Diablotin 2 session 67

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Session

Session date: May 15, 2011

Diablotin date:

Prologue

[DiablotinNarrator] You have made your various preparations for your long-planned expedition to the Shadow Plane, in order to investigate their mysterious 'Well'.

[DiablotinNarrator] I presume you're gathering at the Society, and proceeding from there...

• Alma arrives well prepared, with Danyel.

[Sanadhil] (yup)

• Ilphere arrives brimming with enthusiasm... :3
• Ysabeau comes, cautiously hopeful, and smiles a warm greeting to everyone.
• Alma , on the other hand, seems very subdued.
• Dominik arrives cloaked and armed
• Seth arrives.
• Sanadhil arrives dressed in his usual expedition clothes, with his bag of holding holding all the important stuff :3

[Sanadhil] Good morning everyone

• Guillame arrives with horse and saddlepacks.

[Ysabeau] Good morning, M. Orecalo.

• Dominik nods a greeting
• Sanadhil eyes the horse

[Ilphere] Hello everybody...!

[Seth] Good morning.

[Ilphere] :D :D

[Alma] Good morning.

• Ysabeau smiles at Ilphere's bubbly enthusiasm.

[Sanadhil] I hope the animal won't be too ut out when we pass into the other plane...

[Ysabeau] It mightlike walking through the air in the in-between place. ^-^

[Sanadhil] I suppose we shall see

[Guillame] I left him behind last time because I thought it might be dangerous or confusing, but I think he can handle it.

[Ysabeau] Does he have a name?

[Sanadhil] If everyone is prepared then, we can proceed to the portal - 've made arrangements with the Warlord's office to allow us though, with a password the same as last time.

[Ilphere] Brilliant...!

• Ysabeau walks up to let him smell her hand, and digs an apple out of her rations to offer him.

[Guillame] Yes - his name is Kicker.

[Ysabeau] Oh - does he?

[Guillame] Sometimes, if I ask him to.

• Ysabeau smiles.
• Ysabeau makes a mental note to steer clear of his hindquarters.

[Ysabeau] Hello Kicker.

• Ysabeau rubs his neck.

[Ysabeau] He's lovely.

• Sanadhil waits until everyone seems ready, and will then lead to way to Sarah's Knell

Return to Saraknyel

[DiablotinNarrator] You make your way to the passage, and cross through without undue difficulty.

• Sanadhil will cast mage armour before we head into the SP just in case @_@
• Ysabeau chats with Guillame on their way to the passage.

[Ilphere] (I also cast magic armour)

[Guillame] Guillame seems a little preoccupied, but will chat regardless

• Alma is also quite quiet, and seems to stick to talking with Danyel and probably Ysabeau.
• Ilphere hangs out with Sanadhil.
• Dominik is eager to be walking into danger, but is otherwise quiet
• Sanadhil is happy to chill with his BFF ^-^
• Alma has signed out the star lantern :3

[Alma] [q] I wonder if the well is a "location" per se.

[Sanadhil] It should be

[DiablotinNarrator] The deserted city is a haunting place, as always, but with companions and some light, it is not so bad...

[Sanadhil] an arch is a physical structure

[Sanadhil] however it is situated

• Ysabeau circulates and chats with Dominik, Ilphere and others when the opportunity arises. Social butterfly.

[Seth] Perhaps, but I do not think we should presume anything about its necessary form.

[Sanadhil] I think we can rule out some structures we have already investigated - the temple, and the tower where the Queen sleeps.

[Seth] Yes, quite so.

• Sanadhil nods to Seth

[Alma] I will attempt to Find the Path to the edge of the well if we are not successful with our first attempts.

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] I am guessing the area wth the temple we saw may have been constructed after their arch was destroyed... But I a open to suggestions as to where we might begin our search

• Alma pulls out her map of Diablotin and affixes it to clip board and tries to compare locations.

[Sanadhil] It may still be in that area.

[Sanadhil] It may correlate with sme older religious structures in our city.

[Alma] (Does it seem like there would be a parallel with our Arch?"

[Alma] )

• Ilphere nods.

[Sanadhil] We may want to check the location of Nine Elms?

[Sanadhil] (Cat - were we come out is where our arch is)

[DiablotinNarrator] (where the Arch is in your world is where you emerge here - but there's no Well there)

[Ilphere] Yes, I think so...

[Alma] (Oops.)

[Sanadhil] (to Ilphere): Id like to check the area of templewood also, though I'm not sure how to suggest it...

[Ysabeau] We should remember that they broke it...

[Ysabeau] When did that happen, again?

[Sanadhil] that is why we are looking, yes...

[Sanadhil] I'm not sure we have any kind of meaningful date

[Seth] They broke it before they came to our plane, or so it is said.

• Alma will help try to find corresponding locations based on her map.

[Ysabeau] Would they have had time to incorporate pieces of their well into other buildings?

[Sanadhil] It was broken by a faction of anti-theists, yes, before they came to our plane, and before they started consorting with demonic entities.

[Ysabeau] Like M. Argo's golem, Schesutte.

[Sanadhil] ...

[Seth] There's no reason why not.

• Seth smiles inwardly.

[Sanadhil] Hmm.

[Seth] Yes, and that reminds me, obviously we should be on the lookout for anything that looks like it may have been a part of a golem, as well.

[Sanadhil] I suppose they have some means of working this stone...

[Sanadhil] Very well.

[Guillame] Ahem.

• Sanadhil will head sort of in the general direction of where nine-elms might be?
• Sanadhil looks to Guy

[DiablotinNarrator] You proceed in that general direction, then.

[Guillame] I... have somewhat of an announcement.

• Ysabeau glances at Guillame questioningly.

[Ysabeau] Oh?

[Ilphere] . o O ( nononononono )

[Sanadhil] is now the best time?

[Guillame] I... have a spare saddlebag, if anyone needs their baggage carried on the way there.

• Alma blinks.

[Seth] Pardon?

[Sanadhil] (That was suppose to be a :)

[Alma] Thank you, Your Grace.

[Sanadhil] (to guy)

[Ilphere] Thank you for your kind offer...!

• Dominik chuckles
• Sanadhil nods

[Alma] (SM)

[Seth] (SM)

• Ysabeau smiles and laughs.

[Guillame] (To San) My horse - he can lighten the burden?

[Guillame] It seemed better to mention sooner rather than later.

[Alma] (28)

[Ysabeau] (SM indeed)

[Seth] (25)

[Ysabeau] (27)

[Sanadhil] (that was supposed to be a telepathy thing but I missed the :... 's cool though)

• Guillame rolls 1d20+6: (19)+ 6 = 25

[Sanadhil] I'm sure most of us came prepared for the expedition.... I'd worry more about extra burdens on the return.

[Guillame] (I am telling the truth about the saddlebag, but maybe was thinking of saying something else)

[Guillame] Indeed - that's why I brought the extra bag. But for the trip out, it's currently empty.

[Sanadhil] Ahh, well, very generous.

• Alma casts Greater Magic Weapon on Danyel's sword.

[Alma] (+3)

[DiablotinNarrator] (brb bio)

[Sanadhil] (to guy): Your Grace... I understand you are eager to deal with the item you brought, but I'd rather not derail the expedition so early, if you please....

[Sanadhil] :I'm positve that the Countess will react....poorly... to your sggestion, and others may as well.

[Guillame] . o O (Yeah, I thought better of that myself)

[Sanadhil] :We can discuss it further later if you like... I'm not entirely sure of your purose, or your motivation...

[DiablotinNarrator] You are now drawing near to the site where Nine Elms stands in your world... It seems more ruined than many parts of the city, with only loose rubble standing in many places.

[Sanadhil] : I only had a partial account from her highness.

[Guillame] . o O (Wait, is that Sanadhil's voice in my head?!)

• Guillame glares at Sanadhil

[Sanadhil] :It's just converstaional :p

• Guillame blinks
• Sanadhil looks over the area

[Sanadhil] hmmm

[DiablotinNarrator] Everyone can make a spot check.

[Alma] (39)

[Seth] (31)

[Sanadhil] (20, hah)

[Ilphere] (36)

• Ysabeau is oblivious, wondering what Guillame was going to say.
• Guillame rolls 1d20+15: (17)+ 15 = 32

[Dominik] (14)

[Dominik] (15 actually)

[DiablotinNarrator] Those of you who got over 30, you notice a faint light from some distance off. This is... unusual, to say the least. It doesn't look like a spell or a lantern, it's not a single area/point of light, but some sort of flickering, moving, faintly glowing trails of light.

[Alma] Hmm.

[Alma] What do you make of that, Danyel?

• Danyel didn't notice it until you pointed it out...

[Ilphere] ... What is that...?

[Sanadhil] what?

[Seth] I see it.

• Sanadhil peers into the distance
• Seth points in that direction.

[Guillame] That's different...

[Sanadhil] hmmm

• Seth will use Clairvoyance to see what it is
• Ysabeau looks where people are pointing.

[DiablotinNarrator] Once it's pointed out, there st of you can see it too.

• Sanadhil will cast clairvoyance also @_@

[Alma] Hopefully nothing undead.

[Dominik] I didn't realize undead would carry torches or whatnot

[DiablotinNarrator] With clairvoyance, you see it's a low, well-like structure. It looks to be cracked, and the light is glowing from between the cracks, and flowing around/through them like liquid.

[Sanadhil] I think that's it!

[Alma] Those don't look like torches.

[Sanadhil] no..

• Sanadhil will describe what he sees

[Ysabeau] Interesting that it glows...!

[Seth] It's the Well, certainly.

[Dominik] neat trick

[Ilphere] of course...

[Alma] Well, let's head there.

[Sanadhil] (is it roughly the area of the church?)

[DiablotinNarrator] (in that approximate vicinity, yes)

• Sanadhil nods, and will cancel the spells

[Sanadhil] (aww yeah who's got good intincts @_@)

[Ysabeau] M. Orecalo... do you think it's her?

[Seth] The location is interesting, don't you think?

[Sanadhil] I don't know.

[Sanadhil] (was the light similar?)

• Seth looks at Ysabeau.

[Seth] Who?

[Sanadhil] Emkathon @_@

[DiablotinNarrator] (this just looks white, not multicoloured)

[Sanadhil] the light isn't the same

[Seth] Hmm.

• Alma takes a measured breath.

[Sanadhil] but the location *is* interesting

[Ysabeau] Well maybe not then. Or maybe it's just a trick of the plane.

[Sanadhil] perhaps

• Alma checks for invisible things as we walk.
• Sanadhil will be alert as we aproach

[DiablotinNarrator] The chill of the place seems deeper here, and you feel as if you're being watched, but your searching (even for invisible things) shows no one there.

• Alma checks for spirits, evil and life as well in the case of being creeped out @_@

[DiablotinNarrator] (what's the range?)

[Alma] (Life is 30' cone, Spirits end Evil are 60' cones

[DiablotinNarrator] (nothing within range)

• Ysabeau loosens her crossbow uneasily.
• Seth keeps Nell close, for her sake.
• Ysabeau loads a bolt, just to have it ready, in case.
• Guillame readies his bow

[DiablotinNarrator] As you approach the Well, you pass by a taller standing stone that is carved with words in Shadar-kai, or at least an ancient version thereof.

• Sanadhil will read if he can
• Alma will also
• Seth draws the stela and the words.

[Ilphere] (what does it say?)

[Sanadhil] (and if I need to I'll cast comprehend languages)

• Ysabeau will look at it and cast comprehend languages.

[DiablotinNarrator] (you don't need to cast)

[DiablotinNarrator] (you all know SK now, right?)

[Sanadhil] (keen)

[DiablotinNarrator] (you know it from Andusk. Everyone does.)

[DiablotinNarrator] (well, except Danyel)

• Ysabeau realizes she doesn't need to cast Comprehend Languages, and just reads it.

[DiablotinNarrator] The stone reads as follows, as best as you are able to make it out despite its great age: "Draw not near the Well, the grave of stars, the forbidden place, lest you perish."

[Ysabeau] Well that doesn't sound too promising!

• Ysabeau quips.

[Alma] Perhaps the energies leaking from the well are harmful.

[Sanadhil] that's posible

[Sanadhil] the grave of stars..

• Sanadhil looks up at the empty sky

[Sanadhil] I wonder...

[Sanadhil] yet, we came here to see it

[Sanadhil] I'd not suggest we stay *long*, of course

• Seth approaches a little closer, and begins to sketch the Well.

[Ysabeau] It's probably not wise for us all to go blundering in there at once, with such a warning.

• Ilphere flips her goggles down and draws a bit nearer as well.

[Alma] It would be prudent for someone to detect magic.

• Alma looks at M. Orecalo.

[Sanadhil] really.

[Sanadhil] I hope yo u're willing to come to my asistance if it is too blinding....

• Sanadhil casts though

[Alma] Of course.

• Ysabeau steps closer to Sanadhil, concerned for him.
• Alma is, in fact, close behind Sanadhil as he proceeds forward detecting magic.

[DiablotinNarrator] San, the Well itself does not seem to radiate magic - however, the light emerging from it does...

[Sanadhil] The well itself is not magical, but the light is

[Sanadhil] perhaps it would be best to avoid touching it

• Ilphere casts DM as well, hoping to tell what sort of magic...

[Ysabeau] (Does it stay in the cracks, or waft outwards, Julia?)

[Seth] I was going to suggest ... once I am done sketching, I should try to enter into the well.

[DiablotinNarrator] The light is more or less confined to the cracks, although glows faintly beyond them.

[Sanadhil] that woudl be fascinatinbt! Though dangerous

[Seth] Indeed ...

[Ilphere] If you are willing to take the risk, it could yield important information...!

[Sanadhil] at your discretion... but I would be very interesting to leanr what you might experience

• Ilphere says encouragingly.

[Seth] Very well. Haha, well.

[DiablotinNarrator] (Spellcraft check, Ilphere)

• Sanadhil nods to ilphere, approaching the well to look at it more closely, but keeping clear of any light

[Alma] Is there a type to the magic of this light?

[Sanadhil] (oh yeah hey :()

[Ysabeau] If you want to. Is there some safeguard we can give him?

[Sanadhil] I can try and remain in communication at lest

[Sanadhil] that shoudl be possible

• Dominik will keep an eye out for any threat that is not coming from the well

[Sanadhil] I'm not sure what else we can do

[Sanadhil] (43 on spellcraft @_@)

[Seth] Even if I am in a different plane?

[Ilphere] (I will also roll SC :3)

[Sanadhil] no, not in that case

[Ilphere] (36)

[Sanadhil] (actualy sec)

[Seth] In any event ... I will try.

[Alma] (Are we close enough to touch the Well?)

[DiablotinNarrator] (sec, please)

[DiablotinNarrator] San and Ilphere - no school of magic. Not just that you can't detect one, but there isn't one. Universal, you suppose - like permanency or wish or something like that

[Sanadhil] there is no type to he magic...

[Ilphere] Yes, I noticed that as well...

• Alma nods.

[Ysabeau] (Okay, we will try a bardic knowledge roll, I guess... Maybe I'll dredge up something from when there was more intercourse between the two planes. At least Sanadhil is doing his part in that respect... ;) )

[Ilphere] Curious...!

[Sanadhil] perhaps it really is some form of star substance...

[Ysabeau] (28)

[DiablotinNarrator] (no idea, Ysa)

[Sanadhil] . o O (So much power.... if it could be harness somehow.... @_@)

[Alma] I could try to seek a vision here, but I expect anything I can see with ease would be later scenes, of frustration or ... despair I suppose.

[Sanadhil] it could be a worthwhile effort

• Ysabeau is staying well clear of the light.

[DiablotinNarrator] (Who is close to the Well? Like, under 5 feet...)

[Sanadhil] (me)

[Seth] (me)

• Sanadhil reaches a hand out towards one of the stones

[Alma] (Alma would probably be inching forward from 10-]5 so I'll flip a coin...)

[Alma] (I'm a few feet behind Sanadhil still.)

[Dominik] (not me)

[DiablotinNarrator] The stones are a mottled grey colour, neither black nor white.

• Ysabeau is not far behind him, since she was concerned for him. she'd be within touch range of San so she could cure him or DD him out of there.

[Sanadhil] you were right, Mlle Chanuier..

• Alma will step closer to examine the light, though, if there's no pause in action.

[Ysabeau] About...?

[Sanadhil] (You do know I can teleport myself ;)

• Ysabeau asks, sounding a bit nervous.

[Ysabeau] (You can teleport yourself if you are conscious :P )

[Sanadhil] The stones.... the colours

[Sanadhil] the Integration

[Sanadhil] unless theis is the result of the tampering that was done

[DiablotinNarrator] Those of you within five feet can hear a faint but distinct sound coming from... the Well? The light? Like a high-pitched but melodious sound. And you can roll a Will save.

[Ysabeau] Oh.

[Sanadhil] (ench?)

[Sanadhil] (or mind afecting?)

[Seth] (21)

[Alma] (37)

[DiablotinNarrator] (ench, mind affecting)

[Alma] (Charm?)

[Alma] (I suppose I made the save, it doesn't matter.)

[Sanadhil] (39)

[DiablotinNarrator] All righty then... Seth.

[Sanadhil] Do you hear that?

[Alma] ... yes, I do.

[Ysabeau] What do you hear?

[Sanadhil] some sort of...high pitched note, or song?

• Alma tries to look down inside the well.

[Ysabeau] A song?

[Alma] (From a few feet away :P Warily :P)

[DiablotinNarrator] (could you pause for a second please, while I describe what's happening to those who failed saves)

[Alma] (np)

• Ysabeau turns to look at Guillame, remembering what Silvia said at the Temple of Nine Elms.
• Seth moves closer to the Well, staring over the edge into the starlight.

[DiablotinNarrator] Down in the well, the lights fade away into pure blackness... there is no telling how deep it could be.

[Seth] It is obvious that we need to free what is down there.

[Ysabeau] It is?

[Alma] And what exactly is that?

• Ysabeau sounds sceptical.

[Seth] Stars, the stars are singing, can't you hear them?

[Sanadhil] how do you know there is anything down there?

[Alma] Yes, we wear something, Seth, but I imagine you're jumping to conclusions about what is down there.

[Alma] (hear)

• Seth pulls out a rope from his pack and begins tying it off in knots.
• Sanadhil casts arcane sight and peers inot the abyss

[Seth] Come on!

[Sanadhil] ....

[Alma] .oO( There is seriously something wrong with these people. )

• Dominik glances at Seth

[Alma] .oO( Every time we see some flashy light, they lose their heads. )

[Dominik] Seth... is that the best idea?

[Alma] Seth, I think you should stop and explain why you think this is a rational decision.

[Ilphere] Is it her...?

• Ilphere asks Sanadhil.

[Sanadhil] It doesn't feel the same

[Sanadhil] or sound the same.

• Alma steps closer to Seth.

[Ilphere] Hm..

[Sanadhil] if it is some other manifestation, them it is weaker

[Seth] The song, it's the stars, calling to us, can't you hear them?

[Alma] Yes, I hear it.

• Seth shoots Sanadhil a glance.

[Sanadhil] I hear it too.

• Alma casts Break Enchantment.

[Sanadhil] But the stars do not care for us...

[Sanadhil] they just are.

[DiablotinNarrator] San - arcane sight shows nothing within 120 feet, apart from the light.

[Sanadhil] they shouldn't *ghave* stars here though...

[Sanadhil] that's fascinating

[Alma] (CL 32 on the first enchantment on Seth)

[Ilphere] Yes, what is it all doing here?

[Ilphere] All this.. substance.

[Sanadhil] leaking from the arch

[DiablotinNarrator] (pause, please - people casting spells need to know what happens)

[Ilphere] Yes.

[Ilphere] (k)

[DiablotinNarrator] No effect from the Break enchantment.

[Ysabeau] M. Orecalo, you said gods have more star-substance than anyone else. So... what happens when they are wounded, or killed? Does it leak out? Like blood?

[Alma] Are you feeling better, Mr. Argo?

[Seth] I feel fine. What do you mean?

• Seth finishes tying up his rope.

[Seth] Now help me climb down.

[Alma] Wh...

[Sanadhil] I.... that seems reasonable.

[Seth] (rope use 23)

[Sanadhil] ...That gods bleed star substance'not that we climb down

[Sanadhil] there's nothing there, M. Argo...

[Ilphere] The blood of the serpent...

• Sanadhil nods

[Seth] How can you say that? The song is not coming from nothing!

[Sanadhil] its coming from the light, I imagine.

[Ysabeau] If the arches and wells are manifestations of the Serpent, and this one was damaged, then could this be the Serpent's blood?

• Alma casts Detect Magic and examines Seth to be sure...
• Ysabeau nods over at Ilphere.

[Sanadhil] possibly

[Sanadhil] but again, we don't know how this arch was sabotaged

[Alma] You're going to just climb down the shaft without knowing what's down there, Seth?

[Sanadhil] ...

• Sanadhil waves a hand quickly through the light as a test

[Alma] What happened to entering the stone of the well itself?

[Sanadhil] we coudl also send somethig else below

[Sanadhil] a lighted pebble?

[Sanadhil] can't you see what's there without going yourself?

[Seth] I could check, I suppose, yes.

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, when San touches the light, everyone make a Fort save please.

[Seth] (24)

[Dominik] (24)

[Alma] (20)

[Ilphere] (11)\

[Sanadhil] (22)

[Ysabeau] (29)

• Guillame rolls 1d20+6: (12)+ 6 = 18

[DiablotinNarrator] !roll 1d20+15

• Alma rolls for DiablotinNarrator: [ 1d20+15 ] getting [ 1 ] which, after the modifier [ 15 ] totals [ 16 ].

[DiablotinNarrator] A shower of dazzling light reaches out from the cracks to San's hand. Alma, Ilphere, Guillame, and Danyel, you are dazzled.

• Sanadhil blinks
• Guillame blinks

[Sanadhil] hmm

[Dominik] Void... what was that?

• Alma blinks repeatedly, having been staring directly at the light

[Ilphere] ... @_@

[Sanadhil] just the magic, I think

[Ysabeau] Is everyone okay?

• Ilphere rubs her eyes.
• Ysabeau asks, sounding worried.

[DiablotinNarrator] San, it felt cool and a bit tingly, nothing horrible.

[Dominik] (seth still preping for his jaunt down the well?)

[Sanadhil] it felt cool, but that's all. A slight tingling, but I suppose that's not uexpected

• Alma takes stock of her situation and decides it's not cause for alarm...
• Ysabeau nods.

[Seth] (I stop for a minute while everyone else recovers)

[Ysabeau] I'm just thinking about the warning on that stone...

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] I remember

[DiablotinNarrator] Those who were dazzled recover after a minute or so.

[Alma] Did you touch the "substance" of the light itself Sanadhil?

[Sanadhil] I think descending into the well would be unwise

[Seth] If we stopped every time that someone warned us not to do something, we'd never have come here in the first place.

[Sanadhil] yes.

[Alma] So it can't be collected.

[Sanadhil] I don't see how, no

[Ilphere] It may be a vapour of sorts though...

[Sanadhil] perhaps if we had some way of containing or absorbing it into something else

[Ilphere] There could be something denser at the bottom...

[Sanadhil] it's black lower down

[Alma] One would imagine it wouldn't look so dark...

• Sanadhil grabs a sunrod out of his pack, lights it, and tosses it down

[Seth] Look, don't you understand how important this is?

[Seth] This place, this plane, is *dying*!

[Alma] No, Mr. Argo, we do not. Which is precisely why ...

[Sanadhil] ...

[Alma] Dying?

[Seth] We can restore it to life.

[Alma] Where have you come across this information?

[Seth] Or to ... vibrancy.

[Seth] The stars are singing, can't you hear them?

• Seth says, as if you are all a little slow.
• Dominik is a little confused watching all of this

[Alma] And they're telling you that the plane is dying?

[Ysabeau] Can't say that I do, no.

[Sanadhil] If what you are saying is correct..... then I would think it shudl be up to the people who live hee to decide what should be done :o

• Alma casts DM again, since her previous one was dazzled away.
• Alma focuses to determine if he's under the effects of an enchantment.
• Ysabeau looks thoughtful.

[Seth] At the bottom of the well, is the pure essence of the stars, their ... soul, their very being, the memory of what once was, calling out to re-become.

[Alma] This plane once had stars, then?

• Sanadhil stares down into the well

[Seth] So it seems. I am as surprised as you.

[Alma] (28 Spellcraft)

[Alma] Do you think your ability to understand is related to how your heard ringing at the Nine Elms?

[Sanadhil] (I assume the sunrod disapears from view?)

[DiablotinNarrator] (moderate Enchantment, Alma)

[DiablotinNarrator] San, yes, your sunrod falls into darkness and then you can't see it any longer.

[Seth] Perhaps ... but this is very different.

[Sanadhil] If you are correct.... I'm not sure what you would expect to do to aid the stars @_@

[Alma] No, rather, you're under the effect of a moderate enchantment.

[Alma] I suspect Geas.

[Alma] Let me think...

[Seth] If that's true, then obviously, just dispel it.

[Alma] I attempted that five minutes ago.

[Sanadhil] Geas is trickier to remove...

[Alma] (I'm not srue there's anything other than Geas at 6th level and immune to BE)

[Sanadhil] Mmme Belden would be able to do it

• Alma casts Remove Curse
• Alma reaches out to touch Seth.

[Seth] This is a remarkable opportunity, don't you see? To restore a plane to its glory!

[Sanadhil] Its not our plane.

[Sanadhil] I think it is certainly worth consulting with Shadar Kai scholars, though

• Alma prepares to try to logic the geas into waiting, if she fails @_@

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth - the Remove Curse seems to clear your mind of its compulsion, although it doesn't remove any of the knowledge you received.

[Alma] Feeling any better Mr. Argo?

[Seth] Ahh ... hmm, very interesting. Well, whatever you did had some effect.

• Alma looks relieved.
• Sanadhil thinks

[Seth] I see ... that lowering myself down into the well would be extremely cavalier.

[Alma] Good. I was not looking forward to tying you up and taking you back to Mme. Belden.

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] I'm curious about this idea

[Seth] I do think ... that what happened, the song that was sung, has some truth to it.

[Sanadhil] it seems plausible

• Ysabeau glances at Sanadhil.

[Sanadhil] If the saboteurs were some how able to cut off this plane from all star substance, it would explain a lot

[Sanadhil] but I don't know enough about the planes

• Sanadhil looks to Ilphere or Alma

[Seth] It is an interesting subject for future research.

• Ilphere thinks...

[Sanadhil] is there some way to know whether the essesnce of the plane *has* been altered?

[Seth] Should we ... how should we continue?

[Ilphere] (and rolls k planes)

[Alma] (Bleh, 29)

[Sanadhil] if it could be done, it would certainly prevent the interference of any gods

[Ilphere] (41)

[Sanadhil] the star substance itself, being alien to the plane, coud tself be preventing the well form functioning though, alternately...

[Sanadhil] I don't thnk it shoudl be here

[Sanadhil] the people of ths plane are formed of its own essence, in my understanding

[DiablotinNarrator] Ilphere, if divine energy is somehow drawn from the stars, and this place has none, it would explain why the SK apparently have no priests among their number now...And if the star-essence *is* somehow trapped in this Well, then perhaps it would be possible to free it. It would almost certainly cause major changes to this plane, however.

[Sanadhil] They are not made of star substance

[Alma] It does seem rather ... unshadow.

[Ilphere] Yes, it makes sense...

[Seth] Perhaps this is a matter that requires more research. I still think, however, that while we are here, we ought to see if I can enter the Well and go to the same place as when I enter the Arch.

[Sanadhil] I have read some material from this plane that suggests that perhaps things *were* difference once, though....

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] that I agree with.

[Ilphere] If divine energy comes from the stars... Trapping their essence here would mean that the divine could not exist, or be accessed anyway, on this plane...

• Sanadhil nods to Ilphere

[Sanadhil] yes

[Ilphere] And it would explain why there are no more priests here.

[Alma] .oO( I wonder if Danyel and I could camp here safely through morning... )

[Seth] I am going in.

[Ilphere] It may be possible to free them... However, as M. Argo suggested, the changes to this plane would be... significant.

• Seth approaches the well and attempts to meld with it.
• Ysabeau steps back from the Well before he does.

[Alma] O...

• Ysabeau figures it might send another flare of starlight out at us, like when San touched it.
• Alma says, about to cast some protectives.

[Alma] .oO( Oh well. )

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, the same dazzling light touches you as you merge into the Well.

• Sanadhil closes his eyes

[Sanadhil] :Mr Argo? cna you hear me?

Seth in the Well

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, you find yourself in a grey, misty area, full of drifting ... souls? The same place as you were before, you think.

[DiablotinNarrator] (You can't hear San, also.)

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, make a Will save at a +5 bonus.

[Seth] (27)

• Seth will search around, and see if I can find Pasith.

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, you can locate Belden. And I suppose talk to her, if you need to. She doesn't have much new to say :p

• Seth will return then!

Alma scrys Seth

[Alma] Oh!

• Alma casts a spell.

[Sanadhil] I can't hear him, or he is not respondinf

• Alma gasps

[Alma] I can seeee him.

[Sanadhil] what do you mean?

[Ysabeau] How?

[Alma] I'm scrying.

• Alma has closed her eyes to help focus on the vision

[Ysabeau] Oh, interesting!

[Sanadhil] where is he?

[Ysabeau] Can you describe what you see?

[Alma] It looks like what he described before.

[Ysabeau] Even though it's broken?

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] well he has joined wth our arch as well, which is also broken

[Ysabeau] Right.

• Ysabeau looks embarrassed.

[Ysabeau] Can you tell what race the souls belong to or are they too hazy?

[Alma] The Matriarch!

[Alma] :o

[Alma] I can tell, she's ... fuller than the others.

• Sanadhil nods

[Ysabeau] I guess she must be caught in all the gates in all the worlds Ilphere saw when Pheria died...

• Ysabeau says a bit sadly.

Seth re-emerges

• Seth emerges from the Well.
• Guillame steps forward to see where Seth went

[Alma] Oh... it's gone.

• Alma opens her eyes.

[Seth] Hmm, most intriguing. I suspected as much, but it is good to know it.

[DiablotinNarrator] !roll 1d20+11

• Alma rolls for DiablotinNarrator: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 2 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 13 ].
• Sanadhil nods
• Guillame almost runs into Seth, but steps aside

[Guillame] Oh! Er, sorry.

[Danyel] I think we ought to go down there...

[Alma] Oh not you now?

[DiablotinNarrator] (Guy, you can roll that Will save too)

[Danyel] The stars are trapped. But we could help them...

[Guillame] (D'oh! Ok)

[Sanadhil] if we're not being *compelled* to, we coudl at least exercise more caution -_-

• Guillame rolls 1d20+4): (2)+ 4 = 6

[Sanadhil] I am curious to know if there is a bottom

[Alma] Danyel, how would we help them? And would it even be a good idea?

[Sanadhil] ths is a very different construction from the arch

[Sanadhil] there's no.... though.

[Sanadhil] only down

[Guillame] Oh! Yes, I see...

• Guillame retrieves rope from one of his packs.
• Sanadhil sighs
• Danyel nods to Guillame.

[Danyel] Right, thank you!

• Dominik looks at the pair
• Sanadhil looks to Alma
• Dominik looks back at the pair
• Guillame looks for something to fasten it to
• Guillame rolls 1d20+16: (11)+ 16 = 27

[Danyel] Maybe that big stone back there, with the carvings!

[Guillame] (search)

[Guillame] Perfect!

• Guillame goes to tie it off.
• Sanadhil casts hold person on Guy

[Guillame] (save?)

[Alma] It must be centered around the well itself.

[Alma] I half wish I heard what it says...

[Alma] Danyel, dear. Didn't we already establish with Mr. Argo that this was irrational?

• Alma steps towards him.

[Sanadhil] (will)

• Danyel shakes his head.

[Guillame] (Haha)

[Alma] You DO recall that conversation though, no?

• Guillame rolls 1d20+4: (10)+ 4 = 14
• Alma speaks to delay him, since Geas isn't immune to that...

[Danyel] Yes, but... I didn't hear the singing then. It makes sense once you can hear it.

• Ysabeau sighs.
• Alma will cast Remove Curse on him.

[Guillame] Yeah... exactly

[Sanadhil] (dc 20)

[Sanadhil] (Guy is held)

[Sanadhil] (*but you get a roll a round)

• Danyel shakes his head...

[Ilphere] (so... every 6 seconds?)\

[Sanadhil] (yeah)

[Danyel] ...You're right, Alma. I know it could be dangerous.

[Alma] It's ok... it's a magical effect of some kind.

• Alma will walk over and cast it on Guillame.

[Ysabeau] Here's an idea: how about we all back away from the nice well, so no one else decides it would be grand idea to go down?

[Guillame] Ah... oh, right.

[Sanadhil] The question remains whether we *do* want to investigate, bt more cautiously

[Guillame] Still, it doesn't seem *that* bad an idea.

[Alma] Now, do we think that there is anything down there to learn?

[Ysabeau] We can continue our conversation by the rock as well as we can here, with a good deal less trouble.

• Sanadhil looks to Seth

[Ilphere] I think it would be a shame to just leave it.

[Ilphere] We came here to find this very thing after all...

[Sanadhil] Can you use the same trick as you did when we were investigating Emkahon? To see if you can find the bottom?

[Alma] An excellent idea.

[Seth] Ahh ... well, I can try ...

• Sanadhil nods
• Seth tries to find the bottom of the well with clairvoyance, stepping back a few paces before doing so.

[Alma] .oO( Interesting that this counts as a city long after it's been abandoned. )

[Guillame] What happened with Emkathon?

[Alma] She's apparently under my church.

[Ysabeau] She's what's below the Nine Elms.

[Sanadhil] ahh yes...

[Ysabeau] Some of them went down.

• Sanadhil will describe the trip for those who haven't yet heard while Seth looks for the bottom

[Guillame] Ah, well that makes sense

• Sanadhil gets a little @_@ when he talks about the Orb and touching it, etc @_@

[Alma] Yes, tons.

• Alma looks perhaps a little weary.
• Ysabeau wishes she could speak to Guillame telepathically.

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, you can look to the bottom of the Well... you can only see in a 10 foot radius. Within that radius, you can see what looks like a small statue.

[Seth] (what does the statue look like?)

[Seth] (size, race, etc.)

[DiablotinNarrator] It's about six inches high, black stone, looks like a female shape, but hard to make out details.

[Alma] What do you see?

• Seth describes the statue to the group.

[Ysabeau] ...

[Alma] Oh lovely.

[Ysabeau] I have fond memories of the *last* statue we took from this city.

• Dominik chuckles
• Sanadhil possibly looks a little pale

[Sanadhil] ...ah.

[Alma] Do you see anything about on the ground?

[Alma] Like... bones perhaps?

[Ysabeau] Please let's consider carefully before we do anything rash, like say, go get it. :P

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, all you can see otherwise is what looks like maybe a pile of rags or cloth.

[Ilphere] Perhaps it could be interfering with the well...?

[Dominik] Better us having it than someone else.

[Seth] No, nothing else other than a pile of loose rags, or something like it.

[Alma] I tend to agree with Mr. Rademacher...

[Ysabeau] Or we could leave it there.

• Ysabeau sighs.

[Ysabeau] Who else would know about it?

[Alma] While I'm sure visitors here are not common... anyone who does come near will be at risk of compulsion to descend.

[Ilphere] I think we should remove it... Try to ascertain its actual nature.

[Alma] Careful identification of the item's properties would allow us to keep it under control, if it is malignant... if it isn't...

[Guillame] I think it's certainly worth investigating

[Ysabeau] That's what we figured we'd do with the last statue.

[Dominik] Thats a plan, so how do we go down and how do we stop that singing from messin' with me when I get close.

[Ysabeau] And look what happened.

[Alma] A valid point, but I expect that there won't be a repeat of that part.

[Guillame] Yes, well... hopefully we're all a little wiser, and would think twice about spending time alone with it... without companions of strong mind.

• Alma says not in a recriminating fashion, but rather in an "I won't let that happen" fashion.
• Sanadhil stays quiet

[Dominik] I mean, come on, were not hobbiest anymore.

[Ysabeau] I know I'm not going to be able to change anyone's minds. -_-

[Ysabeau] I'll volunteer to stay up here and make sure nothing severs your ropes.

[Alma] I rather say we are still hobbiests of a sort...

[Alma] Anyhow...

• Ilphere rolls her eyes.
• Dominik will approach the well

[DiablotinNarrator] Will save!

[Sanadhil] wait

[Dominik] Better get your magic mojo ready for me...

• Sanadhil sighs, being a little too slow

[Sanadhil] we could have helped you better *before* you approached -_-

[Dominik] (15)

[Alma] Yes, indeed. :|

[Alma] Though I suppose if we're going down...

[Alma] How're you feeling? Do you have an overwhelming urge to go down?

[Seth] It wasn't overwhelming even at the time.

[Dominik] It all makes sense now.

[Sanadhil] (the sunrod should be down the re too, yes?)

[Sanadhil] well

[DiablotinNarrator] (perhaps not within his 10 ft radius)

[Sanadhil] how shall we descent

[Dominik] Guy, help me with that rope... probably the best way down

[DiablotinNarrator] (it's a pretty big hole)

[Sanadhil] we have other options

[Sanadhil] magic of various sorts

[Guillame] Somebody should... demotivate Dominik, I think.

[Guillame] Not that I'm not happy to help, Dom.

[Alma] [Dominik] (15)

• Dominik will enlist Guillame's help in securing the rope

[Dominik] Could you tell how deep it is Seth?

• Danyel will also assist with the rope.
• Dominik secures his shield on his back

[Sanadhil] I have more if it is needed...

• Guillame will drag his heels, and tie slippy knots until someone fixes Dom
• Sanadhil casts Spiderclimb on himself though

[Seth] No, I couldn't tell. Less than around 500 feet, but other than that, I can't say.

• Alma casts Remove Curse and taps Dominik on the shoulder as he works.
• Dominik frowns calculating in his head

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, Dom is freed from the compulsion.

[Alma] It's alright, we're going down anyway :)

• Guillame nods to Alma, and quickly fixes his knots

[Dominik] thanks, I was more worried about doing something stupid when I was down there than up here

[Guillame] Well, indeed

• Dominik will enlist Guy and Seth to make as long a rope as we can

[Dominik] So who's first?

• Ysabeau helps as much as she can without getting too close to the well.

[Guillame] Is it me again? It's usually me.

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, let's get into gametable, and you can set your order there.

[Sanadhil] if you like - you or M. Rademacher

[Seth] I can go ahead with Feather Fall, if desired.

[Guillame] No, I can go - in case of traps.

• Sanadhil nods

[DiablotinNarrator] OK - people climbing down with rope can roll climb. those using magic, let me know what you're using.

• Sanadhil casts spider climb on Guy as well, in case
• Seth will use Feather Fall to descend gracefully.
• Sanadhil cat give it to Ilphee as well, and anyone else who wants it
• Sanadhil will use SC
• Alma ponders the value of Wind Walk
• Alma casts Fly so that she can descend quickly with Guillame, scanning for evil.

[DiablotinNarrator] Alma - you detect evil ahead.

• Guillame climbs down along the walls, focusing on looking for devices and pointing out loose stones

[DiablotinNarrator] And now we're going to roll init, so into GT...

[Alma] There's evil below.

• Ysabeau prays to the Seven and the Serpent that they'll all be safe.

[DiablotinNarrator] Overwhelming evil, Alma - like an unholy temple.

[Alma] Oh gods, it's so evil.

[Alma] We should... turn back.

[Sanadhil] its too late for some....

• Ysabeau frets and stands watch though nothing is likely to come, in this abandoned city.

Down the Well

[DiablotinNarrator] Those of you descending into the Well feel air currents stir from beneath you, as something rises up... a terrible fanged mouth is about all you can make out before the attack begins!

[Ilphere] :o

• Alma is smashed back against the wall by it @_@
• Sanadhil turns invisible
• Alma summons a pillar of fire, which it ignores ;_;
• Sanadhil casts spells on Dom

[DiablotinNarrator] Dom almost gets eaten, but Ilphere transposes him with a yeth hound @_@

• Alma summons a whirling wall of blades which the worm just ignores ;_;
• Alma tugs Danyel out of the way as the worm falls, dead.
• Sanadhil loots invisibly until the thing dies, at shich point he will reappear, and continue searching for the statur and other magical bits @_@

[DiablotinNarrator] The body of the worm-like creature is blocking much of your view of whatever might be on the floor.. which, you realize as you look around, isn't actually the bottom of the well. There's some kind of barrier blocking the rest of the way down.

[Alma] Hm... odd.

• Guillame looks for holes or trapdoors

[Alma] (So the statue is below?)

[Sanadhil] Hmm....

• Seth looks around for the statue or anything else.

[DiablotinNarrator] Like a wall of force or something of that nature.

[Sanadhil] (Is the floor magical?)

• Ysabeau glides down on a giant effing owl.

[Guillame] (OIC)

• Dominik pokes the floor with his sword

[DiablotinNarrator] The floor is indeed magical - part of the shitton of magic down here, San.

[Sanadhil] I could try to dispell it, if people would like to arrange themselves so as not to fall....

• Ysabeau checks to make sure everyone is standing.

[Seth] Very well.

[Alma] If we think that's a good idea... Ysabeau might want to sing?

[Guillame] Should we try to... suspend the worm?

• Guillame affixes himself to a wall in case the floor vanishes

[Alma] Hm...

[Ysabeau] ...

[Alma] I could try?

• Dominik will go over and grab the rope

[Sanadhil] is the owl strong enough to carry the corpse?

[Guillame] Maybe the dogs and that owl could help to lift it out?

• Ysabeau is glad no one's dead but worries about having come down.

[Ysabeau] I don't know.

• Guillame Ilphere also grabs the rope

[Seth] I could try to enter the wall and then emerge below.

• Ysabeau asks the owl to let her off by a wall.
• Seth will do so.

[Sanadhil] I would tay mounted, Mlle Chaniuer

• Ysabeau asks the owl if the monster is too big for it to carry out.

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, seth... what's your alignment?

[Guillame] I'm rather beginning to assume that your passage is always unh... oh, he's gone already.

[Sanadhil] i'm going to remove the floor

[Seth] (LN)

[Alma] Are we going to secure the worm first?

[Ysabeau] The owl will disappear eventually, and I'd rather not fall.

[Dominik] (the worm probably weighs a few tons... good like moving it)

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, as you enter the area below, you take 47 damage.

[Sanadhil] I don't know that we can

[DiablotinNarrator] Will save for half.

[Guillame] Can we pin it to the wall or something?

[Seth] (21)

[Ysabeau] I think it's too big. What do we have that would hold it up?

[Alma] (Julie, do I think I could use Wall of Stone to create something to suspend it?

[Sanadhil] *I* can't...

[Alma] (If the side of the well is stone I could connect it to, that is.)

• Ysabeau edges as close to the wall as she can, and hangs tightly to a rope.

[DiablotinNarrator] 21 saves. So you only take 23.

[Alma] I'm not feeling so good.

[Seth] Something here is causing great pain! Do not come down!

• Seth shouts, looking around to see what is around here.
• Alma casts Mass Cure Light Wounds.

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth - there is the statue you saw, as well as a pile of rags and scraps... Please make a Will save.

[Seth] (29)

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, no effect.

• Seth picks up the statue and puts it in a sack.

[DiablotinNarrator] ok...

• Seth goes over to the rags and sees what's up - anything under them / around them?
• Sanadhil continues picking up magic bits that aren't the floor if he can find any ;)

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth, as you root through the pile of rags, you find something .. strange. It's a delicate snowflakelike crystal about 18 inches in diameter, and it gives off a gentle glow.

• Seth will put it into a sack WITHOUT TOUCHING IT.

[DiablotinNarrator] The rags themselves are also actually a cloak of some sort, you notice.

• Seth gently puts it all in a bag.

[DiablotinNarrator] ok

[DiablotinNarrator] There doesn't seem to be anything else down here, then.

[Seth] (any ongoing / lingering effects of whatever happened to me?)

[DiablotinNarrator] nope, just some damage and then you feel ok

[Seth] (ok, back up I go then)

[DiablotinNarrator] All right... are you telling them about what you found?

• Alma casts DM.

[Seth] (yes, because unlike SOME people I am lawful)

• Sanadhil is still arcane sight dude

[Alma] (Was the evil the bottom of the tunnel or the worm?)

• Ysabeau eyes the monster...

[DiablotinNarrator] the evil was in the general area, but ended with the death of the worm, so presumably it was causing it.

[Seth] I found this cloak and a strange crystal, as well as the figurine.

[Alma] I think the evil in the area is dissipating.

[Ilphere] oh...?

[Seth] Could someone please ensure that these are a) magical and b) not horribly evil, before we make off with them?

• Ilphere casts Detect Magic.
• Ysabeau as well.
• Alma concentrates her DM on it
• Sanadhil looks at the crystal

[DiablotinNarrator] So you're showing them this stuff?

[Seth] (yesss ... well at least I'm opening up the bag)

[DiablotinNarrator] everyone who looks at the statue, Will save please.

[DiablotinNarrator] (apart from Seth, who already made one ;)

• Guillame rolls 1d20+4: (1)+ 4 = 5
• Alma was planning on DM and then DE first, unless she gets shown.

[Sanadhil] (mind affecting and/or enchantment or illusion?)

[Ysabeau] (15)

[Ilphere] (26)

[DiablotinNarrator] San - yes, I'd say it's mind affecting enchantment.

[Seth] (I detect if it is a construct)

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth - it's a construct.

[Sanadhil] (31)

[Seth] (yaaaay!)

• Alma rolls [ 1d20+25 ] getting [ 9 ] which, after the modifier [ 25 ] totals [ 34 ]

[Alma] (oops)

[Dominik] (15 or 17 if heroism has a duration)

[DiablotinNarrator] DC is 19, so if you rolled above 19, you're fine. If you rolled below, you really, really want this statue. More than anything.

[Sanadhil] (its 10mmin/lvl you're stll good Dom)

[Ysabeau] May I hold it?

• Alma shakes her head but is concentrating on the magic.

[Seth] No, I don't think that's safe.

• Ysabeau reaches out for the statue.

[DiablotinNarrator] Alma - all three of these things are magic.

[Alma] .oO( Oh for... )

• Dominik snatches the statue out of the bag

[Ilphere] ... Dominik!

• Seth pulls it away before anyone can grab it!
• Alma drops her concentration.

[Seth] Hold it, everyone!

[Sanadhil] ...

[Alma] For the love of...

• Ysabeau will make grabby hands after it.

[Sanadhil] (I'd just like to know schools and such for stuff...)

• Dominik will grapple Seth for the bag (once I am allowed to roll).

[DiablotinNarrator] (I don't know off the top of my ehad... and sort of busy dealing with people trying to steal the statue)

[Sanadhil] ('k)

[Alma] (Init? :P)

• Ysabeau will knock Dominik on the head with her sap

[Guillame] (yeah, maybe that's an idea :V)

[DiablotinNarrator] heh

[Ysabeau] (19 initiative)

[Alma] (18)

• Guillame rolls 1d20+5: (18)+ 5 = 23

[Dominik] (15... surprise bonus?)

[Guillame] (jnit)

[DiablotinNarrator] (Danyel 7)

[Sanadhil] (8)

[Ilphere] (16)

[Seth] (10)

[DiablotinNarrator] so looks like Guy gets first grab at it

[Guillame] Ok, so I tumble past seth and dom (25) and make a grab for the bag

• Guillame rolls 1d20+6: (1)+ 6 = 7

[Guillame] Sleight of hand fail :V

[DiablotinNarrator] heh

[DiablotinNarrator] Guy gets Seth's belt instead :p

[DiablotinNarrator] Ysa's turn to try and get it ;)

• Ysabeau starts going for her sap, but then looks sly and starts singing to Fascinate everyone

[DiablotinNarrator] ok, what's the save and DC on that?

[Ysabeau] (perform check - sec)

[Ysabeau] (23)

[Ysabeau] (they use their will saves)

[Alma] (I pass)

• Guillame rolls 1d20+4: (19)+ 4 = 23

[Sanadhil] pass

[Guillame] (woah)

[Seth] (13, nope)

[Ilphere] !roll 1d20+15

• Alma rolls for Ilphere: [ 1d20+15 ] getting [ 18 ] which, after the modifier [ 15 ] totals [ 33 ].

[Ilphere] (big fat pass)

[DiablotinNarrator] so if you fail, you have to pay attention to Ysa's song and not really do anything else - others can try to shake you out of it, though.

[Dominik] (17 fail)

• Ysabeau targets Seth, Guillame, Dominik and... Alma

[Ysabeau] (and Danyel)

[DiablotinNarrator] !roll 1d20+11

• Alma rolls for DiablotinNarrator: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 16 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 27 ].

[DiablotinNarrator] well, if you're affected, you listen to the song.

[DiablotinNarrator] Alma's turn.

• Alma casts Break Enchantment and steps forward to cast it on Dom

[Alma] (Touch attack)

[Alma] (25)

[Dominik] (that easily beats my touch ac)

[Alma] (oh nm, it's CLose anyway)

[DiablotinNarrator] ok - Dom, you no longer NEEEEEED to have the statue. Song's still pretty, though.

[Dominik] (lol)

[Ilphere] (who actually has it now? still Seth?)

[Seth] (yup)

[DiablotinNarrator] Yes, still Seth.

[DiablotinNarrator] Ilphere's turn

[Ilphere] (Hellhounds to guard Seth/the statue from the nutters :) )

• Ilphere rolls a d20...

[Ilphere] Ilphere gets a 16

[Ilphere] (whoops)

[DiablotinNarrator] ok... Dom's turn, he sits there.

[Ilphere] !roll 1d4+1

• Alma rolls for Ilphere: [ 1d4+1 ] getting [ 3 ] which, after the modifier [ 1 ] totals [ 4 ].

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth's turn.

[Seth] duuhh, preeetty soonng

[DiablotinNarrator] San's turn.

[Dominik] I never realized how much her neckline plunges when she's singing like that

• Sanadhil sighs, will take the staute from fascinated Seth, and teleport back to the top of the well?

[Sanadhil] (to Alma and Ilphere) Going back to the top until they are sorted out -_-)

[DiablotinNarrator] OK - just the statue or the entire bag of stuff?

[Sanadhil] (whole bag)

[Sanadhil] (I will stick it in the bag of holding when I am alone)

[DiablotinNarrator] San, when you get up to the top, the bag is squirming and shaking in your hands.

[Sanadhil] ....

• Sanadhil shoves it into the bag of holding D:

[DiablotinNarrator] well, that solved that problem! and now you never have to worry about it again ;)

[Sanadhil] ...

[DiablotinNarrator] Danyel will try to shake Dom out of it.

[Danyel] *slap slap*

[DiablotinNarrator] And back around to Guy :)

[Dominik] Hey... watching Spoke-boy

• Guillame starts climbing the wall at full speed

[DiablotinNarrator] Ysa?

[Ysabeau] (Is it within range for a DD?)

[DiablotinNarrator] (is that another boob-related thing? ;)

[Sanadhil] (you have no idea where I am)

[DiablotinNarrator] (but yes - you have no idea where he teleported to)

[Ysabeau] (I mean the surface - is it within 920 feet of me?)

[DiablotinNarrator] oh, yes.

[Alma] (Like 800 ft Ysabeau)

• Ysabeau Dimension Doors to the surface since the statue is goooooone! ;_;

[DiablotinNarrator] Alma's turn.

[Alma] Oh this is trying my patience!

[Ilphere] For once, we agree.

• Alma looks quickly to make sure everyone is OK and then teleports to the top.

[DiablotinNarrator] Ilphere's turn.

• Ilphere will grab onto Seth and hold out her hand to Dominik to teleport up as well.
• Dominik will take her hand as offered

[Seth] ... Okie dokie!

[Ilphere] Sanadhil, you'd better get out of here... they've lost all reason.

• Ysabeau is already up top and would be advancing on San if she can see him
• Ysabeau would in fact be casting Hold Person on him
• Sanadhil is sitting calmly on the wall, no staute in sight

[DiablotinNarrator] you have to wait for your init.

[DiablotinNarrator] Dom's turn, now that he's up.

• Dominik will move and grapple Ysabeau

[DiablotinNarrator] she's probably used to it :p

[DiablotinNarrator] Seth's turn.

[Dominik] (roll or just assume I get her?)

[DiablotinNarrator] (I'm just going to assume... her Str is lame, anyway ;)

• Seth holds his action, nothing for now.

[DiablotinNarrator] (and I want to get finished up ;)

[Dominik] (she has no weapon out and if she tries to slap me, I'd just grab her anyway)

[DiablotinNarrator] San?

• Sanadhil casts break enchantment on Ysa

[Dominik] Can anyone fix her?

[DiablotinNarrator] OK, Ysa, your mind is clear again.

[Sanadhil] yes

[DiablotinNarrator] You have no idea why you wanted the statue in the first place, creepy thing @_@

[Alma] I'm all out...

• Ysabeau looks confused.

[Sanadhil] she should be fine

[Alma] Guillame is climbing up the wall.

[Ysabeau] What...?

• Guillame climbs another 60ft

[Danyel] ... helloooo?

[Sanadhil] where are the duke and M. Beziers

[Alma] Oh fudge :|

[Danyel] Should I start climbing?

[Ilphere] Guillame is somewhere between here and the bottom of the pit...

[Alma] No, I'll be down in a second, dear.

• Sanadhil nods

[Dominik] The duke is climbing the wall, I'll nab him as soon as he gets to the top... maybe I'll make a sandwich while we wait.

[Sanadhil] if he's still mad I can cure him when he reaches the top

• Alma flies back down, rather shocked that her spell is still going.

[Sanadhil] the statue became animated when i reached the surface with it...

[Ysabeau] Great...

[Sanadhil] I shoved it in the Bag od Holdinfg as a temporary measure, but it still needs to be dealt with

[Ysabeau] How do we keep it in one place so it can't go convert toshers?

[Dominik] I didn't bring my hammer

• Alma will hug him and kiss him and call herself a fool for leaving him behind.

[Ysabeau] And kill them. :P

[Guillame] (I guess it takes me about 2.4 minutes?)

[Alma] ;_;

[Ilphere] Vianca will likely have some idea.

• Alma casts Wind Walk and will float out with Danyel -_-

[Ysabeau] Sorry about trying to enchant you all...

[DiablotinNarrator] Let's assume Guy makes it back up, and gets fixed by San.

• Ysabeau looks like she feels bad once she figures out what she did.
• Alma and Danyel will be up again at about the same time.

[Sanadhil] we can deal wth it later... I believe we've had enough excitement @_@

[Guillame] (Hurray!)

[Alma] Utterly ridiculous. Who makes items like this?

[Seth] I agree. For now, let's return to the Society and store these items safely.

[Alma] Why put a barrier around an item that MAKES YOU WANT TO STEAL IT?

[Sanadhil] so that no one would find it and want to steal it?

[Ysabeau] to keep you from being able to?

[Alma] I mean, why enchant that at all?

[Sanadhil] indeed

[Alma] Clearly you don't want people to have it...

[Danyel] Maybe it's a decoy.

[Alma] So then enchant it to ...

[Ysabeau] It might have belonged to a group different from the one that put the barrier up.

[Alma] Oh, like a booby trap...

[Sanadhil] it was ptobably not done by the same people

[Seth] Yes, to take the figurine, and not to take the crystal.

• Sanadhil nods to ysa
• Ysabeau nods at Sanadhil.

[Ilphere] That makes sense...

• Ilphere says to Seth.

[Alma] I meant to check out that room below :|

[Danyel] If you want that statue more than anything... then you ignore whatever else is down there.

[Guillame] The last one started making you carry out its plans

[Guillame] So, I guess that's a good reason to get someone to steal it.

[Sanadhil] :|

[Alma] I am completely beat though...

[Ysabeau] Sorry...

[Sanadhil] yes... perhaps we ought to return for now

[Ysabeau] :/

• Alma takes Danyel's hand.

[Guillame] No offence intended, M. Orecalo.

[Sanadhil] It's alright.

[Sanadhil] but I think we should return to the society

[DiablotinNarrator] YOu make your way back to your own plane without further difficulties.

• Ysabeau would chat with Ilphere on the way out, if she could get you away from the rest.

[DiablotinNarrator] I'll make a post to update you on what you learn about the stuff once you get it back to the society.

Solos

Ysabeau and Ilphere

• Ysabeau finds an opportunity to chat with Ilphere as we walk through the ruined city back to the portal.

[Ysabeau] How have you been?! :)

• Ilphere is looking over some notes and looks up...

[Ilphere] Oh...!

[Ilphere] Well, I suppose...!

[Ysabeau] I read the news, so brilliant!

[Ysabeau] Congratulations to you and Menard. :)

[Ysabeau] Are you excited?

[Ilphere] Yes... I didn't realize it was newsworthy, the announcement was a surprise to myself....!

[Ilphere] Well, I suppose...

[Ysabeau] Oh no! Your secretary or whatever didn't tell you?

[Ilphere] There is so much else going on though...

[Ysabeau] I know. I've been so busy with compositions and relationships and trying to fit some research in there somehow, too.

[Ilphere] Yes I...

[Ilphere] [w] I read about... you and Marl..?

• Ysabeau blushes.

[Ysabeau] I should have realized someone would be watching. :P

[Ilphere] Is it true, then...?

[Ysabeau] But the rumours have been all over the palace for a while, too.

• Ilphere seems rather incredulous.

[Ysabeau] That I kissed him in public? Yes, it's true.

[Ilphere] Really..? After everything...?

[Ysabeau] Well, it's different now.

[Ilphere] [q] The horrid things he did to you, and how he threatened me...?

[Ysabeau] I'm not who I was when he... I don't even know if he remembers. I was tiny and scared and helpless.

• Ysabeau sighs.

[Ilphere] (SM to see if you've lost your mind)

[Ysabeau] I don't know why he threatened you.

[Ysabeau] (My bluff beat you out.)

[Ilphere] (yeah I rolled for poo)

[Ysabeau] He hasn't tried to force me into anything.

[Ysabeau] Anyway, it's just a diversion. We'll get bored of each other eventually, no doubt.

[Ilphere] A diversion...

[Ilphere] I see...

• Ilphere says in a tone which conveys that she completely does not
• Ysabeau smiles.

[Ysabeau] Can you keep a secret?

• Ilphere looks down at her notes.

[Ilphere] . o O ( All kinds...! )

[Ilphere] ...What is it?

[Ysabeau] I'm engaged.

[Ilphere] Does he know about Marl..?

[Ysabeau] Yes. He's fine with it.

• Ilphere is not really wrapping her head around the Marl thing.

[Ilphere] Oh... I see... I guess that is quite... progressive?

[Ysabeau] It's really no different than Marl and Yanina, actually.

• Ysabeau smiles again.

[Ilphere] I suppose so.

[Ilphere] . o O ( I didn't really think you were like them...! @_@ )

[Ilphere] Well, congratulations...

[Ysabeau] Thank you.

[Ysabeau] Also... we're having a baby, too.

[Ysabeau] Due in First Month.

[Ysabeau] When is yours due?

[Ilphere] (I actually don't know)

[Ilphere] Around then, I guess...

• Ilphere refrains from asking whose it is... @_@

[Ysabeau] Well, maybe we can commiserate as things progress.

[Ysabeau] Wouldn't it be weird if they're both born the same day?

[Ilphere] Yes... very strange...

[Ysabeau] You seem very distracted...

[Ysabeau] Is something wrong?

[Ilphere] No.

[Ysabeau] (SM - lying?)

[Ysabeau] (34)

[Ilphere] (certainly)

[Ysabeau] ...

[Ysabeau] Why am I not convinced?

• Ysabeau looks disappointed.

[Ilphere] I found that file you wanted.

[Ysabeau] Oh? Was there something bad in there? [q] About your family?

• Ysabeau looks concerned, but not like she really expects you to tell her the details if there was something troubling about your

family.

[Ilphere] I don't think it was as interesting as you were hoping

[Ilphere] Or the interesting bits were taken out...

[Ysabeau] Oh, well. Tell me what you learned about the other stuff, anyway, if you don't mind.

[Ilphere] I'll send you my notes... There is a lot.

[Ysabeau] I really appreciate that, Ilphere. It might help me figure out why Dessa was murdered.

• Ysabeau is very thankful; Dessa has been weighing on her thoughts for months.

[Ysabeau] I miss how we used to get together for tea and stuff. I sent a few notes by page - did you get them?

• Ysabeau asks wistfully.

[Ilphere] (what were they?)

[Ysabeau] (just invitations to come visit in her palace flat, or at her house, whatever.)

[Ilphere] I haven't had much time at all...

[Ysabeau] Me neither. Especially now with the baby, I have to finish my Castalia paper before it's born.

[Ysabeau] I need to know I did it - I finished school.

[Ysabeau] I was worried that maybe the pages never delivered them or something.

[Ilphere] Yes, there is... much to be done.

[Ysabeau] I don't really know if I'm allowed to use them or what. Or maybe you're supposed to tip them.

[Ilphere] Well you... work for Marl.

[Ilphere] I'm sure it's fine...

[Ysabeau] Yeah, but I'm nobody important.

[Ysabeau] I'm still trying to figure the Palace out. It's so vastly different from what I grew up knowing.

[Ysabeau] I'm not sure that I'll ever figure it out, or ever really come to enjoy it.

[Ysabeau] Is it like that for you, too, or are you pretty comfortable there?

[Ysabeau] Do you feel like you fit in?

[Ilphere] I don't really think about it...

[Ilphere] Fitting in... is not really something that concerns me.

• Ysabeau smiles.

[Ysabeau] You're perfectly brilliant the way you are.

• Ysabeau agrees.

[Ilphere] ... thanks...

• Ilphere says awkwardly.
• Ysabeau will move onto more comfortable topics for you, such as the Well and demons and Emkathon and such.
• Ilphere seems somewhat reserved.
• Ysabeau is saddened by that, but it's not like I'm not keeping stuff from you, either. So... she'll just accept it.

Sanadhil and Earric

• Sanadhil is at home, working on research...

[Earric] : ...Can I come in?:

• Sanadhil starts at the unexpected interruption

[Sanadhil] :Ahh... Of course

• Earric arrives in your room, then.
• Sanadhil is surprised for various reasons, but is glad he is dressed @_@
• Sanadhil is in the study :3

[Sanadhil] (which is right off the bedroom, though )

• Earric looks unexpectedly awkward to be there.
• Sanadhil seems a little confused as well

[Earric] ...I have to ask you something.

[Sanadhil] To what do I owe the... oh?

• Sanadhil gestures for him to have a seat, at least
• Earric sits.

[Earric] Why did you take me there?

• Sanadhil considers how to answer

[Sanadhil] A number of reasons, I suppose...

[Sanadhil] I wasn't entirely rational at the time, I don't think.

[Sanadhil] I wanted to see you because I coudln't think of anyone else who might have...understood

• Earric listens, eyes intent on you.

[Sanadhil] Then you were upset, but I knew she would ...forgive you.

[Sanadhil] I didn't know what that would mean.

[Sanadhil] Why are you asking?

[Earric] Because I don't understand.

• Sanadhil shakes his head, because there was more to it than that, but it is hard to explain

[Sanadhil] don't understand what?

[Earric] Why you do anything for me.

[Sanadhil] ...why do you care?

[Earric] Is it because you're afraid of me? Of what I might do?

• Sanadhil asks, somewhat suspiciously
• Sanadhil holds back from answering right away, to see if earric might answer first :p
• Sanadhil is also thinking

[Earric] Because of the hold I have over you?

• Sanadhil sighs

[Sanadhil] I don't know how to answer you, Earric.

[Earric] Just tell me, if that's why you keep coming to me. Keep talking to me.

[Sanadhil] Why?

[Sanadhil] I..... I can't give you a straight forward answer.

[Earric] Why not?

• Earric seems to be getting a bit agitated.

[Sanadhil] Well, I don't know what *you* want, do I? Answers, now, clearly.... but what's your real question?

[Earric] Would you still... help me, if you didn't think I might hurt you? Do you do everything you do with me, for me, out of fear?

[Sanadhil] No.

[Earric] I don't want you to ... I don't want to have a hold over you, not anymore.

[Sanadhil] I would be foolish not to fear you... But that's not why...

[Earric] I don't want to have the power to hurt you... I'm afraid I might use it.

[Sanadhil] ...

[Sanadhil] Well, I'd certaily rather that you didn't o_O

• Earric stands to pace, obviously uncomfortable.

[Sanadhil] . o O (You're more dangerous now, aren't you....)

[Earric] I shouldn't be free.

[Sanadhil] Free?

[Earric] From Phedre. It's better if she keeps me ... controlled.

[Sanadhil] and she's not?

[Sanadhil] I don't understand.

[Earric] No, she is... as much as she ever did, anyway.

• Sanadhil shakes his head, confused and somwhat concerned @_@

[Earric] I just don't want you to try and free me. Not while I'm like this. Not while I still have this ... power.

[Sanadhil] So its not something you can just relinquish?

[Earric] I don't know. I've never tried. I've never... wanted to.

[Sanadhil] Why do you?

[Earric] I would have betrayed you, if you'd freed me. I would have laughed and drained you for everything I could get before I disappeared forever.

[Sanadhil] Mmm.

[Earric] I still could. I just don't know.

[Sanadhil] What did She do?

[Earric] I don't know!

• Earric shouts.
• Sanadhil shrinks back slightly

[Earric] ...I don't think she did anything.

• Earric says, somewhat more calmly.

[Earric] Other than... exist.

[Sanadhil] ...yes.

[Earric] I've hurt so many others before this... I don't want you to be another one. Because... you've been kind to me, when you didn't have to. And because you took me to Her. I don't know if that was kind or not, but it was... important.

• Sanadhil nods slowly

[Sanadhil] What do you want me to do? leave you be?

• Earric looks away, pained.

[Earric] [q] I don't want to lose you.

[Earric] But I don't want to hurt you either. And the longer you stay near me... some day it's bound to happen. Because I'm ... what I am.

[Sanadhil] ...

[Sanadhil] I don't really have the option of leaving, at the moment.

• Sanadhil says quietly
• Earric sighs.

[Earric] That's the problem.

[Sanadhil] . o O (Well I suppose I *could* just leave....eveything.... again.... But I don't want to @_@)

[Earric] ...Do you want me to try to break the bond?

• Sanadhil considers, trying to center his calm a little bit @_@

[Sanadhil] Of course I do. But it isn't going to make me loose...interest.

• Sanadhil says the last word veeeeeery guardedly
• Earric looks at you sidelong.

[Earric] It would be one less way I could hurt you. But also one less way I could help.

[Earric] And if you're going to try and free Her... I want to help.

[Sanadhil] I know.

• Sanadhil looks a little conflicted
• Earric bites his lip.

[Sanadhil] ...

[Sanadhil] If it will help *you* decide... then why don't you use it. Just once.

• Sanadhil proposes cautiously

[Earric] ...Hurt you?

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] To see how you can bear it.

[Earric] I know how I felt after I did it to that girl...and I hardly know her.

[Sanadhil] But you still want to do it?

[Earric] With you...

[Earric] I don't want to. But someday if ... if you make me angry, or if I'm not controlled, I might do it.

[Earric] I hate that thought.

• Sanadhil nods

[Earric] ...You want me to, don't you. You want to see if *you* can handle it.

[Sanadhil] ...

[Sanadhil] ¬_¬

[Sanadhil] its not necessary

[Earric] For your peace of mind?

[Sanadhil] I'm sure in other circumstances, it would only be a prelude to ...somethig else, in anycase

[Sanadhil] ¬_¬

[Earric] It doesn't... damage. When it stops, it's over.

[Sanadhil] I know.

• Earric takes a step closer.

[Earric] You should lie down. So you don't fall.

• Sanadhil is sitting already?
• Earric nods in the direction of the bedroom.
• Sanadhil stands then
• Sanadhil passes by him and will lay down....
• Sanadhil tries to seem calm and not totally terrified @_@
• Sanadhil thinks of Emkathon

[Sanadhil] . o O (Mercy...)

• Earric comes to stand at the foot of the bed, and stares down at you. You are suddenly wracked with pain, as if all your nerve endings are on fire. It lasts only a few moments, but it feels much longer.
• Sanadhil likely screams like a girly man :x

[Sanadhil] (he'd try not to, but hey...)

• Earric rushes to kneel at the side of the bed once the pain stops.
• Sanadhil tries to sit up

[Earric] Shh, it's over, shh... I'm sorry...

[Sanadhil] I'm alright.

• Earric looks fairly pained himself.
• Sanadhil says as firmly as he can mustr
• Earric looks up at you, uncertain.

[Sanadhil] Its only pain.

• Earric nods slowly.
• Sanadhil is thinking of the contrast of lying on a straw-covered stone shelf in the mines, slowly being ignored to death @_@
• Earric rests his head on the edge of your bed and closes his eyes.

[Earric] ...you want me to keep it, then.

[Sanadhil] I shouldn't.

[Sanadhil] On some levels is still feels like.....anathema

[Sanadhil] The rest... the scrying, knowing where I am.... is worse than the pain

[Sanadhil] but it *is* useful.

[Earric] Mmm.

[Earric] All right.

• Sanadhil eyes him, but has long given up on actually being able to read him

[Sanadhil] . o O (And what if *this* is all just another feint?)

• Earric looks unexpectedly vulnerable and drained, kneeling there before you.

[Sanadhil] All right - now what?

[Earric] Now we find out how to free her.

[Sanadhil] ...You said before that you didn't think it was up to me.

• Earric shakes his head.

[Sanadhil] That it was happening anyway

[Earric] I think she's trying to free herself. but that doesn't mean she might not need help.

[Sanadhil] I know who would have the answer, but I am afraid to ask.

[Earric] Who?

[Sanadhil] Laeken.

[Earric] the one who trapped her in the first place.

[Sanadhil] yes.

[Sanadhil] I don't want him to just...do it again.

• Earric nods.

[Earric] You're right to be afraid.

[Earric] So we'll find another way.

[Sanadhil] If I knew for certain where the spell was cast... all it woudl take is the right scroll

• Earric nods.

[Earric] If I can help at all...

[Sanadhil] I will let you know

[Sanadhil] ...

[Sanadhil] has Phedre noticed that anything has changed with you?

[Earric] I think she's still attributing it to the usual lethargy after a ritual.

[Earric] Probably not for long, though.

[Sanadhil] What will you tell her?

[Earric] I don't know.

[Sanadhil] can she make you tell her the truth?

• Sanadhil gets off the bed and stands

[Earric] She can try... I can ... keep silent, I think.

• Earric stands slowly too.

[Earric] But I don't know if it would hurt to tell her. She might help, if she thought it would aid her cause.

[Sanadhil] I still don't know how her power over you works.

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] I don't know if I trust her.

[Earric] She liked me the way I was. I think I can still be that way with her... because she wants it that way.

[Sanadhil] I suppose it might not matter, if She is free @_@

• Sanadhil nods

[Earric] ...I still want you, too. Just... not if you're not willing.

• Earric confesses.

[Sanadhil] ...I know.

[Earric] I should go.

[Sanadhil] ¬_¬

[Sanadhil] . o O (I could ask now and he might even tell me....)

• Sanadhil represses a shudder and nods instead
• Earric disappears, then.

[Sanadhil] . o O (but what would it solve.)

• Sanadhil sits back down on his bed, feeling a little shaky

Alma and Danyel

• Alma is in her study, sitting at her desk trying to make sense (any sense?) of what's going on.
• Danyel is nearby, playing the harpsichord, as he does, not completely poorly.
• Alma is covering her eyes, not so much thinking about the chaos of the world as trying not to cry about it... she's been doing that a lot lately, and having a harder time of seeming like she's just tired.
• Danyel plays the same passage over and over, making the same mistakes each time, and finally gets frustrated and stops.
• Alma lets slip a stifled sob during one one of the harpsichord's rests.

[Danyel] ...Alma?

[Alma] Y- yes?

• Danyel comes over to you.

[Danyel] You're upset...

• Alma quickly rubs her eyes.

[Alma] It's ok... I'm fine.

• Danyel shakes his head.

[Danyel] It's not something I did, is it?

• Alma prepares to go back to work... doing what exactly? Reading over these stupid notes again? Hoping someone stumbles onto some magic book?

[Alma] Oh no... of course not.

• Alma reaches out to take Danyel's hand, smiling at his foolishness.
• Danyel smiles back, slightly.

[Alma] What could you have done to make me unhappy? :)

[Alma] .oO( You're the only thing left that's solid. )

[Danyel] I thought I might have been annoying you with my practicing.

[Alma] Your playing is lovely, mistakes and all :)

[Danyel] That's kind of you to say.

[Danyel] Come, let's sit over here... Do you want me to get you anything?

• Alma looks back at her desk.

[Danyel] Your work will wait.

[Alma] No, I'm fine. I...

[Alma] I just don't know what to dooooooooo.

• Alma begins to cry in earnest at her desk

[Danyel] :o

• Danyel gathers you into his arms.

[Danyel] Alma... come on... let's ...uh... let's talk about this.

• Alma struggles to regain her composure.
• Alma focuses on taking deep breaths... "I'm- I'm ok."
• Alma clings to Danyel's midsection from her seat

[Danyel] It's ok if things aren't ok. You don't always have to be strong.

• Alma will stand, and go with Danyel.
• Danyel leads you to sit down on a sofa.
• Alma looks down at her hands intently.
• Danyel hands you his handkerchief, and then turns to get you a drink before sitting down beside you.
• Alma takes the drink, has a sip, and then studies that.

[Danyel] (it's some of his whiskey, but watered down ;)

[Alma] (hee)

[Alma] I just feel so powerless.

[Danyel] In front of the gods, we all are.

[Alma] But things are changing... and it's beginning to feel like... it's inevitable.

[Alma] And I don't know what it means... and what I need to do...

• Danyel nods.
• Alma continues to cry as she talks, wiping away tears with the kerchief.
• Danyel rubs your back gently as you talk.

[Alma] I feel like such a fraud.

[Danyel] Why?

[Alma] I thought I understood how things are. That I could guide people.

[Alma] Death... is just a turn of the wheel... no need to f- fear it.

[Alma] And now, I'm terrified like everyone else ;_;

[Danyel] Oh...

[Alma] What comes next?

[Alma] What happens to us? The Seven? The Cycle?

[Danyel] We trust in the Gods...

• Danyel tries to sound confident in that.
• Alma nods mechanically, and looks at her drink again, trying to look like that comforts her.

[Danyel] But we're only human. We make mistakes, we doubt, we fail. All we can do is keep trying.

• Alma leans into Danyel, dabbing her eyes so she doesn't get his shirt all wet.

[Alma] I don't even know what I should be trying...

[Danyel] So, if there's a path laid out.. if it truly is inevitable... then you'll do what's right. What you're destined to do.

[Alma] I don't want a destiny :(

• Alma says it sulkily, maybe relaxing a little.

[Danyel] I can understand that.

[Danyel] Probably Matriarch Pasith felt the same way sometimes.

• Alma nods.

[Alma] I hope her destiny is not to stay there forever...

[Danyel] I hope so too.

[Alma] I mean... I know it's only a part of her but...

• Danyel nods.

[Danyel] She served them so long, and so faithfully.. she deserves a better reward.

[Alma] Maybe the math isn't as simple as half-dust, half-exhaltation. Maybe a little Centre goes a long way...

[Danyel] Maybe.

• Danyel agrees.
• Alma lets out a big post-cry sigh.
• Danyel wraps an arm around your shoulders.

[Alma] I'm so glad you're here with me.

[Danyel] I'm glad too.

• Alma takes his hand and kisses his fingers.

[Alma] It's like you're the only thing left that won't slip out from under me.

[Danyel] You're so wonderful, Alma. You work so hard, and think about things no one else does... All I can do is be here for you when you need me.

[Alma] .oO( Forgive me, Owl... )

• Alma smiles and holds his hand tight to her chest.

[Alma] We need another vacation -_-

• Danyel smiles.

[Danyel] We could do something enjoyable here in the city... go to the Menagerie, or take a carriage ride in the Firefly Gardens...

[Alma] That's a good idea. Maybe tomorrow morning?

[Danyel] All right :)

• Alma pulls back to get her bearings and then leans in to kiss her fair knight.
• Danyel kisses back.

[Danyel] ... we could also make our own entertainment ;)

[Alma] You may have been practicing the harpsichord, but my singing is not very good :]

[Danyel] Let me see about that...

• Alma might sing a little in the coming action :3

Ysabeau and Martan

• Ysabeau has coerced Martan into walking Rye with her one evening.
• Martan walks with you.
• Ysabeau chats about various things for a bit.

[Ysabeau] M. Orecalo and I had a long conversation a few days before heading into the Shadow Plane.

[Martan] Oh?

• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] He was worried about me after the gossip in the papers. Thought it was out of character for me.

[Martan] Well... it is. I think?

• Ysabeau raises an eyebrow.
• Martan says lightly.

[Ysabeau] He'd just given me a present in public and I'm supposed to be one of his adoring harem. What was I supposed to do?

[Martan] I didn't mean you shouldn't have done it.

[Martan] Just that... it's bound to raise some eyebrows, especially among people who know you well.

• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] Anyway, I tried to tell him that I'm poly and you're all right with it, but I'm not convinced that he bought it.

• Martan nods.

[Martan] For someone who protested that she wasn't a spy, you're taking to it quite naturally.

[Ysabeau] I suppose my former occupation lends itself to certain illusions.

• Ysabeau says lightly.

[Ysabeau] Anyway, he is worried about you, now.

[Martan] About me?

• Martan seems surprised.
• Ysabeau nods.

[Martan] I could understand him worrying about you... I'm afraid that I've put you in an awkward position, that you're getting in over your head.

[Martan] But why would he worry about me?

[Ysabeau] He thinks that once it's commonly known that I'm marrying you, Nash will see fit to kill you, especially if M. Argo tells her I'm leaking state secrets to your father.

[Ysabeau] I am not quite sure what to think.

[Martan] Nash can't outright attack me.... not without things getting much more cutthroat than they currently are.

[Ysabeau] Just be careful, okay?

[Martan] I always am...

• Ysabeau nods.

[Martan] She won't want to act, one way or another, unless she's sure that the Emperor will support her. As long as she wonders whether he's on our side or hers, she can't risk offending him - he can fire her, after all.

• Ysabeau nods.

[Martan] At least Maze doesn't have that particular problem.

• Ysabeau nods.

[Martan] It's difficult... this situation has advantages, but also potential risks.

[Ysabeau] Yes. It might be more difficult to carry it on once it is common knowledge that we're going to marry.

[Martan] I hope that by then, we'll have what we need, and you and the Emperor can 'break up' gracefully.

• Ysabeau smiles.

[Ysabeau] Not to put the pressure on you for the meeting or anything. But I hope what you two have cooked up is very enticing.

[Ysabeau] Anyway... he had other things to tell me.

[Ysabeau] He, M. Argo and Sister Alma went down under the Nine Elms.

• Martan listens.

[Ysabeau] They confirmed what I had suspected.

[Ysabeau] Apparently she is working free on her own, without the benefit of magic.

[Martan] Free?

[Ysabeau] Seems so - she isn't there yet. But she shouldn't have been noticeable at all, if the spell was still in full effect.

• Martan nods.

[Martan] So the effects we felt.. that was from her?

• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] I do wonder what has triggered the weakening of a spell that held for millennia... it could be any number of things, I suppose.

[Martan] Or a combination of things.

• Ysabeau touches her belly lightly, almost unconsciously.
• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] Being in her presence seems to have had a strong impact on him. You should have seen how he spoke of it.

[Martan] A ... good impact?

• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] I believe so.

[Ysabeau] I spoke to him at length about his involvement with the Order.

• Martan nods.

[Ysabeau] We sorted some things out.

[Martan] That's good to hear.

[Ysabeau] I... felt secure enough to recruit his aid.

[Ysabeau] He doesn't believe they have figured out the riddle M. Argo overheard yet.

[Martan] No?

• Ysabeau shakes her head.

[Martan] Hm.

[Martan] Well, I suppose that's good, if that's the case.

• Ysabeau nods.

[Ysabeau] He will let me know if he learns what they're up to...

• Martan nods.

[Ysabeau] We seem to have similar goals.

[Martan] I'm glad you feel you can trust him on this... but you should still be cautious, as long as he's involved with them. We don't really know what they're trying to do.

[Ysabeau] I know. I will be.

• Martan squeezes your hand.

[Ysabeau] You should know what we found in the Shadow Plane.

[Martan] Oh? What's that?

• Ysabeau will describe the warning stone and the Well to him.
• Martan listens to your account.
• Ysabeau will explain about star-substance.

[Ysabeau] So... two possibilities arise, and with metaphysics they may not be mutually exclusive.

• Martan nods, listening.

[Ysabeau] One: If my hypothesis about Arches and Wells being representations, perhaps even manifestations of the Serpent holds, and with gods containing so much star substance, then the light we saw, which M. Orecalo did believe was star-substance, might be its 'blood', oozing out of the wound caused by the Shadar-kai.

[Ysabeau] I would not be surprised if some of the expedition members borrow the Phereia from the Society and take it there, to see if bathing it in the light mends it.

[Ysabeau] Two: There was a song that some people heard. I didn't get close enough to hear it myself. But apparently it suggested that the light was starlight stolen from the sky and forced into the Well ages ago.

[Ysabeau] This could effectively cut off divine magic in that plane. But Sister Alma didn't spend the night there to test it.

[Martan] Hm... well, I don't pretend to understand all the metaphysics. But it's very interesting.

[Ysabeau] M. Argo was especially taken with the idea of returning the stars there to the firmament. Ilphere seemed also to enjoy imagining that prospect.

[Ysabeau] If they succeed, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone tries, to be honest, then we have another possible interpretation of the starlight returning to its first form.

• Martan nods slowly.

[Ysabeau] Sorry for boring you, but that's the point I was trying to get to.

[Martan] Then it might not refer to me... that would be .. a relief, honestly.

• Ysabeau nods.
• Ysabeau squeezes your hand.

[Ysabeau] It's not a certainty, love. But it is another possibility.

• Martan nods.

[Martan] It seems like all we have here are possibilities. More than I would have expected.

[Ysabeau] I know. It concerns me because if that's the case, and someone does succeed in returning those stars to the sky, then we may soon be three steps down the path.

[Ysabeau] And so I've been wondering: at what point does this story become bigger than you and me and our child and our future?

[Martan] Yes, I see what you mean.

[Ysabeau] And if we can't fight it, can we at least prepare people for it?

[Ysabeau] Not me and you, obviously, I don't know how we would mobilize the city or perhaps even the Empire.

• Martan gives a slight laugh at that.

[Martan] We can try to prepare ourselves... beyond that, I don't know what we can do.

[Martan] But... since we don't even really know what *it* is, it's hard to know where to start.

[Ysabeau] We don't, it's true. But it seems like it has the potential to result in a great deal of social upheaval, to say the least.

• Martan nods.

[Martan] We'll take care of each other, whatever happens.

• Ysabeau nods and smiles.

[Ysabeau] I was wondering if perhaps we should tell Marl. He has the power, and the authority, and the resources. Do you think we should tell him at the meeting, after you've finished discussing your business with him...? I don't know, though.

[Ysabeau] Informing the emperor about potential threats to the Empire is at the root of why the Hush exists, isn't it?

[Martan] ...I'll think about it. It might depend on how the meeting goes. But I agree that, if he's in the mood to listen, it would be good for him to know about all of this.

• Ysabeau nods, looking relieved.

[Ysabeau] Thank you.

[Martan] Thank *you*.

[Ysabeau] For what?

• Ysabeau looks genuinely confused.

[Martan] For telling me about all of this.

[Martan] For finding it out, and thinking about it...

[Martan] For being here with me through everything.

• Ysabeau blushes, embarrassed or something.

[Ysabeau] Thank you for listening? And for... everything.

• Martan smiles.

[Martan] Well... you're welcome.

[Ysabeau] You're welcome too.

• Ysabeau laughs gently.
• Martan chuckles as well.
• Ysabeau looks a little more serious.

[Ysabeau] I've never been happier than I have since you came into my life.

[Ysabeau] Thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart.

[Martan] I feel the same.

• Ysabeau smiles and wishes she could kiss him, but it would probably get into the papers. :P

[Ysabeau] Rye's probably had a long enough walk...

[Martan] Lucky dog :)

[Ysabeau] He probably thinks so, but he's not as lucky a dog as you will be once we get back to my house.

• Martan grins.
• Ysabeau grins back, and heads back home with her love.

Sanadhil and Ilphere

[Sanadhil] I will tell you it is totes a Hush thing ;p

[Ilphere] in what way

[Sanadhil] how is it a hush thing?

[Ilphere] yeah

[Ilphere] obviously I know ooc what's going on... but what are you telling me?

[Sanadhil] that she is marrying martan and I will eat my hat if tbis isn't sime kind of Hush attempt to get close to the emperor

[Sanadhil] that i was concerned she was charmed..... and she mght still be, but mostly she is a bit naive :p

[Ilphere] So she's sleeping with him... as part of a job?

[Sanadhil] I don't know if she is or not

[Sanadhil] if she is, it is because her fiance arranged it though

[Sanadhil] @_@

[Ilphere] That is intensely creepy

[Sanadhil] yes

[Ilphere] And I'm a cult member :V

[Sanadhil] I don't know if she is actally banging him - she seemed sincere in the conversation initially, but there were some inconsistencies

[Ilphere] Such as?

[Sanadhil] The level of her involvement with M. Olivier

[Sanadhil] she told me I didn't know her so well as I thought if I thought she would balk at keeping multiple lovers...

[Ilphere] Maze?

[Ilphere] or Martan?

[Sanadhil] Martan

[Sanadhil] but I know she loves him, but her attachment to the emperor is less clear

[Ilphere] Clearly I did not know her nearly as well as *I* thought...!

[Sanadhil] I stand by my suspicion

[Ilphere] It would make sense...

[Sanadhil] yes

[Sanadhil] She doesn't seem concerned that it seems so transparent.... espeiclaly with her engagement to M. Olivier @_@

[Ilphere] Well, either she is a terrible spy, or just has a terribly short memory

[Sanadhil] ....she told me that she'd allowed an incident from her ast to cloud her judgement of marl...

[Ilphere] When she was... working

[Ilphere] He hurt her, very badly.

[Sanadhil] I have some knoweledge of his... proclivities, yes

[Sanadhil] Hmm.

[Ilphere] She warned me about him.

[Sanadhil] She doesn't seem his type, nor she his

[Sanadhil] You told me as much

[Sanadhil] It feeds my suspicious, in any case

• Sanadhil shakes his head

[Ilphere] I don't understand her at all anymore.

[Sanadhil] I expect our experiences over the past year have changed us all...

[Sanadhil] ahh wel

[Sanadhil] perhaps we will have the truth of it from M. Olivier

• Sanadhil smiles

[Ilphere] (which one @_@)

[Sanadhil] (martan)

[Ilphere] Somehow I doubt it...

• Sanadhil smiles a slightly schemy smile

[Sanadhil] Oh.... we might.

[Ilphere] (oh a scheme... let me put on my slightly bigger glasses)

[Sanadhil] I am still ...concerned with his sway over her

[Ilphere] Oh...?

[Sanadhil] I may be able to convince him to be more forthcoming.

[Sanadhil] A matter of the progress of my studies... we shall see.

Sanadhil, Guillame and Ilphere

• Sanadhil has invited the Princess and the Duke of Corcyra to his house to have tea and discuss magical dinnerware
• Guillame will travel in disguise, but arrive perfectly recognizable, albeit in simple, comfortable clothes.
• Ilphere will arrive by Teleportation. :)

[Sanadhil] Thank you both for coming

[Ilphere] Well of course I came...!

• Sanadhil will admit you to the parlour, where there is, in fact, tea and some light snacks

[Ilphere] I wouldn't miss this...

[Sanadhil] Indeed!

[Guillame] Of course, indeed,

[Guillame] .

• Sanadhil will ushr you both in to sit down.

[Sanadhil] I'm sorry, I only have Ilphere's account of the matter of the ...Chalice of dawn?

• Guillame nods

[Sanadhil] I am very intrigued about what she had to say, however, if you'd care to elaborate

[Guillame] It's a simple tale - I could recount it if you like

• Sanadhil nods, listening

[Guillame] Well, as I say, it's simple - I was visiting the temple, and when examining the chalice exhibit I became convinced that it was somehow connected with something half-remembered from our experience in the dream

[Guillame] The legend of the Chalice speaks of a thief who stole the Chalice to heal his daughter, and the hand is supposedly his, fulfilling his dying vow to grasp the chalice until she is cured

[Sanadhil] did you bring it?

[Guillame] Eventually I recalled some of Imraen's last words to us; that she could be awoken "by the blinding of the sun, and the touch of my father's hand"

[Guillame] The connection is, admittedly not entirely untenuous, but is also obvious.

• Sanadhil nods in agreement

[Guillame] I didn't, no... I felt it better to leave it secure for now.

[Sanadhil] are you concerned abot its security?

[Guillame] Somewhat, yes - I'm holding it for the museum, and it is a magical artefact and thus inherently easier to find by certain elements - I don't see any need to cart it around unneccesarily.

• Sanadhil nods

[Ilphere] Very sensible...!

[Sanadhil] So.... Did you want to try and wake Imraen?

• Sanadhil asks curiously

[Guillame] Initially I planned to discuss it with the group as a whole

[Guillame] I value the opinions of even the more... beligerent elements.

[Guillame] But... I think I do want to wake her, yes. And there are likely those who would try to prevent that.

[Guillame] Thank you for stalling me on that count.

[Ilphere] That is a certainty...

[Ilphere] Why *do* you want to do it...?

[Guillame] Incidentally, M. Orecalo... Is that something you can do at any time? Speak without words?

[Sanadhil] Within a limited range, yes.

• Guillame nods

[Guillame] I wasn't aware... it took me rather by surprise, I'll admit.

[Sanadhil] My apologies.

[Guillame] Why do I want to do it, hem.

• Sanadhil listens intently.

[Guillame] I suppose I can be frank on that matter with you two... most likely yourself especially, your highness.

[Ilphere] Oh, call me Ilphere still... !

[Guillame] Apologies.

[Guillame] I... feel a measure of responsibility toward both the victims and the flock of Father Willem; or at least, toward their souls.

[Ilphere] And what will waking the queen do for them..?

[Guillame] I don't know whether they can be saved, as such, but if the alternative is for them to be ended, that is still likely an improvement over perpetuity in Imraen's realm.

[Sanadhil] hmm...

• Ilphere looks thoughtful...

[Sanadhil] My only concern is what effect it might have for the modern Shadar kai - they are likely the ones who will have to deal with her.

• Sanadhil looks to Ilphere

[Sanadhil] We had discussed the possibility previouzly of entering Imraen's dream in a more controlled circumstance, to have an oportunity to interrogate her.

[Ilphere] It is possible that the realm will continue without Imraen.

[Sanadhil] hmm

[Sanadhil] it is a real realm now...

[Ilphere] Precisely...

[Sanadhil] but I suppose it might have more opportunity for change without her direct control

• Ilphere nods agreement.

[Guillame] That would be even better for most, although not necessarily for those affected by Willem.

[Sanadhil] Change for better or worse though... that is likely a matter of perspective.

[Sanadhil] most of who?

[Guillame] Well, it's my feeling on the matter - I have no evidence, I suppose. The whole realm suffers under her direction, and it seems an improvement for it to be free of that influence.

[Guillame] She could of course, not be the worst that may befall them.

[Sanadhil] There is that, yes

[Sanadhil] I understand how things looked from ...Willem's perspective, and indeed any involved in the resistance, but I don't thnk it was terrible for everyone. And the racial? issues were complex. There were people whose incarnations in the dream were Shadar kai, even if we know them to be human.

[Sanadhil] If the queen died - would the Irred'im chose the next rules, as she had no issue?

[Sanadhil] or rule without her?

• Sanadhil thinks

[Ilphere] That would leave DuChampe in charge, most likely.

[Guillame] It's not her rule that concerns me, really - it's her dominion

[Sanadhil] there were some on the council with human sympathies, at least

[Sanadhil] I'm not sure how you can separate them.

[Guillame] Well, she seemed a fairly hands-off ruler as far as I could tell - but when things got away from her she would just fix them.

[Guillame] It doesn't sit right with me.

• Sanadhil nods

[Guillame] That world will only ever exist as she wishes it to.

[Sanadhil] the examples we saw of her interference *were* rather severe

• Ilphere nods.

[Guillame] I'm not unsympathetic to her, too - I think it's probably better for her to waken. I'm not sure it's better for *us*...

[Sanadhil] by which I mean, it seemed rather extreme cases, mostly brought about by Pheria and Char's growing....selfawareness?

• Sanadhil nods

[Guillame] The ones we saw, yes.

[Sanadhil] true

[Sanadhil] as I said - my concerns are more about the people who will have tp deal with her

[Sanadhil] either ourselves, or the Shadar Kai

[Ilphere] It would have been better if we could have spoken more on the subject with Mlle l'Averti's contact.

[Guillame] Yes - sorry, by "us" I suppose I meant more those outside of her dream.

[Sanadhil] that is still a possibility, I suppose...

[Sanadhil] but it depends on how quickly we wished to act

[Guillame] I don't think that time is of the essence.

[Sanadhil] Mlle LAverti was the one who first raised the issue of returning to the dream

[Guillame] I brought the Chalice on the last excursion mostly for opportunity's sake.

[Ilphere] The longer we wait however, the greater the chance that someone will figure out that you have checked out the chalice, and decide to interfere.

[Sanadhil] Perhaps if she, or her grandfather, came with us, they will have their own opinions of the dream itself...

[Guillame] *nod*

[Sanadhil] perhaps that is something we should move up on our agenda, then

[Ilphere] That is a fine plan...

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] I can speak to Mlle L'averti then, but I expect I shoudl not mention the Chalice?

[Guillame] Might I turn the question back on the two of you? To what specifically do I owe your allegiance in this?

• Sanadhil smiles mildly.

[Sanadhil] Other than scientific curiousity?

[Ilphere] I am, above all, interested in the advancement of knowledge...

[Guillame] Hem.

• Sanadhil eyes Guillame consideringly

[Sanadhil] I admit I do have....other personal interests in the Shadow Plane as well.

[Guillame] I must admit to feeling a small amount of obligation toward a favour asked by a ghost...

• Guillame smiles cheekily

[Sanadhil] ahh, yes!

[Sanadhil] I had almost forgotten that part.

[Guillame] Other personal interests?

[Guillame] Other than your political and/or research excursions?

[Sanadhil] Someone I met on accout of an eaerlier visit.

[Guillame] So it's your feeling that her awakening *would* be beneficial to the Shadar-Kai?

[Sanadhil] I don't know

[Sanadhil] I'm sure the feelings on the subject would be mixed, if it was publicaly known

[Sanadhil] Dozilva knows, though she is living here now....

• Sanadhil eyes guillame to see if he catches on there

[Sanadhil] and Rhyl, and anyone else he may have told.

[Guillame] [under his breath] dol...Zilvia...?

• Guillame shakes his head clear

[Sanadhil] ...Dozilva, yes.

[Sanadhil] Apologies for the subterfuge but it seemed a prudent choice.

[Guillame] I fear with all this consideration, we may feel accountable if this turns out badly!

• Guillame is joking of course, but rather solemnly.

[Sanadhil] indeed...

• Sanadhil smiles grimly as well.

[Guillame] So, we will proceed or not shortly after you make your contact. Is that as we stand?

[Sanadhil] that seems reasonable, yes.

[Ilphere] Agreed...

• Sanadhil looks to Ilphere for confirmation
• Sanadhil looks back to Guillame

[Sanadhil] Was there anyone you wanted to inform?

[Sanadhil] or consult with?

[Guillame] No... nobody who would think it a good idea. I suppose Seth might side with us, but he also seems a little to close to it all... I'm lucky I was not so strongly affected.

• Sanadhil nods

[Sanadhil] We had orginally discussed bringing M. Rademacher with us when visiting the dream.

[Sanadhil] I'm not sure whether that is necessary?

[Guillame] I have no objections, if you think it would be in his interest. He has been our capable protector on many an occasion.

[Ilphere] Probably not..

[Ilphere] There is little he could do against Imraen if she decides to forcibly eject us again...!

[Sanadhil] true.

[Ilphere] However, once she is awake in our world, if that is what we choose to do...

[Guillame] I may consult discretely and crypically with some of my contacts, now that I've taken the time to consider whether this is a good idea at all! I'll be in touch, of course.

[Guillame] But I find it unlikely that I will be shaken.

[Ilphere] It might be prudent to have some additional protection... whether that be in the form of my cousin, or some other

[Sanadhil] Very well then.

• Ilphere nods to Guillame

[Sanadhil] I believe I can transport a fair few people to the shadow plane, when the time comes. I'll be sure to test that ahead of time

[Guillame] Our world is already getting stranger and more magical without our influence. This strikes me as an opportunity to fix something out of place.

[Sanadhil] hopefully, that will prove the case

[Sanadhil] If i can have the opportunity to look at the chalice beforehand, I may be able to determine what we need to do to activate it

[Sanadhil] however, the museum may have a more complete record of its identification?

[Guillame] They might - you could certainly visit me at my house, and I'll be sure to have it available for your visit.

[Sanadhil] thank you, I will plan to do so.