Welcome all of you to our new home.  I hope that this site will please you.  There are many advantages here and some new and interesting perks that I hope you will find and enjoy.  I believe that we can be more expressive here in our writing as there is hyper text to be played with.  You can also select a picture to represent you, if you choose, and that might also add to your enjoyments.  Though there are few that resemble Tekumelian characters.  I will post a synopsis of where you are very soon that should bring us up to speed and ready to launch in early January.
Thanks again for your patience during these trying times
Uchang Khereshu
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:52, Sun 06 Mar 2005.

The silence had been long and daunting but absolute.  No one in the party spoke or moved; all were focused on the two men standing at the very edge of the stone platform.  Ssrivan and Shih stood side by side facing the dark pit below them.  Ssrivan face locked in contemplation and concentration, while Shih, eyes closed, seemed to withdraw deep inside himself, his body ridged and unmoving.  It seemed as though hours had passed from when the two men had ask for silence, only the sound of shifting stone from deep within the dark edges of the platform seemed to sneak up into the air and slowly shift around between the stones and the flesh of those who listened.  The rest of the chamber also seemed motionless, the party all facing to the one edge, with the empty shuttle to the left and the ancient station to the right all gathered in the center of the platform, all with open and active eyes, all with ears lit to hear the smallest and most insignificant of sounds.

And then it came, the slightest of sounds, like a soft breeze, barely moving, soft and steady.  The sound increased slightly and with it, Shih and Ssrivan moved slightly.  Without warning Shih stepped forward, off the platform, and over the edge he fell.  His trip was short however, only to his shoulders where it stopped.  Slowly he rose upward, until he was, once again, level with the platform.  He walked to the edge of the stone that had carried him up and stepped off it forward edge as well.  He sank to mid calf and continued to walk forward, each time stepping down and, each time continuing forward.  He did this for about five stones and then turned back to the party on the platform, his face alight with great satisfaction, and proclaimed that he had found the way to control the stones.  The one he was standing on rose upward and the others followed until he was at the top of a stone staircase that returned downward to the platform.  He walked his way back to where Ssrivan stood and began to explain how he had accomplished this task.  Dlarumei stopped him explaining that too many minds working at stone moving in here would cause chaos, so it was better left to only one or two to have the information for the time being.  Shih could explain it all later, once the party was out of the area. Ssrivan mentions that he is able to move the stones as well, and therefore there are at least two in the party who can function at this task, thus allowing for greater security. He also adds that with this new information, the party would be able to explore and examine the greater cavern that was previously not open to them.

The columns that stand depicting the various stages of the sun seem as still as ever, though Churisan, who has been studying them for some time now, has noticed the two depicting the setting sun seem to be just a shade different in some fashion.  He has been mulling it over in his head and has come to the conclusion that the depiction set at the very top of the column is depressed into the stone a bit further than the rest.  How this plays into this room or anything at all is still up for grabs.

Urutlen, Nesh, Orun and Almodhim still stand together at the edge of the platform, peering down into the darkness and watching as the occasional stone rises into view and then disappears again.  Sometimes after the passing of some small creature, and sometime not.

The Shaman sits, eyes closed and breathing slowly in the middle of the crowd.  He seems oblivious to all and everything around him.
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:48, Sat 08 Jan 2005.

So that he doesn't draw too much attention with noise, Shih will either motion or send slaves asking that people come back together after they've finished exploring whatever it is they're looking at.

"I'm suggesting we all share what we've learned so far about this room.  Ssrivan and I know how to make the stones move up, down or sideways.  This means we can explore.  We also know that some being joined us for our trip down from the moon.  Its location is unknown.  It's reasonable to assume that after many millenia, that our activities are of sufficient interest to merit watching.  Assume that everything we do now is being observed.  My impression noble Dlarumei is that while this is the next step in our journey, you don't know specifically how to get out of this complex.  As I recall, our eventual destination was far to the West near the Plain of Towers.  Regardless, we must explore.  What have the rest of you learned?"

"Actually, we've been heading towards an Island in the Sea of Sighs, Shih, assuming the initial research done at Monru was correct.  We'll definitely know when we get there though--as the detour to one of the moons wasn't on our original route plan either."

Ssrivan then continues his soft dictation to his delectable scribe, noting as carefully as possible his internal responses when trying to control the stones.

Shih holds his temples thinking.  "Ssrivan, my companion, that moon was certainly on our path.  Never, in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined such a fantastic journey.  And, clearly there's more.  We humans have lost so much knowledge!"

"I do believe we're north of Krenalis, the place at the top of that mountain from which we launched to the moon.  Across the sea does feel right.  But, our final destination lies to the south under that sea."

"Perhaps there's a tubeway below or some other means of transport.  If not, we have a very long and dangerous journey ahead, especially for the women among us."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:40, Sat 26 Feb 2005.

Please, nobles Shih and Ssrivan - let us share this knowledge. I am ready to navigate this particular set of obstacles as necessary.

I am concerned as to why the women in our group would be more in danger than the rest of us. I do not want to encounter anything that would bring harm to some of our most highly learned and talented voyagers. If Almodhim or Dlarumei were to be dispatched to their respective gods, could I retain my lowly skin for long?

OOC:  I've left this post in, but we would know that we're actually headed under the Sea of Sighs to the south and not, as I previously wrote, to the west.  I oopsed.  As of 2/24/05, my posts should be on target.

"Noble Neskriuma, between us and out destination is the nation of Ghatón.  Women there are treated like beasts in all respects.  The are not permitted education, clothing or any freedoms.  They eat on the floor on all fours or, at their owner's command, their bellies.  Frequently, they're not permitted use of their hands for this.  Any man can kill a woman as easily as you might kill a hma.  The owner might be a bit put out, but some shamtla and the issue is done.  They are frequently branded and collared.  If a woman speaks out of turn, she's likely to have her tongue cut out.  For defiance, other things might be cut off.  Women there are treated like the most base slaves in the worst brothel in the Empire.  And before you begin thinking of this as a man's paradise, think of your clan mothers and sisters being treated by any and all in this fashion."

"I somehow doubt that any of our women would tolerate being commanded to all fours by some low clan farmer."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:43, Sat 26 Feb 2005.

“It is true that not all cultures are as advanced as we are my friend, but it is also unthinkable to dwell on such hostile and backward ideals.  But to assure you Shih, Almodhim has proven herself time and time again as a formidable blade and cunning prowess; I would feel that few of these Ghatonese foolish enough to attempt subjugating her would find themselves hold various parts of their own anatomy before they could make a move.  Now, before you remind us of their sorcery and some of the beasts that they command, let me remind you that we have powers they have yet to experience and the ability to call demons that can level cities.  I am not boasting, nor am I over confident and if Ghaton does lie before us on our journey we will be cautious.  Besides, a few less of these fools the better for our planet.  I am interested in finding out what lies in those caves on the opposite side of the cavern from us.”

She pulls her robes around her as though steeling herself for a trip into the darkness.

"Noble Dlarumei, everything here interests me.  But, if there's anything I've learned on our trip, any direction can be frought with peril.  Ssrivan, should we at least understand why that sun on the post is indented before proceeding?  I'm as interested in that cave as I am in what is occurring below us.  My lady, does the individual who travels with us have anything to say on the matter?"

"The post is on my list of things to investigate, Shih.  The moving stones were just higher on my list of priorities, as being able to get away from here expeditiously would be of prime importance if something goes wrong while investigating the pillar."

Ssrivan wanders over to the pillars and begins to examine each one carefully.

Shih will tag along with Ssrivan to listen to his observations.  To aid his understanding, he's going to cast POE.

"Shih, I too am interested in all that this cavern holds for us and am interested in loosing some of its secrets. Those secrets which will aid us in our commission.  There are many things that we can see and learn, some now and some at another time depending on our journey and its winding path.  I can assure you that we will cross other things of notable interest, and we will investigate them as we need.  But I can also assure you that not every stone will be overturned and not every hair split.  We DO have a goal and some of these sidelines are necessary and other will simply have to wait for another time.  I know that you, as I and Ssrivan, seek knowledge and love the exploration of the unknown along with the entreating puzzle or two.” She winks at Ssrivan with that last line. “But we also don’t have the days, months or years that it might take to explore every aspect of each area we stumble into.  Mark it down in your mind and make plans for us to return at a later date.  The knowledge we gain is important but not all of it is paramount to our quest.”  She joins the two at the pillars and looks up.

“So what do you two make of it?”

"Noble lady, my frustration here is that some of the places where we travel cannot be easily visited in the future.  While I recognize we can't explore everything, I am reluctant to abandon all exploration.  The knowledge we can acquire is vastly valuable to the Empire and each of us individually.  Our group, by virtue of its eclectic composition, has unique capabilities."

Rutlan continues his examination.

At the comments about Ghatón, particularly about the 'man's paradise', Neshkriuma can be seen to stiffen somewhat.

He turns, with just a sniff of disdain showing in his voice: "Noble Shih, I find your description of the land of Ghatón to be disturbing. I for one do not consider paradise a place where women are held as chattel. I realize that we will have to entertain some accomodation to this 'culture', but we will do whatever we do only at the agreement of the women."

Also now addressing Dlarumei and Ssrivan: "I agree that there are critical elements we must learn here before we may securely proceed. Let us collect this knowledge, then plan our way forward. I consider this area to be frustratingly open to all eyes and its safety questionable. Let us be in progress on our way, soon."

"Nesh, we find ourselves in a gem-lined zrne pit without adequate means of protecting ourselves.  If the zrne wants to eat us, it will, and there's not much we can do about it.  As long as we move carefully and avoid angering the zrne, we just may come away with gems as we make our escape."

"I find Ghatón as distasteful as you.  I was simply pointing out that we have a very long journey ahead of us through territory that may pose significant risks, some of which are cultural.  For my part, I hope we find another tubeway below or, perhaps, an aircar so that we stay safely in the zrne pit." =)
This message was last updated by the player at 01:00, Sat 29 Jan 2005.

No intention to offend, Noble Shih. I believe it will be more desirable to choose when and how we leave the pit, with the gems we care to bring, rather having the zrne choose our time and method of departure for us.

I am less desirous of meeting my fate than you, and some others, may be.

I, too think we should look for less arduous and mysterious means of transport

"To your last point, my noble friend, I readily agree.  Walking the thousands of tsan to our destination would undoubtedly be arduous and mysterious!"

"Think on these words though before you jump from this magnificent pit: even with puissant sorcery, buildings today cannot last much more than 500 years and still require constant upkeep.  The Ancients built structures such as this that have lasted more than 50,000 years.  I'm more comfortable trusting in that quality of workmanship.  Besides, if something bad were to happen while hurtling at high speed through the Tekumel crust, you would be with your ancestors so fast that you would never know what exactly happened; surely a better end than gasping your last breath out on some warrior's spear or, even worse, suffering the infirmities of old age.  And then, there's the glorious options offered by my Lord Sarku.  Surely such a great warrior can see the merit in continuing to enjoy life's pleasures for eternity."  It's clear from his smile and tone that Shih's last statement is said somewhat in jest.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Tue 01 Feb 2005.

Smirking a bit, Nesh sketches a slight bow in the general direction of Shih (being careful to avoid dropping off the platform to bottomless doom).

Ssrivan is still engrossed in the pillars.  He seems to be investigating the base of one of the pillars where it connects to the stones by marking the pillar with a bit of spittle and looking to see how quickly the pillar appears to be elongating.

"If all is as I suspect, we don't want to stay here too long.  This platform is not as stable as it appears to be."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Thu 03 Feb 2005.

There is a large, low rumble coming from under foot where it seems that the stones upon which you stand seem to groan under the weight of the transport and the party.  Several of the slaves seem rather panicked and look around wild eyed at the nobles present for direction and comfort.  This brings little comfort as most of the nobles seem as shocked at this development as well.  Most, save for Jenge who stares at the top of the sun rise pillar with a smirk of knowing on his face.  He stands there alone, about five meters back away from the pillar, his gray robs hanging motionless about him.  His left arm supporting his right elbow so that he can rest his chin against his hand as he stares deeply at the pillar and moans the umhumm of understanding.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out as he looks around his feet where he repositions himself on the floor, shuffling his feet back and fourth until he seems satisfied of his position. He seems to have split the difference between the two sunrise pillars and stands exactly in the middle of them as they line the platform.  His eyes meet Ssrivan's, who is looking quite quizzically at Jenge his eyes asking about what is going on. Jenge raises a finger in Ssrivans direction as though to say, “bear with me on this one please” to which Ssrivan motions a go ahead gesture but with a look of reservation.

Jenge then turns towards the transport and raises his hands above his head.  With a sharp cry of a string of nonsensical words he claps his hands over his head and the tops of the sunrise pillars begin to turn. They both make one rotation after another in a slow methodical and simultaneous fashion, until Jenge, one again, utters some words, this time the lyrics to a children's song that all of you recognize, and moves his hips in a stiff and very un-rhythmic fashion, ending with a pelvic thrust directed at the transport.

There is another rumble and the transport starts to sink below the stone platform.  Or more precisely, the platform under the transport just starts to descend.  It is only the area under the transport that sinks slowly away with its prize; the rest of the platform remains intact and solid beneath your feet.  He then turns and faces the party, which cause the slaves to duck and cower with fear.  He laughs out loud at this and says, in a much pronounced and elongated voice, "Fear Not my Friends".  He then jumps up and down three times and swings his foot around in a very odd and irregular pattern.  Chimes in with a sailor ditty to which the entire platform including the waiting area and glass windows begin to rotate as a whole unit in a counter clockwise direction.  It is then that you notice that the large chamber is spherical, similar to the moon you just left, though far smaller and that, somehow, the platform and the windowed waiting area were part of a ring that could spin around within the chamber.  The rest of the camber remained where it was but drew closer or was left behind as the platform moved.  There was quite a bit of dust in the chamber now as it had obviously been quite some time from the last episode of this platform moving anywhere, and this brought an eerie feeling to the entire event.  It is not enough dust to chock you or to impede your vision, but you notice it flowing through the air and settling slowly over the edge of the platform down into the darkness below.

"So, my noble friend, it doesn't matter what sound or motion you make, as long as you're standing in approximately the right place and thinking what you're trying to accomplish?  It's the sound and/or motion that let the device understand that you want to accomplish something?  It then knows to interpret your surface thoughts to make it happen?"

Posting for Jenge......

“I believe that it is even simpler than that.  After our experience on the moon, when we were taken into the other world it was obvious that many things happen simply because one thinks of it.  It would appear that the ancients, or those of greater power who used these devices needed merely to do the same.  I believe that ritual gestures and ceremonies were a part of life, and so they added them into the mix.  I also believe that they added them to keep their lessers from using the devices for fear of disaster.  The mountain top was a trap and a lock that needed physical dealings in order to get to the prize.  Once there, we have passed the test and I would surmise that the rest of the areas will be less physical and more though oriented.  This, of course, presents us with a whole new set of problems, chiefly too many people pondering pointed and perplexing problems possibly all at the same time.”

Jenge smiles at his own perceived whit for a moment and continues on.  “I think that this is another tubway station, but it has at least four different tubways or directions in which to travel.”

He drones on in his pedantic fashion, paying little attention if anyone is listening.  “The rising sun would indicate the tubway that travels eastwardly, and thusly the setting sun would indicate a westwardly direction of travel.  Travel to the North or South would depend on the two center pillars with their suns depicted in one of two possible orientations.  I am assuming that one is a summer sun and one a winter sun to put the god into the northern or southern hemispheres, but I do not understand which one is which.  Also, we really don’t know where we are exactly and so to pick a direction is going to be an educated guess at best, in my opinion.”

He looks around at those listening and realizes that he has, once again, run on about a lot of information in a short time.  He pauses, with his hands turned palms up, and waits for the others to make some indication of understanding.

"Ssrivan, I believe that this platform was constructed just for us.  Still, as safety conscious as we've seen the Ancients were, I doubt that this floor will drop from under us.  Jenge, assuming you're correct, then we have but to command this floor to descend to the tubeway station.  Is there any appetite here to explore though?  Nesh, how about you?  With the right find, your family and clan would gain immeasurably.  On your own, such investigation would be frought with peril!"  At this point, seeing the look on Ssrivan's face.  "Perhaps it's frought with peril now.  But, it would be frought with even more peril were you to do it on your own.  Up for a bit of exploration before we depart?"

”And if we find massive amounts of treasures, the wealth of many lifetimes, would we abandon this charge for the emerald sphere of sighs?”  Orun asks with some bitterness in his tone.

“I for one have honor and my word that I will not break to find the sphere and return it if I can, and to do so with some haste.  If every new structure encourages us to spend days exploring it, I think we are avoiding and delaying our goal.  A few days to map out a place or to find its hidden dangers so that we can pass in safety are allowable delays, but I cannot abide treasure hunting on this quest. Besides, how would you return the items to you clan in the middle of our journey?”

"Noble Orun, not everything is the size of a chlen cart.  Still, I appreciate your words as they do strike a good compromize.  While I suspect that we can enter yonder station and lower it, I would take a moment to examine the walls at this level.  Ssrivan, with POE, do you see the little helpers all around us?"

Suiting action to words, Shih moves on a few of the tiles around the chamber walls.

Jenge stands quietly and points to the station waiting area at the end of the platform.

“That is where we will all need to be if we are to use the systems in this place.”

At first tentitively, then with greater confidence, Shih moves away from the platform supported by tiles to float about the huge area.  He intentionally stays at this level so that others can keep him in sight and vice versa.  Returning, he relates the following to the group:

"There is much to see near the walls even though it is dark and cold. There are many smaller caverns and what appears to be tubeway lines heading off in the four directions of the compass.  My brief exploration was also observed by some of the creatures we've seen moving about below.  They have to know that something's afoot.  Candidly, I'm surprised none have come up to look more closely at us."

"I see a couple of possible alternatives.  We could try to command a tubeway car to rise for the next leg of our journey.  We could get into yonder station and see if we can lower it to a tubeways station below.  On the way down, we could perhaps stop as we felt appropriate to examine something of interest."

"Thoughts anyone?"

Now that these others are aware that we know something of the workings of this place, Noble Shih, we must move. I do not think we will be allowed the luxury of lounging about while the most learned among us (Nesh nods at Ssrivan, Jenge and then returns his attention to Shih) seek further knowledge. I would be content to rest and discover at some length, but we have several items that compel us toward action.

(Nesh ticks off on his fingers)
One: we are seen and may be determined to be dangerous (or at least some untoward bits of rubbish that need to be removed) by the "helpers" in this area.
Two: We have all been charged with a sacred quest and should not dawdle in conducting it to a successful conclusion.
Three: This area is huge, with many powers, energies and persons, both known and unknown. At any time, any of these elements my conspire to push us away from our chosen destiny. Should we not continue to provide our own impetus?

“He speaks wisely and with good concern for the party in general." Orun prounounces.  "Our situation and safety here is tentative at best and there is no defendable ground up here on this platform.  I along with Nesh would feel much better if we were to at least move to the station over there and get our backs up against a wall of sorts.”

"The station then, though I must believe that if anything really wanted us dead here, we'd be dead.  We now have tacet approval for moving forward on our quest ... at least here.  Something came down with us from that Ancient moon.  I expect that it will join us for the remainder of our journey.  No doubt, any remaining Ancients would be interested in what we do.  In the station though, we must decide what next to do.  Dlarumei and our Livyani friend may have a thought or two on this.  Dlarumei, has our companion communicated with you?"

Shih directs his slaves to move their gear to yonder station as directed by Orun and Nesh.

Ssrivan seems lost in himself as usual, drifting towards the waiting area at the end of the platform during the course of his investigations.  He stopped and looked at Jenge's earlier manipulations for a few moments, dictating notes to his delectable scribe all the while, but one the hubbub ended, his drift towards the waiting area continued.  He was totally unmoved by Shih's plea for the acquisition of riches in this place, and did not even deign to respond to it as he worked.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:28, Fri 18 Feb 2005.

Several of the nobles, the slaves and porters begin to move towards the waiting area at the end of the platform.  Orun and Nesh are leading them there and setting up some sort of defensive ring with the guards.  Whether it is needed or not, it seems to make the soldiers more comfortable.  There they stand and wait for the remaining nobles to join them.

Almodhim makes her way to the station at the end of the platform, glad to be out from in the open air, but not happy about, once again, being confined in a low area.  You can here her mumble under her breath,

“This had better lead to the great out of doors, I’ve had it with this underground garbage.”

Deshnah seems not to have too many cares here.  He is looking about in the air and walking like a drunk man as he makes his way to the station.  It seems as though that is where the party is headed, so why not head that way as well. Though he is in no rush to get there.

Ssrivan stops for a moment as he looks back at the Livyanu priest, though he still seems to be concentrating on other spaces than this one.  He looks around again and holds out his hands, as if in supplication--and in full view of the Livyani, though not specifically facing that way.

Ssrivan's odd movement catches Shih's eye and he focuses with all of his augmented skill to try to determine what the Ksarul gestalt master is doing.  If he can't figure it out, he'll ask him.

Churisan is looking around, out into the shadows, arrow nocked in his bow. He looks tense and slightly annoyed. When the group moves, he moves along too. When Dlarumei joins the group he asks her directly: "Where are we now, somewhere in the Empire?"

"Perhaps the fringe of The Empire, Noble Churisan.  I do believe we're north of Krenalis, the place at the top of that mountain from which we launched to the moon.  We're now across the Sea of Sighs that lies to the south.  But, our final destination lies under that sea."

"As you'll recall from what we learned on the moon from the Ancient's Tekumel map and the visions that we were able to initiate by our actions, the three spheres were located in an 'A' shape (with the cross-bar extended further to the right and left).  The Azure Sphere we saw on the end of that crossbar to the left at approximately the same level as Monru or perhaps a bit south of that.  The Emerald Sphere seems to be located under The Sea of Sighs at the apex of the 'A'.  Lastly, and this is only conjecture because we didn't have quite enough information to make the map work properly, the Crimson Sphere is located at the end of the cross-bar to the right or East-Southeast."

"We also saw a place to the north of here in the middle of a grassy plain where two pillars stand as markers to the entrance of some place or thing enabling us to get to the Emerald Sphere.  At sunrise, when the sun hits these pillars, something happens.  Hopefully, this will enable us to move back south under the sea to acquire the Emerald Sphere."

"In a vision that was imparted to me by Deshnah's sphere, I saw that these spheres are in fact entities with purpose.   Churisan, did you gain a similar understanding?  Perhaps they were created by the Ancients and have the ability to directly interact with our thoughts and affect our world.  Certainly, a rather effective mechanism for the Ancients to control the ignorant masses.  I'm sorry my friends, I grow a big cynical about so many things that I've taken for granted about ... about our world. (OOC: Shih clearly thought about saying something else and opted for something less controversial.)"

"If properly activated, these sphere entities have the ability to acquire energy and grow more powerful.  When they acquire energy, at least one seems to grow.  Other spheres may manifest this growth in other ways.   If not, they remain dormant.   As an example, the Azure Sphere seems to have the purposes of fostering health and knowledge if properly nurtured.  These spheres also seem to be part of some grander plan, possessing knowledge of the others.   They probably work together to do something perceived by the Ancients to be good for the sentient friendly races on Tekumel.  Regardless, they seem to actively want the other spheres found and properly activated.  It therefore seems reasonable that the Emerald Sphere for which we're searching is perceived by the Azure Sphere to be either dormant or being used for a purpose that was unintended.  It is the force behind all of our actions.  That it is directing us to pursue the Emerald Sphere before the Crimson Sphere may also indicate something."

"Noble Dlarumei or perhaps you Livyani Priest, do any of these conclusions or conjectures ring true with you?  We seem to need to travel north from our current location.   This will probably be by tubeway.  We'll somehow exit and go up to find the pillars.  If not, we'll somehow have to find clues to their location when we get to our destination.  I DO have some concerns with going north.  Don't the Shunned Ones have their domes in that direction?  I certainly wouldn't want to go too far."

"I do have some additional questions that I'm hoping you two will now choose to respond to.  Was there a war between different factions of Ancients?  I'm trying to understand why a device, which is purported to be defensive, was hidden away.  Livyani, you said that these spheres had fabled powers over man and machine.  What powers?  The Emerald Sphere was put to a use that the Azure Sphere seems to take exception to.  It wants this sphere obtained and, possibly, rescued from its current fate.  But the Ancients have created this hidden path and went to amazing ends to assure that individuals with sufficient knowledge could find it.  This is all puzzling!!"

"Aligned with the four pillars here that seem to indicate the directions of the compass, down below, I saw tubeway tunnels.  The building we've all retired to and around which we've formed a defensive perimeter is not terribly defensible.  We could raise the aircar back up and ride it down.  That would be more defensible but probably would place us incorrectly to access the tubeway properly.  My thought is that we should now command this room to descend.  But, I wanted to get everyone's thoughts before proceeding.  Each member of our group has proven to have valuable perspectives that must be heard."

Shih takes out the high cartography stones to see what's changed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:45, Sun 27 Feb 2005.

Ssrivan is locked into his odd pose, awaiting something only he can fathom.

As the party moves into it position some notice that Ssrivan is no longer standing on the ground.  He seems to be floating about six inches off the floor with a rather pained look on his face.


The cartography stones in the case are all blank accept for one that is in a state of constant change as though it cannot make up its mind, if a mind it had.  It swirls and fluxuates, changing colors in rapid succession and without pattern or thought.

“Noble Shih, as you will soon also be able to discern, the ancients often have many ways to reach the same place.  Each with its own particular set of... well, interesting dilemmas for us.  I believe that you are correct in that we are north of Krenalis and the Sea of Sighs also lies to our backs.  We saw that we would land in a field between to monolithic stones, one to our east and one to our west.  We could tell this as we watched the sun rise over the one and cast a light onto the second.  Apparently there was a problem with our finishing the journey at this point and the transport interrupted out flight to land here in this covered and hidden place.  It is obviously a place where those who build this system could come, but why?  It seems to be a place where several tubways meet and it is within fertile soil, thus providing us with plenty of nexus energies.  I wonder if our purposed landing area wasn’t under some sort of problem and so we were brought here.”

“You ask many questions that have no real answers Shih, questions that I also ask and for which I have no solid answers, only conjectures.  As to the war between the ancients, I have seen many paintings that would indicate that, such as those in the great hall, where men, creatures, gods and machines seem to battle each other and help each other.  So we guess at what we want to believe and hope that we are right.  There are several things that we DO know, that the Azure Sphere is desirous of the Emerald Sphere, for what reason, that is a mystery, but we have no reason to think that it is for ill.  I hope that this journey will uncover some of these details.  It has opened our eyes and brought us information that none knew before now. My hope is that we will continue to move in that direction.”

Ssrivan is hoarsely dictating impressions to his scribe.  He is obviously in pain--and just as obviously unsurprised by it.  His hands slowly change position while he works, moving upward and back until they are immediately in front of his face.  He seems to be watching them intently as he continues to dictate.

Urutlen starts moving with the others, bow drawn, and stays near Churisan, Nesh, and the guards in case something decides to attack.

A look of concern washes over Dlarumei as she takes in the vision that is Ssrivan floating.  With her abilities she is able to see the nanite swarm that has covered the locksmith.  Her face shows her concerns but also shows the hopelessness of the process that has begun.  A process that cannot be halted, altered or stopped without death for Ssrivan. So, with a single gesture she motions at Orun and the mighty warrior steps close to the locksmith, pulling his well used blade from its resting place and taking a guarding position next to the man, his stance heavy and his eyes alert.  Dlarumei stretches out a hand with an empathetic look on her face as Ssrivan winces in obvious pain; his words have now given way to groans through clinched teeth.  The locksmith, writhing in pain, begins to rotate in the air, spinning as he clutches at invisible objects, contracting his body and then making it a ridged as any plank.  This goes on for around two minutes, until his mind is no longer able to handle the pain and he passes out, floating limp in the air, tumbling like a log in the water.  When his scribe tries to stop him Orun steps between the locksmith and her, making it clear that touching Ssrivan would be a mistake at the point.  After a few more minutes the Livyani Priest steps over the Ssrivan and grabs his shoulder, stopping the endless rotation and, with his touch somehow, causes the locksmith to slowly settle to the stone where he lays on his back.  The Livyani then motions for the scribe/nursemaid to come over and tend to Ssrivan as she has done before, whispering something to her before she begins. Deshnah also comes to where Ssrivan lies with his small satchel and his stone cup.

Shih looks over at Ssrivan and, thinking he recognizes what's happening, is quite puzzled about what invoked it.  Perhaps Ssrivan's actions?  He'd hopefully know more once Ssrivan surfaced.  He sits comfortably observing this process for the first time from the outside.  If he can catch Jenge's and Dlarumei's eyes, he'll wink, nod and smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:47, Wed 02 Mar 2005.

Ssrivan awakens with a somber look on his face and a sore body.  He groans slightly as his nurse/ scribe and Deshnah help him to a seated position and Deshnah pours him a cold cup of his concoction.

Dlarumei steps forward toward Ssrivan and kneels down behind him.  She uses her body as a chair back for Ssrivan to lean against while she grabs his shoulders and squeezes them with her hands, rubbing them with some forces as Ssrivan’s face can attest.


There is an audible crack as she presses into the back of his neck and you see Ssrivan wince in great pain.  After a moment you hear her say .“that should make you feel better.” And the slight smile on Ssrivan’s face would attest to the fact that it had.  She pulls the hair back from in his face as she stands up and walks toward the Livyani Priest

Orun chuckles, puts his sword back into its sheath and marches over to the guards, where he checks a few of them for lack of anything better to do at the moment.

Shih smiles down at Ssrivan ...

"Ssrivan, I'm guessing that congratulations are in order!  Would you care to share what happened?  I certainly followed the little ru'un, but don't know the extent of your transformation."

Shih is concentrating hard on something, or so it would seem, when all of a sudden he goes ridged, stiff as a board and his face turns a little pail.  He stands there motionless for a few moments until the Livyani Priest moves over to him.  They stand face to face for a moment and then the Livyani Priest spits on the ground and after a few moments cups Shih’s face in his hands and Shih slowly lowers to the floor where he sits, legs crossed and head down.  The Livyani Priest then heads over to Ssrivan as Dlarumei walks to Shih and kneels down in front of him.  You see her speak to him for a moment and then she places her hand on his chin to raise his face to meet hers and after a moment or two she invites him to stand and waits for him to do so.

Shih stands gracefully and almost effortlessly.  His face though indicates a level of tension that none have seen since that first tubeway ride when he asked so many questions.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:48, Tue 08 Mar 2005.

Ssrivan looks around a bit groggily after Dlarumei eases the pain in his neck, rubbing carefully at the point that hurt the worst before her soft ministrations did their job.  He hears Shih's comments, but seems lost as to their meaning as he looks around for his luscious scribe once more and instructs her to be ready to take notes again.  His work is interrupted momentarily by the Livyani priest as he comes over to him, though the only outward sign that he is fully aware of his presence is a slight, distant smile at his approach.  Ssrivan then makes himself comfortable in his seated position on the platform stones, in no hurry to move further or get back to his feet yet.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:07, Tue 08 Mar 2005.

The Livyani Priest looks agitated and comes up quickly behind Ssrivan.  He grasps Ssrivan’s head with both hands and closes his eyes, in but a moment he curses loudly.

“Dame all of this, to as many gods as you can name!  Everyone must stop trying to speak using only your minds.  Telepathy must end now!  There is a part of the complex that absorbs it and will use it and take it as a meal for eternity.  It is hungry and we have awakened it unknowingly.  It is greater than many demons and spirits and I would hope that we will pick a path and start on it now, as to stay here much longer might bring us great danger.”

He then, very unceremoniously, grabs Ssrivan under the arms and hefts him to his feet and begins guiding him to where the rest of the party is waiting.  Dlarumei coaxes Shih to follower her and Deshnah and Ssrivan’s scribe waist no time moving to the party.

Ssrivan starts at the touch of the Livyani priest, but does not resist as he is pulled to his feet to head the rest of the way to the main group.  He passes some of his usual cryptic quips for his scribe to note once he reaches them while carefully extracting himself from the priests grasp to stand on his own.  He whispers to the priest in passing "I have no problems with your instructions for now, but I think we should talk later."

Ssrivan then turns his gaze on the area around him, looking for clues as to function, his usual occupation.  This time, he seems to be concentrating on things that might lead to an exit, as the tubeway cavern will not remain a safe haven indefinitely.

    Jenge also heads to the gathering of the party though taking everything in as if to memorize what he has seen and heard here. I believe it is time to leave here and heading towards the north through the tube way sounds good. Lets get a move on before the situation gets any worse.

Dlarumei, leading Shih back to the where the rest of the party waits says.

“Because something is amiss here, I will answer you in the conventional form Shih.  Any one of your requests could have caused you harm, as it is not what you ask but how you ask it.  Especially for one in your infancy concerning your new abilities, it is best to take it slowly, though I know it is not your nature to do so.  As to the rest, we will discuss it at a later time and as to the Livyani Priest, has he ever answered you directly Shih?”  They arrive on the platform with the rest of the party and stand in waiting.

Shih moves forward immersed in thought.  Those psychically adept probably feel him drawing in a staggering amount of extraplaner energy.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:13, Thu 10 Mar 2005.

Urutlen watches the outskirts of this area for any potential nasties while the party prepares to disembark. He is also ready to leave this place.

OOC: I am leaving this morning for Tucson, AZ. I will be back home 3/16. Kevin, please keep Urutlen going for me. Cheers all.

                                Corky

"May we proceed now? Which way do we go, and how?"
This message was last updated by the player at 19:36, Thu 10 Mar 2005.

"Yes indeed," Orun says. "I am with Churisan, we spend too much time standing around and not enough time moving closer to our goal. I can appreciate that some of you are experiencing some interesting and painful joys, but we will all die of old age if we continue on at this pace, or perhaps something else if we stay out in the open long enough."

It is obvious that the warrior and the guard along with several others are getting impatient with all of the study time being spent over the past few days.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:43, Fri 11 Mar 2005.

Almodhim looks around a bit with squinty eyes and a heavy sigh.

“I really don’t relish heading back into the underground, and I am not real happy about the prospect of being confined again in these tiny little boxes, but even that is preferable to standing here with out arms wide open for disaster.  Let us move on!”

You can sense the annoyance she has for being underground, she has always seemed nervous and annoyed being in the small and dank areas of this journey.  She had practically clung to the windows of the mountaintop station and only seemed to relax when the ceiling had pictures of wide open skylines and vistas when you were on the moon.

Shih nods his head coming to some decision and backs off on the energy he's stored.  If everyone is in the station, he commands the little ru'un (nanites) to lower it to the correct position.

"There are two tubeway cars where we're going.  We must take the north one."

If it's possible to orient the room so that they can simply walk out to the correct car, that's what Shih tries to command.

On the way down, he goes over to talk quietly to Jenge.

Nesh will follow along near Orum and Churisan, one eye on the "sky" and another on the spacious reaches below us, hoping that Shih has all that wisdom under his control.

Ssrivan's concentration does not waver as Shih does his thing with the chamber.  He is still carefully moving around looking at anything and everything that crosses his path.

It has become obvious to everyone that something has changed within the chamber. Though no physical changes have taken place it is most apparent that the feel or atmosphere of this chamber has been altered.  Of all the spell casters in the party, it is the Livyani Priest who keeps peering around the chamber in an uneasy mood.

Shih is completely absorbed in rotating the platform as he puts together some thoughts and makes some awkward gestures, in fact, far less fluid that Jenge’s, which causes several of the party to snicker. Nonetheless, they are just as effective as the monstrous platform moves again in a clockwise direction.  With the platform in rotation, Shih walks back to the rest of the party standing in the waiting area of the platform.  Once there he and the party wait for the rotation to stop.  Then without much warning at all the waiting area drops downward.  Slowly at first and then a bit faster, it’s speed never becoming quick or frightening.

As the platform descends inside the chamber you are able to see more of this large structure.  You notice that it is actually a very large sphere that you are about half way down the side of.  Large lights ignite from under the waiting are platform that you are descending upon to light up the sphere below as you approach the tubway station.  You can clearly see the smooth wall of the chamber nearest the descending platform, stone polished to a fine, almost mirror finish seems wet in appearance.  Around the bottom of the platform, the area where the light seem to shine from, you can see very small specks gathering around, like moths to the flame and then, all of a sudden, your see another creature.  It is a winged serpent looking creature that swoops in quickly and quietly and snatches several of the floating specks before the light. Several more follow and then thirty perhaps forty more flash through the light, gathering up specks and then disappearing again out of the lights range. It is a silent dance with only the occasional flap of a leathery wing disturbing the air as evidence that anything was there.

As you approach the tubway loading station towards the lower quarter of the sphere, you notice that the bottom of the sphere is covered in a shinny thick liquid that sits still and calm.  You also notice that the platform you are on fits into a larger platform like the piece to a puzzle and clicks softly as it nestles into its position.  Once there, a connection of some sort is made, and the tubway station comes alive with lights.  They flicker as they power up for the first time in who knows how long, and put out a soft blue light.  This helps you to get a lay of the land here as the lights border all the walking areas and that of the tubway entrance.  You notice that three of these lights stand together at the top of a long ramp way that extends in a slight curve to the liquid below and that placed under these lights rests a single ladle and a golden bucket.  Urutlen tips his head to one side and says softly to anyone who is listening, “the ladle is made of glass” and then he scratches his chin as though he is thinking.

The party, standing in reverent silence has a quick start as there is a sharp sound of air being released just behind them.  The door that has always been on the platform that descended exhales sharply and the slides away from its position.  A light flickers on to reveille a small round room on the other side with a tall thin alter at its center.  The room is entirely made of black stone and the hole in the top of the alter would indicate that it is hollow.  After that, no other sound is heard save for the breathing of some nervous slaves and porters.

"It seems we have another place where a specific action is expected of us.  Note the ladle below, conveniently near the waters--and the temple above, with its hollow stone.  The three lights at the end of the dock are an unmistakeable clue to those who would have used this place that this is an important step to be taken.  I would beware of actually coming in contact with the liquid though, as it will be just as hazardous as the river in the cave of the degenerates guarding the first tubeway station."

Ssrivan then rummages through his pack for a moment, before heading towards the ramp and the ladle to carefully investigate that point.

Shih walks over to Ssrivan ...

"Ssrivan, is that hole in the alter the same size as our spear?  Also, what do you sense about our companion from the moon above?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:39, Tue 15 Mar 2005.

Churisan looks all around, and watches the winged serpents with the eye of a hunter. He hopes they don't bother us.

Ssrivan finds things as Urutlen has suggested; the ladle is made of glass and the bucket is of gold color but does not weigh as though it is made of the substance.  He stands there pondering the situation for a moment fumbling through his bag as he thinks.  Dlarumei follow Ssrivan to where he stands but says nothing nor tries to offer and suggestions.  She has learned that the Locksmith with ask or verbally contemplate matters when he feels the need to confer.  Orun heads over to, what appear to be doors, in a section of the wall where a round tube, like the one in the first station you entered, stands softly glowing from within.  For those who notice, Shih’s face turns a ghostly pale and you see a shiver come out of him.

Shih closes his eyes.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:36, Wed 16 Mar 2005.

Nesh has sidled over near Shih. "Noble Shih," says Nesh (a little louder than necessary), "what is your purpose?"

"I am concerned that you may be taking us down a path for which few of us are ready."

"Shih, if I find you trying to speak to the Little Ones again I will have to instruct our noble guards to send you to the Isles forthwith.  You will succeed in getting all of us killed otherwise.  What you do is not only dangerous--it is the act of a foolish child.  Dlarumei and the Livyani priest have both warned you to cease inquiry in that direction--and now I add my voice to that queue.  That which you play with now will consume you utterly, leaving nothing for your dire Worm Lord to coddle in eternal change.  Killing you would be a mercy at that point.  And the spear is of no use here--the hole in the altar is for the waters of this underground lake."

Ssrivan then examines the golden container and its glass dipper carefully.  He will open the small glass vial he pulled from his pack and place it on the ground about as far away from the edge of the lake as the bucket is and pull a slim glass rod from his pack of lockpicks.  He will then bow in the direction of the central fountain and remove the dipper from its golden bowl, dipping it into the waters to pull a small amount into it, observing it for a moment to make sure it is not consuming the dipper.  He will then touch the surface of the water in the dipper with his glass rod, again to verify that it will not be consumed by the liquid.  Once he is certain of the security of the materials, he will place one end of the rod above the opening of the vial, with the rest tilted up at an angle and slowly tilt the dipper to allow the lip to come into contact with it, about halfway between his fingers and the vial, until the liquid wicks across the interface between the two glass objects and begins to run down the rod, dripping into the vial at a measured rate.  Some drops may also fall to the ground, but the rod is placed so that any spillage from the bowl of the dipper is as far away from the vial as possible--and on the downhill side of the ramp from it.  Once the vial is nearly full, he will place the remainder of the liquid in the dipper into the golden bucket--but if possible, keeping it in the dipper as that is carefully placed there for safekeeping.  He will then stopper the vial and verify that no liquid came in contact with its outside before sealing it for storage in his pack.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:22, Thu 17 Mar 2005.

Churisan glances at Neshkriuma, Shih, and Ssrivan, obviously puzzled.

   Jenge walks over to the small temple and takes a closer look and being careful not to touch anything yet, he tries to understand its function or purpose. Noting any simalarities or changes from the last temple like this they have seen.

Short quick time advance.  Ssrivan would have to take the bucket and ladle down the ramp to its end and dip the liquid from the lake to the bucket first, as it is empty.  (A fact not mentioned previously)  Which I am sure that he would do and accordingly all the other aspects of his post would then follow and be done as he has prescribed.


Jenge stands before the large glass doorway of the tubway entrance.  The doors are closed like large silent guards to the beauty he can see just beyond.  It is a station, not unlike the one in the underground cavern, though much more ornate and exquisite in nature.  The glass is clear and clean, as is all of this area of the chamber.

Nesh takes a short step back from Shih as his stiffens like a board and his eyes roll back in his head.  However, he is kind enough to catch Shih before he hits the ground, and lays him gently down on the floor.  Nesh then takes his hands away quickly and fans them as though he has been holding hot coal from a brazier. The look on his face is one of shock and confusion.


A look of grave concern washes over Dlarumei’s face and she looks to Ssrivan at the end of the ramp. “We MUST NOW HURRY!” she warns emphatically and makes a hand gesture to Orun before rushing down the ramp herself.  The Livyani Priest, after a brief scowl and hand gesture in Shih’s direction spins and concentrates across the lake in the direction of its center.

There is a cool wave that passes over the party.  You all feel it, cold and ancient feeling. It seems to touch you and pass through you slowly.  Several of the slaves and porters drop to the floor while others cannot keep from gasping.  As a noble, you suppress any noise and endure this invasion.  Deshnah drops to the floor in a seated position, his orb uncovered and glowing brightly.  While Orun barks the orders “I NEED EVERYONE AS CLOSE TO THE GLASS DOORS AS POSSIBLE AND TO CLEAR A PATH BETWEEN SSRIVAN AND THE ALTER NOW!!!!”

     Jenge gets out of the way heading Oruns words. He helps clear a way for Ssrivan if needed. Then assists Ssrivan again if needed. Then will go to Shih's aid.

Churisan shudders as the chill seeps through his body. He looks around wildly for a moment when Shih falls, then obeys Orun and Dlarumei, moving with the others towards the glass doors, kicking a fallen bearer along as he does so.

Ssrivan looks at the hash marks he sees inside the bucket and calculates quickly.  He will then dip as many times as he needs to to reach a mark calculated to be far enough down from the top to allow him to move quickly to the altar, but high enough that the bucket contains enough of the liquid to successfully energize this portion of the station and push the results of Shih's foolishness back out into the lake long enough for us to escape.

As he is filling the bucket, a thought comes to him and he screams out:

"Dlarumei, you will need to have a disk ready for immediate use once the doors open, we will have very little time as I don't want that thing out there to try and follow us into the tubeway car."

He will then send his scribe to join the others at the glass door as he heads to the altar with the bucket and the ladle.

Dlarumei hears Ssrivan’s words and is broken from her trance.  She begins flipping through the shinny golden disks on the line that she has tied off to her robe somehow.  She then takes one of the disks off the line and holds it tightly in her hand.  Taking a few steps back in the direction of the doors she pauses and watches as Ssrivan makes his way up the ramp.  She will assist if she can, but for the moment she will let the locksmith run his course.

Ssrivan dashes, albeit carefully and with his eyes glued on the liquid that he has carefully filled the bucket with, up the ramp with as much haste as is possible under the circumstances.  The ramp is long, about 200 meters or so before it meets up with the larger landing where the glass doors are and where the three lights stood with the bucket and ladle when you arrived.  From there it is another 30 meters to the platform that the party descended on and then a few meter to the door with the round, hollow alter.

Ssrivan had just crested the top of the ramp when the Livyani Priest leaps into the air shouting some interesting words.  His leap, at the edge of the landing, places him directly between the liquid pool and the party at the door of the tubway station, and with Ssrivan in the in between the two as he has just passed into that space for the moment.  His back arched and his arms and legs stretched out as far as it possible, the LP maintains his lofty position.  Several small glints seem to spark around him and around the area he is facing.  It is easy to assume that a shield of some sort has been erected by the priest and that there are items that seem to be striking it.

It is then that you see a puff of stone at Ssrivan’s feet that leaves a scar in the gray slate, and you can hear what sounds like an arrow skipping off the floor and traveling further.  Its whistling scream is odd but familiar in intent and stops quickly in the chest of on of the porters.  The porter drops like a stone on his back and you can see the object protruding from the center of his chest.  This is no ordinary projectile as is obvious by the fact that it is moving.  The projectile become limp and then wings unfold to revile that it is one of the winged serpents you had seen earlier.  As it removes its head from the porter’s chest, it brings with it several vital pieces from within the man and spits and hisses through red dripping fangs when it sees the crowd around the porter.

Several guards stand with drawn swords facing the creature, but its aggressiveness keeps them at a respectful distance.  When the creature had turned again to ward of several of the other guards, Yamashan took the opening and brought his Halberd down from behind the others to cleave the creature, and the slain porter, in twain.  The top third of the creature shoots out onto the landing where it writhes for a moment before falling silent.  Its tail flips from side to side in the gore of the segmented porter, flapping one wing for several seconds before becoming entangled in cloth that winds around it as it slows and finally stops twitching.

Ssrivan, through all of this, has kept his goal in mind and arrives at the alter with bucket intact.  He pours the liquid into the opening and watches as it disappears into the dark, deep throat of the alter.  With this action more lights come on inside the glass covered station and you can see the tubway car gleam like a golden rod on a black stone table.  But that is all that seems to happen.

The Livyani Priest descends to the landing surface and turns to the group.  He looks somewhat perplexed at the halved beast lying on the floor near him. With an intent scowl the creatures head burst into flame as did its tail.  The later causing several of the people inspecting the fallen porter to gasp and stumble back at the surprise of the fire.  “They must be destroyed by fire or they will regenerate” the Livyani Priest croaks out, as though he has been strained in his previous task.  He regards the tubway station behind the party with a quizzical look, glances in Ssrivan’s direction and then closes his eyes and seems to focus on something.

Ssrivan looks at carefully at the altar for a moment and then grabs bucket and ladle and heads back down the ramp to the pool's edge to refill it again after he places the bucket on the disk at the water's edge.  He will then repeat the trek to the altar stone.

Churisan calls to the porters: "Torches, quickly!" He tries to get some torches from the supplies and get them lit as quickly as possible.

Urutlen keeps a watchful eye out for more nasties and says to Ssrivan on the way by "I can get the bucket to the alter much quicker, if you would allow me to noble locksmith." He contiues looking out into the water, hoping to see what's out there and waits for a reply,if any.

"Urutlen" Orun croaks out from where he stands readying his war gear.

"I think your talents lie here rather than in the transportation of that liquid.  Though I appreciate your willingness to assist in the matter, the master locksmith has the task well in hand and I need your eyes and bow in case there are others that advance.  The Livyani Priest must be tired, if he missed that one serpent, and I will need help to make up the difference."

This last statement was said with a humorous undertone that is obvious as a well intentioned jibe.

Urutlen replies to Orun "very well then." He then strings his bow and peers intently out towards the water.

Ssrivan acknowledges Urutlen in passing, but continues single-mindedly in the accomplishment of his task.

The orange light of four torches changes the lighting dynamic considerably.  Their light seems inordinately bright and casts long shadows across the liquid and reveals the porousness of the stone walls.

The Livyani Priest turns only his shoulders a bit in an indignant response to Orun’s goading.  This, of course, allows Orun the chance to chuckle a bit at his comment before things might get interesting.  He stops his humorous tones when Urutlen raises his hand in a demand for silence.

Pulling his arrow tight on the bow the merchant and archer of the Rising Sun Clan is focused on Ssrivan as he fills the bucket for a second time.  Just as Ssrivan has completed his task and stands in his crouched running position with the bucket hanging low at the end of his arm, Urutlen lets lose the arrow that he has had held in tension against his cheek.  The arrow whistles away with blinding speed and passes just inches above Ssrivan’s head, stopping in mid air about three feet behind the locksmith.  A scream of pain erupts from behind Ssrivan as the arrow rocks back and forth and then falls to the floor still moving about.  After a moment it stops and a strange beast begins to appear.  It is almost man sized with fur all over it and large wings like those of a bat.  It has large clawed feet and hands and a grizzly fanged muzzle protruding from under a thick, wide snout.  This one has an arrow rammed in its eye and its head rests on the arrow point that has come out of its back portion.  A thick, dark blood runs over the arrow tip and spreads out over the smooth stone of the ramp way.  With the outcry of this slain creature the party hears several primal hoots and groans from above them and around them.  The guards pull in tight around several nobles and the slaves and porters drop to the floor. .  Ssrivan moves quickly as though none of this has transpired, his eyes set on the buckets contents and his pace steady and sure he moves quickly to the alter.

“They seem to have us encircled !”Orun states the obvious.  “Keep and eye out over your heads!  Urutlen, how did you see that creature?!?  Tell us so that we might be able to find them as well.”

Once again, Ssrivan will carefully pour the contents of the bucket into the hole at the center of the altar.  Once he has done so, if he determines that the liquid level in the stone still needs to be adjusted upward, he will prepare to make a third trip to the water's edge.  Upon reaching the bucket holder at the top of the ramp to the water, he stops for a moment and makes a studied set of sounds and gestures

"More light!" urges Churisan. He too has his bow ready, an arrow nocked. He searches the shadows looking for targets.

"More light indeed! Churisan, there are two clinging to the wall above the slaves and porters even as I speak. Watch for the way the torch light flickers and bends around them. I could see light reflecting off of that one's eye and it did cast a shadow on the far back wall. There are several more around. Churisan, if you can see the ones above the slaves, give me a signal when and which one you will be shooting at so that we can kill them both at the same time." As Urutlen speaks his gaze never stops shifting around the room, especially in regards to protecting Ssrivan and his task.

"I can see where the two are, mine is on the left" replies Churisan as he draws his bow. He shoots at the end of his sentence, then very quickly fits a another arrow and draws again.

No sooner had Churisan arrow left his bow, and Urutlen lets fly with his arrow at the creature on the right. He then immediately continues scouting the room for more and making sure Ssrivan reaches his goal safely.

Churisan’s arrow seems heavy and slow in comparison to the one of Urutlen which slips past his quickly to strike its target first.  But, nonetheless Churisan’s arrow finds its target with lethal accuracy.  Its heavier shaft strikes hard and solid to the creature’s chest knocking it back up against the wall that it is clinging to.  The creature swipes at the shaft, snapping it off but leaving the tip buried deep within.  Its fascination with the wound allows it little time to react to the second of Churisan’s arrows which rams its way through the throat of the beast sending it spiraling to the center of the slaves clutching at its throat and gasping wildly.  If the arrow didn’t kill it, the creatures head striking the stone surly did, and the slaves quickly pushed it out from their midst into the open area of the landing and then retreated back to where they are huddled together.  Urutlen’s target stayed mounted to the wall, being suspended by its head, the arrow protruding from its left eye and pinning it to the stone wall.  As the two archers look about, it is obvious that there are more of these beasts about.  Pinpointing them will be the only trouble, but their cries seem to at least offer a general location, hopefully the torches will continue to uncover their disguises.

The Livyani Priest shouts back to the two noble not to drop any of the creatures into the liquid, to wait until they will die well over the stone landing.  He further explains that he is not sure, but to drop that much weight and mass into the liquid might have dire consequences.

It is in the next moment that you see Orun move backwards as though being pushed, his feet sliding across the landings stone surface.  The warrior lets out a curse and brings the butt of his sword down on something just in front of him several times.  Regaining his footing quickly after these bloody blows he bring the full force of his sword down and through a partially visible beast standing dazed before him, separating his upper torso from its waist.  With a grimace on his blood splattered face he says, “You can smell their rancid breath when they are close, use more than your eyes my comrades!”

A brilliant white bolt of lightning shoot forth from Deshnah’s orb, held up over his head, and ignites another of the invisible flying beasts in mid air.  It screams in pain as it is completely consumed by the extreme heat of the lightning, its ashes floating down softly around the shaman as he collects himself again and searches the room with other senses than his eyes.

"I estimate 4 of these beasts remain. Let us be steadfast in protecting Ssrivan's task first, while not letting the beasts fall into the water. Churisan, let you and I continue helping each other to spot these things. Together we may be able to bring the rest of them down more quickly."

Churisan responds: "Yes, Urutlen, at least 4 more!" Turning... "Can any of you priests make more light?!" Turning again... "Ohé! Guards! Bows and polearms, 'ware all sides! Bowmen do not shoot 'til they are over stone."

     Jenge heads over towards Shih and stands over him and closes his eyes and listens for the foes, then he opens his eyes.

Nesh has allowed the limp form of Shih to settle to the stone floor. Nesh gives him only a disgusted grimace in reply to the Worm Lord worshiper's latest effort to rule the underworld. He is already helping Chur to whip the guards into a... guarding frenzy, placing particular emphasis on the bowmen. He repeats Chur's imperative - these creatures must be shot over the stone only. Nesh presses the obviously frightened porters to dig out torches and lights them as fast as they are produced.

Nesh can be seen reaching again into his pack...

Chur keeps peering into the shadows, searching for targets.

Nesh will chant and raise his hands, which emit a red-orange light into the area.

As Nesh puts forth his reddish-orange light Jenge sees one of the creatures standing over Shih.  Not only is he standing over Shih but it is about one foot in front of Jenge as well.  Jenge reacts quickly and grapples the beast with his hands, pulling the beast off center and then thrusting upward with both of his hands he strikes the surprised best directly under the chin, which stands the creature upright and off balance. With his right foot, Jenge then kicks the creatures left foot out from under him.  The beast begins to fall but Jenge is not finished with it yet.  With another quick kick Jenge catches the flailing leg and knocks it skyward twisting the beast on the one leg still touching the landing so that its back is parallel with the floor below.  Then Jenge spins around backwards with his leg raised up on high and he hammers his foot and calf into the beast's chest and neck, pile driving the creature down hard onto the stone.  The creature groans out all of its air and stares dazed up at Jenge who firmly plants his heel under the creatures jaw with such force that one can hear the beast’s neck separate with a loud crack and watch as the body goes limp.  In the midst of this exchange Shih had come back to reality with a start and had raised up quickly only to be met with a grazing brush of Jenge’s leg as it rounded toward the beast.  This knocked Shih back to the prone position where he continues to lay.

Though all of this Nesh has acquired a large friend; one of the beasts has grabbed a hold of Nesh’s back and is attempting to bit him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:02, Sat 02 Apr 2005.

Churisan, pleased to have spotted another one, shoots at the creature attacking Neshkriuma.

Urutlen quickly makes sure that Ssrivan is not in jeopardy and if not, he also shoots at the creature attacking Nesh.

Shih lays there, less in a daze than introspective.  While he's aware of combat around them, he's not yet up for participating.  Staring up, he mumbles something.

As it is that the beasts become visible when they attack or are attacked, targeting the creature clinging to the churning Neshkriuma is not that hard.  The beast, now sporting two new arrows from its back and one through its neck is easily sluffed off by Nesh as he turns to greet another diving in on him.  This one hits Nesh hard in the center of his chest; knocking him off his feet and the two of them travel almost five meters before striking the ground.  The landing knocking most of the air from Nesh as he hits with the beast pressing in on him.


About this same time you hear, and feel, a thunderous sound that seems to come from across the liquid lake, as though something huge was dropped on a hollow log of some sort that produced this percussive sound.   Other things that some of you notice but would pass along quickly are; Ssrivan flashing bright white and then disappearing completely, along with the bucket and the ladle, and three of the slaves instantaneously turning into dust that seem to boil on the stone floor for a few moments before becoming still.

Nesh does not worry about his breath - there is no time for such niceties at this point. The creature atop him is the worry. He will bring one hand up in a short punch to the creature's throat and will use his other hand and legs to throw it off altogether. As he comes free, he will roll to the wall and stand up with his back to it.

Shih opens his eyes, startled.  He then closes his eyes concentrating.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Sun 03 Apr 2005.

As Nesh rolls, a knife appears in his hand, as if from thin air. He can be seen to quickly scan the area with his eyes, then closes them, listening and focusing on the enemies.

Churisan keeps shooting, starting with the second creature attacking Neshkriuma.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:55, Mon 04 Apr 2005.

Ripping her sword from its scabbard with violent intent Almodhim leaps with ferocity and rage, her unnaturally red hair resembling fire as it trails behind her, the war cry she produces shocks even party members as she lunges toward the now visible beast standing at Neshkriuma’s back.

Orun, his attention drawn to the Nesh battle by Almodhim’s war cry, spins around, his blade still naked and shimmering with blood, drops to one knee, making up the slight difference in distance and adding to the velocity of the swing, he swipes at the beasts legs with his sword in an attempt to take them out from under it.

Ripping her sword from its scabbard with violent intent Almodhim leaps with ferocity and rage, her unnaturally red hair resembling fire as it trails behind her, the war cry she produces shocks even party members as she lunges toward the now visible beast standing at Neshkriuma’s back....

As she closes the ten meter gap between her and the target she leaps and bounds, bouncing through the air with almost dance-like moves.  Then, in mid leap, a look of intense pain crosses her face, blood gushes from her shoulders and she rises up further off the ground.  It is obvious that one of the beasts has grabbed her, snatched her in mid flight and is trying to carry her off.  Without a second thought Almodhim thrusts her long slender blade upward, directly above her head and finds her enemy.  She twists the blade and drags is forward in the air, releasing large amounts of red, quivering gore that flow down over her shoulders and to the stone floor below.  The beast having released it grip, Almodhim plunges to the floor herself, but the angle of her descent is perfectly in line with the other beast, her original target, and she takes serious advantage of that situation.   She lands fully on the beast, one foot on the side of its head, the other on its hip and her blade, serrated edge up, thrusts, point first into the shoulder joint of the creature.  The beast tips over and cries out in pain as Almodhim uses it as a spring board to leap away from the creature and land, skillfully, on her feet.  The beast rises quickly as well, mad and frothing at the mouth, its left arm dangling like a wet sack, useless and slick with blood.  It lunges at Neshkriuma with all it has to offer, fangs bare and claws pointed.  Orun’s move is well timed and extremely well placed, his blade removing the left leg of the beast just as it begins its lung and drops it to the floor writhing in pain.  But, through all of this and the arrow that Churisan has placed heavily in its side, the creature continues to try and attack Neshkriuma.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:32, Mon 04 Apr 2005.

Nesh's eyes can be seen to glow somewhat as he cleanly slices the throat of the creature that has so recently been trying to kill him. Flying monkey, indeed!

Churisan switches his attention to the beast that pulled Almodhim into the air, and tries to shoot it down, if he can see it and it is still over the stone. He hopes the guards will get a shot or two off soon as well.

Nesh yells at the remaining guards to "get those swords out and help, NOW!" The epithets that come from his mouth in this effort sound quite... soldierly.

His attention turns to Shih for a second: "Noble Shih - these creatures must be incinerated after their death, will you assist us?"

Nesh will then ensure he is armed in both hands and look / listen / smell for another monkey or two to kill.

     I do not think I can incinerate these beasts, but if we can pile them all in one spot. I can gate them to another plain. That should get them out and away from here.

"The Livyani said it was the flying worms that must burn, he wasn't talking about these big things."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:20, Tue 05 Apr 2005.

Which ever member is in the most dire need at this moment, Urutlen will shoot the beast nearest them. "Does anyone know what happened to Ssrivan?" He shouts above the fray.

Orun stands at the ready, his sword held tightly in his right hand edge side facing out.  He scans the area with his eyes, ears and nose, his left arm outstretched before him feeling the air for what might be lurking or advancing.

Almodhim backs herself up against the curved wall, bracing herself with her legs in a fashion that would indicate she is ready to pounce.  She too, scans the area, listening intently to the air around her.  “Quiet the slaves so we can listen!”she yells to the guards nearest the huddle of porters, and then she returns to scanning the area.

As the slaves and porters are ordered to calm themselves an eerie calm settles over the party.  It is truly and unnatural calm.  To the warriors in the party, they recognize the calm as the stillness just before the attack, the regrouping and planning of how to best conquer the enemy.  They quietly pass this information along to the other nobles so that their alert will not falter.

It is in this silence that you can almost hear the intertwining of words and the soft echo of footsteps.  The footsteps travel past from the ramp to the alter and the words, ancient in nature seem to encircle the party in such a manner that it seems to come from all directions.  Looking about assessing this oddity several of the nobles notice that Dlarumei is casting off a bluish glow and seems to be in a meditative state.

For most of you, this is the first time that you have been inside, what you believe is a major globe of invulnerability.  Your suspicions are confirmed as you watch one of the flying beasts smash into the sphere and slide down its exterior to lay on the stone in a dazed fashion.  Most of you relax yourselves at bit, taking the tension of your muscles and off your bows.  For the moment you seem to be safe inside this sphere, yet you look around to be sure.

It is then that you notice another set of words, in a different, male, tone chanting in a stream of complicated structures.  Then a shinning blue object appears over Shih’s prone body.  It is long and cylindrical in shape and is spinning much like a top would just above Shih’s chest.  You feel energized somehow, your strength returns to normal and all signs of tiredness drain from you like water sloughing off an oiled cloth.  In fact, you actually beginning feeling better than you have ever felt in your entire life.  Old wounds heal, and those nagging aches and pains that have plagued your joints for years have completely disappeared.  Your hair thickens a bit and your skin regains some of its more youthful luster (You actually gain two year back on your age).

Feeling new and revitalized you flex a bit to make sure it’s true and then come to a shocking realization.  The slain beasts are breathing and their severed parts are no longer severed.  In fact, all of the beasts that had just been slain, save for the one that Deshnah and his orb turned to ash are now standing and trying to gather themselves in a defensive posture.  While most of you are against the walled side of the chamber, near the glass doors, the flying beasts choose to back towards the liquid to widen the gape between you.  They get very frustrated as they bump into the globe and find that they are trapped.  With their teeth bared they snarl and become more aggressive, if that is possible, and take on airs of attacking.  Shih pops up quickly, looking a bit dazed but whole and well rested he walks backwards towards the party and away from the snarling beasts.

"Thank you greatly for the reprieve, Nobles Shih and Dlarumei.
"To all: We must make use of this respite to determine our way forward. First: Does anyone know the fate of Ssrivan? Second: Have we sufficiently activated this station? Third: What is our path forward?

Shih is unnaturally quiet, though his face is certainly thoughtful.  He looks at the creatures concentrating.

Urutlen, not wanting to wait to be attacked, starts shooting at the beasts inside the sphere. He starts with the one that looks like it is must ready to attack.

Orun pulls out his crossbow and starts loading a heavy bolt.  “Nothing like a little target practice to get a fight going.” He says gleefully as he sets the bolt into the weapon and takes aim.

Almodhim sets her jaw and looks intently at the group of huddling beasts.  “Be quick about your fun!” she spits, “I detest this distance fighting, but I’ll let you have a few moments before I rush the creatures.”  She adjusts several daggers a long thin knife and wraps her hands around the pommel of her sword tightly in anticipation of the battle she is playing though her head, mapping out the details and her strategies.

Nesh trades his knife for a sword. He will remain watchful (and listen-ful) for more beasts inside the sphere.

Churisan looses an arrow as the nearest creature. While he draws his next shot, he looks around at Orun and the guards with crossbows, and wonders why they haven't shot yet.

First Urutlen, then Churisan followed by several of the bowmen guards.  Orun’s crossbow takes a moment to load but his shot rings out shortly after the initial volley.  With the veracity of being slapped down by a monstrous hand, the lead four creatures fall hard to the floor, arrows protruding from various critical areas. The three that remain growl with outrage and expand wings, ready to take flight, their feet shuffling for purchase in order to push off to attack.  The archers of the party send in a second volley matching the first for its deadly effect.  By the time the crossbows are reloaded, there is little left to aim at, much less shoot.

Orun’s disappointment is somewhat relieved as one of the first creatures shot stirs and attempts to rise from the floor.  The heavy bolt slams hard into the creature’s chest, knocking it backwards to trip over its fallen pack mates.  Then, another one of the fallen rise from the floor, removing the arrows from its chest and abdomen, and stands in defiance to the archers once more.  Three bolts from the guard corps riddle the beast, sending it, once again, to the cold stone of the landing, but, once again, another of the beasts stands and howls in defiance.  Soon there are several standing as they seem only to lay dead for a matter of moments.  (You just became two years younger)

“Oh, Enough of this Chlen dung!”Almodhim exclaims.  “They won’t get back up if I toss their heads to the other side of the landing!”

With an ear shattering cry she leaps straight at the beasts, the fifteen meters between them is gone in a flash as her new vitality seems to add strength and speed to her already quick moves.  Her sword poised to slash the head from the first encounter.

Shih smiles and continues to concentrate.

     Jenge says wait to Almodhim  I wish to send them to another plane I do not wish you to go along for the ride. Jenge begins his incantaion.

Hearing Jenge, Shih shouts to him, "Don't cast that yet!  You'll free the prisoner and possibly destroy us all!"

"CAST NOTHING YET JENGE!  We are all too close in proximity for such things!"  He then drops his crossbow and leaps forward to where Almodhim is headed.  He’ll be damned if she is going to have all the fun.  His sword almost sings as it is pulled from the scabbard strapped across his back, and he bolts for the right side of the huddled group of creatures.

Churisan sees Almodhim using her Leaping Flame combat style, and Orun unlimbering his big two-handed sword, and very quickly decides that this little arena is crowded enough. He shoulders his bow and unclips his sword, but stays back, fitting into the guards' protective circle around the priests and servants. He stands ready, looking around and muttering a brief prayer to Karakan while he waits for the priests to get their act together.  :)

Almodhims’ target is shocked at how fast and violent she arrives, her sword slashing diagonally through the creature’s neck, its head popping up like a thrown ball into the air. But that is not where it ends; the ferocity of her swing and her angle perfect to maximize the blades cutting ability allows her attack to carry through to the next creature, slicing through its upper chest from just below its left shoulder to just above its right hip.  The two halve dropping to the floor in a collapse of freed parts like a discarded bundle of wood.  She spins around, kicking the severed head across the floor in the direction of the lift where it obviously bounces of the inside of the globe of invulnerability and rolls over to where Deshnah is seated.  Deshnah seems intrigued by its arrival and seems to study it for a moment.  Almodhim then parries a blow from one of the creatures severing its hand at mid forearm and then spinning again, her sword taking the creatures legs out from under it.  Her body sleek, her attack so utterly forceful and movements like those of the finest dancers make it hard to take your eyes away from the event.  She is captivating through her style and effectiveness, her technique and the absolute perfection of her moves has you holding your breath.  It seems a shame the Orun is about to join the fray and interrupt the show.

Jenge’s mind is a whirl.  He has started the incantation, which was interrupted by both Shih and Orun. Almodhim either could not hear him over her war cry or chose to ignore him, and then Orun runs in after her.  Now there is a whirling, iridescent, pearly-hued nexus point appearing next to the beasts and the two warriors.  He had not completed the spell!  He had only thought briefly of it, and had only started to form the process of how to bring it into existence.  There were no words, no incantations, and no mental processes to bring the spell into being, why is it there?

Shih rushes to Dlarumei.

"Dlarumei, can I cast spells from here outside this sphere and will spell effects bounce off it from the outside?  I have a way to force this situation before The Prisoner can marshall more forces to wear us down. But, I need to act soon.  The very words I will say will be terrible weapons that will bounce off this chamber's walls in random directions."

"I sensed an ancient power from the time we entered this chamber.  Not too long ago, I sensed an enormous power that infuriated that ancient power.  I am not at all surprised to find that you are the source of this ancient powers great aggravation.” Dlarumei says with a smile and a short chuckle.  Now that she is without the ebony mask it is much easier to see the humor and meaning behind her words.  Her face, though in concentration relaxes when she speaks to Shih, there is a wry smile that curls the edges of her mouth and a quick roll of her eyes.

She pauses for a moment, concentrating again on something and then regards Shih with a more pensive face.  “In theory, solid object and spells should pass from the inside of this globe outward with no problems.  The globe keeps all other things from entering into itself.  As you have no doubt found out, the pool of liquid is nexus energies just like the pool at the other tubway station we found.  As you also have undoubtedly discovered, spells cast inside this chamber are amplified on an enormous scale, hence the reason why this globe is so large, why noble Neshkriuma’s light spell was so bright,  and why your healing spell has our winged friends coming back, like a bad meal, to cause us more pain.  Before we try and cast anything from inside this globe to the outside we should see if a solid object will pass through its walls. I suggest that... oh, my, that’s not good.”  Dlarumei stops in mid sentence as the nexus point develops next to the battle, her look is one of concern and she points to it with her chin for Shih to turn and look.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:44, Mon 11 Apr 2005.

Before anyone could even move, the developing Nexus point sucks one of the howling winged creatures off its feet and into its whirling, iridescent void.  Others try and move away from the object but seems to be caught in its vacuum and slide, claws digging into the stone floor, towards its gaping maw.  Almodhim takes a shot at a distracted beast, loping off its head and right arm, which tumble past several of the other creatures, like leaves on the wind, as they are pulled into the nexus point. She then dives away from the developing pearly-hued nexus point and starts to scramble across the floor.  Her progress is slow as the swirling dish pulls at her.  Orun kicks one of the beasts in the chest, sending it hurling into several other beast, knocking them all off balance and into the nexus opening.  He then tires to turn and leap away from the draw as well, but his mass proves to be a negative factor and he starts sliding over the stone floor in the direction of the points pull. One of the beasts tries and grabs hold of Orun to save itself, but the pommel of the warriors sword caves in the creature head and it flaps limp in the wake of the power of the nexus point and, like a limp flag, is drawn into the whirling object. Of course, this did not help Orun in his bid to escape the draw of the nexus point and he topples over onto his back and begins sliding towards the object.  He puts his sword up over his head so that when he enters his fate it will be sword first.  Almodhim, her fight going poorly as well, stands and dives backwards over her feet towards Orun, her blade at the ready as they both disappear from sight.  Her final words trailing off “you’ll need someone to watch your back...”  With that, the Nexus point collapses in upon itself and disappears with a rush of air, the entire event taking only but half a minute.

Shih considers the marketing potential of using something like this spell to clean one's floor ... a thought for another time.

"Jenge, where did that particular nexus point connect to?!  There seemed to be an absence of air there causing everything on our side nearby to get sucked in."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Mon 11 Apr 2005.

     Shih I did not cast that spell. I thought about it and I was distracted by Orun you and the others. I suggest watching your thoughts carefully or they may manifest. The spell that was created pulls nearby thing into it and sends them to another plain of existance our friends should be fine, but we will have to locate which plain they were sent to. I repeat again I did not cast the spell but mearly started to prepare it when I was distracted and the spell ocured any way.

Shih quickly balances the greater strength of some of the warriors with his own natural healing ability and makes a decision.  Shih yells for his slaves to tie a rope about his waist.  At the same time, he uses his 3 skills in sailor to tie one rope to a second.  This rope will have to support the weight of three people at least.  If there's something he can anchor it to other than people, he'll quickly secure it.  He then lines the slaves and fighters up on the rope.

"Churisan, lower me on one bump and raise me on two bumps!  Jenge, do exactly what you did where you did it a moment ago."

His only hope is to do this before everything has changed alignment too much.  They're lost otherwise.

Churisan looks mighty bewildered, but he complies with Shih's instructions.

     Jenge starts casting the spell again like he did last time and aiming for the same spot.

Speaking rapidly while everything is being prepared ...

"My Lord ... an Ancient ... is at least partially responsible for imprisoning some other more ancient being here.  That being, in outrage at my invocation, referred to him as an 'upstart'.  If I'm right, a nexus cast here will only take one to the chamber in which that being is imprisoned.  This is down one of two huge caverns below that lead off this huge sphere.  Orun and Almodhim are probably fighting for their lives.  Alternately, the ancient device permits nexus points normally but prevents the prisoner from escaping.  We'll soon know once I pass through.  You'll know by the sound that I make if I engage in battle nearby."

To his strongest slave, "Keep the rope away from the edge of the nexus point.  It will cut the rope like the sharpest knife!"

"Jenge, keep the nexus open, but be prepared to close it by force of will.  If I'm right and defeated, then the prisoner will seek to enter Dlarumei's sphere through the open nexus."

When everything is open and unless anyone else has a better plan, Shih goes to the nexus depending on the rope to prevent him from entering and sticks his hand through then draws it back.  If no damage, then he casts heal on himself again to get the area effect heal going for a number of rounds and then jumps through.

In the rush to save Orun and Almodhim most are focused on the preparations.  It is Deshnah who draws your attention to the nexus point that opens out over the liquid.  It just so happens that this coincides with the opening of the nexus point that Jenge casts next to the rope bound Shih, who is preparing to travel onward.

This time, however, the Whirling, iridescent nexus point appears in a flash, and seems to be seething with power.  Shih, before he can even move a hand near it, is swept off his feet and drawn inward, feet first and very quickly.  Those on the rope feel it burn their hands as they try and hold on sliding along the smooth stone floor towards the violent vortex.  Several of the slaves are forced to give up their grips as they slide from their positions onto their back and under the feet of the others still trying to hold on.  With less weight on the rope pulling back and the hindrance of slippery footing and now obstacles under foot the balance tips in favor of the nexus point and it pulls hard to draw those still holding on into its void.  Churisan, towards the front of the line and realizing that resistance is futile at this point, orders the rest to release the line.  He too releases the rope and drops to the floor to avoid the zip line of a rope passing by. But several of the slaves and one guard have either wrapped themselves in the line or have become entangled and are unable to release the rope as it is sucked into the whirling vortex.  Churisan, try though he might to avoid the three, is swept up by them as they tumble forward and slid into the nexus point with the other three and Shih.  Then, as quickly as it came, the nexus point blinks from existence severing the rope that remained in the room.

The other one, over the liquid, purges its contents onto a white dish shaped platform that has materialized beneath it.  Four winged beast and two aggravated warriors tumble out and continue the battle on the surface of this dish hovering above the liquid pool. The two make quick work of the beasts, reducing them to a pile of rubble in little time.  They then turn a look around; Orun waves a hand of recognition to the party as he spies the landing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:08, Sun 17 Apr 2005.

Deshnah stands up, pours a bit of liquid from a glass vile onto the severed head and walks to the extremity of the globe of invulnerability.  The head dissolving behind him is a gruesome sound of hisses, sizzles and pops that Deshnah pays no attention to.  Once at the globe he tries to examine it as best he can.

Done with his task of making puzzle pieces of the beasts Orun starts looking for a way off of the platter that he is standing on.  He cleans his sword as he walks over to the platters edge and peers down to the liquid below.

As Orun tries to look over the edge he hits his head on an invisible barrier that seems to run straight up from the edge of the platter.  As he examines this further and as Almodhim joins in they realize that extends around the entire dish.  Like dome one puts over a plate of food to keep it fresh.  Orun hammers on the barrier with a mighty fist, yet nothing seems to happen.  Almodhim raps pointedly with the pummel of her sword and still nothing changes. The two stop and confer when a bright light announces the arrival of another nexus point and another platter just off to the left of the one that Orun and Almodhim find themselves on.  This nexus point and platter are just a bit lower than its predecessor but acts the same as it vomits out its contents.  Churisan, Shih, a guard and two slaves tumble out onto the dish and stand with some dizziness, or so it would seem.

Almost immediately after you watch the second arrival the bright lights of the tubway station come to life.  They flicker a bit at first, but then glow a brilliant yellowish white.  In another moment the two large door slide apart from each other to open a pathway into the station. As they open, you can hear and feel the rush of air, cold and stale, as it assaults your nose, you pull back for only a second as it passes.

Deshnah seems to be causing some sparks at the barrier that is surrounding the rest of the party as he is testing some aspect of the globe it seems.

Shih takes in their current location relative the Dlarumei's dome.  Over the weeks that Shih has been part of this group, everyone nearby has seen Shih's many facial expressions.  The look on his face now though is noticably different from anything seen before: FEAR!  He is looking up and around (with POE) ready for the attack that will soon come.  His only comment, said quietly to himself, "We need an edge!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:32, Mon 25 Apr 2005.

    Jenge thinks about the platers holding his friends coming over to where he is and the fields opening up and letting them out on the platform next to him. As if he were casting a spell to do it.

Churisan stands still, and waits a few moments for the dizzyness to pass. Then he reaches out tentatively with his sword, to see if there is an invisible barrier around his disk too.

Churisan gains his balance and steadies his feet, shaking his head he focuses on his new environment and extends his sword.  The tip does come in contact with a barrier of some sort and is unable to pass through.  When he taps it with his hand he finds it to be very solid and cool to the touch as well.  Rapping on the barrier a few times creates a pitch tone from vibration and thoughts of what Hrissu could do with this comes to mind.  He stands next to the barrier with his hand pressed against it and looks to Shih with the “now what?” look.  Shih, his head bent downward, explodes in a burst of white light and disappears from view with a visible shock wave from his spell traveling outward from his center in all directions.  It catches the first slave it comes into contact with and slams him against the barrier, the guard and Churisan place their backs against the barrier and brace themselves and the shock wave washes over them and they fade from view.  The shockwave can be seen bouncing back and fourth like water in a bucket for several moments and then all returns to calm.

OOC: This time, I'm not sure what everyone else would see/feel.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:13, Sat 14 May 2005.

    What the hell was that a new way to terrify the slaves?

OOC: Kevin, could we please have a diagram? I'm not at all clear about where the disks are relative to the platform, the walls of the chamber, and the tubeway.

Working on diagram, yet failing at the attempts to get it on the site.
Will post on Friday, sorry for the delay.

Ssrivan is still nowhere to be seen . . .

Me either ...

The room has gone strangely quiet, there seems to be a muffled sound coming from across the liquid, the sound of drums, deep toned drums, beating a slow and steady tone. The light from the tubway station beckons you to enter into its warm embrace.  The sound of the automatic doors opening on the tubway cars can be heard.  A sound that you have come to recognize from your other travels in getting to this point.  Orun and Almodhim struggle to find a way to open the cage that they seem to find themselves in as Shih and Churisan, along with the guard and slave are no longer able to be seen.  Then, quickly and without warning a monstrous onyx oblique rises up under the platform that the two warriors are trapped on.  Its base does not touch the liquid below and its point grows up under the disk until it strikes its bottom and then begins to push the disk upward.  Almodhim and Orun bend knees so as to ride the disk as it ascends and keep their balance.  The disk continues upward, obviously being guided by the barrier that surrounds it until it reaches the top of the barrier and spills the disk and its contents our over the liquid.   The two fall for only a few feet before several large stones intercept them and keep them from falling into the liquid.  The two then seem to be listening to instructions and shortly thereafter, somehow manipulate their stones to the bank just on the other side of the sphere of invulnerability where the Livyani Priest is standing.  From there Orun waves at Dlarumei and adjusts his armor.  Now the question would be on how to get into the inside of the Sphere where the rest of the party is, or most of them that you can see anyhow.

OOC: Private posting

Ssrivan is still amongst the ever-growing ranks of the missing. . .

OOC:  One, two, four ... no three

Those inside the globe of invulnerability can hear Orun, Almodhim and the Livyani Priest as they speak, but there is a distortion of their voices.

“What was that?  It felt as though we were in a jar or something like that!”

“I am afraid that you are correct Orun, it was a holding container for the aspect that resides here.  Normally you would stay in that situation until the aspect felt it was time to consume you or even worst.”

“Consume us?!” Almodhim says, “and what do you mean by aspect?  What is this place?”

“It is very long and too complicated to answer now, and we have not a lot of time.  One of our own has awakened the aspect and even taunted it unknowingly, but none of that matters now.  This place is a prison for this aspect created by one of more of the gods, as you know them.  Magic and power can not extend beyond this chamber but it is immensely amplified within its walls. Our best chance is to board the Tubway car and leave as quickly as possible. Ssrivan has insured that we are able to do this, but we must act soon or all is lost.”

“Why were we brought here from the moon? Only to die?” Orun asks

“Always with the why questions,“ the Livyani Priest responds with a smile.  “There are many things that we do not understand about the ancients, my best guess is that this was, and remains, a weigh station, that was created to trick and trap the aspect that is imprisoned here. And the way that it is set up, it also seems to be an end point for some spells as well.  What I mean by that is, as you know, some spells like the one that Jenge cast a moment ago send there subjects to places not many of us wish to visit, and usually to their demise.  Jenge’s spell sends subject to any number of places, but since magic cannot leave the structure its exit point wound up here, in the chamber.  However, based on the way this room is set up and the way that it accommodated the arrival of the two of you and your friends along with Shih and Churisan I would suppose that this is one of those end points anyhow.  I think that I can fill you in on the rest later, but for now we need to figure out how to get on the other side of this Globe or we will not be very happy.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:24, Sun 22 May 2005.

Dlarumei moves quickly and stands before the party, she raises her hands and speaks.

“Guards and nobles, we must enter the Tubway cars now! There is nothing more that we can do here!  Jenge and I will remain on the platform but the rest of you need to be inside the tubway cars and ready to leave at any moment.  Any stragglers will be left behind, Urutlen Utu-Tengmai and Neshkriuma Kharsama, I place you in charge of the guards and the slaves and porters, make sure they comply under whatever pains you see necessary.  Move!”

Nesh unlimbers his sword, addressing the guards, slaves and porters: "You all heard the lady - move into the tubeway cars immediately. We will worry about those outside the barrier when the rest are safely in the cars."

As suggested and unless interrupted by the deposed, Shih moves carefully over to the platform.

"Livyani, every path we take is uni-directional; we can't really go back the way we came.  Something to discuss if we live."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:44, Tue 24 May 2005.

ooc: hmm, I thought I posted an action yesterday, but it's not here.

Ssrivan is still not visible to those in the protective sphere

Dlarumei’s words hit hardest amongst the slaves and porters and they move quickly and in order to exactly where Nesh and Urutlen direct, packing themselves into the last car of the tubway train.  Safe and secure they lay low while Urutlen and Neshkriuma stand at the rear of the car looking out on the platform to see if Dlarumei needs anything else.  Jenge, standing next to Dlarumei nods his head in to agree with something that she has told him and he takes a step back and stands looking out over the liquid towards the caves on the opposite side of the chamber.

Off towards the area where the Livyani Priest, Orun and Almodhim are standing a bright sparkle of light appears within the globe of invulnerability.  It spreads up and down from the floor to about two meters up and then a gap starts to open.  The Livyani Priest moves quickly and motions for Orun and Almodhim to do the same. He slips through the opening and steps within the globs protection.  Careful not to touch the sides of the opening as instructed by the LP, Almodhim slips through easily and gracefully.  Orun on the other hand, once again finds his size to be a problem and squeezes through but not without a few painful brushes of the inside part of the globes opening.  Little wisps of smoke rise off his shoulder and the side of the head where he has suffered burns from his contact.  Almodhim pats his head to put out the small blaze that started burning on his head and then stands back and smiles at Orun’s missing hair.  The three of them then move towards Dlarumei and Jenge.

     Jenge yells to Orun, Almodhim, and the Livyani Priest to run to the tubeway cars. He then looks to Dlarumei are you ready?

Orun looks to the Livyani Priest after hearing Jenge’s command and seeing no objections motions for Almodhim to follow him to where Jenge is and then to the waiting tubway cars.

Almodhim bows a thank you to the Livyani Priest for his help in returning them to the inside of the Sphere and then, with her hand on the hilt of the scabbarded sword follows closely behind Orun to Jenge and then to the tubway station.  She has some concern on her face for the other three that are still missing and can be overheard asking Jenge, “Have we any idea of what has become of Ssrivan, Shih or Churisan?”

As the majority of the party looks out from the tubway car’s windows they notice a strange movement on the far opposite side of the large chamber.  Several human sized creatures fly out of the cave opening followed by several large tentacles, or at least they look like tentacles.  A low humming tone sounds throughout the entire structure in a ominous vain.

There is a bright light hovering over the head of Deshnah at the moment, his hands are upstreched and he seems to be in a meditative state.  His orb is spinning wildly over him and casting off the light, that though it seems to be extremely bright illuminates nothing.

Ssrivan still seems to be missing . . .

Though you don't see Shih, his presence is likely to soon be felt.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Sun 05 June 2005.

About the time that most of the party is in the tubeway cars you can see the shockwave come across the liquid and head for the platform.  Several smaller objects are hammered against the globe of invulnerability and summarily squashed into paste and the thunderous vibration is felt as the shockwave is repelled by the globe.  Dlarumei reaches for the small shinny discs and tosses them to Jenge who clumsily catches them. “Get in there and make a selection but do not push it into the slot until we are all in there or we flag you onward!”  She then bows her head low and raises her hands above her head, drawing in power on a breeze like a fire drafts currents on a calm night.

Really, you'll see something soon ...

Ssrivan is still missing. . .

Churisan is apparently not apparent.

Jenge notices that there is a particular disk that seems to elevate itself and make itself propionate above all the others that are attached to thong.  He looks to the Livyani Priest in amazement when the older man enters the tubway car and then motions to the disk that seems to be lifting itself out of the pile.  The Livyani priest nods and says “Yes, that would be the correct one for this situation,” and then moves himself towards the back end of the car and focuses out the window onto the landing where the party was at one point.

Within a few moments you can hear a deep sound that is reminiscent of hugely heavy objects being rolled along the ground at a good clip. The sound moves towards the area that the party is waiting, and like a wave crashing against stone cliffs the glob of invulnerability is, once again, slammed into.  This hit, much more powerful than the last, fractures the globe in many places and Dlarumei staggers back towards the tubway car in a somewhat stunned fashion.

Then, without warning, three large rings appear before the tubway car, just at the large doorway to the station.  They are thick and each is just a bit larger than its predecessor making an arrowhead, if you will, or some sort of hat lying on its side. It hovers there for a second or two and then, with each ring spinning, it moves away from the station and towards the tentacle creature making its way out of the cave on the other side. Many remark that the creature advancing on the party from the cave bears a remarkable resemblance to the depictions of the Worm lord, Sarku.  The rings, picking up speed all the while they advance, streak across the chamber and strike the creature at the joint of several of its tentacles.  There is a deep moan of agony as two of the limbs drop to the chamber floor, their tips landing in the liquid that covers the bottom of the chamber.  Upon there contact with the liquid, the severed tentacles beam bright blue and are drawn quickly into the liquid where all traces of them disappear.

A bright red beam of light flashes throughout the chamber until it rests on Shih standing in the doorway between the chamber and the tubway station. His invisibility reveled, he teeters backwards towards the tubway cars, glowing red until he falls to his knees and retches out pink bile that glows.  Several seconds later the globe of invulnerability is shattered by an ear numbing crash of power. The debris and energies seem to stop at the doorway to the tubway station that is located on the circular wall of the spherical chamber.

Shih crawls quickly to the tubway car oozing iridescent pink from every orifice of his body, collapsing on the floor of the tubway car and gurgling out the words, “get…us…out…of here…now!”  All those around him are afraid to even get near him.

The Livyani Priest, waving his arms wildly causes something to happen in the spherical chamber that is swiftly attacked by another crushing wave of power.

Jenge slips the chosen disk into the slot and the car comes alive!  Tones and bells, lights and soft voices speak incomprehensible words that you have heard before.  There is a slight jerk and the car stands still, giving off the slightest shimmy as though it was vibrating.



[Private to Jenge Varion: Jenge, though you don’t know how you know, you do know how to operate this car and pushing the green button, farthest to the left would be the right choice for you to do at this point. ]

[: Private to Shih Nacunya: Oh my, what have you done to yourself this time?  Oh do you feel like shiht with a capital S brother.  Once this boat gets ta mov’en you’ll have an opportunity to examine yourself.  This should be fun.]

Dlarumei makes her way over to where Shih is lying, and pushing slaves out of the way, stands next to him, looking down at his prone body. “You foolish man… you brave and foolish man.”  She quickly removes her robes and hands them to Orun who has joined her.  Standing nude in the tubway car she warns everyone not to get any of the pink on their clothing or anything else.

“Anything that this bile touches will need to be destroyed so move away for now and let me deal with this as best I can.”

Dlarumei kneels down next to the writhing Shih and places her hands over his chest while chanting some strange language several of the designs tattooed on her body begin to glow a deep blue and Shih’s writhing stops and he seems to rest quietly.

OOC: I told you. I've spent more time unconscious during this adventure. :p

OOC:

Hi,  did anyone else (besides the intended recipients) see the "Private to Jenge..." and "Private to Shih..." lines in the GMs last post?  Looks like maybe a glitch in the way rpol.net works?

OOC:
Yah, I saw 'em. INNN-teresting.


Maybe Kevin let us in on a little secret?

The other question would be, have any of you ever received other Private messages that are not addressed to you over the course of this game?  There were three private messages that went out on that last post. One in red to Churisan, Ssrivan and Shih, on in blue to Jenge and one in Purple to Shih.  Perhaps it is the changing of the color of the post that makes the difference.  Here are two private posts #1 and #2, they are both send to Churisan, can anyone else see either one of them. Please post which one you can see, or let me know if you can see either?



[Private to Churisan Soruna: #2 this is another test of this private posting system, hey I just got bounced around by a 5.3 earthquake.  That was fun!  #2]

I saw Private Message number two--but not number one.  I hadn't gotten others in the past that were supposed to be for specific individuals (with the exception of the post everyone started asking questions about)

I saw the blue and purple messages, but not the red one. I think you have ferreted it out, old bean.



P.S. You newcomers to California: Get used to the shaking. It's a way of life. Without earthquakes, what would we talk about? Certainly not the weather...

OOC- It would appear that changing the color of the private post is what makes it public.  It also appears that it becomes public only if you change the color from the onset such as including the line Private to Churisan Soruna: #2 this is another test ...if you change the color after the colon: the message seems to remain private, include the words before the colon and it becomes public. Now that we know, we can be careful about letting out such secret posts as I did.  Actually it only seems to be me, so I guess that I need to take head, the rest of you were content with red. So there you have it...

Dlarumei somehow get Shih to lie straight on his back with his arm at his side and his legs together.  She then moves her hands from his head to his toes in a slow and deliberate manner.  Though her hands are several inches away from Shih’s body, you can see that he is being forced down by her actions.  He moans a bit as the pressure moves from his chest to his abdomen and then over his hips and groin.  He seems to be asleep as she continues down his legs and finishes with his toes.  All signs of the glowing pink substance is gone from Shih, as is his clothing and any body hair that he might have had.  Gone too are any of the painted on markings of Sarku.  She then moves her hands back up over his chest and then raps her knuckles in the center of his chest where a round welt seems to be present.  The sound that emanates from Shih’s chest is that of tapping on stone.  The rapping startles Shih into conciseness; he inhales sharply and opens his eyes. This startles many of those standing around the two as Shih’s eyes are a brilliant pink, the entire eye, there is no white or iris, no pupil and his gums around his teeth and his tongue is also of the same color.

Shih looks up and mumbles quietly to Dlarumei, ... something.


A bit louder, he says, "What happened?"

Churisan is apparently still not apparent.

Dlarmei leans down close to Shih's ear and whispers something to him.  She stands with a smile on her face and extends her hand towards Orun who places her robs across her forearm.  She walks to where Jenge is saying, “We need to get this bucket moving, noble scholar, or we will not live through this experience.”  She then slips back into the folds of her robe and takes a seat.

Another shock wave smashes into something that the Livyani Priest had materialized inside the chamber and a loud howl of rage emanates from the creature along with the words,

“I SHALL BE AVENGED!!!  YOU WILL RETURN TO THIS PLACE! I HAVE SEEN IT!!!”

The Livyani Priest looks to Jenge with wild eyes, “Get Us Out Of Here NOW!!!”

Shih touches the hard spot on his chest, commenting to Dlarumei, "You set a high standard!"  He looks down at his hairless body.


Shih gets up from the floor to walk quickly over to Jenge.  Noting that he's having gall bladder trouble, he reaches around him to press the appropriate left button to get us moving.

He then goes over to his slaves to put on fresh clothing.  While there, he asks them what happened.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:02, Sat 25 June 2005.

Nesh will stop looking around for Churisan and finish herding the porters and slaves to their seats. Seeing that the decision and actions to leave have now been taken, Nesh will also assume a seat.

Life being a precious commodity that many of the party cherish and wish to keep a hold of quickly finds a seat or stand holding onto any assortment of poles, seat backs, hooks or each other that are in the general vicinity.  Jenge slips to the floor as it seems as though some strange trance has taken him over and his movements are sluggish and slow.

Shih tries to get up off of the floor, but finds that his legs will not support him at the moment.  They warble like a newborns and he falls face first to the floor, a strange clinking sound is made as his upper torso strikes the tile floor of the tubway car.  He rolls onto his side and pushes himself into a seated position with feeble arms.  He looks to the console and Jenge but the crowd of slaves and porters is between him and his intended.  Looking up at the mob he says

“Move to the side, you are in my way.”

The crowd moves quickly and horrified as Shih’s voice comes out in four different yet simultaneous tones, none of which were very pleasant to the ear, and the gaze from his eyes makes many of them turn their heads in fear.  It is at this moment that one can see Ssrivan standing at the console and pushing the button.

In a moment the bright lights turn to dark blue and a flashing yellow light spins near the doorway to the chamber.  The massive doors close with a freightingly quick speed and a tone rings out repeatedly for several moments.  Then the doors on the tubway car itself close and you feel the vehicle nestle down into the grove that is made for it.  With than the Livyani priest sinks down to sit on the floor and says,

“Better brace yourselves.”

Ssrivan braces himself as best he can in the conductor's position at the console and looks around quickly to make sure his delectable scribe is properly secured, telling her to grab hold fast if she isn't.  Then he begins looking at the console telltales as the system powers up in front of him.

"Well, that went as well as could be expected!  I'm damned for sure now."  For some reason, Shih is amused as hell.  Slowly, Shih sinks to the floor to place his back against the tubeway car wall.  His next comments are probably more indicative of his internal reverie.

Favoring the Livyani priest and Dlarumei with a look, he says, "So, you two, we have you right where you want us.  We're in another tubeway car and I get the opportunity for some lively dialog.  I do note that every possible opportunity to retrace our path has been steadily and inexorably shut.  We've just fought an aspect of Sarku from, I suspect, an alternate reality.  It was so monstrous that one or more of Sarku's other aspects imprisoned it.  I do hope it was wrong about our coming back.  This is giving me a ... rather hollow feeling ... right here."  With that, Shih taps his chest with an audible tap tap.

"Isn't it about time that you two tell us what your game is.  What is this Emerald Sphere ... perhaps a tool of She Who Must Not Be Named?"

Looking at the Livyani Priest, Shih says with a smile, "You're far beyond a ru'un.  Why were you created or did you somehow learn to coalesce?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:20, Thu 30 June 2005.

     After regaining his wits Jenge tacks over runing the tube way car.  He hopes they are going in the right direction. Though he is prety sure they are. Pesonal to all I just had an embilical Hernia operation and apologize for holding up the game. He takes a mantal note if we return I will be ready after doing alot of research.

Shih pushes his top lip back and forth across his lower lip then frowns looking about at each of the others, he says, "Come now.  Have you nothing to say?!  We seem to be climbing further and further into the layer of a mighty sro.  We're all necessary to this quest for some reason.  My role evidently is to get us past that."  Shih points at the back of the tubeway car.  "And if that Ancient back there is right, we have to come back this way again.  My faith gives me a weapon against that thing.  That should be quite fun.  I get another opportunity to make more of my body hard.  Now there's a thought.  Perhaps I should lead with my manhood so that I'm at least popular when this is all done.  By your actions, you're not hma.  Join me in asking these two masters of secrets, 'What now?!'"

"Deshnah, can you share with Almodhim to calm her spirit?"

It's quite obvious that Shih's exhaustion is making him more candid than normal.  His concern for the female warrior is genuine though.

"Priest, some of us do not understand what happened back there, nor even what that place was. That makes your questions difficult to understand."

It sounds like Churisan's laconic voice, but there is no one in the corner of the  car where it comes from. Nor, should you look around, is he anywhere else in the car.

"Glad you're with us Churisan!  That place we came from is a glorious and terrible prison.  Much of what I'm about to say is a poorly educated guess. Like all of us, to varying degrees, the Ancients live on multiple dimensions and planes.  These dimensions represent alternate realities and, I'm guessing, timelines.  My personal studies here cannot be as complete as those of Jenge and certainly are a pale shadow of that of our noble and beautiful blue lady and her esteemed cohort (referring to the Livyani Priest).  I was able to learn back there that the current aspects of Sarku banded together to imprison the aspect that we fought.  By now, it must be quite insane, whatever its internal resources.  Leaving that place magically is not possible.  Powerful devices there prevent that."

"Dlarumei, has our companion from the moon joined us?  I can't sense it and am a bit reluctant to use my internal resources to do so.  I have no clue how badly hurt I am, but I do sense it's severe!"

    One thing I have noticed about that place we just left is that casting spells are just a thought  a way. They seam to have a greater effect and a longer duration. I am assuming that our disembided voice thought about beeing not seen adn thus isn't. Churisan if you think think we can see you, we just might.

Jenge politely indicates to Ssrivan that his was a momentary laps, a deeper examination of the information that was presented to him, but that he was truly capable of operating the car with the knowledge of those who designed it.  Ssrivan nods assuring Jenge the he also possess that same knowledge but is quite content reposing next to his lovely scribe and therefore turns and sits next to her.  Jenge taps a few buttons and throws a lever and the entire station goes dark save for the deep blue glow of some hidden lights. Beyond, in the chamber, the entity writhes in the pain of limbs lost as well as a feast forlorn.  But it is of little consequence as its powers cannot permeate the magical barrier that separates the station from the chamber.

The car shuttles causing many to gasp a bit and settle into a secure seating arraignment quickly.  “Please find a secure set,” Ssrivan exclaims “this tubway is much different than the other and I am not sure how it is going to move.”

With his words ending, and almost as if on cue, the car rises up from the station a few feet and vibrates as it floats above the area where the tracks would be.  It slowly stops vibrating and becomes a soft, gentile sway that seems to move in a circular pattern.  The forward motion that the car begins to travel in would have been imperceptible save for the station moving outside the windows.  Slowly at first but with ever increasing speed the car begins to move off into the tubway.  The musty and dusty air that first came out of the vents has now been replaced by sweet scented fresh air that is cool and pleasant.

The speed continues to rise and then the entire car gives a quick shuttle or shakes and then returns to calm.  You can, however, feel the acceleration as you are pressed slightly into or onto whatever surface is supporting your back.  You have a last chance to see the inside of the tunnel whipping past at tremendous speed before the soft blue lights of the cars interior change to a brighter whiter light.  This allows you to see your comrades better, but now only your reflections are visible in the large windows of the car as it speeds down the tunnel.

Churisan shimmers into visibility, seated at the end of a row. He is checking his gear and himself closely, apparently making sure he is all there...

Once the car is moving up to speed the Livyani Priest stands up and moves over to where Shih is seated on the floor.  He sits down next to the Sarku Priest, placing his back up against the same wall as Shih, and speaks softly to him while facing forward.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:13, Tue 12 July 2005.

Shih looks at the Livyani Priest, sniggers once, looks down and shakes his head.  "Forgive me for not trusting the motives of ... whatever it is that you are.  You allied yourself with the Hluss who enjoy eating men and are the source of that most nefarious of drugs, zu'ur.  You exhibit nothing but scorn  for the Everliving.  You and Dlarumei are probably members of that order suggesting that you have your own agenda.  Yes, forgive me for not trusting those motives, which you continue to keep secret, but must necessarily be self-serving.  I have trouble thinking of myself as your plaything, but that certainly seems like what we all here are.  Assuming that my continued existance remains useful, the best way to avoid my experimentation and investigation is to share some of those secrets.  It's just possible that I can provide better support for your goal with some modicum of information.  Why, for instance, do you hold Eyloa, Subadim and Thomar in such low esteem?  I'd also be interested in hearing what you think that ancient just did to me with its attack."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:06, Wed 13 July 2005.

   I would like to know more of teh being we just met if anyone could shed some light. We may bve coming back this way again and I would like to avoid the same calamity we just had.

Nesh can be seen looking away, then back to the LP and Shih. WOrds in low tones appear to be spoken between them.

Ssrivan looks at the Livyani Priest and shakes his head slowly, his glance drifting from the priest to Shih and back again.

"Your wisdom is wasted on that one Priest.  His sight is lost in the vermiform chasms of his own mind and his foolishness may kill all of us yet, though I for one, have no desire to spend eternity in his Worm Lord's embrace and shall do my best to avoid it."

His lips curl into the enigmatic smile of Ksarul as all other expression slowly disappears from his face.  After a short pause, he curls up next to his delectable scribe and attempts to get some rest.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:29, Thu 14 July 2005.

Shih's tone takes on an introspective quality that's actually respectful ...

"Noble Ssrivan, I will entertain the notion that my conjectures are completely off target if you can consider that ... just perhaps ... anyone who would form an alliance with the Enemies of Man may not have altruistic intentions.  Put that marvelous mind of yours to work ... you see patterns as I see my feet ... would you wager with me a feast at our respective clan houses, complete with entertainment and tsuhoridu for 20 of each of our closest clan members, that at the end of this quest, you will decide that it should not be fulfilled?  It is lan that you determine the outcome as well."

Shih looks to the Livyani Priest and Dlarumei giving each an exhausted sardonic smile ... "Come now, you have an excellent opportunity to cost me a bloody fortune.  Would you pass it up?"

The Livyani Priest takes a long, deep breath, and with his head still on the wall, turns towards Shih and speaks in a calm and soft tone.

“After all that you have seen and heard since you have been on this journey, do you really think that you’re just a puppet in my care Shih?  If I were to pick a puppet I would certainly pick someone less agitating and self-absorbed than you are, and as for your continued existence being contingent on your usefulness, ignoring some of you lesser transgressions let us just look back to not so long ago.  On the moon, who was it that slipped into the system? Who had to remove an artifact though the rest felt it was unwise and brought on the silver serpents.  You tired to take it with you and it wouldn’t go, who knows what would have happened if you had gotten it into a sealed craft? And just a few moments ago you bring the wrath of an ancient entity down upon us?  We seem to do a lot of running away because of you, so where is this usefulness that you claim?  Noble Shih, I see that your mind runs in many directions at once, and while that is a quality desired by many, it is not always a positive attribute. I would hope that after the excitement that you just caused, and the fact that you nearly departed from us on a permanent basis, would give you cause to relax and try to regain some of your strength.  This car will not travel for that long because it is moving at a very rapid rate, so you don’t have long to recoup from your encounter with the gods.”

Knowing full well that this is not going to satisfy Shih, and knowing that the conversation is far from over, the Livyani Priest closes his eyes and tips his head back waiting for the words to come running at him.

"Livya ... Ancient one, I acknowledge that my actions have not always had the desired outcomes and were, in some instances, potentially deadly.  You though should acknowledge that most of these deadly situations could have been avoided by sharing some of the knowledge that you hoard.  These silver serpants, for example ... this is the first I've heard them so named.  I would happily trust your intentions if I understood them a bit better.  I'm now under the impression that this emerald sphere is some sort of Ancient controlling device to maintain some status quo or perhaps was so sought after that there was a war and the Ancients consciously decided to secure it in a way that they could not access it without restarting open hostility.  The Battle of Dormoron Plane if you will.  No doubt, the Ancients fought over who would influence such devices.  What we are about to re-introduce to Tekumel may well undermine a peace that has lasted 20 or more millenia.  Do you see this as desirable?"

"If you say I'm wrong, then please tell me what's right, for I'm certain that you know.  I also note that you've skillfully avoided answering my question about the Everliving."

    After Quitley listening to Shih,The Livyani Priest, and Ssrivan Jenge also shakes his head and with a sardonic smile continues to watch the tube car along its merry way.

The Livyani Priest sits still with his eyes closed and he head against the wall.  Without moving he speaks to Shih in a soft spoken tone with little emotion.

“Shih, there are many things that are known by simply paying close attention to ones surroundings.  For example, we are coming to a station in a very short while.  I know this not because I have been here before or have superior insight, but rather because I am paying attention to the sound of the speed of the car and it is slowing."

"Same thing with the silver serpents.  I called them silver serpents, not because I knew what they are but because they are reminiscent of silver serpents.  Nothing more, nothing less; simple observation Shih, I say what I see.  That is not to say that I don’t know of some things before we find them.  Surly, a man who has been around as long as I have would just simple know of some things.  I may not know where they are, but when we come across them, I am not surprised nor taken a back, because I knew of their existence from before.  This does not mean that I have kept them secret it simply means that I have some foreknowledge."

"It would be as if you were to take a group of small children on a walk and stumbled upon the site where men were skinning a chlen beast.  If they had never seen this or knew of it, you would have to be their guide, explain it to them or help them through the experience.  But if you didn’t know you were going to see such a thing that day, how would you know to prepare the children for the experience?"

"Same thing as back there; I knew that there are aspects that are imprisoned throughout Tekumel, but where they are, I don’t know.  I realized this one once Ssrivan touched it with his mind and caused it to stir.  Then we got to meet it when you went against directions and woke it with your mind.  But then, had you not irritated it, you would not have been kissed by it and we would not have had the opportunity to rid ourselves of those three slaves and two guards who were eating too much of the supplies apparently. The question now is not why it is that we cannot return to these places after we have visited them, but rather, did you gain enough to make the sacrifices worth it?”

He takes a deep breath and lets it out, then just sits there relaxed.

Dlarumei sits back on her chair and now that she is not wearing her ebony mask of Ksarul it is much easier to catch her expressions.  She seems to be amused at the conversation between the Livyani and Shih, and she smirks a knowing smile as she runs her hand through her robe, checking the various pockets and the like to make sure she is prepared for whatever may come next.

Almodhim takes this time to sharpen her blade and get the chinks out of its edge.  It is important to her that her equipment is in fine working order and sharp, it’s that first cut that can make the difference between and opponent being able to counter or crumble and she lives by that knowledge. Once she finishes that chore she pulls out several smaller throwing dirks and runs them between her fingers, flipping them around in her hands and remembering their balance and features.

Nesh stands, now that the car has reached a steady speed, and goes and speaks to the guards.  He is checking on them and their moral, and having just lost two more of them in the chamber, he wants to make sure they are still of like mind.  Not only that, but he was becoming somewhat uncomfortable being drawn into Shih’s conversation with the Livyani Priest. His mind does not travel down those paths and he prefers not to become involved with things he knows little about and of which he has little interest.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Fri 22 July 2005.

Shih relaxes with his head back against the wall and quietly laughs.  First he looks at Ssrivan who has answered admirably with his silence to his offer of a wager.

After a few minute of silence, "Where did something as inhuman as you learn to disemble so wonderfully?!  Just curious, are you now trying to drown me in chlen shit?  Except to claim ignorance, you've yet to answer a single question.  Quite remarkable skill!  And yes, I remember the wonderful experience on the platform of you crushing my will.  The others here didn't have the pleasure of knowing that you are, in fact, directing this expedition.  You get something out of this, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it might be."

"I now admit to a morbid mounting curiousity about what it is that we'll find.  As to our fate ... I once had the pleasure of summoning the demon lord Gashtane ... not its true names that are used during the summoning ... but the number and nature of the slaves sacrificed was quite important.  I look at you and you Dlarumei with your knowledge of demons and specialized ormuz (tattoos) and begin to wonder at your plans within plans.  Surely something which the Everliving would not approve of."  Shih gives the Livyani Priest and Dlarumei his best winning smile.  With his pink tongue and eyes, it's probably a bit gastly now, though nobody's told him what's happened to his appearance.

"Any clue what that thing did to me when I was so thoroughly kissed?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:09, Tue 26 July 2005.

    Jenge see that the car will continue until the next stop, He looks over his clothes and gear to see if all is in order. Then he quitley  sits down and writes in his journal all that has transpired. He notes the loss of the guards and slaves. Writing down the guards names and how they died. Later when he gets back he will pass on the information to there relations.

The tubway car begins to pass some brighter lights, obvious indicators of something arriving ahead.  The vehicle slows in silence and pulls into a large dome.  From your seats you can see this ornately decorated ancient structure, its pale representations of once vivid colors speak of it age, its architecture strangely beautiful and breathtaking.

The car comes to a stop in the center of this building and then begins to turn in a clockwise direction, spinning slowly as though on giant turntable.  As it turns you can see the tunnel from which you came, and you can see that there are seven other tunnels just like it that empty into this room.  Each tunnel has a color marking over its entrance point and Ssrivan busily begins marking down a representation of the room while dictating notes to his faithful scribe.  He notes that the tunnel which you came from had a double white marking over it and that going clockwise the markings were as follows.  Red, Green, Blue then White, then Double Red, Double Green, Double Blue and then your Double White tunnel. Your transportation spins until it faces the Double Blue tunnel and then starts slowly entering that gaping maw.

Once the cars are inside the tunnel, you once again feel the car rise up off the track and begin moving ever quicker forward.  It is a smooth ride and a quick look around tell most that people are fairly comfortable.  The slaves and porters seem to be resting and talking quietly to each other, something that they have not done in quite some time.  Ssrivan is busy with this “Scribe” even Almodhim has nestled into Orun’s large arms and dozes in security there.  Orun certainly doesn’t seem to mind, though the look on his face seems somewhat uncomfortable. Soon the car is humming along at an enormous pace in a direction that no one seems to be sure about.

Churisan moves to a seat next to Jenge, and talks to him in a low voice while checking his gear as well.

"So, since no other answers are forthcoming, does anyone know the origin of the work Enagi?  If I'm not mistaken, we've now gone north to the point on that map that we saw and have turned back to the south towards our destination under the Sea of Enagi.  Had we been allowed to exit back there at that tubeway nexus, we'd have probably been in the middle of the grassy plane with the two pillars.  Does anyone else have a different interpretation?"

"Shih, how can you determine our direction underground? More magic? How do we know if this tubeway takes us anywhere near the 2 pillars? I am not learned in the ways of the Ancients, but it seems strange to me that an intersection of so many routes underground would be marked on the surface by such a modest construction."

"Noble warrior, a few of us were changed by the ancient things that we've come into contact with.  Where we arrived in that sphere from which we just departed, I assume that you recall the pillars that depicted Kashi, our sun, and that we determined were likely indicators of direction? Ssrivan, Jange, Dlarumei and the one sitting next to me can get pictures in our heads that show the insides of such places.  It's simply a matter of asking correctly.  That can prove challenging.  I asked back in that sphere for a current view of things and saw the sphere in its entirety in my head.  I learned that the tubeway was there and that it departed the sphere to the north, which is the direction we wanted to head according to the map on the moon.  The Emerald Sphere is under the Sea of Enagi.  If we went north, then immediately turned back almost to the direction that we started from, then I believe we're now headed under the sea.  I'm open to other interpretations."

"As to something as major as that tubeway nexus warranting a more major structure, who's to say that it wasn't intentionally hidden.  I can think of other potential reasons."

Shih sits back and closes his eyes.

”There are multiple directions and multiple interpretations of how one finds out what is happening when under the ground, Noble Churisan.” The Livyani Priest starts.

“First of all, our Worm worshiper here has undoubtedly spend a lot of time under ground, as many of his ilk do.  That coupled with some of his, new found abilities, has possibly given him some insight.  However, and I mean this as no disrespect to Noble Shih, but his impetuous nature may be leading him a bit astray.  Not all tubway lines head in a straight line, and this line, I feel, is one of those that does not.  The speed of this car and the fact that it rests on nothing while in motion would leave me to believe that it can travel on any of the surfaces within the tunnel, even on the walls of the tunnel, without us really feeling much of a difference. The first leg of the ride, I felt a slight pressure on my right side and I felt heavier, and because I am facing forward I believe that the tubway car was making a very long left turn, and that we were traveling partially up the right wall of the tunnel during that time so we felt very little, if anything at all.  Kind of like a bucket of water on a line.  If you spin the bucket around at the end of the line, the water will remain on the bottom of the bucket just as if it were still sitting on the ground.  I am under the impression that we entered that changing station from the North or Northeast, so that our current direction would then be heading North or a bit Northwest.  But then I was never very good at following or even understanding directions so my interpretation may be flawed as well.  Maybe Dlarumei has a better idea, her sect spends a lot of time in the dark, perhaps she has a clue?”  He says with a just like smile on his face.

Dlarumei glairs at the Livyani Priest, shakes her head slightly and returns to resting and robe arranging, putting off the old mans comments as playful banter.

Churisan reflects on the answers he received, and decides that he will just have to wait and see. He feels he's had plenty of practice at that in the last few weeks, so he should be able to manage.

Ssrivan seems far away from the conversations swirling around him, deep in some well-earned rest.

Shih continues to sit with his back to the wall meditating.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:35, Sun 07 Aug 2005.

Nesh can be seen mentally taking an inventory of who and what is left of the group, and composing himself for what lies ahead. After a time he will find a spot near the warriors and sit or recline in their company.

  Jenge also notes the markings for the tubway in his juournal for latter.

The tubway car travels along as a great speed.  You cannot see how fast but the sensation that runs through your body, the way gravity tugs at you, lets you know that the trip is quick, and it seems to be getting faster.  Then you feel the power drop off on the forward momentum and it feels as though you have been cut loose and are simply drifting.  In another instant, all the lights go out and total darkness envelops the party.  There is a moment of tension and then you can see why the car has been silenced.

The cut stone walls fan away from the sides of the tubway into a cavern, a deep and spacious cavern at the entry point.  The tubway cars are within a clear tube that is mystically suspended out in the open air of this cavern. The cars are traveling quickly and quietly, you can see small encampments of creatures sitting and working around small blue fires at the tips of small outcroppings that dangle out over hundreds of feet of cliff. None of these creatures seem to notice your passing as you streak across their sky.

Deeper you travel into this cavern and the further you travel into its midst the larger it becomes.  Its size is breath taking and soon you find yourselves in an area where you can see cavern as far as your eyes can see. There seems to be no limit to this place, and above, below and directly across from the speeding car there are encampments, small town like gatherings of creatures standing next to small primitive looking buildings doing their business.  Looking deeper into the cavern you can see, what can only be described as a large city off in the distance. Its blue hue casting shadows up on the cavern ceiling.  The Livyani Priest is the first to speak.

“Be very quiet and calm.” He whispers softly.  “I will explain this to you once we have passed through it, but make no movements or sounds please.”  There is a very serious look upon his face that seems to be feebly trying to hide the look of surprise he has due to this cavern.

The cars vibrate a bit and your view is obstructed for several seconds and then you return to smooth costing and the view of the cavern.  The Livyani Priest swears under his breath and says in a whisper, “That was a station; let’s hope that no one was in it.”

You can now see the clear tube ahead of you, it follows the side of the cavern in an arching curve and as you approach it you feel the pull of the car as it starts mounting the left side of the tube.  Your view changes and soon you are looking out the side windows now at a downward angle.  The bottom of the cavern seems far away yet littered with thick, tree-like stone structures that have suspension bridges between them.  Each outcropping possesses a small structure and a fenced in yard of some sort and they are all at various heights and sizes.

Before you get a chance to really study the structures or the area the car rights itself again as the tube has straightened itself out again and the car is now riding back where you prefer it to be, on the bottom of the tube.  You travel on for some time; all the while the car is slowing down as it is not under power at the moment.  You continue to pass by town after town after village after city after settlement.  Any buildable space has a structure or gathering of creatures sitting on it and all with little blue flames or lights to illuminate that small area.  Looking ahead you can see where the clear tube enters the stone wall again and it is coming up fast.

The lady smiles as she looks out over the cavern.  It is a content smile, one of true joy, then she sighs as though relieved and keeps to herself.

"Blue lights in the Underworld. Are they Ssu?" whispers Churisan, as he peers out the nearest window.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:19, Sun 14 Aug 2005.

Ssrivan carefully scans the cavern walls as they pass through, looking for the patterns that are his joy in existence.  He will silently point out any items of note for his scribe to add to his voluminous notes (in this instance, drawings).  He strives to maintain his silence, as requested by the Livyani Priest.

     Jenge takes quite note and regrets not to be able to stop and study these citties and towns as they pass bye. He looks for paterns and tryies to remember anything he can about theese peoples.  He tries hard to take it all in mentaly.  He notes the items warn are they simple or advanced.  The tools they are wearing and using. the structures are they ild or newly built. Religious structures? Libraies do any of the people read scrolls. How are they dressed? How tall are the buildings new construction? Blue flames as lit from gas?

The cars glide silently into gaping maw of the stone wall, traveling for quite sometime in complete darkness, coasting along in hushed motion until several small blue lights along the floor ignite to give a soft glow to the cabin. There then comes the sounds of whatever propels the cars and it grows until you feel the cars lurch forward a bit, once again under power. The lights start out dim and grow in intensity until they are fully back to normal. The car soon is back up to speed and traveling quickly towards its destination.
Dlarumei and the Livyani Priest look at each other in surprise and shock for a moment, you can tell that something has passed between them and Dlarumei’s face become pensive in nature.

That was unexpected.

They have grown in number and have an ordered society.

There must be a leader of sorts I would assume

Naturally, how long can a group exist without creating a social order? They have needs and desires.  No one could be expected only to exist.

"Interesting, but my question is how?  And how long ago did this all start?  I’ve been away for far too long, too many diversions over the years."

He shakes his head and look to the ceiling of the car thumping his head against the wall he is leaning against next to Shih.

"What are they?"

Specifically to the Livyani Priest, "Saying that you've been away far too long suggests that you are indeed Ancient and that this was your home at some point in the distant past.  Care to elaborate?"

“Brother Shih” the Livyani Priest begins.  “If I were to tell you the details you would not believe me, but… If we don’t stay away from that which we just passed through we are guaranteed greater problems than we face in this instant.”

The Livyani Priest lets out a large sigh and, with his head still facing the ceiling explains, “What we just passed through has been around for an extremely long time. It is an enclave of beings that were here when the ancients first started creating what you now enjoy. It is hard to explain but they are not exactly human nor creature, neither Ru’un nor machine.  They exist because the ancients willed them to be in existence and made them for a purpose. All that is underground they have built.  All that dwells in the depths of the subterranean has been touched by them.  They created structure and eradicated obstacles of any kind. They have knowledge that spans back to the beginning of our existence on this planet and yet, they are unable and incapable of sharing it with anyone. They were designed not to be able to reproduce in any fashion and yet there are more of them now then when I had first come across this dwelling.  They were also designed to have a termination date, a set time for them to expire and that has been surpassed now by an enormous amount of time.  It is the order of things that has been disrupted here, an order that had meaning, and that is now no longer functioning correctly. This would imply that there are those who would wish for changes on a dramatic scale. Politics in what should be a tomb, manipulation in what would be a mausoleum, and dishonor in what would be a shrine.  I fear that our mission has become all the more urgent and that the Emerald Sphere of Sighs could even be in danger.”

He hangs his head down for a moment and then looks at Shih directly with focus; it is obvious that something is transpiring between them.

Shih's eyebrows furrow in concentration as he reflects ...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:20, Wed 14 Sept 2005.

"Ok, then, not Ssu? Just as well."

Orun Cries out “Brace yourselves!” and you see him place his hand on the seat in front of him, and with the other arm he envelops Almodhim who had fallen asleep resting on his chest. Just moments after his words the tubway cars starts to slow rapidly.  The first was a jerk that threw several people forward in there seats and set other skidding along the floor for several feet. Then the momentum let off and then reapplied several times as though the cars were trying to stop quickly without plastering all of the occupants against the front wall of the cabin.  The last breaking was, however, the most severe and lasted until the car came to a screeching halt.  Most every one and every thing slid along the floor to the front of the cabin as the motion of the car stopped.  Orun and Almodhim stayed put, however, as did Churisan and the Livyani Priest who kept Shih from slipping around by grabbing his arm and hold on to him. The lights flickered and went out, quickly replaced by blue light that lit the interior of the cabin. There are a few sounds of people groaning with the sounds of stressing metal but no others.  Then the waft of cinnamon creeps into the cabin.

Shih looks over at Churisan and says, "Did you do that?  We should be hearing chiming any time now.  Errr ... I seem to be rather stuck. (Shih's hand is now stuck in one of the poles.)  I'm not sure what I find more disturbing, the fact that something set a nexus point between where we were and where we are, or that we're now probably in Ssuyal.  As bad as the Ssu are, we're still probably safer, even if we're around 2000 tsan from our destination."

"It is not a nexus point, my brother, the cars have stopped because either something is in the tube with us or someone has purposefully halted our forward progress.”

The Livyani Priest stands and moves quietly to on of the windows.

“Stay still, all of you, please do not move around just yet, let me take a look out the window and see what there is to see.”

He motions to Dlarumei in some unspoken language and moves slowly to the windows on the right side of the car.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:06, Sun 18 Sept 2005.

Dlarumei stands from where she had landed on the floor.  Having been asleep during the cars slow down caused her to travel quite a distance before running into several of the porters and sliding into a row of chairs.  Fortunately the porters had softened the impact of the metal chairs, so she rose only shaken, not stirred. Signaling back to the Livyani Priest she made her way to the left side windows in a crouched and hushed fashion, peering out as best she could into the darkness.

"Point taken."

Ssrivan is rudely brought back to the now as the car slows to its precipitous stop.  Once he has assured himself that all is in order with his scribe, he will begin looking around carefully to ascertain the condition of the others while remaining in place as requested.

Churisan seems to bend over the knapsack he has on his lap, but doesn't leave his seat. Straightening up, he replies to Shih: "I don't *think* I did that. But there's this strange little metal ball here in my knapsack, I found it after we got in this moving room, I've never seen it before. I just asked Jenge about it..."

With gallows humor, "Perhaps that Ancient gifted you with it to acknowledge your manhood.  If I were that Ancient, I'd say that it's his best effort to escape his prison.  Unless you would be infested with him, I'd strongly advise not touching it."

"This sounds like a job for our boys and girls in blue." :)

"... once whatever is outside finishes attacking."

Recognizing that spells in here could be BAD, Shih loosens his sword.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:59, Thu 22 Sept 2005.

Nesh shakes his head a little, and assesses the situation. Also loosening his weapon, he gets to his feet.

Unless you would be infested with him, I'd strong advise not touching it."

"Too late for that. I touched it, it just feels like metal."

Churisan sets his pack aside, stands and unclips his sword.

(ooc: edited based on info from the GM)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:51, Thu 22 Sept 2005.

Shih focuses on the metal ball ...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:08, Sat 24 Sept 2005.

"Is there any way to see outside this chlen-cart-of-the-Ancients?"

As though his words created the answer he was looking for, several lights beamed in from outside the tubeway car.  They are blue in color, but bright enough to almost be white light. You watch Dlarumei and some of the others duck and evade the light as it nears them in the car. Orun, Nesh and Almodhim draw weapons instinctively and crouch into a tightly coiled position, evading the search light as it passes by them. The sent of cinnamon is strong now but the sound of voices are not the chiming clicking sound that one would expect, but they are also unrecognizable. The lights continue to pass through the car until they lit upon several of the slaves.  Like stunned night creatures caught by the torch light, the slaves don’t move a muscle.  Their bodies stiff with fear so great that it is almost impossible to see them breath.  The lights stay there, focused on the poor people, and you can see the panic level within them start to rise.

In a loud voice, "Be calm, these are not ssu.  The Livyani Priest knows who these beings are.  They are incapable of eating you and, at most, will be curious about who you are.  If they wanted us dead, we'd now be dead."

Churisan stands still, sword in hand. He tries to avoid looking at the lights; he doesn't want to be blinded.

Orun remains motionless with his sword gripped tightly in one hand and the other hand is forcing hard against the back of a chair.  He looks around the room and hears Shih’s words and understands their meaning but his posture remains the same.

Dlarumei ducks as a light passes over her head and then slowly peers out the window again.  She seems to be almost invisible as you try and spot her, but with this much metal around you doubt that she would be foolish enough to cast even the smallest of spells.

One look at Deshnah and one would swear that he is dead.  His body lying on the floor in a motionless heap of twisted flesh.  He didn’t fly around in the car when it came to its abrupt stop, he wasn’t even standing when the car slammed on this breaks. If you really study him, lying there in the dark, you can see that he is breathing slightly and that his eyes are moving about the car, searching any area that he can see from where he is lying. The light passes over him and he becomes a still as stone, it then moves on.

Ssrivan carefully extends his limbs to verify once more that all is well and then moves carefully to one of the windows, emulating the careful actions of Dlarumei.

Shih doesn't move though he continues to focus inwardly on that special feeling that he had when he blended with this cursed tubeway car pole.  Thoughts, such as whether the "nano" creatures outside somehow commanded his nanites to blend so that he would be caught, go through his head.  Aloud, he simply says to the Livyani Priest, "I'm not a quick study and I did not consciously emulate you.  And I can't get my hand out of this pole, though I continue to try.  This tubeway car is not my idea of a socially acceptable ornament."

There is a faint scratching noise on the outside of the tubway car, a sound made by something sharp and pointed.  It sounds as though it is searching along the side of the car for something.  It stops, taps once or twice and then slowly continues. You hear the Livyani Priests voice in your head whisper to you, “they are searching, do not move or give them cause to find what they are looking for”.

As if the tension of the situation wasn’t daunting enough, having the Livyani Priests voice in your head doesn’t help, and you can see the horrified expressions in the porters eyes.

Those near Shih see him concentrate deeply and pull at his hand that has fused with the chrome pole in the car. After a moment you can see his arm swing around in front of him, free from its bondage, but his hand is still within the pole, or at least the small segment of the pole that he has before him.  About three inches of the pole, on either side of his hand has seemed to have separated from the rest of the pole so that Shih’s arm now comes down to a chrome cross member, like that of a hammer, at its end instead of fingers. You see a quizzical look on his face as he stares at his new appendage.

Soon there are several more items scratching the outside of the car but they stop abruptly and there are voices outside. Not normal voices, but strange sounding melodically harmonic voices, as though one person speaks using several voices.  Then silence again…

Ssrivan starts slightly at the sound of the voices outside but is otherwise pretty still.

Shih is vewee vewee quiet and still.

Churisan shudders at just about the time the Livyani sorcerer's voice is heard in heads. The veteran turns pale and stares wildly at the Livyani for a moment, but his discipline holds and he stays standing, sword at the ready.

Nesh stiffens as the Livyani sorcerer's voice whispers inside his head. As if he is accustomed to such things, his eyes swivel in the direction of the Livyani Priest for just an instant, then he relaxes imperceptibly and stays standing, ready for action if needed.

Dlarumei glares at the Livyani Priest with an astonished look and moments later a bright red light bursts into being outside the tubway car.  It lingers for only a few moments but is followed by a low growling sound and some odd cackling. The light casts an eerie glow to the world outside the transport and you can see objects, some reminiscent of humanoid figures, scampering off into the dark recesses of the cave walls.  The tubway car lurches forward, as though having been released from the grasp of an enormous hand, and slowly moves forwards down the tube.  In about 100 meters the car stops, seemingly on its own accord and as though pulling into a station.  Looking out the windows you can see that it is indeed a station, but not like one that you have see thus far on your trip.

It is plane and black, deep black, and made entirely of high polished stone.  There are no seats or amenities at all, but the size of the station is rather grand, at least 200 meters deep and perhaps 300 in width are your best estimations in the dark.  Though there seem to be no lights there are bands of stone that travel through the black rock that glow alternately blue and green and red.  On the other side of the car, you can see the stone almost touching the windows of the transport. It is obvious that one is only meant to exit in a single direction.  The transport settles down onto the surface of the station and the doors of the cars open.  There is a rush of warm sweet air that greats you first of all and the low hum of something moving somewhere far out of sight.  There is a gentile fragrance on the air as well, not one that you recognize at all, but one that is not in the slightest unpleasant.  There is quiet within the transport as you all look around.

The Livyani Priest speaks in a calm and informative, yet authoritarian voice, “the result will be the same if we stay in here or if we exit.  At least if we exit we can have more of a warning if anything is to attack us, here we are sitting in a metal box like a gift to whomever would wish receive us.”  With that he takes a step towards the door, takes a deep breath and walks out the door onto the stations stone floor.  It almost seems as though he grew a few inches in height and mass as he walked out the door.

Shih gets up in one smooth motion.  Cocking his head, he arches his eyebrows as if to say, "What the hell?!" and steps outside the tubeway car.  Looking meaningfully at Dlarumei, he says, "At least we'll be on stone instead of metal."

You notice as Shih stands and walks to the doorway that he is leaning a bit to the right and that his right hand is still rather hammer like in appearance. One end of the pole protrusion catches his robes slightly while the other end bangs against the metal door.  A small whispered curse passes his lips.

Orun stands and arches his back.  He stretches his muscles and slaps his sword against his breast plate several times.

“I guess that we have been invited to follow, good! It was getting a bit stuffy in here anyway.”  He walked with purpose to the door, and in a somewhat mimicking gesture inhales and expands his already massive chest before walking through the doorway and out onto the station floor.

As nonchelantly as possible, Shih grabs the end of the pipe, focuses on sliding the pipe from his hand.

Almodhim looks back and forth at the porter and a Orun who is walking out of the car.  She moves to join Orun and then turns to the porters and says, “Stay here until we can assure your safety, then we will send someone for you.”  With that she turns and strides out after Orun and the other two.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Wed 09 Nov 2005.

Churisan turns and lifts his knapsack, getting ready to step out of the moving room. He stops though. His pack won't come. He tugs, tugs again, but it is static, and he can't move it. He frowns and looks inside, then reaches in and rummages a bit. He looks surprised then, and says something very quietly as he looks down into the bag. It sounds like a question, and ends in "...come with me?"

Looking over at the Livyani Priest, Shih gets an odd listening look on his face.  He then nods his head and pushes the pipe from his hand.

Looking over at Churisan, Shih says, "The secret is to push not pull."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:17, Thu 10 Nov 2005.

Deshnah stands as though springing up from a hot rock and walks straight to the door and out.  He follows Almodhim without sound or emotion, he just walks.

Nesh will follow the lead of the others - getting his belongings together and making his way onto the platform with alacrity.

Ssrivan gets up and signs to his luscious scribe to attend him as he exits the car and begins to examine the area of the station immediately surrounding the tubeway car.  He is quickly back to his low mutterings and nearly oblivious to the other people on the platform, with his scribe dutifully noting the items he brings to her attention. He does pay attention to the removal of the pole from Shih's hand, but it seems to be more of a clinical interest in the effects of the removal than anything else.

Churisan looks skeptically at Shih, but does move around to the other side of his knapsack, and then tries to push it towards the door of the tubeway chamber. If it doesn't move he'll try to either remove the recalcitrant object from his sack, or lower the sack out from under the object. The object will be revealed to be a  roughtly hand-sized flat ring. It is has a grayish metallic sheen, but looks translucent, as though illuminated from within, and clouds of darker colors move inside it.
"I don't know what it is. It was in the shape of a sphere earlier. I've touched it, and spoken to it, but it doesn't respond like the ring-demons that we found back in Monru. It warmed up and the clouds started moving shortly before we arrived here."

As Dlarumei passes Churisan, she peers down into his pack.  She then looks at Churisan and with a slight smile on her face says.  “I know that I can bring you no comfort over your desire to know what that is, but to tell you would ruin the bond you will need to form with it, and there I have spoke too much.  Enjoy your time together and try not to become frustrated.”  She smiles again and continues on out the door.

Jenge, Churisan and Urutlen still inside with all the slaves and porters, while the rest of the party is spread out along the black platform.  Silence is almost defining as each are careful not to create noise as they walk out onto the vast area.

moving slowly as though out of a daze, Urutlen pauses at Churisan, looks into his pack, nods slightly and says, "good luck with that one".  He then stands at the door of the tubway car and pauses again.  Looking a Jenge and Churisan he motions to them and says, "Shall we?"  He waites for them to respond. While he waits he places an arrow into the bow and places his back up to the door jam and assumes a defensive posture.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Sat 26 Nov 2005.

Churisan gives Dlarumei a disgusted look as she walks away. He's very tired of secrets. He gently takes hold of the ring, says "time to go", and puts it in his beltpouch. Then he clips his sword, shoulders his knapsack, takes up his bow, and walks out onto the station platform. Standing outside the tubeway car, he nocks an arrow and looks around.

Shih looks over at Churisan, "You know, it's alive.  A tool of the Ancients."

On pondering ...

"It could be what you called the Ring Demon returned."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Sun 27 Nov 2005.

"No, I don't know. I don't know anything about it, except what it looks like. No one seems to be able to tell me anything. Until a moment ago I thought it was just a magic ball of metal. Now it has changed shape."


"The thought did occur to me. My Ring Demon could speak in my head. I have tried to think-speak to this, but it does not respond. The Ring Demons gained strength from killing. If we encounter enemies, perhaps this one can gain the strength to speak."

"From what I've been able to determine, the spheres were designed to serve the sentient races, fostering their prosperity.  The other devices were typically  offensive or defensive and could take a variety of forms.  To a certain extent, I believe they react ... almost configure themselves to the expectations of those they serve.  So, be careful what you wish for."

"By spheres, you mean the emerald and azure spheres, yes?  This thing" (he taps his beltpouch) "it was a sphere too. So it is might be offensive or defensive, and somehow know what I want? Great."
Churisan is looking around the chamber that they have disembarked into. He doesn't want to be surprised again.

“I had a small sphere once,” Orun says in a hushed voice as he looks around the chamber.  “Perhaps it was just me, but it was more trouble than it was worth.  A wise man told me that not all of us can even begin to know what to do with the things and it’s best to let it go.  So I did.  It was a good choice for me, but cousin, you seem to have an affinity for these items, or at least they have one for you.  I agree with Shih, be careful what you wish for.”

“I have always found my peoples sphere to be a comfort and a blessing.  Without it we seem lost and without purpose.  To the right person and for the right reasons such wondrous companions are worth more than wealth in all its forms.  I consider you blessed Churisan, you have been chosen more than once to be the companion of such wondrous ancient entities.”  Deshnah pull his sphere out from under his robes and it begins to glow.

As Deshnah pull out his sphere you can see the object begin to glow.  Low and subtle at first, the roots and stone leave that encircle it are cast into silhouette as it glows brighter.  Your attention is drawn to the walls and the floor because as the sphere grows brighter there seems to be patterns that divulge their hiding places amongst the black smooth stone.  These patterns form a grid just beneath the surface of the floor and walls.  Even the ceiling is crisscrossed with the grid pattern.  The pattern in the floor is blue, the walls green and the ceiling is red in its pattern.  Deshnah’s sphere glows brighter and brighter until the patterns are bursting in color, they seem to pulse now and look as though something courses through them like blood through veins.  There is a crackle noise in the air and Deshnah’s sphere returns to a dim light, but the patterns in the room seem to stay intense and pulsing.

Shih looks over at the Livyani Priest with slow deliberation.  "So, is this the part where you dangle the helpless victim over the zrne pit?  I'm really not fond of zrne!"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:34, Wed 30 Nov 2005.

Ssrivan whispers to his scribe as he takes the writing materials from her hands and begins sketching madly, muttering joyfully to himself the whole while.

Shih looks down to watch the metal pipe that slid from his hand scurry across the fantastic floor, as if alive, to attach itself to the side of the tubeway car.  A concept, electromagnetism, dances at the edge of his consciousness and that it's somehow important.  Perhaps it will come to him shortly.

Churisan gets tense as the grid in the walls illuminates. He is glad for the light though, as it lets him scan the room. He looks around carefully for potential enemies and for any doors or other portals. He makes a point of trying to see back down the tunnel that the tubeway car came from. "We are not far from those creatures that shone lights into our moving chamber when it stopped. Perhaps we should not linger here?"

Shih catches Churisan's statement and gives a short laugh while shaking his head, "Yes, not far at all.  Part of me is surprised that you don't understand how close they are already."

Ssrivan is still busy with his rapid sketching, oblivious to the rest of the members of the group.

The pulsing of the floor grows neither louder nor less in its intensity.  Yet your ears and body begin to feel the effects of the droning pulse and your eyes feel the effects of the lights.  This causes you no pain but it does seem to distract you a bit and cause you to focus on the sound and lights rather than the room that you are in.  You notice that the doors to the tubway car close just as Urutlen jumps from the doorway that he was pressed against with his bow.  Jenge is still inside with the porters and slaves when the car moves ten meters further down the tubway and stops again.  You notice a beacon of blue light strike the back of the tubway car and slowly start to scan across the room that you are in. Urutlen and Almodhim move further into the room to avoid contact with the slow moving light.  It stops for a moment when it comes in contact with a green grid light on the wall, pausing and then moving to the next green light and pausing.

Glancing at the tubeway car, Shih says, "It appears that those around us have imperfect control of our tubeway car.  We're at serious risk of being left here.  Our hosts seem reluctant to let us leave."  Turning to the LP, Shih says, "We must force this to know where we stand."  He then closes his eyes focusing inwardly.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:46, Mon 05 Dec 2005.

Churisan moves a few steps away from the edge of the platform. He looks again back where the car came from, towards the source of the blue light, and then all around the platform, searching for any portals. He says "Sorcerers, are we in danger? What are those things making the blue light? Should we prepare to fight them? If so, it might be wise for some of us to take position along the wall next to the tubeway entrance. These lights are affecting my vision, this might not be a good place to stay."

"It would be wise Noble Churisan if we were to back away for the moment and avoid the light.  These beings have abilities that you cannot understand because they are most ancient in nature and serve a purpose that has long since passed away.  I pray you not to attack, but to be on the defensive.  To attack them could bring them here in massive numbers that would be impossible for us to ward off. But at the same time, we need to make them pause and think about what we are and our intention.  We cannot give up easily if it comes to that, but we cannot kill any of them either, unless we are committed to kill them all.  This will be a game of posture and diplomacy, let us play it well and we will be on our way with minimal delays.  If we play it wrong, this may be our last moments on this plane of existence. I beg all of you, if it comes to it, display fierce resistance, but do not attack a single being unless I direct you to, and only attack the ones that I tell you to and no others, no matter what.  I know these creatures and how they think, it is important that you trust me on this.”  The Livyani Priests voice is calm but firm as he speaks these words to you and you can tell that he speaks with knowledge and determination.

 The lights give way to Shih in entertainment value as he twists in the air like a puppet on a string left out in a wind storm.  His body goes limp and then erupts into flame!  It extinguishes itself quickly and then erupts again and again for several more rounds of flaming fireworks.  The Livyani Priest motions for all to move back away from Shih and towards the far wall.

Churisan doesn't immediately follow the Livyani's direction. He waits to see what Orun and Ssrivan do. He also stares for a moment at every member of the party.

Nesh is rooted to the spot...

Orun stands firm at the instructions of the Livyani Priest.  Though he has a great urge to become physically active in this arena he will stay his hand for the moments, though his face washes over with the look of bitter disappointment at being under the Priests direction.

“Each time you have asked us to trust you, old man, we have, and we have survived, but I, like many others, grow tired of little explanation.  I will trust you because you have not let me down yet, but I need more information about these creatures if I am to be able to effectively defend against them!” Orun’s words are calm but very pointed.

Almodhim is not pleased either about the small amount of information for someone who supposedly knows about what is coming.  She looks sourly in the direction of the Livyani Priest and girds herself with weapons O’ plenty.

“I will not kill them unless they need to be killed.  Let us hope that the need does not arrive.”  She says with a somewhat defiant tone.  She then bears down on the pommel of her sword and steps back from the path of the searching light.

After a few moments of flaming dangling Shih calms down and centers on to float above the floor by several feet and face the tunnel from where the light is emanating. His eyes, still a vivid red, seem to glow as he peers around the room. Within a few moments he throws his head back and groans with extreme pain that is silenced when his body explodes into a billion tiny sparkles that flash throughout the room then face from sight.

The Livyani Priest casts his eyes downward, shaking his head and then sparks off as well into billions of small glistening dots that streak through the air and swirl around where Shih was floating before following the same patterns of explosive burst and disappearing as well.

Churisan follows Orun's lead, staying away from the blue light, though he continues to look around the chamber.

He watches Shih and the Livyani explode with surprising calm. He seems to have gotten a bit jaded about unexplained fireworks.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Mon 12 Dec 2005.

Almodhim, on the other hand, is not at all easy with the twice explosive disappearing trick.  She moves close to Orun and has just a bit of a panicked look on her face.  Her back brushes up against his and she leans into him a bit.  She then spits in disgust and swears a few words that drift off into mumbles that are repeated like chants or prayers.  At the same time she removes a small vial from her belt and opens it slowly.  She touches the stopper to the edge of her blade and then to the vial and back to the blades edge.  She repeats this act until she has covered the entire edge of the blade with a green tinged substance.  Corking the vial again, she smiles at her blade and says, “Are we ready now? Yes we are, just waiting for the fun to begin.”  Her eyes take on a crazed look and she knots her hair up very tight.

Shih materializes next to the tubeway car.  Even in the dim light, people familiar with his countenance and body language recognize that he’s very dejected.  He simply stares at the Livyani Priest who appeared at the same time right next to him.  Shih closes his eyes and when he opens them, they’re back to normal.

Decrying other means of communications, Shih says in a subdued deeply sad voice, “They seek the freedom to exist.  As cut off as they've been, perhaps they don't know that they have this already.”
This message was last edited by the player at 16:18, Wed 14 Dec 2005.

"Shih, who are you talking about?  The creatures we saw from the tubeway car? With the blue lights?  Perhaps then we have no quarrel with them, and can go on our way?"

Shih looks with great intensity at Churisan indicating extreme tension, then gives a quick very small shake of his head pursing his lips, indicating that that's not it.  He then looks back at the Livyani Priest.

"La, not for the soldiers then" Churisan shrugs. "So what are we doing here? Do we continue in the tubeway, or get out through one of the doors?" he asks, gesturing towards the apex of the room opposite the tubeway car. "The lights in this place are strange. They make some of you seem to glow" he says, looking at Ssrivan and and Shih. Then he looks at Dlarumei and the Livyani Priest, bows, and says with exaggerated politeness: "Masters, we, your servants, await your next instruction."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 15:11, Thu 15 Dec 2005.

"Churisan, it has nothing to do with whether one is a fighter or ... something else.  I've learned that the lights are ru'un and servants of other ancient ru'un ... the beings that made this world habitable to man.  It was not always so.  The problem we face is that they may not want us to leave, for any number of reasons.  Arms will not help this situation, but neither will magic.  They are beyond that."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:18, Thu 15 Dec 2005.

"Let me clarify a few things Nobles,” Dlarumei says in a concerned voice. “Shih, I know that what you are experiencing is new to you and you are going beyond what a person with your knowledge should ever go.” She peers at the Livyani Priest with a glare and he responds with a shrug of the shoulders.

“The light girds in this room do amplify our properties, our abilities, they were created as a way for those beyond these walls to see and understand who was approaching. Physical traits usually don’t show up on such arenas so that is why the warriors and others don’t glow. The beacon lights being cast from down the tubway are also ways of finding life.  If you are struck by the beam of light it will mark you and then you are able to be tracked or followed even though you could be tsen away.” She pauses and looks around at the party. “There are many possibilities with these people…”

“People!?” The Livyani Priest interjects, “They are machines, tools, objects created to restructure this planet, able to survive enormous pressures and temperatures, they are not people.”  Dlarumei continues,

“They are also able to communicate, reason, and show concern and understanding which are attributes that even some humanoid “people” are unable to exhibit, so I say they are people, their own race, just like you old man.  And, as I was saying, we don’t know what their intent is, and if we can avoid them, that would be best, but let us also not jump to conclusions.”

Churisan quietly grinds his teeth for a moment, then says "Perhaps my humble and ill-educated accent is too difficult for your exalted selves to understand? I will attempt to rephrase my queries. Though their origin may be lowly, they do touch upon matters that may be of some concern to your noble selves. So I ask again: how do we proceed to the location of the Emerald Sphere? Do we continue on the tubeway car or journey on foot? If we must wait and parley with the blue-light demons, should we not retrieve Jenge and our baggage from the tubeway car?  Finally, Shih, do you require healing or assistance?  You seem to be experiencing some illness."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Mon 19 Dec 2005.

"Noble warrior, I thank you for your concern.  It's too late for that though," Shih responds in a morose voice. "I cannot go back."

Shih glances up and where Churisan was looking earlier.  Pointing with his chin, "What are you talking about?  I can't see it."

Shih tries to cast POE.

"There are several doors, or portals of some kind. You can't see them? Ever since the grid in the walls lit up, I can see them clearly, same with the glows on you and some of the other sorcerers. There is a portal in the wall on the far side of the tubeway car, another opposite it, there where the walls intersect, and there are hatches in the floor and ceiling in the center of this chamber."

Ssrivan has been madly sketching almost the entire time, oblivious to the goings on in the tubeway station except when they interfere with his view of the patterns surrounding them--and then he only moves to a better vantage point.  He is humming happily as he works.

There is a moment where most of you can hear a far off sucking sound, and then an explosion that rings your ears erupts as the rear end of the tubway car vanishes.  In its place is a spinning, silver lined hoop with a swirling blue center that absorbs everything in its path.  It moves away from the back of the tubway car and down the tracks that the tubway car had just come up.  It moves along the quay at the pace of a quick jog and heads down the track towards where the beacon lights are coming.  It seems to grow as it moves down the track, becoming larger and large and it starts to absorb the rock and the tunnel sides as well.  Several large projectiles head towards it from town the tunnel and are lost in the swirling center of the growing ring.  It disappears quickly down the tunnel and Jenge exits the open hole at the end of the tubway car rather pleased with himself.  The Livyani Priest and Shih get up off of the floor where they had dove out of the way just moments before the explosion dusting themselves off and looking rather annoyed at Jenge.  Almodhim lets out a relieved sigh but Orun looks around rather lost and uncertain.

is Churisan's patience, ended.  He darts over to the tubeway cars. If there are any surviving porters he rousts them out, and has them scurring away from the edge of the platform, perpendicular to the line of the tubeway, to the middle of the room, where Ssrivan is. He follows them, and says in passing "There are portals this way, and they are farthest from where those creatures are coming. We should go there. It will give us a wide field of fire if we need it, and there will be a door at our backs. I'm taking the supplies there. Ssrivan, get your head out of the clouds, there are dangerous creatures approaching.  How do we get out of here? Can you open that hatch in the floor? Or the one in the corner of the room? Deshnah? Urutlen? Orun? Neshkriuma? The sorcerers evidently can't be bothered. Fuck'em, let's move.

"Churisan, I am in your hands at the moment ... many here can't see the doors you speak of."

Shih briefly but expressively looks over at the Livyani Priest, then grabs whatever supplies are near at hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:24, Sun 25 Dec 2005.

"I can see four portals, one each in the floor and the ceiling of the center of the room. One at the apex of the walls opposite the tubeway, one in the wall adjacent to the tubeway. To me the room looks triangular, with the tubeway running along one wall. The door farthest from the tubeway is in the intersection of the two walls. That's where I'm retreating to, unless the tubeway is still operational and we can get away that way." and then he moves on.

Dlarumei, somewhat stirred by Churisan’s words, seems to pull out of a trance and has moved extremely rapidly toward the end of the station by the tracks, way down on the end where the spinning oval traveled down the tunnel. She looks concerned and then turns back to the party.

“That put them off of a bit, but they will understand what just happened and then will be back.  However, I think they will return in greater numbers and much less cautiously.  Follow Churisan to the exit that he has found, we don’t need to stay around here any longer if we can help it and with the hole in the tub for the tubway cars, they will not functions any longer along this section of track.”

No sooner has she finished her words and moved again towards the party than a sleek silver cylinder streaks behind her from the tunnel towards the tubway car.  The Livyani Priest, seeing the approaching object, steps between those who are on the station area and those in the tubway car and seem to expand somehow.  The silver cylinder passes through the end of the tubway car and explodes within, casting out burning seats, bags and porters onto the tracks. The Livyani Priest is pushed back up the station floor, sweeping all those behind him with him about ten feet.

He collapses momentarily, sparkling a bit on his chest and arms, then Horsley yelling, “RUN!! FOLLOW CHURISAN TO WHAT EVER DOOR HE HAS FOUND!! NOW!” he then lets out a long line of curses as he pauses obviously to think.

Two of the six porter and slaves that made it out of the car before it was destroyed belonged to Shih and they move quickly to help their master.  Pulling at him to move him to the area Churisan has indicated.  Shih seems stunned and moves reluctantly with them as they head to the far point of the room. His body seems to stretch as he is pulled along and supported, and this seems to help him move faster towards the door.

The ru'un of this place are frightful
The detectors in this room so light-ful
The Emerald Sphere beckons ho
Let us go. Let us go. Let us go.

Shih's movement is initially shambling, as though stunned, though it quickly improves.  Still, his companions know that something is amiss.  While he directs his slaves ahead with gestures and seems to be managing well under his own burden, he does not utter a word.  Clearly, his attentions are divided.  He does though take a moment to look at the tubeway car wreckage to see if anything useful survived.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:34, Wed 28 Dec 2005.

Nesh is now fully roused from his momentary lapse by the light and force of the explosion. Squinting into the twilight, he catches sight of Churisan nearing the portal.

He grabs at whatever people and belongings may be close at hand, then barks in a strident, commanding voice: Everyone: to me! Get away from the tubeway car NOW or you will surely perish! Flee!

Nesh pushes, pulls or prods the few remaining porters and servants towards Churisan. Then he ensures that the nobles are able to move to the exit.

Churisan herds whoever is nearby toward the portal farthest from the tubeway. When he gets there, he looks at it, trying to figure out how it opens.

Ssrivan looks carefully at the portal that Churisan so serendipitously identified for him and concentrates inward for a moment that stretches out as he dives deeper into whatever it is he is looking at.


I'm working at the door now Churisan, let us hope that I am fast enough and that there are no nasty surprises awaiting us on the other side of it.

"Ssrivan, the danger is most likely directed at Dlarumei, the Livyani Priest, Jenge, you and me.  In fact, I suspect that we may be isolated and stopped."

"Warriors, if we seem to disappear, we are still present but trapped.  The only way that we'll be able to pull ... join you is for you to somehow damage the special device that caused this.  I don't know what this will look like."

"Livyani or Dlarumei, any advice about what we might see?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:24, Sat 31 Dec 2005.

Dlarumei rushes towards the door as well, brining Deshnah with her. Once there she reluctantly places a hand on Ssrivan’s shoulder and focuses on him as he works on the door.  As to Shih’s request there is no reaction from the blacked robed priestess, only focus and determination.

Orun moves, partially lead by Almodhim as they bring up the rear of all those headed toward the apex of the room in hopes that Churisan is right.  Orun is barley able to see in this room and he is eager to leave it as this is no situation for a man of action, in a room where he has limited sight!

The party moves to the apex of the room in a rush and then they wait as Ssrivan fumbles around at a door that he cannot see.  Churisan guides him a bit as to where things are located and the Locksmith focuses intensely in those areas.  When Dlarumei approaches Ssrivan takes no notice, which is unusual for him, and one she places her hand on the mans shoulder his fingers seem to start working in mystic ways. It almost seems as though her hand has moved inside Ssrivan’s shoulder for a moment. It isn’t long before you can see his hand slip thought the wall and then a release of pressurized air and amber light pushes though a small seam that appears at the wall. Ssrivan pulls the door back to reveal a square corridor, five feet by five feet, which seems to run as far as you can see. He pulls his hand out of the door and motions for Churisan to Press onward.  “You have the sight at the moment; I would trust only you to lead for now. But I will be by your side so if we run into anything we can work on it together.”

Churisan grimaces at the tight quarters, but starts walking quickly down the passage. He'll walk until he sees anything: symbols on the walls, another portal, any changes in the light.

As soon as Nesh gets to the portal, he will increase his scrutiny of the surroundings to try and detect any hostiles. He searches for something in his pouch...

Shih moves along towards the end of the entourage, apprehensive about the implications of being detected and knowing that, in all likelihood, he is walking into a trap specifically designed to stop beings such as he.  As staying is not an option, what's left?

Ssrivan follows right behind Churisan, motioning to his delectable scribe to stay with him as he goes into the passage.  He continues his careful examinations as he goes, though he seems to have no trouble remaining close to Churisan in the close quarters of this tunnel.