Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9: Theah / Swashbuckling Chapter 2 Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 00:59:08 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012488 >On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 21:22:06 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012483 >>On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 14:44:01 -0800 >>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012478 >> >>"Actually," Marivale responds in a dust-dry voice, "I was more >>concerned with the after-effects should we manage to break the >>Device. A machine the size of an island could produce a _lot_ of >>shrapnel if it happens to explode, yes? Not to mention what would >>happen if it were over a large city at the time. This world may call >>me a Scoundrel for my willingness to kill, but indiscriminate >>slaughter is not my style, and doing it _accidentally_ would be, if >>anything, worse." > > "That, I think, can be dealt with fairly easily," Jeanne replies. >"Caligari 'lands' the island regularly, to resupply and give orders >to his commanders. When we are finished with his island, if it does >not go back to his world, we sink it. Water makes an excellent shock >absorber, non?" Marivale bows slightly in Jeanne's direction. "Then my objection is withdrawn. Provided, of course, that we're able to steer the thing to an appropriate location before we wreck it." > Fifteen minutes later. > Two carriages plod along at a stately pace designed to avoid >attracting attention. Eric, meanwhile, wonders which god he has >offended as Kanto alternates between flirting with both ladies in >their carriage -- his sister and the UNTIL agent, much to his >annoyance -- and making subtle commentary about their respective >fighting skills. He resists the urge to throttle the New God for the >fourth time and looks out the window. The carriage ahead of them >looks perfectly normal, and while he cannot see Spinner hovering >between the two vehicles, to his Prime senses the Discie stands out >clearly. > "Wh...?" he mutters, eyes narrowing as he leans forward. [I could >have sworn I saw a silhouette moving...] Without another word, he >throws the door open and vaults onto the ceiling. "Driver," he >begins. Marivale and Geoffery are riding on top of the front carriage: Geoffery because his place is by his Lord's side, and Marivale because he doesn't want to watch Veren and Erindrea getting affectionate. Veren, who is busy necking with Erin in the body of the front carriage, suddenly stiffens. "Marivale, we've got company," he hollers as he grabs a bow out of his quiver. > "He has taken to zis reality well," Jeanne murmurs. > Then all Abyss breaks loose. > Figures in black tabards seem to drop from the sky, landing in >pairs on the carriages' roofs and grabbing hold of the sides to board >them like pirates. "If you're referring to the gentlemen in the black tabards," says Marivale as he kicks one off the roof while disarming another with his rapier and using his left hand to pull a third one's arm off line just enough to stab a fourth one in the leg, "I had already noticed them, thank you. If you and Erindrea would be so kind as to shoot at the horsemen following us, I should be able to keep these fellows occupied for the nonce." Erin strings her bow and rolls her eyes at this pronouncement. A Black Guard trying to slip in her window earns himself an elbow in the solar plexus and a punch in the shoulder, evidently stunning him enough that he falls off. She and Veren lean out the windows on opposite sides of the carriage, firing awkwardly due to the simple mechanics of drawing a bow from that position. In fact, for once their uncanny accuracy is suffering. Badly. They do clip a few of the horsemen, but only a few, and only clip, not wound. Then the horsemen start firing back. Muzzleloaders fired from the back of a galloping horse have laughable accuracy, but fire enough of them and...Veren gets hit in the shoulder. It's not quite enough to make him drop his bow, but he does duck back inside the carriage, cursing like a bullwhacker. Erin, noticing this from her side of the carriage, *snarls* at the onrushing horsemen and fires another arrow. This one explodes with a thunderous roar, scattering horses and riders like tenpins. Veren stares at Erindrea in shock. "What did you just do?" "Ah...ah don' know." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:55:02 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012489 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012488 > >"If you're referring to the gentlemen in the black tabards," says >Marivale as he kicks one off the roof while disarming another with >his rapier and using his left hand to pull a third one's arm off line >just enough to stab a fourth one in the leg, "I had already noticed >them, thank you. If you and Erindrea would be so kind as to shoot at >the horsemen following us, I should be able to keep these fellows >occupied for the nonce." Kell listens to the fight, and grins. [He's right. Ego the size of an elder wyrm, but he's right. Now, according to the briefing, the horsemen will be firing back, so I'm best off to stay here for now.] >Then the horsemen start firing back. Muzzleloaders fired from the >back of a galloping horse have laughable accuracy, but fire enough of >them and...Veren gets hit in the shoulder. It's not quite enough to >make him drop his bow, but he does duck back inside the carriage, >cursing like a bullwhacker. Erin, noticing this from her side of the >carriage, *snarls* at the onrushing horsemen and fires another arrow. >This one explodes with a thunderous roar, scattering horses and >riders like tenpins. Veren stares at Erindrea in shock. "What did you >just do?" > >"Ah...ah don' know." Kell spends no time asking what happened - he just jumps from the carriage and hits the ground rolling. By the time the horsemen have their wits back, two of them are no longer horsemen, and one will have to repair his saddle, or ride bareback. "Nice mounts you had, boys! I'll take good care of them!" With that, he pushes them to the best speed he can manage on the road - faster than they can ride, if they want to fire with any accuracy. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 19:05:26 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012491 >On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 15:29:04 +0100 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012484 >>On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 21:22:06 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012483 >> >> At that moment, horses charge on them from behind. The rear >>carriage's driver panics, yanking on the reins and sending them down >>a different road. A decidedly feminine voice shouts, "You, after >>them!" and half her horsemen charge down the offending turn in the >>road. The woman in the lead and her remaining men continue to chase >>after the lead carriage. > > Karma looks over a shoulder as the carriage turns sharply, "We've >got more coming!" she says, shinnying her way up to take a seat >beside the driver. > "Merci!" the driver calls, shoving the reigns into her hands >before bailing from the carriage himself. > "Wha?! Crap!" Karma shouts, whipping the reigns to encourage the >horses onward, "Looks like I'm driving!" The woman in the lead casually draws a pistol and aims at the former driver's head with distressing accuracy. In a panic, the driver waves frantically with both hands, blood seeming to drip in the air before him as a distant scream echoes around you all. When the female blackguard puts up her pistol slightly, he grabs the air (sic) and _pulls._ The distant scream closes in rapidly, and a bloody hole tears in the universe. Out of the hole comes an eyeless monster, like a cross between a velociraptor and a pit bull, roaring with mindless, hateful rage at the heavens. Characters with particularly superior hearing can pick up the sound of whips in the distance. The woman arches an eyebrow as several of her men gasp. "A Ruin Beast?" she asks with cool curiosity. The ex-driver nods desperately, falling behind as the horsemen pass. After a few seconds, he _mounts_ the creature and taps it on the rear, and together they lope forward, the reptilian super-mastiff sniffing the air hungrily. Meanwhile... >On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:55:02 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012489 >>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012488 >> >>"If you're referring to the gentlemen in the black tabards," says >>Marivale as he kicks one off the roof while disarming another with >>his rapier and using his left hand to pull a third one's arm off >>line just enough to stab a fourth one in the leg, "I had already >>noticed them, thank you. If you and Erindrea would be so kind as to >>shoot at the horsemen following us, I should be able to keep these >>fellows occupied for the nonce." The woman eyes Marivale with an interested grin. "Well. A challenge," she calls out. "Let us see just how skilled you _are,_ shall we?" she adds, slashing at the air. A blood-red gash opens in the air right on top of Marivale, slashing down at him. Unless he parries (yes, this attack can be parried), he ends up with an long, ugly wound on his sword arm. >>Then the horsemen start firing back. Muzzleloaders fired from the >>back of a galloping horse have laughable accuracy, but fire enough >>of them and...Veren gets hit in the shoulder. It's not quite enough >>to make him drop his bow, but he does duck back inside the carriage, >>cursing like a bullwhacker. Erin, noticing this from her side of the >>carriage, *snarls* at the onrushing horsemen and fires another >>arrow. This one explodes with a thunderous roar, scattering horses >>and riders like tenpins. Veren stares at Erindrea in shock. "What >>did you just do?" >> >>"Ah...ah don' know." "What part of Avalon do you suppose _she_ is from?" the woman in black (not to be confused with Zia) asks one of her men casually. "I cannot place ze accent." The man at her side shrugs, still wide-eyed. "I didn't know Goodfellow Glamour could do _that,_ Captain du Charouse!" "Zat is not Goodfellow," she sighs, opening another bloody rent in space on top of Erin's bow. "Ah well. Perhaps we can take her alive." > Kell spends no time asking what happened - he just jumps from the >carriage and hits the ground rolling. By the time the horsemen have >their wits back, two of them are no longer horsemen, and one will >have to repair his saddle, or ride bareback. > "Nice mounts you had, boys! I'll take good care of them!" With >that, he pushes them to the best speed he can manage on the road - >faster than they can ride, if they want to fire with any accuracy. At about this time, the driver begins to catch up with the remaining Garde Noire horsemen. Seeing what has happened, he urges the beast to accelerate -- not that it needs much urging as it smells something it is allowed to eat... -- Le Garde Noire (That's _Evil_ GM-San. Capital 'E.' For a reason. ) ================================= Subject: AAE9t: The Road to Vodacce On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 20:06:25 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012492 >On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 21:22:06 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012483 > >With a flick of his wrist, the Hunter sends the kusari-gama rippling >around the man's rapier and arm, throwing each in different >directions off the carriage. The remaining guard takes a step back, >blades held out defensively, until another henchman climbs up to join >him. > "Real blackguards, huh?" Eric mutters. "Rio, Faure, how are you >two?" > >A blackguard tries to clamber in through the open door, but a bit of >sea shanty freezes him in place and a dainty boot to his groin sends >him out the way he came. "Holding our own, but there are a _lot_ of >these guys!" > > At that moment, horses charge on them from behind. The rear >carriage's driver panics, yanking on the reins and sending them down >a different road. A decidedly feminine voice shouts, "You, after >them!" and half her horsemen charge down the offending turn in the >road. The woman in the lead and her remaining men continue to chase >after the lead carriage. Eric snarls something unintelligible and pulls one of his modern pistols. Kanto throws him a disappointed look and shifts to a fairly standard 'ready' stance, awaiting the next 'boarders.' Both men look as steady on the rocking carriage as most men do on solid ground. The kusari-gama continues its deadly whistle overhead. Three blackguards pull their pistols; Eric shoots them off their horses before any can even take aim. All are insensate, but none are dead, much to Eric's chagrin and annoyance. [I thought I had more of a killer instinct than that...] Before he can finish the thought, all his guns turn into flintlocks. Eric curses fluently in several languages, earning back Kanto's respect. "I'm going to try something!" the driver calls back, reining in the horses. "Thank you," Kanto replies. "Are you MAD?!" Eric snarls, firing the pistol in his hand one last time and holstering it back in the coat (in the hopes his pistols will revert when they leave). "Non," the driver replies with a smile, tearing a hole in space in front of him. The carriage is now slow enough for him to complete the tear before he closes his eyes. The carriage itself carries him through the hole, and he vanishes, taking the hole with him. "What the ABYSS?" Eric spits, then pauses. "What's the Abyss?" he asks, puzzled. "LATER!" Jeanne shouts, scrambling out of the carriage and taking the reins. With a flick of her wrists, she urges them on to a full gallop once more. Fortunately for Our Heroes, the blackguards slowed down themselves, albeit not of their own free will; Rio hums slower music from "Pirates of the Caribbean," keeping them from doing anything more than keep pace. "I can't seem to make them fall behind," she shouts, "but I can keep them from gaining!" "Perhaps this world appreciates a good chase!" Kanto laughs. "Shut up, you divine head case," Eric mutters. Then Kanto is treated to the incredibly rare sight of watching the Hunter's eyes bulge. Eric stares ahead in shock and disgust. "You look paler than usual," Kanto quips. Eric grabs his head and forces it to face forward. Two men and a woman, their driver in a tall branch and the others on the sides of the road, tear at the wind with hands covered in blood, creating a thick circle that looks like it belongs in a gory slasher movie. Jeanne saws hard on the reins, but the horses are running too quickly and the sides of the road are (most likely by design) impassible, unless the heroes want to end up looking like hovercycle drivers from Return of the Jedi. (OOC: "Wrong realm," Morgan kibitzes.) "COVER YOUR EYES!" Eric roars, diving into the carriage and throwing himself over Rio. Kanto does the same with Jeanne, though he takes more liberties in the process. At the last second, the Lancer siblings have the same thought, and with a surprisingly well-coordinated bit of whistling force the horses' eyes closed. Then the world becomes one gigantic scream. The air itself -- if it is in fact air, for that matter -- seems thick and warm, and the sounds of a thousand claws scrabble against the sides of the carriage. Alien curses can be discerned by their vehemence (though the speech is alien enough that only Eric can understand them), even through the endless howl of fury around them, as the horses barrel relentlessly forward. At last, finally, abruptly, the howl of rage ends, and the foursome bursts back into Earth-9/Thean reality. Jeanne opens her eyes and pulls back on the reins again; the horses are very willing to come to a halt this time. The carriage sits there for a moment as they all catch their breath. "What in the name of Apokolips was that?" Kanto whispers. Jeanne slaps him. "If you truly did not know, monsieur, I might have excused you." "I didn't mean _that,_" the New God adds mildly, removing the offending hand. "I am familiar enough to know it is quite well formed." Jeanne blushes. Eric steps from the carriage. Only Rio knows him well enough to see the faint touch of unsteadiness as he offers her a hand out, which she accepts gladly. "I think your 'Darkseid' would be quite familiar with what we just passed through," Eric notes, his 'deadly-dark' voice on full. "They call it 'Porte,'" Rio explains patiently. "The sorcerer tears a whole through to another dimension and then uses it to travel...wherever. We could be anywhere in the invasion..." She pauses and looks at her brother, "if not farther?" Eric closes his eyes. "The...wait, yes, I recognize the dragon lines here, even with this reality thrown on top. We're in Italy, just north of Rome." He opens his eyes and laughs humorlessly. "The Chorus must be having kittens." "You have other problems to worry about, signore," a silky Italian voice threatens. More black-clad men come out from behind trees into the clearing, though these are dressed with more practical garb in the style of the Italian Renaissance. They are extremely reminiscent of the more competent men they fought immediately upon arriving in the realm. *Doesn't _anyone_ in this realm wear color?* Rio complains. @They're assassins, what do you expect?@ Eric replies curtly, the chain out and ready instantly. "Ah, it's like coming home --!" Kanto exults -- in perfect Renaissance Italian -- and dives in with a joyous war cry... -- "Ah, Venice!" --Indiana Jones ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 01:15:11 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012493 >On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 19:05:26 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012491 > >>>"If you're referring to the gentlemen in the black tabards," says >>>Marivale as he kicks one off the roof while disarming another with >>>his rapier and using his left hand to pull a third one's arm off >>>line just enough to stab a fourth one in the leg, "I had already >>>noticed them, thank you. If you and Erindrea would be so kind as to >>>shoot at the horsemen following us, I should be able to keep these >>>fellows occupied for the nonce." > > The woman eyes Marivale with an interested grin. "Well. A >challenge," she calls out. "Let us see just how skilled you _are,_ >shall we?" she adds, slashing at the air. > A blood-red gash opens in the air right on top of Marivale, >slashing down at him. Unless he parries (yes, this attack can be >parried), he ends up with an long, ugly wound on his sword arm. Geoffery's reaction is as instinctive as it is seemingly useless: he throws his hands up, shouting "Milord! No!" And the blood-red gash bounces off of nothing. He looks puzzled for a moment, then smiles coldly and turns his attention toward the oncoming horsemen. Marivale spocks an eyebrow at his gentleman's gentleman, then calmly pulls his parrying dagger out and continues his three-on-one fight, pausing only long enough to say "thank you, Geoffery." As his antagonists are no longer surprised at his skill, they are starting to give a better account of themselves, but one is fighting with naught but his main gauche, and a second has a rather nasty puncture wound in his thigh that is slowing him down. >>>Then the horsemen start firing back. Muzzleloaders fired from the >>>back of a galloping horse have laughable accuracy, but fire enough >>>of them and...Veren gets hit in the shoulder. It's not quite enough >>>to make him drop his bow, but he does duck back inside the >>>carriage, cursing like a bullwhacker. Erin, noticing this from her >>>side of the carriage, *snarls* at the onrushing horsemen and fires >>>another arrow. This one explodes with a thunderous roar, scattering >>>horses and riders like tenpins. Veren stares at Erindrea in shock. >>>"What did you just do?" >>> >>>"Ah...ah don' know." > > "What part of Avalon do you suppose _she_ is from?" the woman in >black (not to be confused with Zia) asks one of her men casually. "I >cannot place ze accent." > The man at her side shrugs, still wide-eyed. "I didn't know >Goodfellow Glamour could do _that,_ Captain du Charouse!" > "Zat is not Goodfellow," she sighs, opening another bloody rent in >space on top of Erin's bow. "Ah well. Perhaps we can take her alive." Geoffery holds up a hand, and Erin's bow is spared in the same way Marivale's arm was. Then he makes a punching motion, and an invisible battering ram strikes the captain square in the chest. "Sauce for the goose..." he mutters. > ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Welcome to Marseilles (now go home) On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 12:54:52 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012495 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012469 > > Karma nods approval in the general direction of Spinner's voice. >*"Good. Bear in mind these people probably don't cope well with >disembodied voices. We'd better go before they regain their nerve, >Sin-earth or whatever you call it tech or no."* *Oh, I do not have to make sounds to communicate, and in fact it takes extra energy and concentration to do so. I've been told that most planet bound don't like mental communications though, so I learned a way to make sounds.* Spinner responds. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 13:09:23 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012496 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012491 > > At about this time, the driver begins to catch up with the >remaining Garde Noire horsemen. Seeing what has happened, he urges >the beast to accelerate -- -not that it needs much urging as it >smells something it is allowed to eat... *"Excuse me, but someone is going to get hurt if you keep doing this."* Spinner protests. as he gently 'lifts' five horsemen from their mounts. As he sets the men down on the road, he prods their horses mentally, sending the horcesracing down the road as though a pack of wolves were after them. Which is what THEY think IS happening. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:05:06 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012498 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012491 > >>On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:55:02 -0700 (PDT) >>Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012489 > > "What part of Avalon do you suppose _she_ is from?" the woman in >black (not to be confused with Zia) asks one of her men casually. "I >cannot place ze accent." > The man at her side shrugs, still wide-eyed. "I didn't know >Goodfellow Glamour could do _that,_ Captain du Charouse!" > "Zat is not Goodfellow," she sighs, opening another bloody rent in >space on top of Erin's bow. "Ah well. Perhaps we can take her alive." [If they can get through Marivale -and- me, I'll be impressed,] Kell thinks just before... >> Kell spends no time asking what happened - he just jumps from the >>carriage and hits the ground rolling. By the time the horsemen have >>their wits back, two of them are no longer horsemen, and one will >>have to repair his saddle, or ride bareback. >> "Nice mounts you had, boys! I'll take good care of them!" With >>that, he pushes them to the best speed he can manage on the road - >>faster than they can ride, if they want to fire with any accuracy. > > At about this time, the driver begins to catch up with the >remaining Garde Noire horsemen. Seeing what has happened, he urges >the beast to accelerate -- -not that it needs much urging as it >smells something it is allowed to eat... As Kell draws even with the carriage, he realizes something. Trivial, but in less hectic times, it would be very important. "Erin!" His niece spares him a glance, and he flicks the reins of the other horse into her reach. "Happy belated birthday!" Then he looks behind, to see if anybody is gaining on them. [Tymora's wheel. What is that thing, and whose side is it closer to?] After years of making his living as an adventurer, he knows better than to assume that an unexpected player is on anybody's side except its own. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:35:39 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012509 >On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:05:06 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012498 > > As Kell draws even with the carriage, he realizes something. >Trivial, but in less hectic times, it would be very important. >"Erin!" His niece spares him a glance, and he flicks the reins of the >other horse into her reach. "Happy belated birthday!" "Transfuh from the insahd of a movin' carriage to the back of a gallopin' hohse?" Erin grins at her uncle. "Well, at least you only want the impossible." So saying, she does just that, then turns in the saddle and starts firing back at their pursuers. Unlike her brief stint of firing from the carriage, Erindrea is a trained horse archer, and she starts taking the fight out of her opponents with brutal efficiency. Putting arrows through gun hands is her most common tactic, but every so often she pulls out a frog-crotch and manages to snap a saddle girth without much more than scratching the horse. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 21:58:07 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012514 >On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 01:15:11 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012493 > >>On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 19:05:26 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012491 >> >> "What part of Avalon do you suppose _she_ is from?" the woman in >>black (not to be confused with Zia) asks one of her men casually. "I >>cannot place ze accent." >> The man at her side shrugs, still wide-eyed. "I didn't know >>Goodfellow Glamour could do _that,_ Captain du Charouse!" >> "Zat is not Goodfellow," she sighs, opening another bloody rent >>in space on top of Erin's bow. "Ah well. Perhaps we can take her >>alive." > >Geoffery holds up a hand, and Erin's bow is spared in the same way >Marivale's arm was. Then he makes a punching motion, and an invisible >battering ram strikes the captain square in the chest. "Sauce for the >goose..." he mutters. Captain du Charouse grunts and flies off her horse. She then performs an absolutely insane somersault in mid-air, spinning around with the blade sticking out like Sonic the Hedgehog in a butcher's shop. The captain vanishes, reappearing on her horse with a grunt -- she was only off by millimeters. "An interesting trick," she concedes, ripping another hole in the air just in front of the carriage. Then she presses a lever on the inside of her hilt. White, powdery gas explodes out of the tear and all over the carriage. (OOC: In the unlikely event that one of the characters does not wave hir hand and make this stuff go away, those exposed to it will fall unconscious rather rapidly, barring some clever countermeasure. It's non-magical; just a potent soporific. It's absorbed through the skin, though Theans aren't advanced enough to know that, just that holding one's breath won't stop it. However, there's that nice big sea over there...) >On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 13:09:23 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012496 > >*"Excuse me, but someone is going to get hurt if you keep doing >this."* Spinner protests. as he gently 'lifts' five horsemen from >their mounts. As he sets the men down on the road, he prods their >horses mentally, sending the horces racing down the road as though a >pack of wolves were after them. Which is what THEY think IS >happening. "HEY!" the men shout and chase after their horses, to a man. (Hey, horses are a big deal to these people. ;^) The docks appear almost out of thin air as the carriage rounds a corner; if the driver is unconscious (sorry, Karma, if that's the case), the horses turn to avoid running smack into a building. Plenty of tall ships, most of them gorgeous (if you're into that sort of thing), but none of them bear the standard of the ship you were sent to rendezvous with. Naturally, given the heroes' luck so far, the Garde Noire show far more tenacity than any _sane_ henchmen would at this point. The monster (still bearing its sorcerous rider) and the seemingly unstoppable Black Captain are riding almost on the heroes' heels, the woman's eyes narrowed in cunning as she plans something even more dire than before... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:05:23 +0100 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012515 >On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 21:58:07 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012514 > >>On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 01:15:11 -0700 >>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012493 >> >>Geoffery holds up a hand, and Erin's bow is spared in the same way >>Marivale's arm was. Then he makes a punching motion, and an >>invisible battering ram strikes the captain square in the chest. >>"Sauce for the goose..." he mutters. > > Captain du Charouse grunts and flies off her horse. She then >performs an absolutely insane somersault in mid-air, spinning around >with the blade sticking out like Sonic the Hedgehog in a butcher's >shop. The captain vanishes, reappearing on her horse with a grunt -- >she was only off by millimeters. "An interesting trick," she >concedes, ripping another hole in the air just in front of the >carriage. Then she presses a lever on the inside of her hilt. Karma shouts, "Look out!" as she sees the portal opening in front of the carriage. She tries to steer the horses into avoiding the portal, but only manages to get the equines themselves clear of it before... > White, powdery gas explodes out of the tear and all over the >carriage. ...Karma finds herself covered in a fine dust. ['Para bindu, or 'the Weirding Way,'' the bald woman explained, 'allows those with the skill and talent to control every joint, every muscle, every organ of your body. The Bene Gesserit with sufficient talent may bend the last knuckle of her smallest left toe while otherwise motionless, control her breath and pulse to feign death, even commit suicide by simply willing her heart to stop. ['You, young acolyte, may one day even be able to control your body to such a degree that you could, were you so vain, cease to age entirely. But, as you know well, this would reveal too much of the power of the Sisterhood to oursiders. And, the Spice Agony, after which you will be a Reverand Mother, requires such control. ['Enter this room and wait. I will return shortly.'] ['Yes, Reverand Mother.' [Tiny holes in the ceiling, one chair, a camera behind the tapestry. Sit. Wait for the gas. Click. The gas pours out. Do not breathe. No effect, sit calmly. The gas makes you sleep. Breathe normally. The hypothalemus. Adrenal gland. The fatigue is passing, but slowly. The gas has stopped. Purge the bloodstream, wait for the air to be restored. They are delaying, letting me sit to see how long I will last. Wait patiently. Wait patiently. Repeat the litany...]] Karma's eyes regain their focus as she finds she's wrapped one hand around the reigns and is rhythemicly still urging the horses onward. [When I get on board, I must meditate,] a part of her mind thinks as she turns her head to check on Marivale and Geoffrey. Her sense of perception also checks the interior of the carriage as she turns back to face forward, her gaze passing over Kell and Erin in the process. ^Good horses, keep running,^ she urges the animals before her, and Kell and Erin's if need be, ^guide us safely if we can't guide you.^ > The docks appear almost out of thin air as the carriage rounds a >corner; if the driver is unconscious (sorry, Karma, if that's the >case), the horses turn to avoid running smack into a building. Plenty >of tall ships, most of them gorgeous (if you're into that sort of >thing), but none of them bear the standard of the ship you were sent >to rendezvous with. Karma does steer the horses around the corner, but as she's still fighting the effects of the soporific, it is hard to say who thought of it first, her or the horses. [No 'Ladyhawke,' gotta find another ship.] > Naturally, given the heroes' luck so far, the Garde Noire show far >more tenacity than any _sane_ henchmen would at this point. The >monster (still bearing its sorcerous rider) and the seemingly >unstoppable Black Captain are riding almost on the heroes' heels, the >woman's eyes narrowed in cunning as she plans something even more >dire than before... Karma suddenly steers the horses toward a ship with a hefty gangplank. [That'll do nicely.] (OOC: 'Ladyhawke' in disguise, Roger's ship, or we're about to engage in a little piracy, Bene Gesserit style. "Who the hell are you?" "Cast off." "Yes, captain!") ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:15:39 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012516 >On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:05:23 +0100 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012515 > > Karma shouts, "Look out!" as she sees the portal opening in front >of the carriage. She tries to steer the horses into avoiding the >portal, but only manages to get the equines themselves clear of it >before... Erin glances forward at Karma's yell, then somehow urges her horse to greater speed (and one side), just clearing the rent in space before... >> White, powdery gas explodes out of the tear and all over the >>carriage. Veren, having used a wand to cure the bloody hole in his arm, is just starting to consider his options when he falls asleep. Geoffery slumps over and almost falls off the carriage, but for Marivale lunging to catch his suddenly limp form. Marivale glares over at the captain and drags Geoffery over to the driver's seat one-handed, using a handy bit of rope (normally used for securing luggage) to tie Geoffery in place. Then he sneers at Captain du Charouse. "Poison, is it? Well, I have tricks of my own." With that, he walks to the end of the carriage, retrieving his parrying dagger along the way, and jumps off. It's a good twenty feet from the back of the carriage to the captain's horse, but despite the lack of a proper running start, Marivale somehow clears the distance handily, drop-kicking the captain while raking the horse's neck with his dagger. > ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 19:23:43 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012518 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012515 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012514 > > Karma shouts, "Look out!" as she sees the portal opening in front >of the carriage. She tries to steer the horses into avoiding the >portal, but only manages to get the equines themselves clear of it >before... > >> White, powdery gas explodes out of the tear and all over the >>carriage. Kell has neither the reaction time to avoid the gas nor the training to ignore the soporific. Fortunately, he doesn't need it. In the past, he has swallowed black lotus extract with a dwarven ale for a chaser, and finished the night with a brawl. His horse, however, has no such advantage. It falls asleep at a full gallop, and collapses with a crack that Kell knows is the cannon bone. A flash of his dagger cuts his former mount's throat, even as he rolls on the ground, coming to a stop before... >> Naturally, given the heroes' luck so far, the Garde Noire show >>far more tenacity than any _sane_ henchmen would at this point. The >>monster (still bearing its sorcerous rider) and the seemingly >>unstoppable Black Captain are riding almost on the heroes' heels, >>the woman's eyes narrowed in cunning as she plans something even >>more dire than before... As Marivale takes on the Black Captain, Kell pulls himself to his feet and steps away from the edge of the road, just in time to see the Ruin Beast approaching. He takes a dagger in each hand, and sets himself to meet the charge. Just before the monster would overrun him, he sidesteps, and his blades dance. The sorceror slumps in his seat, even as the Ruin Beast dashes past, barely noting its unconscious master as it slashes Kell's leg. [Ai! I'm not running anywhere for a while,] he thinks, checking the road for ideas on how to catch up with the stagecoach. ================================= Subject: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 08:37:43 -0400 David McMillan Said As CAoL Message # 00012527 Quoth the TimeLord: >>> The docks appear almost out of thin air as the carriage rounds a >>>corner; if the driver is unconscious (sorry, Karma, if that's the >>>case), the horses turn to avoid running smack into a building. >>>Plenty of tall ships, most of them gorgeous (if you're into that >>>sort of thing), but none of them bear the standard of the ship you >>>were sent to rendezvous with. >> >> Karma does steer the horses around the corner, but as she's still >>fighting the effects of the soporific, it is hard to say who thought >>of it first, her or the horses. >> [No 'Ladyhawke,' gotta find another ship.] >> >>> Naturally, given the heroes' luck so far, the Garde Noire show >>>far more tenacity than any _sane_ henchmen would at this point. The >>>monster (still bearing its sorcerous rider) and the seemingly >>>unstoppable Black Captain are riding almost on the heroes' heels, >>>the woman's eyes narrowed in cunning as she plans something even >>>more dire than before... Five minutes ago (Sooo five minutes ago): Captain Sparrow, the Dread Pirate Roger, strutted cockily about the deck of the _Black Phoenix_ like a rooster observing his domain, radiating a smug satisfaction that would have nearly set a saint's teeth on edge. Since Councillor Troy, while filling the 'prude' qualification handily, missed most of the saintly qualifications by a long margin, her teeth were more than on edge -- in fact, they had probably been ground down a good millimeter over the course of the past hour. The most recent source of their mismatched moods had been a lovely dark-eyed Spanish infanta who had been aboard the most recent convoy subjected to "proletarian wealth redistribution" by the BP and her merry (well, bipolar, at least) crew. The infanta, en route to a political marriage to some dried-up, crusty old noble, had proven amenable --nay, one might even say eager-- to Sparrow's advances, especially once he had offered to release her incognito in the port of her choice with half the ransom. Being a woman of deep appetites and varied (Troy would have said 'no') tastes, the infanta had seen the possibilities inherent in her new position and grasped them quite firmly. Along with the Captain. Troy flushed anew at the thought. It had hardly been *her* fault that the infanta and Sparrow had, in the interest of keeping up appearances in front of the other prisoners, continued to play out the 'ravishing pirate and ravished prisoner' game. Something the infanta had explained to her loudly, passionately, and at length, in embarrassing detail, after Troy had charged in on them in the Captain's cabin determined to rescue Sparrow's victim, only to discover that the *infanta* had not been the one tied up. OOC: Once Roger reintegrates, he may well split up again just so the rest of him can *shoot* Sparrow... repeatedly. Troy turned an even deeper shade of red at the memory. The lecture wouldn't have been so bad if the infanta hadn't been ten years her junior, apparently much more experienced, and as condescending as only a liberated younger woman can be towards someone she obviously considers a withered old spinster. "AAAAAAAAGH!" At the sound of her aggrieved shriek, heads spun and hands dropped to weapons all over the deck. Sparrow, damn him, merely cocked a knowing eyebrow in her direction. "Female problems, Councillor?" he inquired supercilliously. She glared at him, silently praying that once, just *once,* her reputation for the Evil Eye would actually have some truth. Sparrow, instead of dropping dead, rocked back and forth on his heels, smirking at her. "So, *captain,*" she said, slathering the title with a thick spread of loathing, contempt, and other condiments of negative connotation, "when do you intend to weigh anchor? The tide will be turning soon." She was painfully aware that her attempt to change the subject almost certainly sounded as pathetic to everyone within earshot as it did to her. Sparrow withdrew his broken compass from the ever-present pouch on his belt and began toying with it. "Oh, I suspect it won't be long. I'm just waiting for something. Or someone." "You don't *know*?" she blurted, aghast. "We've no cargo aboard, the tide is about to turn, you refused the crew liberty (fortunately for the innocent inhabitants of Marseille), and now you don't know *why*?" "I don't know the *specifics,*" Sparrow corrected, languidly gesturing with his free hand. "But I know trouble is coming -- I can smell it, you see." He winked at her, trying to look clever. "If it's trouble, then why aren't we *leaving?" Troy volleyed, her voice climbing into the rigging. Sparrow looked disappointed. "Because, Councillor, as you should have learned by now -- *trouble* is just another word for *opportunity.*" She was still goggling at him, unable to find words to express the magntitude of his imbecility, when the six-horse carriage came careening around a corner uphill from the docks, pursued by some Black Guard and... something else.... >> Karma suddenly steers the horses toward a ship with a hefty >>gangplank. [That'll do nicely.] "And here it comes," Sparrow says cheerfully. "ALL HANDS! PREPARE TO RECEIVE PASSENGERS AND REPEL BOARDERS!" A jumbled roar which, translated from "testoseronese" to "halfway civilingua" would have approximated to "Finally! Some action!" went up from the crew. "TOPMEN ALOFT!" Sparrow continued shouting, sending Troy reeling with her hands over her ears. "MAKE READY TO RUN, BOYS -- SMARTLY NOW, OR I'LL SEE YOU ALL DINE WITH SAINT ROSE TONIGHT!" He strode toward the cargo gangplank, cutlass swinging in one hand. "MR. WHARF, READY THE GUNS! MR. PIKER, TO ME!" ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 00:35:47 +0100 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012528 >On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:05:23 +0100 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012515 > > Karma suddenly steers the horses toward a ship with a hefty >gangplank. [That'll do nicely.] And... >On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 08:37:43 -0400 >David McMillan Said As CAoL Message # 00012527 > >"And here it comes," Sparrow says cheerfully. "ALL HANDS! PREPARE TO >RECEIVE PASSENGERS AND REPEL BOARDERS!" A jumbled roar which, >translated from "testoseronese" to "halfway civilingua" would have >approximated to "Finally! Some action!" went up from the crew. >"TOPMEN ALOFT!" Sparrow continued shouting, sending Troy reeling with >her hands over her ears. "MAKE READY TO RUN, BOYS -- SMARTLY NOW, OR >I'LL SEE YOU ALL DINE WITH SAINT ROSE TONIGHT!" >He strode toward the cargo gangplank, cutlass swinging in one hand. >"MR. WHARF, READY THE GUNS! MR. PIKER, TO ME!" The gangplank was broad enough for two men to roll barrels up its length side by side and looked to be sturdy enough for horses to be led aboard as well. And it would have to be, for what Karma had in mind. With a little guidance from the reins and a little telepathic coaxing, Karma steered the carriage for the gangplank, and slowing their pace, maneuvered the entire contraption up the gangplank, shouting orders as she did. "Don't touch the carriage or us! Avoid getting the white powder on you! Any crewman free, fetch seawater! We need to clean this off us and the carriage!" Captain Sparrow glanced around casually toward Troy. "Counsillor," he said ever-so-politely, "See to that, would you?" "What?" Troy said, shocked, "You heard her, we shouldn't get near the carriage." "Ah yes," Roger said, "But you see, she also asked any crewman free to fetch seawater. And I'd be happy to send someone to do that, except there are, I'm sure, some rather nasty people chasing this carriage who need to be kept from coming aboard. Now, we don't want that, so I need everyone else to keep them from simply storming up the gangplank and taking over the ship." The carriage reached the top of the gangplank and the horses, having nowhere else to go, trotted onto the deck towards Troy. The carriage struck the deck with a shudder, but it was nothing the ship couldn't handle. Troy backed away, nervously, hoping to keep out of the way. "And I'm free," Troy finished as Sparrow nodded. "Bring seawater," Karma snapped at Troy directly, this time using the Voice, "Now." Troy's spine stiffened in sudden fear, as did Sparrow's by pure reflex. As Troy nodded nervously and ran for a rope and bucket, Roger realized he had a sudden urge to whine "Aw, but Mom, I've got boarders to repel!" Fortunately, the feeling passed quickly. Fortunately, Roger wasn't the focus of the former Bene Gesserit's attentions, so his urge passed before he embarrassed himself in front of the crew. Karma untied Geoffrey and managed to pick the manservant up and leap from the driver's seat with him. She laid him on the deck, then opened the passenger door and pulled Veren out to lie next to him. "Captain, we have Erin, Kell, Marivale and a new friend Spinner yet to come aboard. Erin has her own mount, Kell lost his, and Marivale apparently decided to borrow the Captain of the Black Guard's. The rest of the team was shanghaied through a portal to parts unknown." Troy approached with a bucket of water, the handle clutched tightly in both hands, obviously struggling with the weight. [Why am I doing this?] she thought to herself. Karma smiled, "Thank you, set it down." Troy did so and stepped away as Karma approached. Karma swung the bucket up in one hand and upended the briny contents over herself. The powder washed off easily enough, to Karma's relief. She could finally feel the waning of the soporific in her blood, also to her relief. "Alright," she said, handing Troy the empty bucket, "Let's get a few more of those and rinse off the men and the carriage." Troy quickly led her to the extra lines and buckets, and Karma and Troy tossed buckets over the side. Karma pulled up her own bucket and tossed another over, as Troy struggled with hauling her own up. "Quickly, those men will be able help repel boarders." "I'm trying!" Troy snapped. Karma threw a third bucket over the side and hauled that up as well as Troy finally managed to raise her bucket up and place it heavily on the deck. Karma grabbed two bucket handles and pointed Troy at the third. "Take one in each hand, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs instead of your back. Come on, quickly now!" Troy watched Karma heft them easily and scowled. She didn't like the idea of yet another woman getting the best of her. But those buckets were heavy. As she picked them up as instructed, she was surprised to find it mildly easier than before. Though her hands were already aching trying to hold onto the handles. Karma was already pouring about half a bucket over Veren. "Wake up, Veren," she said, setting the bucket down beside him, "Pour the rest of this over your back. There's a white powder that will put you back to sleep if you get any on your skin. We've also still got the Black Guard trying to get aboard." She'll add Erin, Marivale and Kell are still outside assuming it is still true. Karma poured the second bucket over Geoffrey, leaving about a half for his back as well, and giving him the same explanation and instructions. Troy arrived with the other two buckets and had barely set them down when Karma handed her the empty buckets Geoffreys and Veren had finished using. "Two more... Troy, isn't it?" Karma said, "We need to wash the carriage." "Now?!" "Yes, now! Bring soap and mops as well. We don't want this getting on any of the crew." Troy took the two empty buckets back, stewing in her own thoughts, as Karma set to work tossing water over the carriage roof. (OOC: Assuming something more important doesn't interrupt her, that is. ;)) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 06:41:47 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012529 >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012518 >As Marivale takes on the Black Captain, Kell pulls himself to his >feet and steps away from the edge of the road, just in time to see >the Ruin Beast approaching. He takes a dagger in each hand, and sets >himself to meet the charge. Just before the monster would overrun >him, he sidesteps, and his blades dance. The sorceror slumps in his >seat, even as the Ruin Beast dashes past, barely noting its >unconscious master as it slashes Kell's leg. [Ai! I'm not running >anywhere for a while,] he thinks, checking the road for ideas on how >to catch up with the stagecoach. *Sigh. I TOLD you someone would get hurt. LOOK at that poor animal, he's dead. I don't think even Aurora or The Stardragon could save him now. And what you did this other person, you really need to be more careful. You planet born are SO fragile. I don't see any internal tissue ruptures, but it was close. Speaking of saving, I'd better get you out of here before you join the dead animal.* Spinner says, as he lifts the ruin beast up, and puts it down and holds it in place, several yards out of reach of Kell. *Want a lift... uh... Kell?* ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 16:15:23 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012532 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012529 > >*Sigh. I TOLD you someone would get hurt. LOOK at that poor animal, >he's dead. I don't think even Aurora or The Stardragon could save him >now.* "You don't know much about horses, do you? If there isn't a cleric on hand when the cannon bone breaks, there's nothing for it. Cut the throat and skip the pain and suffering," he replies gruffly, as he wraps the slash on his leg. "Since we don't have a healer nearby, and I don't have any favors from the gods handy, I did what I had to do." >*And what you did this other person, you really need to be more >careful. You planet born are SO fragile. I don't see any internal >tissue ruptures, but it was close. Speaking of saving, I'd better get >you out of here before you join the dead animal.* Spinner says, as he >lifts the ruin beast up, and puts it down and holds it in place, >several yards out of reach of Kell. *Want a lift... uh... Kell?* Kell cleans his daggers, then sheathes them. "Just hold that thing still for a minute." When Spinner starts to protest, he adds, "Don't worry. This won't hurt it." He walks over to the ruin beast, dodges its attempt to bite his hand off, and clamps its jaw shut with his right arm. Then he glares at it. Ten seconds pass before Kell releases the creature. It doesn't try to bite him. Kell then removes its rider and sets him on the side of the road. "He'll be fine," he notes, as he mounts up. "You can let go now - I'll need your help to dismount, though." He then slaps the beast's neck, and it dashes away, heading for the ship that Karma has chosen for the escape. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 20:41:34 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012536 >On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:15:39 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012516 > >Marivale glares over at the captain and drags Geoffery over to the >driver's seat one-handed, using a handy bit of rope (normally used >for securing luggage) to tie Geoffery in place. Then he sneers at >Captain du Charouse. "Poison, is it? Well, I have tricks of my own." "If it were poison," Dominique replies with an insouciant smile, "they would already be dead." >With that, he walks to the end of the carriage, retrieving his >parrying dagger along the way, and jumps off. It's a good twenty feet >from the back of the carriage to the captain's horse, but despite the >lack of a proper running start, Marivale somehow clears the distance >handily, drop-kicking the captain while raking the horse's neck with >his dagger. Captain du Charouse rolls with the blow, flying off her horse and landing in a crouch. She grips the hilt of her still-bleeding blade more tightly and winces, then stands. And sees what Marivale did to her steed. "BELLE!" she screams. "You'll DIE for that!" With a whirling grace that would do a dervish proud, she begins slashing at Marivale viciously. From fifteen feet away. The slashes literally come at him from every direction -- over his head, behind the hamstring, thrusting to the back, over the ear, again and again with rapid-fire speed and the ubiquitous screaming of space being tortured mercilessly. The pool of blood around his feet is impressive even if he parries every blow. If they were fighting toe to toe, Marivale would probably have the advantage. Dominique is good -- very, very good -- but even she isn't likely his equal. With the ability to strike at a distance like this, however, and her skill being that great already... "Tell me," she adds, her voice starting to slide towards calm again, "what name I should carve on your body as you scream out your final breaths?" OOC: If the horse is obviously going to live shortly after this exchange, she'll back off somewhat. >On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 16:15:23 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012532 > >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012529 >> >>*And what you did this other person, you really need to be more >>careful. You planet born are SO fragile. I don't see any internal >>tissue ruptures, but it was close. Speaking of saving, I'd better >>get you out of here before you join the dead animal.* Spinner says, >>as he lifts the ruin beast up, and puts it down and holds it in >>place, several yards out of reach of Kell. *Want a lift... uh... >>Kell?* > > Kell cleans his daggers, then sheathes them. "Just hold that thing >still for a minute." When Spinner starts to protest, he adds, "Don't >worry. This won't hurt it." > He walks over to the ruin beast, dodges its attempt to bite his >hand off, and clamps its jaw shut with his right arm. Then he glares >at it. Ten seconds pass before Kell releases the creature. > It doesn't try to bite him. It _does_ whine like a dozen chalkboards with fingernails being dragged across them, however. > Kell then removes its rider and sets him on the side of the road. >"He'll be fine," he notes, as he mounts up. "You can let go now - >I'll need your help to dismount, though." He then slaps the beast's >neck, and it dashes away, heading for the ship that Karma has chosen >for the escape. Riding the bizarre creature is...an experience. Its verdant scaly back seems practically sculpted to fit a humanoid, but its gait is odd, to say the least. It's also built rather like the bastard offspring of a velociraptor, a tiger, and a barrel, although its skin favors its reptilian heritage. Like the Criminologist from Rocky Horror, it effectively has no neck. It doesn't seem to mind being ridden for the moment, but the beast has hardly been broken. Being pinned the way it was did scare the spit out of it, but it has a short memory and a rumbling stomach. Fortunately, it seems to have some instinct that prevents it from eating its rider. Equally fortunately for the moment, it has no such compunctions about anyone else, and Garde Noire scatter in terror at the mere sight of the Ruin Beast charging towards the Black Phoenix. It remains to be seen what it thinks of the Phoenix's crew... -- Beauty and the Beast "It followed me home, ma, can I keep it?" ;^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: The Road to Vodacce On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:41:04 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012537 >On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 20:06:25 -0700 >Morgan and Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012492 > > "Ah, it's like coming home --!" Kanto exults -- in perfect Renaissance Italian -- and dives in with a joyous war cry... Several minutes later. Eric is examining his chain for any notches while Kanto looks around, pleased. The group has left the road, Eric's ability to sense the dragon lines leading them unerringly toward Rome. Also, leaving the road reduces their chances of running into...more complications. "Do you _have_ to enjoy attempted murder so much?" Eric grouses. "It's quite the change of pace for me," Kanto replies with a genuine grin. "I'm usually on the other end of the attempts. I don't know why mortals whine about it so much. It's quite invigorating." Eric opens his mouth. He closes his mouth. He blinks and does a double take. Through the lens, he hears Rio trying not to chuckle. Eric decides that discretion is the better part of this conversation. A few minutes of merciful silence later, the Hunter slows his pace, examining the ground more closely. "Hrm." "The Spider-Sense isn't tingling," Rio comments. "You worry too much, monster hunter," Kanto drawls, hand waving carelessly in the air. "You should have more of a sense of adven--" The ground gives way beneath the New God. With a suddenness that takes even Kanto by surprise, the earth effectively evaporates beneath his feet, and the assassin vanishes. Jeanne gasps and Eric leaps forward, but before he even reaches the opening in the ground, they hear a clang and annoyed protests in reaction. "You were saying?" Eric comments dryly. "What happened to the 'spider sense?'" Kanto asks. "Are you hurt?" Rio replies. "Only my pride," Kanto admitted. "And here I thought _that_ was invulnerable," Eric quips back. "Aren't _you_ the wit all of a sudden," the killer of the gods mutters. "No one was hurt," Rio explains; "no harm, no howl." Eric and Kanto groan in time. "Do you want a hand up?" Jeanne asks. "One moment." Light shines from the hole Kanto just fell through. There is a pause, and Eric looks at Rio with confusion. "You may want to wait before extricating me. In fact, you may want to come down here yourselves." "What?" Jeanne slides carefully over to the hole and peers down, then whistles. "Syrneth clockwork. Quite similar to the ones in Nerezza, if my intelligence is accurate." "Lower me down?" Rio asks, looking at her brother. Eric scowls, entirely unhappy with the situation but entirely lacking in rebuttals. He hands her the smooth metal ring on one end of the kusari-gama and carefully lowers her into the darkness. He peers down when he runs out of chain. "It looks like you're a little short," he notes. "I'll catch her," Kanto replies entirely too enthusiastically for Eric's taste. Seeing that the New God is already in position beneath her, arms outstretched, Rio lets go before Eric can object. The Hunter squawks as he stumbles back slightly, whereas Rio slows time down _just_ enough to land more lightly than technically possible in Kanto's arms. The blademaster waits a second before releasing her, stealing a kiss as he restores her to her feet. Then he gestures around, his sword glowing enough to show them the surface they stand on...a great metal disk the color of rust. The metal, however, is very obviously _not_ rusted. "I'll turn up the light," Kanto offers, and presses a stud on the hilt. All four whistle. An enormous cavern is revealed to the heroes, filled with gigantic gears out of some fantastic movie set. Some look like they could have been designed by human hands, being solid and even, while others look like refugees from a mad genius' fantasy, some too thin to be believed and curved like claws where the disks meet. "I just noticed," Eric realized, "we're right next to a local node. Not the size of the one in Rome, of course, but..." "These Syrneth knew what they were about, yes?" Kanto finishes. "Retroactively, apparently," Eric notes wryly. "Rio, I suggest you don't try scanning this thing temporally. Spare yourself the headache." "I'll keep that in mind," Rio replies. "We should explore this," Jeanne encourages. "It may provide some clue as to how we can deal with Caligari's Island, short of dropping the Champions' counterpart on it." "My thoughts exactly," Eric agrees. "I'll lower you down." "What about you?" Jeanne asks. "I can slow his fall," Rio explains. "If he needs it," she adds with mild amusement. "I won't object to the help," Eric replies, "but I've made longer jumps with half a dozen vampires trying to kill me." The process takes less than a minute, and even as Eric lands the siblings are scanning the huge facility with senses mundane and magickal. "Over there," they say as one, pointing into the darkness in the same direction. "I was beginning to wonder if you were truly related," Kanto muses. -- Lancers & co. Magickal solutions and troubleshooting (Rio handles the solutions, Eric handles the shooting ;-) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:25:57 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012538 >On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 20:41:34 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012536 > >>On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:15:39 -0700 >>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012516 >> >>Marivale glares over at the captain and drags Geoffery over to the >>driver's seat one-handed, using a handy bit of rope (normally used >>for securing luggage) to tie Geoffery in place. Then he sneers at >>Captain du Charouse. "Poison, is it? Well, I have tricks of my own." > > "If it were poison," Dominique replies with an insouciant smile, >"they would already be dead." Marivale shrugs and says "soporifics are poisons, too." >>With that, he walks to the end of the carriage, retrieving his >>parrying dagger along the way, and jumps off. It's a good twenty >>feet from the back of the carriage to the captain's horse, but >>despite the lack of a proper running start, Marivale somehow clears >>the distance handily, drop-kicking the captain while raking the >>horse's neck with his dagger. > > Captain du Charouse rolls with the blow, flying off her horse and >landing in a crouch. She grips the hilt of her still-bleeding blade >more tightly and winces, then stands. > And sees what Marivale did to her steed. > "BELLE!" she screams. "You'll DIE for that!" With a whirling grace >that would do a dervish proud, she begins slashing at Marivale >viciously. > From fifteen feet away. > The slashes literally come at him from every direction -- over his >head, behind the hamstring, thrusting to the back, over the ear, >again and again with rapid-fire speed and the ubiquitous screaming of >space being tortured mercilessly. The pool of blood around his feet >is impressive even if he parries every blow. While Marivale is more than capable of fighting toe-to-toe, his favored combat style involves tumbling about the battlefield, so he's not in one place long enough to accumulate a pool of blood. He is, however, forced to keep his distance by virtue of the fact that he never knows just where the next slash is coming from. And yes, he does somehow parry or avoid every blow coming his way. It's a rather impressive display, and Erindrea has actually reined her horse in just to watch. > If they were fighting toe to toe, Marivale would probably have the >advantage. Dominique is good -- very, very good -- but even she isn't >likely his equal. With the ability to strike at a distance like this, >however, and her skill being that great already... > "Tell me," she adds, her voice starting to slide towards calm >again, "what name I should carve on your body as you scream out your >final breaths?" Marivale glances down at his arms, still covered in white dust, and smiles. Fifteen feet may be an impressive distance to be engaging somebody in melee combat, but it is easily covered in a rush, as Marivale proves, absorbing a gash to his left arm in the process. When he reaches Dominique's side, he binds her blade somewhat clumsily with his parrying dagger as his right arm slides around her waist. He then kisses her full on the lips. "I'm in no hurry to die, milady. Are you?" > OOC: If the horse is obviously going to live shortly after this >exchange, she'll back off somewhat. OOC: Actually, it was just a shallow scratch, meant to goad it into galloping off the road. Thus, hopefully, spoiling the Captain's aim if she wanted to teleport back onto it again. There's a slight beading of blood along the line of the cut, but it would hardly be visible from a distance. Unless Belle is "gray," that is. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:31:26 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012539 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012536 > >>Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012532 >> >> Kell then removes its rider and sets him on the side of the road. >>"He'll be fine," he notes, as he mounts up. "You can let go now - >>I'll need your help to dismount, though." He then slaps the beast's >>neck, and it dashes away, heading for the ship that Karma has chosen >>for the escape. > > Riding the bizarre creature is...an experience. Its verdant scaly >back seems practically sculpted to fit a humanoid, but its gait is >odd, to say the least. It's also built rather like the bastard >offspring of a velociraptor, a tiger, and a barrel, although its skin >favors its reptilian heritage. Like the Criminologist from Rocky >Horror, it effectively has no neck. [I've had strange rides, but I think this creature wins the prize,] Kell decides. [Although if I'd taken that ride on the astral dragon, it might be up for argument...] > It doesn't seem to mind being ridden for the moment, but the beast >has hardly been broken. Being pinned the way it was did scare the >spit out of it, but it has a short memory and a rumbling stomach. As it rumbles down the street, an unwary cat vanishes down its throat. Kell blinks. [This thing isn't controllable at all. I may be in trouble here...] > Fortunately, it seems to have some instinct that prevents it from >eating its rider. Equally fortunately for the moment, it has no such >compunctions about anyone else, and Garde Noire scatter in terror at >the mere sight of the Ruin Beast charging towards the Black Phoenix. >It remains to be seen what it thinks of the Phoenix's crew... Kell doesn't want to find out. Fortunately, he has an idea. "Spinner? Can you hear me? Listen, they're already scared of this thing I'm riding. So here's my plan..." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:05:32 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012540 >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012539 > > Kell doesn't want to find out. Fortunately, he has an idea. >"Spinner? Can you hear me? Listen, they're already scared of this >thing I'm riding. So here's my plan..." *I can hear you. What did you have in mind?* Spinner responds. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Tue, 3 May 2005 10:01:53 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012543 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012540 > >*I can hear you. What did you have in mind?* Spinner responds. A quick telepathic conference later, Kell pulls the ruin beast to a halt at the just before the pier, and dismounts. The Garde Noir, he notes, are in a ring behind him. Were he familiar with Biblical lore, he would liken it to having the Red Sea close up behind him. [So they're scared, but not that scared. Let's see 'em handle this...] He pulls a green crystal from his belt pouch, and throws it down the street, to explode in a bright flash. When the smoke clears, Spinner is there. [I'd say they'll break and run in about ten seconds. Nine...eight...] ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Tue, 03 May 2005 17:46:43 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012544 >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012543 > > [I'd say they'll break and run in about ten seconds. >Nine...eight...] *"Ah. Crunchies. Lots and lots of crunchies."* Spinner intones. As he does this, there is the definate impression to all present (unless they have strong telepathic barriers that is) that he is 'looking' at the Garde Noir. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Thu, 5 May 2005 15:44:24 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012547 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012544 > >*"Ah. Crunchies. Lots and lots of crunchies."* Spinner intones. As he >does this, there is the definate impression to all present (unless >they have strong telepathic barriers that is) that he is 'looking' at >the Garde Noir. "Nice work, Spinner," Kell remarks. "I didn't make it to six. Now, would you mind putting Buttercup here," he points at the ruin beast, almost losing the finger in the process, "someplace where she, he, it, or whatever, won't cause any trouble?" He begins limping towards the Black Phoenix. "I've got a ship to catch." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9t: Carriage Ride On Thu, 05 May 2005 22:46:17 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012548 >On Thu, 5 May 2005 15:44:24 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012547 > > "Nice work, Spinner," Kell remarks. "I didn't make it to six. Now, >would you mind putting Buttercup here," he points at the ruin beast, >almost losing the finger in the process, "someplace where she, he, >it, or whatever, won't cause any trouble?" He begins limping towards >the Black Phoenix. "I've got a ship to catch." *Certainly.* Spinner answers, as he 'lifts' the ruin beast up to his body, gently. There is a popping sound as the two vanish, and a minute later, another as Spinner re-appears almost exactly where he had been, but without the ruin beast. *He is safe, and in a place where he will do no more harm than any of the other carnivores that he will be competing with.* =========================== Subject: AAE 9t: The Captain and the Cad On Tue, 10 May 2005 23:11:19 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012550 >On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:25:57 -0700 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012538 > >Marivale glances down at his arms, still covered in white dust, and >smiles. Fifteen feet may be an impressive distance to be engaging >somebody in melee combat, but it is easily covered in a rush, as >Marivale proves, absorbing a gash to his left arm in the process. >When he reaches Dominique's side, he binds her blade somewhat >clumsily with his parrying dagger as his right arm slides around her >waist. He then kisses her full on the lips. "I'm in no hurry to die, >milady. Are you?" For one brief moment, all Dominique can think of is the wiry strength of the body pressed tightly to hers, and she melts. But then she remembers that she is, after all, Captain du Charouse of the Garde Noire, sent to capture the man who is not taking proper advantage of their position anyway, and she jerks her head aside. Marivale's voice is a bit husky as he says "ah. So you took the antidote beforehand." Dominique sneers up into his bottomless blue eyes. "Of course I did, cochon. _Some_ of us believe in thinking things out ahead of time." Marivale's eyes sparkle with wicked delight. "What a remarkable coincidence! I do, too." As a tremendous shock jolts through her body from the rapier still nestled along her spine, Captain du Charouse fights a losing battle to stay conscious. The last thing she hears before the blackness claims her is Marivale's voice saying "another time, perhaps." Erindrea claps sardonically. "Now that you've had yoah fun, shall we catch up to the othahs? Tahm and tahd wait foh no man, an' all that." Marivale just smiles and vaults lightly into pillion position on her borrowed horse, and they canter off to the docks. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE 9t: The Captain and the Cad On Fri, 20 May 2005 18:16:30 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012553 >On Tue, 10 May 2005 23:11:19 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012550 > >>On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:25:57 -0700 >>Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012538 >> >>Marivale glances down at his arms, still covered in white dust, and >>smiles. Fifteen feet may be an impressive distance to be engaging >>somebody in melee combat, but it is easily covered in a rush, as >>Marivale proves, absorbing a gash to his left arm in the process. >>When he reaches Dominique's side, he binds her blade somewhat >>clumsily with his parrying dagger as his right arm slides around her >>waist. He then kisses her full on the lips. "I'm in no hurry to die, >>milady. Are you?" OOC: I considered having her teleport away before he could reach her, but this is more fun. Besides, as the saying goes, "I have a cunning plan, my lord..." >For one brief moment, all Dominique can think of is the wiry strength >of the body pressed tightly to hers, and she melts. But then she >remembers that she is, after all, Captain du Charouse of the Garde >Noire, sent to capture the man who is not taking proper advantage of >their position anyway, and she jerks her head aside. After a moment, the captain decides, [That was worth it.] Her lip is bleeding slightly; apparently, she got a bit...over-enthusiastic. None of it got on Marivale's mouth or skin, however. >Marivale's voice is a bit husky as he says "ah. So you took the >antidote beforehand." > >Dominique sneers up into his bottomless blue eyes. "Of course I did, >cochon. _Some_ of us believe in thinking things out ahead of time." > >Marivale's eyes sparkle with wicked delight. "What a remarkable >coincidence! I do, too." As a tremendous shock jolts through her body >from the rapier still nestled along her spine, Captain du Charouse >fights a losing battle to stay conscious. The last thing she hears >before the blackness claims her is Marivale's voice saying "another >time, perhaps." With a last, desperate twist of her body (and a few choice curses for the Avalon son of a goat), she manages to teleport out, the sword screaming and bleeding briefly as she spins her fall. She's only a few dozen feet away when she 'lands,' unconscious, with what remains of her men. Still, it speaks for her sheer determination, if nothing else. >Erindrea claps sardonically. "Now that you've had yoah fun, shall we >catch up to the othahs? Tahm and tahd wait foh no man, an' all that." >Marivale just smiles and vaults lightly into pillion position on her >borrowed horse, and they canter off to the docks. OOC: Well, you're all Roger's problem for the moment. The Black Phoenix is too close to the docks for the city to train its gun emplacements on the ship, but if you all wait long enough I'm sure I can arrange some muskets, flaming arrows, and other sundry nastiness... A few minutes later. "Mon capitaine?" Captain du Charouse groans and awakens, sitting up. "Well. That was...still worth it," she decides with a feline grin. "Mon captaine, they escaped," her lieutenant whispers. "L'Empereur will not be pleased. He has an unfortunate tendency to _behead_ people when he is not pleased." "You worry too much, Gaston," Dominique chuckles. "The Prince is the real power in the court, and he knows my value. Besides," she adds, her grin widening as she wipes her mouth with a dainty, gloved finger, "they have not escaped as fully as they might think. I will find them again, and Captain Roger Sparrow will finally end his days on my blade. As for mon Avalon myst‚rieux..." her eyes flicker with a menacing light as her smile broadens. "...I must insist on another dance." -- Captain Dominique du Charouse "I do so love dancing with Scoundrels..." =========================== Subject: AAE9: A Detour Along the Road On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 21:42:34 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012571 [Snip the parts that are in the Swashbuckling thread, with the same header.] >On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:41:04 -0700 >Morgan and Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012537 > > "We should explore this," Jeanne encourages. "It may provide some >clue as to how we can deal with Caligari's Island, short of dropping >the Champions' counterpart on it." > "My thoughts exactly," Eric agrees. "I'll lower you down." > "What about you?" Jeanne asks. > >"I can slow his fall," Rio explains. "If he needs it," she adds with >mild amusement. > > "I won't object to the help," Eric replies, "but I've made longer >jumps with half a dozen vampires trying to kill me." The process >takes less than a minute, and even as Eric lands the siblings are >scanning the huge facility with senses mundane and magickal. "Over >there," they say as one, pointing into the darkness in the same >direction. > "I was beginning to wonder if you were truly related," Kanto >muses. Several minutes later. "Well." Eric's body language and tone are remarkably like Zia's at that moment. The four heroes stare, in various states of confusion and curiosity, at what they guess to be a set of controls for the clockwork mechanisms around them. Eric's Lens is no help, as the panels and levers (if that is in fact what they are) are not labeled. "I can't believe we did a Mario and Luigi impersonation for _this,_" the Hunter rumbles. "I found it exhilarating," Kanto replies airily. "You would," Rio chuckles fondly. Kanto favors her with a roguish grin. "Leaping from gear to gear, evading their bladed teeth, swinging from chains and avoiding robots...well, maybe not the avoidance aspect, but I must say I am beginning to understand the appeal of this hero business." "Good for you," Eric replies dryly. "Now shut up while I look this thing over." Kanto folds his arms and glares at the Hunter's back while Eric looks the controls over, Rio doing the same (carefully) with her Time powers. "Hrm. Nothing...nothing...wait. These symbols..." His Lens flickers briefly. "They're shorthand, initials, something, but the Lens is translating...something about folding, moving...it's a transportation device." He nods, a rare smile flickering across his face. "I think I'm starting to understand this blasted thing." "Smashing," Kanto comments with a dry tone of his own. "Perhaps we would learn more by taking _action,_ however?" "And what would _you_ suggest?" Eric snaps. Kanto grins. "This." He pulls a lever. "NO!" Eric, Jeanne and Rio all shout at once. Space and time collapse in on themselves. [NOTE: Continued in the Anime thread, ch. 3, under the same header.] =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 10:03:19 -0700 David McMillan (by way of "L.J. Wolfe") Said As CAoL Message # 00012607 (Since David gave us permission to post things that he'd First Drafted and were approved, I forward this one -- which he seems to have forgotten when he caught up in the other threads yesterday *g*. I also took the liberty of revising slightly based on Harlock's corrections. Evil GM-San will catch up next week. Morgan /|\) >Michael Seven wrote: >>"TOPMEN ALOFT!" Sparrow continued shouting, sending Troy reeling >>with her hands over her ears. "MAKE READY TO RUN, BOYS -- SMARTLY >>NOW, OR I'LL SEE YOU ALL DINE WITH SAINT ROSE TONIGHT!" He strode >>toward the cargo gangplank, cutlass swinging in one hand. "MR. >>WHARF, READY THE GUNS! MR. PIKER, TO ME!" > > The gangplank was broad enough for two men to roll barrels up its >length side by side and looked to be sturdy enough for horses to be >led aboard as well. And it would have to be, for what Karma had in >mind. > Troy took the two empty buckets back, stewing in her own thoughts, >as Karma set to work tossing water over the carriage roof. Meanwhile, Le Garde Noir had attempted to rush the gangplank, only to discover the Master Wharf had little compunction about using grapeshot from the little swivel guns under these conditions (of course, he *was* aiming rather carefully). The remainder, no cowards, who rushed to get inside the effective range of the guns, were reminded that being bunched up on a gangplank, no matter how wide, made for a tactically disadvantageous position, as Sparrow's bravos, led by Master Piker, followed a mass discharge of pistols with a charge of cold steel. LGN *also* discovers quickly that their various esoteric special tricks are more difficult to use in close proximity to the privateer, for some odd reason... It's a quick, stiff, and fairly one-sided little action, leaving LGN reeling back across the gangplank (or swimming in the bay), but heavy reinforcements are already visible coming from the direction of the fortress, and it's a safe wager that the warships at the naval docks are clearing for action as well. Time to grab the pot, kick over the poker table, and advance briskly in a retrograde direction, in Sparrow's mind. "Lady Karma!" he calls sharply. "Have we all your party, or are there more coming?" Karma glances at him. "All that I know of, except--" Kell chooses this moment to pull his Ruin Beast to a halt at the edge of the quay, and darts aboard the Black Phoenix following Karma's vigorous hail. Erindrea and Marivale follow not far behind. "That's all. The others were separated from us by some sort of portal, they could be anywhere." Sparrow nods and begins waving his sword again. "Master Piker, kick loose that gangplank! Master Wharf, ready the gun deck -- we'll have those frigates contesting our departure, if I'm any judge. Councillor Troy..." he stops to eye the representative from Casablanca. "Keep doing what you're doing. You'll make someone a fine washerwoman someday." He turns away and strides to his spelljamming chair, ignoring the daggers Troy is glaring into his back. "CAST LOOSE THE LINES AND WEIGH ANCHOR! SHARPISH NOW, LADS AND LASSES! And by-the-by, lady Karma, do you require that carriage, or might we be better served simply shoving it overboard?" It's the work of barely a minute to clear all the ship's moorings, in some cases by dint of boarding axes. But it's not fast enough, as the lookout hails Sparrow from the crow's nest: "Ahoy the deck! Cap'n, the forts across the channel are pulling in a great chain!" "Blocking the mouth of the harbor, are they?" Sparrow grins mirthlessly. "Trapped between the devil and the deep blue we'd be, if not for my bonnie lass's long legs, broad wings, and saucy disposition," he adds to their new passengers, patting the nearest bit of hullworks fondly. "SAILING MASTER! RIG FOR FLIGHT! MASTER CRUSHER, MAKE READY TO SAIL FOILBORNE!" Suiting action to words, Sparrow claps his hands to the polished crystal globes on each arm of his chair, and makes an expression of ferocious concentration. Water swirls around the hull of the Black Phoenix, propelled by mystic forces, and drives the ship sharply away from the dock... Before stopping with an out-of-milieu series of sputtering and coughing sounds that would remind any modern Earth-9 native of a certain scene from the third Star Trek movie. Roger Sparrow goes very, very still for a long moment. Then: "MASTER CRUSHERRRRRRR!" A heavily perspiring young man pops head-and-shoulders out of a hatch nearby. "Beggin' your pardon, Cap'n, but I thought we'd have more time in port, and I had this idea for improving the spelljamming engine, but I had to take apart all the--" "MASTER Crusher," Sparrow raps out in a too-calm voice. "We are about to become trapped between a harbor chain barrier, several well-armed shore fortifications, *and* the local naval squadron, plus whatever 'special' forces are available to be arrayed against us. Now, I'm as glad of a stiff little brawl as any pirate on the high seas, but this is a fight with no profit to it. So..." He leans forward to fix Crusher with a gimlet eye. "If you don't have us capable of flying, or at least *jumping,* within, oh, three minutes, we're all dead. But I'll see to it *you* die first. And worst." Crusher gulps. "Aye, Cap'n," and vanishes belowdecks. Sparrow closes his eyes and rubs them tiredly. "As God and Saint Rose are my witnesses," he mutters, "next time I'm hiring that old Glasgwegian engineer/carpenter. No more of this younger generation for me...." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:25:49 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012609 >David McMillan Said As CAoL Message # 00012607 > "MASTER Crusher," Sparrow raps out in a too-calm voice. "We are >about to become trapped between a harbor chain barrier, several >well-armed shore fortifications, *and* the local naval squadron, plus >whatever 'special' forces are available to be arrayed against us. >Now, I'm as glad of a stiff little brawl as any pirate on the high >seas, but this is a fight with no profit to it. So..." He leans >forward to fix Crusher with a gimlet eye. "If you don't have us >capable of flying, or at least *jumping,* within, oh, three minutes, >we're all dead. But I'll see to it *you* die first. And worst." > Crusher gulps. "Aye, Cap'n," and vanishes belowdecks. Sparrow >closes his eyes and rubs them tiredly. "As God and Saint Rose are my >witnesses," he mutters, "next time I'm hiring that old Glasgwegian >engineer/carpenter. No more of this younger generation for me...." *"If you need this object to 'fly' I can accomodate you."* Spinner offers. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 06:25:37 +0100 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012621 >On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 10:03:19 -0700 >David McMillan Said As CAoL Message # 00012607 > >>Michael Seven wrote: >>>David McMillan wrote: >> >> Troy took the two empty buckets back, stewing in her own >>thoughts, as Karma set to work tossing water over the carriage roof. >>(OOC: Assuming something more important doesn't interrupt her, that >>is. ;)) > > "Lady Karma!" he calls sharply. "Have we all your party, or are >there more coming?" > Karma glances at him. "All that I know of, except--" > Kell chooses this moment to pull his Ruin Beast to a halt at the >edge of the quay, and darts aboard the Black Phoenix following >Karma's vigorous hail. Erindrea and Marivale follow not far behind. >"That's all. The others were separated from us by some sort of >portal, they could be anywhere." > Sparrow nods and begins waving his sword again. "Master Piker, >kick loose that gangplank! Master Wharf, ready the gun deck -- we'll >have those frigates contesting our departure, if I'm any judge. >Councillor Troy..." he stops to eye the representative from >Casablanca. "Keep doing what you're doing. You'll make someone a fine >washerwoman someday." He turns away and strides to his spelljamming >chair, ignoring the daggers Troy is glaring into his back. Karma glances at Troy, "You have my permission to kill him when this is all over." >"CAST LOOSE THE LINES AND WEIGH ANCHOR! SHARPISH NOW, LADS AND >LASSES! And by-the-by, lady Karma, do you require that carriage, or >might we be better served simply shoving it overboard?" "As soon as it's safe to handle, we can be rid of it," Karma said, still scrubbing the thing down. > "MASTER Crusher," Sparrow raps out in a too-calm voice. "We are >about to become trapped between a harbor chain barrier, several >well-armed shore fortifications, *and* the local naval squadron, plus >whatever 'special' forces are available to be arrayed against us. >Now, I'm as glad of a stiff little brawl as any pirate on the high >seas, but this is a fight with no profit to it. So..." He leans >forward to fix Crusher with a gimlet eye. "If you don't have us >capable of flying, or at least *jumping,* within, oh, three minutes, >we're all dead. But I'll see to it *you* die first. And worst." > Crusher gulps. "Aye, Cap'n," and vanishes belowdecks. Sparrow >closes his eyes and rubs them tiredly. "As God and Saint Rose are my >witnesses," he mutters, "next time I'm hiring that old Glasgwegian >engineer/carpenter. No more of this younger generation for me...." And Spinner promptly offered... >On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:25:49 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012609 > >*"If you need this object to 'fly' I can accomodate you."* Spinner >offers. Karma blinked, then snapped her fingers and hopped off the top of the carriage, which looked clean enough of the soporific to be safe for the crew to handle. "Spinner! I gather you don't like seeing other things hurt. Would you take this carriage and hurl it perilously _close_ to the men manning the cannons in the fort on the farther side of the bay?" She gestures as she speaks, pointing at the fort she had in mind. "Just watch out for the sails and rigging," she adds, pointing those out, "And if you can, make it bounce or skid when it hits," making a bouncing and a skidding gesture. "If it can scatter the men away from the cannons, that's good enough. If it can knock the cannons over or something, so much the better. "Captain, if that works, we'll want to get as close to the other fort as we dare before we're in range of their guns, then hop that chain as fast as we can. They'll line up their shots for our approach, thinking they can bounce their rounds along the deck and take out our rigging with chainshot, but won't expect us to go up and over their sights. By the time they've repositioned, we can be in the clear." -- Karma (whose author discovered the old computer game "Sail" recently, and more importantly, the man file.) =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 18:47:18 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012624 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012621 > >>On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:25:49 -0700 >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012609 >> >>*"If you need this object to 'fly' I can accomodate you."* Spinner >>offers. > > Karma blinked, then snapped her fingers and hopped off the top of >the carriage, which looked clean enough of the soporific to be safe >for the crew to handle. > "Spinner! I gather you don't like seeing other things hurt. Would >you take this carriage and hurl it perilously _close_ to the men >manning the cannons in the fort on the farther side of the bay?" She >gestures as she speaks, pointing at the fort she had in mind. > "Just watch out for the sails and rigging," she adds, pointing >those out, "And if you can, make it bounce or skid when it hits," >making a bouncing and a skidding gesture. "If it can scatter the men >away from the cannons, that's good enough. If it can knock the >cannons over or something, so much the better. > "Captain, if that works, we'll want to get as close to the other >fort as we dare before we're in range of their guns, then hop that >chain as fast as we can. They'll line up their shots for our >approach, thinking they can bounce their rounds along the deck and >take out our rigging with chainshot, but won't expect us to go up and >over their sights. By the time they've repositioned, we can be in the >clear." *"Certainly."* Spinner says as the carriage 'lifts', seemingly effortlessly, from the deck. There is a tremendous sonic boom over the bay as Spinner and the carriage quickly accelerate to hypersonic speeds. Half way across the bay Spinner 'releases' the carriage, which continues its journey as an instant ball of fire. The men manning the cannons only see a tremendous ball of fire headed directly at them, and scatter like roaches when the light goes on. The carriage only being wood, iron and brass does little damage to the curtainwall it hits, directly between two cannons, but the apparent explosion as the wood burns up instantly is enough to keep the men scattering. *"I am assuming you would like those 'cannons' rendered useless?"* Spinner asks as he 'lifts' the line of cannons off their carriages enmass, and 'drops' them into the middle of the bay. =========================== Subject: AAE9 The return of Baraka/Ferrar [ED. NOTE: This post is copied to both the Star Wars and Theah thread.] On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 21:38:54 -0700 Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00012625 [AAE9T/AAE9S] "Ow..." [He/She] tried to sit up. [His/Her] head hurt. The last thing [he/she] remembered, she'd been in a battle with the Pharaoh's minions. Something had fallen on her. A wall? [She/He] thought harder. It was difficult and [she/he] seemed to be suffering from some kind of double vision. But it was if [she/he] was seeing different rooms. [She/He] closed her eyes. [She/He] thought she'd been knocked out for a while. And injured. Yes, that was it. She'd tried to change to heal herself. But just as she did, he'd felt reality *twist* and then nothing. Until now... [She/He] opened [her/his] eyes again. [She/He] was in [some sort of supply closet/the rope locker of a sailing ship]. "Oh gods.... I've *split*!" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9T: Anchors Aweigh! On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 08:07:38 +0100 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012626 >On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 18:47:18 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012624 > >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012621 >> >> "Captain, if that works, we'll want to get as close to the other >>fort as we dare before we're in range of their guns, then hop that >>chain as fast as we can. They'll line up their shots for our >>approach, thinking they can bounce their rounds along the deck and >>take out our rigging with chainshot, but won't expect us to go up >>and over their sights. By the time they've repositioned, we can be >>in the clear." "Just a second, Spinner, I need to unhook the horses and collect our belongings." Karma does that, putting the team's possessions on the deck and removing the horses from their harnesses. "Okay, go ahead." > *"Certainly."* Spinner says as the carriage 'lifts', seemingly >effortlessly, from the deck. There is a tremendous sonic boom over >the bay as Spinner and the carriage quickly accelerate to hypersonic >speeds. Half way across the bay Spinner 'releases' the carriage, >which continues its journey as an instant ball of fire. The men >manning the cannons only see a tremendous ball of fire headed >directly at them, and scatter like roaches when the light goes on. >The carriage only being wood, iron and brass does little damage to >the curtainwall it hits, directly between two cannons, but the >apparent explosion as the wood burns up instantly is enough to keep >the men scattering. *"I am assuming you would like those 'cannons' >rendered useless?"* Spinner asks as he 'lifts' the line of cannons >off their carriages enmass, and 'drops' them into the middle of the >bay. Karma stares at the pyrotechnics, then nods dumbly before coming to herself and saying, *"Yes."* She thinks a moment, hands moving with the unspoken words. ['Spinner, would you do the same thing for the cannons on the other fort? Then move this ship over the chain across the bay? Just leave the chain intact. Once we're clear, I'll need you to take the horses ashore, then put the cannons you dropped in the bay back. I don't want to leave Marsailles defenseless, nor make them cut off their port because they can't take the chain down. I just need them unable to stop _us_.'] Karma turns on a heel slowly, arms folded. [That'd be all I'd have to say, I think he'd--it'd be happy to. No shots fired, no one hurt, no permenant damage to even the guns, I don't think.] She'd taken a few steps, then turned again, rubbing her hands together. [Dare I just tell Spinner to find a floating island over the body of water we're on and let him/her/it sink it? He doesn't like hurting people, so probably not, but he could certainly give us a location, fly us there, and we could sink it.] Another few steps back the way she'd come and she turned again, wringing her hands now. [What about before? Darkseid and Mobius both had things able to stand up to these Starspawn things. Do I really want to see what this prince has to fend off something so powerful?] She turned back again, hands running through her hair. [Grah, dammit, this is like nuclear warfare, except my bomb doesn't want to hurt anybody. His bomb probably won't have that compulsion. So, one dead Spinner, plus one Evil Spinner-like thing after the rest of us.] She turned again, but didn't pace back the way she'd come. She just presses her hands together before her nose. [If I use him for anything, it's going to have to look like something already possible here. If I use him to his full abilities, like any sane person would, I risk bringing down something as big and bad as him on us. Probably. I'm going to feel really stupid if I'm wrong about that. Still, nothing's been woke up yet. The stuff we've already done should at least be safe to repeat...] *"Okay! Spinner, would you disable the other fort's cannons like you did just now, and move our ship over to the other side of the chain across the harbor? I've got a couple other things I'd like you to do once we're out of the gun range of those forts, one of which is putting those guns back, and the other is taking these horses ashore."* She starts pacing again. [Super-powered serving platters, a pirate captain with a flying ship, sword fighers, knife fighters, archers with magic arrows, mage hyphenate manservants, a prince with a flying island, mages with some sort of teleportation magic, half the team gone to parts unknown, possibly dead, and some sort of device that can change the rules of reality and wants to destroy the world. And a chick from New York whose credentials include only 'remembers past lives' and 'IWW Union #690.' [Right, girl, stop it right now. Back to the present. Once we're out of here, we should be good for a while. When this is over, I'm going to meditate. [No, when this is over, I'm going to get into some dry clothes, then meditate. [No, when this is over, I'm going to get into some dry clothes, get a bottle of rum, then meditate. Wait, with rum? Who am I kidding? When this is over, I'm going to get a bottle of rum to drink while I get into some dry clothes and have a good cry before passing out drunk, and call that my 'meditation.'] Karma starts fidgeting with her hands again as she paces. [Now if I can just figure out why I feel so responsible to care for these people I've just met. It'd explain why I'm not already belowdecks looking for a bottle. Geez, I hate these moods.] -- Karma More frets than a guitar. ===========================