The continuing adventures of Magnus, GMed by Tadeusz... :)
Tadeusz at 2013.03.27 10:14:
You're riding on a surfboard, on the edge of a tsuanmi, with others to your right and right riding houses, horses, hackneys, and hovercraft on the same wave all engaged in what seemed to be a race. Some laugh and smile at you, others jeer, but all acknowledge you. And then an Apache helicopter, held in the claws of a roc with wings made of gold, swoops down to strafe all the racers...
You wake with a bird sitting on your face. It flutters off. You're in an alley with rough, large stones under your back, and looming darkness over head.
Magnus at 2013.03.27 17:44:
I'll get up and get a better look around.
What is that looming darkness above me?
Do I still have that Torc on me?
I'll try to gather some chi to see if it comes to me.
OOC: Previous thread <a href="http://gamingoutpost.com/talk/topic/magnus-in-mid-tenn/page/12/">here</a>
Tadeusz at 2013.03.27 21:24:
You're in an alley leading on to a small square surrounded by three story apartment buildings with iron raillings for the walkways in front of them. A desultory fountain is in the midst. Its dirty and dim. The only light is provided by a gas lantern hanging off the edge of one of the apartment complexes.
Looking up, you see spots of colored light, and a solid mass way up, and something huge extending down from it toward the ground. Its allodd and huge.
Torc is on your neck, but it might as well not be as you raise a sweat merely trying to see the flow of mana. Its very weak, and lethargic, and the colors tilt toward red and black more than green and blue.
Magnus at 2013.03.31 18:53:
I failed...
Alicia and Greta are dead...
A terrible rage comes from within me. Rage at myself for failing. Rage at the world for this injustice.
For a brief moment I wish to smash everything around me to make the pain go away.
I let out an anguish scream
but without a decent source of red mana to fuel my rage, the feelings collapse on themselves and I'm left feeling empty.
I gather myself up and start wandering. Mainly towards where I feel my stuff.
I'll try to pick a pebble up with psionics to see how well they work here.
Tadeusz at 2013.03.31 21:21:
Weak after your fury, you push yourself forward. The pebble floats into your hand.
You walk down an alley, up another one, pass several guys who are smoking cigarettes in the near dark. They have on short dark jackets, t-shirts, and khakis, and leather shoes. Past several garbage cans of metal, and then on to a wide straight street that leads you down under an intricately grilled ironwork awning.
Lights are more common here.
And you come to a set of tables on the sidewalk with a dozen or so people arguing amongst themselves. Your items are sitting on a table in front of them. They're clearly discussing your items.
The language seems French-ish.
Magnus at 2013.03.31 22:03:
I'll use psionics to lift and carry my laser rifle to myself.
Then I'll do the same thing with my zweihander.
Then I'll try to send my thoughts into their mind.
These are my items. Return them to me.
Tadeusz at 2013.03.31 22:06:
They look startled, and then they bring them to you.
One man asks...
'Le Bon Dieu?'
OOC: Because I had to....
Magnus at 2013.03.31 22:29:
Le = something like 'the' in French
Bon=... ???
dieu=sounds a bit like deus so maybe it is god...
I have no clue, I don't speak French
I look at the man that spoke to me funny.
I'll connect to his mind telepathically.
I'm sorry, I don't speak your language. What did you ask me?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.01 06:31:
Are you a god?
Magnus at 2013.04.01 18:36:
For some reason I keep getting mistaken for a god. Anyway, No I am not a god.
Does anyone you know speak another language? One called English perhaps?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.02 13:29:
Well, your items appeared out of nothing on the floor of my cafe'. We put them on the table, and I and my waiter, and wife and my customers were discussing the situtaion when you walked up and spoke mind to mind with us. I think we are justified in our thought.
English? No, I am sorry. What is that? But I do know of those who speak Avike, and Latin, and the Tongue of Angels as those arrogant pigs call it.
Magnus at 2013.04.02 17:51:
yeah. That is unusual. I can see why you would think that... oh, You know what I did to talk with you...Are things like speaking Mind to Mind common here?
the only one of those languages I've heard of is Latin. And I don't speak Latin.
Do you mind if we sit down for a bit and talk so you can get me up to speed with whats going on here?
Who are those arrogant pigs as you called them? What is that big floating thing over there?
I'm extremely new here.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.02 20:16:
Ah, no. There are tales of holy men, of ascetics, of the strange who had such abilities, but most think in these modern days of Science that such tales are myth.
Unfortunate, that. Perhaps you wish to go to the Fascist States of Italic?
Please. I will have my wife bring forth some wine, some cheese, some garlic bread.
With that, he gestures you to a chair, and sits down himself, and speaks quickly to his wife who nods, and scurries off shouting at the waiter. The others sit down as well, but keep their eyes on you.
The foreigners come to le Gallia, who sully her beauty and her traditions of reason and scholarship with their worship of their infidel Black Throned God. He sits on a throne made of black rock, and strives to eliminate beauty and glory by forcing us to submit to him. Ach. The young men of their Society are cruel. It is good we have the Brigade to protect us.
Oh. He is startled at the question.
That is Valhalla, and Yggdrasil which holds up Valhalla. It is where the gods live four miles up.
Magnus at 2013.04.03 17:07:
I don't care much for Fascists. What's the government here?
That's good, I like Cheese and Garlic Bread. And I get to try your wine.
Where do the foreigner come from?
What can you tell me about the Black Throned God? Sounds like something I would oppose.
What gods do you worship? What can you tell me about Valhalla And the gods that live there?
Ok let me make sure I guessing the geography correctly.
We're in Gallia. To the west is Hispania or Spain. to the east is Germania or Germany. to the south is Italic. and to the north west is a island called Albion or England.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.03 22:46:
The Fourth Republic. They are weak, preach democracy, but spend-spend, and never able to do anything.
The wine is a very good red tasting of summer and fruits, and the cheeses are several soft whites similar to Feta, along with some more piquant goat cheeses.
The Eastern Islands.
He is a new god. He tells his people to bring the whole world under his throne with the word of arguement, or the gift of gold, or the fist of fury, or the stick of beating of slaves. They hold slaves, even if its against the Fourth Republic, but the government does nothing.
We worship the Old Gods such as Odin and Thor and the river and land gods, but they sleep more so we spend more time worshipping the Great General. He is for Gallia.
Hispana, yes. Not Germania, but the Germanies, for there are dozens of small princedoms. And to the northwest is the Isle of the Saxons which they share with the Cymru.
Magnus at 2013.04.04 18:56:
The Eastern Islands... there are several possibilities I can think of.I wish you had a map to show me.
The Saxons... English is probably closest to their language.
Can you tell me more about the Great General?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.04 21:56:
It is easy enough. He yells at the waiter who enters the home behind the cafe' and hunts down a map. Spread out on the table, it reveals that the Indian Ocean is a vast land mass called the Hamivan Plateau, but west of it, India and the Mid-east and parts of Egypt don't exist except as several hundred islands, many of which are volcanic.
It could be, but I do not know the Saxon language. They are traders to the far corners of the world, and they learn the languages of the locals.
Oh, yes, he was the greatest general of my great-grandfather's time. My great, he fought for the General. But eventually, the General was conquered by a coalition of many nations, but rather than surrender, he dared the Siege Perilous and was gone for twenty years. But then he came back....not as a man, but as a god. Even now, he looks after Gallia, although the other gods restrict him from just smiting our enemies.
Magnus at 2013.04.11 16:45:
So those are the Eastern Islands
What is the Siege Perilous
Tadeusz at 2013.04.12 00:46:
And the Islands are poor land, but they have many sons, and so they send their sons to us to bedevil us.
Up the Great Tree, it is said, is the City of the Gods, and in there is a chair, which only the very brave, who are without fear, may dare to sit. If they sit, and survive, they can come back. Some come back as monstrous things, for this is the judgement of the Chair which none may overrule. Most come back not at all. But some come back as gods.
Magnus at 2013.04.18 08:37:
Sounds like something I should try If I don't find something to do here. I guess I should fly up to the City of the Gods and take a look at it.
What can you tell me about the mystics you mentioned before that had powers similar to mine?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.18 20:03:
You must be very brave or very foolish to even consider trying the Siege Perilous.
But you cannot fly, you must climb, or one of the gods might summon you, or there is the tale of the Jack and the Golden Rope, where the Lady of the Long Hair let down her hair from the city edge so that Jacque could rescue her.
Oh, hmmm. there was in the last century the Magister of Metals, he served the lords of the Second Republic. And going back some centuries, back to the Kings, there is this church of St. Elarion, said to be beautiful and chaste, which proves she is not of Gallia, for only the most beautiful can afford to be chaste. It is, ah, four or five streets over, I think. And then there is supposed to be the Thing Underneath, a monstrous creature, that can compel with his eyes.
Magnus at 2013.04.18 21:02:
Probably both.
Well I can't think of anything else to ask at the moment. Thank you for talking to me. Hmm...That was worth a favor. What would you like me to do for you?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.19 00:43:
Could you go and talk to the Threat Brigade just to see if you'd like to be a new recruit. Tell them I sent you. They're good men.
Magnus at 2013.04.19 08:08:
Ah, I didn't catch your name. Allow my to introduce myself. I am called Magnus
Where do they recruit for the Threat Brigade?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.19 08:54:
I am Lemuel San Crontain, and I run the cafe' on the 12th Arrondissement. A pleasure to meet you Magnus. The Threat Brigade can be met at the Legion Stadium for football players.
He points it out. Its about a mile away, and seven story tall oval stadiums make for good destination points.
Magnus at 2013.04.20 07:39:
It's a pleasure to meet you too Lemuel. Thank you for all of your help.
I'll pick my things up and attempt to use telekinesis to fly to the stadiums.
If that doesn't work, I'll just walk to them.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.20 20:55:
It doesn't work. You walk there, and as you get close, you see small groups, sometimes just twos, but often fours, that casually stand at the streetcorners under the gas lights, and keep an eye on things. They seem to be well received by the locals who talk to them, and they talk back, but its clear they are on guard.
They notice you, but do nothing to impede your progress.
When you walk up to the stadium, you see large painted signs above arc lights on the ground that illuminate them. "Thet Brigadeur!" with a raised fist, and "Onvar Legion!". Most of the lights in the stadium are not on, but you do see a sign that seems to say that in two days hence 'le Legion batal Gerenadair'.
There is a group of well-dressed young man standing near the open entrance of a chain link fence into the stadium. And you see your first car. a heavy, blocky mass in black, parked on the sidewalk near them. Its running, and white steam is risinginto the air above it.
Magnus at 2013.04.20 21:56:
I contact one of their minds.
Excuse me. Is this the area for recruitment to the Threat Brigade?
Tadeusz at 2013.04.21 00:19:
The man stares at you with shock. He babbles at the others, and then one of them, with a sense of authority, steps forward, and touches his head, and points at your head.
Major Leclerc would speak with you mind to mind, stranger. I am Antoine, and yes, you are with the Threat Brigade, and in a place of recruitment. Thank you for coming.
Magnus at 2013.04.21 20:32:
Greetings Antoine. I am called Magnus. It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad I found this place. Well I'll Speak with Major Leclerc now.
I'll contact the guy who has the sense of authority around him.
Major Leclerc I presume? I am called Magnus. Lemuel San Crontain, who runs the cafe on 12 Arrondissement, recommended that I come and talk to you to see if I would like to join
Tadeusz at 2013.04.22 06:59:
Leclerc extends his hand in a greeting handshake.
Lemuel, even all of the 12th are good friends of ours. Magnus, you say? I have never conversed mind to mind. It is strangely agreeable.
I think I should speak to you of our goals, and then what support we can offer.
We stand for Gallia, as she is, and for her people.A land of reason and poetry, of good food, good wine, and good friends. A land where a man can talk to his friends of most anything except the seditious, and ...
He smiles...
....the prettiness of his mistress in front of his wife.
But the Fourth Republic, they do not have the courage to do so. Some of them support our cause, in secret, but in general, they are well-meaning dupes with some paid off traitors.
The men from the Eastern Islands come with atheir strange rules, their cruel god, their unGallic ways, and demand that we change in our own homeland! The outrage is enormous. We appeal to the gov't, but they are the ones sending ships to bring in the immigrants as they call them....be honest....invaders.
Do you have any questions so far?
Magnus at 2013.04.22 17:52:
I'll return his handshake.
Unfortunately I have to converse mind to mind because I do not know the language of Gallia. I hope to learn it quickly.
Hmmm. Wherever you go one thing always remains the same. Politicians are dumb. but these sound particularly dumb.
Yeah I do have a question. What can you tell me about the Eastern Island's strange rules and and Cruel God? I heard a bit from Lemuel, but I would like to know more.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.23 08:26:
He puts up a hand, and talks to one of his others who runs off. Then he turns back to you.
He laughs and repeats your comment to the others who also laugh.
They give those of their religion the right to rule over those who are not, such as the Sedren, the Gallians, the worshippers of the Older Gods, even the Ancien followers, few tho' they be. And they have no mercy for those who follow not any god.
If one is accused in their courts, one is not allowed to testify unless you are of their belief because 'all those who do not believe are liars, and may not speak before the Judge' which they take to mean even human judges.
One may only speak of what you believe or think in your own house, and if such is deemed 'dangerous' then not even then.
They forbid their people from reading our books.
Our sisters may marry them, but not in reverse. And indeed, our sisters, if they dissappear for a few days, often come back 'married' against their will. But these sisters, being women, are not allowed to speak in their defense.
They require those not of their ways to bow, and step back when they pass, which no true son of Gallia will do!
We are the Fist of the People! We are the Will of Gallia made manifest. Their god says that all must submit to him, by means fair, or devious and corrupting, or by force, and in this life. He gives his people the right to wage war, to lie, to kidnap, to murder in his name. Besides, he is not that bright. I've read their holy book, compared to even the least of the thinkers of Gallia, it is the scribbles of a plagiarizing toddler. And compared to the Tactics and Strategy Manual, it is gibberish.
Magnus at 2013.04.23 21:56:
I get steadily angrier as I listen to what the Easter Islands people do.
And your politicians are importing these barbarians? They Sound too dumb to live.
I would Like to help you. So I can oppose them.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.23 22:29:
Well, I like this man. If you wish we can do something tonight. Or...later.
He has one of the others bring a four foot long, brass studded club of formed wood. The brass studs go down in the clobbering end. There is a smoothed out handle toward the other end.
He has a couple of them give you a demo fight for you to watch of them going through some various methods of using the Threat Brigade's club.
Only those of the Brigade use this. So if you see someone with one who asks for help....
And a man comes up, a foreign man of pale blonde hair, along with one of Brigade who had left earlier.
This is Ja'ime of the Saxons. He is an accomplished master of languages, and a fair if irritable teacher. Try not to beat him up when he yells at you.
Ja'ime speaks, and while you don't understand a word he says, there is something to it, a music that is familar. He tries several others but the first is the closest.
Magnus at 2013.04.24 00:24:
I like this weapon.
If you like, I could give a demostration of some of the things I can do
After Je'lime tries a few languages I'll speak
"Does this sound like a language you know?"
If I'm right, then English should be similar to the native language of the Saxons
Tadeusz at 2013.04.24 22:00:
They are eager to see your demonstration. They are fighters, and curious minded.
He speaks back in the first tongue, and after a bit you and he recognize a number of words. At that point, he writes down a few words for you. You see 'fyre' and he says something that sounds more like 'fee-ray'....
He gives you a few more examples and they are plain and blunt words which makes them easier to learn. Also, he has a way about him that is somehow easy to understand. But when your eyes drift to the side once....SMACK. He thumps you on the head with an open hand.
Magnus at 2013.04.25 07:26:
I'll demonstrate my Martial Arts and and what I can do with the zweihander. I'll ask them to set up three expendable ranged targets and demonstrate my Mind Laser and my laser rifle on them. I'll then attempt to pick up a lot of pebbles off the ground with TK and then launch them with the speed of bullets at the third target.
=======================
*Thump*
I'll say '"ow" in a deadpan tone
Hmmm I guess he doesn't like it when your attention drifts. Now why did I do that? Learning a new language is interesting.
I'll pay more attention to him
Tadeusz at 2013.04.25 07:43:
They take you out to the 'football' or soccer field. and there are targets already set up. Others are training, some on their own, and the less trained under direction in a group of twenty.
The mind laser does not work. The laser rifle does, and it gets their attention. The TK bullet stones work.
The instructor tries, but then gives it up as a bad deal, and soon you have about thirty Gallians surrounding you, all very enthused and curious, and friendly. They want you to do it again. They want to use the laser rifle themselves. Several of them want to take you on in a sparring match, Threat Brigade club vs. a wrapped for safety zwhiehander.
==========
A young lady in a flowing dress had strolled by with the kind of grace and confidence of someone who knows they are good looking and wants attention is what drew your mind away. Learning this Saxon is more like learning a far dialect of English. It is a very direct and plain language, and you remember that the invasion of William the Conqueror brought French to England and a lot of new words of the longer more complicated sort.
Kyll for Kill is Saxon in this universe. Murder is more likely Norman French import.
Magnus at 2013.04.25 08:24:
I'll use the broadcast project thoughts on them.
This is a Laser Rifle. It fires a high energy beam of coherent light. The damage it does to humans isn't pretty. a hit will rapidly convert the water at the hit site to steam and cause a steam explosion. If that doesn't kill them the rapid rise in body temperature will incapacitate them and probably kill them. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view., the designers of this weapon didn't understand warfare. They only gave the weapon ten shots and made it impossible to reload in a timely manner. It's ether spend several minutes changing out the battery or wait all day for the Sun to recharge it. and I don't have extra batteries. This weapon is unique here and I don't have the skill to repair it if it breaks.
I'll test my psionic Armored skin technique to see if it works here.
If it does, I'll take them up on a sparring match.
===================================
I should be able to learn it pretty quickly then.
Tadeusz at 2013.04.30 06:51:
</quote>
<quote Tadeusz at 2013.04.30 06:56>
Having problems with my PC.
They are very enthused with the laser, and wonder if it was meant as a weapon of war. The armored skin technique does not work. Your demo of skill wins respectful as among equals applause. After that, they get out the wine and crackers and talk turns to theoretical jibber jabber.
You do seem to pick up a good bit of Saxon in the hour you study that night.
The leader asks if you would be interested in a mission tomorrow night.
Magnus at 2013.05.01 17:17:
What kind of mission?
Tadeusz at 2013.05.01 21:43:
Over on the 17th Arrondisement, there is a bakery whose owner is less reliable than your friend on the 12th. He's being threatened by the Society so instead of asking for help, he's helping them. We are going to put him on trial, judge him, and then track down some of the Society members nearby to make sure they know to leave him alone.
When you hear him say 'judge' you get a flash of his intentions. He figures to cut off a finger of the baker. And when he says 'make sure' well that is pretty clear, he intends to beat the crud out of as many as he can get his hands on. Broken bones a plus.
Magnus at 2013.05.05 17:02:
I mentally recoil at the idea of cutting a mans finger off.
Is it really necessary to cut the baker's finger off? And who are the Society you plan on beating up?
Tadeusz at 2013.05.05 18:32:
Well we could break his legs. The Society is the fighting arm of the Eastern Islanders.
Magnus at 2013.05.08 18:14:
Ok. What did he do to help them that deserves breaking his legs or cutting his finger off?
Tadeusz at 2013.05.08 22:06:
He blinks at you looking faintly astonished.
He helped them. He let them buy food from his shoppe. We think he let some sneak through his shoppe and out back when we were hunting them. Its probable he's told them some of our secrets.
Magnus at 2013.05.09 18:57:
hmmm. That would be treason to Gallia if that is true... It should be easy enough for me to find out if he did those things. After all , Reading minds is only a small step away from reading memories.
Tadeusz at 2013.05.09 21:18:
He agrees.
The next night, you're off to get into a fight. You head down into the city, with a dozen Threat Brigade members, and then you see twenty guys in black leather jackets drift out from alleys around your group. They're armed with short axes and butcher knives.
You also see two policemen, and they see the developing fight and turn around and make themselves scarce.
Magnus at 2013.05.09 21:44:
I draw my Zweihander.
I then use TK lift a bunch of pebbles and launch them into the enemy crowd.
Then I would charge the nearest enemy with a downward chop with the zweihander.
Tadeusz at 2013.05.10 16:49:
You sting several and knock one down with a pebble strike to his nose. Charging zwiehander in hand, you see one step forward and swing his short axe sideways into your ribs while you cut him in half from crown to breastbone. His axe loses force and is not terribly sharp and you feel a sharp pain in your side but no wetness.
The next couple try to circle you on oposite sides and you slice one's belly open.
The fight has begun in ernest, but the clangor and clamor of the battle seems oddly distant to you as you focus in on the two (one steps up to replace the injured one) man duel you're in. The guy to your right is thinking about throwing a butcher knife at your head. The guy to your left is moving closer, holding his axe in a defensive position which could rapidly change.
Magnus at 2013.05.10 18:12:
I'll lift the one that's planning on throwing the butcher knife with TK and then charge him and slice him while he can't dodge.
I'll then switch stances with the Zwiehander. widening my grip by holding it at the pommel and the blunt section near the cross guard.
I'll then use the zweihandes superior reach to make spearlike thrusting attacks on the other guy
Tadeusz at 2013.05.11 13:20:
You lift the knife thrower to be, and he considers throwing but decides against it, and then you slice him up. Shifting stance you wheel about as the other comes at you, and he impales himself in the heart on your first jab.
And then no one is coming at you.
And your concentration widens. You're suprised to see the street littered with injured and the dead. Most are Society, but a few are Threat Brigade. There are a few Society, but they are in full blown flight, and a second later around a corner and gone.
The leader conveys that its time to leave, and the distant police sirens reinforce that message.
Magnus at 2013.05.11 13:57:
I'll follow the leader.
Tadeusz at 2013.05.13 20:58:
Low whoops, and excited chatter which is quieted up by the leader as you and the others dodge down alleys and cut katty corner across streets, and within a quarter of a mile you've lost them utterly. If they were even seriously chasing you.
Then he heads over to the baker who invites everyone in, but looks frightened. He does not look like a dangerous man.
Magnus at 2013.05.14 06:40:
I'll connect to the baker's mind to hear his thoughts and go though his memories to see what he has done.
Tadeusz at 2013.05.15 21:35:
He did as alleged, but he did so from fear of the Society.
Magnus at 2013.05.19 13:51:
I'll contact the leader with telepathy.
He did as you said. But he was motivated by fear of the Society.Which suggests that some of the common people don't think that the Threat Brigade can protect them from the Society. It might be more effective at wining the support of the people if you let him off with a warning and tell him that he can contact the Threat Brigade if the Society bothers him again.
Tadeusz at 2013.05.21 20:55:
The leader looks to the side, and purses his lips. He nods his head.
Magnus, how about we set you up as a local precinct guard. You'd be responsible for three square blocks, and could recruit helpers. And if you get in over your head, you can send a messenger for help.
As this areas Guard Commander, you'd be responsible for what happens and what punishments are dealt out.
He gives you a thoughtful look.
Magnus at 2013.05.26 08:30:
Hmmm. I wouldn't be opposed to that. But I think it should wait until I'm more familiar with Gallia and her language.
Still. This Baker needs to be shown why the Society needs to be opposed and the consequence of helping them.
Let me deal with the Baker. I think I can do something that will hit closer to his heart than mere physical injuries.</i>
Tadeusz at 2013.05.28 23:20:
He agrees, and has a curious look on his face. Its almost like he's a scientist and you're the experiment. He wants to find out what you're made of, and what use you can be, and you sense he's not opposed to learning wisdom if you have any to offer.
He makes a hand gesture as in 'he's all yours'. The Baker recognizes the meaning of the gesture and turns a frightened gaze to you.
Magnus at 2013.06.03 19:01:
I connect my mind to the baker's
<i>Greatings Baker. I am Magnus.
The First thing you are going to do is tell me what you know about the Society.
Tadeusz at 2013.06.03 21:44:
They are invaders,and not of Gallia, indeed most do not like my fine pastries or cakes or breads, preferring their heavy rye breads and their simple sugar creams which even a novice Gallian baker would be embarrassed to make. But what they lack in skill, they make up for in viciousness. They would have beaten my family and killed me.
Magnus at 2013.06.06 18:54:
How many times have they forced you to help them?
Could you have alerted the Threat Brigade and have them help you?
Tadeusz at 2013.06.10 07:26:
Thrice, no four times. Ah, well, you see...and then leaking through...yes, but it was so small, and I was scared, and, and, and that guy I told him of, did nothing that one time...its hard to be a small business owner. I don't have time or men to guard my door.
Magnus at 2013.06.11 19:46:
So you Alerted a Threat Brigade member and he did nothing?
Tadeusz at 2013.06.17 08:36:
um, blink, blink, yes.
Magnus at 2013.06.18 10:59:
I'll contact the commander.
I just found out that he alerted a Threat Brigade member about the Society forcing him to help them.
But that Threat Brigade member did nothing to help. That doesn't sound right, Since it is the Threat Brigade's job to protect the people of Gallia from the Society.
Tadeusz at 2013.06.20 01:36:
Indeed not. Perhaps there is somewhat more serious going on here than a mere gutless baker. Deal with this baker, and then we will go make inquiries of the Brigade man. I would appreciate your help for this means of mindtalk is much quicker and more civilized than beating the answer from a man.
Magnus at 2013.06.25 18:28:
I think that it would be a good idea to hold off on his punishment.
One: He is more likely to tell you who he talked to so that we can start investigating.
Two: If we don't punish him he is more likely to help us set up an ambush for the Society here later. |||| even if only one shows up we can capture him and then let me go though his mind to find out the secrets of the Society.
Tadeusz at 2013.06.26 12:41:
I like the way you think. He uses the pun on purpose, and you can feel the grim enjoyment of your plan in his mind.
The baker readily agrees, glad to be let off the hook. And his wife comes out with a plate full of ham and goat cheese croissants, freshly baked and buttered for the Threat Brigade and of course, you.
"Thanks, merci, monsieur." She says to you, bowing.
Magnus at 2013.07.03 17:38:
I'll enjoy the food.
I'll nod to her and connect to her mind to say
Your welcome.
Tadeusz at 2013.07.11 14:27:
She jumps a good six inches in the air, and then bows after she recovers her poise.
Can you hear me now, monsieur demon? She seems a bit interested.
Tadeusz at 2013.07.11 14:29:
second...and you realize you're in Gaullia....where bedjumping is an Olympic sport....
Magnus at 2013.07.21 22:14:
I chuckle.
Heh. That the first time I've been called a demon.
I can assure you That I'm no such thing.
I'm not interested in her because she is married.
Tadeusz at 2013.07.24 00:31:
She shrugs with the clear meaning of 'you don't know what you're missing' and 'ah, an uncultured one'.
The local culture seems inquisitive, thoughtful, and cheerfully hypocritical along with being long civilized. But it still retains the strength to defend its way of life from invaders so its not that decadent.
One man's demon is another man's god. What matters to us is not your nature but what blessing you bring on our house.
Magnus at 2013.07.28 22:01:
heh. Well I guess I am a demon to the barbarian invaders of Gallia.
My current goal it to get rid of them
Tadeusz at 2013.07.30 20:39:
perhaps that is what you need to be, a figure of fear from the darkness, a name that one dares not speak lest one summons the Unspeakable....
And somehow you hear a Batman movie theme playing....
Magnus at 2013.07.31 09:37:
That's not my style generally but...That sound like it's a really good idea. I just have to figure out how to go about it...
I can't help haveing a side thought
Huh? Where is that music coming from?
Tadeusz at 2013.07.31 16:30:
Its coming from your memory. And suddenly you see Batman walking down the street, black armor and dark, almost mad, menace. You can tell he's not real, but then he nods at you as he's walking.
Magnus at 2013.07.31 23:27:
ok... thats odd. I wonder what caused it?
Tadeusz at 2013.08.04 22:49:
You feel as if a door in your brain opened, and let out various possibilities. Indeed, you see a blonde haired school girl in a blue dress run up to you, grab your hand, and point to an ephemeral hole in the street...
Magnus at 2013.08.07 11:15:
I'll ask the bakers wife
Do you see that?
I point to the ephemeral hole in the street
Tadeusz at 2013.08.09 06:28:
See what? She stares at you, and then back at the street. Her manner is perplexed.
Magnus at 2013.08.12 10:22:
ok... Only I can see it then... so ether I messed up with Psionics or something is messing with me.
I walk up near the hole and try to psionicly force everything from my mind back into it. Being careful not to let anything else into it.
Tadeusz at 2013.08.15 21:57:
It closes easily enough, with Batman diving into the hole, and the little blonde girl doing so as well. But you feel as if you have more space upstairs, in your brain, than you did before.
Vlad Tepes, the Dragonform, was a figure of terror to these worshippers of the Black Throne. The baker's wife adds. Her husband, the baker, gets annoyed with her attempting to flirt with you, and drags her off. He talks to her quickly from ten yards away and she affects innocence and explains the innocentn part of the conversation.
The leader of the local Threat Brigade grins knowingly at you.
The woman of our town are lovely, and have the morals....well, they don't know how to spell that word, lets say. But there is also Great Roland the Hero, with his horn. Roland Roncevalles. He went throught he Siege Perilous and vanished. They would fear him coming back.
</i>
Magnus at 2013.08.16 17:38:
<i>So ether some of the things from my mind didn't come back or my mind got reorganized and made more room...
I reply to the local Threat Brigade leader
I can see that.
... It would be easier to adopt the mantel of a Legend that already fills them with terror...
But I would want to see if I can make my own legend. Something like ... The Black Knight...
heh not very original eh?
Tadeusz at 2013.08.17 13:24:
the Black Knight to oppose the Black Throne....hmmm.....you could claim to have a sword made of the same substance as the throne, or that you're a rebel lord who used to servethe Throne, or that you are some sort of deathless sorcery powered Thing....
We could arrange some tricks like blowing up a temple of the enemy and having you appear in the midst of the wreckage like you caused such when you burrowed up from the Darkness....the enemy are pretty superstitious and easily led to believe in supernatural causes before even considering natural ones.
Magnus at 2013.08.21 14:00:
Why not combine two of them? Hmmm. I like the idea of the Deathless Sorcery Powered Thing. What is the Black throne made of I wonder...
We're going to need to get me a suit of armor like the old knights had...
I like the way you think. I should be able to further confuse matters with the supernatural things I can actually do.
Tadeusz at 2013.08.21 21:33:
You would have to climb the Tree and ask the gods that....although there are some very good logicians in the City who might be able to deduce it. As to old armor, I know just the place.
He takes you to Le Grande Museume even though its late at night, and after giving a password, an old, white-haired curator lets you two in. This man, being highly educated can manage Saxon.
He shows you the Hall of the Knights with its twenty-five sets of armor, and then grinning, takes you back to the back storerooms where there is another hundred set that they simply don't have room to display.
"If it help Gallia, take one, take two."
Magnus at 2013.08.22 05:49:
"Thank you"
I'll look for the most menacing suit of armor I can find and see if it fits me.
Tadeusz at 2013.08.22 22:01:
You find one that has a number of seemingly jagged edges and will cast nice scary shadows at night that will fit. Its not the scariest as there are a couple more so, but it fits.
"King Gerard the, err, hmmm, there is no word for it, the Grage. Its an old word, out of use. It meant terrifying, fierce, loving battle. His grandfather was a Viking." The old and slightly bent curator says examining the armor.
....I think the old king would approve....
Tadeusz at 2013.08.22 22:05:
Second....
"This is Sir Ren's armor. He made it to scare the superstitious inhabitants of Polackia. And this is the Doge of Venice's ceremonial armor. He went to war with us, and well, a great storm came up, and he and most of his ships went to the bottom. We recovered the armor, but fish had already eaten the Doge."
Those are #2 and #1 in looking scary armors, but neither fits that well.
s
Magnus at 2013.08.22 22:18:
"I'm going to be fighting in it. So I would like the armor of King Gerard.
... This will work. Can you show me how to put this on? and adjust it to fit better?"
If he helps me put on the armor, I'll talk to him while he does it
"What can you tell me about King Gerard? How long ago did he rule?"
post_authorpost_datepost_content
Tadeusz at 2013.08.23 07:39:
He helps you put it on, and adjust the straps. A couple straps are rotted, but he assures you that is easily fixed. Clanking you go over to the wide workbench, and he cuts out new leather straps using the old straps as a model. At first it seems to fit well enough, but he keeps on fussing with it until its almost just right.
"Your calves are about a half inch longer than Gerards, and your shoulders, beg pardon about an inch narrower."
It does not clank nearly so much now. Its more of a continuous rustle.
As he works, he talks.
"Gerard was son of the Duke of Yrnr who was son of Greytooth the Bloodhand, a true Viking terror. He burnt several cities and tried to take Byzantium once, but the Emperor drove him off. Gerard himself fought the Usurper Prince of Varia for the crown of Gallia, and despite being outnumbered won. He then organized the nation to make the nation more unified, and put down two rebellions by dukes, and built the port of Marseilles, and he engaged in a five year campaign against the pirates which so diminished their power that for ten years after his death boats could travel without soldiers on board down to Espana. He is said to have killed the Duke of Marnimous in hand to hand combat as a way to settle the dispute between them, and in the famous battle of Averimont, he broke four swords, had three horses killed from under him, and was stabbed twice while still winning the battle. He ruled from 5242 to 5263 AC, and died of pneumonia, we think in the very hard winter of that year."
Magnus at 2013.08.23 20:41:
"Close enough to work"
after the history I'll say
"Interesting"
once he is done fixing the armor.
I'll stand up and try some of my martial arts moves to see how they feel in the armor.
Tadeusz at 2013.08.25 00:03:
You are slower, but not by much. Indeed, the old man tells you how in his youth he could put on another armor and do handstands and backflips in it.
"And lad, a good armor. It makes brave."
Magnus at 2013.08.25 17:14:
"Yes.
Hmm... Now I need to think how to color this armor black.
I guess I should try out psionic transmutation.
hmm...I need a piece of iron to try it out on since I don't want to mess up the armor."
Tadeusz at 2013.08.28 08:24:
He shows you an iron bar, similar to rebar. He also shows you a skillet, made of a heavy black iron. And lastly, he pulls out a dagger which is solid black, and it feels strange to your hand.
Looking at it in chi, you see a representation of the gordian knot, but made of metal wire in a ball of flame.
Magnus at 2013.08.29 16:51:
"This Dagger feels odd. What can you tell me about it?"
That's the archetype sight. What do I see with the chi flow sight?
Tadeusz at 2013.09.03 10:46:
"It was found in a caveman dig. The Ran-Sclerc Caves were home to the outlaws driven from the Vividoc Cities of southern Italia, very ancient, going back to 1500 AC. himself was the great-great-great grandson of the First Man, if the Palmetto Scroll is accurate. Anyways, in the caves we found a lot of famous drawings including the curious one that many scholars think is a fraud from the last century, the Metal Man Slaying the Enemies of the Ran."
He finds a book, and it shows a giant metal man with lines extending from his hands killing attackers while sstanding in front of the outnumbered group he is defending. There is another picture of them offering a female to the Metal Man, but he turns her down, although he gives her a something, but the detail is missing.
In chi sight it glows a brilliant Red and White interspersed together, and with the White holding the Red in.
Magnus at 2013.09.06 06:34:
What does the metal man look like?
Hmmm.... Using white to bind red into an object and focusing the red into making the object stronger...White and red are normally diametrically opposing as representations of order and chaos. to bind them into an object without then blowing up in your face would be hard... for some reason this all sounds familiar but I can't quite place my finger on it...
"Has anything else like this dagger been found?
I think I have a good idea on how this dagger was made.
I guess I'll test out my idea later...
It is commonly accepted that there was mystics and ascetics who has powers of the mind... But what do scholars think about Psionics and Magic?"
I'm going to experimentally draw in some chi and then some red mana. to see how well they come.
OOC: heh. it's a bit odd to see a world a few thousand years after another player has been in it. Nice!
Tadeusz at 2013.09.06 07:28:
Looks kinda metal skeletonish to metal armorish, but with a tint of a red eye....
It does sound familiar....and yes, your logic as to what is happening seems sound to you. This dagger should be extremely durable, and have a highly superior cutting edge although not at the level of being supernaturally sharp.
"No, nothing like it. A few tests have been run on it, and it seems to be iron, but it shows no sign of melting at iron temperatures. That was more than a century ago. Since then its been largely ignored as Persistent Enigmas tend to be. People don't like what they cannot understand, especially in this country with its belief in the Power of Reason." The curator says and sniffs. The TBrigade leader laughs.
"Trying to restart an old arguement again, eh, monsieur?"
"An interesting question, but not my field. Ummm, Lady Antonia, yes, she might know. Very gifted. Her family goes back to the days when the Old Gods ruled more powerfully." He strokes his chin. "Few others would know...there are so few with the powers of mind, you know, that to find Magic and Mind intertwined would be rare."
"Logically, it should be possible." The TBrigade leader says. And then he starts, and so do you as you realize you can understand what he's saying.
OOC: Yeah, 'tis fun. Thanks.
Tadeusz at 2013.09.06 07:31:
Second....holding the dagger you feel the chi flow in as normal, but the red mana flows in noticeably easier.
Magnus at 2013.09.12 18:00:
ah Athena... i hope my performance in my last world didn't disappoint you too much....
I guess the question is "Is my logic as to what is happening seem sound to you."
... What is familiar about it to you?
"... I understand what you are saying now, Major Leclerc. And yes. It is possiable for one person to use both Magic and psionics.
you already know I can talk mind to mind and do a few other tricks with psionics."
I'll draw a very controlled amount of red mana though the dagger and form a fire ball at the tip of my fingers on my right hand.
"hmm... this dagger makes some of my magic a lot easier to do. May I have it?"
Tadeusz at 2013.09.12 20:58:
And with this dagger you're able to actually do magic. You can feel a smothering blanket around the Earth, holding magic down so that its very hard to do, but with the dagger, it seems not to notice you.
My warrior, you fought well. And even though the young women were sacrificed, the Earth was saved from the Titans. Even now, the maidens disport themselves in the Fields of Elysium by the Fountains of the Blessed. All is well.
The Major's eyes widen, and then he nods affirmatively.
"Yes, please. It does no one any good sitting on a shelf in a back room of a museum. "
Magnus at 2013.09.15 20:13:
I'm glad that they are happy in Elysium... But I'm still sort of depressed that I couldn't save them.
I wounder if the armor will have the same effect as the dagger when I turn it into the same material...
"Thank you... Can you make a sheath for the dagger? I would like to be able to carry this with me in public..
Hmmm... I'll need somewhere to live and set up a shop to to work on the armor and turn it black like the dagger."
Tadeusz at 2013.09.16 21:19:
"mmm, yes, I think I can. I have some spare leather around here." Twenty minutes of measuring, cutting, stamping, and sewing later, he is finishing up by putting the design you want on the leather sheathe and then dyeing the sheathe the color you like.
"I'll put some oil into the leather, and you'll need to oil it once a week for a couple months, and then less often thereafter." The curator says putting deeds to words.
The Threat Brigade leader is impressed, and asks for his own sheathe for a hideout knife.
The Curator thinks, stares out a bit, and then whispers to the Threat Brigade leader. Then the Curator nods and turns to you.
"If you don't mind being a Janitor during the day, why, I can get you access to the back rooms here at the Museum, and we have a small forge and other equipment....mostly for repairing armor, but ....and we have sleeping quarters here too."
Magnus at 2013.09.17 15:04:
I would have asked him to dye it a dark brown color and put a simple spiral design on it.
"Yes... That would work. It will work well. Plus I've always wanted to learn how to repair and make armor.
Heh. No one will suspect that the Janitor at the Museum is actually the Black Knight.
If it is ok with you two. I would like to explore the city tomorrow and get to know it better. Then I can start work here the day after tomorrow.
In order to turn the armor into the same material as the dagger. I think I'll need a source of white mana. Which is normally found in cities, planes and other orderly places. normally i would get it from the city... but your city seem more heavily aligned to red and black. which is ok since I also needed a source of red mana to convert the armor."
Anyway That's the reason I need to explore the city."
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:47, Wed 16 Apr 2014.