Diablotin 3 session 65

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Session

Session date: December 10, 2017

Diablotin date:

Prologue

<DiablotinNarrator> For today's session, you'll be undertaking a mission to retrieve Princesses Ilphere and Vera. You are in fact literally rescuing the princesses.

<Argent> haha

<Hugonel> are they in another castle?

<Argent> hopefully they wont be in another castle

<DiablotinNarrator> I mean they'll be in another castle than the one you start in...

<DiablotinNarrator> maybe...

<DiablotinNarrator> This is relevant to those of you who have varying interests, even if you aren't particularly aware of what's going on with them. If you are interested in helping Sirris recover, or the issues with the Irminsul, for instance, Ilphere's help is needed before that can be attempted.

<DiablotinNarrator> Moreover, this mission gives you an opportunity to talk to the new Empress, Janelle, and potentially secure her help for other issues of concern.

<Hettienne> aren't I like, scarily large rn

<DiablotinNarrator> I think you're about ~8 months? our timeline is a bit behind so I'm not positive, but I think you're due in 12th month and this is 10th.

<Hettienne> jesus @_@

<Dorien> Oh, heh, I thought you meant like Fae Hettie large. I thouhgt I missed something

<DiablotinNarrator> heh

<Argent> isnt this a dream mission anyway... are we physically going?

<DiablotinNarrator> it's a dream mission

Briefing at the Palace

<DiablotinNarrator> Okay, so you can gather at the palace for a briefing. In attendance will also be the Empress, Xan, and Prince Ruchard (Ilphere's son).

<Janelle> Thank you for coming.

<Janelle> And thank you to M. Orecalo for helping to put this group together. I hope that with your assistance, Princess Ilphere and Princess Vera can be recovered safely.

<Dorien> Of course, Your Majesty. We'll do our best.

• Xandhil nods

<Janelle> I admit that dream travel isn't my area of expertise. Prince Ruchard is skilled in the necessary magics and will be assisting you.

<Aubrienne> Do we have any idea what to expect?

<Xandhil> I don't know what the situation is like in Andusk now.

<Ruchard> Well... I'll be taking you to Andusk. It's, ah... do you know much about it?

<Dorien> ...no?

<Aubrienne> (K:Planes?)

<Ruchard> (yeah you can roll k:planes if you have it)

• Xandhil looks to see if Ruchard wants to field that

<Aubrienne> !roll 1d20+21

• Xandhil rolls for Aubrienne: [ 1d20+21 ] getting [ 15 ] which, after the modifier [ 21 ] totals [ 36 ].
• Denise rolls for Aubrienne: [ 1d20+21 ] getting [ 9 ] which, after the modifier [ 21 ] totals [ 30 ].

<Xandhil> (or anyone else for that matter)

<Aubrienne> (heh)

<Dorien> !roll 1d20+11

• Xandhil rolls for Dorien: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 10 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 21 ].
• Denise rolls for Dorien: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 6 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 17 ].

<Aubrienne> (Apparently I had advantage on that roll :))

<Genevriel> !ROLL1D20+20

• Xandhil rolls for Genevriel: [ Error. The syntax is !roll xdx+x. ].
• Denise rolls for Genevriel: [ Error. The syntax is !roll xdx+x. ].

<Genevriel> !roll 1d20+20

• Xandhil rolls for Genevriel: [ 1d20+20 ] getting [ 19 ] which, after the modifier [ 20 ] totals [ 39 ].
• Denise rolls for Genevriel: [ 1d20+20 ] getting [ 20 ] which, after the modifier [ 20 ] totals [ 40 ].

<Genevriel> (Well, I got either 39 or 40 on K:Planes, take your pick, Julis)

<Genevriel> (-s +a)

<Xandhil> (uh, take the denise one I guess -__-)

<Xandhil> (I'm unofficial ;p)

<DiablotinNarrator> (I already said I was taking the Xan ones)

<Xandhil> (Oh okay then :)

<DiablotinNarrator> anyone else rolling? Hugo?

<DiablotinNarrator> okay well those of you who got above 30 have a good knowledge of Andusk - it's a dream demi-plane that was formerly attached to your plane, so it wound up mirroring it to some extent. It was later separated and stabilized, to prevent it from collapsing on itself once its dreamer was gone.

<DiablotinNarrator> Dorien, you have heard of it as a dream plane but don't know a lot of details about it.

<Dorien> (Yay! My preemptive answer made sense then! :D )

• Ruchard looks to Xan to see if he wants to provide a bit more background.
• Genevriel can explain if there are any blank looks on her companions' faces.

<Hugonel> (sorry, in pain here)

<Hugonel> !roll 1d20+14

• Xandhil nods to Gen's explanation

<Xandhil> The trick is that, as far as I'm aware, no one has really been there since it was stabilized.

<Argent> so what will our reception be like when we arrive? unknown?

<Xandhil> The original dreamer was shadar kai, from the population that was driven out when the tribes of Am made it to the city and trapped serpernt in the arch

<Genevriel> And will there be two of 'us' while we're there. That could be... interesting, or terribly awkward.

<Xandhil> That shouldn't be the case.

<Ruchard> There shouldn't be. It's not connected to our plane like that anymore.

<Ruchard> There are still some... echoes.

• Xandhil nods

<Xandhil> I think the only one of you old enough to maybe have to worry about that is M. Silveira

<Aubrienne> Hugo, avoid be-scarved men.

<Xandhil> heh.

<Aubrienne> Just a precaution.

<Ruchard> You might find, though, that people of your parents' age, for instance, have doubles there. People who in our world have been dead for many decades can still have doubles who are alive there...

<Hettienne> ...

<Ruchard> it can be disconcerting

<Xandhil> The city there was rin by Shadar Kai, with some prominent human families who have worked with them. Most humans were slaves, but there was also a large resistance in the undercity

<Xandhil> very @_@

<Xandhil> Peopel's approaches are very...extreme. The resistance uses willing undead, for example, and some of their leader are basically violent psychopaths who are using the notion to further thier own aims.

<Xandhil> This is where this get a little... more disturbing.

<Aubrienne> Lovely.

<Xandhil> So, as Mlle Doucet mentioned, the plane has been stabilized recently

<Xandhil> part of how that happened involved one of the resistance leaders, a human man who considers himself....or at least calls himself, a priest of Rat

• Janelle nods, looking a bit uncomfortable

<Xandhil> The way the gids are worshipped there really don't corrolate well to how they're seen here.

<Xandhil> anyway

<Xandhil> This man, Father Willem, wanted to take over the dream using his daughter

<Xandhil> Annnnd, his counterpart was the Chancellor, GUillaume Rionet

<Hugonel> What does that mean, 'take over the dream'?

<Xandhil> He wanted to install his daughter, Channel, as the new dreamer, so that he would be able to use her to shape the dream plane

<Xandhil> He basically wants to destroy all the Shadar Kai

<Janelle> as you can imagine this is somewhat... worrying for me.

• Xandhil nods

<Janelle> While I was in the Arch, I saw who I think was Channel. She talked to me about working together.

<Xandhil> ahhh.... great

<Hugonel> And this is like Silvia? Or is her, only not?

<Janelle> If she has access somehow to the Arch or is able to use it, that is extremely troubling. I don't know enough about her to say whether she's evil like her father, but I think at the least she's been influenced by him since birth.

<Xandhil> No, it's like Empress Janelle, only not.

<Hugonel> Oh. Hmm.

<Aubrienne> So she shares his goals?

<Xandhil> I don't know that she'd ever been exposed to other ways of thinking

<Janelle> Well she's been separated from him for a while. I don't know what she thinks now. I'm not sure her current, ah, caretaker is much better >.>

<Xandhil> After the plane*was* stabilized, by another very powerful dream sorcerer and also, I suspect, some divine intervention.... yes

<Aubrienne> Caretaker?

<Xandhil> She was taken in by another member of the resistance, a Ghost called Mother Alma. She's..... well, very slightly more reasonable, but also terrifying.

<Xandhil> but she was also in contact with some more reasonable parties

<Xandhil> I don't know what's happened to her, or how or if she has access to the arch

<Dorien> Is anyone there... not terrifying?

<Janelle> Meanwhile her father appears to have found a way to come here. That's another issue, and one that's being dealt with. Our own Reverend Mother Alma is leading the efforts to locate and eliminate him.

<Aubrienne> It really doesn't sound like it, Dor.

<Xandhil> yes, there are less terrifying, and even good people there

• Xandhil nods to janelle

<Argent> do we expect the dream plane to affect any magical abilties or spell casting?

<Ruchard> Well, ah, the way I'm going to try to take you, you'll be yourselves, but in a dream, if that makes sense.

<Ruchard> You should still have your abilities and equipment and so forth... still have your same personalties, same knowledge...

<Genevriel> As much sense as any of this does, at least.

• Genevriel smiles.

<Dorien> So, I won't be a bird, then?

<Ruchard> Um, not unless I do something very wrong...!

<Dorien> Good, good.

<Ruchard> Your physical bodies will stay here.

<Ruchard> It'll just be like they're asleep.

<Hettienne> What if somethin' happens over there

<Genevriel> . o O (That sounds rather ominously like someone trying to explain death to a young child.)

<Ruchard> Ah, well, the spell I'm going to try is one my mother has been developing.

<Ruchard> So you'll journey there in dreams, and if you are harmed or killed there, you'll return here and wake up unharmed.

<Ruchard> at least, that's how it's supposed to work...

<Aubrienne> Theoretical spellwork. Fun. :)

<Ruchard> Well my main concern, to be honest, is that maybe that's what she was trying and she and Vera got somehow... stuck because of it >.>

<Ruchard> but I'm going to be monitoring you from this side and I'll try to pull you back if things are going badly.

<Argent> (have I met either of the Princesses?)

<Xandhil> (Yes, you were in the FW looking at the tree with Ilphere)

<Xandhil> (And she's been in some other meetings)

<Aubrienne> This is perhaps a silly question, but has anyone tried dispelling the spell the Princess used?

<Aubrienne> If it's a matter of getting stuck in the spell, maybe it can be interrupted.

<Ruchard> We did try that, and it didn't help. If there's some magical effect on the other side that's blocking them from being able to return, it wouldn't be affected by our spells here.

<Aubrienne> Ah.

<Aubrienne> Duly noted.

<Genevriel> So... what happens if we get caught in that same magical effect and you can't bring us back either?

<Ruchard> My hope is that by me staying outside the dream, I'll be able to keep control of the spell's effects, and not become caught or affected by something happening in Andusk itself.

<Dorien> I assume it's a big place. Do we have any leads on where they might be?

<Xandhil> If it does happen that way, we fond the princesses forst, and then we deal with whatever is hapening over there

<Xandhil> (first)

<Aubrienne> We've got some options there, Dor. We can scry, Send, all that jazz.

• Xandhil nods

<Genevriel> There's a lot of 'hopes' and 'ifs' in this proposal...

<Hugonel> Should we expect that they will look like themselves, and not ... like something else, over there?

<Xandhil> they should

<Xandhil> If we run into their doubles, we kneed to stay far far away

<Aubrienne> Yeah, I'd hate to run into a scary version of Ilphere. -_-

<Xandhil> Pheria, Princess Ilphere's version is... maybe one of the scariest people over there.

<Xandhil> YOu really really wouldn't

<Xandhil> it will be easy to distingush her - she at elast one tentacle

<Dorien> ...at least?

<Hugonel> Delightful.

<Xandhil> hopefully we won't encounter her

<Aubrienne> Okay, avoid people with tentacles. Not to sound prejudiced or anything, but that's already kind of a policy of mine.

• Xandhil shrugs

<Ruchard> So if things go very wrong and you need me to try and bring you back, I can do that, but it's all or nothing - I can't just bring back one person alone.

<Dorien> Let's not test out the dying and returning thing unless we have to either, eh?

<Hettienne> how do we tell you we want out?

<Ruchard> You'll have a ...sort of silver cord tied to your waist. It won't show up to other people, just to you. If you tug on it, I'll recall everyone.

<Denise> Guess we better not get it caught on nothin' then :o

<Dorien> I imagine it's not good if it breaks, then.

• Genevriel pulls put her notebook and hastily scribbles something down on it, then signs it.

<Ruchard> No, that'd be bad. But it's sort of .. insubstantial. It won't interact with things there, so you can't catch it on a doorknob by accident or something.

• Genevriel pushes it toward the table.

<Genevriel> I have every confidence in this largely untested spell, but on the off-chance that I don't come back, please consider this my last will and testament.

<Janelle> I'll keep it safe for you.

• Genevriel has written that all she owns should go to Major Maddox Falgout.

<Genevriel> Thank you, Your Majesty.

<Ruchard> It's not untested... it's just untested by me >.>

• Genevriel gives him a*look*.

<Xandhil> It will be fine.

<Ruchard> But I would really like to get my sister and mother back safely, so ... here we are.

• Aubrienne smiles.
• Xandhil says to Ruchard

<Argent> Lets get this done

<Aubrienne> We'll do everything we can.

• Genevriel nods.

<Janelle> Thank you. We'll endeavour to keep things from falling apart on this side while you're away.

• Dorien checks his reolver and potion belt.

The PCs are sent to Andusk

<DiablotinNarrator> Okay, Ruchard will take you to where he wants to cast the spell - I'll assume you can have your equipment and such with you. Justen will also show up, having skipped the briefing because it's boring ;)

<Dorien> (lol)

<Justen> I trust you to fill me in ^-^

• Justen says to Xan with a wink
• Xandhil gives him a reproachful look but also smiles a little

<Dorien> Tentacles bad.

• Ruchard brings you to where his sister and mother have been laid out, and where they've set up a bunch of cots for you guys so you don't have to just lie on the floor.

<Genevriel> . o O (Not at all creepy...)

<Argent><w to Denise> I didn't bring my pigamas

<Argent> (pijamas whatever)

<Denise><w wo Argent> I think you gotta sleep in your clothes unless you wanna be wearin' your PJS over there :p

<Denise> I guess we just go lie down? Will the spell put us to sleep? 'Cause I'm not real sleepy

<Ruchard> Yes, it will put you to sleep.

• Argent shrugs and grabs a cot

<Xandhil> Right, so... GIve me a minute before you cast it, then. Because that won't work on me.

• Ruchard nods
• Xandhil will go lie down, and try and ognore the fact that he is in a big room of people, and meditate himself into sleep
• Genevriel selects a cot as well, and tests it for comfort.

<DiablotinNarrator> they're probably leftover military issue cots, so I assume you're used to them

• Aubrienne will lie down on a cot.

<Aubrienne> I've slept in worse places.

<Dorien> Yeah, like my house.

<Denise> yeah...

<Genevriel> Trenches.

• Hettienne awkwardly tries to get onto one :|
• Denise can give her aunt a hand if needed :3

<Hettienne> I dunno if I'm gonna be able to get up offa this

<Ruchard> oh, uh...

• Ruchard gets you some extra pillows if that helps to prop you up :3

<Denise> I can pick you up if I gotta. Gentle like :3

<Hettienne> Thanks :/

• Genevriel stretches out, her feet dangling over the edge because she is taller than 6 feet.

<Hettienne> Ugh I keep thinkin maybe I oughta not be here >.>

• Dorien will also probably dangle. >.>

<Genevriel> >_<

• Genevriel rolls onto her side and curls up into near-fetal position because that's more comfy than dangling.

<Denise> well no one else is good at all the stuff you;re good at. Like shootin' folks an... gettin' in to places >.>

<Dorien> Hey, I can shoot things. And I can get into places. With explosions.

<Ruchard> Ah... if it would be helpful, if you concentrate on it, you can probably make yourself not be pregnant in the dream. Your physical forms will be your own as you would... I guess normally see them?

• Denise will sit on a cot an try to get comfortable, also being quite tall, by now, and otherwise large

<Ruchard> So if you normally don't think of yourself as pregnant, you should be your, ah, usual self?

<Hettienne> :|

<Aubrienne> I imagine she's been thinking of herself as pregnant for a while now. o.O

<Hettienne> It's hard to not :|

<Hettienne> . o O (typical man talk)

<Ruchard> Sorry... just trying to help :/

<Ruchard> If you focus on what it felt like to not be pregnant, maybe it will carry over to your form in the dream, was all I meant.

<Denise> Maybe you can just be pregnant an it ain't no trouble ^_^

<Ruchard> well, if everyone's ready...

• Argent nods

<Dorien> Yup

<Hettienne> I guess

<Aubrienne> Let's shake a leg. ;)

• Ruchard will wait for everyone to be ready, and then cast the spell.

<DiablotinNarrator> You feel yourselves falling asleep quickly, even though you're not tired, and then you feel a sensation of floating for a moment. If you look around you can see what seem like hundreds or thousands of little bubbles. You are drawn towards the largest of them, and then find yourselves waking up in what looks like a field of grass.

<Justen> Hey... looks like they upped the realism since we were here last.

• Justen says, plucking one of the stems of a flower.

<Aubrienne> They didn't have grass before?

• Argent looks around for threats/dangers?
• Xandhil nods, looking around

<Xandhil> Now while the plane was degrading. There were suggestions of these things outside the city, but the further away you got, the less distinct it was.

<Xandhil> This is much better

<Justen> Not really, no. Especially not in places where no one was paying attention. It was like... hmm. You know how in a painting or a photograph, sometimes the artist focuses on just the most important things, and everythign else is kind of blurry?

<Justen> It was like that, except in the entire world.

<Genevriel> Fascinating.

<Aubrienne> Interesting.

<Dorien> Neat

<DiablotinNarrator> Argent, you don't see any people or anything that appears as a threat.

<Aubrienne> (What's around us, other than grass?)

<Xandhil> we should be able to use real world landmarks to get a sense of where we are

<Argent> (buff time then...)

<Xandhil> Some things are the same, or at least similar enough

• Argent cast enchantment foil, greater long strider, and gmw on his rapier, gmw on Denise's fists

<Denise> oooh :D

• Xandhil will see if he can figure out where we are... >.>
• Dorien will down a See Invisibility Extract and a Cognatagen

<DiablotinNarrator> You can look around and see a road not too far away, some trees, and, off in the distance, you can see the dome of twilight that marks the city's boundaries.

<DiablotinNarrator> You also see that you have, as predicted, thin silver cords fastened about your waists.

<Aubrienne> Stylish.

<Aubrienne> Do we need to do anything to blend in, or will we be fine?

<DiablotinNarrator> They are looped around your waist and the end trails off into wisps of ethereal nothingness.

• Xandhil nods in the direction of the darkness.

<Xandhil> At least it's easy to tell where the city is.

<Xandhil> Humans aren't an uncommon sight, at least the last time we were here. You might stand out for having better clothing than many of them.

• Xandhil says in answer to Aubrienne's question.
• Hugonel takes it all in, trying not to think too much about his possible alter ego

<Aubrienne> Good to know.

<Argent> should we try Sending now, or head into the city first?

<Aubrienne> Sending seems like a good place to start.

<Aubrienne> Give me a couple minutes, then, I guess, unless someone else wants to do the honors.

<Xandhil> It doesn't hurt to try it now. If it succeeds, at least we might be able to narrow down where to look.

<Genevriel> I can do it; I won't be much good in a fight other than healing people.

<Aubrienne> All right, Gen. Give it a go. :)

<Genevriel> You're a little more equipped to do harm, I think, Aubrienne, so save yourself for that.

<Hugonel> Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

<Genevriel> Does it matter which Princess?

<DiablotinNarrator> (if you're familiar with both, it doesn't matter)

<Genevriel> And is there a specific message that you think would be most efficacious?

<Genevriel> (I think I'm more familiar with Ilphere)

<Argent> rescue mission, where are you... something like that

• Genevriel waits for other suggestions but if none are forthcoming she will begin casting.

<Genevriel> !roll 1d20+18

<Genevriel> (Yup, dice script is gone, Lannie)

<DiablotinNarrator> I'm not sure what you're rolling for?

<DiablotinNarrator> and Heather's not there atm because she went to the kids' concert

<Genevriel> The spell though I guess it doesn't matter since Ilphere probably won't resist it

<DiablotinNarrator> rolling for... the spell?

<DiablotinNarrator> there's nothing to roll for.

<DiablotinNarrator> Just tell me what message you're trying to send, and I'll let you know if you get a response.

• Genevriel contacts Ilphere. "Princess Ilphere, we are in Andusk trying to free you and your daughter. Are you all right; where are you so we can find you?"

<DiablotinNarrator> "Trapped by Duchampe, in the palace, asleep. He and Raina are working together, aim to control this plane, by uncertain means. Vera is here too."

• Genevriel relates this message in its entirety to the rest of you.

<Aubrienne> Well, we know where now, and at least the names of who has them. Do we know anything about these two?

<Xandhil> Duchampe is one of the Irrdin'errin - one of the leaders of the city. Also a lich. Raina is Channel's mother >.> If they're working together, that's extremely troubling.

<Hugonel> Lovely.

<Dorien> If they're being kept in the palace this might be tricky.

<Dorien> I assume it's just as hard to get into as ours

<Aubrienne> I'm assuming him being a lich means he's an arcane caster. Any sort of specialties?

<Xandhil> Well, to be honest, the last time we just kind of... walked in, with a bit of help. But the plane was also disintegrating at that point so it might not have had the best security.

<Aubrienne> Argent, what do you think? We've done infiltration before.

<Xandhil> I don't know about specialties, I've never met him.

<Argent> sneaking in blind is tough

<Xandhil> I have a contact in the city who is close with some of the other members of the Irredin'errin - or at least, was, seven years ago. I suppose a lot may have changed since then.

<Xandhil> I can try to make contact with him once we get there and see what he might be able to do to help.

<Argent> better than nothing

<Dorien> I think first thing might be to get caught up on local happenings then.

<Argent> do that at the same time

<Dorien> Yeah

<Xandhil> I think it's also worth trying to talk to Mother Alma.

<Aubrienne> We might be able to do some scouting on the palace, once we have a local base to work from.

<Xandhil> She was the last one to be in touch with Channel, so far as I know - if Channel is still with her, then locating her would be useful, and if she's not, she may at least know where she went.

<Xandhil> That means going into the undercity.

<Xandhil> Which is probably safer for humans in any case, as a base of operations.

<Denise> Is it like the regular undercity?

<Xandhil> More populated.

<Xandhil> A lot of people live down there, there are shops and inns and everything.

<Denise> huh

<Denise> that'll be neat :3

<Denise> well if the ways in are he same, I know some of 'em :3

<Xandhil> They might be? It's worth a try, anyway.

<Denise> well, first we gotta get in

<Xandhil> Let's get going, then.

<Denise> to the rest of the city

• Denise will head towards the weird bubb;e
• Xandhil and Justen will also set off
• Aubrienne follows along

They walk to the city

<DiablotinNarrator> Okay, you can walk into the city. As you get closer, you can see more signs of people - carriages passing you on the road, farmers' carts moving along more slowly, laden with crops.

• Genevriel follows as well, though she might pause once in a while if there's a weird-looking plant to check out. ^-^

<DiablotinNarrator> There are probably plenty of weird-looking plants. At least, things that might grow in the shadow plane, as you cross into the bubble of darkness that surrounds the city.

<Denise> it's weird not seein' any cars...

<Hettienne> how come they're so behind?

<Hettienne> did they just... stop inventing shit after they got separated?

<Genevriel> Too busy trying to seize control to invent anything, maybe.

<Hettienne> Yeah, maybe

<Denise> I guess

<Dorien> Maybe being part of someone else's dream means it's harder to have dreams of your own.

<Xandhil> The population here is also much smaller than in our world, and much more stratified. It might be that the inventors who would have come up with cars are busy starving in the undercity.

<Xandhil> Or were sacrificed to the Arch as children...

<Aubrienne> I'm still not entirely clear on the, well, personhood of these people. They seem to be their own entities, but aren't they the dreams of a single person?

<Dorien> Maybe they just like horses.

<Hettienne> Not anymore I thought?

<Aubrienne> Horses are neat.

<Denise> how is bein' someone's dream like bein' a horse?

• Denise gives Dorien a confused look

<Aubrienne> No, they like horses, they're not*like* horses.

<Denise> ooooh.

<Dorien> I mean, presumably

<Aubrienne> Though, I mean, horses don't invent things either.

<Xandhil> To the best of my knowledge, they are real people with real souls. They aren't lesser or different than us, they've just been shaped by their world in ways that may be difficult for us to understand.

<Denise> I was wonderin' what kinda dreams you've been havin' >.>

<Dorien> I'll tell you when you're older

<Aubrienne> So then they should dream plenty, Dor. The societal explanation seems more likely.

<Genevriel> Some horses figure things out... one of my family's could open the latches on gates. Granted that isn't inventing something, but it does show an ability to try new things and learn from them.

<Hugonel> How, uh, 'big', is Andusk, geographically?

<Xandhil> I'm not certain. It's a limited plane, so it doesn't go on indefinitely, but I don't know if its limits might have changed after it was stabilized.

<Hugonel> I can certainly imagine there would be limited impetus for advanced transportation in such a confined environment.

<Xandhil> At the last time we were here I don't think it was bigger than maybe a hundred miles or so. There were people who'd come from "countries" that no longer existed.

<Genevriel> Could it grow over time?

<Dorien> Do the people here... do they know what their plane is?

<Xandhil> Some of them.

<Hugonel> Clearly this Duchampe does.

• Xandhil nods

<Dorien> Man, imagine finding out your whole world, everything and everyone you know... is just a figment of someone's imagination.

<Genevriel> How do you know we aren't?

<Denise> an like, it an't be*jus8 that, 'cause how did thew person who was dreamin' know what was happnin' in our world to copy it? :o

<Dorien> If we are, I hope I never find out.

<Denise> what a weird weord place....

<Genevriel> Well, if you ever needed an illustration of the infinite power of the mind, this place would be it.

<Genevriel> I wish I'd been able to make my own world when I was a girl. I was often quite lonely.

<Xandhil> Everyone makes dream planes all the time, actually :) they don't normally persist.

<Xandhil> This one is just unusual for its longevity and relative stability.

<Genevriel> Well, one that persists, then.

• Genevriel smiles slightly.

<DiablotinNarrator> The walls of the city as you approach are guarded, and there are guards checking people as they go in and out of the gates.

<Denise> are wegonna magic them?

• Xandhil can get us past this I suspect ;)

<Denise> I feel like there's gonna be too many to fight

<Xandhil> I'll handle it.

<Dorien> Let's not fight the city guards in broad daylight if we can avoid it.

• Xandhil will do a Jedi mind trick on the guards ;p
• Guard waves you through because clearly you are harmless.

<DiablotinNarrator> Entering into the city is odd - it's familiar and yet oddly alien at the same time. There's a much wider proportion of SK here, and of human-SK mixed individuals. There are, as mentioned, no cars or signs of modern technology such as power wires or electrical lights. Clothing seems to be wildly different than what you'd see at home, and occasionally optional.

<Denise> oh gosh :o

<Denise> it's like the First World all over @_@

<Aubrienne> Maybe we can do some shopping while we're here. :)

<Genevriel> I'd rather not.

<DiablotinNarrator> Wealthy nobles are carried through the streets in chairs carried by slaves, beggars line busy areas looking for a handout, the markets smell of unfamiliar scents and spices.

• Genevriel eyes up a particularly scanty outfit.

<Denise> that just ain't right

• Denise says of the people being carries

<DiablotinNarrator> The general layout of the city, however, is familiar to you - you can look around and see where certain streets are the same, where probably the Grand would be, or the Place d'Iena, or whatever it's called here.

<Aubrienne> (Did we not have sedan chairs in the Empire back in the day?)

<DiablotinNarrator> (yes, back in the day)

<Aubrienne> It's crappy, sure, but not like we didn't have them, Den. These folks just haven't, you know, outgrown them yet.

<Denise> taht don't make it okay!

<Aubrienne> Not saying it does.

<Denise> :/

<Genevriel> It's a little surreal, isn't it...

<Denise> well... if we're tryin' to go to the undercity, I guess we can try an find a way in

<Denise> (I don't know if you want me to roll, Julie? K: local I assume? Hettie might be better at it anyway)

<Hettienne> I wonder if any of the entrances are the same... hpe so

<Hugonel> The dreamer of this place has quite the imagination.

<DiablotinNarrator> (yeah, K: local would work :)

<DiablotinNarrator> (probably with a penalty, but.)

<Denise> (yeah)

<Hettienne> (I'll roll)

<Hettienne> !roll 1d20+16

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

<Hettienne> (plus 2 if my favoured terrain: urban count gets me a bonus? I know it does for K: geo)

<DiablotinNarrator> (sure, I'll say that would count)

<Hettienne> (-count)

<Hettienne> (woo)

<Dorien> I wonder how close to correct the physical constants are here. Gravity, friction, light spectrum... Everything seems normal, but I should take some measurements if we have time...

<DiablotinNarrator> Hettie, you can locate an entryway into the undercity, behind some boxes in an alleyway.

<Lan-cloud> !roll 1d20+11

• Denise rolls for Lan-cloud: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 5 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 16 ].

<Denise> (ha ha yeah, go Hwttie ;)

<Hettienne> Oh what d'you know :3

<Hettienne> Looky looky.

• Denise is clearly too reliant on Enver ;p

<Xandhil> Excellent :)

<Aubrienne> Nice, Hettie :)

<Denise> yeah :D

<Xandhil> All right - do you want me to come with you, or I could go and try to make contact with this ally of ours, and meet back with you later.

<Denise> I don't know what we're doin' down here :o

<Aubrienne> You can find us again, right?

<Aubrienne> We can just find a place to stay.

<Denise> okay

<Xandhil> If it's like it was the last time we were here, there's an ... inn, I guess.

• Xandhil gives you information on how to find it.

<Xandhil> We can plan to meet there.

<Aubrienne> Sounds good.

<Justen> Word of advice, try the 'mixed grill', avoid the stew.

<Justen> Just don't ask what's mixed about it.

<Denise> can't be worse'n shables food >.>

<Xandhil> Good luck - we'll see you at the Setting Sun, then :)

<Denise> bye :3

<Genevriel> Good luck yourself, M. Orecalo.

<Xandhil> Find out what you can about the current situation from the locals, and of course if you're able to find out anything about Mother Alma or Channel that would be excellent. We'll return as soon as we can.

<Aubrienne> Be safe.

<Aubrienne> Well, as safe as possible.

<Xandhil> thank you.

They go to the undercity

<DiablotinNarrator> You can make your way down into the undercity, then. For those of you who are familiar with the Diablotin undercity, it's similar but more lived in - there are people around, areas with stalls set up to sell goods, doors covered over with hanging hides marked with various symbols that are sort of reminiscent of Rat signs but not quite.

<DiablotinNarrator> You can imagine it might be what it would have been like when your undercity was populated, in some ways.

• Aubrienne is strangely moved by the whole experience.

<DiablotinNarrator> The population down here is probably about 95% human, as well.

<Aubrienne> Just imagine. Our ancestors lived their whole lives like this. Well, for some of us. >.>

<DiablotinNarrator> Torches light the passages, indicating that at least some people here don't have handy dandy low light vision, though. It does make it a bit smoky in places.

<Denise> yeah.... :o

<DiablotinNarrator> You can find the inn Xan mentioned, with its sign of a setting sun painted on the tanned hide door covering.

<Aubrienne> Well, let's get to know the locals.

• Aubrienne will head inside and take a look around.

<Denise> I wonder if it was based on a real world place... :3

• Denise follows

<DiablotinNarrator> You enter into the room, with its relatively low ceilings and smoky atmosphere. The locals turn and look at you, of course, but nobody seems aggressive or menacing at the moment, more just puzzled/curious as to who you are.

<Aubrienne> It occurs to me we don't have a way to pay...

<DiablotinNarrator> Hettie, you have a look at the folks in here, and your eyes settle on the woman at the bar. She's older, short, grey haired... she looks like your mother might have looked if she'd had another twenty years or so to live.

• Hettienne pales
• Denise will go up to the bar

<Genevriel> Maybe we can barter.

<Genevriel> Healing services in exchange for lodgings.

<Hettienne> Or somethin' anyway

• Hettienne follows Denise.

<Bartender> you're new here - what can I get you?

• Bartender asks Denise

<Argent> silver is still silver no difference whats stamped on it

<Denise> well, I just wanna make sure our money's ok, and, like, if it ain't what we need to do to pay for things

<Bartender> Well, what sorta money you got?

<Denise> um, this sort?

• Denise will show a few 'silvers', which may or may not be actual silver anymore?
• Bartender takes a look at them

<Bartender> Yeah, I seen some like this before... we get 'em once in a while.

<Denise> okay then... I think we want some... mixed grill? an some drinks?

<Bartender> Sure thing, comin' up.

<Bartender> How many?

• Bartender gets a headcount of you guys

<Bartender> Seven?

<Denise> eyah

<Bartender> Corbin, seven mixed grills!

<Genevriel> Do you have anything non-alcoholic?

• Bartender yells back into the kitchen, and will pour drinks for the lot of you.

<Bartender> We got water... I dunno if you wanna drink it though.

• Hettienne surreptitiously glances around to see if there's anyone else who looks familiar >.>

<Denise> oh, that's my granda's name :3

• Hettienne eblows denise

<Hettienne> (elbows)

<Denise> huh?

<Hettienne> :|

<Genevriel> Boiled water?

• Genevriel asks hopefully.

<Bartender> Sure, if that's what you want.

<Denise> I guess I gotta go sit down.

<Hettienne><w> that's him, that's them, but now :x

<Hettienne> (not)

<Genevriel> Yes, thank you.

• Bartender will substitute one of the Mystery Alcohols for some boiled water.
• Denise looks at Hettie for a moment before she gets it

<Denise> :o

<Denise><w> Your mam" :o

• Hettienne nods...

<Denise> :3

• Hettienne lingers close-ish to the bar...
• Bartender gets your drinks, and a man who looks like your grandfather, tall and heavy, except with a smile on his face that seems unexpected, brings you your meals.

<DiablotinNarrator> The 'mixed grill' seems ot basically be a platter of grilled meat and vegetables, all mixed together (heavy on the root veggies and mystery meat)

<Denise> oh gosh...

<Denise> thank you

<Bartender> Anythin' else I can get you?

<Denise> I think we maybe need a place to stay for a bit?

<Denise> an' like... some news?

<Bartender> we got a few rooms free.

<Bartender> as for news, I guess that depends? what'd you wanna know?

<Denise> ummm...

• Denise looks at the more social folks

<Hettienne> Just like... what's local gossip, what's happenin... We ain't been round in a while

<Hettienne> Anythin' unusual goin on lately, I dunno.

<Bartender> oh yeah? well Darvell's son ran off with some floozie from up topside, an' Hansen took it in his head he's gonna be a gladiator now, so he's off to get himself killed I guess, an' the temple of Rat's all closed down, nobody been in there for weeks.

<Hettienne> Weeks? Damn :o

<Denise> A gladiator? gosh.

• Bartender seems perfectly willing to share local gossip, although most of it may not mean anything to you.

<Hettienne> Where'd they go?

• Argent will use the opportunity to pick up on the local slang and accent

<Bartender> Well, the Father just shut things down, I guess. Packed up the lot, said they were goin' to a better world or some such nonsense.

<Denise> hrm. >.>

<Hettienne> Father... WIllem?

<Denise> all of the whole church?

<Aubrienne> Everybody was going to a better world?

<Bartender> yeah that's him. right nutter, he is. him an' his bunch of rats, that's most all who follows him anymore.

<Hettienne> So everyone from the temple went with 'im? :o

<Bartender> I guess so, ain't seen 'em around since.

<Denise> like, actual rats?

<Hettienne> Rats like... yeah

<Hettienne> ?

<Bartender> Yeah, real rats, little ones, a few of the big ones.

<Hettienne> Well ain't that a thing.

<Bartender> I mean, he got people followers too, but not so many as he used to.

<Hettienne> ANy of*them* left?

<Bartender> Not that I've seen. I guess they followed him off to wherever he took it in his head. After he came back he was never quite right... although I'd say he wasn't right to start with.

<Denise> came back from where?

<Bartender> Ah, some while back he disappeared for a while, long while. Maybe most of a year? Anyway, he came back, but he was real moody after, shut in, not hardly talkin' to no one but his faithful.

<Denise> huh

<Bartender> I mean, he always had a lotta crazy talk anyway.

<Bartender> Like that the world was a bubble an' it was gonna burst one of these days. Imagine :p

<Denise> huh

<Bartender> Lotta nonsense.

<Denise> yeah >.>