistband. Yes, the adventure he had was almost certainly a hallucination induced by his injuries. Then he found the Henry rifle. A perfect, real as a brick, Henry rifle, stamped 1791 with a bag of shot and powder. No dream, then. /* Guys, I'm back */ The Stranger =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 18:04:11 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: OOC: double checking who's where On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 17:57:47 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000605 fuzzy said: > On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:08:24 -0700, in Message # 00000604 > Gareth L Owen said: > > what's so unknown about the Pyrenees> Your saying, you think Spirit Quests always happen where/when they appear to happen? > The Stranger awoke with a start, throwing bedsheets back as he did > so. The Speaker mounted in the wall gives him the standard statement of the Hospital Rules. > /* Guys, I'm back */ \Welcome Back, did you have a nice trip?\ \If you wait there for a few moments, the hospital staff will be by to sign you out of the hospital.\ \A Nemisis Split will be in right after that, to bring you to the rest of us, without you having to traipse through the streets.\ Assuming The Stranger cooperates... Hello Nurse enters the room... "Hello Sir, " As she Picks up the Standard clipboard, (Actually Display for the Beds Diagnostic functions) "Are you feeling any Ill effects from your Journey?" "Are there any further services the Hospital or its Staff can provide for you?" "Have A good Life, Try to avoid injury in the future, There may not be a Hospital Availible Next time you are Injured" "You will find someone waiting for you in the alcove at the end of the hall to your left" =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 21:49:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 97 00:36:44 +0100, in Message # 00000606 Roland X said: Roland, his helmet hanging from the back of his armor, sat wearily at the table with the rest of his fellow Callahanians. /If the sprocking assassins want to start something, they will, otherwise, they won't,/ Roland thought reasonably, too tired to care much either way. "Okay. We've won the battle. Now, unfortunately, we're part of a war. I think we should do a quick enemy-check. "The main adversary-so to speak-is the Controller. A lot of us owe that bastard, but this situation is a little too big to worry about revenge just yet. Plus there's quite literally enough of him to go around. "Darath-the mortal-hasn't been seen in a while. Drisonel was still buried, last I heard. The rest of us seem to have dealt with our own enemies..." Roland trails off, his own thoughts plagued by something within him... "The Shadow Brand!" Roland exclaims, standing bolt upright. "I forgot about the sprocking sword! It was gone when I left Gaunt's body!" Roland, seeing the blank stares, shrugs. "The Brand is one of six weapons said to be forged from the Adversary's six most loyal servants. Their bones were twisted into weapons. They are, in effect, the enforcers of the Adversary's will in physical space. The Brand is at least as dangerous a foe as Gaunt was. The Adversary probably called to it, ordering it to return to another of his servants. It's a miracle I survived that final duel with something like that..." Roland turns a loving gaze on Morgan. "But then, miracles don't seem as hard to come by of late." =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 22:49:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 22:46:01, in Message # 00000607 "L.J. Wolfe" said: >On Fri, 25 Jul 97 00:36:44 +0100, in Message # 00000606 > Roland X said: > > Roland, his helmet hanging from the back of his >armor, sat wearily at the table with the rest of >his fellow Callahanians. /If the sprocking assassins >want to start something, they will, otherwise, they >won't,/ Roland thought reasonably, too tired to care >much either way. Morgan leans against Roland, the fatigue from the past couple of days finally catching up with her. She almost dozes as she listens to the conversation. > Roland, seeing the blank stares, shrugs. "The >Brand is one of six weapons said to be forged from >the Adversary's six most loyal servants. Their bones >were twisted into weapons. They are, in effect, the >enforcers of the Adversary's will in physical space. >The Brand is at least as dangerous a foe as Gaunt >was. The Adversary probably called to it, ordering >it to return to another of his servants. It's a >miracle I survived that final duel with something >like that..." > Roland turns a loving gaze on Morgan. "But then, >miracles don't seem as hard to come by of late." Surprisingly, he sees her staring into the distance. "Servants of the Adversary... " she barely whispers. "Morgan?" Her eyes meet Roland's, and she pulls away from him. "Morgan, what's wrong?" "The Adversary. Gaunt served him, and when you... when he died, the Adversary reclaimed his tools." Seeing Roland's uncomprehending gaze, she continues. Her voice is filled with pain, and she's obviously struggling to fit her thoughts into words. "Beloved, Byron... broke me. Broke my will. I was his. If you hadn't... I _would_ have gone with him. Willingly." Morgan can barely speak by now, her voice choked with grief. "It wasn't your fault, Little Flower, and even so it doesn't matter now. Gaunt's... " Roland tries to hold her, but she backs away. "He can't hurt you anymore, love." "_He_ can't. But I can still feel his... " Again she struggles for the right word, and gestures toward her head. "...the - hooks - he left in here. _Someone_ is on the other end of those strings. If it isn't Gaunt, then...." She finally hits a thought she can't force herself to speak. A tear slides down her cheek. Her eyes meet Roland's again, then with a sob she flees to the far side of the room, drops into a chair, and buries her face in her hands. =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:49:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:34:32 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000609 "P. Campbell" said: On Thu, 24 Jul 1997, Roland X wrote: > "Okay. We've won the battle. Now, unfortunately, > we're part of a war. I think we should do a quick > enemy-check. Xzerrion looks up from cleaning off his blades and washing some miscellaneous cuts. `I've done wars before. I don't think things *get* much more ruthless than the interhouse fighting I've been part of. If they want a war, I'll give them one.' > "The main adversary-so to speak-is the Controller. > A lot of us owe that bastard, but this situation is a > little too big to worry about revenge just yet. Plus > there's quite literally enough of him to go around. > "Darath-the mortal-hasn't been seen in a while. > Drisonel was still buried, last I heard. The rest of > us seem to have dealt with our own enemies..." Roland > trails off, his own thoughts plagued by something > within him... `Drisonel escaped through a planar gate, along with most of her surviving mages and soldiers. Since Ak'hasta is here, we can assume Drisonel is in Quaren somewhere as well.' Ak'hasta makes his addition. `Yes, Drisonel still lives. She and her mage Nalfein have been plotting revenge, both on all of you and on the Controller for spoiling her plans here.' > Roland turns a loving gaze on Morgan. "But then, > miracles don't seem as hard to come by of late." Xzerrion's eyes drift heavenward. `Wonderful. Could somebody explain to my why I keep getting into the middle of wars between immortals of late? I really did have more sense than this once.' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:49:24 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:42:02 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000610 "P. Campbell" said: On Thu, 24 Jul 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > "_He_ can't. But I can still feel his... " Again she struggles for > the right word, and gestures toward her head. "...the - hooks - he > left in here. _Someone_ is on the other end of those strings. If it > isn't Gaunt, then...." She finally hits a thought she can't force > herself to speak. A tear slides down her cheek. Her eyes meet > Roland's again, then with a sob she flees to the far side of the > room, drops into a chair, and buries her face in her hands. `Gods and demons, and I thought we had problems before ...' Xzerrion sits back in one of the chairs, going over some of the earliest things he was taught, the one part of magic he never saw use for : coercion. Decades after his lessoning, he finally found a reason to thank that teacher, as whatever is known about placing coercions can be used to break them. He flips open his spell book and starts thumbing through the pages ... - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 00:34:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 00:18:24 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000611 fuzzy said: > On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:42:02 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000610 > "P. Campbell" said: > > On Thu, 24 Jul 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > >> "Beloved, Byron... broke me. Broke my will. I was his. If you >> hadn't... I _would_ have gone with him. Willingly." Morgan can >> barely speak by now, her voice choked with grief. "No, That is formost of the Great Lies!" "Willingly, Means of Your! Free Will, Not! your Coerced! will." >> "_He_ can't. But I can still feel his... " Again she struggles for >> the right word, and gestures toward her head. "...the - hooks - he >> left in here. _Someone_ is on the other end of those strings. If it >> isn't Gaunt, then...." She finally hits a thought she can't force >> herself to speak. A tear slides down her cheek. Her eyes meet >> Roland's again, then with a sob she flees to the far side of the >> room, drops into a chair, and buries her face in her hands. very softly and privately Fuzzy whispers to Roland's mind. \I would break those now, but unless something comes up before I'm ready to fry the thing on the other end of those strings, I would rather wait until then. What is your opinion? She should Not be reminded of that spell before the time comes\ > `Gods and demons, and I thought we had problems before ...' Xzerrion > sits back in one of the chairs, going over some of the earliest > things he was taught, the one part of magic he never saw use for : > coercion. Decades after his lessoning, he finally found a reason to > thank that teacher, as whatever is known about placing coercions can > be used to break them. He flips open his spell book and starts > thumbing through the pages ... > > any drow mage practices are applicable to trying to break the hooks > out or shield them in some way. > =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 07:20:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 97 10:10:16 +0100, in Message # 00000612 Roland X said: >On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 22:46:01, in Message # 00000607 > "L.J. Wolfe" said: >"_He_ can't. But I can still feel his... " Again she struggles for >the right word, and gestures toward her head. "...the - hooks - he >left in here. _Someone_ is on the other end of those strings. If it >isn't Gaunt, then...." She finally hits a thought she can't force >herself to speak. A tear slides down her cheek. Her eyes meet >Roland's again, then with a sob she flees to the far side of the >room, drops into a chair, and buries her face in her hands. Roland is at her side in an instant. *Morgan. MORGAN! _Listen_ to me! It's not what you think!* /At least, I _hope_ she.../ *Someone _is_ at the other end of that link. But it's not the Adversary.* Roland projects a memory mentally... (A while ago, I wrote:) > "There can be only one," Roland says, his >voice thick with irony. > The grove explodes in light and power. > Flickers of electricity pass from Gaunt's >still form to Morgan's forehead, slowly moving >from Byron's halo to Roland's. *When I...killed Byron,* Roland says, admitting what happened for the first time, *his power, his knowledge, flowed into _me._ Not the Adversary. No one's ever going to force their will on you again. EVER.* Roland, physically and emotionally drained, kneels at Morgan side, cradling her in his arms. *You're free, Morgan. Free.* =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 08:34:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:28:44 -0500, in Message # 00000613 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Fri, 25 Jul 97 10:10:16 +0100, in Message # 00000612 > Roland X said: > > *When I...killed Byron,* Roland says, admitting what >happened for the first time, *his power, his knowledge, >flowed into _me._ Not the Adversary. No one's ever >going to force their will on you again. EVER.* > Roland, physically and emotionally drained, kneels >at Morgan side, cradling her in his arms. > *You're free, Morgan. Free.* Pyewackett looks up from the trout he has been eating. Licking his lips, he sends, *So, what? The tugging Morgan is feeling is you?* Knytt looks up, "I was wondering the smae thing myself." --Knytt and Pyewackett +-------------------------------------+------------------------------+ | Since the universe is curved, there |Michael Knight (Alias: Knytt)| |cannot be any truly straight answers.| Companion of the feline God, | | | Pyewackett, Chronicler of the| | -- J, Michael Straczynski | Musings of Zathras and Keeper| +-------------------------------------+-------+ of the family Zathras| | http://www.smartnet.net/~mjknight/index.html | greeting card list. | +----------------------------------------------+---------------------+ "I AM NOT A NUMBER I AM A FREE-WHEELING UNICYCLE" -- Kadiatu _The Also People: Doctor Who - The New Adventures_ by Ben Aaronovitch =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 09:05:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 09:01:40, in Message # 00000614 "L.J. Wolfe" said: >On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 00:18:24 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000611 > fuzzy said: > >>On Thu, 24 Jul 1997 22:46:01, in Message # 00000607 >> "L.J. Wolfe" said: >> >>"Beloved, Byron... broke me. Broke my will. I was his. If you >>hadn't... I _would_ have gone with him. Willingly." Morgan can >>barely speak by now, her voice choked with grief. > >"No, That is formost of the Great Lies!" >"Willingly, Means of Your! Free Will, Not! your Coerced! will." Morgan looks at Fuzzy. "Much as it pains me to say it, it wasn't entirely coercion." A small smile starts to break through the pain, but doesn't quite make it. "Let's just say that - _part_ of me _was_ willing. Almost enough to override the part that cares about all of you." She does manage a smile at Roland. "Almost." >On Fri, 25 Jul 97 10:10:16 +0100, in Message # 00000612 > Roland X said: > > Roland is at her side in an instant. *Morgan. MORGAN! >_Listen_ to me! It's not what you think!* /At least, I >_hope_ she.../ *Someone _is_ at the other end of that >link. But it's not the Adversary.* > Roland projects a memory mentally... > >(A while ago, I wrote:) >> "There can be only one," Roland says, his >>voice thick with irony. >> The grove explodes in light and power. >> Flickers of electricity pass from Gaunt's >>still form to Morgan's forehead, slowly moving >>from Byron's halo to Roland's. As the memory plays in her head, she slowly looks up and into Roland's eyes. > *When I...killed Byron,* Roland says, admitting what >happened for the first time, *his power, his knowledge, >flowed into _me._ Not the Adversary. No one's ever >going to force their will on you again. EVER.* In her face he can see the realization dawning, that her fears are unfounded. That the power Gaunt had held over her, the seductive attraction that had almost caused her to betray the people closest to her, now resided in someone who would never, _ever_, use it against her. > Roland, physically and emotionally drained, kneels >at Morgan side, cradling her in his arms. > *You're free, Morgan. Free.* Although tears had been flowing before, Morgan now broke into open sobbing. Safe in Roland's arms, her arms wrapped tightly around him, she finally released all the pent up emotions of her recent ordeal. "Light, I love you!" They both speak simultaneously, look at each other in brief surprise, and laugh. Then they kiss. A long, lingering, loving kiss that seems to last an eternity. .> When finally they come up for air, Morgan sighs. "Love, we're both exhausted. Let's go get some sleep." Roland nods agreement, and they stand. To the rest of the CAoL in the room, she adds, "We can get down to planning our next move in - Dibis is back on 'regular' hours now? - in the morning." The Highlander and the Freelance Immortal head down the hall toward the sleeping quarters, arms still wrapped tightly around each other. Cutter and Leetah follow, and are later noticed sleeping outside one of the doors, forming an effective 'do not disturb' sign. =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:04:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 09:33:38 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000615 "P. Campbell" said: On Fri, 25 Jul 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > > When finally they come up for air, Morgan sighs. "Love, we're both > exhausted. Let's go get some sleep." Roland nods agreement, and they > stand. To the rest of the CAoL in the room, she adds, "We can get > down to planning our next move in - Dibis is back on 'regular' hours > now? - in the morning." Xzerrion, carefully keeping a straight face, agrees. `True, I don't think anybody here is awake enough to plan effectively. Time enough in the morning. For now, I'm going to go find a bathing room,' /*assuming they aren't *all* occupied by lovers*/ `and a bed, in that order.' As Xzerrion retires for the night, Ak'hasta slips an arm around Argent's shoulders. `Perhaps we should get to bed as well, beloved. I have the feeling our work here is just beginning.' Beneath his casual words, Argent catches that for the first time, Ak'hasta is somewhere he might consider home, and that is something he'd be willing to fight and die for. - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:04:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 09:57:58 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000616 fuzzy said: > On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 09:01:40, in Message # 00000614 > "L.J. Wolfe" said: > > Morgan looks at Fuzzy. "Much as it pains me to say it, it wasn't > entirely coercion." A small smile starts to break through the pain, > but doesn't quite make it. "Let's just say that - _part_ of me _was_ > willing. Almost enough to override the part that cares about all of > you." She does manage a smile at Roland. "Almost." "There are many forms of Coercion, Both hard and soft, neither is of your Free Will" [snip Resolution] > "Light, I love you!" They both speak simultaneously, look at each > other in brief surprise, and laugh. Then they kiss. A long, > lingering, loving kiss that seems to last an eternity. help but get this silly picture of the other Callahanians whistling, > looking at watches, closely examining fingernails, etc., while the > kiss goes on and on and _on_ .> Dealing with that persistant itch between the pads of the left forepaw... > When finally they come up for air, Morgan sighs. "Love, we're both > exhausted. Let's go get some sleep." Roland nods agreement, and they > stand. To the rest of the CAoL in the room, she adds, "We can get > down to planning our next move in - Dibis is back on 'regular' hours > now? - in the morning." "Probably going to 3 shifts, as the local hostiles are still on the nightshift, and no-one wants to give them any advantage by sleeping when the attack is most likely to come. See you in 6 to 8 hours." =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 14:56:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Morning On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 14:41:00 PDT, in Message # 00000618 "Caprice Davis" said: Caprice listens to Morgan's statement about meeting in the morning, and chuckles a bit. "Morgan, morning is about... an hour from now. "Why don't we retire, and sleep ourselves out? Those of us who only need four or five hours can meet, and get some breakfast and some talking done, while the others get the sleep THEY need..." =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 16:34:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 16:27:47 PDT, in Message # 00000620 "Caprice Davis" said: "P. Campbell" said: >As Xzerrion retires for the night, Ak'hasta slips an arm around >Argent's shoulders. `Perhaps we should get to bed as well, beloved. I >have the feeling our work here is just beginning.' Beneath his casual >words, Argent catches that for the first time, Ak'hasta is somewhere >he might consider home, and that is something he'd be willing to >fight and die for. Argent looks up into his eyes, and smiles softly... "Yes, let's go..." Her voice has a tenderness to it that seems worlds away from the battle hardened merc. Caprice watches the pair leave without a world, her expression not changing until they are long gone... then she pulls a heavy goblet out of thin air, and takes a long pull on it. A small cask appears on the chair beside her, as Caprice begins to drink. =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 17:04:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Morning On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 16:44:26 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000621 fuzzy said: > On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 14:41:00 PDT, in Message # 00000618 > "Caprice Davis" said: > > "Why don't we retire, and sleep ourselves out? Those of us who only > need four or five hours can meet, and get some breakfast and some > talking done, while the others get the sleep THEY need..." Fuzzy finds several places to nap during the 'off' hours until people start waking up or something else of interest happens... =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 17:34:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 97 19:13:59 CDT, in Message # 00000623 Mike Knight said: >On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 16:27:47 PDT, in Message # 00000620 > "Caprice Davis" said: > >Caprice watches the pair leave without a world, her expression not >changing until they are long gone... then she pulls a heavy goblet >out of thin air, and takes a long pull on it. A small cask appears on >the chair beside her, as Caprice begins to drink. Knytt and Pyewackett start for the bedrooms, when they notice the cask. They exchange a look and Pyewackett wanders off to stake out a bedroom. Knytt turns, hands in her pockets, and walks over to Caprice. She withdraws an empty hand and with a wave of the wrist, holds a small glass mug. "Mind if I join you?" --Knytt and Pyewackett =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 19:04:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 21:59:26 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000625 caprice said: On Fri, 25 Jul 1997, Mike Knight wrote: > > "Mind if I join you?" "Certainly... you may want to go easy on it... Spirits of wine..." She fills Knytts mug, and returns to sipping her own, brooding. =========================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 22:34:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 00:25:08 -0500, in Message # 00000626 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 21:59:26 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000625 > caprice said: > >"Certainly... you may want to go easy on it... Spirits of wine..." >She fills Knytts mug, and returns to sipping her own, brooding. Knytt arches an eyebrow as she looks at the liquid. She takes a sip. "Interesting." Sitting down in a chair, Knytt stares into her drink, sipping from it occasionally. --Knytt =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 07:19:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 10:05:37 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000627 caprice said: On Fri, 25 Jul 1997, Michael Jon Knight wrote: > > Sitting down in a chair, Knytt stares into her drink, sipping from > it occasionally. Caprice seems to be listening to some internal arguement... it is a while before she speaks, "How are you holding up with the change?" (OOC: Spirits of wine... take wine, freeze it, throw away the ice... this is the part that didn't freeze. Very potent. :) ) =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 10:04:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 97 11:51:15 CDT, in Message # 00000628 Mike Knight said: >On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 10:05:37 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000627 > caprice said: > >Caprice seems to be listening to some internal arguement... it is a >while before she speaks, "How are you holding up with the change?" > >(OOC: Spirits of wine... take wine, freeze it, throw away the ice... >this is the part that didn't freeze. Very potent. :) ) Knytt thinks for a moment. "I don't think it has really hit me yet. Once this is all over, I expect it will all come flooding over me. Right now, I have Pyewackett to worry about. He's an adult, but that doesn't change my concern. How are you holding up?" --Knytt =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 10:34:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 13:16:44 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000629 caprice said: On Sat, 26 Jul 1997, Mike Knight wrote: > > Knytt thinks for a moment. "I don't think it has really hit me yet. > Once this is all over, I expect it will all come flooding over me. > Right now, I have Pyewackett to worry about. He's an adult, but that > doesn't change my concern. How are you holding up?" "Going in a dozen directions at once, as usual... and watching the lovebirds isn't helping our mood any." She takes a sip of her drink. "We'll survive, it's something we are good at. Some of us just aren't very happy in the meantime." =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 11:49:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 97 13:04:46 CDT, in Message # 00000631 Mike Knight said: >On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 13:16:44 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000629 > caprice said: > >"Going in a dozen directions at once, as usual... and watching the >lovebirds isn't helping our mood any." She takes a sip >of her drink. "We'll survive, it's something we are good at. Some of >us just aren't very happy in the meantime." Knytt chuckles and takes a small sip from the mug. "When my mother first married my stepfather, they would make me nauseaus with their newlywed routine. They couldn't order from McDonalds without checking with each other first. As I got older and into relationships myself, I began to understand a bit more." She pauses, a sad look in her eyes, then continues, "But back then, it was partly the apparent inability to make a decision alone, and partly because I saw something there that I wanted, but didn't have. I can live with the later. But if I hear 'I don't know, honey, what do *you* want to do?' I am going to get very cranky." --Knytt =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 13:49:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 16:40:58 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000633 caprice said: On Sat, 26 Jul 1997, Mike Knight wrote: > > "When my mother first married my stepfather, they would make me > nauseaus with their newlywed routine. They couldn't order from > McDonalds without checking with each other first. As I got older and > into relationships myself, I began to understand a bit more." She > pauses, a sad look in her eyes, then continues, "But back then, it > was partly the apparent inability to make a decision alone, and > partly because I saw something there that I wanted, but didn't have. > I can live with the later. But if I hear 'I don't know, honey, what > do *you* want to do?' I am going to get very cranky." "At least you have that experience.... We've never been in a relationship though some of us have... So we know what we are missing, which makes it even worse in some was..." Caprice sighs, and takes a sip of her drink. "Are we making any sense?" =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 14:04:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 13:53:30 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000635 "P. Campbell" said: On Fri, 25 Jul 1997, Caprice Davis wrote: > Argent looks up into his eyes, and smiles softly... "Yes, let's > go..." Her voice has a tenderness to it that seems worlds away from > the battle hardened merc. _In a bedchamber, some undetermined number of hours later_ Ak'hasta rolls onto his back and sighs. `I suppose this is where I tell you I'm not exactly the idealist you might have thought. Just to survive, over the past century of so, I've made so many compromises between morality and expediency it sometimes makes me sick. For about seven decades, I served as Drisonel's primary consort. Not because I loved her, or even that I cared for her in the slightest. It was a road to advancement in drow society. It moved me up from being a commoner of a lower house to the weaponmaster of House Yvaness. I held no illusions as to why she chose me, either. It was simply that I was the best warrior around, and she needed me to train her soldiers into what they are today. I knew if I couldn't do that, she'd sacrifice me without a blink of an eye or a single tear. If I had known what that position would lead to, I'd never have taken it, but after being Drisonel's weaponmaster for a couple decades, what was I to do? I couldn't leave her, not unless I wanted out of this life as well as out of the position.' He shivers suddenly, realizing that leaving her is exactly what he's done now, and the sanctuary of the guildhall isn't likely to last forever. `At least, at the time I felt I couldn't leave her. Through decades of service to Drisonel, I regularly had to do ... things ... that would chill the heart of any human or light elf. It's hard to imagine what is accepted as a matter of course in drow society unless you've grown up in it. I'm surprised there's enough of an inner core left in me for you to love.' `The worst came soon after we supported House Eilservs in the annihilation of House Rilynt'tar. I wasn't involved in that massacre, thank the gods, as Drisonel did not want it openly known that we were involved. But my strategic knowledge planned it, and I helped train many of the warriors involved. I suppose it was a fitting punishment that one of my few friends, the weaponmaster of House Eilservs, was killed in that assault, rumor has it by Xzerrion's own hand. I led the guard detail that spotted Xzerrion and his sister Akordia outside our complex, coming to seek justice from the ruling council. I could have told them it would be futile, that no one would dare act against the first and second houses united, especially with the third house ... gone. Instead, I let them plead their case directly to Drisonel, and saw them both betrayed. They both would have died that day, if it was not for Xzerrion's magic and the actions of my daughter Tezrantha. The two of them escaped into an upper level of our complex, and Tezrantha hid them in her chamber as my soldiers tried to search them out. She paid for that eventually, too. It leaked out that she was covertly helping the two of them try to overthrow the ruling council by organizing a conspiracy of the lower houses. Akordia was captured and killed, and Tezrantha was captured and given to the Zhentarim of the surface as a slave, her priestly powers blocked. I pleaded with Drisonel not to give up our daughter like that, but all that earned me was the loss of my position as consort, from then on serving only as weaponsmaster, with far less influence. At that time, I still had enough loyalty to her to continue scouting out what remained of the conspiracy. I learned that Xzerrion planned a counterstrike, a solo suicide mission intended to take out Drisonel, the matron of house Eilservs, and as many nobles and priestesses as he could arrange. At that time, I made probably the only moral decision of my life to that point. I let him through, by putting all of our guards in the wrong places. He reached the Grand Temple, and called a retributive strike on the lot of them. My only regret is that Drisonel lived.' He fingers several deep scars along his back. `Drisonel gave me those, for incompetence. I'm only lucky she didn't realize it was disloyalty.' He falls silent for a time, drifting in elvish reverie. - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 15:34:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 18:19:37 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000636 caprice said: On Sat, 26 Jul 1997, P. Campbell wrote: > > Ak'hasta rolls onto his back and sighs. `I suppose this is where I > tell you I'm not exactly the idealist you might have thought. Just > to survive, over the past century of so, I've made so many > compromises between morality and expediency it sometimes makes me > sick. Argent shakes her head. "I've never expected otherwise... I know Drow society... " > If I had known what that position would lead to, I'd never have > taken it, but after being Drisonel's weaponmaster for a couple > decades, what was I to do? I couldn't leave her, not unless I wanted > out of this life as well as out of the position.' He shivers > suddenly, realizing that leaving her is exactly what he's done now, > and the sanctuary of the guildhall isn't likely to last forever. Argent caresses his side soothingly, letting him talk as he needs to. > `At least, at the time I felt I couldn't leave her. Through decades > of service to Drisonel, I regularly had to do ... things ... that > would chill the heart of any human or light elf. It's hard to > imagine what is accepted as a matter of course in drow society > unless you've grown up in it. I'm surprised there's enough of an > inner core left in me for you to love.' Argent kisses his cheek softly, and just holds Ak'hasta. > He fingers several deep scars along his back. `Drisonel gave me > those, for incompetence. I'm only lucky she didn't realize it was > disloyalty.' > > He falls silent for a time, drifting in elvish reverie. Argent sighs... "Where to begin... My grandfather probably... he was drow... he seduced my grandmother, and abandoned her on the streets when she began pregnant... My mother looked completely human though... she was forced into a life of prostitution... I have no idea who my father was... but I was born... with these features." Argent gestures to herself, the high cheekbones and added height... the upswept ears that just miss an elvish point, and the white hair. Too human to be elf, to elven to be human. "I... caught hell growing up... especially living in a gutter where everyone knew the story... my mother wanted something better for me, so when I was about ten she lied about my age, and got me apprenticed as an assassian... I took the name of Whisp then. "That lasted until adolscence hit... it hit me late, but hard... I was about... seventeen... I grew like a weed... and started looking more and more elven... My master claimed I was clumsy and worthless as an assassain... I was expelled in disgrace..." Argent falls silent for a moment, the memories obviously painful. "By then.... my mother was dead... I was fortunate enough to be accepted by the mercenary's guild... I spent five years training... another several doing various jobs, before being hired by the Drow..." "I... took the job as a means of revenge... I.... while I was working as a bodyguard, I used my skills as an assassain to kill drow, and seeing that other drow got blamed... "Then you noticed me... started training me yourself... it was the first time anyone had ever noticed me... for anything good... And... I started seeing you as a person, not a faceless drow... And I started to wish..." Argent stops, tears on her cheeks, and just kisses Ak'hasta, clinging to him tightly. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 22:19:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE III-Shades of corruption On Sun, 27 Jul 1997 00:15:24 -0500, in Message # 00000637 Michael Jon Knight said: >On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 16:40:58 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000633 > caprice said: > >"At least you have that experience.... We've never been in a >relationship though some of us have... So we know what we are >missing, which makes it even worse in some was..." Caprice sighs, and >takes a sip of her drink. > >"Are we making any sense?" "Yes. It makes sense." Knytt sips her drink, thinking. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 23:04:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE 3 : Argent & Ak'hasta On Sat, 26 Jul 1997 22:52:20 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000638 "P. Campbell" said: On Sat, 26 Jul 1997, caprice wrote: > > Argent shakes her head. "I've never expected otherwise... I know > Drow society... " `True, but knowing it intellectually is one thing, living it for decades is another. Having to cold-bloodedly give the order to have noble children put to the death, just to remove any rights of accusation is one of the less pleasant aspects of our society. Interhouse warfare hasn't been as prevalent here, as Drisonel was already established as leading the other houses. It got bloody in Undraeth.' > Argent kisses his cheek softly, and just holds Ak'hasta. Ak'hasta clings to her while telling the story, quite a difference from the fearless invincible weaponsmaster seen in public. > Argent sighs... "Where to begin... My grandfather probably... he was > drow... he seduced my grandmother, and abandoned her on the streets > when she began pregnant... My mother looked completely human > though... she was forced into a life of prostitution... I have no > idea who my father was... but I was born... with these features." > > Argent gestures to herself, the high cheekbones and added height... > the upswept ears that just miss an elvish point, and the white hair. > Too human to be elf, to elven to be human. This time Ak'hasta kisses her, running a hand over the part elvish, part human form. > "That lasted until adolscence hit... it hit me late, but hard... I > was about... seventeen... I grew like a weed... and started looking > more and more elven... My master claimed I was clumsy and worthless > as an assassain... I was expelled in disgrace..." `Clumsy and worthless? Never that my love, I chose my students quite carefully, and you are better than any number of the younger drow who wished my instruction.' > "I... took the job as a means of revenge... I.... while I was > working as a bodyguard, I used my skills as an assassain to kill > drow, and seeing that other drow got blamed... `I suspected as much. I had been carefully training you, hoping someday you might take a shot at Drisonel. If you ever had, that would have led to my joining you openly.' > Argent stops, tears on her cheeks, and just kisses Ak'hasta, > clinging to him tightly. Ak'hasta holds her, kissing away the tears. `We have each other now, and together, nothing can harm us any longer.' - Xzerrion =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Jul 1997 00:19:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Hospital talk On Sun, 27 Jul 1997 03:15:49 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000639 Shadow said: John arrives at the hospital, and unerringly heads towards the critical injury ward. As he enters he immediately sees Biles, sitting up in bed and being tended to by a very pretty healer. He greets John and asks Marissa to step outside so that he can talk with his commanding officer. She gets up but she gives John a _LOOK_, and warns him as she walks by, "Don't you dare tire him out or..." John, fully cloaked, reassures the woman and watches her leave. He turns toward the commander, and grins, "Already? That's fast, even.. for.. you?" John slowly trails off as he realizes that he _shouldn't_ know this much about the commander, but decides to worry about it later. Biles ignores his hesitation, and just grins up at him, "What can I say? I was wounded on the field and she just happened to come to my aid. Although this is a nice hospital, almost up to the standards of The Nest back at base prime. I take it we won? I wasn't very conscious at that point." "Yes, we've taken the city. I sent the men back to base. Do you have a means to follow them? If not, I could send you back now." "Each of us has an ID transmitter, I'll be able to get back just fine. I think I'll just enjoy a little RnR, while I'm here. With the time differential, I shouldn't be missed." John nods, "Good, I'm a little tired right now. Everyone is meeting at the assassins hall, so I'm going to head over there. See you around, for the first time." Biles extends his hand, "Hopefully the next time I see you, you'll be corporeal again." John winces, "Don't remind me of that, please. I've enough to not think of as it is. Enough that I must forget, as well." John catches sight of a head peering around the doorway, "I'd better go before your nursemaid decides I'm not good for your health and does _me_ severe bodily damage." John turns and walks out of the hospital, making his way toward the Assassin's Guild. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Jul 1997 00:49:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Regrouping On Sun, 27 Jul 1997 03:33:01 -0400 (EDT), in Message # 00000640 Shadow said: > On Sat, 19 Jul 1997 13:39:53 -0700 (PDT), in Message # 00000531 > "P. Campbell" said: > > Ak'hasta looks at Argent, then Caprice, then finally turns back to > Argent. A smile is immediately supressed as he considers the > possible entertainment value of there being two of her. He takes a > seat with his back to a wall, between Argent and Caprice. Though > outwardly calm, he takes careful note of where the exits are. John is one of the last people to arrive. As he walks into the room he catches sight of Ak'hasta, and stops a moment, his ears flicking forward. Noting that everyone else is here with him, and not taking Ak'hasta for a threat, he performs a small bow, as to one an equal or slightly lesser rank than oneself, "Weaponmaster Ak'hasta, it is an honor to have you here with us. It is a pity we didn't have much of a chance to meet earlier, but then, of course, I doubt I would have been very good company at that time." He moves over to an empty corner and folds his legs up underneath him, sitting on air again. ===========================