Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 38 Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 23:39:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... On Thu, 07 May 1998 23:34:45 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004323 /We're walking into the lion's den, folx. Bloody nass, we're walking into the lion's _mouth._ Let's get set up. I want all tech tempest hardened (see footnote) and generally shielded; if _I_ were in his place, I'd have EM storms all over the place. All psis, if you can duplicate this {} metashield, do so before we go in. We'll probably want to overlap that as much as possible. Mages will want to do something similar, maybe some sort of purification procedures-we _know_ that Jadis can 'foul' a magickal atmosphere. Also, everyone should have their own source of 'power.' Relying on ambient energy in a place where _he_ makes the rules is gonna be a serious problem. /That reminds me, I'm sure you cosmic types have equivalents for what I'm talking about. But I want us to hold something in reserve. Hydra, Nemo, Sil, I want you three to have something 'up your sleeves,' proverbially speaking. Maybe set up a-/ Sil smiles. /Set up something like an internal resonance field that can suddenly lend our power to another, allowing them to wield cosmic force through their own paradigm 'filter?'/ Roland smiles. /Good example, Sil. We need to be unpredictable, and we need to outthink him. Those two goals may seem contradictory, but we have to find a way to do it regardless. /Any questions?/ Jadis' reality. At the 'edge' of Jadis' domain, there's a polite 'knock.' The energies surrounding the entity doing the knocking will be immediately identified as the technology of the 'Shadows.' (Assuming that Jadis makes contact or allows the entry) A suave man, wearing an impeccable 23rd century suit, walks in/up. "Greetings, Lord Jadis. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Morden, and I work for our...mutual associate. If I may present my colleague." Morden looks neutrally at the approaching Shard. "Hey, Jadis, nice digs ya got here, where's the brew? Y'know what, f**k the brew, where are the babes?" Shard walks in as if he owns the place, but he carefully avoids touching anything clearly important to Jadis. Immediately following Shard are nine humans dressed in black robes and armor. On each of their right ring fingers is a faintly glowing ring. The Nazgul. (The Nazgul are magical hunters from Lord of the Rings; think enchanted Terminators, but toughter. MUCH tougher.) The Nazgul bow to Jadis as one. "I ask you to pardon my...colleague. He has recently ended a ten thousand year imprisonment as the sword 'Shadow Brand,' and is eager to indulge in sensory experience." Morden looks coldly at the deadly immortal, who is almost glowing with the power of Roland's kind. If there are female humans present, Shard is leering at the most attractive one, assuming said 'one' isn't hideous. "I have other duties, but these are at your disposal for the moment. Shard may be called to other duties, but the Nazgul are yours for 'the duration.'" Morden bows with courteous grace... (footnote): 'Tempest hardening' is a kind of protection given to computers and electronic devices; it prevents them from being 'read' by a 'Tempest' device that uses the output system's EM signature to tap the computer from a distance. In the ultratech realms some of our characters deal with, I would imagine that that would include hypertech 'Tempest' hacking and the like. =========================== Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 18:39:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... On Fri, 8 May 1998 21:35:50 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004326 On Thu, 7 May 1998, Morgan wrote: > Jadis' reality. > At the 'edge' of Jadis' domain, there's a polite 'knock.' The > energies surrounding the entity doing the knocking will be > immediately identified as the technology of the 'Shadows.' > (Assuming that Jadis makes contact or allows the entry) > A suave man, wearing an impeccable 23rd century suit, walks > in/up. "Greetings, Lord Jadis. Please, allow me to introduce myself. > I am Morden, and I work for our...mutual associate. If I may present > my colleague." Morden looks neutrally at the approaching Shard. "Ahh, Mr. Morden, it is so nice to finally meet you." Jadis smiles, then looks over Shard. > "Hey, Jadis, nice digs ya got here, where's the brew? Y'know > what, f**k the brew, where are the babes?" Shard walks in as if he > owns the place, but he carefully avoids touching anything clearly > important to Jadis. Immediately following Shard are nine humans > dressed in black robes and armor. On each of their right ring > fingers is a faintly glowing ring. The Nazgul. (The Nazgul are > magical hunters from Lord of the Rings; think enchanted Terminators, > but toughter. MUCH tougher.) The Nazgul bow to Jadis as one. Jadis nods his head in return. > "I ask you to pardon my...colleague. He has recently ended a ten > thousand year imprisonment as the sword 'Shadow Brand,' and is eager > to indulge in sensory experience." Morden looks coldly at the deadly > immortal, who is almost glowing with the power of Roland's kind. If > there are female humans present, Shard is leering at the most > attractive one, assuming said 'one' isn't hideous. "Yes, Yes. Well, I'm sure I can provide him with whatever sensory experiences he may desire." Jadis pauses, as if trying te recall something, "Shard, yes, that's what I believe you are called, you wish to experience the pleasures of the flesh? Please," Jadis gestures, and a doorway opens, "Avail yourself of whomsoever of my servants pleases you." > "I have other duties, but these are at your disposal for the > moment. Shard may be called to other duties, but the Nazgul are > yours for 'the duration.'" Morden bows with courteous grace... "Thank you, Mr. Morden, and should you ever find yourself in need of assistance, or even an employer, do not hesitate to call upon me. People such as yourself are hard to come by." Jadis gives a courteous bow as Morden leaves. He turns to the Nazgul, "You I can use. Come!" He turns and walks away. =========================== Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 22:33:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... On Fri, 08 May 1998 22:25:20 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004328 >On Thu, 07 May 1998 23:34:45 >Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004323 > /We're walking into the lion's den, folx. Bloody nass, we're >walking into the lion's _mouth._ Let's get set up. ... > /Any questions?/ /Not a question so much as a comment,/ Morgan's 'voice' is heard. /All I needed to recover was a little while away from the ley line tango. I'm _fine_./ The last two words were directed mostly at Roland, who returns his lady's mental smile. /But the talks between the psions and mages here have broken down, _again._/ She sighs. /Nothing too serious, but if you think you can get on without me I'd like to stay here another day or so and see if I can smooth this over. It's nothing major - I should be able to join you before you even realize I'm gone./ /So, friends, as they say, "Have fun stormin' the castle."/ =========================== Date: Sat, 9 May 1998 05:40:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... On Fri, 8 May 1998 22:05:56 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004329 > On Thu, 07 May 1998 23:34:45 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004323 > > /We're walking into the lion's den, folx. Bloody nass, we're > walking into the lion's _mouth._ Let's get set up. I want all tech > tempest hardened (see footnote) and generally shielded; if _I_ were > in his place, I'd have EM storms all over the place. All psis, if > you can duplicate this {} metashield, do so before we go in. We'll > probably want to overlap that as much as possible. Mages will want > to do something similar, maybe some sort of purification procedures > -we _know_ that Jadis can 'foul' a magickal atmosphere. Also, > everyone should have their own source of 'power.' Relying on ambient > energy in a place where _he_ makes the rules is gonna be a serious > problem. /There *has* to be matter. And where there's matter, I can supply energy. That is, assuming that no one minds the landscape getting chewed up. :-)/ > /That reminds me, I'm sure you cosmic types have equivalents for > what I'm talking about. But I want us to hold something in reserve. > Hydra, Nemo, Sil, I want you three to have something 'up your > sleeves,' proverbially speaking. Maybe set up a-/ > Sil smiles. /Set up something like an internal resonance field > that can suddenly lend our power to another, allowing them to wield > cosmic force through their own paradigm 'filter?'/ > Roland smiles. /Good example, Sil. We need to be unpredictable, > and we need to outthink him. Those two goals may seem contradictory, > but we have to find a way to do it regardless. /How much extra weight can each of you haul around without being overly burdened? We can "charge" the power taps with that much energy as a reserve. Even a mere ten kilos is a *lot* of power. And it'll "look" like extra body mass and extra equipment unless Jadis can scan thru our shields so well that we're toast anyway./ =========================== Date: Sat, 9 May 1998 19:06:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: A Real Death Trap On Sat, 9 May 1998 21:47:06 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004333 In between her shadow transition from deep in the crust of London, and appearing in the medical ward of the church, Zia pauses. "Well. Can't say that Roland doesn't have the stubbornness I'd expect out of a distant cousin." She snorts in ironic amusement, "I just can't get off on the right foot with any of them. Except for him and Uncle Benedict, what a bunch of nasty packages. Including," she sighs, "me, apparently, in the CAoL's opinion. I'd known I wouldn't fit in, but at least it was busy enough to keep my mind of this NEXT part. There are times I hate knowing more than a fourth-dimension entity." With a wave of her hand, and carefully hoarded (and shielded) energies, she creates a copy of herself. The copy pats her on the shoulder, and goes on to join Sera at the infirmary. The original herself turns, and follows the trace through to Jadis' world. Her face is utterly calm, but also utterly without hope. "Hello, Jadis?" She inquires as she steps forth, noting the godhead from Earth cut to 50% of its former power without even a trace of surprise. "Would you like to dance? Do you know the foxtrot, or are you a tango man?" She grins, as if she knows something he doesn't. Jadis steps out of the air after Zia's greeting. "My dear girl, I don't dance on the first date. Unless you wish to make the offer more.. tempting? A wager perhaps? If I win, then I shall consume your very essence." Jadis smiles, "Best to know the stakes from the start." "Dear girl? I'm disappointed in you, Jadis. You could have had your second date, and instead you want to try and consume my chi? How droll and even one might say predictable, for a self-styled blackguard. I'd hoped you'd be some surprise instead." She tsks and shakes her head. "No matter. The wager on my side is thus; if you fail to vanquish me, you pay up by giving me John, as whole and as unhindered as you can deliver him. In addition, you tell me who is really the mastermind of this long-spanning multi-pronged charade, and WHY." Jadis considers, "Release John and tell you about what's really behind this farce. Very well. Pick your weapon." "Wits and internal powers that do not change anything externally. Or more simply, no changing the ground, but everything natural you have inside short of the probability bending and godly control of this place. All I want is a personal match, between us. No tools or changes." The diminutive brunette answers without hesitation. "Very well." Jadis gets into a ready stance and his black aura begins to manifest. "It should be interesting to see how far I have recovered from that debacle with the Greys." He extends his hand and coruscating energies flow outward to engulf Zia. They're met and ensnared within a Gordian knot of blue lambent wiggling lines, as Zia gives him a single raised eyebrow. She seems to be asking did you really think that would do it?' "Well, that didn't work." he says. "This might actually be mildly entertaining." Zia gives him a brief considering look. Then she laughs, a short bark of amusement. The energies he tossed earlier have become the same vibrant blue as her own. With a nod, she expands the protective field into a lace-like intricacy involving some kind of fractal structural base, that slowly changes shapes. With a loud crack, Jadis calls lighting down from the sky onto Zia. He follows it up by creating a small black dragon out of energy which flies straight for her. Eyes bright and face smiling in blazing battle-delight, now, the short lady reaches up into the descending light, and gathers the lightning into her hands. As the dragon comes in, she meets it with the brightness extended, and the energies meld together seamlessly. Zia seems to absorb the radiating and extra energies without any trouble. Forming the preserved excess still external to herself into a great Chinese spear, she shies it back at Jadis with a sudden pitch of her arm. Completely without forewarning of the motion, it flies straight towards his mid-section. Jadis rolls out of the way, coming to his feet and throwing a rain of flickering ice daggers at Zia. She snatches two from the air, and uses them to deflect the rest of the incoming swarm. "It's far more traditional to use glass, or at least the para-elemental ice, you know. This modern touches have never seemed an improvement to me." With a slight frown, she chucks the two daggers blade first into the ground near her feet. Her face turns solemn in concentration. There is a flare, mostly damped, under the left arm of her uniform. Jadis watches Zia warily, "Enough of this elemental crap." He takes to the air, zooming up about 40 feet or so. Twelve glowing white balls of positive energy begin to circle around him, starting about pea-sized and growing to the size of a good cantaloupe. The balls fly out from Jadis, assuming the shapes of firebirds. They speed toward Zia from all directions. The target stamps her foot, once sharply. The ground sprays up, and around her rather like water during a great splash. The tunnel of earth collapses on top of her, shielding her completely with insulating earth. The birds explode, revealing the corrupted energies inside them. The black energy writhes about the earth mound. Which, after a second, suddenly dims as all the energy is sucked deep within. With a shout of defiance, Zia breaks from the top of it into the air, lashing two long black tendrils of utterly Chaotic energy at Jadis as her black dragon-like wings stroke. She gets higher and stoops savagely diving at him, wings folded back like any practiced raptor might. "Change is still myself!" She screams, dropping a good body blow with both feet to momentarily spin him in the air, although she hisses in annoyance as he manages to avoid both Logrus tendrils. Jadis begins to swoop and dive around Zia, firing off both positive and corrupt energy bolts at her from various angles, "Looks like you get your dance after all, my dear. I must admit I am impressed, I truly didn't think you'd survive this long." She laughs at him, the power swirling about her actually having become slowly more powerful as he continued trying to blast her. Jadis reverses in mid-dodge, his kris appearing in his hand. Moving in toward Zia, he slashes at her mid-section. Hurriedly, Zia just managed to quick draw her wazikashi, and bind the blow partially off to her side, receiving only a long shallow cut instead of a mortal blow. The pain disrupts her concentration, however, and the Logrus tendrils she had been employing to attack fade. In a bid to stop the physical attack, she reaches over with her off hand, grabbing his weapon wrist and attempting to use her strength to flat-out crush the joint. Jadis hits her with a draining bolt of anti-energy. Zia falters as part of her energy was drawn off. She scrambles to re-set her shields, to only accept the non-draining energies, but allows the concern of that to distract her a bit too much at the critical moment. Jadis steps into the opening, ramming his kris into her sternum. He smiles as her life energies drain into him, pulling her around and holding her crosswise in the air. He looks down at her, "It seems our dance is finished. Looks like you weren't quite as good as you thought." "Th -that's a-ahll right, you are lousy dancer anyway." She pants back. "No, dips in the foxtrot, except, for you." The blue energy that had been arcing to Jadis dimmed, becoming white, as the fulsome brunette struggled to recover enough to launch a better defense. Her attempts to cut off the drain of the nullifying forces he was using were working, but not fast enough to save her. As the stream becomes white, her concentration wavers; Jadis was beginning to draw off her very life force itself, and the stream increased a moment, wringing a groan of pain from the collapsing Amberite. She continued to fight, not giving up. Her psi bolts were exhausted, and her heart stuttering in its beat. Still, she fought to wrench her energies back from him. Suddenly, she glared up at him, and her expression broke. She laughed, half-choking as some blood from an earlier blow to her lungs bubbled pink from her mouth. "You think you've won, don't you? A fool and his power, Jadis. A fool.... that's both of us." With a sudden desperation, she rolls partly back up. Expecting a last resistance, Jadis is ill-prepared as she _throws_ her remaining life force, containing everything she'd ever treasured, indeed, everything she'd ever been, right smack into him. Thus, it went straight in, and mingled with all the other energies he'd taken from her, disbursing quickly. A small black crumpled form lay still in front of him. With a careful glance, a slight, shallow respiration could be seen. The body was functioning, barely, as if in a deep coma because of the depth of the life drained from it. Jadis gave it a through check, and once he was sure nothing of a sentient force of mind remained within, "Something for some interesting study later, I suppose." The Amberite's body sinks slowing beneath the surface, being retrieved as he had arranged. Zia awakens to find herself in a small glen with a worried looking John tending her. "Tell me," he says, "are you insane, or merely suicidal?" Zia groans and flinches at the sounds of his voice and her pain. "ooooowwww..." Very softly. "Depends. I'm still insane, but I think I'm mostly over the suicidal. After all, I'm not really dead this time Reminds me. Rhiannon is most upset with you..." Her eyes dilate and contract, and she is struggling not to faint. "Meant to find you, though. Worked, didn't it?" Some more pause. "You must be CAoL. React just like em." =========================== Date: Sat, 9 May 1998 20:05:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Sat, 9 May 1998 22:37:49 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004336 The group steps out onto a large forest path. Overhead the foliage is dense enough to cast everything in a perpetual shadow. The trees are all humongous, the undergrowth is lush. Tacked to a tree is a sign post, with to arrows pointing down the two directions of the path. One way is labeled Jadis, the other way is labeled Oblivion. (If the group follows the path labeled Jadis, they have a three hour walk until they reach below. If they follow the other path, I'll write that up too.) The group walks into blinding sunlight, in the middle of a wooded glade. Everything seems very vibrant and alive, the greens are greener, the wind is fresh and pure, the plants are lush. All these become apparent only on reflection, however, for the eye is immediately drawn to the northwest corner of the glade. There, hung from a scaffold of fire, with a noose made of water, are the bones, nay the skeleton, of a God. For hanging from the neck is a sign with this print upon it: Guarien, God of Light, Last of the Gods of Good, Welcomes you to this place. Jadis (OOC: The mana level in this glade is normal) =========================== Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 01:05:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Sun, 10 May 1998 03:50:51 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004341 > On Sat, 9 May '98 Shadow Said > > The group walks into blinding sunlight, in the middle of a wooded > glade. Everything seems very vibrant and alive, the greens are > greener, the wind is fresh and pure, the plants are lush. All these > become apparent only on reflection, however, for the eye is > immediately drawn to the northwest corner of the glade. There, hung > from a scaffold of fire, with a noose made of water, are the bones, > nay the skeleton, of a God. For hanging from the neck is a sign with > this print upon it: > > Guarien, God of Light, Last of the Gods of Good, > Welcomes you to this place. > Jadis Looking wide-eyed at the deity's skeletal remains, Dhyrclhanc says, "Friends, allow me to be first one to say it... we are hip-deep in sheep-dip here." =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 08:06:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Mon, 11 May 1998 08:25:49 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004352 > On Sat, 9 May 1998 22:37:49 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004336 > > The group steps out onto a large forest path. Overhead the > foliage is dense enough to cast everything in a perpetual shadow. > The trees are all humongous, the undergrowth is lush. Tacked to a > tree is a sign post, with to arrows pointing down the two directions > of the path. One way is labeled Jadis, the other way is labeled > Oblivion. Driss contemplates the sign for a few moments, then reaches into his cloak and pulls out some paints. He proceeds to change the Arrow to Jadis so it points in the same direction as Oblivion. Putting hte can away he examines his work satisfactorally. "We're going to send him there anyways. Might as well get the change of address set up for him now." With that he starts down the path that was originally marked with Jadis's name. > The group walks into blinding sunlight, in the middle of a wooded > glade. Everything seems very vibrant and alive, the greens are > greener, the wind is fresh and pure, the plants are lush. All these > become apparent only on reflection, however, for the eye is > immediately drawn to the northwest corner of the glade. There, hung > from a scaffold of fire, with a noose made of water, are the bones, > nay the skeleton, of a God. For hanging from the neck is a sign with > this print upon it: > > Guarien, God of Light, Last of the Gods of Good, > Welcomes you to this place. > Jadis Driss considers the corpse with mixed emotions. He's never cared much for Gods. As a mortal he never worshipped at any temple. As the God of Thieves he had only contempt for all the other Gods except Magi. And now that his immortality is beyond even the power of Gods to take away, he still felt indignent at the normal egotistical blusterings of Dieties, the same blusterings he himself had been prone too. At the same time he knew first hand the troubles of Godhood, the headaches, the Trials and trivulations that come with such power. The death of a God is never a light thing though not unheard of. And somehow despite his desired indifference towards this now dead diety from an unknown pantheon, a bit of remorse struck Driss. Wordlessly he reached into his cloak and produced a small oil lamp and incence burner. Lighting the incense and the eternal flame he placed it on the ground before the firey gallows, then turned and continued on his way without a word. =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 18:37:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Mon, 11 May 1998 20:04:26 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004361 Martin Gerster wrote: > Looking wide-eyed at the deity's skeletal remains, Dhyrclhanc says, > "Friends, allow me to be first one to say it... we are hip-deep in > sheep-dip here." After the Lensdragon utters these words, an unsettled Lord Emp walks over to Roland, followed, at a distance, by the rest of the WildCATS. "Ahem," Marlowe clears his throat, "'Roland' is it? My people aren't completly sure why it is we're here but, even though they're usualy beheath this kind of thing, some of us smell Daemonite here, so I'm offering our services to you. Or for at least for as long as we seem to be in the same boat." So saying, the Dwarf removes a silver case form the inside of his jacket, removes two cigars from it, places one in his mouth and lights it, and tosses the other at Dhyrclahnc, who does the same. Marlowe then, smiling, offers the case to Roland, "Smoke?" then, "No, I guess you wouldn't" and puts the case away. Then he turns to the rest of his group, "OK, people, you're to follow Roland's orders here just like you'd follow Spartan's or mine. Got that?" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 19:38:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:13:30 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004363 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 08:25:49 -0700 (MST) > Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004352 > > At the same time he knew first hand the troubles of Godhood, the > headaches, the Trials and trivulations that come with such power. > The death of a God is never a light thing though not unheard of. And > somehow despite his desired indifference towards this now dead diety > from an unknown pantheon, a bit of remorse struck Driss. Wordlessly > he reached into his cloak and produced a small oil lamp and incence > burner. Lighting the incense and the eternal flame he placed it on > the ground before the firey gallows, then turned and continued on > his way without a word. An smiling elven looking Jadis fades into view, lounging along the top beam of fire, "Why, How very touching. I'm sure Guarien appreciates the gesture Driss," Jadis looks down, "Don't you Guarien?" He looks back up, "Fond memories, Driss, of when you destroyed an entire dimension? Killed your family and countless others? Tell me, can you feel them there when Chaos inhabits you?" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 21:05:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Mon, 11 May 1998 23:52:17 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004364 << Paul Roslowski wrote An smiling elven looking Jadis fades into view, lounging along the top beam of fire, "Why, How very touching. I'm sure Guarien appreciates the gesture Driss," Jadis looks down, "Don't you Guarien?" He looks back up, "Fond memories, Driss, of when you destroyed an entire dimension? Killed your family and countless others? Tell me, can you feel them there when Chaos inhabits you?" >> Hydra appears behind the massed CAoL (and companions). Nine heads oriented on Jadis. All nine heads "fire" beams of energy at the Discie killer. (OOC: opening to see if there is any reaction) The beams continue on, tearing great holes deep into the ground below and behind Jadis (400 foot tall at the shoulder you recall + up to 50 feet of neck to the heads). As one the heads say "DIE!" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 21:38:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere On 12 May 1998 04:34:48 GMT, In alt.callahans Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004365 Fuzzy arrives in The Place though the front door this time... Clad in Neutral Gray, Pants, Shirt, Etc... And Carrying a Staff that shows moving bands of six elements, "So how has the CAoL Display Unit been Working?" Putting a few coins on the bar he collects, one of The two handled 1/2 Gallon Mugs he arranged to have kept in stock, Full of Catnip Tea... Examining the Device he installed, just before the Wedding of Morgan and Roland, He notices that an Indicator has lit, Pointing to it "I'm going to have to wait until they get around to turning the Planetary Wards off, To rejoin them." Finding a seat at a nearby table... "So, anything interesting happening?" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 22:20:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On Tue, 12 May 1998 01:12:42 EDT Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004366 >Finding a seat at a nearby table... > >"So, anything interesting happening?" "Not much." A figure in the corner says. "I'm just waiting for the Callahan's Army of Light." He orders another drink, which he promptly drinks down. He walks up to Fuzzy, and says, "You must be with them. Hello, my name is Scott Osborne." He extends a hand. "Who might you be?" The figure looks non-descript. Black hair, blue eyes. Brown and grey seem to be the order of the day when it comes to clothes. Something seems not quite right about the way he looks, although pinning down what's wrong is almost impossible; when you think you've found what's wrong, the problem seems to correct itself. He sits back, and orders another drink. "And one for this fellow, Mike." He puts down two pieces of metal, which Mike promptly excepts. =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:05:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On 12 May 1998 05:59:09 GMT, In alt.callahans Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004367 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 01:12:42 EDT > Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004366 > > "Not much." A figure in the corner says. "I'm just waiting for the > Callahan's Army of Light." A raised Eyebrow... > He orders another drink, which he promptly drinks down. He walks up > to Fuzzy, and says, "You must be with them. Hello, my name is Scott > Osborne." He extends a hand. "Who might you be?" "Well actually, I am here and they are elsewhere..." "I might be nearly anyone, But I am Known as, Fuzzy." "Might I ask, what do you want with a bunch of do-gooding crazies, like them?" > He sits back, and orders another drink. "And one for this fellow, > Mike." He puts down two pieces of metal, which Mike promptly > excepts. "I just got one, Mike, if you would hold that one for next time?" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:05:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... (Long) On Mon, 11 May 1998 21:47:03 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004368 Thence to Jadisland... >On Sun, 10 May 1998 03:44:26 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As caol Message # 00004340 > >The 21' tall Ruby Fire Lensdragon then looks down at his foster >brother, leaning on his extended, dragon-sized, Minbari fighting >pike, and says, smiling, "So, bro, when do we 'Rock-and-Roll'?" }:=8D /As soon as we find Jadis, sib,/ Roland begins slowly. /But I can't say I agree with your reasons for ditching your sigil. That power comes from our unity, our friendship-and that's a power that _doesn't_ corrupt. Energy is just a tool-it's what you use it for that counts./ Roland smiles. /But that's your call, bro. If you get in over your head, I'll just have to save your butt, I guess,/ he adds, though from his tone it's obvious that he's joking. >On Sun, 10 May 1998 03:50:51 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As caol Message # 00004341 > >Looking wide-eyed at the deity's skeletal remains, Dhyrclhanc says, >"Friends, allow me to be first one to say it... we are hip-deep in >sheep-dip here." "Okay...you're the first one to say it," Roland says tonelessly. He holds his ring aloft. There's a spark and a smell of ozone, but other than that nothing happens. Roland stares at the Legion ring for a moment, nonplussed, then shrugs. "Figures that nothing powered by justice would work in Jadis' realm. Sil, Nemo, Fuzzy, I'd feel better if we had some transportation." Roland takes out one of John's storage cubes. (OOC: Do the storage cubes work normally, Shadow?) >"Ahem," Marlowe clears his throat, "'Roland' is it? My people aren't >completly sure why it is we're here but, even though they're usualy >beheath this kind of thing, some of us smell Daemonite here, so I'm >offering our services to you. Or for at least for as long as we seem >to be in the same boat." Roland shrugs. "Hey, the more the merrier. How's Void, by the way?" >So saying, the Dwarf removes a silver case form the inside of his >jacket, removes two cigars from it, places one in his mouth and >lights it, and tosses the other at Dhyrclahnc, who does the same. > >Marlowe then, smiling, offers the case to Roland, "Smoke?" then, "No, >I guess you wouldn't" and puts the case away. Roland makes a face. "Don't know what Logan sees in the sprockin' things." >Then he turns to the rest of his group, "OK, people, you're to follow >Roland's orders here just like you'd follow Spartan's or mine. Got >that?" "Thanks, Lord Emp. Oh, and Spartan," Roland smiles a faint, bemused smile for just a second, "Superman says hello." "/Okay, spot check. How is everyone doing so far?/" =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:05:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Pack yer metabags... On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:04:31 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004370 >On Fri, 8 May 1998 21:35:50 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004326 > >"Yes, Yes. Well, I'm sure I can provide him with whatever sensory >experiences he may desire." Jadis pauses, as if trying te recall >something, "Shard, yes, that's what I believe you are called, you >wish to experience the pleasures of the flesh? Please," Jadis >gestures, and a doorway opens, "Avail yourself of whomsoever of my >servants pleases you." Shard's eyes (such as they are) widen, and he smiles a long, wicked, hungry smile. "Oh, _yeah!_ Jadis, I gotta give you this-you are one _hell_ of a host!" Shard strides in, and tendrils wrap around the arms of two willing women-and pin one unwilling one-and the doors close behind him. >"Thank you, Mr. Morden, and should you ever find yourself in need of >assistance, or even an employer, do not hesitate to call upon me. >People such as yourself are hard to come by." Jadis gives a courteous >bow as Morden leaves. "Thank you, but I am ever at the side of Z'On'Dar. I stand-and fall-with it. While you are allies, of course, my services are at your disposal." >He turns to the Nazgul, "You I can use. Come!" He turns and walks >away. The Nazgul follow obediently. (OOC: They obey any order that does not directly pit them against KnightMare. I'm assuming Jadis is smarter than that. ) Later...(assuming that Jadis returns) Shard is in the throne room, watching his two chosen paramours dance. The third is watching with undisguised confusion and curiosity, still wrapped helplessly in Shard's tendrils. She is unharmed. "Ahh...lovely. Jadis, how much for these two? They have been quite...satisfying. Your hospitality is most worthy. Even in Atlantis, your servants would have impressed." Shard stares at them for a moment. (Insert any haggling here; if Jadis insists on keeping them, Shard will accept it philosophically.) "Now. To business. What would you have me do? I owe the druid, and thus cannot kill her, but I do not believe in catenative assemblage. Her allies are thus fair game." Shard stares into the distance. "I can at least advise you against the Defender-he calls himself Roland now-as we have faced each other through many of his lives." (OOC: Okay, anyone curious? Coming soon: The lives-story of Roland Phoenix...) =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:05:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:56:24 -0700 (PDT) The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004371 >On Mon, 11 May 1998, Shadow wrote: > As CAoL Message # 00004363 > >> On Mon, 11 May 1998 08:25:49 -0700 (MST) >> Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004352 >> >> At the same time he knew first hand the troubles of Godhood, the >> headaches, the Trials and trivulations that come with such power. >> The death of a God is never a light thing though not unheard of. >> And somehow despite his desired indifference towards this now dead >> diety from an unknown pantheon, a bit of remorse struck Driss. >> Wordlessly he reached into his cloak and produced a small oil lamp >> and incence burner. Lighting the incense and the eternal flame he >> placed it on the ground before the firey gallows, then turned and >> continued on his way without a word. Raver stared up at the hanging bones, their face unreadable in the shadow of their helm. Even in this serene place, their armor seemed to resist reflecting any light. She nodded briefly at the scaffold before turning away to follow Driss. > An smiling elven looking Jadis fades into view, lounging along the > top beam of fire, "Why, How very touching. I'm sure Guarien > appreciates the gesture Driss," Jadis looks down, "Don't you > Guarien?" He looks back up, "Fond memories, Driss, of when you > destroyed an entire dimension? Killed your family and countless > others? Tell me, can you feel them there when Chaos inhabits you?" Raver stopped at the voice, and turned toward the speaker, ruby eyes narrowed. "Jadis, we presume." =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:35:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On Tue, 12 May 1998 02:18:14 EDT Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004372 >"I might be nearly anyone, > But I am Known as, Fuzzy." > >"Might I ask, > what do you want with a bunch of do-gooding crazies, > like them?" ("Odd posting style there, fella." Osborne says.) "I'm here to sign up with them." He says, and smiles. =========================== Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:39:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 00:06:34 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004374 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:13:30 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004363 > > An smiling elven looking Jadis fades into view, lounging along the > top beam of fire, "Why, How very touching. I'm sure Guarien > appreciates the gesture Driss," Jadis looks down, "Don't you > Guarien?" He looks back up, "Fond memories, Driss, of when you > destroyed an entire dimension? Killed your family and countless > others? Tell me, can you feel them there when Chaos inhabits you?" "If you're trying to egg me on with questions like that then you're devling in a dry well. I was never close to my family. I don't even think of them anymore. As for Quaren, how can I take the time to miss it when the worst of the filth from it such as Darath the Black and Isla DeLume' keep poping up?" Driss turns his back on the little elf nad starts slowly ambling down the road. "And as for what I feel when I'm inhabited by Chaos, it's a feeling that has no words and greater power than you shall probably ever feel." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 00:02:14 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 00:16:14 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004375 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:56:24 -0700 (PDT) > The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004371 > > Raver stopped at the voice, and turned toward the speaker, ruby > eyes narrowed. "Jadis, we presume." Driss turns to look at the elf again. "no. I think not. At least not the whole Jadis. A small peice perhaps. A cheap copy more likely. A bit of sport to harass thos who came by and watch over this spot perhaps but even if he is a piece of Jadis like each Chaos is a larger aprt of hte whole, this little one is little morn than a slave unto himself." (OOC: Oh BTW if it hasn't coem off yet Driss IS trying to sound condesending and insulting to get Jadis to play part of his hand early) =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 00:41:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On Tue, 12 May 1998 00:32:54 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004378 (where's 4377?) > On Tue, 12 May 1998 02:18:14 EDT > Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004372 > > ("Odd posting style there, fella." Osborne says.) "Yes, Well, that is in part due to, the fact that, I don't Think like a Human..." > "I'm here to sign up with them." He says, and smiles. "Really, Well we will have to see to it that you get your Chance..." ;) Fuzzy Notices that the Indicator has gone out. "Right About now, That is..." Fuzzy walks to the Display and Steps through, Arriving near the assembled members in London... "Looks like I made it back just in time, Incidently, I seem to have picked up a Hitchhiker, When I stopped off at the Place for a Mug of Tea..." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 01:18:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer bags... (VLong) On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:10:04 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004379 > On Mon, 11 May '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > > /That would be great,/ Roland notes dryly. /If you have any ideas > on that score, I'd love to hear them. Let's face it, half this > team's strength comes from the fact that we're so utterly > unpredictable. Makes the sprockin' thing harder to steer than a > Starfury with a broken joystick, though./ "I am assuming, brother-of-mine, that I am retainingthe 'rank' of XO at least until Mike gets back and thus am taking that duty seriously. _Organizing_ this team is, as you have often observed, like hearding cats." /No offence, Milord Fuzzy/ "I am assumption that trying to _co-ordinate_ the actions of this group might be a tad easier. Although, I am open to the possibility that I may be proven, through experience, to be wrong." /^Also, bro, I am more than happy to permenetly assume the post of XO and Field CO, freeing you up for the job of Tactician or Strategist and, assuming you didn't want it, we could give the post of administrator to Fuzzy, or Nemo, or even to Nemesis. It is just a thought. ^/ > Roland blushes. /Better thinking. I think we've done enough here; > it looks like the natives can handle the rest. Whatever I may think > of Zia personally, I have a feeling that she and the rebels will > handle things nicely. Let's book./ /Do you not mean Legion, bro?/ > /As soon as we find Jadis, sib,/ Roland begins slowly. /But I > can't say I agree with your reasons for ditching your sigil. That > power comes from our unity, our friendship-and that's a power that > _doesn't_ corrupt. Energy is just a tool-it's what you use it for > that counts./ Roland smiles. /But that's your call, bro. If you get > in over your head, I'll just have to save your butt, I guess,/ he > adds, though from his tone it's obvious that he's joking. Even though it wasn't a pun, Roland will wince as a,dragon-sized, small handfull of peanuts is tossed into the Freelance Immortal's face >>Dhyrclhanc Said >> >>Looking wide-eyed at the deity's skeletal remains, Dhyrclhanc says, >>"Friends, allow me to be first one to say it... we are hip-deep in >>sheep-dip here." > > "Okay...you're the first one to say it," Roland says tonelessly. > He holds his ring aloft. Roland gets another dragon-sized, small handfull of peanuts is tossed into his face. >>"Ahem," Marlowe clears his throat, "'Roland' is it? My people >>aren't completly sure why it is we're here but, even though they're >>usualy beheath this kind of thing, some of us smell Daemonite here, >>so I'm offering our services to you. Or for at least for as long as >>we seem to be in the same boat." > > Roland shrugs. "Hey, the more the merrier. How's Void, by the > way?" "I am better, child-of-the-phoenix" says the tall, lithe, silverbodied female ex-russian cosmonaut, "For all of your opponent Jadis' power even he found the energies of the Orb less than palitable. His attack left me gravely wounded but I have recovered and I am ready to move ahead. Your concern is appricated, however. > "Thanks, Lord Emp. Oh, and Spartan," Roland smiles a faint, > bemused smile for just a second, "Superman says hello." Bro, if there was ever a WildCATs/Supermancrossover then I've never seen it nor have I read it =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 01:31:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Comments in Jadisland On Tue, 12 May 1998 01:10:57 -0700 (PDT) Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00004380 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 21:47:03 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004368 Nemisis is Singular at the moment... Or Perhaps a Buffy split is around, If Mischief is present... > "Okay...you're the first one to say it," Roland says tonelessly. > He holds his ring aloft. > There's a spark and a smell of ozone, but other than that nothing > happens. Roland stares at the Legion ring for a moment, nonplussed, > then shrugs. "Figures that nothing powered by justice would work in > Jadis' realm. Sil, Nemo, Fuzzy, I'd feel better if we had some > transportation." Roland takes out one of John's storage cubes. > (OOC: Do the storage cubes work normally, Shadow?) "A Few Large Vehicles, Or Lots of Small ones?" >>"Ahem," Marlowe clears his throat, "'Roland' is it? My people aren't >>completly sure why it is we're here but, even though they're usualy >>beheath this kind of thing, some of us smell Daemonite here, so I'm >>offering our services to you. Or for at least for as long as we seem >>to be in the same boat." > > Roland shrugs. "Hey, the more the merrier. How's Void, by the > way?" "And What is Daemonite?" >>Marlowe then, smiling, offers the case to Roland, "Smoke?" then, >>"No, I guess you wouldn't" and puts the case away. > > Roland makes a face. "Don't know what Logan sees in the sprockin' > things." "A Chance to Annoy someone?" >>Then he turns to the rest of his group, "OK, people, you're to >>follow Roland's orders here just like you'd follow Spartan's or >>mine. Got that?" "Is that anything like, The way we follow instruction?" > "Thanks, Lord Emp. Oh, and Spartan," Roland smiles a faint, > bemused smile for just a second, "Superman says hello." > "/Okay, spot check. How is everyone doing so far?/" "/So Far no problems.../" =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 01:35:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:24:13 EDT Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004381 (& 4382) >Fuzzy walks to the Display and Steps through, > Arriving near the assembled members in London... > >"Looks like I made it back just in time, > Incidently, I seem to have picked up a Hitchhiker, > When I stopped off at the Place for a Mug of Tea..." And, when he turns around, nobody is there... (And if he checks, Osborne isn't at Callahan's either.) =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 01:35:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:27:32 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004383 > On Mon, 11 May '98 The Lone One Said > > Raver stopped at the voice, and turned toward the speaker, > ruby eyes narrowed. "Jadis, we presume." At the sound of the name, Dhyrclhanc whirls around and, in a flash of scintilating light, has his Sterling in his right hand. Then, realizing where he was pointing it and being one who believes that Jack should not disparage John's place of worship, points the multi-weapon elsewhere. "Yep, that is the Bastage." Then looking at, and listening to, Driscoll, "or at least a reasonable facsimile of him. Jadis when I find you, I am going to take a great amount of pleasure of ripping your heart out of your chest via your throat, providing that first I was able to get you to tell me where my ring is by pulling out your fingernails and your toenails and then, if that did not work, pulling off your arms and then your legs." By now a decidedly wicked grin had spread over Dhyrclhac's face. One that Raver would posibly be envious over. Looking closer at the Jadis on the crossbar, he remarks, "Then again, the last time we saw him, Jadis didn't have pointed ears or those Romulan/Vulcan eyebrows and forehead." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 02:05:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Enroute to Elsewhere (Enter the Osborne) On Tue, 12 May 1998 01:54:25 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004384 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:24:13 EDT > Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004381 > > And, when he turns around, nobody is there... (And if he checks, > Osborne isn't at Callahan's either.) \Well, He was there, I expect that he will show up, When he is ready to, He goes by the name of Scott Osborne/ ^Nemisis, do you have my Lens?^ =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 12:36:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Comments in Jadisland (Long) On Tue, 12 May 1998 15:29:21 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004386 > On Tue, 12 May '98 > Nemisis Said > >> Morgan and/or Roland Said > > Nemisis is Singular at the moment... > Or Perhaps a Buffy split is around, > If Mischief is present... Hey fuzzmeister, you spelling that N-E-M-I-S-I-S on purpose? Because when last I consulted a dictionary, the Greek God of Justice's name was spelled N-E-M-E-S-I-S. >> (OOC: Do the storage cubes work normally, Shadow?) > > "A Few Large Vehicles, Or > Lots of Small ones?" /#Lets see what Roland has stored in there first, Madame Nemesis#/ >> Roland shrugs. "Hey, the more the merrier. How's Void, by the >> way?" > > "And What is Daemonite?" /#The WildCATS are, by and large, Kherubimand Kerubim/Human hybreds, and the Khrubim are an ancient, advanced, interstellar race of more or less peacefull elfin-like explorer beings who have been at war with the Daemonites. Daemonits are vicious, immoral, parasitic/symbiotic demoinic frog/slad-like conquer-warriors. Several of the WildCATs have the abiliy to sense the presense of these Daemonites and suspect that they are involved with the semi-intense intrigue which we seem to caught up in with Mike's Anna Mahloy, the KnightMare, Jadis, etc.#/ >> Roland makes a face. "Don't know what Logan sees in the >> sprockin' things." > > "A Chance to Annoy someone?" "Actualy, a cigar can be a very satisfying sensory experience,"replies Dhyrclhanc, still puffing away on his own. Provided, like Logan and myself, you are immune to the negative aspects of such a habit/hobby." Then turning to Lord Emp, "Of course, Mr. Marlowe has excellent taste in cigars." >>>Then he turns to the rest of his group, "OK, people, you're to >>>follow Roland's orders here just like you'd follow Spartan's or >>>mine. Got that?" > > "Is that anything like, > The way we follow instruction?" Nemesis' last comment is ignored, at least by Dhyrclhanc. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 14:24:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:14:42 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004388 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 00:16:14 -0700 (MST) > Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004375 > > Driss turns to look at the elf again. "no. I think not. At least > not the whole Jadis. A small peice perhaps. A cheap copy more > likely. A bit of sport to harass thos who came by and watch over > this spot perhaps but even if he is a piece of Jadis like each Chaos > is a larger aprt of hte whole, this little one is little morn than a > slave unto himself." > (OOC: Oh BTW if it hasn't coem off yet Driss IS trying to sound > condesending and insulting to get Jadis to play part of his hand > early) Jadis clasps his hands to his breast, "Oh, I am hurt. Mortally wounded by the barbs and slings which have been thrown at me." He swings his legs over the side of the beam and drops to the ground. "Still, to have been denigrated by the great Driscoll of Braxton, adventurer, wanderer, rogue, scoundrel, and thief. Solitary and alone, having driven all those who would be his close friends away with his carefully cultivated mannerisms. Yet here he still is, travelling with this group, with one of his old loves, who is married to another in the group. Do you ever look at Morgan, Driss, and wonder what might have been? What it would be like to have someone to love who loves you in return? Who would put up with you the way your faithful 'hound' does? Or do you push even that bond?" =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 14:25:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:17:19 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004389 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 23:52:17 EDT > Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004364 > > Hydra appears behind the massed CAoL (and companions). Nine heads > oriented on Jadis. All nine heads "fire" beams of energy at the > Discie killer. > > The beams continue on, tearing great holes deep into the ground > below and behind Jadis (400 foot tall at the shoulder you recall + > up to 50 feet of neck to the heads). As one the heads say "DIE!" Jadis doesn't even twitch. He just sits there absorbing the energies passing through him. When Hydra finally stops, he looks up at him with one eye, and tsks, "Now, is that anyway to treat your host?" he asks. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:09:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: The Stowaway Gambit - Rhiannon's Blade (Part II) On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:29:02 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004390 Introduction (from Part I) Zia finds herself in John's retreat after being apparently 'slain' by Jadis by the typical energy-drain attack. After an almost flippant exchange of repartee, she nearly faints on the gentleman she came to rescue. Severely weakened even in a mental environment, John does some healing of the stab wound representation still marking her. After a while, she manages to sit up against a tree, with help, and have some tea (Again with Tea, is this some Strange Theme for Zia?). (Our story continues:) The amenities taken care of, John sits back and silently appraises Zia for a moment, "You mentioned Rhiannon earlier, you've been with her recently?" "Yeah, she's MOST upset with you. Said she couldn't feel you anymore, just the fellow who'd taken you. Said something about the sword you'd given her changing her. She seemed... very alone. I was cleaning up a bit of confusion at home. The CaoL and I... sort of ran into each other, although I think we're somewhat cooperating now. I only just figured out what the change in her ability to trace you, to tracing Jadis meant. He confirmed it with that bit in passing the shields. So. I'm here to make sure you get out." She smiles, coldly. John looks up and frowns, "Oh child," he sighs. Zia blinks and starts to frown. And then suddenly realizes _she_ isn't the one he is referring to. Then she half snorts at herself, at the reaction, and just watches John. He looks back at Zia, "I'm afraid she's picked up some of my less desirable personality traits. She tends to keep to herself, to hold things in around people she's not fully comfortable with. Plus, this is the first time she has been with the CAoL for any extended length of time." He smiles, "Still, go into any tavern on hundreds of worlds and you'll find at least one person who can claim to be her friend." He pours himself another cup. He asks without looking up, "And what about the sword? Does she still have it?" "When I left, she and Nemo had used it somehow against a Hellgate, and it had shifted forms under the influx of power. I gather it's about as much sword as I am human." With a faint black-humored grin, she adds, "I don't suppose you'd care to satisfy my curiosity about it? I love blades; especially the really good ones." "Hmmm," John sits back, "As I recall, the blade itself was the life work of the greatest mage-smith ever to exist on Derianis 4. I don't know too much about the particulars of the creation, but the end result was supposed to house part of the essence of one of the gods of that universe." John smiles, "Things went slightly wrong and another essence was housed in the blade. Purely looking at it from the viewpoint of swordcraft, it was a masterpiece. Virtually unbreakable, finely balanced, kept a good edge, if there is a list of swordly virtues out there, this was a paragon. Bit of a waste, really, if you ask me. If your going to create a damn good sword, then create a damn good sword, don't go mucking with housing essences of meta-physical entities." "That's what Sarah always thought, too. Except she never thought any magic at all was any good, on a blade. I'm still learning the basics, but I think I agree. Either you make the perfect physical blade, or you make concessions for the magickry. Given my relative lack of skill, I might still be tempted. For her blades, it would be as useless as horns on a jackrabbit. Of course, the last one she finished in the master class started doing magical things of itself once brought where there was any. She'd put her blood into the forging, and it seems to have had unexpected side effects." "But why is the blade so important? If I may ask, what is it doing to Rhiannon?" John scowls, "The blade _shouldn't_ be doing anything to Rhiannon, I had misgivings about getting her the blade, but there was no other way... The blade houses a part of myself, a rather dark piece, actually, and the reason I originally gave it to her was to keep her alive should anything like this happen to me." "Not good." Zia looks taken aback. "I hope your so-called dark side loves her as well as the rest of you does. Because I didn't like the sound of it at all." "Oh it does, I made sure of that when I gave it to her. Would you like the story? Perhaps after this discussion. It's what started this all out, or is one of the causes, anyway." Ziactrice looks unquestionably relieved, "Good. I was somewhat worried what with all that dark talk. I would very much like to hear the story, once we have covered the current pressing issues relating to our surviving this tangle. I think we'll be in for a rather long apparent duration wait, while the rest of the CAoL shows up and tries to haul you out of here. I probably didn't even need to do this, but a hostage situation like this is very tricky. Doesn't hurt to have more chances to win. Speaking of which, do you think I managed to fool Jadis? If he doesn't think he managed to kill me with that drain, this is all going to be perfectly useless." She manages to get both eyes open and her head turned to John, with effort. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:10:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: The Stowaway Gambit - Captivity (Part I) On Tue, 12 May 1998 16:32:20 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004394 Introduction: After she loses the fight with Jadis by intentionally flinging the last of her personal power' literally into the villainous man's smile as if seeking to escape the lingering death he offered at the point of his kris. Although the original twisty lady had quite another hope in mind. Some unknown time later, Zia realizes she is flat on her back. With some effort, she remembers how to work her eyelids, and blinks in confusion. The light here dapples above through the leaves, in a small glen with a worried looking John tending her. "Tell me," he says, "are you insane, or merely suicidal?" The brunette lying limp and supine groans. Then she flinches, minimally, at the sounds of his voice and her pain drumming mightily inside her head. "ooooowwww..." Very softly. "Depends. I'm still insane, but I think I'm mostly over the suicidal. After all, I'm not really dead, this time. Reminds me. Rhiannon is most upset with you..." She trails off as her voice fails. John can see her eyes dilate and contract; she is struggling not to faint. "Meant to find you, though." She manages, barely, to finish. John hmmphs, "You almost didn't. Is there anything I can do to help?" "Almost." She giggles. "Horseshoes." Zia holds her head again. "Too much energy drained." She breathes slowly, deeply, in a pattern to control pain. "Don't think you've got to spare, with Jadis holding you, he's draining you, too. Ugh. Maybe some psychoactive healing on the stab. Should reflect back to the body and heal the real wound faster. The drain, I will regenerate forces of eventually." He gets a pallid grin, almost apologetic looking. "One of the few good things about Ambers. Very hard to keep hurt. Dreadfully recuperative, 'specially my line." Her eyes try and glaze over again. She stops it with mental control, "Still hurts though." John starts healing Zia, "I would worry more about what he might do with your body before talking about regenerating wounds." He also helps set up some pain blocks. "There, that should hold you together for a while." She tries a cheeky grin, but it wobbles from the weakness too deep for her to quite conceal completely, as yet. "He might try something with body, but it's dreadful little satisfaction he'd get. Doesn't strike me as a necrophiliac.I''m Patterned, now. Short of killing me, there is nothing that the power that is locked in Blood won't erase again." She looks momentarily haunted. "Even if I didn't want it to do so." Zia gropes for a subject change, having said more than it appears she wanted to really say. John helps her into a sitting position, a tea set appearing next to them, "Would you like something?" She looks calmly internal a moment as she assesses injuries. "Yeah, just got a bit of lung. Jadis is a lousy knife worker. Or he wanted to make sure I didn't die fast so he could make sure I suffered a bit. But no gut wound, so I can drink." John blinks, "Is this form that tied to your external body? And yeah, he probably wanted you to suffer a little more." Zia slits her eyes at him, and then answers almost compulsively, "Yes, it is. Always. Obviously, as you could tell. But Jadis doesn't have me telling him anything about myself, so he should't be aware of it. You can keep him from digging it out of you, I assume? I certainly hope you can, anyway." She pauses. Then waits for an answer, like she'd like to know before she reveals anything really dangerous about her own self. "Yes, as long as he doesn't know you're in here, he can't order me to produce you. I'm bound to answer the orders of whosoever possesses my prison, but undying loyalty ain't part of the deal. And I don't have to answer questions unless I want to." "Good. Ask you more... strategy data later. When I can straightly think again." She rubs at her temples now, just slightly frowning. "At least didn't kill me. Would have been a very short rescue, " she observes, with a rueful, tight grin. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:20:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:46:22 -0500 Mike Said As CAoL Message # 00004396 >On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:14:42 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004388 > >Jadis clasps his hands to his breast, "Oh, I am hurt. Mortally >wounded by the barbs and slings which have been thrown at me." He >swings his legs over the side of the beam and drops to the ground. >"Still, to have been denigrated by the great Driscoll of Braxton, >adventurer, wanderer, rogue, scoundrel, and thief. Solitary and >alone, having driven all those who would be his close friends away >with his carefully cultivated mannerisms. Yet here he still is, >travelling with this group, with one of his old loves, who is married >to another in the group. Do you ever look at Morgan, Driss, and >wonder what might have been? What it would be like to have someone to >love who loves you in return? Who would put up with you the way your >faithful 'hound' does? Or do you push even that bond?" Molly looks around at the rest of the group, seems to sigh to herself, mentally muttering /Oh very well, I'll play the straight man./ and pulls out a small, brown leather notepad and gold pen from her inside pocket. She briefly scribbles on the pad, tears the sheet off, and hands it to the Jadis-elf as she and Jack pass by, looking for the path onward, or failing that, just looking around the glade. The note reads, in an attractive example of cursive penmanship of similar quality to that in old black and white movies, 'Where are John and Zia?' =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:37:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: The Stowaway Gambit - Fight Recap (Part III) On Tue, 12 May 1998 19:57:06 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004397 Introduction: Zia continues her chat with John, in his mental 'hideaway' somewhere hidden from Jadis, as she tries to recover some strength after her rather harsh treatment at Jadis' hands. Somewhat complicated by her not having her body in the same place as the remnant of her consciousness. She and John discuss the tactical wisdom of such a fight. "Jadis thinks he won, since he got the almost complete sum of my remainder personal power, pitiful as it was. But I fight using the weakness of water technique, for people just like him. I doubt he'll realize just how terribly sneaky I was until the end. Or until he realizes that my personal power is just that... highly personalized." She grins. "I wonder if he'll annoy Roland as much as I do? Or if Jadis'll say or do anything so out of character the CaoL will be suspicious? I hope to see his face and make him pay his bet, when this is about finished." John laughs, "I'm sure Jadis is doing more than annoy our favorite boy scout." His face becomes serious, "Don't underestimate Jadis. Everything he does has at least two layers to it; just when you think you've won you find out you've been playing a different game, and that he switched the rules when you weren't looking." Zia nods, agreement plain on her face, but a underlying that some sort of secret half-amused irony. "Take your fight, for instance." John continues, as she listens politely. "I was watching, and for most of it he was playing with you. Testing his own abilities after being drained to the dregs on the Grey world." He holds up his hand to forestall any words Zia might have, "Note I said _most_ of the fight. And I by no means denigrate your abilities, it's just that here, in this place, you were seriously outclassed. He barely even bothered to use his shields, or absorb the energy of your attacks. Still, you acquitted yourself well, and that bit at the end took him completely by surprise. Which was how I was able to bring you here." The short brunette leans gratefully back against a tree, gingerly careful as the movement is weak from her injury, and evident general weakness from the energy drained earlier. "I hope Jadis isn't as reflectively thoughtful as you, or he might catch on too soon." She grins, crookedly, "Odd how you can see me as both seriously outclassed, and managing to survive. How many others could stand singly against Jadis in a place he had prepared for his own defense, John? And it's simply bizarre how I escaped and left him thinking he'd vanquished me, isn't it? By doing just the one thing that would have allowed you to save me. I must have the most phenomenal dumb luck." She says, deliberately laying it on thick. "Or shall I go with your earlier estimation, that assumed a purpose to my method, albeit insanity?" With a distant look, suddenly, "It was very difficult to fight at the right power level, however. Not too easy, and not too hard. Enough to make it look like I thought I might have been able to win, but not enough that he'd be suspicious when he did win." She nods. John frowns again, "Never rely on your ability to twist shadow, affect probabilities, or any knowledge of the future. Not when you're facing me or him. If that's what you were doing you were on shakier ground than you realize." Both her eyebrows raise in sardonic reaction, but she only says simply, "You're right. I discovered while still on Earth that Jadis' power over Shadow, while cruder than mine, and lesser in scale at least how I've seen him USE it thus far, IS also vastly more effasive, and drastic in the changes he can make happen. I did conclude a direct confrontation would result in my defeat. So, I used my power beforehand, and set that as my desired outcome. I didn't know that shifting you to be ready to make a grab for me would work, but I'm sure glad it did. I would have appeared quite insane to the CaoL, if they'd gotten me back alive in such a case. I'd still prefer being embarrassed to being dead, but they'd have some harsh words to give me, I'm relatively sure.." Her voice trails off, then she changes the subject. John smiles deprecatingly, "Being dead's not that bad, once the initial dying thing is done." She puffs a breathless laugh, being careful of her lungs. "Sure. For you maybe. I'm mortal, but I still hope to get a much longer run on my quarter." "Anyway, since the true objective here is getting you out of his clutches, I'm in just the right place to hopefully throw a wrench into Jadis' plans of using you as the lure for his final trap. I appreciate your touching concern, my lord, but despite what you may think, I'm only insane, not incautious. What, you can't see outside of here to see what I was doing? Oh. If you were asking, I try not to give away my mathemagical tricks - it makes people scornful of the art. Besides, I don't want Jadis to know much about me. Now that he knows how 'easily' I'm defeated, he'll never take me as a serious physical threat. Although, I do anticipate he'll be most annoyed with my strategic notions; perhaps I should plan a few lines along the order of shrugging it off as women's intuition. Villains do so hate it when you appear to not take them seriously..." "Luckily, he is vain in his conceit of his own power to a foolhardy degree. Additionally, he won't know much about an Amberite's physiology. Even if he calls upon Lady Ariel - I have some insurance for that case, unlikely as I thought it. But when fighting some villain who actually has half a brain, one must talk extraordinary measures." She makes a face and absently rubs the part of her chest where the stab went in, the black tabard dress/armor cloth mending itself slowly. The uniform is nanotech, if John is good at that sort of detection. John nods, "If we have one weakness, it's our confidence in our own abilities. Problem is, we're often justified. "You are simply too right for words." It's plain that although healing, that stab still smarts more than a little, and gives Zia cause to agree. "But the secret to power is knowing it's limitations. And I have an odd feeling neither of you have been well tested against someone not of like powers. Say someone who would rather infiltrate, suffer pain, and risk death just to be in the perfect position to take a chance to save someone else. Not a common scenario with either of you in your conflicts, I trusted. So, I attempted it." She shrugs, "It seems to have no serious flaw as yet, unless Jadis is indeed playing a double blind. How would I tell you and he apart, not having met you before nor having Rhiannon's ability to trace? He did, after all, use your aura to infiltrate our position on Earth." "Ahh, yes, that. That wasn't Jadis. Jadis had already been taken inside your position in the guise of that young boy, who was in need of medical treatment. The person who used me was one of Jadis' lieutenants, who finally cracked under consigning, personally this time, yet another dimension to Hell. I believe he's still around somewhere, being tortured for his attempt on Jadis' life." "Damn. Waste of a good resource. I hate fighting defensively without good intelligence on the enemy's strategy or goals. If there is anything left of him that we can save, I must remember to look when we get free." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 19:36:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:01:52 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004398 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 17:46:22 -0500 > Mike Said As CAoL Message # 00004396 > > Molly looks around at the rest of the group, seems to sigh to > herself, mentally muttering /Oh very well, I'll play the straight > man./ and pulls out a small, brown leather notepad and gold pen from > her inside pocket. She briefly scribbles on the pad, tears the sheet > off, and hands it to the Jadis-elf as she and Jack pass by, looking > for the path onward, or failing that, just looking around the glade. Those watching will have seen the trees close off the path as Jadis has been performing his antics. > The note reads, in an attractive example of cursive penmanship of > similar quality to that in old black and white movies, 'Where are > John and Zia?' Jadis grins, "That would be telling. Come, why don't we discuss things over lunch." A large table appears laden with foodstuffs of various kinds. "Please everyone, sit, eat. It's perfectly safe, I assure you. Driss, yours is the seat of honor at the head of the table, everyone else, there are namecards at your seats. _You_" he says, looking up at Hydra, "get nothing. You tried to blast me." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:06:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:48:34 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004399 << Paul Roslowski wrote Jadis doesn't even twitch. He just sits there absorbing the energies passing through him. When Hydra finally stops, he looks up at him with one eye, and tsks, "Now, is that anyway to treat your host?" he asks. >> Hydra doesn't answer, except to "fire" another barrage at Jadis. This time however, the beams suck every last erg of energy out of the volume that Jadis occupies. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:06:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 19:52:44 -0700 (PDT) The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004400 On Tue, 12 May 1998, Shadow wrote: > Jadis grins, "That would be telling. Come, why don't we discuss > things over lunch." A large table appears laden with foodstuffs of > various kinds. "Please everyone, sit, eat. It's perfectly safe, I > assure you. Driss, yours is the seat of honor at the head of the > table, everyone else, there are namecards at your seats. _You_" he > says, looking up at Hydra, "get nothing. You tried to blast me." Raver looked at the table, then Jadis, and finally the rest of the CAoL. "And what is your definition of safe?" =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:47:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:13:30 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004401 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:48:34 EDT > Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004399 > > Hydra doesn't answer, except to "fire" another barrage at Jadis. > This time however, the beams suck every last erg of energy out of > the volume that Jadis occupies. Jadis assumes a bored look, and totally ignores Hydra. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:47:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:19:30 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004402 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 19:52:44 -0700 (PDT) > The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004400 > > Raver looked at the table, then Jadis, and finally the rest of > the CAoL. "And what is your definition of safe?" "It's healthy, nutritious, and good for you. Please, test it any way you wish. I'll market it with the CAoL stamp of safety. Should sell millions, trillions even. Every customer will be satisfied." Those looking the table over will see all kinds of dishes, for each of the different types of members of the group. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:48:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:25:49 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004403 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:27:32 -0400 > Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004383 > > At the sound of the name, Dhyrclhanc whirls around and, in a flash > of scintilating light, has his Sterling in his right hand. Then, > realizing where he was pointing it and being one who believes that > Jack should not disparage John's place of worship, points the > multi-weapon elsewhere. > > "Yep, that is the Bastage." Then looking at, and listening to, > Driscoll, "or at least a reasonable facsimile of him. Jadis when I > find you, I am going to take a great amount of pleasure of ripping > your heart out of your chest via your throat, providing that first I > was able to get you to tell me where my ring is by pulling out your > fingernails and your toenails and then, if that did not work, > pulling off your arms and then your legs." Jadis' voice takes on a sardonic note, "How very droll. We'll have a party, live band, even a special effects crew. Film it for pay-per-view as well. Could sell a lot of tickets." > By now a decidedly wicked grin had spread over Dhyrclhac's face. One > that Raver would posibly be envious over. > > Looking closer at the Jadis on the crossbar, he remarks, "Then > again, the last time we saw him, Jadis didn't have pointed ears or > those Romulan/Vulcan eyebrows and forehead." Jadis looks offended, "Romulan," he mutters, "And you, a Dragon. I'm an elf you simpleminded saurian. Goes well with all this sylvan decor." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:55:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 20:41:44 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004404 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 19:52:44 -0700 (PDT) > The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004400 > > Raver looked at the table, then Jadis, and finally the rest of > the CAoL. "And what is your definition of safe?" "Roast Jadis, Maybe..." Nod in Hydra's direction... " The Meat does seem to be giving the cook difficulty though..." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:04:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Wed, 13 May 1998 00:01:28 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004405 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 20:41:44 -0700 (PDT) > Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004404 > > "Roast Jadis, Maybe..." > > Nod in Hydra's direction... > > " The Meat does seem to be giving the cook difficulty though..." Jadis' face undergoes a swift transformation, "The 'meat' as you put it, may just bite the cooks head off," he spits savagely. Then he stops and visibly takes hold of himself, returning his visage to the one he had been previously wearing. =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:39:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Pack yer metabags... On Wed, 13 May 1998 00:06:12 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004406 > On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:04:31 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004370 > > "Ahh...lovely. Jadis, how much for these two? They have been > quite...satisfying. Your hospitality is most worthy. Even in > Atlantis, your servants would have impressed." Shard stares at them > for a moment. "They are yours. A gift, with my compliments." > "Now. To business. What would you have me do? I owe the druid, > and thus cannot kill her, but I do not believe in catenative > assemblage. Her allies are thus fair game." Shard stares into the > distance. "I can at least advise you against the Defender-he calls > himself Roland now-as we have faced each other through many of his > lives." "Please do, I never turn down information. Although I may have another task for you later." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:39:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 21:29:24 -0700 (PDT) The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00004408 >> On Tue, 12 May 1998 19:52:44 -0700 (PDT) >> The Lone One Said > >> Raver looked at the table, then Jadis, and finally the rest >> of the CAoL. "And what is your definition of safe?" Then Shadow said: "It's healthy, nutritious, and good for you. Please, test it any way you wish. I'll market it with the CAoL stamp of safety. Should sell millions, trillions even. Every customer will be satisfied." Those looking the table over will see all kinds of dishes, for each of the different types of members of the group. Raver canted her head at the rest of the CAoL. "We strongly suggest you take him up on his request to test the food. As for us, we do not sense anything, either by scent or Sight." On Tue, 12 May 1998 wrote: > "Roast Jadis, Maybe..." > > Nod in Hydra's direction... > > " The Meat does seem to be giving the cook difficulty though..." A rare smile quirked their mouth. "That it does." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:39:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... (Or is that 'Lunch Counter') On Tue, 12 May 1998 21:34:03 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00004409 > On Wed, 13 May 1998 00:01:28 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004405 > > Jadis' face undergoes a swift transformation, "The 'meat' as you put > it, may just bite the cooks head off," he spits savagely. Then he > stops and visibly takes hold of himself, returning his visage to the > one he had been previously wearing. "As I thought, A Tough and Thoroughly Unpleasant Beast... Probably quite toxic." "Hydra, you might as well, stop trying to roast the meat, I don't think it would be edible anyway..." =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:39:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:29:43 -0500 Mike Said As CAoL Message # 00004410 >On Wed, 13 May 1998 00:01:28 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004405 > >Jadis' face undergoes a swift transformation, "The 'meat' as you put >it, may just bite the cooks head off," he spits savagely. Then he >stops and visibly takes hold of himself, returning his visage to the >one he had been previously wearing. Molly nods approvingly toward Fuzzy. /Very good. Hmmm. You and Isis should get to know one another. Her sense of humor is quite similar./ =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 22:36:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:08:35 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004412 >On Tue, 12 May 1998 04:10:04 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc SaidAs CAoL Message # 00004379 > >"I am assumption that trying to _co-ordinate_ the actions of this >group might be a tad easier. Although, I am open to the possibility >that I may be proven, through experience, to be wrong." "And _I_ am open to the possibility that you could be proven right." Roland smiles crookedly. "But immortal or no, I'm not holding my breath." >/^Also, bro, I am more than happy to permenetly assume the post of XO >and Field CO, freeing you up for the job of Tactician or Strategist >and, assuming you didn't want it, we could give the post of >administrator to Fuzzy, or Nemo, or even to Nemesis. quote warning/> It is just a thought. ^/ "Appreciated, bro, but the CO position is sort of a field job by definition. And my tactical abilities are meager enough that I'll grab a good idea anyone else has and rob it blind." 8^) >> "Thanks, Lord Emp. Oh, and Spartan," Roland smiles a faint, >> bemused smile for just a second, "Superman says hello." > > Bro, if there was ever a WildCATs/Superman crossover then I've >never seen it nor have I read it (OOC: There was a JLA/WildCATs one-shot a year or so ago. Not sure how good it was; I didn't get it. But I've been planning that since you brought the CATs in. ) Roland begins rummaging through the cube. "Let's see...Veritech hangar...hovercarrier...Cyclones...Morgan's Harley-I don't THINK so...flight ring...hey, where did that White Star come from? Then Jadis showed up, and... >On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:48:34 EDT >Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004399 > >> The beams continue on, tearing great holes deep into the ground >> below and behind Jadis (400 foot tall at the shoulder you recall + >> up to 50 feet of neck to the heads). As one the heads say "DIE!" Roland sighs. "Don't bother, Hydra, it's _got_ to be an illusion. He's not that-" > Jadis doesn't even twitch. He just sits there absorbing the energies > passing through him. When Hydra finally stops, he looks up at him > with one eye, and tsks, "Now, is that anyway to treat your host?" he > asks. Roland stares a moment. /He _absorbed_ it. He ABSORBED it! "THAT'S REALLY-"/ A beam lances out as Roland dives right and fires...a draining bolt. /Everybody DRAIN him!/ >Hydra doesn't answer, except to "fire" another barrage at Jadis. This >time however, the beams suck every last erg of energy out of the >volume that Jadis occupies. Roland follows up with a resonance drain (which I presume has no effect, as Jadis controls local reality AFAIK OOC, and the resonance effect is not Chi based) and a telepathic blast. *Where's JOHN, you motherless guttertrash?!* Sil watches, eyes narrow, but does nothing for the moment. >Jadis assumes a bored look, and totally ignores Hydra. Roland immediately begins analyzing the energy patterns around Jadis, analyzing how he's doing it. (OOC: No, I don't expect to be able to _do_ anything to Jadis so early on, but Roland's trying to find any weaknesses that might be of use later, and he wouldn't just STAND there.) He doesn't relent until and unless it becomes obvious that they're not going to get anywhere just yet. If so... /Cease fire, for the moment./ >Jadis grins, "That would be telling. Come, why don't we discuss >things over lunch." A large table appears laden with foodstuffs of >various kinds. "Please everyone, sit, eat. It's perfectly safe, I >assure you. Driss, yours is the seat of honor at the head of the >table, everyone else, there are namecards at your seats. _You_" he >says, looking up at Hydra, "get nothing. You tried to blast me." Roland examines Jadis calmly. "As if we'd be stupid enough to eat anything you provided. I have to admit, you're showing more style than my usual prey, though. Now." Roland never stops looking for a weakness in Jadis' defense. (OOC: First thing he's looking for is a power tap; if he's using the ambient power, Roland will try to cut it off and order the draining assault renewed.) "You have John. We want him. Are you willing to trade for him, or do we have to take this nonsense to its inevitable conclusion? You _know_ we're going to get him back one way or another; you've been a villain long enough to know that you never really win, in the long run. Unless you think you're really above justice." Roland smiles darkly and his ring bursts into life; he's an energy being once more. "Like I said, just a matter of time." (OOC notes: If Jadis actually bargains with the CAoL, Roland won't stop scanning him, but he also won't attack at the first sign of weakness. Hey, he's a superhero; of COURSE he bargains in good faith. One other thing...Roland's been being pushed for a while...Jadis will almost certainly sense that his dark side is closer to the surface than he's ever seen it...) =========================== Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 23:35:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Once Upon A Time... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:05:18 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004413 >On Wed, 13 May 1998 00:06:12 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004406 > >> On Mon, 11 May 1998 22:04:31 >> Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004370 >> "Ahh...lovely. Jadis, how much for these two? They have been >> quite...satisfying. Your hospitality is most worthy. Even in >> Atlantis, your servants would have impressed." Shard stares at them >> for a moment. > > "They are yours. A gift, with my compliments." Shard's eyebrows (such as they are) rise. "My thanks...though I wonder at the 'price' of such a gift-no. Forgive me. It has been a long time since I have been guest _or_ host." He smiles at the two women and waves them forward. They slide into place in the crook of each arm. The unwilling maiden he lowers to the ground, though still tangled in tendrils no longer attached to him. >> "Now. To business. What would you have me do? I owe the druid, >> and thus cannot kill her, but I do not believe in catenative >> assemblage. Her allies are thus fair game." Shard stares into the >> distance. "I can at least advise you against the Defender-he calls >> himself Roland now-as we have faced each other through many of his >> lives." > > "Please do, I never turn down information. Although I may have >another task for you later." Shard settles back; it looks like he's going to be telling this story for a while. "This is one of those 'once upon a time' stories." He frowns at the woman to his left. "And don't even think it; I like you, but that won't stop me from giving you a punishment you'll never forget." The woman's wry smile dies unborn, and she shivers. "That's better. Now then. "Once upon a time-many thousands of years ago, in the history of what is known to most as Earth-9-the shining nation of Atlantis was the beacon of Light throughout the world, and well into the galaxy. Mighty Atlan, for whom it had been named, had finally beaten back my father-Malice, the Adversary, the Destroyer, yada yada yada-and imprisoned him in the Morpheum, the dreamstate of the human race. It was a Golden Age. "Boooooring." Shard smiled. "I was young, wild, and one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. So I stuck a twig into the hornet's nest. "Whaddaya know? They didn't like it." Shard laughed and hugged the women tighter. "I had fun at first, but shakin' Atlan's tree got boring too after a while. So I moved on after-well, after he kicked my butt, I'm not too proud to admit it. There was more fun to be had anyway. Then I did something stupid. "I tried to help my father escape." Shard pauses. "You have to understand, Malice's idea of 'honor' is stabbing you in the gut instead of the back. But I was useful, so he didn't turn me into a mindless slave right off the bat. He just threw all his remaining goons at Atlantis. "Which is where the Defender comes in." "Atlan was hard pressed to defend the nation named for him-ol' Destroyer had lived up to his name in the first war. Most of the big guy's elite had been killed in action. So he started lookin' for new immortals to pick up the slack. His daughter, Solitare, was the first of his Champions, but there were others pretty quick. Still, Malice had been pretty busy, and I had plenty of siblings, even if most of them had come from pieces of his body. He was winning. "Then this kid no one heard of, a newbie guard named Harmon, turned a battle when 'we' were just about to win. I got out from dad's thumb, and the Champions, with Harmon renamed 'the Defender' by ol' Atlan himself, just knocked dad on his ass!" Shard laughs. "Anyway, the Champions of Atlantis were our first-and so far, only-superheroes. I had lots of fun being one of those 'ethical' supervillains, y'know, mostly stealin' and kidnapping, especially Solitare-what a pair of legs that woman had!" Shard sighs. "Not that she was an easy target, mind you-she knocked me upside the head a few times-but I did it mostly to get in my licks with the Defender. Those, as they say, were the days. "Harmon the Defender was the most powerful psi Atlantis had, and her greatest hero short of the Old Man himself, and maybe Solitare. They got to be an item in a hurry. They trounced droves by the thousand and messed up my 'siblings' pretty good. Harmon, as you might imagine, got _very_ good at what he did; science, martial arts, stabilizing reality, and of course all those neat powers we have. He's always taken justice seriously, but back then it was like he was born to it. "Y'see, in our version of Atlantis, the study of soul migration had become a science-and Harmon was a newborn soul. He shouldn't have been that dedicated to _anything._ But he was. He and Solitare got married, of course-man, those two were in love like you wouldn't believe. And for a thousand years or so, he was Atlantis' best. "Then my father got loose again." Shard pauses, frowning. "It got ugly. Harmon and me, we had an understanding. I was just out for kicks, and when we fought, we both knew the rules. But when Malice showed up again, the rules went out the window. I got turned into that damn SWORD, and Malice 'wielded' me when he began his assault. "The legends of Atlantis sinking aren't that far off on my world. The final war sent dad back to the Morpheum, but all of the Champions were killed. Atlan saved the capital by creating a dome with his final breath. "Dad was a little more vindictive. "He sent Solitare's spirit across the dimensional barrier, so that she and Harmon would never be reunited. "Harmon spent the next two dozen lives as a warrior, fighting injustice and looking for the Solitare. He got pretty ruthless in a few of them, but he was pretty much the same. He got fairly bitter over that many lives, knowing he was missing something but not knowing why. It's given him a mean disposition that he's never really figured out..." Shard frowns. "Wait a minute. No. "No way." Shard's eyes narrow... "WAY! Damn! The Druid!" Shard laughs long and loud. "Jadis, we've got a _real_ interesting situation here. Y'know, though, since he hasn't had time to adjust to having his lady back, he's still got all this rage built up from lifetimes of frustration, not to mention that 'justice' is a concept just starting to come back to common knowledge back home...you push him hard enough, and he might explode." Shard frowns again. "Just don't be in the blast radius...everyone who's underestimated the Defender has regretted it." =========================== Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 04:05:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 12 May 1998 23:00:22 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004414 > On Tue, 12 May 1998 22:01:52 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004398 > > Jadis grins, "That would be telling. Come, why don't we discuss > things over lunch." A large table appears laden with foodstuffs of > various kinds. "Please everyone, sit, eat. It's perfectly safe, I > assure you. Driss, yours is the seat of honor at the head of the > table, everyone else, there are namecards at your seats. _You_" he > says, looking up at Hydra, "get nothing. You tried to blast me." Nemo speaks up. "Forgive me, Your Lowness, but since I intend to slay you, I cannot in good conscience break bread with you." ===========================