Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4
                              Chapter 72

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 21:45:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114

>On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 02:47:24 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006106
>
>> On Mon, 05 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>
>>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>>
>>>> On Sun, 04 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>>>
>>    "You have just been infected with a draconic equivalent of
>> gangrene," the Mauler explains, "hyperaccelerated so that you will
>> lose 5% of your body mass per minute. Goodbye, Dhyrclhanc!"
>>    (OOC: If Dhyrclhanc doesn't put up a forcefield other than the
>> GL one [the missiles were covered with plant life] they burrow into
>> his body, leaving unpleasant tears before the Lensdragon can
>> destroy them.)
>
><OOC1> Clarification time, again, Mr. meta-DM. 1.) The First-Ring's
>weakness, and Dhyrclhanc's so long as he's wearing it, is "dead wood"
>not live plant life. 2.) Dhyrclhanc's active defences against wooden
>weapons (ie.: a ring-generated force field or his body armor) may be
>worthless against wood but his regeneration and his immunity to
>illness and disease still work. 3.) Dhyrclhnac has a reproducing
>nano-symbiote-colony roaming around in his bloodstream which, among
>other things, acts as powerful artifical white blood vessels dealing
>with any form of disease that his natural hyper-immunities wouldn't
>be able to handle. In short, I need a meta-DM ruling on how this is
>going to effect the Mauler's bio-attack against DC. </OOC1>

   (OOC: Okay, one thing at a time. 1) I don't recall that distinction
ever being made, but if such were the case there would certainly have
been a 'dead' layer of wood to penetrate the ring-field. 2) The layer
of wood is only there for the Power Ring; it wouldn't have any effect
on more normal forcefields or body armor. But the 'disease' is
bioengineered to nail everyone's favorite Lensdragon; while he might
be immune to having his cells invaded, having his scales ripped off by
small fungi is probably another matter. 3) Ruling: Dhyrclhanc's
defenses will be enough to defeat the fungus amungus, but he'll have
to devote energy to the task.)

>>>The second Dhyrclhnac levitates and assumes a floating lotus
>>>position. At the same time, the Eye floats out of the Amulet and
>>>outside of the effect horizon of the ebon/scarlet coating from
>>>Mauler. The naked Eye assumes a postion at Dhyrclhanc's chest level
>>>and generates another golden cone of light towards the Mauler.
>>
>>    ...and is promptly swallowed by a singularity that vanishes a
>>moment later.
>
><OOC2> The Eye, itself, or just the light-energy attack? </OOC2>

   (OOC: The Eye. Don't worry, it wasn't destroyed, and you can get it
back as soon as the Mauler's history. ;^)

<snipdragon>
>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 02:52:47 EDT
>Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006107
>
>Roland wrote:
>
>>> "*^/Moving universes around against cosmically powered entities
>>> was what I was DESIGNED for. Don't try to outdo me./^*"
>>
>>   "*Wouldn't dream of it, my good man,*" the Mauler replies dryly
>> (and with a sudden shift in personality) and fires a psibolt/virus
>> download meant to scramble Scott's control.
>
>Scott mentally shrugs. "*^You've got to be kidding.^*" The psibolt
>does what psi attacks normally do when there isn't a mind there to
>attack, (because, well, there isn't,) and the virus has utterly no
>effect upon Scott.

   (OOC: Well, considering that it's emulating his previous AI
problem, and that _that_ had a quite clear effect, the virus should do
the same. In addition...)
   *No, I'm not kidding. You, on the other hand, should be kidded in
about 19 seconds-that is to say, reduced to whatever passes for
'childhood' in you. Eighteen seconds later, the retropattern energy
within you that was _hidden_ in the psibolt/ virus should reduce you
to nonexistence. Goodbye, Mr. Osborne.* The Mauler laughs Standard
Villain Laugh #3 and continues.

>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 02:54:44 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006108
>
>>On Mon, 05 Oct 1998 22:59:38
>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006105
>>
>>   /Great, he's growing a brain now that he's totally psycho. Rhia,
>>I've already set up the HIT-Mark to take mind-soul entities and
>>shelter them, I think we can shunt him into it, and I can heal him-
>>slowly, but I can do it./ Sil 'looks' at John grimly as she helps
>>Rhiannon hold him together. /Light, and I thought Roland was a
>>mess.../
>  /If..he's grown a..brain..then why..is he..propositioning..two
>beings who have..just..self-destructed?/ Rhia manages to reply. Even
>with Sil's help it's still not enough. Then the charm and Order
>forces kick in.

   /Self-oh, Light.../ Sil gasps.

>  /Sil, if you could just repair the worst of the damage, I can
>manage the rest. I think..yes, I can even manage the body. I was
>going to ask Nemo, but that's no longer necessary./ She 'sounds'
>breathless. /Jumping Gods, I'm not going to have anything left after
>this is over./

   /Yes, you will,/ Sil replies grimly, fading to a slight
translucence. /I can handle the worst parts, sure. But you're going to
need that energy, if what I'm afraid is about to happen does-/
   The remains of the Zodaii flow into the 'Mournblade' hand of the
Mauler.
   /i hate being right all the time,/ Sil whispers.
   *HAHAHAHAHA!* Mauler laughs. Then its tone changes. *Slays great,
less chilling,* it adds in a vaguely feminine tone. *I don't think I
need to bother with you insects any more,* it sends, its 'eyes'
becoming voids as it stares at the Tower ominously.
   /ogrife!/ Roland sends in one quick burst. /If someone has an idea,
NOW would be a good time!/

>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 03:13:53 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006111
>
>>On Mon, 05 Oct 1998 22:59:38
>>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006105
>>
>>   "*Wouldn't dream of it, my good man,*" the Mauler replies dryly
>>(and with a sudden shift in personality) and fires a psibolt/virus
>>download meant to scramble Scott's control.
>
>     /Say what?/ Mike thinks. /Was that Bester?/

   /Malice is pure psionic energy by now,/ Roland hisses through the
effort of PKing a psi-shielded biomass the size of a battleship. /And
pretty much all he could do from the Morpheum involved mental
manipulation, even if it _was_ through the Destroyer. This is going to
be a mess./

>>   The Freelance Immortals concentrate, and Morgan weaves a
>>Life/Spirit Effect as Roland reaches into the electrical impulses.
>>   And together, they create a virus. One that is both organic and
>>electronic in nature, corrupting commands and structure
>>simultanteously, fueled by the power of the Morrigan.
>>   THEN they attack directly, he tearing with the full power and
>>skill of a true master of PK, and Morgan breaking down the structure
>>directly.
>>   The Mauler begins to list to port...wavers a moment...and stops,
>>its leg about ten meters shorter than it was a moment ago.
>>   /Uh, guys, we need to distract it some more,/ Roland sends...
>
>     /Yes!/ Mike almost shouts. /Okay, let me sort the details for a
>sec./
>
><Insert lots of distractions. When we are all on the same page
>again...<g>>

   /On it-gnn-/ Roland concentrates. His ring floats to the tip of the
staff, and he activates it, and a moment later is holding a cosmic
lightning bolt.
   He throws, and a thunderbolt that would impress Hephaestus strikes
the Mauler in the chest. Power of ridiculous proportions crackles
around the Crawler's bulbous form.
   /I might have bought us a few seconds,/ Roland comments dryly as
the Mauler rapidly fights off energy that could apparently annihilate
a galaxy.

>     /Mental rewind, people, watch Mauler's forming again./
>
>>On Thu, 01 Oct 1998 22:48:15
>>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006055
<snip of the anti-Voltron forming ;^)>
>>The Crawler's wound flares out from where the right wing would be,
>>and its tentacles hold the monstrosity together as a deformed but
>>recognizable face forms.
>>   Malice.
>
>     /And the biotech, and Mournblade, and Malliewhatsis - Big Red
>Dragon Lady.

   /'Malystryx,'/ Sil replies.
   /Gesundheit,/ Roland quips as the lightning attack is blasted away
from the Mauler, and both ring and staff return to Roland.
   *DIE, HUMAN THING,* the Mauler sends, its mental signature
resembling the Crawler this time, and a shaft of quantum disruption
flies at Roland.
   (OOC: If no one _else_ stops it...)
   A shield of blue-white chi force appears in front of Roland, and
both attack and defense vanish in a flash of darkness. Shard salutes a
dumbfounded Roland and continues his fight against the grunts. *Save a
piece for me, if you can!*

>     /Now, notice the personality shift earlier. It isn't just a
>physical melding, it's a mental melding too. There are all sorts of
>powers in there melded together. -And- all sorts of weaknesses. To
>destroy this thing, we need to get them all, not just concentrate on
>just one thing.

   /Yeah, it looks like a multiple-redundant piloting system,/ Roland
realizes. /I think,/ he adds dubiously as the mental signature washes
over him.

>     /Here's the basic plot, people, we collectively know every
>weakness this thing has, and collectively, we can hit them all. We
>just need to lay it on at the same time.

   /{Data dump on Malice-what is there to say, he's a spirit-entity
originating from the Great Adversary, inhabiting an astral form} If
anyone can use this, you're welcome to it,/ Roland sends.

>     /Get ready to hold it off. I'm gonna scan and see if I missed
>anyone in there. Meanwhile, everybody lay out some lines of attack
>for Mournblade, Malli - BRDL, and Malice. And some secondary attacks
>for Crawler, Jha'dur's and Gaunt's respective henchmen.
>     /Like it said itself, we need to unify.
>     /Okay,/ Mike said, extending several probes from her spikard at
>Mauler, /I'm goin' in.../

   The scan reveals the presence of:
   1) The astral spirit Malice, which is capable of most forms of psi.
His PK is weak, however, and he cannot teleport himself or others on
his own.
   2) The Crawler, an Outsider Thing (in Roland's universe, THE
Outsider Thing) which can do damn near anything, except it's busy
bleeding to death.
   3) Mournblade, with the power of a God of Chaos and the ability to
suck souls of the slain.
   4) The Maelstrom Bridge, which is channelling the dark magicks of
the Gaunt Man. (The GM is willingly providing Mauler with energy.)
   5) A 'projection' of Malystryx, resembling a cross between a clone
and what Mike is at the moment, with Malystryx's nova-level flame
breath (not to be confused with Nova-level power), physical power, and
nearly godlike elemental magicks.
   6) Jha'Dur's biotech, capable of a vast array of effects, but with
no mentality of its own.
   7) Various collected horrors, all of which are long since Truly
Dead, their souls absorbed by Mournblade and their bodies thrown to
the Crawler in a vain attempt to seal the wound. (Now THERE'S a
band-aid for you...)

   /We've got your back, Mike m'man,/ Roland sends as he concentrates
his ludicrous power and skill in PK, preparing to strike. /Woman.
Energy construct./

/WHATEVER,/ Morgan, Sil, and Ma'an add at the same time.

   /Grife. We've GOT to come up with an easier descriptor for whatever
you are,/ Roland sends good-naturedly. The Freelance Immortals begin
to build power for their attack...

   (OOC Countdown: Three...)
===========================

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 22:35:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 01:21:37 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00006115

>On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114
>
>>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 02:54:44 -0400 (EDT)
>>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006108
>>
>>  /Sil, if you could just repair the worst of the damage, I can
>>manage the rest. I think..yes, I can even manage the body. I was
>>going to ask Nemo, but that's no longer necessary./ She 'sounds'
>>breathless. /Jumping Gods, I'm not going to have anything left after
>>this is over./
>
>   /Yes, you will,/ Sil replies grimly, fading to a slight
>translucence. /I can handle the worst parts, sure. But you're going
>to need that energy, if what I'm afraid is about to happen does-/
>   The remains of the Zodaii flow into the 'Mournblade' hand of the
>Mauler.
>   /i hate being right all the time,/ Sil whispers.
>   *HAHAHAHAHA!* Mauler laughs. Then its tone changes. *Slays great,
>less chilling,* it adds in a vaguely feminine tone. *I don't think I
>need to bother with you insects any more,* it sends, its 'eyes'
>becoming voids as it stares at the Tower ominously.
>   /ogrife!/ Roland sends in one quick burst. /If someone has an
>idea, NOW would be a good time!/

Rhia spares a glance for Mauler, "Idiot." A hint of a smile touches
her lips. She's still busy creating a body for John at this point.

/Roland, what happens when two beings with supreme energy/matter
conversion abilities are reduced to itty bitty bits that lack the
knowledge and sentience of the complete being, have as their last
impressions a mighty battle to consume a being of vast power, and then
those _hungry_ bits are taken into a being with a surfeit of the power
they are looking for?/

/I didn't want to say anything, I might have soured the opportunity.
If he doesn't get rid of them soon he's gonna either be eaten from the
inside, or have to spend phenominal amounts of energy to keep them
contained./

OOC: <g> I was _waiting_ for that one.
===========================

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 22:39:18 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: AAE IV: Compound Actions

On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 22:33:28 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006116

>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 22:34:07 -0400
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006112
>
>:On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 01:50:07 -0700 (PDT)
>:Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006109
>:
>:     /That must make things look interesting,/ Mike replies.
>
>Z: [Sigh.]
>J: [Relax. You _know_ that isn't cavalier - any Timelord knows
>better. She was being sarcastic. Black humor? (some private joke)]
>Z [(mental ribs poking) Okay, okay. I'll be good. Or as close as I
>can maange.]
>J: [(laughter and a mental carress)]

<OOC: Actually, just straight comment. Seeing everything at once
-surely would- look interesting.>

>:     [Well, why not just any two Amberites or Chaosites? Why Corwin
>:and Dara?] Molly asks Mike.
>
><ooSC: Is this an appropriate moment to point out to the next casual
>observer of the Amber-Mike-female incarnation... that the resemblance
>to Zia herself is pretty fantastically close? She DID say Merlin was
>her brother, remember? SNICKER>

<OOC: Well, there is the question of what Merlin's sister is doing
with the Jewel of Judgement. Coral last had it and she was Oberon's
daughter, IIRC, so she is Merlin's aunt.>

>:     /Aw, pooh, I'm not in line for the throne,/ Mike sends with a
>:slight smile.
>
>Zia, noting the resemblance. Or rather, finally hearing something
>that means she can comment based on the resemblance the Ambers have
>seen all along, says mock-seriously, /No problem, you can take MY
>spot, really..../ Wondering if Mike has seen herself yet, and
>grinning mischieviously. [Wonder if I should use the gin joints line?
>Sheeeesh. She looks quite a bit like me, except those freckles.]

<OOC: Zia has freckles? <g> Mike doesn't. Definitely taller, probably
darker skin, too.>

     /Mmmm...if they hate Merlin, they'd despise me./
===========================

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:06:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Battle in Arcadia, Final Act.

On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 01:39:15 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006117

 As the dust and smoke clear, Driss staggers to his feet. Several
shattered ribs slowly pull themselves back into his chest cavity. A
shake of his body and his strangely bent neck pops back into place
audibly.  One knee is bending the wrong way, but is quickly adjusted.
Driss starts to smooth out his tattered and ragged clothing but then
quits, figuring why bother. "You know, for such a quiet, unimposing
little thing, you can sure become a pain in the entire body fast."
Driss aims his left fist at the floating damsel and unleashes a
fireball at her while his right scrambles for his sword. "You know, I
really hate to beat someone up wihtout even knowing their name. So
what is it anyways?"
 She genstures adn begins chanting adn a ball of energy forms around
her, absorbing the blast of the fireball as she falls back to earth,
landing in a low combat stance. "You know who I was. Now You may call
me Fury."
 "How about if I call you an Ambulance instead?" snaps Driss as he
whips his cloak around himself, vanishing from sight. Fury stays
perfectly still, moving only her eyes until she jumps into the air and
letting loose with a flying roundhouse kick that sends a suddenly
visible Driss flying back.

 Off to the side, Squee is still standing goating over Roscoe when he
staggers for a moment, grabbing for his head. Roscoe rolls off to the
side and scrambles to his feet. "Oh that was cute Unca. A quick mind
blast and away you go huh? And where do you think you're going to go?
No one's leaving until *I* say so!!" Squee looks down the tip of
Soulstealer at Roscoe and a blast of Eldritch energy firest forth,
cutting a trench in the ground behind Roscoe as he scurries out of the
way.
 Roscoe makes a leap and shapeshifts in mid-air into the form of a
basalisk. *I tried to be a parent. I tried to give you what you
wanted. I'm tired of trying to give what you don't seem to want. if
it's a fight you do want, then _FINE_ !
I...HAVE....HAD....ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* He begins moving his gaze
around looking for Squee, making sure to avoid looking over towards
Driss.
 Squee, meanwhile has morphed into a giant worm with row after row of
jagged teeth. *Basalisks don't work that well on creatures with no
eyes Unca. But I'm sure you'll taste fine regardless.* Rising up, he
wavered for a moment then came crashing down on where Roscoe stood,
only to end up with a mouthful of dirt as Roscoe goes running off in
the form of a Rabbit.
 Squee shifts into the form of a blazing Phoenix and chaces after the
rabbit. *brings back memories doesn't it unca? Remember playing this
game in these very hills? It just makes me feel all warm and squishy.
Come here and let me give you a hug.*
 *Hug this you little...* Roscoe shifts again into an insectoid form
coverered in long sharp spines. Squee morphs into a human again,
swinging Soustealer at Roscoe's leg, slicing the small gold band near
the tip of it.
 Roscoe morphs into a Crinos formed werewolf without noticing that his
ring is now laying broken in the dirt. "Come on, let's finish this
now! I'm tired of your blaming me for everything that's happened to
you. if I was such a bad foster father, then why don't you JUST GO
AWAY?"
 "Oh, don't worry, I'll leave just as soon as I've done this." Squee
mutters adn gestures and the ground covers over Roscoe's feet. he
looks down trying to free himself and Squee lashes out with
Soulstealer...

Driss is racing towards Fury, who is struggling inside a clingnet,
when he noticed Roscoe fall. He turned but couldn't seem to remember
quite what he was doing it for. He tried to take a step but couldn't
rememebr where his foot was placed and fell as he shifted his weight
too soon.
 Squee walked up and freed his lady from her entrapment. "Shall I kill
him for you darling?" She asked in her little girl voice. *No, don't
waste your strength. It's not his time, you wouldn't be able to do it.
Let us be off, my task is complete.*
 Fury took Squee's arm, adn Squee gestured, opening up an X-window and
they passed through, disappearing without a trace. As the field fell,
the Guardians raced in to surround their fallen Chief. Another firgure
was the only one to pay any attention to the twitching Driss.
 "Your time here is done Driss. Time to go back to the companion you
left behind now. But take with you the one memory Roscoe will never be
able to see. That of he dying, and you not being able to do a single
thing to prevent it." Smirked Chaos at teh fallen God of Theives.
Touching Driss on teh forehead with one finger, the memory is placed
and Driss vanishes from the dimention. A half moment later, Chaos is
gone as well.

 An X-window opens to The Place and a single Gruagach, dressed all in
black with the guardian medallion around his neck bearing a single
black band, walks in. *I come looking for the Army of Light. We heard
Roscoe many times tell of this place adn his adventures with that
group of heroes. Please pass on the word unto them that our Chief is
dead. And let it be known that Roscoe died in battle like a hero
against the traitor to the clan, Squee. Long shall he live on in story
and song, and may his spirit ever watch over our village and its
people as long as either exist.*
===========================

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:06:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 02:01:49 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006118

Roland wrote:
> (OOC: Well, considering that [the virus is] emulating his previous
> AI problem, and that _that_ had a quite clear effect, the virus
> should do the same. In addition...)

(OOC: One small problem with that attack, then. Scott's problems were
due to him trying to build a Lens based upon Fuzzy's. The problems
were associated with Lens rejection and over exertion. Emulation will
only get you so far; you need some I/O to go the rest of the way
toward being a complete implementation. (Which in this case, Mauler
doesn't have).)

>    *No, I'm not kidding. You, on the other hand, should be kidded in
> about 19 seconds-that is to say, reduced to whatever passes for
> 'childhood' in you. Eighteen seconds later, the retropattern energy
> within you that was _hidden_ in the psibolt/ virus should reduce you
> to nonexistence. Goodbye, Mr. Osborne.* The Mauler laughs Standard
> Villain Laugh #3 and continues.

Scott mutters.

"*^Just three problems with your little attack: one, I have no mind
for you to attack. Just a personality emulation running on top of a
rather powerful OS; bee, my I/O don't connect to dilly squat in my
system unless I tell it to; finally, the Beast the SC2 was designed to
take down could change the entire local pattern with a gesture, so
anti-patterning defense is sorta built into me.^*"

<OOC: The "Beast" is a basic part of Scott's back-story; if you want
to know, ask.>

/[But, just in case...]/ Scott purges his system of all patterns,
symbols, and energies of any sort that he does not recognize. (The
Mini-Lens is excluded from this; he's already cataloged it.)

/Oh, the joys of dealing with great big monsters who don't know the
difference between a Non-Localized Reality Distorter, a Localized
Reality Tool, a bar of soap, and a poke in the eye with a sharp
stick./

Scott stops attacking the Mauler, as he notices the Mauler is
seriously damaged at this point. /[Best not attract any more
attention, what I can do here is done.]/

Thanks
Scott "The Great Pan is Dead" Osborne.
(15 points for the reference.)
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:06:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:48:19 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006119

>On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114
>
>>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 03:13:53 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006111
>>
>   /I might have bought us a few seconds,/ Roland comments dryly as
>the Mauler rapidly fights off energy that could apparently annihilate
>a galaxy.

     /It'll do...

>>     /Get ready to hold it off. I'm gonna scan and see if I missed
>>anyone in there. Meanwhile, everybody lay out some lines of attack
>>for Mournblade, Malli - BRDL, and Malice. And some secondary attacks
>>for Crawler, Jha'dur's and Gaunt's respective henchmen.
>>     /Like it said itself, we need to unify.
>>     /Okay,/ Mike said, extending several probes from her spikard at
>>Mauler, /I'm goin' in.../
>
>   The scan reveals the presence of:
<snip>

     /Okay, here's what we're going up against. {Data dump of the
above, some of it as raw data since Mike isn't always sure of what
she's looking at}/

>   /We've got your back, Mike m'man,/ Roland sends as he concentrates
>his ludicrous power and skill in PK, preparing to strike. /Woman.
>Energy construct./
>
>/WHATEVER,/ Morgan, Sil, and Ma'an add at the same time.
>
>   /Grife. We've GOT to come up with an easier descriptor for
>whatever you are,/ Roland sends good-naturedly. The Freelance
>Immortals begin to build power for their attack...

     /They don't really have a 'gender-variable'. The girls still call
me 'dad' so 'man' is fine, despite the obvious physical descrepency./
     Mike looks toward Aurora. /Nice attack, between we two we should
be able to really ruin the Crawler's day. Everyone, let's divvy up
targets./
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 01:05:48 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:35:46 -0700 (PDT)
The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00006120

> On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114
>
>>     /Mental rewind, people, watch Mauler's forming again./

     /Would it matter if I said 'no thanks'?/ Mandy inquired on the
Link in a rare display of gallows humor.

>    *DIE, HUMAN THING,* the Mauler sends, its mental signature
> resembling the Crawler this time, and a shaft of quantum disruption
> flies at Roland.
>    (OOC: If no one _else_ stops it...)
>    A shield of blue-white chi force appears in front of Roland, and
> both attack and defense vanish in a flash of darkness. Shard salutes
> a dumbfounded Roland and continues his fight against the grunts.
> *Save a piece for me, if you can!*

     Recovering within a few seconds, Raver shot Shard a grin as they
viciously slammed a grunt out of the way with a body check. They
roared over the sound of battle, "Well met, Shard!"
     [Wait, what if he's backstabbing us?] Mandy's voice was a trifle
high as wave after wave of grunts threw themselves at Roland and
company. She could hardly be blamed -- Shard and the Two were nearly
the only active offensive, much of the others' attention on the
Mauler.
     [Traitor or no, he is another blade,] Raver snapped as they sent
an armored knee crashing into an unguarded groin. Eyes bulging in
silent pain, the grunt doubled over, only to be relieved of his agony
as the pommel of the Two's sword crushed his skull.
     [*We* cannot survive even a single blow from the Mauler -- we are
merely the iron fist, and the best we may hope for is to allow the
others time enough to pull down the Mauler.] Pragmatism born of
millenia of experience chilled the words, silencing Mandy completely.
[If it survives, it would delight in destroying as many worlds as
possible. Ours is the only course and must be accomplished.] The
unspoken 'at any cost' echoed.
     Her statement was punctuated as Raver snapped their head forward,
needle teeth sinking into the face of the grunt who had tried to bind
their swords together. Swallowing his scream, a quick twist sent gore
spraying, and the demon spat bone.
     [Oh, *god*...] Mandy whispered, sickened by the sight. She'd seen
Raver kill before, but this...was different. It wasn't swordplay -- at
least that could, in time, be appreciated -- but this was butchery.

     [Too many,] Raver bluntly replied as she pushed themselves
farther than she had ever gone in their time together, heedless of
whether the kill was clean or not. A mental push sent Mandy fleeing
inward, away from the atrocities being meted out by her own hands.

>>     /Get ready to hold it off. I'm gonna scan and see if I missed
>>anyone in there. Meanwhile, everybody lay out some lines of attack
>>for Mournblade, Malli - BRDL, and Malice. And some secondary attacks
>>for Crawler, Jha'dur's and Gaunt's respective henchmen.

     /Shard and I have the henchmen,/ Raver's tone was clipped,
betraying no trace of borrowed humanity. /You take *it* down,/ with a
mental gesture in the Mauler's direction.
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 06:37:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 06:28:53 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006121

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:35:46 -0700 (PDT)
>The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00006120
>
>    /Would it matter if I said 'no thanks'?/ Mandy inquired on the
>Link in a rare display of gallows humor.

     /This helps prove my point more quickly than just talking, but
you don't have to watch if you don't want./
     Mike added, /Hang in there everyone, we're almost through this.
We're gonna KO Mauler, clean up and go home./

>    /Shard and I have the henchmen,/ Raver's tone was clipped,
>betraying no trace of borrowed humanity. /You take *it* down,/ with a
>mental gesture in the Mauler's direction.

     /Not a problem./ Mike sent.
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 11:08:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike! (Long!)

On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 13:53:20 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006122

> On Tue, 06 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>> Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>
>    (OOC: Okay, one thing at a time. 1) I don't recall that
> distinction ever being made, but if such were the case there would
> certainly have been a 'dead' layer of wood to penetrate the ring-
> field. 2) The layer of wood is only there for the Power Ring; it
> wouldn't have any effect on more normal forcefields or body armor.
> But the 'disease' is bioengineered to nail everyone's favorite
> Lensdragon; while he might be immune to having his cells invaded,
> having his scales ripped off by small fungi is probably another
> matter. 3) Ruling: Dhyrclhanc's defenses will be enough to defeat
> the fungus amungus, but he'll have to devote energy to the task.)

<OOC1> "Yet-Another-Rewrite"(tm) coming right up </OOC1>

The exact nano-second that the disease ridden projectiles are fired
from the hybrid "Mauler" beast's bio-tech leg, the second Lensdragon
erects a ring-generated, mystical green flame, force-sphere around
himself and then gets the shock of his near 400 year long life as the
missiles slip right through the shield.

[Takhisis and Palatine! It was only a matter of time before our
opponents started using wood weapons against me!] Thinks the draconic
Lensman as the projectiles impact and he gets thrown to the ground,
more from surprise than from impact.

Feeling the synthetic disease bio-agent beginning its gruesome task,
Dhyrclhanc sweeps a hand over the beeper-like device unit at his waist
and curls up in a fetal position. As his form is surrounded by a
second energy sphere, this one being azure and golden, the Immortal
hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon sends, */ Please pardon me while I check
out for a little while./*

(while slightly beforehand...)

>>>>The second Dhyrclhanc levitates and assumes a floating lotus
>>>>position. At the same time, the Eye floats out of the Amulet and
>>>>outside of the effect horizon of the ebon/scarlet coating from
>>>>Mauler. The naked Eye assumes a position at Dhyrclhanc's chest
>>>>level and generates another golden cone of light towards the
>>>> Mauler.
>>>
>>>    ...and is promptly swallowed by a singularity that vanishes a
>>> moment later.
>>
>><OOC2> The Eye, itself, or just the light-energy attack? </OOC2>
>
>    (OOC: The Eye. Don't worry, it wasn't destroyed, and you can get
> it back as soon as the Mauler's history. ;^)

At the same time, Lensdragon #1 (Dhyrclhanc-Prime?) who is fighting
alongside the Immortal Martian Warlord John Carter, shimmers again and
four more, normal-sized, 21 foot-tall, Ruby, Amber and Carnelian
Lensdragons appear behind the bulk of the CAoL and four Glaive/Krulls
fly out towards the Malice/Crawler from Below creature, each making
multiple attacks against where the separate pieces of the composite
Elder Beast join together.

>>Mike Knight Said
>>     /Okay,/ Mike said, extending several probes from her spikard at
>>Mauler, /I'm goin' in.../
>
>    The scan reveals the presence of:
<snip>

<OOC2> Am I incorrect that the above will eventually, or has already
been sent over the link? </OOC2>

/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/

>     (OOC Countdown: Three...)

<OOC3> Oh, bloody marvelous! The ever-popular (among killer-DMs!)
Foreboding-Countdown(tm). This could be good or this could be bad!
}:=8C </OOC3>
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 14:36:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike! (Long!)

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 14:08:36 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006124

>On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 13:53:20 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006122
>
>/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
>had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
>segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/

     /Actually, I think they just tossed you a weapon,/ Mike sends,
/but I'm not a doctor. Any idea if that virus will work on Mal - er,
whatever./
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 19:37:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Love and Hate

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 18:07:42 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006125

> On Sun, 04 Oct 1998 22:19:36
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006090
>
>    "Impressive." the Mauler's eyes still burn with stellar flame.
> "But, I think, you will find this _equally_ impressive."
>    Then he takes the remainder of the universes Scott hit him with,
> turns them into ten black holes, and drops them _through_ any
> available Nemos, into NEMO's universe. There, they resist simple
> assimilation; they'll have to be dealt with somehow.

They are shunted to the "edge" of the universe. They'll decay
eventually, and as they do, the energy can be used. Shouldn't take
more than a googol or so years. If NEMO needs to do something about
them sooner, he/they will accelerate time around them until they decay
quickly enough.
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:38:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:22:42 -0400
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006126

:On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:48:19 -0700 (PDT)
:Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006119
:<snip>

Z: /How about if I say rather which I'd not like to try to, er, deal
with? (she smiles, remembering her earlier.. uhm.. well, not
victories, really...) I don't want to deal with Malice, Jha'Dur'an
biotech, Mournblade, or the Sneezy Dragon Thingie./

<ooSC: Zia means Malyztryx... you think she can do THAT name when she
resorts to DC??>

After a moment's pause while she returns to near James on his
teleportation, the brunette bombshell Amberite princess continues.
/I'd be best as the Crawler, the Maelstrom Bridge (still has flaws
from how I hit it before, in fact, to exploit), or liberation of
confined souls (I _am_ better at Conjuration than all this other stuff
I have to do), in order of greatest effectiveness to least. Give me
whatever problem someone else doesn't want of those./

James just nods, silently giving his agreement to that listing,
applied also to himself. With a flicked of Logrus energy, he draws
Starbuck in a heavier set of weaponry from the Battlestar Galactica's
armory, knowing that the charge on his hand weapon is running lower...
fast.
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 21:37:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 21:05:42
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006127

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:32:27 EDT
>Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006113
>
>The tip of Aurora's horn glows briefly. A chronon later, a small
>hyper-sphere appears before her. The cosmics present sense energy
>building up with it. One second later, the level of energy passes
>beyond the ability of any of the cosmics (except The Great Adversary)
>to detect. As Mike attacks Mauler. Aurora detonates it while
>focusing, directing and orienting the blast. What comes out, is a
>tight narrow beam of the same (pure life, ordered, ultimate pattern)
>energy that Dragon's Bane hit the Crawler with, at the same strength
>of energy. For an instant, space itself comes alive in and around the
>beam, and its all directed at Mauler.

   The Mauler actually staggers, the Crawler-section wavering. It
begins drawing _massive_ amounts of energy from the Gaunt Man's realm.
   Then the Crawler's 'body' twists, aiming and focusing its 'wound'
at Aurora.
   (OOC: I'm assuming that this won't be more than an inconvenience to
her; if it is, Roland 'ports the Galactus-staff to her.)

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 01:21:37 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006115
>
>Rhia spares a glance for Mauler, "Idiot." A hint of a smile touches
>her lips. She's still busy creating a body for John at this point.
>
>/Roland, what happens when two beings with supreme energy/matter
>conversion abilities are reduced to itty bitty bits that lack the
>knowledge and sentience of the complete being, have as their last
>impressions a mighty battle to consume a being of vast power, and
>then those _hungry_ bits are taken into a being with a surfeit of the
>power they are looking for?/

   Roland smiles. /Well I'll be.../

>/I didn't want to say anything, I might have soured the opportunity.
>If he doesn't get rid of them soon he's gonna either be eaten from
>the inside, or have to spend phenominal amounts of energy to keep
>them contained./
>
>OOC: <g> I was _waiting_ for that one.

   (OOC: So was I. <EG>)
   /All RIGHT! Now there's a distraction for-for-oh, no.../
   The Mauler isn't 'eating' the bits, or getting eaten in return.
   It _is_ expending vast amounts of energy to contain them.
   In an energy-construct 'gun.'
   Aimed at the Tower...
   "*YOU FORGET,*" the Mauler intones without any emotion
understandable by humans (though those capable of understanding
Outsider Thing psychology without losing their marbles recognize it as
the 'destruction' impulse rising) as it adds power to the 'gun,' "*I
CARE FOR MY CONTINUED EXISTENCE NO LONGER.*" The 'personality' shifts
again. "*All I want...is your DEATHS!!!*"
   /Well, we have that delay...it's going to take him longer to get
that thing up to speed than it would to just wail on the Tower,/
Roland notes dryly. /However, I imagine that the Zodaii-power won't
take _nearly_ as long to cause a catastrophic collapse as just
punching at it will.../

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 02:01:49 EDT
>Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006118
>
>"*^Just three problems with your little attack: one, I have no mind
>for you to attack. Just a personality emulation running on top of a
>rather powerful OS; bee, my I/O don't connect to dilly squat in my
>system unless I tell it to; finally, the Beast the SC2 was designed
>to take down could change the entire local pattern with a gesture, so
>anti-patterning defense is sorta built into me.^*"

   "*As could I...were the Tower forces not stabilizing reality at the
moment,*" the Mauler replies evenly, turning his much-needed (for him)
attention to other targets.
   /He calls this _stable?_ Oy!/ Roland blurts. /Hey, Mike, how much
longer is this plan going to take?/

>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:48:19 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006119
>
>>On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114
<Gigantor snip!>
>>   /Grife. We've GOT to come up with an easier descriptor for
>>whatever you are,/ Roland sends good-naturedly. The Freelance
>>Immortals begin to build power for their attack...
>
>     /They don't really have a 'gender-variable'. The girls still
>call me 'dad' so 'man' is fine, despite the obvious physical
>descrepency./
>     Mike looks toward Aurora. /Nice attack, between we two we should
>be able to really ruin the Crawler's day. Everyone, let's divvy up
>targets./

   /Quickly,/ Sil sends, concentrating on helping Rhiannon.

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:35:46 -0700 (PDT)
>The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00006120
>
>> On Tue, 06 Oct 1998 21:40:53
>> Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006114
>>
>>    A shield of blue-white chi force appears in front of Roland, and
>> both attack and defense vanish in a flash of darkness. Shard
>> salutes a dumbfounded Roland and continues his fight against the
>> grunts. *Save a piece for me, if you can!*
>
>    Recovering within a few seconds, Raver shot Shard a grin as they
>viciously slammed a grunt out of the way with a body check. They
>roared over the sound of battle, "Well met, Shard!"

   A Shard-duplicate salutes back, blowing up in the face of a
would-be assassin. The 'real' Shard chuckles.
   "Man, they never learn..." Another Shard looks at the rapidly
fluctuating Mauler. *Um, Defender? What I said about saving a piece
for me...never mind.*

>    /Shard and I have the henchmen,/ Raver's tone was clipped,
>betraying no trace of borrowed humanity. /You take *it* down,/ with a
>mental gesture in the Mauler's direction.

   /Thanks, and good hunting,/ Roland sends.

>On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 13:53:20 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006122
>> On Tue, 06 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>>> Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>>>
>>>>    "You have just been infected with a draconian equivalent of
>>>> gangrene," the Mauler explains, "hyperaccelerated so that you
>>>> will lose 5% of your body mass per minute. Goodbye, Dhyrclhanc!"
<snip>
>> 3) Ruling: Dhyrclhanc's defenses will be enough to defeat the
>> fungus amungus, but he'll have to devote energy to the task.)
<snip>
>Feeling the synthetic disease bio-agent beginning its gruesome task,
>Dhyrclhanc sweeps a hand over the beeper-like device unit at his
>waist and curls up in a fetal position. As his form is surrounded by
>a second energy sphere, this one being azure and golden, the Immortal
>hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon sends, */ Please pardon me while I check
>out for a little while./*

   It doesn't take long; the biotech construct is virulent, resilient
and nasty, but it probably doesn't take Dhyrclhanc long to find a type
of magic that it can't defend against. (OOC: Trying to get you back
with plenty of time for the finale, sib. ;^)

>>><OOC2> The Eye, itself, or just the light-energy attack? </OOC2>
>>
>>    (OOC: The Eye. Don't worry, it wasn't destroyed, and you can get
>> it back as soon as the Mauler's history. ;^)
>
>At the same time, Lensdragon #1 (Dhyrclhanc-Prime?) who is fighting
>alongside the Immortal Martian Warlord John Carter, shimmers again
>and four more, normal-sized, 21 foot-tall, Ruby, Amber and Carnelian
>Lensdragons appear behind the bulk of the CAoL and four Glaive/Krulls
>fly out towards the Malice/Crawler from Below creature, each making
>multiple attacks against where the separate pieces of the composite
>Elder Beast join together.

   They have considerably better luck against the biotech leg (being
already under attack) than the other three limbs.

>>>Mike Knight Said
>>>     /Okay,/ Mike said, extending several probes from her spikard
>>>at Mauler, /I'm goin' in.../
>>
>>    The scan reveals the presence of:
<scansnip>
><OOC2> Am I incorrect that the above will eventually, or has already
>been sent over the link? </OOC2>
>
>/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
>had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
>segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/

   /Um, sib, might I suggest that, given our predicament, the Mauler
_might_ be a major priority?/ Roland sends, not quite on the edge of
hysteria but definitely looking it over as an option...

/OK, we're divvying up targets?/ Morgan sends with a firm tone
deliberately chosen to pull Roland's attention back to business. Then
she looks wickedly thoughtful. /You know, Mauler doesn't look so good.
I think his immune system could use a boost./

   /His what? What are you TALKING abou-OOOHHHhhh,/ Roland replies, a
sly grin forming. /You hit him high, I'll hit him low./

Morgan grins. /On your signal, my love?/

   /On Mike's, actually,/ Roland replies. /I'm just playing
coordinator, instead of actual leader, for once. Thank the Light./
Energy that would be staggering among a lesser grouping begins to fill
Roland...

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:22:42 -0400
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006126
>
>After a moment's pause while she returns to near James on his
>teleportation, the brunette bombshell Amberite princess continues.
>/I'd be best as the Crawler, the Maelstrom Bridge (still has flaws
>from how I hit it before, in fact, to exploit), or liberation of
>confined souls (I _am_ better at Conjuration than all this other
>stuff I have to do), in order of greatest effectiveness to least.
>Give me whatever problem someone else doesn't want of those./
>
>James just nods, silently giving his agreement to that listing,
>applied also to himself. With a flicked of Logrus energy, he draws
>Starbuck in a heavier set of weaponry from the Battlestar Galactica's
>armory, knowing that the charge on his hand weapon is running
>lower... fast.

   (OOC: The Maelstrom Bridge is _forged_ from confined souls. Looks
like Zia's got a target...)
   @Whoa!@ Starbuck sends as a blaster rifle appears in his hands.
@Thanks for the save-@
   A Viper rockets overhead, laying some extra cover fire.
   @Starting the party without me?@ Apollo asks, saluting as he makes
his pass. One of the more power immie PKs flies after him.
   @Apollo!@ Starbuck replies in relief. @Man, am I glad to see _you._
We've got problems!@ Starbuck turns back for a moment to look at the
Mauler, whose cannon continues to build power...

   (OOC Countdown: Two...)
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:36:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Love and Hate (Long!)

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:33:38 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006128

> On Mon, 05 Oct 1998 22:01:58
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006103
>
>>Several Nemisis Splits are Working on Mauler,
>> trying to increase the Surface tension between It's components,
>>  Ie: decrease it's ability to remain in one piece,
>>   They would welcome assistance...
>
>    They can 'feel' the tension at the seams, but for the moment they
> are a sufficiently minor nuisance (so the Mauler thinks) that their
> efforts are not drawing counterattack, merely resistance.

NEMO (being rather irritated at Mauler's attack) will supply energies
to the "grafted" pieces of Mauler. The energies might be described as
"healing". They encourage things to "complete" themselves. Thus,
they'd encourage the "grafts" to resume their independent existence.

NEMO is careful *not* to direct these energies at the actual "core"
the others are grafted onto.
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:37:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Endings... (fwd)

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:52:16 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006129

> On Mon, 5 Oct 1998 20:50:02 -0400 (EDT)
> Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006099
>
> Tears streaming down her eyes, Rhia nodded wordlessly. She looked to
> Adam, "Can you get me closer? I don't have the range."
>
> He looked concerned, "I thought you.."
>
> Her voice is bitter, "My plea for help has been ignored. I will have
> to be enough. I _will_ be enough. Can you get me there?" The urgency
> in her voice is unmistakeable.

<OOC: I thought Nemo had transported you to the surface last week?>

> *^/I CAN'T HOLD HIM./^* The cry is torn from her as she feels John
> fragmenting in her mental hands, her power inadequate to the task
> she is attempting.

*You can hold him. 'Lean' on me.*

A vast presence, like Nemo, but much greater touches her and enfolds
her. She has all the power she could desire, she merely has to direct
it. And she's somehow able to concentrate as shge never has before.

<OOC: NEMO is "buffering" her mental and physical processes, handling
all the "small stuff" so she has *no* distractions.>
===========================

Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:37:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Offers

On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 01:32:51 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006130

Several messages flows along the link, several times. All are
substantially identical (once translated/decoded). Each time, it's
sent in a means of communication known only to a few CAoL'ers in the
area. They say:

/
If anybody needs a small boost in their attack of Mauler, I can
provide it. Be careful that you can withstand an energy gain of at
least an order of magnitude. The boost might not be that powerful, but
power spikes are inevitable with my granularity. (Forgive the sig, I'm
required to include it in order to get the verifier.) -Scott.

Thank you,
C. Scott Osborne, Maintainers Guild Member
[Complex content dependent verification signature]
/

<OOC:
1. For example, Raver/Mandy might receive something in Raver's native
tongue; Nemo would receive something that involves a culture from the
other side of the multiverse, and so on.
B. If you must, think those PGP verification keys you see in Important
People's signatures.
>

Thanks
Scott "Impersonation" Osborne
===========================

Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 01:03:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132

>On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 21:05:42
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006127
>
>   /He calls this _stable?_ Oy!/ Roland blurts. /Hey, Mike, how much
>longer is this plan going to take?/

     /I'm workin', I'm workin'-/ Mike sends, her mental 'sidebands'
buzzing. She was trying to piece together from a chaotic battle what
amounted to a mental video tape she could use to find the Mauler's
weak spots.
     Perhaps the best way to describe it would be in reference to a
televised football game. Usually such games had in the neighborhood of
two dozen cameras watching the event, the crowds, the coaches, the
players on the bench and the sportscasters. Most of the time however,
there was little interesting going on on most of them, making it
fairly simple to watch a few key monitors and put together a program
that the public could follow.
     Here, Mike had about a dozen 'cameras', the other members of the
CAoL, all -playing in- the 'football game', the battle around them,
and all with vital information to help her plan a -winning strategy-
that could be quickly and clearly communicated.
     Any football coach could do it, until one took into account that
the rules kept changing, including the rules of physics, and one never
knew what they were changing to.
     [No wonder Roland was feeling 'cotton headed',] Mike thought.

>>On Tue, 6 Oct 1998 23:48:19 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006119
>>
>>     /They don't really have a 'gender-variable'. The girls still
>>call me 'dad' so 'man' is fine, despite the obvious physical
>>descrepency./
>>     Mike looks toward Aurora. /Nice attack, between we two we
>>should be able to really ruin the Crawler's day. Everyone, let's
>>divvy up targets./
>
>   /Quickly,/ Sil sends, concentrating on helping Rhiannon.

     /Yes, very quickly,/ Mike added.

>>On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 13:53:20 -0400
>>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006122
>>
>>/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
>>had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
>>segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/
>
>   /Um, sib, might I suggest that, given our predicament, the Mauler
>_might_ be a major priority?/ Roland sends, not quite on the edge of
>hysteria but definitely looking it over as an option...

     [Uh oh, -definitely- don't have time for -this-,] Mike thinks,
just as Morgan comes to the rescue with...

>/OK, we're divvying up targets?/ Morgan sends with a firm tone
>deliberately chosen to pull Roland's attention back to business. Then
>she looks wickedly thoughtful. /You know, Mauler doesn't look so
>good. I think his immune system could use a boost./
>
>>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 22:22:42 -0400
>>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006126
>>
>>James just nods, silently giving his agreement to that listing,
>>applied also to himself. With a flicked of Logrus energy, he draws
>>Starbuck in a heavier set of weaponry from the Battlestar
>>Galactica's armory, knowing that the charge on his hand weapon is
>>running lower... fast.
>
>   (OOC: The Maelstrom Bridge is _forged_ from confined souls. Looks
>like Zia's got a target...)

     /Okay, let's try this in reverse./ Mike sends, her tone sounding
icy calm under her warm southern drawl, though her sidebands are
nearly screaming, she is -very- stressed. /I'll tell everyone who they
are going to attack, then you all tell me why you can't, then I will
try putting you somewhere else, until we get a solution./
     /Roland, Morgan, Biotech./
     /Aurora, Crawler./
     /Nemo, uhm, Malice. Ever seen the Exorcist? Do that./
     *mental coin flip* /Zia, James, Maelstrom Bridge. Free the souls
trapped inside. At least I think that's what's in there. Sorta
reminded me of Soulstealer./ <OOC: I assume anyway. Some of this I am
having to IC guess at so I need references from the past. <g>>
     /That leaves Dragon Lady and Mournblade.../
     /Legion, Dragon Lady. Red has Elemental Magic to match only Fuzzy
I think, and you are our most varied Mage otherwise. Nemisis, can you
assist? My hope is to free the Dragon Goddess and let -her- deal with
Big Red. (Not you, Dhyrclhanc. <weak grin>/ <OOC: I am presuming Fuzzy
is by now thoroughly embroiled in the conflict with the Great
Adversary and can't join in the attack.>
     /I'm going to try balancing Mournblade's Chaos, hopefully without
having my soul sucked in with the rest of his./ <OOC: If Ordered Driss
is still about, I'll add: /Driss, can you assist with that?/>
     /Everyone else keep the grunts off. Speak now if you can assist
any one of us attacking any one of the components./
     /Also, any complaints, voice them now. Otherwise, that's the plan
we run with. If you are fine with your portion, please confirm so and
make any preparations you need./

 <------------------------START OOC--------------------------->
     Okay, if I handled this right, I have set at least one character
at one piece of the Mauler jigsaw puzzle that matters. I assume the
Truely Dead Horrors (tm) are not a problem, just an added 'yuck'
factor.
     If I have really handled this right, I have set each character
against some problem I have seen them handle before on some scale, or
at least made a reasonable assumption that they could handle it now
from something I have seen them do before.
     If I have -really- handled this right, I haven't given anyone
more than they can handle.
     If I have -REALLY- handled this right, what I -expect- to happen
is:
       Morgan and Roland shred the Biotech.
       Aurora annihilates Crawler.
       Nemo yanks Malice out of the construct so he can't help the
others, preferably back to whatever dark, nether region Earth-9
believes in or wherever exorcised spirits go.
       Zia and James free all the souls in the bridge, cutting off the
Mauler from the power of the Gaunt Man.
       Stepping slightly out of order of the above IC list, I (Mike)
will flip half of Mournblade's Chaotic bits into Ordered bits, forcing
them to cancel each other out (-x + x = 0) possibly violently.
       Legion will keep Malystryx too busy to help at all, leaving her
to be dealt with by her Goddess and the other Dragonkind, probably
taking a bunch of damage from Legion directly, and collatoral damage
from the work by the rest of us.
     AND, -if- I have been reading -everyone's- minds and secret stat
sheets, this -is- what will happen.

     Also, I don't know Driss's, Dhryclhanc's, Scott's (other than
willing to aid with a power tap), Rhia's, Stranger's or John's current
states, so have them hop in wherever you think they can be the most
help. ICly, it would probably help everyone's stress level if you
announced it before hand, though. :) Mike is currently about ready to
jump out of her skin, especially when she is concentrating on planning
and not her surroundings. :)

     The following is the information I am going on, from Roland's
post a few days ago:
>   The scan reveals the presence of:
<Snip - you can go back and look if you need to. ed>

     Hopefully, setting everyone up with a specific target works
better for everyone than just saying "Grab something and hit it"
considering we are trying to work as a team and doubled effort on one
thing might mean we miss another.
     'Nuff said.
   <-------------------------END OOC--------------------------->
===========================

Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 01:51:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 04:23:26 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006133

Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006127
>    The Mauler actually staggers, the Crawler-section wavering. It
> begins drawing _massive_ amounts of energy from the Gaunt Man's
> realm.
>    Then the Crawler's 'body' twists, aiming and focusing its 'wound'
> at Aurora.
>    (OOC: I'm assuming that this won't be more than an inconvenience
> to her; if it is, Roland 'ports the Galactus-staff to her.)

/WHOOPS!/ Aurora "shouts" as she vanishes from the spot she was at
just before Crawler's "insides" pass through. She re-appears on the
other side of Mauler. Her horn glows again, another hyper-sphere
appears and a second later she puts a shot of pure anti-magic into the
Malystryks portion of Mauler's "body". Then noticing the injured
Galactus in orbit, she fires a beam of pure healing energy into him,
from her horn (OOC: the same effect that The Stardragon, Hydra, and
Oracle have used, but concentrated, and focused instead of broadcast).

>    (OOC: The Maelstrom Bridge is _forged_ from confined souls. Looks
> like Zia's got a target...)
>    @Whoa!@ Starbuck sends as a blaster rifle appears in his hands.
> @Thanks for the save-@
>    A Viper rockets overhead, laying some extra cover fire.
>    @Starting the party without me?@ Apollo asks, saluting as he
> makes his pass. One of the more power immie PKs flies after him.
>    @Apollo!@ Starbuck replies in relief. @Man, am I glad to see
> _you._ We've got problems!@ Starbuck turns back for a moment to look
> at the Mauler, whose cannon continues to build power...

/Roland, I believe that I can do something about that gun of his, but
to do it , I must wait until he fires it, and I will need him
distracted as he begins to pull the trigger. In the mean time.../
Aurora sends as she begins a dance of war (so to speak). She vanishes
in one spot to re-appear in another, where she creates another sphere.
With these spheres she doesn't wait for them to power up completely
(OOC: when they are "fired" a micro second later, they have about the
energy output of a quasar, through its entire lifetime), and when she
"fires" them, she doesn't direct the beam at Mauler. Instead she
directs them in other directions where they pass into small space
warps, the other ends of which are near to Mauler and so the beams do
hit him. These "other ends" dance about seemingly at random, and there
are never less that three near him. What she "fires" is selected
randomly: Spirit energy (spiritual attack), anti-psi, anti-magic.
===========================

Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 07:37:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 10:23:31 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006134

>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>
>     /I'm going to try balancing Mournblade's Chaos, hopefully
>without having my soul sucked in with the rest of his./ <OOC: If
>Ordered Driss is still about, I'll add: /Driss, can you assist with
>that?/>

 (OOC: Yah Know I completely forgot there was Ordered Harlequin
floating out in space near Bab 5. I guess he's probably been smashing
crunchies with the rest of the NPCs.)
 /I can attempt it. If he is still drawing energy from the tower,
prehaps it would help if we could release the Chaosi and Ordered
trapped within it and rebalance this dimention making it inherently
Ordered again rather than Chaos./
===========================

Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 11:39:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE:Battle in Arcadia, Final Act.

On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 11:29:30
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006135

About the time Morgan was saying....:
>/OK, we're divvying up targets?/ Morgan sends with a firm tone
>deliberately chosen to pull Roland's attention back to business. Then
>she looks wickedly thoughtful. /You know, Mauler doesn't look so
>good. I think his immune system could use a boost./
>
>   /His what? What are you TALKING abou-OOOHHHhhh,/ Roland replies, a
>sly grin forming. /You hit him high, I'll hit him low./
>
>Morgan grins. /On your signal, my love?/


>On Wed, 07 Oct 1998 01:39:15 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006117
>
> Roscoe morphs into a Crinos formed werewolf without noticing that
>his ring is now laying broken in the dirt. "Come on, let's finish
>this now! I'm tired of your blaming me for everything that's happened
>to you. if I was such a bad foster father, then why don't you JUST GO
>AWAY?"
> "Oh, don't worry, I'll leave just as soon as I've done this." Squee
>mutters adn gestures and the ground covers over Roscoe's feet. he
>looks down trying to free himself and Squee lashes out with
>Soulstealer...

Morgan's eyes suddenly go wide, and the others on the link feel her
damp down her connection hard and fast. [_This_ we don't need right
now,] she thinks. Then she spares a moments while Mike is coordinating
plans to try to send a goodbye to her old friend. [Later, I can let
everyone else see this, and we can see about dealing with that little
rat.]

<OOC: After writing this, I realize I don't remember if Roscoe
actually had a lens or if he just teeped with everyone. If he's on the
lenslink, Morgan will do what she can to filter, but I don't think any
of us could block something like that from everyone.>

>Driss is racing towards Fury, who is struggling inside a clingnet,
>when he noticed Roscoe fall. He turned but couldn't seem to remember
>quite what he was doing it for. He tried to take a step but couldn't
>rememebr where his foot was placed and fell as he shifted his weight
>too soon.

Then Mike sent (among other things):
>     /Roland, Morgan, Biotech./

Mike's commands pull Morgan back to her surroundings. She sends just
enough to Roland so he won't worry about her, but tries to shield the
rest of the link from their friend's fate. Her training serves her
well in putting her grief aside to be dealt with later; meanwhile, she
directed all the anger she felt at a more convenient target.

Bacj to Dris:
> Fury took Squee's arm, adn Squee gestured, opening up an X-window
>and they passed through, disappearing without a trace. As the field
>fell, the Guardians raced in to surround their fallen Chief. Another
>firgure was the only one to pay any attention to the twitching Driss.

*Cutter, Leetah?* Morgan sends to her companions, still in the house
on Earth-9.

*Already there,* they reply. Knowing the cubs will be safe in the
house, the two wolves 'port back to Arcadia, to provide what help and
moral support they can. Including, perhaps, the coordinates of a
certain pub on Long Island....
===========================

Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 20:07:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 19:47:57 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006136

>On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 10:23:31 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006134
>>
>>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>>
>>     /I'm going to try balancing Mournblade's Chaos, hopefully
>>without having my soul sucked in with the rest of his. <slight snip>
>>Driss, can you assist with that?/>
>
> /I can attempt it. If he is still drawing energy from the tower,
>prehaps it would help if we could release the Chaosi and Ordered
>trapped within it and rebalance this dimention making it inherently
>Ordered again rather than Chaos./

     /Might help./ Mike replies.
     ^Z'On'Dar, can the Ordered and Chaosi in the Tower be released
yet? Reordering the universe might assist us with the Malice/Crawler
gestalt.^
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 05:41:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 04:31:20 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006137

> On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
> Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>
>      /Okay, let's try this in reverse./ Mike sends, her tone
> sounding icy calm under her warm southern drawl, though her
> sidebands are nearly screaming, she is -very- stressed. /I'll tell
> everyone who they are going to attack, then you all tell me why you
> can't, then I will try putting you somewhere else, until we get a
> solution./
>      /Roland, Morgan, Biotech./
>      /Aurora, Crawler./
>      /Nemo, uhm, Malice. Ever seen the Exorcist? Do that./

The Nemo with a halo proceeds to sep into a corner of the protective
sigil he'd inscribed about the Tower.

"Ego te exorciso, spiritua impura..."

Malice gets hit with an exorcism backed by the "holiness" of one who
has defeated the veryu hordes of Hell.

<OOC>
>     Nemo yanks Malice out of the construct so he can't help the
> others, preferably back to whatever dark, nether region Earth-9
> believes in or wherever exorcised spirits go.

If I can merely get Malice *seperated*, I can stick him in a universe
so old that it'd take him a billion years to accumulate the energy to
form a thought...
</OOC>
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 09:05:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE:Battle in Arcadia, Final Act.

On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 11:48:18 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006138

>On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 11:29:30
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006135
>
>Morgan's eyes suddenly go wide, and the others on the link feel her
>damp down her connection hard and fast. [_This_ we don't need right
>now,] she thinks. Then she spares a moments while Mike is
>coordinating plans to try to send a goodbye to her old friend.
>[Later, I can let everyone else see this, and we can see about
>dealing with that little rat.]
>
><OOC: After writing this, I realize I don't remember if Roscoe
>actually had a lens or if he just teeped with everyone. If he's on
>the lenslink, Morgan will do what she can to filter, but I don't
>think any of us could block something like that from everyone.>

 OOC: He had a mini-lens but usually TPed because it was what he was
most used to. He began using hte mini-lens after his massive powerdown
though because he didn't have the range he used to anymore.
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 11:35:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike! (Long!)

On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 14:25:29 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006139

> On Wed, 7 Oct '98 Mike Knight Said
>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>
>>/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
>>had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
>>segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/
>
>      /Actually, I think they just tossed you a weapon,/ Mike sends,
> /but I'm not a doctor. Any idea if that virus will work on Mal - er,
> whatever./

After about a half an hour, durring which "Dhyrclhanc-Beta" comes
uncomfortably close to looking like death warmed over, the golden and
blue force sphere dissapears and The second Lensdragon gets up off of
the ground, looking much healthier, better than new, in fact.

/[Now, there is a thought. #PIXAR, get over here!#]/

The draconic Lesman's softball-sized psuedo-sentinent, nanomagictech,
PC/PDA appears at his left shoulder.

#/Yes?/#

#/Relay the folowing command/info packet the Guardian/Osiris/
Universal Pharmaphage/Miracle/Nano-drone colony in my bloodstream {}/#

#/Working. On it./#

Moments later, a large, 35cm calber shell forms in the second
Dhyrclhanc's left hand and a huge battle rifle/assault cannon,
reminicent of a SIG or H&K assault rifle, forms in his right hand. He
quickly hand-feeds the slug into the bottom of the rifle and quickly
shoves the whole unit into his dragon-sized, metal-weave, dufflebag.

/[I am saving you for later. Normaly, I would try to avoid like doing
this to another dragon, but Malystryx has already proven herself to be
untrustworthy, not to mention traitorous, and events have gone way
past the hairy stage at this point. Proven that I've had to fall back
on this Time-Lord time-ring to be several places at once in this
mess.]/

Then he sends to John Carter, *Forgive this intrusion, Captain Carter,
but do you think that you have our oppoenents' thralls well enough in
hand that my otherself can leave your side?*
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 12:52:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike! (Long!)

On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 11:50:21
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006140

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 14:25:29 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006139
>
>Then he sends to John Carter, *Forgive this intrusion, Captain
>Carter, but do you think that you have our oppoenents' thralls well
>enough in hand that my otherself can leave your side?*

   John Carter smiles. *Heck, looks like me and your friend, Raver,
could handle these things by ourselves.* Carter looks around. *Not
that we have to. You go do what you have to, son.*

<OOC-M: Roland asked me to convey his apologies for not answering
anything last night. We had a slightly nasty attack of RL :-(. He
should be able to catch up tonight.>
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 16:12:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 18:40:43 -0400
Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006141

Legion's persona's shift again, her stance and bodylanguage changing
as she begins to focus her spellcasting on the dragonic bits of
Mauler... Including some very nasty spells that were designed
specifically for dragon slaying.

/We are not sure... how much longer we can hold out... the distortions
continue to take their toll on us... we will... hold out as long as we
can.../
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 20:05:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 19:04:45 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006142

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 18:40:43 -0400
>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006141
>
>/We are not sure... how much longer we can hold out... the
>distortions continue to take their toll on us... we will... hold out
>as long as we can.../

     /That is all I can ask of anyone,/ Mike sends solemnly.
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 20:36:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 23:09:44 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00006143

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 18:40:43 -0400
>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006141
>
>/We are not sure... how much longer we can hold out... the
>distortions continue to take their toll on us... we will... hold out
>as long as we can.../

/I can try to mute, if not negate, the effects of the distortions in a
specialized locale, if that would help you./ John sends. He thinks to
himself, 'I don't know how I'll do it. Yet.'
===========================

Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 20:39:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 20:35:58
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006144

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:33:38 PST
>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006128
>
>NEMO (being rather irritated at Mauler's attack) will supply energies
>to the "grafted" pieces of Mauler. The energies might be described as
>"healing". They encourage things to "complete" themselves. Thus,
>they'd encourage the "grafts" to resume their independent existence.
>
>NEMO is careful *not* to direct these energies at the actual "core"
>the others are grafted onto.

   The 'joint' stress intensifies.

>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>
>     /Okay, let's try this in reverse./ Mike sends, her tone sounding
>icy calm under her warm southern drawl, though her sidebands are
>nearly screaming, she is -very- stressed. /I'll tell everyone who
>they are going to attack, then you all tell me why you can't, then I
>will try putting you somewhere else, until we get a solution./
>     /Roland, Morgan, Biotech./

   /Check,/ they send in unison.

>     /Aurora, Crawler./

>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 04:23:26 EDT
>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00006133
>
>/WHOOPS!/ Aurora "shouts" as she vanishes from the spot she was at
>just before Crawler's "insides" pass through. She re-appears on the
>other side of Mauler. Her horn glows again, another hyper-sphere
>appears and a second later she puts a shot of pure anti-magic into
>the Malystryks portion of Mauler's "body". Then noticing the injured
>Galactus in orbit, she fires a beam of pure healing energy into him,
>from her horn (OOC: the same effect that The Stardragon, Hydra, and
>Oracle have used, but concentrated, and focused instead of
>broadcast).

   Galactus is looking considerably healthier, and returns the favor
by acting as a transformer for Aurora, amplifying her power as she
desires. (IOW, this is at her disposal-he's not just dropping a
powerboost on her without warning.)

>/Roland, I believe that I can do something about that gun of his, but
>to do it , I must wait until he fires it, and I will need him
>distracted as he begins to pull the trigger. In the mean time.../
>Aurora sends as she begins a dance of war (so to speak). She vanishes

   /You should get your shot soon,/ Roland notes. /I hope./ The gun
shimmers, like it's not quite solid, but if it comes apart all those
'hungry bits' could be pretty bad to the surrounding area all by
themselves...

>in one spot to re-appear in another, where she creates another
>sphere. With these spheres she doesn't wait for them to power up
>completely (OOC: when they are "fired" a micro second later, they
>have about the energy output of a quasar, through its entire
>lifetime), and when she "fires" them, she doesn't direct the beam at
>Mauler. Instead she directs them in other directions where they pass
>into small space warps, the other ends of which are near to Mauler
>and so the beams do hit him. These "other ends" dance about seemingly
>at random, and there are never less that three near him. What she
>"fires" is selected randomly: Spirit energy (spiritual attack),
>anti-psi, anti-magic.

   The Mauler laughs at the first one, deflecting it easily. It has
somewhat more difficulty with the second one, stops laughing at the
third slash, and then starts howling more loudly with each attack,
striking at where Aurora was a moment ago. It tries preventing the
warps from forming, but only prepared defenses for spacial warps aimed
at/ inside it, and the varied attacks wear at it slowly but
steadily...
   /Now THAT'S a diversion,/ Sil notes admiringly.

<back to Mike>
>     /Nemo, uhm, Malice. Ever seen the Exorcist? Do that./

>On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 04:31:20 PST
>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006137
>
>The Nemo with a halo proceeds to sep into a corner of the protective
>sigil he'd inscribed about the Tower.
>
>"Ego te exorciso, spiritua impura..."
>
>Malice gets hit with an exorcism backed by the "holiness" of one who
>has defeated the very hordes of Hell. 

   Malice _is_ the hordes of Hell. <g> But it starts to work. In fact,
it would have worked in about a microsecond if Malice weren't using
the Crawler's power to 'anchor' himself. He starts screaming too...

<back to Mike>
>     *mental coin flip* /Zia, James, Maelstrom Bridge. Free the souls
>trapped inside. At least I think that's what's in there. Sorta
>reminded me of Soulstealer./ <OOC: I assume anyway. Some of this I am
>having to IC guess at so I need references from the past. <g>>

   (OOC: Close enough for government work. The Gaunt Man 'owns' those
souls, but point will be moot if the Bridge loses its 'mortar.')

>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 19:47:57 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006136
>
>>On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 10:23:31 EDT
>>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006134
>>
>> /I can attempt it. If he is still drawing energy from the tower,
>>prehaps it would help if we could release the Chaosi and Ordered
>>trapped within it and rebalance this dimention making it inherently
>>Ordered again rather than Chaos./
>
>     /Might help./ Mike replies.
>     ^Z'On'Dar, can the Ordered and Chaosi in the Tower be released
>yet? Reordering the universe might assist us with the Malice/Crawler
>gestalt.^

   ^I am busy, but I believe that Lara can. *Lara?*^
   ^On it,^ Lara replies.
   A moment later, Order and Chaos are restored to the cosmos, both in
a somewhat passive state-Chaos having been reduced to it, and Order
still 'bound' in a manner of speaking. (OOC: Driss will set things
right once he does his thing.)

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 14:25:29 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006139
>
>> On Wed, 7 Oct '98 Mike Knight Said
>>
>>      /Actually, I think they just tossed you a weapon,/ Mike sends,
>> /but I'm not a doctor. Any idea if that virus will work on Mal -
>> er, whatever./

   (OOC: Damn it Jim, I'm a Time Lord, not a Doctor! ;^)

<snip of impressive healing effect>
>Moments later, a large, 35cm calber shell forms in the second
>Dhyrclhanc's left hand and a huge battle rifle/assault cannon,
>reminicent of a SIG or H&K assault rifle, forms in his right hand. He
>quickly hand-feeds the slug into the bottom of the rifle and quickly
>shoves the whole unit into his dragon-sized, metal-weave, dufflebag.
>
>/[I am saving you for later. Normaly, I would try to avoid like doing
>this to another dragon, but Malystryx has already proven herself to
>be untrustworthy, not to mention traitorous, and events have gone way
>past the hairy stage at this point. Proven that I've had to fall back
>on this Time-Lord time-ring to be several places at once in this
>mess.]/

   Though the Lensdragon can tell that the biomass of the draconic
talon-arm is not that of Malystryx herself, it is still the substance
of a dragon, and therefore should be vulnerable to the...stuff...that
the Mauler shot at Dhyrclhanc himself.

<snip & back to Mike>
>  <------------------------START OOC--------------------------->
>
>     Okay, if I handled this right, I have set at least one character
>at one piece of the Mauler jigsaw puzzle that matters. I assume the
>Truely Dead Horrors (tm) are not a problem, just an added 'yuck'
>factor.

   Well, they added power, but you are correct that they are a
non-problem.

>     If I have -really- handled this right, I haven't given anyone
>more than they can handle.
>     If I have -REALLY- handled this right, what I -expect- to happen
>is:
<snip>

   Looks like the Lensdragon has his own .02$ worth to add to that.
<g> Other than that, looks like a plan. A good one, even.

>     AND, -if- I have been reading -everyone's- minds and secret stat
>sheets, this -is- what will happen.

   Well, if NOTHING goes wrong...<EG>

>     Hopefully, setting everyone up with a specific target works
>better for everyone than just saying "Grab something and hit it"
>considering we are trying to work as a team and doubled effort on one
>thing might mean we miss another.

   THANK you! 8^)

>     'Nuff said.

   Ex-CEL-sior!

>   <-------------------------END OOC--------------------------->

   (OOC Countdown: ONE...)
===========================

Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 09:07:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 11:44:41 -0400
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006145

:On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 20:35:58
:Morgan and/or Roland Said
:
:>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
:>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
:<back to Mike>
:>     *mental coin flip* /Zia, James, Maelstrom Bridge. Free the
:>souls trapped inside. At least I think that's what's in there. Sorta
:>reminded me of Soulstealer./ <OOC: I assume anyway. Some of this I
:>am having to IC guess at so I need references from the past. <g>>
:
:   (OOC: Close enough for government work. The Gaunt Man 'owns' those
:souls, but point will be moot if the Bridge loses its 'mortar.')

<ooSC: Sigh. All right, I'll do whatever partial help my characters
have been pre-adjudged by the DM capable of then.>

Zia summons a longer Arc from inside her Sign while she and James
resume their more 'normal' appearances as the Sigils themselves fade
from discernment. Afterwards, she and James methodically alternate
lashing and gashing the Maelstrom Bridge apart. A group of Logrus
tendrils in a mystical cat-o-nine tails is James' tool, while Zia
wields the Arc as crowbar and saw. Zia's face is set, but gets a bit
greener as they can't help but hurt a few of the 'bricks' in the
deconstruction.

<ooSC: They'll also do whatever else Mike suggests and the DM says
they can to help out in whatever small way is possible, until the
fight is over.>
===========================

Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 10:35:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 13:13:44 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006146

> On Wed, 07 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>> Morgan and/or Roland Said
>>>>Dhyrclhanc Said
>>
>>Feeling the synthetic disease bio-agent beginning its gruesome task,
>>Dhyrclhanc sweeps a hand over the beeper-like device unit at his
>>waist and curls up in a fetal position. As his form is surrounded by
>>a second energy sphere, this one being azure and golden, the
>>Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon sends, */ Please pardon me while
>>I check out for a little while./*
>
>    It doesn't take long; the biotech construct is virulent,
> resilient and nasty, but it probably doesn't take Dhyrclhanc long to
> find a type of magic that it can't defend against. (OOC: Trying to
> get you back with plenty of time for the finale, sib. ;^)

<OOC1> More to the point, the Guardian/Miracle/Osiris/Universal
PharmphageNanodrone colony within Dhyrclhanc uses both *technological*
and *magick* to acomplish their tasks. I figure that this will just
exemplify the point that the meta-GM was making; that it'll take much
less time than this author thought for Dhyrclhanc to recover from the
"Mauler's" bio-tech assault. </OOC1>

>>>><OOC2> The Eye, itself, or just the light-energy attack? </OOC2>
>>>
>>>    (OOC: The Eye. Don't worry, it wasn't destroyed, and you can
>>> get it back as soon as the Mauler's history. ;^)

<OOC2> Well it is only the Eye from one of the temporalyfuged
"Dhyrclhances". Any "Dhyrclhanci" that came "after" this one won't
have an Eye but those who came "before" (ie; the one who was fighting
off mooks with the Immortal John Carter and the four who are/will be
attacking the bio-tech segment of the "Mauler") will still have an Eye
of Agamotto. </OOC2>

>>At the same time, Lensdragon #1 (Dhyrclhanc-Prime?) who is fighting
>>alongside the Immortal Martian Warlord John Carter, shimmers again
>>and four more, normal-sized, 21 foot-tall, Ruby, Amber and Carnelian
>>Lensdragons appear behind the bulk of the CAoL and four
>>Glaive/Krulls fly out towards the Malice/Crawler from Below
>>creature, each making multiple attacks against where the separate
>>pieces of the composite Elder Beast join together.
>
>    They have considerably better luck against the biotech leg (being
> already under attack) than the other three limbs.

All four "Dhyrclhanci" begin to concentrate further and the four
Krulls begin to exclusivly assault the "Mauler's" bio-tech leg.

>>/[If I had the time,]/ thinks/sends one of the Lensdragons, /[And I
>>had some inkling of what to do, I would focus on the Malystryx
>>segment. Problem is, right now my hands are pretty much full]/
>
>    /Um, sib, might I suggest that, given our predicament, the Mauler
> _might_ be a major priority?/ Roland sends, not quite on the edge of
> hysteria but definitely looking it over as an option...

<OOC3> Actually I, or rather Dhyrclhanc, was refering to Malystryx and
the Dragon Civil War between the upstart red elementalist and the
currently entraped Queen of All Chaotic Dragons. But I guess Roland IC
knew what I/he was talking about </OOC3>

The two Dhyrclhanci not engaged in the Krull/Glaive assault against
the "Mauler trade assualt cannon for Eye of Agamotto Amulet and then
both disappear again.

Dhyrclhanc-Prime appears in mid-air a stone's throw away from the
Mauler Amalgamam with the assault cannon held up against his shoulder,
the business end pointing towards the Crawling Horror.

"Thank you for the gift, but I am afraid I can't accept it. So I am
returning it to you."

The maginanotech shell is fired into the psuedo-Malystryx segment of
the Alien Horror Inteligence.

Meinwhile, Dhyrclhnac-Beta appears an equal distance away from the
"engemed" real Malystryx. The Eye of Agamotto at his throat opens up
once more and the magickal crystal that traps Tahkisis is bathed in a
golden glow. At the same time, Dhyrclhnac sings out,

"Someday we will Live like Horses,
Free Reign from your old Iron Fences,
There is more way than one to Regain your Senses.
Break out of the Stalls and we'll Live like Horses!"

<OOC4> The chances for the Eye to be able break the enchantment that
holds Tahkisis is 75% </OOC4>
===========================

Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 18:33:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 16:47:22 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006147

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 20:35:58
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006144
>>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>>
>>     /Aurora, Crawler./
>
>   The Mauler laughs at the first one, deflecting it easily. It has
>somewhat more difficulty with the second one, stops laughing at the
>third slash, and then starts howling more loudly with each attack,
>striking at where Aurora was a moment ago. It tries preventing the
>warps from forming, but only prepared defenses for spacial warps
>aimed at/ inside it, and the varied attacks wear at it slowly but
>steadily...
>   /Now THAT'S a diversion,/ Sil notes admiringly.

     /Indeed,/ Mike sends.

>>     /Nemo, uhm, Malice. Ever seen the Exorcist? Do that./
>
>   Malice _is_ the hordes of Hell. <g> But it starts to work. In
>fact, it would have worked in about a microsecond if Malice weren't
>using the Crawler's power to 'anchor' himself. He starts screaming
>too...

     /Very good, take out the Crawler itself now, Aurora./

>>     *mental coin flip* /Zia, James, Maelstrom Bridge. Free the
>>souls trapped inside. At least I think that's what's in there. Sorta
>>reminded me of Soulstealer./ <OOC: I assume anyway. Some of this I
>>am having to IC guess at so I need references from the past. <g>>

Then...
>On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 11:44:41 -0400
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006145
>
>Zia summons a longer Arc from inside her Sign while she and James
>resume their more 'normal' appearances as the Sigils themselves fade
>from discernment. Afterwards, she and James methodically alternate
>lashing and gashing the Maelstrom Bridge apart. A group of Logrus
>tendrils in a mystical cat-o-nine tails is James' tool, while Zia
>wields the Arc as crowbar and saw. Zia's face is set, but gets a bit
>greener as they can't help but hurt a few of the 'bricks' in the
>deconstruction.

     Mike arches an eyebrow at this technique then shrugs it off. Zia
and James are the professionals after all.

And returning to Roland...
>>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 19:47:57 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006136
>>
>>     ^Z'On'Dar, can the Ordered and Chaosi in the Tower be released
>>yet? Reordering the universe might assist us with the Malice/Crawler
>>gestalt.^
>
>   ^I am busy, but I believe that Lara can. *Lara?*^
>   ^On it,^ Lara replies.
>   A moment later, Order and Chaos are restored to the cosmos, both
>in a somewhat passive state-Chaos having been reduced to it, and
>Order still 'bound' in a manner of speaking. (OOC: Driss will set
>things right once he does his thing.)

     /Okay, Driss, when you are ready./
     Mike focuses through the Spikard at Mournblade's portion of the
Mauler, balancing the chaotic energies therein by randomly turning
them ordered until they are in equal quantities, altering as need be
to work with Ordered Driss..

>>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 14:25:29 -0400
>>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006139
>>
>>> On Wed, 7 Oct '98 Mike Knight Said
>>>
>>>      /Actually, I think they just tossed you a weapon,/ Mike
>>> sends, /but I'm not a doctor. Any idea if that virus will work on
>>> Mal - er, whatever./
>
>   (OOC: Damn it Jim, I'm a Time Lord, not a Doctor! ;^)

<OOC: <g> Definitely not The Doctor.>

>   Though the Lensdragon can tell that the biomass of the draconic
>talon-arm is not that of Malystryx herself, it is still the substance
>of a dragon, and therefore should be vulnerable to the...stuff...that
>the Mauler shot at Dhyrclhanc himself.

     /Looking good.../ Mike thinks.

And...
>On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 19:04:45 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006142
>
>>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 18:40:43 -0400
>>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006141
>>
>>/We are not sure... how much longer we can hold out... the
>>distortions continue to take their toll on us... we will... hold out
>>as long as we can.../
>
>     /That is all I can ask of anyone,/ Mike sends solemnly.

     /Dhyrclhanc, your recovery is most... timely./
     Mike watches Mauler closely, both to see how well her own joint
attack is progressing against Mournblade and to track everyone else's
attacks. Things seemed to be looking promising...

<snip down to OOC stuff>
>>     AND, -if- I have been reading -everyone's- minds and secret
>>stat sheets, this -is- what will happen.
>
>   Well, if NOTHING goes wrong...<EG>

     Don'tcha just hate it when he says that? :)
===========================

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 03:06:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 05:44:44 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006148

Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006144
>    Galactus is looking considerably healthier, and returns the favor
> by acting as a transformer for Aurora, amplifying her power as she
> desires. (IOW, this is at her disposal-he's not just dropping a
> powerboost on her without warning.)

As Aurora pops about, she begins leaving tiny sparks behind. These
sparks retreat into N-Space until either: Mauler's attention is
obviously elsewhere, or he (?) attacks the spot it was dropped off at.
Then they (each individually) return to 3-space, and create a
hyper-sphere. These hyper-spheres power up as the earlier ones did.
Then, Aurora in rapid succession, pops in, detonates, directs,
orients, and focuses ten of them in rapid succession (less than 1
milli-second for all ten) to blast Mauler with the full infinite power
of the spheres, against the Crawler portion passing through small
space warps. Then she goes back to the "normal" dance. Only to repeat
the barrage a few  seconds later, from a different set of sparks.
^Thanks, Galactus!^ The number of warps ever near Mauler at all times
goes up to ten. Nine of them will return anything launched into (or
fired into) them directly back into him, on his other side. And of
course, they pop about randomly, as quickly as Aurora is (OOC: no warp
ever lasts more than a milli-second, before being replaced else
where).

>    /You should get your shot soon,/ Roland notes. /I hope./ The gun
> shimmers, like it's not quite solid, but if it comes apart all those
> 'hungry bits' could be pretty bad to the surrounding area all by
> themselves...

/I plan to cause him to shoot himself in the back. I need him
distracted, so that he doesn't notice the warp opening directly in
front of his weapon, and directly behind him. I should be able to
erect, a spirit wall, to contain them next to him. Assuming he doesn't
get lucky, and "tag me" (giggle). I would presume that he is getting
somewhat annoyed with me about now./ Aurors explains.
===========================

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 08:36:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 11:13:36 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006149

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 20:35:58
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006144
>
>   ^I am busy, but I believe that Lara can. *Lara?*^
>   ^On it,^ Lara replies.
>   A moment later, Order and Chaos are restored to the cosmos, both
>in a somewhat passive state-Chaos having been reduced to it, and
>Order still 'bound' in a manner of speaking. (OOC: Driss will set
>things right once he does his thing.)

 Harlequin watches as the pieces of entitiy seems to drift about
confusedly. His gaze falls on Mike for a moment. "I am not Driss. I am
Harlequin."
 Harlequin seems to fade out of a moment, but when he re-solidifies,
Order and Chasoi alike begin flocking towards him and merging with
him. One he seems satisfied with his collection, Harlequin fully
blinks out this time.
 Re-appearing on Mauler approximately 3" tall. oblivious of any
attacks raging around him, freindlyfire or otherwise, Harlquin begans
wandering about the surface of Mauler's body. He almost looks like a
farmer as every once in a while he reaches into the "ground" at his
feel and pulls out a small Chaosi freeing it, then drops what looks
like a tiny pearl of Order back into the hole.
===========================

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 10:06:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 09:50:06 -0700 (PDT)
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006150

>On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 11:13:36 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006149
>
> Harlequin watches as the pieces of entitiy seems to drift about
>confusedly. His gaze falls on Mike for a moment. "I am not Driss. I
>am Harlequin."

     "Sorry, force of habit," Mike replies.
===========================

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 17:07:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Strike!

On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 19:46:33 -0400
Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006151

>On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 23:09:44 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006143
>
>>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 18:40:43 -0400
>>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006141
>>
>>/We are not sure... how much longer we can hold out... the
>>distortions continue to take their toll on us... we will... hold out
>>as long as we can.../
>
>/I can try to mute, if not negate, the effects of the distortions in
>a specialized locale, if that would help you./ John sends. He thinks
>to himself, 'I don't know how I'll do it. Yet.'

/It would do no good... for it seems the price of us being able to
minorly rewrite the universe we are in is that the universe rewrites
us. We have a bond to where we are... in a universal sense. The only
way to help me is to help end this quicker.../
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 03:35:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 22:17:40
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006153

   (OOC: Whew! A year after AAE IV began...)

>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:32:25 -0700
>Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005992
>
>/Can anybody provide me with transport to the surface. Preferably
>something that'll keep me away from anyone else, I appear to have
>acquired a demonic blade that drinks the souls of those it slays.
>It's hungry./

   (OOC: He was brought to the surface, IIRC. Going to assume he was
dealing with crunchies unless he retrofits otherwise. Which isn't a
problem, BTW.)

>On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 00:35:46 -0700 (PDT)
>The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00006120
>
>    /Shard and I have the henchmen,/ Raver's tone was clipped,
>betraying no trace of borrowed humanity. /You take *it* down,/ with a
>mental gesture in the Mauler's direction.

   (OOC: Crunchies, check. ;^)

>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 01:32:51 EDT
>Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006130
>
>/
>If anybody needs a small boost in their attack of Mauler, I can
>provide it. Be careful that you can withstand an energy gain of at
>least an order of magnitude. The boost might not be that powerful,
>but power spikes are inevitable with my granularity. (Forgive the
>sig, I'm required to include it in order to get the verifier.)
>-Scott.

   The gain on the attack intensifies.
   Then, everyone else attacked the Mauler.

>On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 04:31:20 PST
>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006137
>
>The Nemo with a halo proceeds to sep into a corner of the protective
>sigil he'd inscribed about the Tower.
>
>"Ego te exorciso, spiritua impura..."
>
>Malice gets hit with an exorcism backed by the "holiness" of one who
>has defeated the veryu hordes of Hell.

>On Fri, 9 Oct 1998 23:09:44 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006143
>
>/I can try to mute, if not negate, the effects of the distortions in
>a specialized locale, if that would help you./ John sends. He thinks
>to himself, 'I don't know how I'll do it. Yet.'

>On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 20:35:58
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006144
>
>>On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006132
>>
>>     /Roland, Morgan, Biotech./
>
>   /Check,/ they send in unison.

>On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 11:44:41 -0400
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006145
>
>Zia summons a longer Arc from inside her Sign while she and James
>resume their more 'normal' appearances as the Sigils themselves fade
>from discernment. Afterwards, she and James methodically alternate
>lashing and gashing the Maelstrom Bridge apart. A group of Logrus
>tendrils in a mystical cat-o-nine tails is James' tool, while Zia
>wields the Arc as crowbar and saw. Zia's face is set, but gets a bit
>greener as they can't help but hurt a few of the 'bricks' in the
>deconstruction.

>On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 13:13:44 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006146
>
>Dhyrclhanc-Prime appears in mid-air a stone's throw away from the
>Mauler Amalgamam with the assault cannon held up against his
>shoulder, the business end pointing towards the Crawling Horror.
>
>"Thank you for the gift, but I am afraid I can't accept it. So I am
>returning it to you."
>
>The maginanotech shell is fired into the psuedo-Malystryx segment of
>the Alien Horror Inteligence.
>
>Meinwhile, Dhyrclhnac-Beta appears an equal distance away from the
>"engemed" real Malystryx. The Eye of Agamotto at his throat opens up
>once more and the magickal crystal that traps Tahkisis is bathed in a
>golden glow.

>On Sat, 10 Oct 1998 16:47:22 -0700 (PDT)
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006147
>
>     Mike focuses through the Spikard at Mournblade's portion of the
>Mauler, balancing the chaotic energies therein by randomly turning
>them ordered until they are in equal quantities, altering as need be
>to work with Ordered Driss..

>On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 05:44:44 EDT
>Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006148
>
>As Aurora pops about, she begins leaving tiny sparks behind. These
>sparks retreat into N-Space until either: Mauler's attention is
>obviously elsewhere, or he (?) attacks the spot it was dropped off
>at. Then they (each individually) return to 3-space, and create a
>hyper-sphere. These hyper-spheres power up as the earlier ones did.
>Then, Aurora in rapid succession, pops in, detonates, directs,
>orients, and focuses ten of them in rapid succession (less than 1
>milli-second for all ten) to blast Mauler with the full infinite
>power of the spheres, against the Crawler portion passing through
>small space warps.
<snip>
>/I plan to cause him to shoot himself in the back. I need him
>distracted, so that he doesn't notice the warp opening directly in
>front of his weapon, and directly behind him. I should be able to
>erect, a spirit wall, to contain them next to him. Assuming he
>doesn't get lucky, and "tag me" (giggle). I would presume that he is
>getting somewhat annoyed with me about now./ Aurors explains.

>On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 11:13:36 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006149
>
> Re-appearing on Mauler approximately 3" tall. oblivious of any
>attacks raging around him, freindlyfire or otherwise, Harlquin begans
>wandering about the surface of Mauler's body. He almost looks like a
>farmer as every once in a while he reaches into the "ground" at his
>feel and pulls out a small Chaosi freeing it, then drops what looks
>like a tiny pearl of Order back into the hole.

   Everything happens at once.
   The Maelstrom Bridge disintegrates, the souls freed as the reality
that bound them is torn asunder by two who know reality better than
most. The freed spirits, having been punished for refusing to serve
the Gaunt Man any further, radiate vast gratitude as they return to
the place souls go when their time comes.
   The biotech horror implodes as the combined virus effect created by
a master of forces and a mistress of life turn its own power in on
itself. The immune system 'rejection' effect joins Nemo's own, and the
leg joints explode violently.
   The Malystrtx-construct is badly torn by the shell as it strikes,
and the immune enhacenment is not applied here. The arm proves no
match for the biotech assault and withers horribly, eating into the
Crawler-body.
   Mournblade screams a soulscream as Order and Chaos-the essence of
its paradigm-seem to go mad around it. The ebon arm vanishes.
   Malice barely manages to hold on to the Crawler's 'self' as the gun
glows brightly.
   *...you...have...destroyed...me...but...I...still...win...* it
laughs feebly as the blast fires.
   And tears what's left of the Crawler to shreds.
   *This...this isn't over...* Malice hisses.
   Then half of him is exorcised and banished as half of him manages
to cling tightly to the Crawler.
   *Then again...*
   Malice's astral form is torn to shreds by his own hate, and his
soul goes to final judgement. Eternity will not likely be kind to
him...

                  *   *   *

   Epilogue:

   Mournblade and Malystryx reappear, considerably the worse for wear.
   "ouch," is all Malystryx can say as she holds the badly cracked
gemstone together with one mighty talon and great force of will. She's
also missing an arm, which bleeds radiance rather than fluid.
   Mournblade, however, seems to be more willing to prove annoying.
   "You are a formidable group," Mournblade grunts, holding his chest.
"But I can still find a way to destroy you, and take the-"
   The universe resonates with a harmonious 'ping.'
   "-Tower..."
   The 'ping' of a Mac rebooting.
   "Hello," the Tower says in a familiar feminine voice as the time
block is removed (though that 'section' of time is walled off) and
reality's stability reasserts itself. (OOC: Much to Legion's relief,
I'll bet. ;^) "Welcome to Solace 4.0."
   "My thanks, brave warriors," Z'On'Dar says wearily. The four
remaining spheres open, and Phoenix, Kosh, and Fatale float down near
the Shadow. Ariel is curled in a ball, crying softly and muttering to
herself.
   Z'On'Dar turns a look colder than space on the dark god of Chaos.
"You are no match for them, Mournblade. But you might harm them, if I
allowed it. I need not allow it any longer. Yield."
   "NEVER, YOU-" Mournblade begins.
   There is no buildup of energy, no display of power. One moment,
Mournblade is there, ready to summon more cannon fodder, ready to
kill. The next, the souls he has 'eaten' are freed, and Mournblade
itself is spread across the multiverse, every particle of magick,
power and matter separated from every other.
   Z'On'Dar looks at Malystryx.
   "You make your point...vividly," Malystryx replies. A quick chant
later, she vanishes.
   (OOC: Assuming someone objects to her escape)
   Z'On'Dar shrugs. "Takhisis desires it so. She has a plan to deal
with the traitor, apparently."
   Kosh (still in humanoid form) and Lara practically teleport into
each other's arms. Phoenix smiles.
   Z'On'Dar regards the rest of the CAoL calmly. "My deepest apologies
to you all, and my gratitude. I regret the damage I have caused, but
while the Tower can no longer reconfigure thousands of realities, it
can still undo a portion of what has been done. Those who need to be
healed, or who need losses regained, will be provided for as
requested."
   Lara smiles at the Callahanians. "In addition, I have little doubt
that any reasonable desires can be filled. Though you are a noble and
selfless band, heroic deeds are well deserving of heroes' rewards."
   (OOC: Wow. Well done all around! Time to kick back and bask in
victory, and a job well done. Any loose ends will be tied up as they
are requested or I get to them.)

<OOC-M: Hey, Callahanian Army of Light! You just saved the multiverse!
What're you gonna do now? ... We're going to Disney-verse! (G, D &
RLH....)>
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 05:15:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: To Victory!

On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 08:10:16 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00006154

Roland wrote:
>   Z'On'Dar regards the rest of the CAoL calmly. "My deepest
>apologies to you all, and my gratitude. I regret the damage I have
>caused, but while the Tower can no longer reconfigure thousands of
>realities, it can still undo a portion of what has been done. Those
>who need to be healed, or who need losses regained, will be provided
>for as requested."

Scott scratches the back of his neck, and says "I don't suppose you
have some spare bits and pieces from a SC2 control system in that
magic tower of yours? I could always use some spare parts."

With that, Scott's arm falls off, and he reattaches it. "/Sorry./"

>   Lara smiles at the Callahanians. "In addition, I have little doubt
> that any reasonable desires can be filled. Though you are a noble
> and selfless band, heroic deeds are well deserving of heroes'
> rewards."

"I don't need any reward beyond those spare parts I mentioned; in
fact, I'd best be going, since it always winds up that to the victor
goes the spoilers, and I'd rather not ruin the ending." (Scott
remains, however...)

"But one or two things I'd like to know; what are you going to do with
the tower now? This universe?" He turns to the CAoL. "For that matter,
what are we going to do about Shard?"

<OOC: At this point, Shard vanishes laughing, right?>

Thanks
Scott "What Next?" Osborne
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 05:35:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

The Great Adversary Said As CAoL Message # 00006155

> On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 22:17:40
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006153
>
>    (OOC: Whew! A year after AAE IV began...)
<snip>

Somewhere in here,
 After a long and incomprehensible battle,
  (Thats because I can't seem to get it written... :(
Daath finally realizes that the Form,
 Fuzzy Stuck him with,
  Is not just a shaping of Force,
   But a pocket anti-negaverse...
Now knowing what must be unmade,
 He Banishes the Form to Nothingness,
  Not even the Volume it had inhabited remaining...
   Then Turns on Fuzzy,
    Reaching out with His Full Power...

<go Ahead and send it Dane.>

The End
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 09:07:16 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 11:37:31 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00006156

>On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 22:17:40
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006153
>
>   Lara smiles at the Callahanians. "In addition, I have little doubt
>that any reasonable desires can be filled. Though you are a noble and
>selfless band, heroic deeds are well deserving of heroes' rewards."

 Harlequin looks around, then reaches for the top of his head, grabs
something and pulls down, the human form falling off like a torn
banana. "Well Kiddles it's been interesting, but this form really
isn't any fun without Driss in teh backseat." Chaos takes a moment to
stretch his eagle wings, lizard body and two heads, one canine, one
feline, until his heads knock together and he decides that's enough of
that. "Oh and you don't have to stress it about re-paying me for
pulling everyone's fat out of the fire this time. Besides. I don't
think I can do 'reasonable requests.'
HeheheehehhahahaahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Chaos goes
walking off across the wastelands and battle debris laughing to
himself.
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 10:38:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 13:13:09 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006157

> On Sun, 11 Oct '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said
>
>    (OOC: Whew! A year after AAE IV began...)
<snipped by Morgan>
>    Epilogue:
>
>    Mournblade and Malystryx reappear, considerably the worse for
> wear.
>    "ouch," is all Malystryx can say as she holds the badly cracked
> gemstone together with one mighty talon and great force of will.
> She's also missing an arm, which bleeds radiance rather than fluid.

/[_I_ do *not* think so my "lady".]/ Thinks Dhyrclhanc,quietly to
himself, although the power convictions of the statement cause it to
leak out into the link.

>    "Hello," the Tower says in a familiar feminine voice as the time
> block is removed (though that 'section' of time is walled off) and
> reality's stability reasserts itself. (OOC: Much to Legion's relief,
> I'll bet. ;^) "Welcome to Solace 4.0."

"Solace! Nice to have you back again!" The Lensdragongrins and his
face brightens.

>    "My thanks, brave warriors," Z'On'Dar says wearily. The four
> remaining spheres open, and Phoenix, Kosh, and Fatale float down
> near the Shadow. Ariel is curled in a ball, crying softly and
> muttering to herself.

Dhyrclhnac makes a shallow but respectful bow towardsthe Vorlon.

>    Z'On'Dar looks at Malystryx.
>    "You make your point...vividly," Malystryx replies. A quick chant
> later, she vanishes.
>    (OOC: Assuming someone objects to her escape)

<OOC1> Object to Malystryx's escape? You Bet! </OOC1>

The Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon approaches Z'On'Dar, all the
other time-fuged Dhyrclhnaci having already disappeared, "And where is
she going?" The Lensdragon asks the Shadow.

>    Z'On'Dar shrugs. "Takhisis desires it so. She has a plan to deal
> with the traitor, apparently."

"Oh... Well, that is all right then." Says Dhyrclhanc, suddenly
non-plussed.

>    Lara smiles at the Callahanians. "In addition, I have little
> doubt that any reasonable desires can be filled. Though you are a
> noble and selfless band, heroic deeds are well deserving of heroes'
> rewards."

<OOC2> Are there any indications as to just what kindof gifts the
reformed Shadow is refering to here? </OOC2>

> <OOC-M: Hey, Callahanian Army of Light! You just saved the
> multiverse! What're you gonna do now? ... We're going to
> Disney-verse! (G, D & RLH....)>

<OOC3> "(G, D & RLH....)" Aroo? </OOC3>
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 12:30:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 12:03:55
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006159

>On Sun, 11 Oct 1998 22:17:40
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006153
<snip all the quoting>
>   Everything happens at once.
<snip the Malice construct falling apart>
>   *...you...have...destroyed...me...but...I...still...win...* it
>laughs feebly as the blast fires.
>   And tears what's left of the Crawler to shreds.
>   *This...this isn't over...* Malice hisses.

Morgan sends a brief film clip over the link.
Black Knight: _I'M INVINCIBLE!_
Arthur: You're a looney.

>   Then half of him is exorcised and banished as half of him manages
>to cling tightly to the Crawler.
>   *Then again...*
>   Malice's astral form is torn to shreds by his own hate, and his
>soul goes to final judgement. Eternity will not likely be kind to
>him...

Morgan and Roland stare at the empty space in front of them.

   Roland says softly, "Did we just win?"

"Don't jinx it," Morgan replies.
===========================

Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 20:05:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: AAE IV: Countdown: ZERO!

On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 22:41:09 -0400
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006160

Suddenly, time is no longer out of joint... and the Amberite pair
react like they felt a sudden altitude shift. They pop ears, and shake
heads a moment. Then Zia and James shoot each other one of those
"married folks" sort of looks. No telepathy seems to occur, but he
breaks to help Ariel, or at least walks slowly towards the kneeling,
crying lady.

Ziactrice, on the other hand, rolls her eyes at Z'On'Dar's mention of
a reward, and uses the larger Power Arc, now reduced to about a
shepherd's crook size and shape, as she walks over to rejoin her
erstwhile protector in the fray, Starbuck. A new Lensman. She throws
her head back, and catches Apollo's victory roll in the Viper
overhead. She smiles, then outright laughs in delight. Then she grins
at Starbuck. "I _do_ like happier endings, for better beginnings. Did
you happen to see where that Mr. Bester took off to? I lost track in
the midst of everything. Well, before I was having some discernment
problems. Sil, you can cease with the Order beacon, now. I can orient
properly once more. Dreadful nuisance; most grateful for the assist."

"And James says to let you and your.. sister spirit? Know that the
deal is still on, at both of your options. I agree with him." She
glances at Starbuck. "NEVER, ever, bet against James concerning women
in ANY way."

Quote of this post:
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact.
William Shakespeare
===========================