One fish, two fish, green fish, blue fish you think to yourself in some sort of obscure rhyme and you watch as the marks left by your sandals seem to slip towards the center of the room. No! it is not an illusion the sand is actually moving towards the center ,being pulled at the changing patterns need more of the silicate to create new and interesting patterns and cartographical references. “How many fish will it take” you wonder? Will it require more than just the floor to create what it needs?

 Dlarumei motions towards the green glowing hallway with her fingers, you can sense the urgency in her command.  Looking behind her you can see many of the part still slowly making their way towards you though they are quite the distance and they seem to get further away the more they try to advance.  You move, stepping lively, tight to the wall and hunkered down in a most uncomfortable position. The sand at your feet tugs like the current of a small stream slipping past the toes of your sandals.  Now, perhaps only but five scant feet from the hallway’s entrance you see the wall above the hallway move! It’s a door! A heavy stone slipping down into the opening which will soon block the passage for you.  A quick glance around at the other openings would tell you the same story, and the rest of your party sees the same distressing event unfold.

 Urutlen notches an arrow quickly and fires across the chamber to one of the open doors. The arrow is consumed by the vortex of sand in the center of the room. He then fires five more arrows in rapid succession, so quickly that it is hard to believe that he didn’t just shoot them all at once. Two of the arrows make it through and you can see he is contemplating something. Jenge, at the very back of the line, shouts something not intended for the three of you and turns and bolts for the blue passageway closest to him. Nesh and Deshnah leap after him and run full tilt in that direction, staying somewhat close to the walls side. Almodhim and Churisan confer with Urutlen as you turn to reach your emerald entrance. Dlarumei, pushing you forward with all her might, almost tripping over you, her muscles straining to get to the doorway, is most anxious. Though she does not speak you can see the stress on her face and the determination in her eyes.

 The three of you run, full tilt towards your destination.  Leaping through the passageway with great effort to beat the stone door before it seals you in the chamber. When the door hits the floor its vibration makes you tingle and the sound is defiantly final, all noise is sealed in the chamber as well and the silence feels odd in your ears.  You are basking in a green glow produces by, what appears to be some sort of plant or stone or….  You are not sure what it is and it almost has a liquid appearance to it as well. The walls are smooth and cold to the touch and you lean against them to settle your spinning head.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:15, Mon 01 Sept 2008.

Dlarumei sit quietly with her back against the wall, she holds her right forearm with her left hand and lets out a sigh that has the slightest hint of a whimper as she leans her head back against the cool stone.

Shih unconsciously opened his eyes wide, the muscles on his forehead contracting so that he could feel his ears.  At every turn, the path behind seemed to close impossibly.  Perhaps the three could slip through as a stream of particles ... that stuff that he now called flesh.  What must Ssrivan now be thinking?  His scribe, on whom he so depended, now gone.  Perhaps the path that they chose would lead to freedom.  He had little illusion though that the three of them had chosen correctly.  But, to what end?

Reaching out with a part of himself, he tried to communicate with his environment.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:20, Tue 02 Sept 2008.

 The sweat sing-song of silence rings echoingly in your ears, the still so deep that it seems painful and oppressive. The slightest breath sounds scream out and the minutest rustle of cloth is easily heard. Enhanced these sounds are not, but that the still is so oppressive they seem amplified. The monochromatic texture added by the light source does not seem to help lessen the effects.

 Dlarumei’s voice, though hushed, rings out loudly. "Noble Shih" her dry lips summons, “there is something here that makes healing my arm difficult, I would invite you to come and try to help me.  Perhaps both of us working together would create what I need to heal from my injury.” You see her clutch at her arm in a frustrated fashion obviously annoyed at her predicament.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:12, Tue 02 Sept 2008.

Looking around to verify that metal is not immediately present, he tries to cast his lowest level healing on Dlarumei.

“To heal is to be of good thought. To think well is to consider the objects best interest.  To consider the objects best interest is to remove oneself for the place of supreme importance.  To do such an act is to sacrifice ones place in the hierarchies of trivial importance’s. Such a sacrifice is to be of good thought. “

 Words written on a scroll Shih recalls from a younger part of his life, a time in his early encounters with what would become his craft, his calling.  Why such words creep back into his conscience thought at this point seems a trifle, and yet possibly, not something to be ignored.  The heat that his hands begin to feel as he connects with the necessary element to create the healing spell, are the first warning of a less than desirable casting environment. Pushing himself just a bit more, as is always his custom, the burning intensifies to the point of pain.  He relinquishes his attempt and moves close to Dlarumei to consider her injuries.

Cursing herself Dlarumei hisses between clenched teeth, “I am such a fool!  I saw that I was falling wrong and still put my arm out to brace myself! As though I have never had any training at all!!!”

Shih examines her forearm, and though not broken, it is not well either.

Ssrivan carefully looks around the passage while Shih is at work.  It would not be good to ignore some other danger while resolving the immediate problem. . .

"We are surrounded with unaligned metal.  The nature of your injury surprises me.  We seem to be cut off from everything here."

If a bandage will help, given our nature, then he'll apply one.

"We must move."

“I agree,” Dlarumei says through clinched teeth.  .  “We seem to be surrounded by elements that make us inert in our abilities. My arm seems to be twisted or wrenched or, I am not sure what!  It has been so long since I was last injured I can not compare this to any recollection. I agree with you, we need to move forward.”

The three take a few moments to adjust themselves to their surrounding.  Heavy stone walls, smooth to the touch but not without many imperfections. A gouge here, a nick there, a few scrapes along the way.  The hallway seems to travel away from their position for at least 200 meters, maybe a bit more and then it appears that it turns.

Unable to help Dlarumei but still offering the aid of his arm, he proceeds forward to the corner.

"We must take stock of everything that we now have.  I suspect that we are cut off by design.  By passing this far, then our right to be here is likely taken for granted.  Most of my equipment was with my slaves."

Shih withdraws the special artifact of Sarku given him so very long ago by the Ritual High Priest.  He also looks through his different pouches.  Most of the things he has are appropriate to casting spells and, of course, his chlen sword. How utterly useless.

OOC: Is anything useful.  Most of the 'special' items remain with the rest of the party.  Am I pleasantly surprised to find anything?

Ssrivan is lost in thought for the moment as he scrapes his finger against the surface of the wall and examines it.

Shih stands and, in a quite proper and polite manner, helps to raise Dlarumei to her feet. He notices Ssrivan scratching the wall and sees a fine green colored powder drift downward.  Following the powder with his eyes he notes that it lands softly in the small of a tender young woman’s back.  The scribe did make it through and found herself under the sprawl of Ssrivan’s robes, how interesting Shih ponders.  He then begins to move to the area where the hallway takes a corner. He picks an arbitrary direction title for the directions he is traveling in and calls it North, not know which way North truly is does not matter in the hallway beneath the surface, but it will help him to orient himself and the others as they move. The shuffling of their feet and their heavy breathing is all that is heard in the hallway.  The air seems think and moist making the trip seem slow and long.  About half way to the bend in the hallway, approx 100 meters, Shih notices a line in the sand.  More of a linear elevation than a line really, as though something is buried under the sand and causes it to rise a bit. About 100 more metes forward and the hallway turns to the East.

Shih eyes Ssrivan's scribe with mixed feelings.  Unless she too has gone through a change, she will need food and water.  It certainly lends urgency to our pace.

As they progress, Shih suddenly stops and points, saying, "Ssrivan, there is a line there in the sand."

Dlarumei leans hard into Shih as a wave of pain comes over her. “It looks like an object dropped there and forgotten.  Time has hidden it.” She kicks a bit at it, misses it but moves more sand over it.

Ssrivan will start and look to the point in the sand indicated by Shih and Dlarumei.

"Please wait a moment and I will try to bring it to light for you."

He will then motion to his scribe to stay put and will move closer to the line in the sand to see if he can carefully scoop some of the sands away without disturbing the object itself.  Scooping the nearby sands should allow some to flow into the depression he creates and slowly expose the object.

The sand moves slowly as Ssrivan beckons it to fall away from the buried object into the depression he creates along side the line. Patiently he moves with precision, making way for the sand that covers the object to fall away but being very careful not to undermine the object as to make it shift or roll. After several moments, moments which seem to Dlarumei and Shih to last a life time, a fine feather edge peek out of the top of the sand, followed by a green glint that winks in the emerald light.

On the other side or ceiling, are there corresponding glints or any kind?

Shih set Dlarumei down against the wall where she focuses on what Ssrivan is doing. This is when Shih starts looking about the area.  Trying to figure out trajectory and angle of possible fragments and where they may have wound up. There are some very heavy gouges in the walls around this area and one is so deep that Shih can see though the vainer to the sub structure of the wall.

“Iron!” he spits “We are incased in Iron! The sub wall is made of metal and probably surrounds us on walls, ceiling and floor.” He then mumbles some more choice words, half to himself and half for whomever cares to listen.

Searching diligently he does find a fragment of the sword in the wall.  Buried deep in the plaster the tiny point pokes out and Shih realizes what a weapon of this magnitude would mean in this environment.  As his finger approaches the fragment he feels a tingle of sorts.  Ssrivan continues to uncover more of the sword under Dlarumei’s watchful eyes.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Tue 07 Oct 2008.

"Shih, be careful of any fragments from this blade that you find.  I am sure there are several small bits around here, along with the hilt.  The blade itself is nearly complete, with the tip and several small shards missing from the end.  It looks like the tangs broke off right at the hilt.  It is unbelievably thin and sharp, with a set of what appear to be runes engraved into the channel of the blade."

He looks up to make sure his scribe is faithfully recording what he says before he continues.

"It exudes force, which indicates it is an item of unbelievable power if it can be felt in this place.  I have never seen nor heard of its like.  The pieces might even spontaneously reconnect if brought together.  I have also found the remains of a very interesting hand here.  It seems the owner was not quite like us, as there is an extra finger on it.  It has a rune-carved metal ring and an amber-hued stone bracelet around the wrist.  It looks like the hand may have been lost by one of the combatants in the fight that shattered this sword.  The runes may even tell us if the items are of the same making, since two of the three items seem to have them."

Ssrivan will then bend close to the blade and then the ring to see if he can make any sense of the runes.

Memory intact, Shih too examines the runes to see if he understands them ...

"This place is designed to prevent individuals from using energy or weapons.  I am now conscious of directives ... concepts ... to some greater mind.  Something inside of us answers.  I could feel it.  This is how I ... we ... can heal and do what we do.  But, not here.  Here, we are cut off.  I suspect that we are not meant to use such things here.  Whoever brought weapons here was cut down.  While the weapon was likely that of one of the beings we called gods, the power here was greater.  It was destroyed."

"We have here a treasure that merits saving.  However, we cannot let it assemble beyond this point.  Bringing pieces beyond this point, but separate, would be a way that we can leave with this treasure.  If we let it assemble, we cannot get it out."

"Then no one dare carry more than one large piece of it Shih--and as my scribe is the only one of us for whom large amounts of metal are not baneful, she will have to carry the bulk of the blade once we are sure it is safe to remove from this place.  Even this broken bit may be sufficient to trigger the defenses of this place when we lift it.  Maybe it needs to be covered up like a normal object instead of being brandished as a weapon.  I suspect it would be safe for one of us to carry two of the smaller shards, as otherwise there will be at least one more piece than there are possible carriers. The hand will be a lesser problem.  I can carry that until there is time for me to investigate it."

"I suspect that hand and bracelet, to have survived, are possibly part of this weapon.  Perhaps that hand can call this weapon to it.  Given the nature of the weapon, absence of a scabbard argues for this  As to carrying too much metal, I doubt that that will be an issue for us here.  I believe we are done with casting.  Besides, the sword and hand are aligned; they should not hurt us were we to cast while holding them.  I agree though that whatever we take must be covered and not held offensively."

Shih will back away, place his chlen sword on the ground, and drop the proffered shard gently into its place.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Fri 10 Oct 2008.

Dlarmuei cocks her head a bit to the left, a trait that you have noticed with her when she is thinking; she winces in pain and says, with a bit of urgency in her voice.
“I am glad that the two of you have so many ideals and notions to talk about, but I would dearly suggest that we start moving along the way.”

You can tell that she is not used to pain as it is clearly affecting her abilities to speak and to reason. “Stuff the stupid thing in a bag and let’s get moving!”

The irritability in her voice and body language is apparent and she even begins to shuffle off further down the hallway, but only a few feet before she realizes that she will not be going far without support from the rest.

Somewhere further off down the hallway the sound of a large door or gate or stone blockade like the one recently thrust down behind you moves.  And with an earth vibrating resonance comes to rest heavily into place.

Shih finds the tip of the sword and another small shard stuck into the wall along with several crumb-like metal pieces stuck like seasoning on the plaster surface. Moving the tip he found past the crumb-like remains attracts them like iron to a magnet. Ssrivan’s excavation of the sword and bracelet wearing bones is quickened by Dlarumei’s demeanor; though his scientific self tries not to hurry his rational side subconsciously picks up the pace.

So, to make a long story short, using shards as magnets, we pull the weapon together in three sections, examining it carefully for small missing shards.  Stashing the three away, along with the hand/bracelet, we proceed carefully forward.

Shih moves to help Dlarumei while Ssrivan takes his customary position.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Wed 22 Oct 2008.

The pieces of the sword do have a rather odd and powerful magnetic quality.  In fact, you find it hard to keep the entire sword from reassembling itself. You feel confident in your decision not to allow it to become whole at this point and even with some pieces in the bottom of your scabbard you feel the draw the metal has towards itself.

Moving on further down the hallway you travel 100 feet to a right turn in the hall.  Noting else changes, not structure, texture of walls, colors of light or senses of the air.  Peering around the corner you notice that the hallway continues on for approx 150 feet and then, through an arched and door-less opening and into a chamber with a center structure of some sort.  It is too hard to tell what the structure is from this distance but it about fountain height without the finery. Another observance is that the color of the illumination in that room is blue and not green like in the hallway that leads to the chamber.

“Well at least there is something comforting in the color of our new destination.”  Dlarumei says under her breath, “a glimmer of godliness in this trap.”

In an even tone, Shih thinks a bit out loud ...

"Imagine you are a God and know this area to be protected from any and all weapons.  There is an overaching consciousness that puts all beings on an equal footing here.  However, you are in a life-or-death struggle ... a game of den-den ... against others of your kind.  There are very few rules.  This place is either agreed to be a safe haven or, alternately, so critical to the operation of the game that beings cannot be allowed here with the capabilities to harm it."

"Now, you have been engaged in this game for eons, seen many killed or go insane. Your consciousness trapped in the game until some pre-defined conditions for winning are met.  You dispair of this ever occurring; it has been too long.  Your solution is to end the game by destroying the intelligence imposing the rules on the game.  So, you create a ru'un and a special weapon.  The most powerful weapon conceivable.  Something that can literally remake itself if the game destroys it.  An intelligence like the game's intelligence.  Self-powered.  Because of the nature of the weapon, the game intelligence is tricked somehow into literally doing your work for you by bringing the weapon back together ... repairing it as it would repair itself."

"At the Dormoron Plains, each god had one special weapon that could literally be used to kill any of the other gods.  This sword is one such.  Its owner could be long dead."

"You move your ru'un into position where it and the weapon are destroyed.  This is expected; it is a test.  You knew it would occur, but not exactly where.  All you need now do is go retrieve the shards of the weapon, move forward sufficiently to a place where game rules no longer apply, and then let the weapon reassemble.  With a well-placed stroke, you can end the game and find peace.  However, the others somehow stop you from completing your plan and destroying everything.  And the sword is as we found it."

"This place should not have dust.  What little dust it might have, to now be so deep, speaks of tens of thousands of years passage.  The game continues.  Should we try to end it?  With a stroke of that weapon, we could destroy everyone we hold dear."

"Another alternative is that there are such places as this for each of the game players and someone really wanted to kill one of the others at all costs."

"We must be careful about whether we allow that sword to ever re-assemble.  And if yes, it cannot be in this place."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:36, Mon 27 Oct 2008.

Shih grumbles at the oppressive silence moving carefully towards the blue room. He is careful to make sure that there is nothing obviously sleeping in there before entering.

Ssrivan takes in the details of the room ahead, thinking back to the previous fountains on the path to this place and musing on what he might find this time.

Some otherworldly barrier seems to press upon him, limiting his progress towards the blue room ahead.  Looking at his companions, it's unclear whether they are experiencing the same phenomena, but their lack of forward motion aligns with his own.  Are they as aware as he of their lack of progress?  Could it be some secondary effect of the weapon shards that they now each bear?  Strangely, his tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth rendering him speechless.

The effect is all too common, one might think, innocents move where delights fear to tread.  However, there is a compulsion the keeps pulling you forward, deeper and deeper into that which you know is strange and foreboding. While the draw of the blue light seems to compel you to move forward, that and the fact that you really have no other direction to travel in, the sword fragments seem to want to elevate and ascend rather than progress forward.  It is not a trial to keep them where you wish for them to be, but you do notice their desire and take note of it. The blue room, however, not the Blue Room that Dlarumei may have hoped for, is very large.  A monolithic fountain stands rough hewn and dry at it’s center, and around the room, approximately four feet in from the rooms outer wall, is a row of benches that surround the center structure in a circular fashion. The light that creates the blue illuminessence seems to come from the top of the fountain structure. There are small pieces of objects strewn about the room as though simply tossed there at random.

"That was quite strange, did you sense it?"  Moving forward into the blue-lit room, he approaches the nearest bit of litter and examines it without touching it.  More exploded ordinance just awaiting the opportunity to reassemble?

OOC: Hmmmm, a torn ticket stub with a clearly marked "E" to something called the Tekumel Ride of Terror. /OOC

Sung to the tune of “ My Favorite Things” from the sound of music.

A stone plate and a cup, segmented and worn,

Two tubes that held parchment lie crinkled and torn

A worn out old sack fallen apart till it’s only string

These are a few of the strewn about things

If you wander

A bit further

You start feeling sad

It’s all the possessions of an unlucky guy, whose tragic life ends… real bad.

As you make your way around the fountain the rather meaningless contents of the sack become fragments of bone and pieces of old armor. Shredded as though torn apart by a savage beast.  The bones are gnawed upon, or so it would seem under closer examination and the skull is crushed in it’s spot nestled up against one of the bench legs.

"One of those who made it in here had some flaw that made them unsuitable to this place.  One of the guardians seems to have torn them to bits for their effrontery at even attempting to enter the place.  I wonder if they were part of the party that left the shards outside or not? "

Srivan will carefully observe the bits strewn about and also look at the rough fountain a bit more closely, though he will carefully avoid touching it as of yet.  Lastly, he will examine the positioning of the chairs to see exactly what their referent points are in relation to what he has observed of the fountain itself.

Sung to the tune of God Save the Queen (classic version) ...

With the assumption that
this fountain at one time held
liquid energy,
Shih's focus is on the vat.
The most likely place that
might still contain some liquid
is the fountain spouts.

Seeing no exits from ...
this room has only one ...
fountain's the key.
Climbing on fountain top,
trace stuff to power'm up,
might send some pieces of himself
into spouts I see.

OOC: The Vogons would be proud!
This message was last edited by the player at 20:34, Mon 17 Nov 2008.

While exits are none, there’s still one that you know of
But if hunches are correct it must be worn like a tight glove
Hidden to those who have no honest clue
Yet still available to beings as… “creative” as you
With finger deep seeking and hopes raised on high
A feeling of moisture is no great surprise
The expression of bliss washing across your weathered face
The fountain still holds the keys to this place
The tiniest of drops your body absorbs
Hope for more well springs your minds eye implores
From one small tributary to the next, advancing right
Your time is well spent in eureka delights
From each small impression from whence energy had flown
Your essence increasing deep down to the bone
A small shard of vessel and some old thread for a wick
You empty each spout of the fountain quite quick
With a half bowl of essence
And a grin from ear to ear
You search for the solutions
To lose the four of you from here
It is obvious that individually the power brings you little hope
But the small shard of joy could some mechanism coax or even jolt
There are few things around you that would accept such an offering
There are three small figures that adorn the fountain spring
And each upon examination reveals a small slot
Perhaps for a coin or a stick or some slop
Your interest again risen
Your intellect peaked
It’s time to get busy
It’s time to get tweaked

Shih informs the others of what he has found.  Since you haven't written descriptions of the three figures, is there nothing distinguishing about them?  It is auspicious that there are three here capable of getting the fluid and three statues.  One must wonder whether that was by design; a final lock to prevent those who are not worthy from passing beyond.

"I am suggesting that we each deposit our fluid at the same time into these three statues."

Ssrivan nods to Shih and also calls his scribe over and rummages in the small pack she carries.

Dlarumei, obviously fatigued and in pain, sits on the bench facing the fountain.  She watches the activities for a few moments and then simply pulls her robes from her shoulders.  Her robes draped on the bench like thick liquid she sits up straight her skin bare and he tattoos dull and dark.  Not the usual sight you are used to with this person. The normal luster and even glow of her body markings seems to have all but faded away.  She calls Shih over to stand behind her. In doing so he notices that the marking in the middle of her lower back is the same as the worn symbol that is still pronounced at the top of the fountain.  Shih helps to bring her robes back up over her back and she pulls them tight against her body as though she is cold.

“The markings matching the fountain script means we are on the right path and that this is one of our trials to prove that we a worthy to find the Emerald Sphere of Sighs.” 

Upon uttering the words of that which you seek Dlarumei’s breath fogs and you feel a chill in the air. You can tell by the look on her face that Dlarumei did not expect that reaction to her words and she seems cautiously pensive at the moment.

"Again we have a puzzle.  Only enough energy remains ... or has been deposited ... to allow one of us to stay alive.  By our nature, if either Dlarumei, Ssrivan, or I touch that liquid, I suspect that we will absorb that energy.  In other words, we would not be able to then re-deposit it into the slots in the statues.  This fountain is the portal.  Dlarumei, that symbol is not the same as what we saw on the moon.  Do you know what it is.  As the one so marked, I must wonder whether we should all stand on the edge of the fountain while you trace that symbol and utter the name of that which we seek."

"Shih, I am sure of one thing--you do not have enough of the essence to do that which you seek to do.  Too little was left here by the ancients and the passage of aeons.  All is not lost however.  I have here two vials of the essence, presciently collected at the places where it still flows, and reserved for the time when they would save us.  There were once three, but the third was exhausted to open the living door.  Dlarumei, once more I offer you one of the vials, as in this place you are also the one of the mark.  It is obvious you belong here, as this figure embodies Patience."

Ssrivan brushes his fingertips over the head of the figure he mentioned and motions his scribe to attend him to ensure she remains within the confines of his being when the transfer engages and moves to another of the figures.

"Shih, if you would stand with your bowl at the third figure there as the embodiment of Strength, we should be able to proceed.  The slots at their tops are for the liquid.  Be sure not to waste it, and be sure that all are filled simultaneously, unless you want to vanish beyond even the the ken of our gods."

Ssrivan then places his arm about his scribe and waits for Dlarumei's response and that of Shih.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Fri 05 Dec 2008.

Certainly the best idea that he's heard, Shih takes the position directed and pours synchronously.

"Since it had a noticable effect, I'm suggesting that Dlarumei utters the name of that which we see as we all pour."

“I am sure Shih,” Dlarumei says.  “As one who follows Sarku you follow the belief that what doesn’t kill you only makes you wait longer for the perfect peace.” She chuckles a rye chuckle at her joke and stands.  Pulling her robes about her and ensuring they fit snug, she moves to her appointed station with the vile that Ssrivan has given her.

“My friends, I think that it is important that you understand that the number three seems to be playing a major role in our little adventure.  I know that Ssrivan has had his theories and conjectures but notice the three figures, the three passageways in the last room we were in, the one of three spheres we seek.  I am not sure how this plays into what will happen next, however, there may only be three of us who make this next journey. Ssrivan, your scribe, one who you have drawn close to over our journey may not be able to travel with us.  If she stands a chance at all she will need to hold onto you as tightly as possible.  She must stand with you as one, breathing the same breath, heart beating the same beat.  If she remains here she will parish for sure.  If she attempts to come with us I can make no guarantees for her surviving our journey either.  For that matter, there are no guarantees for any of us.  We are playing with technologies we know very little about and while I am sure we are in the right place and I am fairly sure that we have struck upon the proper procedure, I am not sure of the outcome.  I do know that we will die if we stay here so either death will come quickly or it will endure for weeks.  I think we should all take a moment to prepare.”

Dlarumei slides her ebony mask over her face, this symbol of the prince of the blue room has been missing from her outfit for some time and it seems odd that she now uses it.  She slows her breathing and begins to concentrate on the task, her arm causing her enough pain that small whimpers can be heard between her mystic words.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:00, Mon 08 Dec 2008.

"If you die, I can likely bring you back for eternity if my powers are restored.  I know that the Worm Lord's gift may not be in keeping with your beliefs.  However, I believe that I could now so tie your intellect to your body that you would literally be restored to full abilities, but without human frailty.  And if not, you would not be significantly diminished."

Seeing her hug Ssrivan more tightly, he tips his head as if to say ... ahh well.  He watches Ssrivan for the signal to pour.

Ssrivan will don the pack that his scribe has carried so faithfully and so long, and wrap his cloak about her tightly, binding her to him as closely as a lover.  With that he will position the vial above the slot, and locking eyes with Dlarumei at her station, he will give the signal to pour.  As the fluid courses down the slot he drops his lips to his scribe's and locks her into a fierce, lover's kiss.

Shih pours at the signal, his thoughts conflicted and a bit cynical.  There was a time when his offer to Ssrivan's scribe would have been more genuinely pious.  Now, having seen and been nearly destroyed by an aspect or incarnation ... what to call it?! ... of Sarku, he viewed it as more a function of power and ability.  He felt somehow violated to his core.

Dlarumei cautiously and steadily pours the silver elixir into the appointed place and mumbles ancient words, long since vanished from the common vernacular.

Merry Christmas to all and a wonderful New Year!!!

There will be a new post from the GM on the Fifth.

Enyoy your loved ones and your life and prepare for things to come.

Uchang

OOC: Fifth ... was this a reference to a date or a quantity of alcoholic beverage? :D
This message was last edited by the player at 18:53, Sat 17 Jan 2009.

OOC: Adam, he didn't specify the month--or even the year.  I will be patient and wait, as always.  :)

OOC: I actually spoke with Kevin a week ago.  He seemed to still be possessed of his faculties, though he expects to shift faculties next year and is looking forward to the experience.  Life seems to have him a bit preoccupied.  All things in time. :D

Bump

Bump-2

OOC: I'm off to Turkey for two weeks. . .I leave in a couple of hours.

I know you have family there.  Have a safe journey and stay.

OOC: I'm back, now all we need is for Kevin to return from hibernation. . .

He and I talk by phone occasionally.  RL is intruding on us all.  I've written a couple of files out to the Yahoo Tekumel group.  Running in this medium is arduous. I keep hearing the siren's call, but can't consider it until I have my life back in order.

I'll be moving from California to New Orleans soon.  Work that will pay the bills has proven surprisingly elusive.  I've opted for damage control.   Perhaps, I too can get a job with our government.

I'm here in New Orleans after five LONG days driving.  Candidly surprised my car made it.  There are many more issues with our old house than I expected. A contractor we hired to do some upstairs bathroom work allowed water to leak through and ruin the downstairs ceiling and wall.  A tree has seriously damaged our roof creating significant water damage.

OOC: Ouch!  Not good!  I hope the repairs are not too intensive. . .I almost ended up somewhere close to you next week.  I was supposed to be in Ft. Walton Beach (only a few hours away), but the trip was canceled this afternoon. . .

Discovered that the new roof placed on our house after Katrina was done with such poor skill and downright fraud that we have a lawsuit.  It seems that the roofer forgot to place a cap over 30' of roof where it couldn't be seen from the ground.  There are no nails or other indication that this was ever there.  We have a 8" gap in the peak of our roof.  And yes, we now have water damage to the upstairs and downstairs apartments, which includes the hardwood floors lifting!  NOT GOOD!

Saving our game from the automatic game reaper.

OOC: Thanks Adam!  That would have been very bad. . .

OOC: The weekly bump.  Now all we have to do is get Kevin out of hibernation. . .

With the end of the school year fast approaching and him changing schools, I'm hoping that he will surface in June.

OOC: yes, soon! I'm off to Charlesyton for a few days on Monday--duty calls!

Have fun dutying :)  Any chance you play DnD?  Starting a game on RPOL.

Which edition do you play? I'm mostly first and second edition, but I've done third and 3.5 as well. . .

1st Edition as a base with other aspects that you'll find more familiar.  This game has people our age/maturity.  It's invitiation-only with people I've gamed with for some time.  I believe you'd enjoy it.

link to another game

Scratch and sniff ...

Avoiding the old bit bucket

And yet again ... never know when some wonderful bit of text needs to be mined.

So true my friend. . .

What's up ... is it Corky?

One of my many names, it is. I am getting ready to start working on my Master's next week--full time.  The job is supporting it, no less. . .

Keeping the reaper at bay. . .

What are you doing your Masters in?

I spoke with Kevin this evening.  He's had some health challenges that have laid him temporarily low.  I believe that he misses gaming and may actually return to this gaming medium at some point in the future.

Information Assurance. 14 weeks of sheer hell doing nine courses at the same time, and then slowing down to three courses a term for the rest. . .and one during the summer, so I can finish by the end of 2010. . .

I'm glad Kevin is starting to feel better!  And I hope we can eventually get this moving again as well.  Sorry I have been pretty quiet of late, but 40 hours of class each week with 40-50 hours of homework has been a bit of a time-magnet.

With that Masters, do you also have your CISSP and other meaningful acronyms.  If you are an information security specialist and you are considering opportunities in the private sector, then please let me know.  I'd be happy to refer you to my contacts at SENA Systems.

I must thank the both of you for your patience and you diligence with regards to me and this world that has been created. Saving the game from the dumpster was a wonderful thing. as much as I would love to fall back into this colorful world, this time in my life makes it an unaffordable indulgence. I had my thyroid out in July after they found cancer and subsequent I-131 radiation treatment just a few weeks ago. Now we are trying to adjust thyroid medications to make my life tolerable. First they prescribed too much and that OD was not fun at all and then not enough so I was simply dragging around. Now I am at a tolerable amount though I am sure it is not sufficient as I am still having problems. It is amazing what your thyroid controls within your body and what it takes to zero in on the right amount of T3 T4 synthetic hormone to make you function properly. Add all this to my family obligations with my two children, now 12 and 10, my wife working on her degree, my teaching French, Multi Media Design and Theatre Arts, the Christmas production for school and my church, the school television station we are trying to create and just simple lesson preparedness and I think I can throw in an hour or two for sleep ever so often. Regular entries in this world would, quite possible, be the straw to break the camels back. My friends, I would truly love to wind the wisps’ of smoke together again in this colorful creation, and some day I hope to be able to imbibe in this intoxification again, but for now I will have to take a seat by the fire and watch for a while till I am able to rejoin the dance. you are both wonderful and tollerant friends and I am thankful for your being here. I will check this site and post to keep it alive for the time being but only monthly or so. we can stay in touch through here as well and post life updates to eachother for the time being. I hope you are both well and finding what you need in life to keep thing upright and advancing in these hard times. Many good thoughts I send your way.
Kevin

Working on finishing the sixth and seventh of nine classes I have to take before Christmas.  I'll be doing the final paper for the seventh one this week and I'm just waiting on the grade for the sixth one.  So far, I'm maintaining a 4.0, so I can't complain much (except for the total lack of personal time I've had for the last three months, VBG)

I'm glad to hear you are in recovery mode Kevin--I was getting worried about you.  I'll be here for the long-term, so do keep dropping in until you have the energy and the time to be able to continue.  :)

Well, 9 classes down and I still have a 4.0, so I'm happy for the holidays. . .only seven to go, but I have a whole year to do that. . .

Congrats on the 4.0!

And, of course, Happy 2010!

I start back at school this week. . .less stress though--I hope!

Stress level is lower, but still really high, so I am glad we are on hiatus at the moment.  11 months to go. . .

Spring term paper season is on. . .hope your Easter went OK everyone.

In our backyard in New Orleans, we have a defunct fountain in which there are goldfish to eat mosquito larvae.  My wife and I cleaned off 7+ years of toxic funk.  Easters are exhausting!  Personally, I'd rather write a term paper.

Two down and only six to go.  The classes go marching two-by-two. . .and only a year to go!

Have a happy holiday weekend everyone! Back to class on Tuesday. . .

Have a nice holiday too.

I'm doing consulting down in Deerfield Beach, FL for the next five weeks.   Consulting is much more fun than company work, pay is better, but takes me away from my family for too long.  Balance is elusive.

Good luck with finishing your studies.

Hope the Florida trip went OK.  School is a killer this term!  Looks like I won't come up for air until August. . .

Term over--and successful.  Now I'm in the next pair with two more to go after that and I'm done!  :)  Hope all is well with the rest of you!

Hey there :)

I haven't spoken to Kevin in a few months.

Took the CISSP exam this past Saturday and have been spending a great deal repairing damage to our family home in New Orleans.

At the end of this journey, is there a certification?

Best ...

Adam

Ahhhh! CISSP, the exam from hell.  I was apparently sufficiently prepared when I took it, as I passed on the first go.  I hope the same applies for you, as sitting through that twice is a pain (as a few of my not-so-prepared colleagues at work found out the hard way).

I hope there's a light at the end of the tunnel on the repairs too. . .

Well four more weeks and this term is over. . .

Are you going for Piled higher and Deeper(PhD)?  My hat is off to you for being able to maintain what must be a grueling regimen.

Hopefully, you had a great Thanksgiving holiday.  It was family and close friends here in New Orleans.  Food was fantastic.  My wife and I were married on the 25th, so the day was extra special.  When I think of the dire straits we were in a year ago, this year wasn't too bad.

How are you and yours?

Best ... Adam

I'm just working on finishing the Master's for now.  Piled Higher and Deeper is something to save for another adventure through Hell later.  <LOL>

I'm glad to hear all went well for you and yours over the holiday weekend.  I actually had the most peaceful one I've had since I got married!  That was a wonderful recharge for the end-of-semester exams. . .I now have just one semester to go and life will get a little less hectic.  Jim

CISSP is behind me.  For my three prior certs, notices always arrived by snail-mail.  The admin email address, which I use to sign up for such things, is not one I closely monitor.  The test results were there and I passed.  With 23 years of combined risk, process, and information security experience ... and a sponsor, this should be a done deal soon.

If I were younger, I might have considered a career in the military or alternatives.  I'm way over any age limits to join.  Besides, I enjoy the traction and intensity of consulting.  80% of my time in the private sector was trying to convince C-Level management of the merits of solving very specific problems.  That's not the problem now.  The lack of a steady paycheck can be challenging, but I have real quality time with my family between engagements.  It's not balance and anything but steady, but I'm now able to feed my family.  The holidays will happen.  I know too many people that are struggling through far worse.

Have a great holiday season.

Best ...

Adam

Note: if you still need a sponsor to review your experience, I can do that, Adam.  Let me know.

Thank you.  One of my consulting associates has volunteered to sponsor me.  However, he is so pressed for time that he hasn't been able to complete the paperwork.  I'll give him a couple of weeks.  If I haven't heard from him by then, I would appreciate that sponsorship.

Best ...

Adam

Hi :)  If that offer of sponsorship is still open, please send me your contact information and I'll forward my CV and application.

Thanks ... Adam Levine
aflevine@att.net

Mail sent, Adam.

Budging the nudge.

LOL.  The formal congratulatory letter from ISC^2 arrived yesterday.

Jim, I'm almost certain that I'll be in the DC area again this year.  It literally could be as soon as two weeks or a few months down the road.  I do look forward to meeting face-to-face.  I know how to contact you when I'm in your area and will be sure to do so.  Likewise, if you're ever in New Orleans, please call me.

Will do, Adam.  I may be in Germany after the summer though. . .but I'll be back here in a few years as it is just a temporary change within the same organization.  No certainty yet, but I'll let you know if it gels.

School is done and the Germany thing fell through, so I'll still be in this area for a while, Adam!

First, congratulations!

Sorry to hear that the Germany gig fell through.  For short periods, I've worked in Germany, Switzerland, and France.  Doing a stint in any of these places would likely be enjoyable to my wife and me.  However, I have two teenage children that would have a very difficult time coping with that much change.

I'm now developing targeted IAM training for a client.  The positive is that I can do it from home.  However, I have no aspirations about being a full-time writer or trainer.  I get jazzed about solving problems.  I'm still expecting to be back at Freddie in a couple of months and look forward to calling you then.

Let's keep in touch ... Adam
Skype: ITSMDRIVEN

Oh how much fun it would be to return to Germany for a visit. Hey you two, imagine my suprise when I stopped by the old site and saw that it was still up! then imaging that on top of that, you two were still posting?! I have not gone back and read all of your posts, just the last few but it is so cool to see you two here in our land.

I bring you greetings from sunny, then rainy, then sunny, then rainy, then sunny, then rainy california. Adam, I have forgotten who's it in phone tag, but I am going to guess it's me. and Corky, how the heck are you?

I am in the final of my last production. All Shook Up is the musical and after this one I will be focusing on Multimedia productions. Movies, news broadcasts, music generation, editing and creation of film products. I'll be only teaching Multimedia, advanced Multimedia and Video production. I'll be unloading my mishmash schedule or French, theatre, technical theatre and multimedia and just focus on the one. It will make life so much easier and offer me more time with family.

I notice that while post here you both do, there is some lag time so I'll check back in a week or two to see if you have stopped by. a very pleasent suprise.

Chow for now
Uchang

Good to see you're doing well, Kevin! I haven't been out your way since the time we got to have that great lunch together!  I'm still mulling over ideas for good sand wheels. . .and if I ever get enough spare time to put my 3D printer online, I may even make a few test parts in plastic to see what works.

Adam, I'll try and make sure I'm in town next time you come up this way too!  Of course, if like works out like usual, we'll both be busy as hell and wondering where the time went!  LOL

Bump to keep things living. . .

The regular bump. . .

Hey there. :)

How goes it?

I'm off to Turkey for a bit, after a short job trip to Honolulu.  Life is pretty good for the moment.  How is all on your end?  Do you have anything sending you up this way anytime soon?

I'm hoping.  There are competing priorities that may delay Phase 2 until early next year.  Rest assured that if I'm coming your way, I will give you a heads up.

If you have any reason to come near New Orleans, please let me know.

Well, I'm back and it was both fun and horrible--but aren't all vacations like that?  Here's the monthly bump!

Welcome back.  Another trip to Turkey?

Bump

Another bump back for you, Adam.  I went to Turkey during August, right after the job sent me to Hawaii for three days.  I only had two days between the trips to get everything ready. . .since my wife is really not the best choice for packing expertise. LOL  Of course, that also meant that I had to deal with something like 13 hours of time zone shift within a single week.

The older I get, the more those marathon trips take it out of me.

The work I did in VA earlier this year just went into production and our client is very pleased.  There's more work there next year.  At this point though, I'm slotted to do work for a large banking client in the NY area beginning in January.  I honestly thought that you and I would have the opporunity to meet F2F sooner.

Regardless, happy Thanksgiving ... Adam :)

Same here on the F2F, Adam.  We do seem to keep missing each other a lot--and all due to external stuff, which makes it a bit comical in a Keystone Cops kind of way.  :)  I hope you and yours have a peaceful holiday season!

Hey there.  Looking forward to some peace AFTER the holidays. Went to visit my in-laws in NE Arkansas this past week and am now back in New Orleans through Jan 1.  Found spectacular Memphis BBQ on the way back so we have a fantastic and unusual holiday dinner on the slate.

One of my closest friends lives in DC.  He's also my optometrist and cousin.  I'll make it to your area some time next year.  Perhaps, I'll even bring the kids that direction at some point this Summer.  They've never been and are at the age where they should appreciate the many museums, monuments, and Occupy protests.  I'll stay in touch and hopefully we can plan to collide.

Here's hoping that you and yours have a great holiday ... Adam

Bump

In reply to Shih Nacunya (msg #125):

Figures that this year my next evil work project is starting to ramp up.  Hopefully, I'll be around here when you get here for your visit (there is a high likelihood of that, but the work thing does have the possibility of affecting things).

Bump while grinding

Bu dum bump

Strange bumps a knockin'

Living the Jersey City dream!

Time to do some wandering. . .now I just have to figure out where. . .

Is all well on your end of the universe, Shih?

Hey there :)

Still no electricity here in New Orleans.  Using PC battery sparingly.  Down from 9 hours to 4.

Family is fine.  Sleep is elusive for all since it's around 85F inside. Mosquitoes are coming out in force, so can't open windows.  Very ready for the power company to do their jobs.  Cooking stuff in freezer to salvage what we can.

Father has respiratory issues.  He ended up in the hospital on Day 1 of Isaac.  He's doing great.  We must have electricity for him to be able to come home.  His doctor is running tests associated with some hip issues, which is allowing everything to work.

My PC just ran a CHKDSK at start-up, suggesting that my NTFS was corrupt.  It wasn't, but it gave me a scare.  This heat and humidity can't be good for the internals.

Letting everything heat up and dry out.  New Orleans is miserable without AC!

How goes it with you?

Best ... Adam once known as Shih
This message was last edited by the player at 07:09, Sat 01 Sept 2012.

And here as well ...

Things here have been pretty peaceful at home, but the job has been grabbing me by the scruff of the neck and shaking vigorously!  I haven't had much time to do anything in nearly a month.  At least it is beginning to drop back down in tempo again. . .of course, with my job that is usually just the lull before the storm!

Here's hoping that you and yours are have a great holiday and new year.

May all go well with you and yours as well!  Work has been insane this month, but I decided to veg until the new year to calm down a bit. . .

Keeping this going.

Excellent! Not much going on here lately--but I am trying to get back to Germany again. . .

Still working in NJ for a global European bank.  Father passed on in March after a long fight with congestive heart failure and diabetes.  Things have settled back down now and the family is looking forward to a busy Summer.

You looking to be posted in Germany or just going for a visit?

My condolences on your dad.  I'm trying to get posted there for a three-year tour.  It's been a while since I got to wander around there and it will give me an opportunity to see a lot of my German friends again.

In reply to Ssrivan Tlokhar (msg # 141):

Just a quick summertime bump!  Hope all is well with you, Adam!

Time for a fall ping!  Is all OK with you Adam?

Hey there.  Sorry for not responding to your earlier posts.  I'm doing fine.  Implementing security-based segregation of duties at a client.  Every two weeks, I shift location from Jersey City to/from New Orleans.  Now that most of the technical requirements have been met, this effort has become more turn-key as we roll it out globally.  Flying home tomorrow.

I spoke with Kevin around a month back.  He's settled into teaching media arts instead of theatre and is enjoying it.  Gaming like this has fallen aside.  Having run a game here, it's difficult to maintain the needed level of posting.

How are you and your family?

Best ... Adam

I totally understand the work-life balance issue.  Sometimes work drops life into a deep, dark hole for a while!

I'm glad to hear that Kevin has found a niche where he is happy.  I'll have to try and reconnect with him.

I took the boys to a small computer fair in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.  They had a blast on a road trip with Dad--we drove there.  They've discovered the joys of elongated cents.  I had to stop at almost every rest stop in Ohio so they could make more of them, since there were different designs at each one.  They want to go back again next year, so the trip was a definite hit with them.

I hope all is well with you and yours, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate.

Adam

And a happy springtime to you too! Work's been a killer lately, so I haven't had much online time to do anything.

Hey there :)

Between gigs at the moment.  Positioning for a 4-month gig sizing privileged access management at a big bank.  Client keeps moving the start date.

It's beautiful here in New Orleans.  A big storm this past weekend has all the flowers blooming; a real explosion of color.

Everyone's healthy.  Son's going to UNLV next Fall for a degree in Lighting Design.  Daughter continues to make strides with cello.  Wife still loves me.  All good!

Thought you were doing a tour in Germany.  Is there where you are now?

Best ... Adam

I keep trying to get there--and keep not getting the position! They've selected someone else twice, and both times it was because the person was already there. . .so their hiring costs were lower, even though they still have to send the person here afterward!

Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

I'm glad to hear all is well with the family! The weather here has been up and down--cold one week with snow and three days later it is near 70. It has done that three times now! I have a lot of flowers in the garden though--a huge bed of hyacinths and daffodils everywhere. My irises and my crocuses are already finished. . .

Jim

Nudge ... No bit bucket.

And again

Well, the adventure to the Aegean went off without too many problems--so long as the luggage going on its own week-long adventure without us was considered normal. LOLOL At least it caught up with us in the end. The wife was happy too, as she got to see lots of her family--and the boys got to learn some Turkish. If only it had been a bit cooler--95-98 degrees is just too warm to live through without A/C. . .

Glad to hear that your visit went well and that, all said and done, you had only the heat to complain about.  Mass media makes it very difficult to gauge the situation on the ground.  And Turkey is a large country.

Here in New Orleans after Hurricane Issac a few years back, we enjoyed a week without electricity and 99 degree days.  While we had brief respites in the pool, there's only so long you can stay in water.  The rest of the time was miserable.  Sleep seemed impossible.  Leaving doors open for a cross-breeze wasn't possible without losing our cats.  The heat and humidity were so oppressive that my father ended up in the hospital.  Now, we have a natural gas generator.  Hopefully, we never have to endure that kind of sustained heat again!

As much as I've traveled for work, I've never made it to the Middle East.  Some day, perhaps I'll be able to travel with my wife.  No time soon.  All surplus funds are now going towards my son's college.  Three years from now, we get to do it all over with my daughter.  No doubt, we'll have to take out a first mortgage on our home.  At least interest will be deductible.

After eight years, I've now moved from being a consultant to an employee for the same consulting company.  Income is more certain.  After reinventing myself a few times, it now looks like I've found an opportunity that could last for as many good years as I have ahead.

On the work side, that is definitely good news! Steady work is a very good thing.

I've been thinking of adding a gas generator to this house as well--I have a portable one using gasoline, but that one's utility ends when whatever fuel I have at home runs out, as the gas stations have the same problem everyone else has in an emergency--no power to operate their systems.

I plan to go on a road trip with the boys early in November, to go to a nice retro computer faire. That should be a lot of fun--and the boys love the old machines, which actually surprised me. They have a blast playing games on my 35-year-old machines, and I have a blast designing new hardware for them and turning those designs into reality for them and the rest of the folks still using the old iron. . .

Designing new hardware or software? Regardless, any quality time with the kids is good.  While my degree is in computer science, I never had a passion for game-writing.  Surplus time is scarce and cherished.  At present, I'm PM'ing two major implementations of the Oracle Access Governance suite.  As I'm more of a process/risk guy, the is more of a value-added fill-in between consulting engagements.  Also, I'm able to add more value to requirements and design than a standard PM.  Regardless, it pays the bills.

Are you gaming these days?

I tend to design hardware for 30+ year old computers. It is a lot of fun--and there are enough people out there still using the ancient beast that our group buys of parts to build stuff keep the costs down. . .I like it when a hobby ends up at near break-even, cost wise.  :) The boys had a blast at the Faire. They got roped into doing a demo for some games by a friend of mine from Holland. He's good at convincing people to help him out with problems (he was playing the games, but the results were not so good). The boys pulled him out of that hole. . .

My last hardware project worked too--a really nice multicart with about 120 pieces of software in it to show what the cartridge board could do.

Ack! Oracle! I just had to decommission an Oracle system we'd been using for about 10 years. We're still working the kinks out of the replacement, although it does do everything it is supposed to--just not with finesse.

When I was living in California, I had just taken up woodworking when Katrina hit.  In my garage was literally $18K worth of new equipment that I had taken classes in using.  I was on the verge of having my dream shop.  Within two weeks of my purchase, my 3-car garage and house was so filled with our furniture and that of my father that I literally could not physically see, much less get to, any of the new equipment.  Two years later, when we moved to New Orleans, all of the large new tools had to be sold.  Most were still in their cellophane that they shipped in.

I enjoy the precision and beauty of fine woodworking. Perhaps when/if I retire, I'll take it up again.  And perhaps it too will pay for itself.  For now, all extra space is rented, which is what needs to happen so that we can afford college for our kids and save a bit.

It was great hearing from you.  Glad you and the kids had fun at the Faire.

Have a terrific holiday!

Happy New Year ... Adam

I just tried calling Kevin at home (909) 790-6715.  Has his number changed?  If you have another way to get in touch, please pass it along.

Thanks ... Adam

In reply to Shih Nacunya (msg # 158):

That's the same number I had, Adam. I'll have to look to see if I have any working email addresses for him.

And happy holidays yo you as well! This has been one strange year, mostly in a good way.  :)

Ping

Pong

Tick

Heard from Kevin via his mobile (951-201-8595).  4th June was his birthday.  All's well.  I'm sure he'd enjoy hearing from you too.

Best ... Adam

Ping

Pong

Pang.  Saving this from the great bit bucket.

Pung

Peng

Ping

Just enjoyed a Mother's Day concert.

Happy 4th!

Ping

Pung

Still alive!

And it still is. Hopefully, anyone who sees this is doing well. :)

Doobadee do.

I have a Tekumel game just for you.

Umpaa

Doobadadee

Waki

Wookie

Not just yet.

Pookie

Jingo balls. Jingo balls. Jingo ...

Not not just yet.