Over your head an ocean flies, flapping its wings, dropping tears of joy that are Blue Whales at the prospect of being sucked down by the Baby Larger Than the Solar System who is screaming very loudly for it to hurry up and get to him.

And water is dripping from the ocean, and the howl of ....a jackhammer is very loud, and you realize the back of your shirt is wet.

You're awake.

The first thing you check is your hand.  Its there.

You open your eyes to see a asphalt paved street which is blocked off, and down it a bit is a guy smoking a cigarette, and manipulating a jackhammer.  There are splotches of damp on the road and the sidewalk, and some on the top of the three-wheeled cars parked at the road's edge.

To your left is a smallish park covered with green grass, and dotted with what look to be thorn bushes.  And then you realize you're being shaded.

You look up, expecting to see a tree, and instead you see a prim, well-dressed and somewhat elderly woman looking down on you.

"Krill, this is not a good day for you to be relaxing.  You need to be getting ready for your party.  It is your sixteenth birthday, right?"

There is a kind of quivering eagerness to her, just below the surface.

PT

"Uh..right.  Just one second."  I get up and look around.

Specifically, I look for my bag and maybe my pile of items.  Also, I keep an eye out and see if I can see the gun that I tossed to the hustler before versing out.

Other than that, I try to see the environment that I'm in.  (Am I outdoors in lush green fields next to a farmhouse or am I in a city park kind of thing.)

I try to sense my things as well, remembering what "T" told me.  I wonder why that guy even left the world.  He seemed like he could've easily taken all of them on probably..

After I find my things, I look at the woman.  "What are the plans today exactly?"

You see your bag and items, and the gun is laying in the grass between the sidewalk and road.

You pick up your stuff, and see townhouses on the other side of the road, and across the park, what look to be apartments and behind you some small stone skyscrapers of ten and twenty stories tall.  In front of you, the road runs into what looks like a small commercial area.

Yes, your things are able to be sensed.  Maybe there were more than you thought, or he wanted to leave the problem to you and not interfere.

"We have a party at six o'clock tonight at your parents house.  You'll be officially an adult, and I'm sure someone will choose you for the first week.  You won't be ignored which is good.  No one would want to be a hermit after all.  Now I can't tell you all the plans, you know that, its a surprise, but I'm sure you're ready, after all, you've been taking your survival and abnormal pschyology courses for the last year haven't you?"

She pats you on the cheek, and laughs over her shoulder as she moves on.

"Besides, I bought you a very expensive present."

PT

I smile through her conversation and then I think, Survival and psychology courses?!  Oh, what have I gotten myself into..

"Uh, I'm sorry.  I think we've made a mistake here.  Yeah, I may be Krillis, but you may have the wrong Krillis.  I suggest we look for him togeather to sort this out, what do you think about that?  Please, I know that this might be crazy, but I AM NOT the one that you're looking for."

I put everything that I can fit into the bag.  (I wouldn't mind limits to what I can carry in my bag, but I'm pretty sure that I can't carry everything that I have in my bag.  Perhaps we can talk about it in PMs or something?  If there's no limit, however, just add it into this post.)

Pile
-Happy Dust Cube
-Plastic Card (labeled "door" in magic marker)
-Motorcycle Jacket (layers of kevlar, heavy)
-Plasma Pistol (half full)
-AK-47
-LaseTek Pistol
-Toolbox of "Breakin' Tools"
-Wall scaling device
-Map (King Street)

Backpack
-Gold 'Poker Chips' (x14)
-Amber and Turquoise Stone Necklaces, the Long Strand of Pearls, both the Turquoise and Silver Rings, the pair of Diamond Earrings, and the Gemstone
-Black 'Poker Chips' (x4)
-Matches (box of 500)
-Box of Cornflakes
-Boxes of Granola Bars (1.5)
-1/2 bag of 10 lb. of Potatoes
-Carrots (x3)
-Cheap Medkit (x3)
-Fireproof Box (unknown contents, can't pierce with vibrowire)

"An interesting tactic, Krillis." She says turning back to you.  "Do you intend to use it offensively, and have violent and unpredictable 'alternate personalities', or do you intend it defensively as an obfuscation of your true personality?"  She then stops and grins.  "Look at me, being all silly.  I'm acting like the teacher instead of a fellow citizen.  So let me drop that mask."

And suddenly the good humor is gone, and you're looking into the face of rage.

"Clever it is, your mask, but just remember, just because you're smarter than I thought, I'm still smarter than you."

She gives you one last glare, and then suddenly smiles with a twinkling charm, and waves 'bye-bye' with apparent good humor.

PT

"For some reason, I can't help but think those killer cyborgs were less scary than she is."

I shove everything into my bag and sling my extra jacket with the AK-47 over my shoulder.  "Well, it looks like finding the other me is a priority here.  I'm kind of new to this verser stuff, but I really need to figure out what's going on."

She clearly thought that I might be around this area..

I start looking around the place to see if I recognize the environment at all.

It looks almost like a town near where you grew up, and have visited a few times.  Things are a bit more rundown, and several familiar buildings in the small skyline are not there, but you believe you are in Kincaide.

And suddenly you remember a casual comment by a parent about how they thought to perhaps move to Kincaide when they got into the area, but decided not too.  Perhaps here, they decided to do so.

Still, that doesn't help find your house much.

Of course, downtown might have a city hall or a library, or even a social security registration office which might have your address.

PT

I start walking for the long haul to downtown.

If I see a library, I walk into it first and investigate the interior.

I need to figure out a little bit more about this place while I'm at it..  I think as I enter.

If I get into the library, I look for my current address and I search "secondary education."

If I only am able to find city hall or the social security building, I look for someone who knows what they're doing and tell them that I'm lost and need help getting home.

You do not find yourself by your last name in the directory.  However, there is a 'first name' search function, and your name is uncommon.  There are only two people in town with that name.

You try one, and see an older guy demonstrating a sword slice with a sabre. He looks mean.  The next one is you.

But the name is wrong.

"Krillis Smythe, adopted per non-familial custom per Order 112, child of Hector and Jala Smythe, lives at 2400 Nimrod Lane.  He is SIXTEEN today, and after his Initiation in Adulthood Party ending at Eight, he is to be entered as a Full Citizen into the List of the Status Games Board Competitions.  This Citizenry Edict is validated by the Authority of Mayor Burnwick, deputy of Governor Morris, deputy of Premier Logan, deputy of the High Councillor Representative of the Status Games Board of Directors.

He has a current status of FIVE.

We at the SGB would like to welcome young Mr. Smythe to full adulthood, and extend our heartiest congratulations on surviving to this age."

You find a listing of a several high schools in the area.  You find that 'you' attended the Margaret Sanger Superior School.  And that the woman who talked to you was your Homeroom Teacher in your final 10th grade.

PT

At the library, I continue my search and I look into "Modern Tech".  I need to know what kind of tech these people have.

Under that search, I look into transportation, weapons, and science.  If the categories are too broad, I look for the few latest in each area.

In your search you find that the year is 2020 Common Era, and that these people seem to have tech that is slightly behind what you are used too in 2006 Anno Domini.  Although, they do have a surprisingly ingenious number of traps for sale, and that virusmaker software is for sale openly.

Guns are highly restricted requiring what seems to be a court order to buy one.

The small three-wheel cars are electric, but they also sell conversion kits to "Change over from your internal combustion gas guzzler to a nice, clean electric for only 2,999.99, and get a free point boost in your Status."  The adds for this are full of Green imagery and slogans. "Oil Spoils the Planet" and "Clean Air: Clean Electric".

There is a paranoid flavor to everything you examine.  Its not something you can exactly pin down, but words like 'protect' and 'guard' and 'shield' get used a lot.

PT

I continue my search for "threats to personal health."  Mostly, I try to research combinations of things that would help me to discover what the traps would be for.

I wonder if there's some sort of threat that plagues this place..

If I can't find anything on it, I go to the nearest person.  "I have some minor amnesia.  What sort of things threaten life here?  Are there any monsters of some sort that try to kill us?  What would we need to be guarded from commonly?"

As you search for threats, you stumble across the Status Games Competion again, and the Hunt, and the Weekly Hunt List, and the Status Point requirements for certain jobs, and the rules for a Hunt, and the various types of Hunts.

Reading this, you feel the blood pool in your feet, and feel a bit faint with horror.  It seems anyone on the planet can be Hunted for one week by one person, and during that week, the Hunter is entitled to do everything he or she can to drive the Hunted to some form of public disgrace or other form of surrender such as a mental breakdown.  There are limits on most hunts with the use of guns being proscribed, and deliberate taking of life forbidden (although the chance of a fatal 'accident' is always present.)

The Ideal Hunt is described, and it ends with the Hunted, on the last day of the week being in terror in a public place, and one more thing of horror happening to them,a nd them being so shaken as to completely lose composure publically, and to require hospitalization.

Of course, all Hunters get Hunted on other weeks, and most of the time, one is simply doing one's job since only a small percent of the population is actively engaged in the Hunt at any time.  But as the Guide to the Hunt helpfully points out "If you can find out another person's emotional weaknesses in the weeks and months before a Hunt, then when you get called upon to engage in this Great Competitive Game, you will have a decided advantage."

PT

"Interesting.  This place is going to be pretty fun, it looks like.  But it's also somewhat barbaric.  I'm not out to ruin peoples' lives or anything."

I'd better just hurry and find my Other so that I can resolve this a lot quicker.

At that, I look on the computer and try to find directions from my current location to my house.

After I find them, I follow them to get to the house from the library.  If I don't find directions, I try to ask around and find my way there.

Along the way, I try to picture the image on the fire scroll and focus myself.  Then, I say, "Amen" and focus on a fireball appearing in my hand.

You find nice and clear directions to your house, and some notes by an anonymous person on places you're likely to be found.  It looks like several someones have been researching you.

You walk out of the library, and pass a crowd of children who are playing some sort of "Bluff" card game where lying is an essential skill.  They are playing it with a dedicated intensity, although you note that several who are close to you get up enough to dodge out of the way if you do something.

Once around the corner, you seem to be alone on a tree-lined street that leads in a winding path out from downtown, and toward your suburb.  You breathe out, speak, and fire flames in a ball in your hand.  It comes easy, quick, but there seems to be a wind in the ether pushing against you.

PT

I continue walking and put out the flame.

It would be better to not reveal these skills quite yet.  It appears that I can summon the fire without the symbol in front of me as long as I can picture it.  I should probably make new scrolls..

I proceed, following the directions to my house while I continue to ponder.  It seems like some people are planning on hunting my Other in this world.  I should help him.  He could be a pretty good ally.

OOC: How am I in this game?  I'm older than 16, right?

You are closing in on your house when you see a Siberian Husky pup running down the street with a rope about its neck.  The dog looks rather thin, almost skeletal.

And then you see a guy about your age burst from a metal gate to a backyard on your right.  He's got a hammer in his hand, and a ticked off expression on his face.

"Come back here, you mutt." He shrieks.  The pup whimpers and moves a few steps away from him, but it looks too tired to run.

PT
OOC: You're the age you started the game at, physically, although mentally older.  Its just your dop in this world is 16.  No reason he couldn't be 2 or 72.  And while you probably look a bit older, its not going to be enough to alert someone who doesn't know about versers.

"Leave him alone!"  I shout at the boy approaching the dog and I run towards them.

Think...  You can't just use fire at random here, or the plamsa pistols.  I can't hurt someone that I don't even know about.  Still, I have to do something to save that dog.  Oh well, there's no time for planning..

I pull out a plasma pistol and shoot once above the boy's head as I run up to them.  I try to make absolutely sure that I don't shoot him, but that he still sees me with the gun.  "Leave the dog alone!"

Once I get closer, I keep the gun pointed at the boy and get between him and the dog.  "Go home."  I say, with a serious expression on my face.

If everything goes well, I crouch down to the dog and take out a granola bar to give to him.

He is startled, but then he laughs.

"Nice toy man.  Had me fooled, but only for a microsecond.  Do you use holographics, or what? Cause I could use one."

And then his face hardens as you tell him to go home.

"Can't. I'm busy over at Candace Mortennson's house setting up a rig for when she drives her car out in the morning.  Besides, how are you going to make me? I've got a hammer, and you've got a toy gun.  Now I need Fido here to freak Candace out. She's a dog lover, see, and after she see's Fido's remains, why I bet I've got her. She'll be in hysterics, and I've timed a call to the local news station about a bomb threat in the street, so they'll be here.  So her mental breakdown will be in public.  Beautiful, hunh?  I'll win my Hunt just like that."

He waves his hammer with a suddenly cold expression on his face.

"So give me Fido, now."

'Fido' whimpers, and tries to hide behind you.

PT

"You're not ruining anyone's life today, pal."  I aim the gun and shoot his foot with the plasma pistol until I actually hit his foot.

It was needed.  I have to help these people..

"Now I'm warning you one last time, unless you want a real injury.  Walk out of here before you can't walk anymore."

It takes three shots, your hand is shaking so badly.  Perhaps from rage, perhaps from some unidentifiable emotion, and then it hits him.  His mouth buoys out in shock at the sudden pain, and his shoe catches on fire around the hole you made.

He yanks the shoe off, and stares uncomprehending at his severely burned foot.

He looks at you with shock.

"You-you madman. I'll see you in jail for this."

And while he might have something further to say, he takes a look at your face, and startles back in fear.  And then he hobbles away down the road to his car, which he awkwardly turns around, and drives away.

The Siberian Husky whimpers at your knee, and you reach down to pet the puppy, and give him a granola bar.  He eagerly takes it, only sparing one moment to lick your face from chin to eye on one side.  Once he's wolfed it down, he looks at you with a clear request that you don't need a spell to understand.

--More?--

PT

I get out another granola bar and take the husky over to the side of the road.  When we're over there, I give it the granola bar and sit down next to it while petting it.

While the husky is eating the granola bar, I attempt to use Dogtalk to understand its response to, "Do you have a family?"

I can't just take this dog as my own if it has a caring family already.  But by the looks of it, even if it has a family, they don't care much about animals' well-beings.

The pup looks startled to hear you speak.

"No, no, just mean master. No feed me, hungry all the time, no pet me.  I like you.  I luvvvvvvv you.  Do you have any water to drink. I'm thirsty.  This rope hurts my neck.  Can I lick your face?"

It bounces around a little bit, clearly wanting to do more, and just as clearly not having the energy.

PT

I close my eyes and focus on the symbol for water.  I concentrate on water forming in my cupped hands for the dog to drink.  "Amen."

If it works, I say, "Here, drink this.  Maybe I can teach you how to do this yourself later.  But since you don't have a family, why don't you stay with me for a while?  I don't have a home at the moment, but I promise to look after you."

Whether it works or not, I loosen the rope on the dog's neck and take it off.

The first time doesn't work, so you dig down to try one more time with greater intensity.  Beads of sweat pop out on your forehead..and then your hands are filled with water.

The puppy drinks gratefully.

"You. Me. Pack." The pup woofs.  And then it lays down, and rolls on its back slowly, and woofs again. "You. Big Dog. Me. Little Dog."  Then it rolls over and licks your foot in a beseeching gesture.

You remove the noose from around his neck.

PT

"Hey, stay on the side of the road next to me, okay?  Don't wonder off."  I think to myself, I have to get a pen to make visualizing those symbols easier...

"Let's go.  We're going to go see someone who looks a lot like me.  Just remember that when I see you, I'll have the backpack on probably.  And if I don't, I'll greet you like this."  I raise my pointer and middle finger with the peace sign.  "Don't confuse me with my Other, okay?"

At that, I travel with the dog and continue on my way to my Other's house.

Your pup answers the questions with an "Okay" and a "Never".

You walk up to a house, and its one you've never lived in before.  You hear a sproinging, jouncing noise out back, and not sure what to do, how to get into the house, you check it out.

Its your Other, with a troubled look on his face, doing flips on a large trampoline in the backyard.  He seems deep in thought.

PT

I approach my other with a smile on my face.

I have to make contact with him, but from the things I've witnessed so far, he might be worried if he sees another him walking around.  Oh well, I have to face this issue at some point, so it might as well be sooner rather than later.

At that thought, I continue to approach and put my hands in front of me.  "You're not crazy, trust me.  I thought I was too at first, but I'm real.  I'm Krillis.  I can prove to you that I'm from another world if you let me, and maybe even teach you a thing or two to help you survive."

He jumps off the trampoline in a rush, and grabs a baseball bat that is studded with two nails.  But he holds it down, and loosely.  He stares at you, and then shrugs.

"Okay, you got me.  If you're willing to go to this much effort to Hunt a first-timer, I can't fight you."

But you can see even as he says the words, he doesn't really believe them.

"Another world? What do you mean?"

PT

"Look, I don't want to fight, but I'll defend myself if I have to."

Slowly, I get the least full plasma pistol out of my bag and hold it limp.  "I swear to you that this is no joke.  This is my proof.  It's a plasma pistol, something more advanced than anything you've seen.  Please, just shoot it at something and watch the effect."

I then put it on the ground and step away from it.  "Go ahead and try it now if you want to.  Just don't shoot either of us with it."  I gesture towards the dog at my feet.

With my hands up, I attempt to talk to the dog.  "Back up with me."

He looks at it, and checks it over from several angles with what looks to you like professional quality paranoia.  He pokes at it with a stick.

After all, this, he gingerly picks it up, and takes several minutes examining it.

Then he stands close to you.

"So if its a bomb, you and I both get blown up."

He fires it into the yard.  And then into the ground, and at a tree branch severing it.  At that point, he walks over and examines the end of the blackened and smoking branch with an expression of awe on his face.  Then he checks the divots he made in the yard.

"Another world, hunh? You're an alien from outer space?  Some sort of shapeshifter who turned to look like me?"

PT

"If you will, please."  I gesture for him to give back the plasma pistol.  "I might not run into one of those again.

Whether or not he gives it back, I continue.  "To answer your question, I am not from space.  I'm from another dimension, actually."  I focus on the symbol for flame in my mind while picturing fire appearing above my fingers as I snap them.  Then, I say, "Amen."

Whether it works or not, even after a few tries, I say, "I'm not here to hurt you.  I'm really just here to see what sort of knowledge I can gain.  It seems like this place isn't very advanced in the technology department, but you're way better on what appears to be global health awareness.  Maybe your civilization has designs for the perfect renewable resource engine."

"For now, though, I'd like to find a place to settle down until I can find the information that I'm looking for."

He gives it back, a bit reluctantly.

Fire blooms in your hands, and he frankly stares.  He wants to know how the tech for that works.

"By the way, you're not supposed to say "Amen" in public.  Its regarded as oppressive.  Religious Privacy Laws." He scratches his head. "Course it always seemed silly to me, but then so does a lot of things we do."

"Um, well, we have pebble bed nuclear reactors which power up the hydrogen fuel cells that we use for most of our power.  You have to get a special permit nowadays to buy a gas or propane or kerosene engine or heater.  And the electric power goes from the nukes to the houses to the fuel cells like the one built into every car."

He thinks.

"You don't want to be around me.  You look like me.  Maybe are me from another timeline, but I'm about to be Hunted, probably for the first month since newbies get hit pretty hard.  Y'see its my Sixteenth Birthday Party today which means everyone on the planet can come and try to mess up my life."  His hands are shaking slightly.  He sighs.

"I got through being locked in a box with snakes when I was twelve by the girl I had a crush on.  I can get through this.  But, I'm telling you, that plasma pistol, and any neat tech you have sure would help.  What do you say? You scratch my back, I scratch yours.  I'll be glad to break into a nuke plant for you if you need...."

PT

"Don't worry about it for now."  I throw him the plasma pistol.  "I can teach you how to make fire later if you'd like, but right now I'm interested in finding a place to stay. I'd be able to help you out more if I could stay with you and your family."

But it might be dangerous..  Well, maybe there's a way around it.

"I don't want them to know that I'm a verser, though.  By the way, versers are people who travel through dimensions like me.  It isn't an at-will thing.  I don't know how to control it at all and it only happens when I die in a world.  If you can think up any excuses as to why I'd look like you, that would be nice.  So, what do you say to helping me out with just a place to stay for a while and maybe we can both break into the nuke place after that month of hard times is up?"

I hold my hand out to shake.

If he agrees, I instantly say, "You wouldn't happen to have a sharpie or pen in your house that I could borrow, would you?"

He thinks about it, and then like a flash of light, he grins.

"We offer them no explanation.  They'll each come up with one, each more paranoid than the others.  I remember I got away from some guys who were chasing me by all of a sudden hopping on one foot.  They thought it was nuts because I was in plain sight of them, but they figured I must have some really clever plan to foil them which involved hopping on one foot. Actually, I had a stone in my shoe."

He shakes your hand a bit dubiously,a nd then pulls an alcohol wipey out of his pocket to clean his hand, and then takes you to his private door into his house.  It has three locks on the outside, and inside, he has a sturdy door with four locks on the inside of his door.  Once you're inside, he carefully locks the door again.

His room has a desk with a lock on a drawer, and he pops it open, and pulls out a sharpie for you to use.

PT

I take the sharpie into my hand and I draw the symbols for fire and water on the back of my right and left hands respectively.  Maybe this will help me use the power better, so that I won't have to rely on just thinking about the symbols.

After I finish, I tell my Other, "These symbols are the circles for fire and water.  If I focus on them and say 'Amen' while picturing what I want the fire and water to do, I can summon those two elements."

I look at the symbol for fire on my right hand and picture a flame appearing while I snap my fingers.  I picture a fireball in my hand and I say, "Amen."  If/after it works, I close my hand to put out the flame and say, showing my Other the symbol of water.  "Now you try with water."

While he's trying, I pet the dog with my right hand and speak to him.  "Hey, it looks like this guy is okay.  He seems to believe me about my past.  By the way, can you understand human talk?"

You try, and you get a small flickering flameball.  He gets a small ball of water, and then he blanches.  It splatters to the ground.

"Magic.  I mean I always figured, even after what they told us in school. But...whew.  I did magic."

You hear a caw from overhead, and a crow settles down onto a branch.

"Indeed you did.  You and the outworlder might consider being more quiet about it. You've made the ether ring.  There are those out there who don't find free magicworkers to be very amusing.  Well, I mistake myself.  They find it really hilarious when they feed your living flesh to the Disincarnate."

The crow spreads its wings again.

"We'll talk in a week if you're still alive and the coast is clear."

PT

"If you don't mind, I'd rather us break into the nuke plant sooner rather than later.  Do you have a car or any means of getting to the place?  We can break in togeather and get the nuke.  I'll lend you the plasma pistol during the process and you can keep it after we get some.  What do you say?  When's the soonest and best time for the two of us to go?"

If he agrees, I follow his lead on the situation, but I first make sure if the dog can stay at his house with some of my things while we commence the operation.

To the dog, I say, "Hey, I want you to be good and stay here, okay?  When I leave, don't worry.  I'll come back for you for sure.  Just keep in mind that I'll come back for you."

Oh, the dog when you ask him says.

"Humans only say 'no'."

Your dop raises an eyebrow.

"I was saying that to say, I'd help you however you want.  But okay, if you want to break into a nuke plant, then tell me what you want to get, and we need to make some plans."

"Me. Come. You." The puppy whines.

The crow flies away.

PT

"I'm interested in getting some small nuclear devices.  I only want power sources and to learn how to build them.  I'd also prefer for them to be as small as possible while still emitting some power."

I look down at the puppy and say, "Don't worry, I won't leave without you unless it's too dangerous."

Then, I think, In truth, I'm starting to wonder why I don't just kill everything in front of me and take the nukes myself.  I don't necessarily even need my Other.  Gah, what am I saying?  I can't just end life.

"Do you have any place in your house where we can do research on technologies in the world or any source material on how they are built?  I wouldn't mind getting plans for building such things as long as they were accurate and I were able to understand them."

He shows you the Internet.  Its a lot more paranoid version than you are used to.  Although the nuclear energy sites have full, streaming video on what radiation burns look like.

After an hour searching, he points out the VR-92T.  Its about the size of a VW Bug, and it produces 10,000 KWhour of energy.  Its the smallest reactor on the planet, supposedly.  It retails for a cool three million dollars.

However, you have also stumbled on a hydrogen fuel cell system.  Its very common.  Its the battery system for the electric cars and much else.  And less common, but still used is a hydrogen power system for deep wilderness.  Pour in water, clean or not, and out comes electricity.  It goes for two thousand dollars.

Your other points this out to you since he's not sure of exactly how much power you want, and because a 'power generation' search string brings up far more hydrogen fuel cells than nuke plant info.

You also are able to download plans for a basic nuke plant (size, a small house) for 49.95 or for 69.95 and they will send you a CD and a paper manual plus the download.  Plans for a hydrogen power setup are 10.95 and 20.95 with CD and manual.

PT

"If you give me enough cash for the hydrogen cell plans and CD as well as the expensive nuke plans, then somewhere to stay for a while, I'll give you the plasma pistol and I'll help watch your back."

I hold out a hand to him to shake.  I wonder how small I could make a hydrogen energy cell.  I sure hope the manuel talks about possibly converting it to other purposes than a car.

OOC: How small/big are the hydrogen power systems?

He gets up, walks back and forth a bit.

"Okay, I'll do it. Um, you said you were immortal, right? Well, I have 2500 Sydneys in my bank account.  You can have it all if you take my birthday party tonight.  I wouldn't ask this, but sometimes you hear of kids getting killed in these things.  It always gets hushed up, but you hear rumors.  And so if you were immortal, that wouldn't be such a big deal."

There is a cringing quality to your Other.  Not at all like the rather open and cheerful Other you met in Heartwar.  But then that other hadn't been locked in a box with snakes either....

OOC: Large backpack size for the Wilderness Deluxe version.  Smaller, and they get cheaper until they get really small, and the price goes up again.  The double toaster size costs 3000 dollars and there are no plans for it online.  Its billed as the Executive Man brand.

"After you've crushed your nancy-boy competition in the dirt, amd sent them shrieking to their therapist, nothing feels better than to take a well-deserved vacation, and go shoot some bambi's" is the add line for that.  "Compact. Reliable. Expensive, but you're worth it."

PT

"I don't know anything about these birthday parties.  Why don't you explain it to me before I make any agreements about this."

After the explanation, I say, "If I were to not take your place, I'd be more than willing to still watch your back at the occasion for the deal that I originally had, for just enough money to pay for the plans as well as the room and board."

I don't want to hurt anyone, but I really need those plans.  They'd be really valuable elsewhere, it seems.  It could even help out that crazy robot world..  I wonder how they're doing without me?  I shake my head some to exit my deep thought and at my Other for his answer.

"The formal name is Initiation Into Adulthood Meeting.  After it, you're an adult, and you can be Hunted by other adults.  There is not a lot to go on, because those who've been through it aren't supposed to talk, and rarely do.  Your guardians that raised you, and acquaintances and some of the authority figures in your life show up, and give you gifts.  You get cake, and a birthday song.  But you hear rumors that practical jokes like getting dumped in a river in a bag get played, and..."  He blushes.  "All sorts of video from when you were a child, and were crying or asking for a hug or other weakness gets played to embarrass you.  I've seen people who I thought were okay, but afterwards they were like...I don't know. Dead inside. People I thought who would be slacker types, good people, and then they turn into hard-core Hunters.  I do know that there will be questions for a polygraph test, and a run in the woods.  They tell us that much in our preparation classes."

He shrugs.

"Either way, I'll be glad for your help.  You know, I think...you're not planning on knifing me in the back are you?"  He looks embarrassed again as if he'd said something incredibly naive.

There is a knock on the door, and you hear a strange woman's voice.  Its one you've never heard before.

"Krill, I've got a drink you need to take before the party. Open up."

"Yes, Mother."

PT

When I hear the strange voice, I think for a moment.  That's strange.  Could it be that our mothers in different dimensions are different?  I suppose it's possible, but there's a good chance that there's no exsistance of biological parenting.  I guess it's not important for the time being.

"Don't open the door."  I tell my Other.  "I think we should talk more first, and I don't think that she's your real mother."  I continue, whether or not he's ignoring me.  "They can't prove that we're different people, so we should be able to take the tasks togeather, right?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:10, Tue 30 Jan 2007.

"Ok. Come back later, Mother."

She curses outside the door, and then leaves.  Your Other turns to you with a bemused smile.

"Of course, she's not my real mother.  She's my guardian.  I was placed with her, just like everyone else according to the Non-familial Laws.  Familial bonds like national bonds and private societies are outdated and sources of conflict.  They teach us that in school."

He pauses.

"You sound like a familiast."  He says it with the same sort of indignant tone one might accuse another of being  a racist in your home dimension.

He happily agrees on splitting the tasks.

PT

"Sorry, it's just that we had our biological mothers in my old world.  I won't bring it up again now that I know about the law."

Then, I think a bit more, No wonder these people are so succeptable to harshness.  They don't have the bonds that help them grow.  Still, they seem to be stronger.  Maybe that's a good trade.

"About our deal, I want to sum it up right now.  All I want is the expensive hydrogen system plans and the expensive nuclear system plans.  Other than that, I'd like a place to stay for a while.  For all of that, you can have the plasma pistol and I'll help you in your tests.  To make this fair, why don't you place an order for the two before I help you?  You can understand at least a minor lack of trust, right?"

"Understood."  He calls up the websites, and uses his credit card to make the purchase.  Its a matter of a half-dozen passwords, secret handshakes, and the like until the company on the other end promises to send it with a triple your money back refund guarantee if they mess up sending it.

Trust seems to be in short supply for everyone.  Plus, the Net seems just a bit klunky.

"I would have liked to know my biological mother, but they take you away from them before the mother even comes out of sedation, so...." He shrugs.  "Such is life, right?  Well, at least here anyways.  The Status Board in Sydney tells us its for our own good, makes us more independent, and less likely to follow charismatic demagogues, and stuff."

"Krillis, open up."  Its an unknown male voice outside.

"My male guardian."  Your Other says.  "Next thing you know, they'll be calling the police.  I remember the time I was ten I got thrown in jail overnight because I wouldn't eat my peas."  He laughs.

PT

"Well, our arrangement is done.  We might as well introduce me to your parents, right?"

I look down at the dog to talk to him while I gesture for my other to go to the door.  "Hey, do you have a name or anything?  If you don't, what would you like to be called?  You don't seem like a 'spot' kinda pup."

When the door opens and if the man asks what is going on, I approach him with a smile and a handshake.  "My name's Krillis.  It's a pleasure to meet you."

--Mean man called me Fido.  Ummm...Grrraaarrrr is a good name.  Blackie. Killer. Shadow. Tramp.  Tailwiggler some nice little girl calle me that once.  Bear.  You name me.  I luuuuvvvv you. I'm hungry.---

"You know, its funny, the way and him growl at each other.  It almost looks like you understand each other."  Your Other says with a curious look.

The guardian stares at you, and then at the Other, and takes a step back.  He doesn't shake hands.

"Well, this is a surprise.  You might yet bring honor to the house.  I don't know how you did it, but congratualations."  He hands you a large glass of water which has an odd smell to it.  "Drink up.  Your blood will be tested in one hour when the party starts."

I smile and take the drink from his guardian.  "Thank you."  After the man's gone, I turn to the dog again to talk.

--We can come up with a name later, I guess.  If you think of one you really like, tell me, okay?--

Then, I address my Other.  "That's because I can talk to him.  It's something that I learned in another world.  I might teach you it later."

Then, I look around more and talk to him.  "So, do you know any more specifics about what these tests are going to be like?  Are we allowed to bring weapons to it, or any kinds of devices, or pets?"

"Really? I could talk to a dog?"  He seems fascinated.

And then his face turns grim.

"No way, don't bring the dog.  In fact, we should hide him.  My father might have seen him, and if so, well...."  You see a lump in his throat as if he's having a difficult time swallowing.  "Never have a hostage to fortune is the rule.  Don't care about anybody or anything because that can be used against you."

He thinks.

"Well, the government really frowns on weapons.  Its one of the few hard and fast rules in Hunts.  You're not allowed to use guns.  Chainsaws are okay, but not guns. Of course...." And his face lights up with a feral cunning.  "No one is going to believe the plasma pistol is a gun. We can bring devices.  They might get taken from us, though."

He sticks a finger in the water, and tastes it.

"Amphetamines and a spike of hallucinogens."

PT

"Where do you suggest that we hide the dog?"  I immediately stop drinking the drink that my Other's foster father handed me.

Then, I look down at the dog to talk to him, --I'm sorry, but you can't come with us on this assignment.  I need you to stay hidden with some of my things so that no one will get my stuff, okay?--

Then, I re-address my Other.  "How can you tell what's in the water?  Is that something you learned in school?  Also, how long do you think it'll take for them to ship us the plans for the nuclear and hydrogen systems?"

--Me guard. Big Dog's stuff.  Me tough.--there's a pause. --Me hungry.--

"Is there anything magical you can do.  Like a cloak of invisibility?"  He thinks a bit more, and then shows you a secret compartment in his closet behind another secret compartment.  It has air, and about half of your stuff and the pup should fit in.  "If the puppy can stay quiet, I think no one knows about this hidey-hole."

He shrugs when you ask him the question.

"Its like ketchup.  You know, you get dosed with enough meds, and you learn the taste of them.  And you can feel the little jolt feds give you, or that twiny, spinning feeling like reality going all liquid that lucies give you.  I'm surprised you don't know.  I mean, every time I had to go away to the crazy farm, I got dosed.  How many times have you been bunked at a farm?"

He opens up a webpage, and it shows you.

"2-3 days.  If four days, the package is free.  If five days, triple repayment."

PT

--Okay, here you go.--

I take out a few granola bars and put them inside of the compartment with my things.  --If you get hungry again, just eat these.--

I look to my Other and say, "I've never been send to the loony ben.  In my old world, we weren't 'hunted' and we just lived our lives out.  I might tell you about it some other time.  How long is the testing going to be?  Will it be over a day long?  I don't want to leave him in that 'hidey-hole' for too long."

I take my plasma pistols and the glass cutting tool out of my bag before I put the stuff in there.

--When we're gone, if you get too hungry, go ahead and get into my bag to eat more, okay?--  When the dog complies, I pat him on the head.

--OK. Big dog.--

"Six to midnight.  At midnight, I get accepted into my new status.  Of course, that means I probably get hunted, and that might mean your, ah, friend, might get hunted as well for the next week, or even month."

He slams his fist into a wall.

He then picks up the glass of water, and starts with a rueful look to drink it.

"Someone's gotta.  They're going to test my blood to see if I'm doped up.  It will make the mind games that much more crazy than before, but...."  He pauses. "And don't even think of volunteering.  If you're not used to the dosages I've taken then this might well kill you.  You'll be of more use to me sane.  Besides, you're stronger than me.  I see you.  You're not afraid of anything."  He drinks again, making a face.

PT

"Don't worry about how strong I am.  I have good reason to not be afraid of things.  I mean, it's not like I can die or anything.  That takes a lot of fear out of life."

Have I gotten stronger since this has all happened to me?  My mind goes back to The Heart and everything that I learned in that dreamworld.  I remember the time that I was exercising when being accused of weakness.  Yes, I have.  I smirk and clench my hand into a fist.  "I'm ready for these tests.  Can we just say that you somehow duplicated yourself or something?  What's an excuse that will make them allow us to participate togeather?"

"Remember." He says with slurred words.  "No excuses. No explanations.  Heh. They probably think you are some robot I put together.  I don't think, ah, what, ah, I don't think there's any rules against you helping me.  Its just not done, y'know.  No friends, no family, just you and the Status Games Board out to ruin your life.  Man, I feel weird."

He's swaying back and forth by this time and you can feel like an electric charge in the air something unpleasant is gathering.

PT

I scan the entire room.  "I think that maybe things are going to happen differently than you anticipated.  Be ready.  They could be really doing anything, right?  Who's to say they haven't lied to you about what you know of the test?"

I take out a plasma pistol.  "We should head to the testing, right?  Which way is it?"

You and he walk out into the living room.  There you are greeted by a dozen people.  Some claim to be your brothers (no resemblance at all), and others your friends.

Everyone gets loaded into a dark van, and a driver in an ominous solid black uniform takes the troupe through a winding path, and since the van is blacked out, you can't see where you're going.

You are then unloaded into a dimly lit hall which is decorated with statues of great hunters--Nimrod holds pride of place and Diana is next to him, but so is Teddy Roosevelt further down, and others.  Its the type of place that in daylight would look pretty chintzy, but with the swathes of fabric and the looming statues it looks impressive and doom-laden in the faint light.  It would look better if the floor did not have an extension cord joined in two at plugs, running across it.

A man who looks like a 'priest' comes out and begins to lay out the reasons why your Other is now considered an adult and the justification for the Status Board Hunt Games.  The primary bit of logic seems to be that humans are by nature predators, and predators by nature cannot trust anyone.

I try to learn everyone's names on the way there and about them.

Then, after we arrive, I listen to the priest without interrupting him at all.  A moment shocks me as my mind ventures.  Humans are predators.  At first glance, I've always thought we were above such a term, but could it be that everyone is just meant to hunt and destroy others?  No, it couldn't be...

When he comes to a stopping point, I try to get his attention with a small hand raised.  "Sir, if we are not to trust anyone, why should I trust what you're saying right now?  Why should I trust you?"

The others barely give you their names, and certainly not any details about themselves.

The 'priest' type glares at you with a hateful look, and you see your Other next to you turn and stop nodding his head.  He smiles at you.

"Good point, android man."  He gives you a dippy smile.

There is a slight flicker of the hand from the 'priest'.  The lights go out.  Its pitch dark.  Fear hits you in the pit of your stomach, and you hear the shuffling around you.  A dreadful malice seems to fill the air.

PT

I try to keep my composure with confidence.  They're in the same darkness I am.  Focus...  Calm down and think.

Then, I say as confident as I can muster.  "So the moral of the lesson...  Become the predator that Man is."

I move slowly towards where I believe that my Other is.  If I make contact with him, then I wisper to him, "What do you think we should do in this part of the test?"

If I can't get into contact with him, I drop low to the floor and listen for the nearest shuffling that isn't in the direction of where my Other might be.  I go towards the shuffling and reach out to grab the leg of someone walking by.

There is a bitter, hatefilled chuckle.

"You think you're so clever."

And you drag your Other to the ground.  You then reach out, and yank someone to the ground by their ankle.  You hear thumps,a nd swacks, cries of pain, and you're about to congratulate yourself on your foresight when someone boots you in the ribs hard enough to crack bone.

You hear a whumph and a guttural cry of pain from your Other at the same time.

PT

"I'm through with this!"  I hollar out, then jump away from where I hollared.

Focus...focus...  I try to stay as quiet as possible while I picture the circle for fire in my mind.  I also picture a fireball appearing in my hand for me to throw.

I shout out as loud as possible, not caring about their preferences in the world, "AMEN!!"

Then, if I summon a fireball, I throw it in the direction of my Other, but higher so that it would hit someone standing near him.

In the flaring light of the fireball you catch a glimpse of a man to your left who is wearing night-vision goggles.  He's not one of the partygoers.

You also see the English teacher and your male guardian trying to strangle each other.  You see another goggled-man directing someone into another person's path.

And you see a man in goggles about to hammer in another leather booted kick to your Other's side.  And then fire takes him.  It roars as it covers him, flings him to the ground, and he bolts from the room screaming in agony.

The man to your left in goggles gawks, and then the light is gone, and then he awkwardly crashes into you.

PT

I try to throw the man to the ground.  I have to get those goggles from him, so that the scale can be tipped back for us..

If I get on top of him, I punch him in the face three times to stun him.  Then, I try to wrip the goggles off of his head upwards.

If/After I get the goggles, I kick him in the stomache and back away, putting the goggles on as I do this.

With the goggles on, I take another look around and try to defend myself if I see or hear anyone coming.

You rip it off him as he flails, and then falls off his feet.  Something is wrong with him.

Once you have the goggles on, the room changes to a green-lighted arena.  You see one guy at your feet, and one other guy who is in goggles and is running about instigating fights.  He doesn't seem to have noticed your 'mugging' yet.

"Good thing I was looking away when the initiation guy popped that flash-bang." You hear over the radio in your goggles.  "Ja, Mike? Dex is going to be ticked at getting burnt like that.  Probably go hunt this guy himself when he gets out of rehab.  Mike?  You there, man?"

Other people are flailing about at each other, and you see your Other holding his ribs, and feeling about.  It seems like he's trying to crawl to the wall.  Someone else has the same plan, and has succeeded.  He's against a wall and anyone that comes near him gets swacked.

PT

I bring my foot down hard in the man's gut again.

Then, I hurry and charge at the other one with goggles on.  If there's a wall near him, I run along it and attempt to kick him.

If there is no wall, I charge him and attempt to knock his legs out from under him by sliding into him.  If it succeeds, I attempt to get on top and punch him in the face, repeating the process as with the other man with goggles, stealing them and kicking him in the stomache.

The guy on the ground takes the hit with a grunt, and then collapses.

You charge past the other goggle-wearer as he stares at you, and then you race up the wall a few feet, spin about in a helicopter kick to his shoulder which knocks him sprawling to the ground.  You'd been aiming for his mid-chest.

"Ugggh. What..you're not Mike."  He says from the floor as he struggles to sit back up.

PT

"No, I'm not."  I bring my foot forward and kick the man in the face in an attempt to knock him out, not to kill him.

I have to get my Other these goggles.  Then we should be set with this attack.

I go down and punch the man in the gut once more to see if he's still conscious.  Whether or not, I take the goggles off of him and scan the area once more.

He's unconscious, and you retrieve the goggles.  It takes a bit of reassurance, but you get them on to the face of your slightly panicked Other who is leaning up against a wall.

As soon as he can see, he calms a bit more.

The 'priest' clicks the lights back on and you see a roomful of damaged people.

"As you all can see, as our initiate into adulthood can see, underneath our civilized exterior is a predator."  He gives you both a sickly glare aware that his plans were thoroughly messed up.

He continues on with a bit of a sermon, even though he calls it an 'orientation lecture'.  The others stare at you two with a few looking shamed, and others looking angry that you two aren't beaten up.

"Now, lets everyone sing Happy Birthday, and cut the cake!"  The male guardian says with false heartiness.

PT

I keep the goggles around my neck the whole time.

After the priest is through with his 'sermon' and his father speaks, I steadily head over to the priest at a time when people are gathered elsewhere.  Next to him, I speak soft enough so that others can't hear.  "So, who's the prey if I'm the predator?"  Could it be that I am destined to destroy?  What just happens supports it.  Even in a disadvantage, I succeed...

Throughout talking to the priest, I try to keep an eye on my Other and the people around him.  If anything happens, I run over to assist him.

"We are all the prey of each other."  He replies as cake gets handed about, and a song is sung with some rather vicious verses.  Its Happy Birthday as reenvisioned by some rather cleverly vicious people.

Gifts are given, and they do seem to be nice.  You see your Other try on a scuba gear face mask, and suddenly he collapses in obvious pain.

"Fool." The 'priest' hisses.  "He should have known the gifts would be boobytrapped."  When you jump a bit, he puts a soft hand on your shoulder.  "Tell me, whoever you are, do you wish to help this weakling, or do you wish to truly join in the Hunt?"

PT

I smile some and shrug his hand off of my shoulder.  "I'm going to help him out.  I wouldn't call him weak.  We did manage to dispatch your ambush with a clear disadvantage."

I make sure that I can see everyone around me, and I back up some away from the rest so that they're all in view.  I have to make sure these people can't sneak up behind me.  "I'll go with you quietly to wherever you take him, but I'm not going to let you knock me out."

"You dispacthed it.  Not him.  You are strong.  He will only hold you back."

The orientation counsellor argues.

You carefully walk over to your Other, and pull the mask off his face.  An eye-watering reek seeps out into the room.

Your Other smiles despite the pain, and casually stands up.  He speaks with gritted teeth so that no one can read his lips.

"I'm blind. That gas smacked me up good." He says with a calm, venomous certainty.  He giggles then as the drugs in his system whip his emotions all over the place.

"And now for the Great Hunt."  You hear the 'priest' begin as the bellows and barks of large dogs are heard outside.  "If you can lay your hand on the blue flag, and pledge your allegiance to the Status Board, you will be safe.  Its only a quarter of a mile away.  But I seem to have forgotten which direction."

And then you hear from outside a great yell.

"Release the Dogs!"

PT

If the dogs enter the room, I hold my Other behind me and I say, "Don't worry.  I think that I can handle this."

When the dogs enter, I shout to them with Dogtalk, --We are not your enemies!  Please!  Trust me!  I can speak like you do, so I deserve your trust!  I'm but a dog trapped in this man body.  Please, stop.--

Even if they don't enter, when I see them, I talk to them in this way.

Then, I say, I'm looking for a blue flag.  Do you know where it would be?

The pack of dogs, nearly ten of them, rumble and bounce into the room.  They halt as if surprised to see you still standing there instead of running.

And then when you speak, the pack stares at you in shock.

And then one of the dogs starts to walk toward you, to sniff your hand, and suddenly it gets knocked to the ground by a Great Dane.

*Fool.  Its prey. We hunt.*

And suddenly that feeling of infinite malice you felt before is so thick in the room that you can hardly breathe.

PT

I awkward smile finds my face.  --Prey?!  Prey?!!!  WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, FOOL?!--

I summon a feeling, as if I were deeply offended by that dog.  I gather some power and picture a fireball forming in my hand.  "AMEN!!"

Whether or not it summons, I look the Great Dane in the eyes.  --You fool, you're the prey when I'm here.  Now stand down if you don't want to get hurt, bad.--

If I hadn't summoned a fireball, I open my jacket with my hand on the plasma pistol in my chest holster, so that I can draw it quickly.

Fire blooms in your hand, and the Great Dane skids to a halt.

--Magicman.--

And then the feeling of malice is gone, and the Great Dane rolls over on its back in a sign of submission.

--Head hurts--It whimpers.

The other dogs show submission as well, and then come racing up to lick you and your Other up and down.  There is a underlying theme to their words.

--Hungry! Hungry!--

The humans in the room are staring at you two with a variety of reactions ranging from hatred to jaw-dropping amazement, and then one of the dogs races from the room, goes next door, barking madly all the while.

--Here! Here!-- There's a startled oath from next door, and then the little yipper comes back with the blue flag in its mouth.  --Here!Here!--

PT

As the dog with the blue flag approaches, I pat him on the head.  --Thanks, buddy.--

I look to my Other.  "There's your flag.  Why don't you complete your test already?  Don't worry, they won't bite."  I smile at my accomplishments, though in the back of my mind I can't help but think that they're angry with my interference.

I put my hand on the Great Dane's neck.  --Let me help you with that head of yours.  You said it hurts, right?--  I take my right hand and put it either on its forehead or on a wound if I find one.  --Hold still.  I'm trying to help you.--  Then, I try to use healing magic through my hands into the dog.

He takes the flag, and a voice suddenly booms from the flag.

"Congratulations, Krillis.  You are now an Adult.  We at the Status Games Board are proud of you.  And you did it in province record time so a bonus of five status points makes you a Tenner.  So double congratulations!"  The little speaker in the flag shuts off, and the Dane walks up to you, a bit unsure.

You see no obvious wound, although you can see a general lack of care.

--Voice inside.  Kill, kill.  Voice gone.  Head still hurts.--

Your healing magic repairs his minor wounds.

--Head still hurts.  Do you want me to kill someone, master?--

He looks over his shoulders at the people in the room, and all the dogs in the pack come instantly to attention.  The others there shuffle back a step or two.

PT

--Can you tell me if you can feel where the words are coming from?  Are they inside of your head or are they coming from elsewhere?--

I think to myself, Is there a chance that this dog is being controlled by an outside source?  I wonder if these people can use magic like I can, or if they have some electronics inside of his head.

I look to my Other, "Well, my end of the bargain is done, right?  What now?"

--Inside. Outside. Everywhere. Not me.--

Your Other smiles, a bit dopily, and takes you by the arm.  He heads back to his room, and opens up a hidden niche in the bottom of his lamp.  He checks to see if its been tampered with, and then pops a pill.

"Antidote."

And then he drops to his bed, and holds his head for about half an  hour as he sweats, and grits his teeth.  At one point, he rolls over, and throws up into his trashcan, or more precisely near his trashcan.

Then he pulls out another item from the niche.  Its a strip that he presses to his tongue.

He pulls it out.  Its mostly green.

"Good.  I'm back on planet Earth."

He gets himself a cup of water.

"Well, I'd like your help.  You and I make a great team.  That was so easy I don't believe it!"  He pumps his fist in exultation, and then winces as he touches his head. "Ooo. Um, so, I'd like to hire you.  I've been thinking.  You and I could hire out as Initiation Party Consultants.  We help people get through their party..."

PT

OOC: Did the great dane come back with me to my Other's house?  Because if possible, I'd totally ask them if I could have the dog.

The first thing I do when I arrive at his room is enter his back room to check on the husky pup.

If nothing's wrong, then I pet the puppy on the head and listen to my Other as he talks about hiring ourselves out to help others.

Psh...  Like he did any of the work.  He was completely unprepared for that.  It was only because of me that he stood a chance.  He didn't even do anything, just kept taking hits until I saved him.

I confine myself from offending him and simply smile and reply thus, "I don't think you're quite ready to help others with their initiation parties until you get stronger.  We need to still train while helping others out with their parties."

No, they don't let you have the dog.  He's the lead dog in the Hunting Pack.

The pup is sleeping, but when it wakes its hysterically glad to see you.  You see all the provided food is gone.

"Okay, you're probably right.  I'm just trying to find an excuse to keep you around here. Um, I'm really tired.  Here's some pain meds if you need them."  He opens up a locked cabinet, and shows you where a cot is stowed.

After that he searches the room for alterations, boobytraps, and such with professional level skill. Its planned, thoughtful, well-practised and awesomely paranoid.  He discovers one electronic bug which had been inserted inside the door handle, and prepares to smash it with a ready hammer.

"I have the 3000 model bug detector.." He writes to you on a mini-blackboard.  "The 2000 wouldn't find this, but I haven't told anyone I saved up for the 3000.  I let them think I wasted all my money at the batting range."

PT

I smile some when he talks about wanting to keep me around.  "Don't worry about that.  I promised to stay around with you for a while, as long as I still get free room and board.  Besides, I still have to get those fuel systems."

I take the puppy over with me to the cot.  --Hey, sorry for waking you up.  You want to sleep in my lap tonight?  I'd feel safer if you did.--

On my way to the cot, I shake my head to the pain pills.  "I'll be fine.  Don't worry about it.  I'm going to hit the sack, then.  'Night."

When I go to sleep, I hold the puppy on my lap and put my arm over it, so that my hand is on my gun.  Just in case..  I think to myself, and I try to think about my next move, but give up for now and settle for a good night's sleep.

--Sure.--Your pup is enthused, and requires a  bit of calming down, but once he gets the idea that this is not playtime, but that he's on guard, he shifts in his mind.  The puppyness goes away, and the cold watchfulness of a master hunter, a predator with few parrallels fills his face.

You wake in the middle of the night to hear his very low growl, and someone is messing with the locks on the door.  You slip your gun into your lap and wait. But they go away after a few minutes.

Your Other comes in from outside in a pair of swim shorts.

"Had to use the hose to take my morning shower.  Someone rigged my shower to spray blood."

PT

"Well, looks like the games have begun.  What do you say we get started with the training, then?  Or do you have any other ideas?"  I ask him.

If he's ready to train at the moment, I try to get him to spar with me to see what his combat skills are like, especially compared to mine.  During this, I keep my weapons on me, with no intention of using them unless something strange happens.  Before beginning, I tell the dog, --Don't worry about me during this.  Unless he goes too far, stay out of it, okay?  Just tell me if there's someone nearby that acts funny.--

The puppy well understands the notion of puppy games.  Its just he really wants to join in.  However, he takes guard, and whines a bit in complaint before settling down to duty.

Already, you can see in the dappled shadow under the backyard tree that his fur is glossier, and thicker as good nutrition works its magic.

You and your Other practise for about an hour.  He's got good Situational Awareness, and he's very quick at dodging, but he flinches too much when swung at, and his strikes fall between laughable and really terrible.  However, he focuses with a burning intensity on learning, and you can see the start of a good combatant underneath it all.

You both have come inside for a drink of water, and your puppy nips you on the leg and heads to the front door on padded feet.  Then you hear the doorbell ring.

PT

I quickly take out my plasma pistol.  --Hey, get away from the door and let me check it out.--  I say to the pup, who I smile at to not worry him.

I address my Other as well.  "Are you expecting anyone at this time?"  I wisper to him and approach the door carefully, cracking it open to look outside.  "Who is it?"

If my Other is expecting someone or gives me the 'okay' when we hear an answer from the guest, then I let him continue the conversation.

If not, then I close the door and ask him what he thinks we should do.

Your Other says he expects no one.

You look outside.

You see five people, one female, the rest male on your front porch.  The lead male is heavyset and tall, dressed in a duster, and obviously has a weapon underneath it.

They all seem a bit on edge, but they stand there politely.

The lead male who is dressed differently than the others who seem to be wearing some sort of jumpsuit like uniform smiles a bit and says ...

"Hello."

"Get out of here, before I end you."  I glare at them, especially the one in the front.

If they don't leave when I say so, I focus on the symbol of fire on me and say, "Amen."  Then, I open the door the rest of the way if I summon a fireball and throw it at them.

Once/If the fireball is sent, I turn to my Other.  "C'mon.  These guys are probably after the new initiate for an easy hunt.  Let's show them just how hard it can be."

If my Other joins in, I run outdoors and attempt to walldance on the nearest wall and kick the person closest to me, if they are in range.

"Okay, you're not the guy I was looking for anyways.  You get to live." He shrugs and turns away.  The others back up a bit looking like they are preparing to leave as well.

PT

I turn around to ask my Other, "Would people hunting you just leave after being told to?  Or could it be that they know that I'm not you?"

Come to think of it, why am I helping him with being hunted?  Oh right, the power system plans are coming in just a couple days from now.  I wonder how things will go then.  I could hire myself out to protect people from being hunted I guess, or help my Other with his idea of teaching people.  I guess I'll find out in due time.

After closing the door, I smile at my dog, --Don't worry.  It wasn't anything serious.  Hey, do you want to learn a trick?  I'll teach you if you promise not to use it unless you absolutely have to.--

"They might.  It might be some sort of pshcyological game.  Y'know, they tell you they're coming for you so you wait in fear, and thus are weakened."

Puppy is eager to learn a trick, and even more eager to get breakfast.  He promises to abide by Big Dog's rules.

PT

"Well, then I guess we shouldn't give in and worry, should we?"  I smile, trying to bring up my Other's spirits.

Then, I ask my Other, "Do you have any food around here for us?"  I gesture to the dog so that he understands that I am also talking about him.

After breakfast, whether I get it from my Other or my bag, I sit the dog down in front of me.  --Now, I want you to focus really really hard, okay?  I want you to look at this symbol on my hand and think about water pouring out of your paw.  Then, I want you to bark as loud as possible, "AMEN!", okay?--  I raise my hand with the circle for water for the dog.

I'm going to ask MJ this one.

PT

Okay.

(Yeah, short post.  I just wanted to keep it so that my name is here, to show that I was indeed the last to post.  It's to help not confuse you.)

Your dog does as you request, and looks at his paw. Nothing happens.

Then he whines.

--Sorry--

Your Other fries up some eggs, bacon (each four slices individually wrapped), and hands out individual packages of milk and apple juice.

Its clear that he's skilled at cooking as he does it with a kind of unconscious ease.

PT

I pet the husky on his head.  --Don't worry about it, little buddy.  Hey, while we eat, why don't you think of some things you'd like to be called.  If you can't think of anything, tell me what you like and I'll see if I can think of one that you like too, okay?--

I don't bother even trying to check for poisons of any sort in the food, thinking, It's not like I'd be able to notice if anyone was actually trying to hurt me.  I might as well just eat it..

During the breakfast, I ask my Other, "So, are you going to go into the culinary profession?  You seem to be really good at cooking."

If nothing else comes up during the breakfast, then afterwards I take the dog with me outside, preferably where no one can see me (my Other can come too).  In the location, I look at my hand with the fire symbol on it and focus on it engulfing my fist in a lasting flame.  At the same time, I try to call on the Fire Warden protect me from it.  Then, I shout, "AMEN!"

"Have to have a major bond as insurance to assure people you won't be bribed to slip something into their meal.  Minimum, a million marks.  And worse, you set yourself up as a target because a lot of people don't like it when you go it alone.  They think you're saying that you're better than they are who stick with the employment board."

You go outside, and try your spell.  At first it doesn't work.  But after a bit of focusing, you're looking at a flaming fist.

PT

I try to sharpen my focus more on my goal.  I think about my other hand joining my one in flame while I rely on the elemental warden to protect me.

If I can sustain both of them, I picture the symbol and the flames up bursting more as I try to punch a nearby wall.  I try to put as much focus and force behind it as possible and I shout "AMEN!" when I am about to make impact with the wall.

With both hands flaming, you punch a hole in the nearby wooden fence that is about two feet wide.  You pull your hands back, and although they smart a bit, and you can see a bit of a bloody knuckle, there's no other sign that you just obliterated a sizable chunk of three 1 by 8 boards.

And then you hear clapping to your left.

A young man in a buttoned up suit jacket with tie is standing there, leaning on the gate of your backyard about twenty feet away.

"Very impressive, ah...magician, or sorcerer, or thaumaturge...what are you?  By the way, my name is Hugh Campbell, and yours is?"  He fishes out a business card from his pocket and holds it out for you to get.

PT

I smile at my success, but I instantly hold my pride back and push it down when I see the man that I don't reckognize.  I look at him with a peculiar glance.  "What do you want?"  It might be better if I didn't tell him anything yet, just in case he's any other hunter.

I approach him, while putting my sleeve on my right hand up so that I can grab the card with the sleeve, not having to touch it.  After grabbing it, I read it and look around for my dog.

"Hugh Campbell
Special Consultant for the Status Board Games
Status : 100" Is printed on the card, and then scribbled at the bottom is
"Render the bearer all possible assistance. Councillor Deke Monahan, SBG board."

Your dog is laying in the grass just around the corner of the house with its gaze fixed on Hugh, and all of its hair standing on end.

--Can I kill him?-- Your dog whimpers.

--No, and if you try, I'll eat you.-- Hugh answers back.

PT

--I don't want you to think about killing anyone.  Just let me handle this and we'll be fine.--
I answer my dog, smiling still at the newcomer.  "Mr. Campbell, I apologize if my dog was offensive.  He seems to be scared of you for some reason.  It's probably because you're linked with so much hunting."

Still polite, I approach him to shake his hand.  Still, I keep a sharp eye out for any tricks he may have.  "My name is Krillis, and yes I do know some magic.  I wouldn't say that I'm on the level of sorceror or magician, though.  Why exactly are you here?"

"I'm here to offer you a position with the Status Board.  We have the services of many of the magicians on this planet.  Now, magic is not commonly known to exist, but the SBG is quite open to this, and we can offer you high rewards, and even eventually a position on...."

He staggers, and his face turns beet red.

"Horror, horror. Madness."

And suddenly you hear the squawking of hundreds of ravens which lift themselves off the top of your roof, and dive bomb him, pecking and ripping at his face.

Meanwhile your dog is trying to get through the fence and is screaming.

---Die,die, die!---

And then you hear a sonic boom close overhead, and a flicker of shadow crosses the ground.  But this only drives the ravens into a further frenzy.

PT

"Leave now!  Get out of here before they hurt you seriously!  If you want to talk to me again, just call this house and say the words 'siang vous' when I am on the phone.  I'll talk to you then, if you wish."

I look over to my dog.  --What's wrong?  Why do you want to kill him?!  Tell me what's the matter!  Why do all of the animals want to hurt him?--

If he leaves, I approach the dog with a calmer voice.  --Why would you want to hurt him?  Do you know him?--

He flees, with his hands about his head, and dives into his car with birds attacking his car.  He wobbles away, and they let him go.

--Ragnarok. The Raven Memory said it was Ragnarok, and the giants were to die.--

After Hugh is gone, your dog watches the ravens leave.

--He, he was the Voice in the Great Dane's head.--

Your Other staggers out onto the back lawn, all the blood faded from his abnormally white face.

"You're, you're not going to believe this...Sydney just got nuked."

PT

This is some strange coincidence.  It has to be.  Could it be that the place got nuked because of my actions on this world?  Why would something like that happen because of me?  No, it's impossible.  I should focus on the task at hand, and that's finding out about this 'Ragnarok' and to talk to those ravens again.

"I don't know anything about Sydney, but it getting nuked can't be a good sign.  For now, all I want to do is train myself, unless we have to go somewhere.  I just want to stay out of conflict for the time being, train, and wait for my packages to arrive."

I start running towards the wall with everything that I have, trying to get higher and higher up on it while running.  "Stay close by, because if I get exhausted, I'll need some help."

I look to my dog, --I don't know what Ragnarok is, but can you talk to the birds as well?  While I'm training, I want you to go get my Other if I fall to the ground unconscious or if anyone unfamiliar comes, okay?--

I continue to run up the wall until I can't move anymore.  Then, I start to do push ups and sit ups.  When I can run again, I repeat the process until I can't move any muscle in my body.  I do all of this unless something major happens that would stop me.

--Only Memory can talk to me of Ravens--

Your Other leaves you be, and you start practising.  Over the next day, you hear some disturbances in the street, and your Other comes back one day looking oddly exhilarated.

And you continue your practis, and then your Other comes back with some packages in his hand.  He gives them to you.

You check them out, and indeed, you have the plans requested.

There is a note attached, apologizing for being a day late, but saying they are not returning the money, and blaming the 'recent disturbances, and the nuking'.

PT

I continue with the same practice that I have been doing, but when I'm tired, I now try to study any written material for the hydrogen and nuclear fuel plans.

When my Other is around, I try to ask him why he'd be excited lately and if there's any more news on the nuke going off.  Other than that added on, I try to use bigger words with my dog to perhaps broaden his intelligence.  If nothing big happens, I do my normal working out, eating, studying, and talking to the dog before I go to sleep.

Your Other tells you that he's been a part of some political struggles.  The people of this province were at one time a nation-state of their own, and many wonder why they can't go back to those days.  The mayors and the governors claim such is impossible, but day after day there are protests in the streets.

Some people are still Hunting, but some others have publically burned their Hunting Letters, and refused to Hunt.

He tells you that most people think the nuke launched from somewhere near here, but no one has a clue to how it happened although the preachers and the fortune tellers are claiming that Someone with a capital "S" sent an angel to judge Sydney.

You are gaining insight into the power systems, but its hard work.  Your dog is daily learning a new word or two, and he's started to use them with more skill.

PT

I continue what I'm doing, but I ask my Other about what the country is like.  I ask him about countries like "America", "Germany", "Japan", and "Great Britain" mainly.  I ask him if they exsist and how powerful they are in the world.

Pertaining to my training, I read the system information (focusing on the hydrogen systems) to my dog as I study it and keep up the conversations at night.  I decide to even start quizing him on certain harder words that I've used during the day (words only on the level of "amicable").

I try to continue this process for a month, and I ask my Other the country about questions at the end of the month.

"Countries? I heard about them."  He looks confused. "We were taught countries were evil.  Nationalism was bad, but then a lot of people in the streets want to bring America back, and I hear its the same all over the world.  There's a huge movement in Province Eight to bring back the Emperor."

He points to a map that he calls up on the Net.  Province Eight is Japan.  But one of the country names exist on this map.

You're currently living in a One World Government that was run by the Status Games Board out of Sydney.  Now that Sydney is drifting through the stratosphere, there's been some political issues to work through.

Your dog seems definitely smarter, although not as smart as you.

You also are in a good bit better physical condition with your wall-kicking much improved (1@4).

You're pretty sure that you have both programs memorized, and that you could build the hydrogen one, and maybe the nuclear one if you had the right tools and supplies.

PT

OOC: Do I have the systems memorized well enough to make a bomb out of either one if I wanted?

I make sure to ask my Other, "So, how do you make money anyways?"  I also ask him if he favors nationalism and the ressurection of the countries.

With noticing that my dog's a bit smarter than he had been, I show him my hand again with the water symbol on it.  --Okay, I want you to try this again.  You focus on the symbol and water running out of your paw.  Then, you shout "AMEN!" and the water's action will occur.--  I perform the spell in front of him as an example.

I alternate on days practicing running up the wall and using fire explosions from my hands to practice attacking.  For fire, I try to summon it from my knee as well when I bring it up into the wall.  The desired goal is for fire to explode from my knee right when it hits the wall.  I do this for another two weeks unless something major happens.

You think you might know how to rig either one to have a catastrophe, but not a bomb.  Making a bomb out of nuclear material is far different than building a reactor; for comparison think of an internal combustion engine and a fuel-air explosive.  Your average car mechanic can't build a MOAB.

"I was working at Automan as a clerk, but I've quit and I'm getting a bit of cash from the supporters of the nationalists movement.  Enough to keep me in food and drink, and its far more fun than checking someone's car to see if they have a bomb wired to their brake line."

He nods vigourously.

"I don't understand it all, but the nationalists are against the Great Hunt mostly, and I hate the Hunt, so..."

This time it works with your dog.  And your dog asks you a question afterwards.

"If God is giving me water, does He want anything in return?"

With your practise, you do get the fire to explode out of your knee.  You also manage on a different day to land on your right shoulder and dislocate it.

PT

OOC: The primary block was that your dog wasn't smart enough to expect supernatural intervention.  Now that he is, he's going to have a few questions about the ultimate nature of reality.  Of course, they are going to be rather simplistic questions because he's still a dog, and not nearly as smart as you.

I sit my dog down and prepare to answer his questions on life and the supernatural.

Also, I try to get my Other to help me fix my arm.  Finally, I try to get him to tell me how likely it is for me to get involved in such a movement.  Maybe I can help them with mechanics on fuel systems for money...

Your dog asks you a number of questions.  Some are basic, some are amusing, and some make you feel guilty.  The puppy is completely sincere in his desire to be good, and to serve God.  It reminds you of all the times you did less than you ought because it was hard or inconvenient.

"AAAaaaaargh!!!"  He yanks your arm into its socket and you see black spots wobble in front of your vision for a few seconds.  But your arm works .

"Join? Easiest thing in the world.  Show up at a meeting, ask to talk to one of the lesser organizers.  They'll find you a job that needs doing, or you can volunteer for one, and see what they think."

He explains that there is a meeting in the park tonight, and invites you to come along.

PT

I see what the pup's abilities are after the questions are over with his ability to use the circle for water.

No matter the results, I tell my dog, --So, I'm going to a meeting tonight with the guy that looks like me.  Do you want to come too?--

I strap my plasma pistol on underneath my jacket and I bring the vibrowire in my pocket.  Other than that, I put the gemstone from King Street in my jacket pocket.  I wonder what kinds of things I'll have to do for these people.  I guess that if I had to, I could do more violent duties.  It's not like I'm in any danger, but my pup might be.

When at the meeting, I keep with my Other and make sure the dog's with me the whole time.  I do as he suggests and talk to a local organizer.  Other than that, I keep an eye out for the most important names.

Your pup fails more often than not, but he also succeeds several times.  He thinks its great.

He's very enthused about coming with you.

That night, there is a large crowd gathered in the square in front of the Hunt Office.  The people are mostly enthused, and cheerful, although you see some angry people with signs like "Justice NOw!".  The speakers emphasize courage and calmness in the face of provocations.  You pick up on who is considered important, although you don't recognize any of them.

There is a very outnumbered line of police at one end of the plaza.

You get the attention of an organizer.  He puts down his walkie-talkie.

"There is rumors the Hunts Office might do something, tonight or tommorrow.  But we're keeping an eye on them, and they don't like operating in public against a group.  By the way, my name is Steven Hall.  I'm responsible for west side security tonight, and for turning out about two hundred protestors nightly.  I heard from your twin that you were interested in pitching in.  What can you do?"

PT

"I can do whatever is needed.  I know how to fight and I can do some more advanced things.  I know how to build hydrogen and nuclear power sources, in theory.  If given the supplies, I could attempt to build some hydrogen systems.  Other than that, I can do more radical activities including violence if needed.  If you want help on the defensive tonight, I could help you."

Maybe if I can get this guy's respect tonight, I can get some business involving the systems to research some other things, like what exactly is happening to me.  It isn't natural for people to survive death all the time.

He raises an eyebrow, and then nods.

"Okay. I'll hook you up with our security squad.  And do you know anything about fixing said hydrogen systems? Because we have a pirate radio thats mobile, and the hydrogen power keeps breaking down."

He calls someone on the radio, and five minutes later a short, but athletic and dark-haired guy comes up.  He exchanges handshakes with you.

"I'm Jimmy, no last name.  Striker in soccer."

He leads you off to a group of guys who range from a hulking mountainous guy to bald-headed guy who keeps cracking his knuckles to a really short guy with biceps bigger than your thighs.

It seems Jimmy is the leader of the West Side Security Squad.

"New member guys. Look the rules are simple.  Don't get provoked into making the first punch, but keep anyone who wants to harrass or throw stones at our guys away.  And if they swing at you, then pound the crud out of them.  And if the police try to stop us, get the women and kids out first, and then run.  But the police give us lots of warning.  I don't think most of them like the Hunt either.  Whatever you do, don't beat up a policeman.  You do that, and I'll turn you in myself."

PT

"Got it."  I simply say to Jimmy.  Then, I ask him, "What exactly do you want me to do right now, though?"

To the man asking about fixing a hydrogen power system, I answer him that I might be able to fix it and that he should let me look at it some time, soon is perfectly fine with me.

I tell the pup not to attack anyone unless he absolutely has to and if any trouble starts brewing to run.

"Wait and watch." Jimmy says.

And so you do.  The hours pass, and the speakers get more impassioned.  You hear a bit of a struggle over on the East side, but its contained.  A messenger from them comes over to keep your side apprised.

"Just a drunk.  We corralled him, and called a cab."  The messenger says with a shrug.

Another hour passes, and people are starting to leave.  More speakers arise, but they are obviously not as talented.  There is some signs of people setting up tents, and starting campfires.

Your puppy growls.

And you feel in the air a sense of ancient malice that you recognize from the party.

PT

I go around to everyone else in the security for this side.  "I feel like something bad's coming.  I know that something's about to happen, and it isn't friendly."

I pick up my dog after that for support.  --Don't worry about that feeling.  Just stay near me and you'll be fine, okay?  Look at this symbol.--  I show him the fire symbol on my hand.  --This can summon a dangerous attack.  Only use it if you absolutely have to, okay?--

After the dog replies, I approach Jimmy.  "There's a heavy feeling of darkness around here.  I think that something's going to happen soon.  You should tell people to be ready, just in case."  Then, I try to build up my power for when I need it.

Jimmy spreads the word to wake up, keep an eye out.  And people shake themselves alert, and then the mountainous guy jabs out an arm at an alley.  Ten men spill out of it.  They are closer than you expected, only twenty feet away.

Most of them have thick jackets on, even though its not cold out.  Primitive body armor is useful in a fist fight.  They mill out a bit, and you feel a sharp spike of anger in the air, and suddenly they all start coming your way.

PT

I put my dog down and say, --Stay here, out of the way.  If trouble spurs up, you run away from them and try to call out to me, okay?--

I run away towards the alley and watch out for the first fist to be thrown at one of ours.  After it is, I walldance in the alley and attempt to kick the nearest goon in the head.

Your puppy grumbles that it wants to fight too, but it obeys 'big dog'.

You see one of theirs swing wide, and Mountain just absorbs it on his shoulder.  And then Jimmy kicks the guys legs out from under him.

You leap to the wall, spin about, and clock someone in the mouth with your toe.  Their mouth was hanging open in shock, and they go down...hard.

By this time, you see Mountain shoving one guy against a wall, while another guy pounds on his back.  Jimmy is bleeding from his scalp, but laughing as he flashes a kick into someone's shin.  Short Biceps Guy is hammering someone on the ground.  One of your guys seems to be down, and he's getting repeatedly kicked in the ribs.

The numbers that favored them are now almost equal.

PT

I try to summon the power in me while I look at the symbol on my hand.  Then, I picture the fire over my hands while relying on the Warden of Fire to protect me from the fire that I summon with the shout, "AMEN!!".

With my fired hands, I charge at the guys kicking the downed defense member and I punch twice into two different people, shouting "AMEN...AMEN!" with each blow.

I try to feel if I can sense where the presence of malice is strongest as well, if my hands aren't full fighting.

Your hands burst into fire, and your first wild swing misses, but your second hits below the ribs and takes him from his feet.  Your next strike hasyour new opponent dodging back in fear of magic and mayhem.

The attackers break and run leaving some of theirs behind.

You cast about for the source of the malice, and while it does seem diffuse, it also seems centered in the darkness of the alley.

Jimmy is wiping blood from his eyes and staring at you in shock.

"Whaaaa?  I haven't even had a beer in the last two days."

PT

"I have some rare skills that assist in times like these.  Don't worry though, I can control it."  I banish any fire on my hands if there's any left.  Then, I tell Jimmy, "I can feel more of it down the alleyway.  Do you think that there might be more of them left?  I'm going to check.."

I try to focus and summon a fireball.  I shout, "AMEN!" and throw it down the alleyway.  "That should light it up for us."  I wonder what's happening to me.  I've become to good at this...  Could it be that I enjoy the fighting now?

The fireball flies into the alley and the confined space turns the alley into an incinerator.  There's a big explosion, and then nothing.

"Um, dude, you're going to burn down some buildings." Jimmy says rather nervously.  You realize both buildings on the sides of the alley are now on fire, although the fire doesn't have its claws sunk that deeply yet since most of the alley was brick walls.  But you can see a wooden door on fire, and on the other building a roofline, and you suspect there is more.

And then there is a face in the smoke, and made of the smoke.

"You destroyed my host, worldwalker, just like your friend burned the High Hive.  But your pathetic magic cannot touch a Daemon of the Fourth Level.  There is always a fool who's willing to exchange his life for power."

And suddenly its gone, and you realize you can breathe again.  And the overwhelming sense of hatred is gone as well.

PT

"I don't think there's going to be any more of a major problem, but we should get to work on those fires to protect the buildings."  I look at my water symbol and attempt to put out the flames with the spells, shouting, "AMEN!" each time.

Afterwards, I do whatever Jimmy says and head back to check on my dog.  I say, --Well, that was all solved.  Nothing important happened over here, did it?--

A strong blast of water, a weak one as you recover, and then a strong one, and the fire is out in a few minutes.

You find the source of the explosion--a van flipped up on its tail, and blackened with what looks like its interior ripped out.

You also find next to it a pile of human bones.

After checking on the puppy...

--I chased a cat up a tree.  Boy was it surprised when I water blasted it.  Weehhheeee!! Arf! Arf! Fun! Fun!---

PT

--You shouldn't use that magic around all the time.  Only do it when you need to or in private, okay?--

I wonder what that Daemon was talking about when he said my companion did the same thing before.  Could you be talking about my Other in this world?  I haven't really had any companions...  No matter, I'll have to find a way to fight that thing, even if I have to become an angel to do it.

With the puppy, I look around for my Other in the crowd.  If I find him, I ask him to tell me everything he knows about the daemons and potential weaknesses.

--But I needed too, there was this cat.--

Your puppy repeats himself, figuring you haven't caught the significance of 'cat'.

You find your Other quickly in a small group of people.  He shakes his head when you ask about Daemons.  But he does point out a preacher across the park who is chatting to a small group of people.

"Pastor Joe was a Conscientous Objector in the Status Games.  He went to jail for a year for refusing to Hunt.  He always struck me as, real, y'know, sincere when he came by our house to leave tracts, and talk about God and stuff.  He might know about Daemons."

PT

I bring the dog with me over to the pastor and try to get the man to come to the side with me, "Sir, I need to talk to you about something important that just happened."

I'll wait however long he needs to come over in private.  Then, I tell him, "Sir, I believe that I just encountered a Daemon.  I'd never seen one before, but when I was forced to kill a man, smoke took the shape of a face and spoke to me.  It said that it was a Daemon of the Fourth Level.  Do you know anything about these things and if there's a way to ascend to a point to fight them?"

He studies you for a second with a clear, intense gaze.  Then he nods.

"One minute."

He finishes up his conversation, and arranges to meet a couple people tommorrow for a prayer meeting about the nightly protests.

And then he puts a gentle hand on your elbow, and takes you a couple steps away as he focuses his attention on what you're saying.

When you tell him the story, he gives you one quick check to see if you're pulling his leg.  When he sees that you're not trying to 'prank the pastor', he nods again.

He pulls out a Bible.

"From the Bible, we know there are spirit powers.  Some of us also know this from personal experience, and eyewitness testimony.  As far as I know, the proper way to resist a 'Daemon of the Fourth Level' is with the power of God.  Note: I use this being's name for itself with skepticism.  Such creatures are generally inveterate liars, and frequently give themselves airs they don't deserve."

PT

I listen to everything he says intently, almost keeping my eyes on him the entire time.

"How am I supposed to wield God's power?"

Then, I remember the spells that I've been using.  "Amen"  I look at the symbol for fire and try to make a small fireball appear in my hand.  Once it appears, I quickly put it out by closing my hand.  "I was taught this in another world.  I was told that the statement of 'Amen' was a statement of my will to release the spell.  I don't recall it being because of God that I use this ability."

I can't rely on these two spells, even if they are able to fight this Daemon.  "Is there any way to ascend to a state where I can fight with God's power?  Or are there any spells of God that you could tell me?"

He asks you who gives you this power.  When you say nobody, he looks a bit skeptical, but curious.

"Its not like that with God's power.  He gives it to you.  Now, you can make good arguement that He may grant you power to use at your will like when Moses smacked a rock, and water flowed out without Moses even praying.  But, God was mad for that because Moses stole His glory.  So, when I exorcise a demon, or calm an insane person, or pray for healing, I'm very clear to all that I'm merely the servant who is letting God use him. So IF you're right, and thats a big if about the source of your magic, this is a whole different thing to have the power of God."

He pauses.

"However, I'm not sure teaching you how to use the power of God would be wise without one prerequisite.  See, there was this fellow in the Bible..." He flips to the story.  "He challenged some demons with God's power, and I believe he was not one of God's.  So the demons mocked him, and then beat him up, severely.  I'm really not sure what would happen to you if you commanded this demon to go to the Abyss in the name of the Most High.  I'd feel confident doing so, myself, but..."

PT

"If you're uncomfortable, I'll find another way."  How foolish is this, anyways?  I can't beat the demons without more power...

Then, I catch myself.  "No way did I just think that...  Still, I'll need to find a way to beat them on my own.  I won't get any help in this..."  I continue to walk around until I happen to find Jimmy, just cooling off at my powerlessness against the demon.  If I run accross Jimmy, I ask him when I can take a look at the fuel system for damage.

"I'll be glad to confront this creature for you, but I'm not sure it would be good for you too."

Jimmy says sure when you ask him, and when he sees you're not likely to sleep as you're ticked off, he takes you over, turns on the night lights in the driveway, and sits down with a beer to let you work.

You get deep into the system for several hours, making some repairs, and getting an idea of what's what, although you're still missing something because as near as you can tell, it should work.

But by this time, its dawning, and Jimmy is sacked out on the sofa in his front room.

PT

I can't help but slam my fist on the ground.  I guess I never had the patience for this, but everything's right...

I put my hand to my chin and start thinking.  Okay, I just need to calm down.  I'm going to recheck all of the connections in the system to make sure they're secure and make a checklist for parts to check them off.

I ask Jimmy for a piece of paper for the checklist and go about overlooking the system for any flaws.

You find a loose connection that maybe has something to do with it, and the machine starts, and then shuts down after ten seconds.  It repeatedly does this.

Bleary-eyed, you read the instructions for what must be the eleventh time, and note something about a safety control mechanism that if not functional, it will shut the machine down after ten seconds.

From there, its an easy minute to find a fuse not properly seated, and now it starts up, chugs, and then hums smoothly.

You have power!

PT

I get up and wipe my hands on my pants.  "Well, there you go, Jimmy.  A completely functioning hydrogen system."  I think to myself, At least I'm pretty sure it's fine.

If he doesn't have anything else for me to do, I tell my dog to come with me and...

If we're still at the rally, I try to find my Other and do whatever I'm told until it's time to leave with him.

If the rally's over and Jimmy is my only ride, I ask him if he is willing to give me a ride back to my Other's house.

The rally is far over, and he takes you back to your Other's house.  You then crash out until past noon when you are awakened by your Other entering the room.

He hands you a cup of coffee and a Danish.

"I heard some really freaky stories about you last night.  Some people have you tossing grenades, others molotov cocktails, and one person even said you had magic powers, and were a wizard."

PT

I smile and say, "Oh, so no one mentioned the demonic figure in the smoke that claimed to be immortal?"  I rub my eyes some to wake up while looking around for my pup, then say, "Speaking of which, I need to start more training.  I need to track that thing down and kill it.  And I'm pretty sure there's more of them."

I cock my eye then, "I taught you magic.  But it wasn't my fault.  I had to use it, because there was something evil down that alley.  It was just a fireball..."

If he has no more questions, I ask him if he'll help me train for the next month.  I also ask my pup if he'll help me train.

He gawks a bit, but he's not the sort of person to turn down an offer to get more power in order to protect himself.

He and the dog begin training with you, and its difficult for him, and the dog.  The weather is miserable hot and muggy, and a plethora of clouds of gnats, bee hives, and two poisonous snakes crawling out of the bathtub drain offer spikes of terror to highlight the misery of the 102 degree weather.

And then an action by what gov't spokespeople claim are 'the rebels' results in the electric power station going out.

PT
GE:28

I approach my Other the day that I hear about the power station going out.  "This wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it?"  I ask him, and try to remember if he was around the night before.

"You know that I'm completely interested in helping out with this anti-Hunt group, right?  And, I was also thinking on your idea that you had a while back to team up and help people survive their 'parties'.  It seems like being consultants for people would be good, right?  They'd be more sympathetic to such a cause like stopping the Hunts."

"No, we think it was the gov't since this is a big resistance area.  Thing is, how do you fix a power plant?"

He was here last night, but he did take some phone calls.

"Yeah, well, I figure me learning magic is a good way to help out.  But, yeah if you have any ideas, or you want me to see if I can rustle up someone Hunted elsewhere..I mean Hunts have stopped in this area.  We had a few people that tried to Hunt, but we beat them up. Most people don't want to Hunt, and its getting better, especially with all the preachers who had been put in jail coming out, and preaching against it."

PT

I nod some, and say, "Okay, I guess it's time that I do actually teach you some magic.  However, I would like some help with some items that could help me out.  Could you get a hold of some custom-made gloves for me?"  I explain to him how I want the gloves to be.

I want the gloves to be white, fireproof, and waterproof.  The right-hand glove needs to have the symbol for fire red, which I draw for him.  On the left-hand glove, I show him the symbol for water and ask him for it to be blue on the glove.

After I explain it, I ask, "Would you be able to supply me with these things if I teach you magic?"

If he agrees, I go with him wherever he wants to learn, and I show him the symbols that I draw and tell him, "Focus on the symbol and how you want the element to act.  Why don't you try making a small flame in your hand?  Once you're focused, shout 'AMEN'!"

He agrees, and then practises.  He learns much quicker than your dog, and soon he asking you about other spells.  He practises avidly, and you can see in his face the desperate yearning for power so that he can be safe from those who tormented him.

A few days later, he presents you with the gloves.  He's also had a pair made for himself.

PT

Since he seems to get using the fire and water circles down, I introduce him to the healing spell that Merlin taught me in the Heart.

Pertaining to my training, I continue with my sit-up and push-up process, except I start the number at 30 and go down with each set (30 push ups, 30 sit ups, 29 push ups, 29 sit ups, etc...until I reach 0).  I continue to do my wall dancing adamantly.

After all of that and I have a rest every day, I ask my Other if he's willing to spar with me, including using magic.  I come up with the idea that we take turns using fire and water.

You're still working on your exercies, not able to get through them completely, but you're getting better all the time.

With the walldancing, you find yourself above the garage roof on one effort, and then drop down to skin your hands on the ground.

He starts tossing small balls of fire at you.

I look at the symbol for water on my left hand, and I move my hands togeather to focus on creating a large ball of water in the center and sustain it.

When the fire balls come at me, I move the water towards each one and try to push more magic into the water when they collide, shouting "AMEN!" during the ball's creation and each contact.

you drown his fire, and he yelps in protest. "Small. Please. I'm only sending you small fires just in case we mess up. Its not fair if I send you a grape and you toss back a basketball..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:13, Sat 02 June 2007.

"Gah, I'd have better luck training with the dog.  Send bigger fires at me, if you want to.  I don't really have anything to lose, so why don't you give me your strongest attack right now?  Put everything into it and let's see who comes out on top."

If he agrees, I start to gather my magic and focus on creating the largest water ball that I possibly can, while putting my two hands togeather and focusing on the water symbol.  When/If he sends the fire my way, I shout, "AMEN!!!" as loud as I can, and send the water towards him, through his flames.

He gets a little angry, and shrugs.

"Okay, you asked for it..."

A ball of fire the size of a beach ball sails at your head as he howls "Amen!"  You counter it, and more comes your way, fire slashes at you and hot steam turns his skin red, and he hollers again even as you do....

Thirty minutes later, you're slipping in hot mud, all the grass in the back yard burnt, second degree burns on your hands and some part of your hair charred off in black flakes.

He looks like a lobster, all red like he's almost been boiled, and there is a pyre of fog rising several hundred feet into the sky.

You and he find you have to stop.  You're too tired, besides your voice has given out on you from all that shouting.

PT
And we'll add a @1 to your mage skill, and give you some skill in 'magic blocking' and 'speedcasting'.

I try to go over to him so that we can prop eachother up in some way that doesn't hurt us from our burns.

When we get inside, I offer to heal him after I've recovered some of my energy.  I attempt to use the magic that I learned in the Heart from Merlin.

If I can't heal both of our entire wounds, I have a nap and then try again.

You heal some, sleep, and heal more.  Over the next month, you continue with more duels, and more practising.

The political situation slowly improves.  The electric power comes back on and its revealed that local Hunters were behind the effort to cut the power, not the Inalienable Rights Party ("We believe that God gave humans the right to be safe from aggression" is their first plank which is another way of saying "Hunting=Badness") despite what the crumbling remnants of the Status Board Games authorities were trying to say.

A couple guys visit, and they ask both of you to be delegates to a constitutional convention.  They want to declare by law (de jure) a Free City-state which is what your area is already in effect (de facto).

PT

I nod to the men visiting and accept to be a delegate.  "I would be honored, but do you mind if I take my dog with me?  I don't trust to leave him alone anywhere, and I can keep him under control.  Will we be speaking publicly, then?"

Afterwards, I ask my Other, "You haven't told anyone about the magic yet, have you?"

After everything is finished and answered, I continue with my training, but focus more on walldancing before the duels with my Other.  I still talk to my dog every night.  One night, I experiment to see if he's able to distinguish letters from one another.

They look at each other and shrug.

"Sure, I guess you can take the dog.  We had to tell one person they couldn't bring a poisonous spider, but as long as the dog behaves, it should be okay. As to speaking, well, you can, I mean you'd want to to get things done right, but you don't have to."

Later, your Other shakes his head.

"Some people are wondering what I'm up to with the noise and pyres of fog in the backyard, but we're a people used to keeping secrets.  I'm not going to tell anyone of my special advantage."

PT
OOC: No problemo. Thanks for the hint.

Between now and the time of the constitutional convention (if it's days off), I work on wall-dancing mostly, and then I try to magically duel with my Other afterwards.

At night, I try to teach my dog the letters of the alphabet, and the different sounds that they can make.

Your dog has a very difficult time with it, but he starts picking out the difference between the more obvious letters.  He can differentiate a "P" from an "M" and a "Z" from a "T", and all from each other.

Your dog offers to return the favor you're doing him after you explain that this is to help him.

"I teach you to hunt, sneak.  You make much noise when you walk."

You continue your studies in wall-dancing, and magic duelling, and both continue to advance.

The morning before the convention, you open the mailbox and see a picture of you with an "X" through it, and a short note attached.

"Traitors to the Status Board will be executed."

PT

I laugh out loud when I see the threat.  "What, do you think that you can beat me anyways?  You don't stand a chance!  I'm anxious to see what you have in store for me, and I accept your challenge, especially if you're that Daemon from before!  I'm not afraid!"

I pocket the note and the picture, figuring they might be useful later.  Then, I approach my Other.  "It looks like they're after us.  I think maybe we should head to the convention site a day early.  They might try to get to us before we can show ourselves there.  Are you ready to go now, or at least soon?"

If he's ready, I pack all of my things (weapons included) with my bag and take my dog with me.  I take another look at the husky pup and see how much it's grown.  --Promise me you'll teach me what you know about hunting when we get back from convention, okay?--  I speak to my dog, and that night (if we don't leave) I tell him to keep an ear out while he sleeps for any intruders, even if they seem peaceful.

The next morning you get the news...the house you had been staying in caught fire when someone lobbed a Molotov cocktail onto its roof, but the house defenses of a tiled roof, and autosprinklers took care of the threat with some roof repair needed since it burned a hole into the roof.

You spend the day meeting your fellow delegates.  There is a wide variety of opinions as to the proper way of setting up the local gov't.

PT

Could I possibly get a list of some ideas that they have, especially those ideas with a clear large number of supporters and those from provocative people?

Also, I'd like to know if my Other has stated any opinions on the issues.

Well, there are several religious questions.
1. Should there be an established church to serve as a shield against the Lords of the Hunt?
2. Instead, should there be a kind of Order of the Inquisition to hunt down the Hunters and the Demons?
3. Should the Church of Man be banned (the most popular church with the Status Board?).
4. Should the new gov't take the properties of the Church of Man as spoils of war?

That will get you started.  There are lots more questions with various schemes of government (democracy, republic, aristocracy, monarchy...how wide should the franchise be...should those with former high level status in the Hunt be banned from voting?  Should we even have voting at all?)

Your Other is reticient due to ingrained paranoia.

PT

I go to some of the others in all the groups and ask what they think of this proposal.  "I suggest a monarchy with a republic backing.  The republic would have a representative from each major party among us who have at least 5% of local support.  Then, they could decide on a temporary monarch for the beginning of the government.  This position would just be appointed to settle some of the larger disputes of the founded government.  We could then use trial and error with various plans.  If the monarch were to pose a threat, the republic could easily impeach the said man."

OOC: What are their reactions (the four groups)?  Also, what's my Other's reaction to the idea?

"So you want a monarch who can be impeached by a simple majority vote of the republic council.  Each council delegate represents a party that gets at least five percent of the vote.  What happens if a party gets say forty percent of the vote?  Do they get eight delegates?  Or do they just get one anyways?"  One guy, your preacher friend from before, asks for clarification.

Your Other thinks it sounds like a decent idea as do most of the rest.  Although some are trying to sell you on their approach.  One wants a referendum on all major questions before the City, and another wants to limit the vote to those who own property, but both these and the first four groups like your idea, although not wildly so.

"I like your trial and error approach because right now, we really have no idea what we're doing."

Some others--less happy.  You've managed to tick off the extreme monarchists and the extreme republicans.  Its a bit weird having someone stand up and shout at you across a room of people at lunch....

"Your a traitor to the people, stinking monarchist!"

PT

I answer the church man from before.  "Hrm..  I was afraid you were going to ask that.  It isn't a completely flawless system.  We wouldn't want one group to be able to overtake another now, would we?  I think that the max that any party should be able to submit for election should be 30%, six members, of the entire council.  This should result in a fair majority opposing even the most powerful.  What do you think?"

In the middle of lunch...

(OOC: Okay, here I go!)

I stand up and wisper to the pup, --You should stay close to me if you want to come, but I don't want you to be aggressive, okay?  Promise, even if he seems to get angry.  I have a plan.--

If/When the pup agrees, I walk over calmly to the other man.  On the way, I say loudly, "I'm sorry, but I've only been here for a day.  Could we please talk for a moment?"  When I'm close enough, I offer him my hand to shake, bowing my head slightly as I do so.  "This convention is about trusting your neighbors and sharing ideas.  I apologize if I gave the impression that I wanted to be the leader in my format.  Could you please tell me what you and your colleagues think of my ideas as we sit down to eat togeather?"  I gesture towards either an open seat at his table, or elsewhere if there are two seats open.

If he doesn't return my handshake, then I apologize if I offended him with that greeting.

The church man thinks, and then nods.

"It could work. I can see a problem or two, but I'm not sure any system we could make wouldn't have a problem.  Count me in, not as an enthusiastic supporter, but I wouldn't mind if your scheme worked.  If you get enough votes, I'll vote along with you."

The republican (not our version in the US) glowers at you, and pretty clearly would like to whop you with his cane, but he looks about at the others who are staring at him, and he looks at you with your sincere face, and begrudgingly takes your hand.

He then sits down, and waves you down, and then spends the next twenty minutes explaining to you the danger of dictators, and how everyone from age twelve and on up should have a vote, and how glorious pure democracy is, and how any who deviate in one iota from his plan are Evil, Evil, Evil....

PT

I respond.  "I agree fully that pure democracy is flawless.  It's perfect in every way in theory, but I don't believe that it can work in the real world, especially in a new government, with enough citizens.  It would take too long to accurately account for every voter, especially if you count a wider age group, as you believe.

I think that the government has been doing one thing right, in making 16-year-olds adults.  That, I think, is the age that we should adopt as the legal age for voting as well.  We may disagree on this, but I wanted to touch on that point.

Finally, I want to make it clear to you that I don't believe in a dictatorship.  All I want is to make this new government as secure as possible and easily changed.  It should only be a temporary position until the government is finalized.  If you heard my opinions, you should have heard that I think there should be a board of individuals to provide a check against the power of the dictator-like position, men that could remove him from office if he began acting disorderly.

Now that I hear your side, maybe we could, togeather, come up with a way in which such a board could be decided on.  My thoughts aren't so solid on that issue, and perhaps a democratic vote is the correct way.  I was just afraid that one party would control the entire Board, and thus the 'dictator position'.  I just want things done as efficiently as possible."

I ask him for his thoughts, and the others that are sitting with him.  I make a note of how they look in response to my ideas through my statement.

OOC: Does the age vary amongst them?  Are people gathering around to listen?

He gives you a despairing glance as others gather in to discuss the plan with you.

"Fascist!"  He screeches, and with pain on his face, he gets up and stalks off.  "You're all fascists.  So eager to appoint a strong man, to be efficient."

He hollers from several feet away.

An older gentleman to your right pats you on the shoulder, and then holds out a well-worn hand.

"My name is Gerald Cameron, young man.  I run the power plant, and I'm in the republican group, not from personal interest because I'm fairly wealthy, but from conviction. I see much merit in your plan, unlike my rather rigid ally."

You get the feeling from the way everyone quiets down that this is one of those guys everyone listens closely too.

PT

I shake his hand and smile to him.  "It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Mr. Cameron.  I'm Krillis, and I am trying to start my own group.  Thank you for your thoughts on my plan.  My only intention ia to assist in the creation of an efficient, democratic government.  I just believe that this is the most logical way to come to that conclusion."

I smile again, and continue, looking at Gerald.  "Mr. Cameron, is there any chance that you and I might work togeather towards this goal?  I was hoping that we could help one another to start a new group that backs the plan."

He looks away for a second, and then smiles faintly.

"I'll put your question to my colleagues in the republican group, and ask for an informal vote.  If it passes with most of them, I'll come on board.  It will help me if you can get the aristocrat group, and the monarchists to join in.  Also, the segment of preachers welds serious influence what with all the rumors of black magic being used by the enemy."

PT
OOC: And add @1 to your Persuasion. You're learning how to be a leader here and in previous circumstances in this world...either that, or you're becomeing a politician.

I stand and offer to shake his hand as I leave.  "I thank you in advance for your future support.  I'll definately get more from the groups that you've mentioned.  At least, I'll introduce the notion to them."  At that, I nod my head to him and leave, going towards my Other.

I ask him if he knows anyone personally from the monarchist group or the aristocrats who could introduce me to the higher-ups.  After that, I tell him, "I'll find you later about this.  For now, I'm going to go talk to the priests."  Before I leave, I ask him in a wisper what he thought about potential Republican support and I ask him if he could talk to some of his republican friends about the idea.

Finally, I take my dog with me in search of the preacher that I know.

Your Other says...

"Its good.  They and the Aristos are the biggest groups."  He arranges to have you meet a couple guys from each group later that night for dinner.

You find the preacher who grins when he sees you.

"You know, I was just talking about you.  Some fellow thought you'd make a splendid Prime Minister.  You've not been tainted by being a Hunter, and at the same time you seem to have the confidence and self-control of someone with a bit more experience.  Add to that, well, rumors are getting around about the Hunt you were in as a 'helper' to the target which is unusual to begin with, and then add in all the strange rumors....folk hero time."

He chuckles.

"Keep it up, and my daughter going to ask me for your autograph."

PT

I smile and laugh a little due to being flattered.  "When such a time comes, I'll give your daughter the autograph myself.  I'm honored by the thoughts of Prime Minister, but I came to talk on other matters, pertaining to my idea and my new support."

"Gerald Cameron is attempting to sway the republicans towards the plan, and I have meetings with the Aristocrats and Monarchists tonight to see if I can get additional support.  That's also why I came here.  I need solid support from the preachers, and I think that I can get it.  Can you introduce me to any highly respected priests?  If you come, I'll teach you something very amazing, I promise."

He nods in agreement, and leads you around as he gathers up about ten guys.  They range from a very old man who feels like pure kindness, to a young guy with a razor sharp mind and a prickly intensity, to a clump that seems a bit testy and suspicious of well everyone, and lastly to a couple who have obvious signs of past torture on their faces and hands.

"Friends, I know we don't all agree here on everything.  A lot of us don't agree on a lot, but we all agree on the need for a good gov't, and the need to keep the Church of Man's pet priests and the evil oppressors of the Status Board away from our people.  They've preyed on our sheep for far too long, and here is a young man with what I think is a sound plan to defend them."

They give you their attention, by turns sweet, and intense, and sourly skeptical of others from too many betrayals.  There is a solid presence of focus in this room, this group is more warrior priests than academicians or good orators.

PT

I address them calmly.  "I believe that it is proper to address men of your stature with my credentials before I speak.  The other Krillis and I hold the province record for teh Adulthood ceremony.  I believe that we finished the final test in under five minutes, but it may have been longer.  I have come into contact with two Daemons, one of which was a Daemon of the Fourth Level.  I destroyed him with God's clensing light...which I will show you..."

I focus on the fire symbol and a small flame appearing in my right hand and say, "Amen."  I try to focus enough so that it's as close to a sure success as I can make it.  Then, I say, "God has also gifted me with the power to heal myself and others who have been wounded."  I then move the flame over to my left forearm, attempting to burn it lightly.  After it's burnt, I extinguish the flame by closing my right hand.

Then, I try to heal my arm in the manner that Merlin taught me, and show it to them all.

"Now that you've seen my credentials, let me explain my plan...  I propose that the established government should consist of a Monarch, who is chosen and kept in check by an elected Republican board.  The Board will have the power to impeach the Monarch and remove him from office.  This form of government would only be in place until a more solid government is established for this region.  Please, speak your opinions openly to me, because I'm concerned about your opinions."  I then step back, and nod my head to them politely.

The kindly old man smiles gently.

"Its not our stature that matters, but God's.  However, I have prayed, and I sense no evil intent, nor foul spirit about this young man.  Perhaps another might see such...?"

Several close their eyes, and one by one they raise their heads and shake them in negation.

Your previous friend says.  "I'm not sure he is a Christian, whether Catholic or Reform, or Undiluted, and I'm pretty sure he's not Jewish, but he is an avowed enemy of the Status Board.  We don't need to have a Christian or a Jew on the council, but we do need a decent man who cares for righteousness."

The others nod in agreement.

One of the tortured guys speaks.

"Whats to stop your Council and King from agreeing in unison to ..."  He pauses uncomfortably and one of the testy sorts fills in for him.

"Take a hammer to your fingers for disagreeing with the government?  I mean, in a nice republican, lets all vote together sort of way?"

PT

"Then a righteous hand will stop them..."  I raise my hand and clench it into a hard fist.

"No, there's nothing to stop them from oppression...except for good people that they govern.  It was Locke who said that the people have the right to overthrow their government if it treats them unfairly."  Then, I loosen my grip in my fist and smile lightly.  "But, if things go as planned, the Republican group won't be able to agree so easily, and will be forced to take the affairs of the nation first.  If we have each group: monarchs, aristocrats, republicans, etc... with different people on the republican board, then they won't be able to make a nice, peaceful republican vote to harm us.  Besides, it's the hate of tyrany that brought everyone to this convention, including you, isn't it?"

You can see them thinking, evaluating your message.  One responds.

"We're somewhat worried about the future.  What happens in ten years when people have forgotten how bad tyranny is?  I mean the Israelites were pretty much slaves in Egypt, but send them out into the dessert, and they started to want to go back to Egypt."  Your friend says.

"On the other hand, this is a provisional arrangement. We're learning.  Krillis, lets say two or three years down the line, most people realize something needs changing.  How do we do that?"  The sharp as a tack guy speaks up in response.  "But you're quite right about our hatred of tyranny. I think none here, not even amongst the most royal want tyranny.  But, this Locke fellow, who is that?"

This is a guy who is obviously intelligent, an intellectual theologian, the type of guy who could explain in a debate why the existence of God is logical, and necessary for a half-dozen reasons, and then go home to relax while translating Greek into Latin, and he, nor any of the others show any sign of knowing who Locke is.

PT

I look to my friend and reply, "You're correct, but would they have ended up in the desert if they had done what God willed?  This separation from the Status Games Board and the government is, I have no doubt, directed by God.  As long as we follow through with this course, and as long as we give the needed order, people won't want to go back."

Then, I address the next question.  "That's not for me to say what will be three years down the road.  At that time, I expect that the experimental government has already established a solid constitution and law-making process, and everything else needed."

"Locke...was a man who greatly influenced the history of where I'm from.  He spoke against tyranny and for freedom for the people.  He spoke that the government is placed to protect and serve the people within its power, not the other way around."

I look to them to see if their responses signify that they're swaying more towards my plans.

They are not wholly enthused by your answers, but they admit the justice of them, and with some reservations offer their support.

"Well, I see your points, and they are good ones.  I wish we could solve them better, but perhaps you're right, its a problem for another day, and today we need to get things up and running."  There is a quick look around in the eyes of everyone as they shake their heads mostly up and down to signify 'yes'.

"All right, the preachers, the priests, and the one rabbi are behind you."  Your friend says.

PT

"Thank you."  I make a nod towards the group and say, "I must go now, for I have more gatherings to attend.  I apologize for making such an abrupt exit."  I nod once more at the end, and if there's nothing more of them to say, I leave.

I go to look for my Other and see when the soonest meeting, either with the Monarchists or Aristocrats, is going to take place.  Until that meeting, I ask my dog, --So, are you ready to teach me how to walk silently?  I have a little free time until my next meeting.--

However, if the meeting is soon, I go and wait at the designated meeting place that my Other says to go.

Fun, fun, your dog chants.  And then he starts teaching.  Its an odd experience.  He's very literal so his critiques are precise and clear, but if you don't get it, he can't fall back on metaphor to explain it too you.

First he teaches you how to step softly.

When that doesn't take, he bites you.  Not enough to draw blood, but it hurts.

Pay attention!

Then he licks you to apologize for his getting angry with you.

The next time you try it, perhaps his techniques work, or fear of another bite...

You're soft-stepping across the carpet, and walk right up behind someone without them hearing you behind them.

PT
OOC: Softstep 1@3 (Let me point out, this is not Walk in Leaves or such.  Its just that you know how to walk at half speed, on a normal surface with hardly no noise at all.)  And 1@3 means you learned your lesson very well.

--Haha, neat.--

I then, while still trying to silently walk, try to find my other and go ahead to the place where the next meeting is.

Even if I'm very early, I sit there and wait until others arrive, petting my dog the entire time.  I pick him up, even, and play "airplane" with him, if no one is watching.

You practise a bit more, and play airplane with your dog.  This prompts him to ask you a question.

"Can you teach me how to fly?"

One young guy, handsome, charming, and with a devil may care smile strides into the room.  He's very well dressed.

"Ah, the far-famed Krillis.  You know, I was offered, several times, the opportunity to apprentice to a Status Board member.  Natural talent.  Problem is, I know what happens if you succeed in that game.  And I had no desire to serve some thing, and be its puppet.  Now, considering I forsook the world for my own pride, why should I forsake my pride and let the little people tell me how to live?"

PT

--Haha, we'll learn it togeather somewhere.  I don't think this place will offer much for that, though.--

When the other man enters the room, I smirk some.  "It feels like my reputation is travelling farther and farther without my permission.  Who are you, again?  I didn't catch your name."

After his answer, I continue.

"Well, who says that you have to listen to the little people?  If you run for an office, you could be a big person directing the little people, couldn't you?  Besides, if this government is done correctly, then the laws should hardly be a hastle for anyone, correct?  They'd just be in place to keep peace."

OOC: Is this Monarchist or Aristocrat?  Also, are there others coming into the room or is it just him?

"I am Lewis De Palmer of the Monarchist Group.  Don't you find that the greatest times in history were when a strong, but kindly man stood at the helm of a society?  I tell you, the De Palmers would never have agreed to this absurdity that the masses forced on us called the Status Board Games.  Which is the problem with your democracy--if people like me were leading, then yes, that would work, but frequently the people find themselves amused by wolves who tell sheep funny stories to keep the sheep from noticing how the wolves are laying out the dinner table.  And in order to keep the wolves in line, you sometimes have to smash them, not just hassle them, and wolves are extraordinarily good at pretending to be injured sheep."

He pauses, and smiles.

"It takes a man of rare discernment to know the difference between a misguided sheep and a wolf laying an ambush.  One you guide gently, the other you gut."

PT

"I want to point something out in my plan.  The Monarchist has the power."

I give a clever smile to him.  "In my plan, the monarch position is in charge of creating a government.  If the monarch were wise, like yourself, then he'd find a way to set up the following government in such a way that the sheep won't be able to be fooled by simple wolves.  Why don't you support this plan and take that step towards a better country?"

I stare him in the eyes the entire time, knowing that I told the truth even though not mentioning the republican balance.

"Would you support me in becoming head of this council?"  He smiles back at you.  You realize you haven't fooled him, but he seems willing to deal if he's assured of your personal support for him.

PT

"Yes.  If you can promise me support from the Monarchists for this plan for future government, then I give you my word that I will support you for such a position."

I nod, somewhat curious as to what he's planning if he does get the position.

"All right, then we have a deal."  He smiles at your look, and you realize behind that carefree look, he's quite perceptive.  "I'm going to try to create a system where the best families will feel a moral obligation to seek high office, and use it to look after their inferiors.  I'm also going to hunt down those who attained high ranks in Hunting, and suggest they leave our fair city.  Or meet justice.  Some of them did it from convenience, or necessity, and those I can spare.  But those who Hunted successfully from love of the game have to go."

He pauses.

"Let me ask you a question, Krillis.  You're unusual.  Not just the breadth of vision to put this together which is not ordinary, but on top of that..."  He slips his hand into his sleeve.  You blink at him.

"You see, any normal person would have ducked and dodged by now.  They would have assumed that I was going for a weapon.  You give it away in other ways.  I look in your eyes, and I don't see fear."

PT

"I believe that I can support that plan.  It will help me to win over more support from the Aristocrats."

I then look at him closely.  "Thank you for the compliment.  You're also very unique yourself-talented in reading people.  Alas, I don't have any more time if this is at an end.  I must meet others to gather more support."

Then, I move closer and offer my hand to shake, "Until next time."

When he shakes, I look him in the eyes.  "One more thing.  Will you let families stay togeather or will you seperate them as they've been seperated so far?"

After his answer, I go to wherever I need to be to meet the Aristocrats and pet my dog until they arrive.

He cautiously shakes your hand.

"A test of trust, I see."

Then you ask your question about families, and he stares perplexed.

"I don't understand.  Families are 'together' by law.  No one would, well few, I respect my father, but he was an oddity, few would stay with their family if they had a choice.  Oh, are you talking about biological families, not the caretaker system?"

PT

"I am referring to biological families.  Will you keep the caretaker system or let parents keep and raise their own children?"

Before I leave, I quickly ask him, "Oh, one more thing.  Do you know any of the Aristocrates personally?  Would you be able to help me persuade them to agree with this plan?"

"I never really thought about that.  But it would be a good way to break the hold of the old system on peoples' minds.  Besides, it might be better, I don't know."  He rubs his head.  "What do you think?"

Again, like with Locke, you're struck by the occasional vast gulfs of ignorance in the people.

"I think I can sway them to your side.  Just leave it to me."  He speaks regarding the aristocrats.

PT

I smile some when his clean-cut thought process apparently vanishes with my question.  "I believe it would be best to leave people with their biological families.  It would set us free from some useless match-ups and let people actually like their parents.  I think biological family bonds will be much closer."

Then, I ask him, seeing that he seems so sure, "If you can sway the aristocrats, will you meet them in my stead, then?  I'd rather not take the risk of me accidentally dissuading such a large group."  If he agrees to go in my stead to the meeting, I tell him the time and place that they'll be.

If it is agreed upon that he'll meet them for me, I go and try to find my Other, telling him that things seem to be going well.  I tell him that I have religious, monarchist, republican, and probably aristocrat support.  I ask what he thinks I should do next.

If he still wants me to meet them personally, I go to the place where I need to meet the aristocrats and pet my dog while I wait.

The Monarchist leader nods in understanding and sympathy with your view.  He assures you that he can handle the Aristocrats.

You find your Other, and he grins when you tell him the tale of your success.

"I've been spreading your ideas among the street action groups like the one you met the Daemon with, and getting a lot of enthusiasm."  He pauses and looks worried.  "On the other hand, I had three separate people ask me if it was true that you were a demon from outside the abyss outside the world.  It looks like someone is spreading rumors about you."

PT

I put my hand to my chin and think for a moment after my Other speaks.  "Well, I'm not sure what you'd consider me as."  I smile as friendly as possible.  "Who knows?  Maybe I am a demon from another world in your opinions; however, I haven't done anything in this world that was malicious.  Can you direct me to anyone asking the questions?  I'll get to the bottom of these rumors."

Once he directs me towards a person or the three people, then I attempt to find them by either asking my Other where they usually are or ask around about them with random people.

Through all of the walking, I try to silently walk, like the dog taught me how to.

You practise your walking, and eventually track down Kimberly.  She is working in an office in cubicleland when you stick your head through the doorway.  It looks like she is an insurance adjuster.

She looks up, nods, and then looks up again with her curly, black hair splashing back from her face.

"You'e Him, aren't you."  She scoots her chair back.

PT

OOC: Has the convention ended?  If so, how far into the future is this?  Is this place part of the same building or a different one where she works?  Are we even in the same city still?

I smile at her as friendly as possible, and answer.  "Yeah, tut, the legend himself..."  I roll my eyes when I call myself a legend.

I can't help but feel awkward when meeting someone who probably things I'm a spawn of satan of some sort.  "I wanted to ask you about something, but that's after I prove to you that I'm not a demon.  Well, that actually depends on what you consider a demon.  I'm not possessed by anything, but I am trying to get stronger.  Don't take that the wrong way-I do have morals."

I pick up the pup and hand him to her.  "This is my pup.  I saved him from a malicious guy with a hammer.  He was going to kill the dog to Hunt.  I hope you don't mind that I've learned your name already.  It's nice to meet you, Kimberly.  I'm Krillis.  I understand if you're still wary and don't want to shake my hand."

I offer her my hand with a smile.  "Why do you think that I'm a demon?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:47, Thu 19 July 2007.

OOC: Same day, about an hour later.  Its a different building where she works about a half-mile down the street.  And yes, the conversation ended.  I'll try to smooth the transition more in the future, and offer more locale info.

IC:

"A demon comes from outside, from the Abyss.  They are evil spirits sent to tempt and destroy humanity.  You appear out of nowhere, like a doppleganger out of legend, and suddenly everything changes.  Sydney gets nuked, and I don't like the Status Board, but how can that be good?  And you have all these strange ideas no one's heard of before, and everyone all of sudden starts speaking of you like you're some sort of genius come to rescue us."

She pauses.

"A friend told me about you. Opened my eyes."

She picks up her cell phone.

PT

OOC: Is the convention that we were attending over or is it multiple days long?

"I see..."  I don't try to stop her from getting out her cell phone, but I lean against the cubicle wall in thought.  "Who knows?  I don't know if you're right or not.  Could it be that the world I'm from is actually the Abyss that you speak of, and the things I'm trying to change are actually going to cause catastrophe?  Could my presence alone have caused Sydney to be nuked...?"

I look at her with confusion, feeling strange from a moment of weakness.  "You seem to be genuine about this demon idea...  I don't know what to do.  I've been only trying to help the world with my own world's ideas...  Do you think things will be better if I keep my mouth shut and not get involved?"

Maybe it's my destiny to destroy worlds...  I've been fighting all of this time.  Even this political nonsense is a battle-to persuade people for support.  Maybe I've been going about everything the wrong way-or maybe the wrong way is my new way of life...

I don't even inquire about the cell phone.

OOC: The convention is Multiple days long, and until everyone leaves, or a constitution is formed.

IC:

"I..I..." She looks confused.  "You're not what I expected." She punches her cell phone.  "Rachel come to my office, right now. I've got a ....situation.  Yes. That situation, but its more complicated than I thought. OK. No, I won't. I will. OK."

She looks up at you.

"Rachel High Summer is coming. She's a priestess of the Old Gods.  She's very wise, and ...powerful."  You can hear the clear warning in her voice.

She stares at you, not really able to answer your questions, but she tries.

"Your world? The Abyss, a place of eternal blackness with no matter, and endless shrieking as any atoms that do form are pulled apart?  What ideas could that place have to help here?"

PT

Still in thought, I think to myself further.  Well, she must've said that no, she won't try to handle me on her own and that she would wait for this Rachel individual...

When she describes the Abyss, I can't help but let out a sigh of relief.  "Whew, that was close.  For a second there, you really had me convinced that I was a demon; however, my world's nothing like the Abyss.  In my world, we have democracy, parks, strip clubs, bars, and english literature tests.  Where should I wait for Rachel?  I just noticed that I'm disturbing you during work.  I'm actually anxious to meet her so that I can prove I'm not a demon.  Is there any way to prove it without dieing?"

I think back, and add on.  "I mean, the Daemon that I killed, a Third Level one, just made a face in the cloud of smoke that was there and tried to intimidate me further.  Maybe I didn't kill him..."

"Um, as I understand it, and I'm only an Initiate. Everyone has an aura, and a shadow.  A demon's aura is black and dark red.  Its shadow is filled with pain.  Some people claim the ground weeps under their feet."

She listens, and shrugs.

"Its supposed to be really hard, maybe impossible to kill a demon.  I've never heard of anyone but a legendary hero or a god killing one.  Most magicians banish them, or tie them up in chains for a thousand years."

PT

OOC: Does my Other have a cell phone, and do I know its number if he does?

I nod some, glad that it can be proven.

"I'm an amateur magician myself, you know.  I can heal people, generate fire, and generate water."  I show her the circle on my gloves as I respectively mention the fire and water.  "It would be interesting to join and learn more, if I'm allowed after I've proven that I'm not a demon that is.  How did you go about getting initiated?  What kind of things do you actually do?"

I simply ask her about what the magicians and heroes are like, and what kind of powers the demons have.  Finally, I inquire about her specifically.

Other than that, I stay there and wait for Rachel to arrive.  I can't help but be anxious, excited that I get to meet someone that's really powerful.  I don't try to hide my excitement from Kimberly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:44, Fri 20 July 2007.

OOC: No, I'm thinking cell phones would be too easily tapped, and hence unpopular with the locals.

IC: "I, well, I read the Book of Shadows, and the Creed of the Old Gods, and uh, I'm not really sure I should be telling you this."

She describes a variety of gods.  It seems she has somewhere above twenty gods she worships, each with their own area, although many overlap.  The magicians find out secrets, and focus their minds to attain wisdom and thus gain power, and go to very strange lands.  The heroes are similar, but they are more physical, and worldly.  Demons are primarily agents of corruption, although some have direct powers of attack.  Demons usually trap the magician or hero through his own weaknesses like fear or greed.

She just says she's an insurance adjuster.  She's clearly holding back information about herself.

You turn and see a woman bedecked with charms, long brown hair with more charms woven into the hair, a gypsy skirt, and a wand in her right hand.  She's entered the office, and looks very out of place.  Her eyes come to rest on you, and she marches up to you.

She pats her handbag.

"Bell, book, and candle are here, demonspawn. You will stop bothering my friend."

"Ah, Rachel, I'm not sure he's a demon."

Rachel blinks. Whispers a few words, and then looks ticked off.

"Kimberly, what is your problem? This is a pure soul.  A hero on quest."

PT

"Told you so..."  I say both friendly and tauntingly to Kimberly.

Then, I look to Rachel and ask directly, "How do I learn to become more like you guys?  I want to learn how to fend off demons and read auras and everything that you know-and more!  How do I go about joining?  I can put all of my time towards this and have others manage the campaign for my plans for the government.  I've already gathered the support for it, and they should be able to handle it.  What do you say?"

I ask her pleadingly, "Will you teach me?  I've already faced a Daemon of the Third Level, and I want to be prepared to defeat more and more-even to travel to the Abyss and fight them in their own ground some day!"

If she accepts, I ask Kimberly if I can borrow her phone and I call the convention center, asking them to relay a message to my Other that I need him to handle the management of my plans, and that I'll be training vigorously for a while.

If she denies me, I continue to ask, even to the point of following her outside.  I tell her that I'm willing to work my way up, and I beg for an initiation.  If it comes to it, I even show her my healing, fire, and water spells.

Rachel looks troubled.

"You're seeking power.  Granted you seek power for the right reason to oppose evil, or at least superficially the right reason.  But how can I know whether you seek power out of a desire to protect or from the glory of combat?"

Unexpectedly, Kimberly comes to your aid.

"But did nor Cormac O'Ghuill, the Hero of the Seven Swords, glory in combat?  He rejoiced in his strength so it says in the Dialogue with the Men of Clouchain."

Rachel looks uneasy like she's been caught, and Kimberly is starting to look furious.

"We're supposed to have moved past those primitive stages in our worship..."  Rachel begins.

"I think someone needs to move past some stages all right."  Kimberly replies obliquely with a definite slice in her tone.

PT

I look at the two of them, somewhat astounded.  These heroes of their past must be very important to them, especially if they're fighting like this over such an opinion.

I look at Rachel and say, "I honestly admit that I do pride myself in combat and I try to increase my strength for that reason as well, but my personal objective is to destroy daemons.  If my morals are wrong, why don't you send me to someone else to train me, or perhaps to teach me morals and train me?"

I nod to Kimberly, accepting her support.

Then, I lean against a wall, watching Kimberly and Rachel closely.

"You..." There is a word missing in her voice, but its clearly thought. "Would not be able to understand.  I can teach you some basic defensive magics, but I won't teach you the power you crave, the ability to harm another."  Rachel says flatly.  Her distrust of you is clear although its obviously not for being a daemon.

"Come on, lets go." Kimberly says.  "I know someone else who knows powerful magics."  She gets up, and half reaches for your arm.

Rachel just glares, and for a second you expect her to go all Yoda on you with a lecture about the Dark Path, and how it will shadow your life from henceforth.

You're confused. There is something going on that you don't quite catch.  Looking up, you see a callow, but well-dressed young guy who's smirking at you, or the situation from across the cubicles.

PT

I don't bother responding to Rachel, and I allow Kimberly to lead me out of the building.

I take note of what the callow man looks like, and if I can infer any deeper emotion in his eyes.  Still, I ignore him and follow behind Kimberly briskly.

Once out of the general area, I decide to speak with her, "You're a rather spirited person, Kim.  You don't mind if I call you Kim, do you?"  Upon her reply, I continue to question her about who the person she's bringing me to is and what kind of magics he or she even knows.  Also, I ask her if she's risking anything by taking me to this person.

I also tell her, "Just so that you know, I do know some magic myself."

Sardonic amusement and a bit of 'you go, guy' directed at you.

"Well, it just angered me the way Rachel was being.  I mean she and her group all talk about how everyone is equal in the sight of the Goddess, but what they mean is something else entirely...." She pauses, and looks a little uncertain. "I mean, I guess. Maybe I was too harsh on her.  She has been a spiritual guide for me."

You ask her about who she is taking you too, and she turns it into a question.

"Well, I was going to take you to Martin Wandstaff.  He's a Man in Black, which is a high priest.  He lives an hour north of her in the state park. Very powerful druid.  But, I could take you just a few minutes away to meet Steven Brown.  I think once he met you, he'd realize he was wrong to think you were a daemon."


PT

Once she's finished, I reply, "It seems to me like you've reached a firm spirituality in a very short time by joining.  I wonder what'll happen when I join up.  I wouldn't mind going to Steven Brown first, to at least dispel any thoughts that I'm a daemon.  How do you know Martin and Steven anyways?"

If she still has a grip on my arm, I smirk some and point out in addition, "If you want to, you can continue to hold on, but I am perfectly able to walk on my own."

"I don't feel like I'm all that grounded, but..."  You make your comment about your arm, and she thinks for a second, and then slips her arm in yours.  "I met Martin after I went to a few meetings.  Steven came and talked to me in a convenience store, and I found we shared the same beliefs."

She takes you across downtown, chatting easily like she's on a date.  Your dog seems to like her as well.

You come to a tattoo shoppe, and suddenly your dog slinks against your leg with the hair on the back of his neck going up.  You feel your stomach shudder.

Rachel lets go and walks forward toward the shoppe.

"Come on, silly." She says with a bright grin while in your imagination you half-expect the shoppe to come alive and eat her.

PT

OOC: Did you mean Kimberly, or did I completely misunderstand?

Feeling the bad aura around the place and looking to my scared dog, I quickly deduce that it's the same as when the daemon approached us at the house, trying to get me to join the Games Board.

I look at her and speak in a lower voice, while rolling up my sleeves.  "You do know that there's a daemon in there, right?  This feels just like the other times that I've encountered their kind."  I then think a little longer.  "If you don't have any way to fight something like that, or any explanation for why it feels like one's in there, then you should probably stay out here and I'll look around inside."

If she agrees, then I go in without her; however, if she urges to come as well, I allow it but I walk in first.  I tell my dog either way, If there's a bad man in here, I want you to point him out for me.  Don't attack him until I do.  I want you to be brave.  I think I've come up with a name for you, but I'll tell you after this.

OOC: Oops, Kimberly.

IC:

Kimberly thinks you're way overreacting.  Its a wonderful place, and you're being silly.  However, you see her eyes, and the pupils are dilated, and her grin is unnatural.

She follows you inside.

There is a man behind the glass counter in a black terry cloth pullover shirt.  Thousands of tattoo art bits are on the walls in display slots.  A metal chair like a dentist's chair is in the middle of the room.

He's spraying something with an airgun for paint in his right hand.

Suddenly you hear your dog growl.

Its a vibrating, rattling thing that promises murder.  You feel his hair standing up, pricking your hand, and you glance sideways to see him with all his hair standing fluffed up...and bigger.  He almost reaches your waist.

The man puts his hand down on the paint on his counter, and the smell of blood hits your nose.  The ground seems to shift under you.

"Well, the rumors did not crush your rep, but they dragged you to my lair.  So, are we going to do this the hard way, or the easy way?"

PT

I take note of where Kim is behind me, while thinking to myself.  It might not be such a good idea to kill her.  She might be innocent and just be being controlled by him, but the odds are she is evil.  The only thing I'm sure of is that he is evil, and very, very powerful.  Still, the demons haven't done anything against me so far, so I should wait a little until I attack.

I look him straight in the eyes, trying not to fall from his power, and I say, "What exactly do you want with me?  Then, I'll decide whether or not I'll spare you.  I mean, it seems to me that you daemons only have the power to scare people.  What do you do when someone isn't afraid of you?  I'm much harder to kill than you might think."

The thought of the dog's mortality runs through my mind, but I ignore that possibility for now, and I pay attention to the demon.

"Good. Negotiation. I would hate to have rip your head off.  While its true that Dk'zyla'vir and his cohorts are fond appreciators of fear, thats because its the most efficient way to corral the sheep.  They don't believe in wasting energy."

You realize you can't read him.  He could be speaking completely honestly or lying up a storm.

"I am a magician.  An apprentice to one of the Council Members who was not in Sydney when...." Something horrific shines with insane rage through his face de-illuminating it from inside.  "The black bird killed my masters with its silver arrow."

"What do I want? Two things. Freedom of religious toleration for the Church of Man, and its associated followers.  Also, I want you to stop sending provocateurs to the areas around you.  We can tolerate your small city-state, but if you keep on trying to expand, we're going to make what happened to Sydney look like mercy."

PT

I can't help but feel dizzy when he talks about Sydney's destruction.  The silver arrow...that must have been the nuke.

As I hear what he says about his wishes, I can't help but feel some slight sympathy.  Could it be that all they want is religious toleration?  They might simply not want to be destroyed.  I personally haven't witnessed them do any harm to anyone.  He hasn't even hurt me.  And the way that he speaks of the daemons...I have to assume that this man is a human, not a daemon himself.

Still in thought, I look over to Kimberly.  She seems to be playing the 'good guys' of this world.  It's clear that her allegiance is with the daemons and this man right here.  I wonder if I'd be able to stand up to his power with my own...I'm not sure if he's seen my kind of magic before or not.

I laugh some under my breath, and can't help but let it grow into one of a malicious nature.  "Fiend, I honestly can't decide whether I should join you or END YOU."

I attempt to turn towards Kim and bring my leg around to kick her in her gut, relying on all of my walldancing training to give my leg enough strength to at least knock her down.

If it's a success, I face Steven.  "If you want to be destroyed, name the time and place.  Other than that, you can either choose to let me leave in peace or try to convince me to join you."

A slight hop, and spin, and you bounce off the chair, and slam a wide-eyed Kimberly in the stomach.  She folds.  The tattoo artist gasps at the same moment.

The magician looks genuinely frightened, and he bows deeply.

"Master, don't hurt me.  I shall leave tonight, and never come back."

Your husky looks young still, but huge.

PT
If you didn't have an Intimidation skill, you do now.

I say to him in the strongest voice I can muster, "No!  I won't show you such mercy.  If you don't want to be ended, you will swear to me now that you will stop your study of Magic, until I approve of you to study it.  To make sure that you will not look into Magic, I forbid your departure from this City-State.  You will not leave town.  You will stay here, and we will talk more about the daemons, starting now!"

"First, I want you to tell me, in detail, what sort of magic you have.  Then, you will tell me everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that you know about the daemons, their powers, and the Abyss.  Do you understand me?"

I look over to my pup to see if he's going down in size at all.  If not, I ask him in dog-talk, --Did you just grow intentionally?  What sort of power is it that you're using?  If you can, please go back to your normal size for now.--

OOC: I didn't have an Intimidation skill yet, I don't think.  So does that mean it's at 1@1?

He looks taken aback, and miserable.

"Master, have mercy.  I have made many bargains with dark spirits that I can not safely break.  But I will tell you what I can, and if that makes you happy, then perhaps...."

He clears his throat.

"I was chosen for my innate talent by a scout of the Council.  They paired me with a Councilman who later I realized was daemonically empowered.  All the Council were.  He began to teach me the mystic words, and the pentagrams, and the materials to summon and control demons.  We make bargains with them in exchange for various powers, or if you are confident, the chance to learn various spells for its like gambling...take more risks, get a bigger reward.  I...am naturally talented.  I turned my magic toward spells that empowered tattoos which is unusual."

He breathes in.

"I know some basic daemon magic.  How to cast fear, enchant, sense the moral weaknesses in another, scry, and the like.  But, unlike most, I went beyond that to True Magic, magic that directly effects the world about us.  This is my tattoo magic."

He looks frightened, and then presses on.

"The Daemons are a group of manipulative spirits who take delight in sadism.  You are right that their primary power is fear, although illusion is not far behind.  They had an Upper Council to match the SBG Council.  Their home is the Abyss which is a hellplane with endless falling air and at certain points-dark matter.  I do not believe they are the greatest there, but..."

He jerks and stiffens.

"My lord does not wish me to converse further.  He offers you life, power, and glory in amounts that 'your pitifully limited brain cannot comprehend'."

To the dog: "Boss, the black bird said I could ask the chained wolf for strength, and so I did."

PT
OOC: 1@3

It seems that Steven would've been quite a formitable opponent.  I'm glad that he stood down before things got too serious.  Things could've ended badly if not.  But still, my pup would've been there to help me, and it seems he has more strength than meets the eye, even though he is innocent.  So now, I am at crossroads.  One path leads to the ways of the daemon, and one path towards this "black raven", which seems to lead the light against the daemons.  For now, I must see how much longer I can walk between the two paths...  I fear that if I go the daemon path, my pup will not be able to keep his sanity as easily as I will, and he might abandon me.  I wouldn't want that...

I nod to myself, and I continue to speak as I pick Kim up and place her in the chair I used to kick her from.  "You'd better tell your 'lord' that I am already an immortal and life isn't something to offer me to persuade me, and I believe that power leads to glory anyways.  So truly, he'd only be able to offer me power."

"Still, before I allow you to continue to speak with your lord, I want you to teach me your daemonic magic, immediately.  I have my own magic, but your technique interests me.  If you start teaching me, I will be willing to negotiate on a deal with your lord."

I confidently continue my stare, while wispering in dog talk to my pup, Do you know how I can find the black raven?  Also, can humans call upon the chained wolf's power?

He reaches down, and pulls out a portfolio.  It holds plastic sheets with black ink drawings.  They are intricate, and many of them make the hair on the back of your neck rise.

"My beginning spells.  If one is wise, one starts with defenses and wards.  Then one moves to bindings and pain for the demon, of course.  After that is summoning your first imp."

He hands you a notebook.

It describes the ritual he endured to create his first warding pattern.  The first pattern must be drawn in one's own blood, on a moonless night, and preferably on the sight of a murder.  He read the papers for a week to find a time when the weather would be socked in, and a man was murdered nearby so he could sneak through the police lines to do his spell.  It also describes the proper pronuciation of a hundred syllable command for the initial pattern.

"Once you cast the initial pattern, its easier the next time.  Any blood will do, and one only needs the first twenty syllables.  And of course, its easier still if you tattoo it into your flesh."

Boss, the bird just walked up to me, and started talking.  I think maybe I could hunt him down.  You're a member of my pack, Boss, you can do it.  I just asked for the chained wolf's power.

I take the notebook.

Then, I address him with further questions, "Does the warding become more powerful the more innocent the murder victem is, or gruesome the death is, even?  After the initial pattern, do I need to still do it on the site of a murder?  If it is tatooed into my flesh, would I only be required to say the incantation, or would I need to even see the tattoo?"

"Also, does it matter what size the pattern is?  For example, would I be able to have a pin prick my finger and write it in that blood very small?  Does dried blood work?"

Then, I think about what he said he was able to do before, and I say, "Personally, I'm more interested in the ability to scry and to see the moral weaknesses of another.  I want you to teach me how to do those things."

==Well, you start with finding an innocent victim, a sheep, and destroying them.  This female will do.  She's easily enchanted.

PT

I further decide to question him.  "Will killing her give me the ability to both scry and sense moral weakness?  Please, describe the ritual required to give me these abilities."

Then, I ask him, "What exactly does the warding circle ward away from me?  I can call elemental wardens without such a circle."

And finally, it seems that I'm met with the crossroads...  Should I walk the path of destroying a mortal just to gain power?  The power could help me do good in this world, and in others.  Is saving many worth destroying a few?  The spoils from defeating this man mentally...is causing me to contemplate more than if it had been a just fight.

I look at the woman and see what my gut tells me about her mind.  I rely on my gut to tell me if she's evil, good, or able to be turned towards the light.

"Hmm. I was more thinking just breaking her mentally, but you have a point.  Blood and death are more powerful.  Besides,  I've never done it, but there is supposed to be a way to scry using the intestines of one's enemies...."  He reaches for a book, and then another, and another, and starts thumbing through them looking for information.

"Oh, daemons and the like.  You never want to call a daemon without some form of protection."  He speaks absently as he studies a page.

You look at Kimberly, and study her.  She seems mostly well-meaning with a touch of greed, and she seems to be the sort that is easily influenced.  You suddenly realize with a flush to your cheeks why she and Rachel were fighting, and the guy was smirking at you.

Rachel and Kimberly were having a very polite fight about...you.  Dating material.  There was some religious element to it that you still don't get, but that was the pretext for the real fight which was 'which girl do you leave the room with?'  And that was why the guy was smirking at you because he saw it, and he thought it was pretty funny.

PT

I mumble to myself, "Well, I can't very well kill you, now can I?"  Instantly, I feel as if the temptation of power is gone.

I put the book for Warding down on his table and then I simply say, "Okay, I only want one thing from you and then I'm gone.  I simply want you to give me a book on scrying and, unless you mess with me, I'll be out of here and I'll leave you alone.  I'd perfer the book to involve as little about killing people or harming others as possible."

If he doesn't have the book, I don't pressure him to give me anything at all.

With or without the book, I pick up Kim and head out of the tattoo parlor.  Once outside, I pat her cheek a little, trying to get her to wake up.  "Hey, hey, are you okay?  I need you to take me to the magician you know accross town...and I'd like this one to not be under the control of a Daemon, if at all possible."

I await her reaction, ready to defend myself if she holds a grudge to me knocking her out.

He thinks for a second, reaches for one book, and then goes to another.

"This is a Gray Magic book."  He hands it to you.

You can see the title is "Defenses and Senses" with the author being High Mage Carponicus the Great.

She wakes up.

"Who, what hit me?"  She blinks at you.  "He's a nice man, the tattoo guy.  Very sweet. I don't know where you get this Daemon controlling him thing."

Looking at her, you can not exactly see, but understand the damage mind controlling spells can do.

She takes you out of the city northward recovering her good mood as you go.  Along a deserted country road, she giggles and points back a hundred feet.

"That was the turn-off."

She backs it up, and turns into a pair of dirt ruts that wind through an apple orchard.  You feel a sense of rising danger, and looking out your window you see a dire wolf pacing the car about thirty feet away.

PT

OOC: I assume that we are now in a car.

"If you would please, stop the car, but stay here."  I tell Kim, then look to my pup, and dogtalk to him, --C'mon, I want to know why that guy's following us.  I plan on asking, so unless he attacks us, don't attack first, okay?--

On the way to the dire wolf, I ask the pup, --How do you request the strength of the chained wolf?--

Upon the answer, I shout in dogtalk to the dire wolf, --I'm Krillis.  What do you want with us, respectable beast?--  I keep my eyes on it, waiting for an answer or some sort of response.

Just ask, you want me to ask for you? I'll do it.

Your dog answers.

Suddenly you feel a roaring fury inside you.  Its a mind that is determined to be free.  It rages, but at the same time you feel the delicate slice of humor and wit.

*Your companion, a most unusual creature, a wolf who can speak called me.  Do you wish to share with Fenris, the Wolf of Chaos, the Master Wolf, the Firstborn of those who Hunt?"

The car stops, and Kimberly reaches under her seat and pulls out a taser.  She tests it,a nd it zaps.  She shrieks a little bit in fright.

You get out of the car.

The animal walks toward you, and as it does the shape of the wolf falls away until you're not sure why you though it was any other than a man.

"I am Blackstaff.  Poor Kimberly, you have been touched by a demon. You on the other hand...."

PT

I answer the creature questioning me of the wolves.  *Can I call on a different wolf every time that I ask for the help of the chained wolf, or is what I pick permanent?  Can you describe the three for me?*

When we reach Blackstaff, I can't help but be relieved at what he says about Kimberly.  "You are powerful, and of the light, aren't you?  You were using the power of the chained wolf, weren't you?  It's an honor to meet you.  I'm Krillis."  I offer him one of my hands to shake.  "If you don't mind, could you teach me how to help Kim?  She thinks that man I spared is good, and 'sweet'."  I can't help but smile wide, seeing someone who probably knows so much.

"I am Fenris. Those are my titles.  I have others."  The voice in your mind speaks.

Blackstaff nods.

"Yes, as are you although I see a great temptation has passed by you, but you chose wisely.  I let Fenris the God-Wolf use me in this world for his will.  He is not evil although in teh last day he will eat Odin, but that will be too spare Odin from the humiliation of falling prey to the giants.  Better a death in battle than to be a slave to evil.  And that is young Kimberly's problem.  She is too open, too sweet.  She doesn't realize that some things cannot be negotiated with.  For some creatures there is only death or victory.  This leaves her open to seductive influences that come with lying smiles.  And I do not speak of Rachel Highsummer in this, although it is her fault.  Although she would never admit it.  Their problem is they are too nice.  Sometimes the world is tragic. In the end, the world will fall, and Odin will die, and all mankind will perish.  But on that Last Day, I will make the giants bleed."

He softens.

"So you want to drive the car up to my cabin?  A little bird told me I had visitors.  I have steaks on the grill."

PT

*I do wish to share with Fenris.  How will I go about calling on your aid?  And what do you want in return from me?  I am willing.*

I listen very intently when he talks about Odin and the giants.  I think I recognize this story from my own world.  What is this...do they believe in the Norse myths?  I'll look into it later, when the time comes.

I respond to his statement of my temptation, "Yes, I admit that I was tempted.  It's strange, because such a simple matter as Kim and Rachel fighting over me was what snapped me out of it.  I find that daemons' humans get scared easily when up against someone who's unafraid.  I managed to get a book of Gray Magic when I asked about scrying without killing people."

When we reach the cabin, I hand him the book that Steven gave me, so that Blackstaff can look at it.

*Call on Me.  I am a God. I wish devotion.  A life lived according to my tenets.  I am not a jealous God like the Christian God, or some others. However, if you serve my enemies I will not be pleased.  I stand for unconstrained freedom and honor.  The Good Hunt, not this pitiful corrupt thing they had in this world.  It made a stink in my nose.*

Blackstaff nods.

He tells you he will explain at the house.

Once inside, he begins brewing a tea.

"You have to understand the nature of Hell, to understand the daemon mage's reaction.  There is no equality in Hell.  One is either a sadistic master, or boot-licking slave. If he thought he had the advantage over you, he would have tormented you with great enthusiasm."

He examines the book.

"Its fine." He tosses it back.  "Basic Medieval hermeticism. If you like algebra and calculus, you'll do fine.  If, like me, balancing a checkbook is a trial, well, you'd do better elsewhere. Another point, Daemon magic is drawing from a Daemon.  My magic, Rachel's magic, is drawing from the Old Gods.  The Christian preachers I saw you with on television draw their power from the One God.  They were praying outside the convention for their God's blessing on things to which I heartily concur.  This book is different.  Its a hammer and saw.  Its a tool.  Its neither good nor evil nor particularly religious except that it acknowledges the existence of powers beyond the merely material."

PT

*Then yes, I wish to share with you, Fenris.*

I respond happily about the book.  "Well, I was in Pre-Cal before I became a verser, so I'm pretty good at math.  I don't think it'll be a problem."

"Please, Blackstaff, will you teach me how to call on the gods for their aid?  I want to take the fight to the daemons, but I don't believe I'm equipped enough yet."  I can't stop myself from asking another answer, in case he replies negetively.  "Can you tell that I'm a verser?"

OOC: I'm not sure if I put Math as a skill or not, but there are soooo many realms of skills.  I don't have it listed on my sheet, so should count it as one or not?

When you agree to share with Fenris, you suddenly feel a presence inside your head and heart.  Its strong, and vibrant.  It laughs at danger which is a dry cliche' except you can feel the bubbling laughter in your soul.  The day seems brighter, and the air sweeter.

The feeling fades, and you feel yourself again.

Blackstaff gives a heavy-eyed Kimberly some tea to drink, and hushes you for a bit.  He sits down and plays a long slow lament on a pipe as she drinks.

"You have been injured child, and you don't realize it.  But your heart aches.  We shall heal you, and make you whole, and perhaps make you more than that.  Now...sleep."  Kimberly conks out in the chair, and Blackstaff rescues the tea.

"Sleep is one of the best cures for mental problems.  And being enchanted against your will and knowledge by a daemon is pretty certain to cause mental problems.  If you walk this path, you may find things that mere sleep will not wash away."

He raises an eyebrow at you.

"Another thing, I teach primarily offense.  Rachel Brightsummer and her kindred do not like me.  They think me violent, and bloody, and mad.  The Christian preachers understand me better because they are men.  But even they think of defense.  Oh, they can exorcise a daemon, bind it in chains and send it Below.  But all these people have forgotten the power of the Gods.  Elijah their prophet would be ashamed of them.  He called down fire to roast his God's enemies.  I Hunt.  I see out Daemons, and call down lightning.  I summon up wolfly allies of the spirit world.  I cut runes of devastation into walls.  I send plague and famine to my lord's enemies.  I spit in the eye of evil, and my spit is acid."

He pauses.

"Now if you want to meet a god..."  He opens the back door to the deck.  A black crow or raven flops through.

"You got a spare eyeball.  I'm a mite peckish."  The bird says.

PT

"Well, I was gifted with two, but I hardly consider either one a spare, good raven."  Then, I look closer at the black bird, "Have we met before?"

I wisper to my dog, Is this the bird that told you about Fenris?

Then, I proceed to address the black bird.  "Good raven, please help me in my struggles against the daemons.  I'm ill-equipped to fight them successfully."

"I think I would remember, or perhaps its remember what I thought...."  The bird begins.

"Its hard to get a serious answer from Huginn." Blackstaff says with a laugh.

"Yes, I am." The bird says when you talk to your dog.  "Its rude to speak like that, trying to hide things from me.  Puny verser."

Your dog agrees, and growls at the bird.  Which sets the bird to laughing.

The bird sighs in response to your request.

"Great, just great."

Blackstaff laughs.

"The first spell to learn is Call Fury Down.  It brings the angry and painful presence of your deity into the area and the spirit you are directing this attention at is made uncomfortable.  Depending on one's faith, skill, and intent it can range from mild discomfort to screaming agony.  And since my lands are warded against evil spirits, you get to practise on Huginn here."  He shows you a rune carved into a dagger's hilt, on both sides.  He shows one side to Huginn, and the other side to himself.

"Fill your mind with the meaning of the rune.  And then speak."

He cries out in a loud voice in a foreign language.  The only word you faintly recognize is Fenrir.  The black bird wilts as if its been struck.  You feel a wrathful presence in the room like that of Fenris when you communed with him.

Blackstaff hands you a similar dagger, and a sheet of paper with words and phonetic symbols.

PT

After Huginn's response when I talk to my dog, I ask my pup in human-speech.  "Wait...  Can you understand me when I talk like this?  I thought you were only able to understand me when I spoke in your speech."

Whether or not the dog understands, I proceed to follow Blackstaff's instructions.  "This should be interesting..."  I glare very slightly with a smile at Huginn.

I hold the dagger just like Blackstaff showed me, and then I try to focus deeply.  "I'm going for as strong as I can muster, understanding what you've said."

I use the practice I've already had with the runes written on my gloves to focus on the one engraved in the dagger.  Then, I think to the deity.  Fenris, I've seen and felt your strength before, and I know you have the power.  Lend it to me!  Then, I focus on Huginn's annoying qualities and responses as much as possible, considering they're all I have to work with.  I then proceed to say the spell that Blackstaff gave me.

OOC:  What's Kim doing anyways?  Is she still unconscious or just standing around or already gone?

The dog doesn't understand.  Which means Huginn can understand dog speech, and doesn't mind showing off.

Kim is currently passed out on a reclining chair.  She has a blanket put on her up to her chin, and is snoring very lightly.

You call up Fenris's power, and the bird staggers back.  He stands there for a minute taking the beating as your exhilaration peaks, and you begin to tire, and then the power tapers off.  You realize you're shaking after the power ends.

After that, they give you some cold water to drink, and let you calm yourself as your emotions are bouncing almost out of control.

"The next thing in fighting spirits is knowing when they are there."

They teach you a simple spell, a few words, a rune on a piece of wood, and a moment's concentration to reveal the presence of bane spirits.  The raven tells you that it can take this form to fool your senses.

And after that, you play a game of blind man's bluff with the raven.  You're blindfolded, and relying on your spell to guide you.

By the time you're done, you're trembling with exhaustion.

"Tommorrow we teach you how to enter a vision so that you can pit your physical as it were against the spirit.  This is the traditional way for one of us to deal with a spirit.  It has the advantage of allowing our sword training to be used as magic."  Blackstaff says as night falls.

PT

PT

I ask Blackstaff if he minds if I stay in his house.  If he gives me a positive answer, then I politley ask where he'd like me to sleep.

Even though I'm exhausted, I look at the gray magic book that Steven gave me when I asked about scrying, and I browse the contents for things that I recognize.  If I'm too tired to even browse, I go to sleep.  If not, I go over the long phoenatic spelling sheet and then go to sleep, after a final weak attempt to scan the room for spirits.

OOC: Did he give me the knife and the stick with the runes on them and the phoenatic spelling of words?  Are the runes different?

Blackstaff gives you the guest room.  Like the rest of the extensive cabin, its decorated in a masculine style.  By this time you're almost certain Blackstaff has lady friends, but no permanent girlfriend.

The book of scrying tells you how to use a consecrated to magic bowl, an eagle feather, fire, and trance-state mathematics to work the Eagle's Eye.  The mathematics seem doable.  It involves calculating how many beats of a wing, the eagle that you took the feather from would have to fly in order to get to the height and distance you wish to observe from.  So noting the size, weight, and and etc. of the eagle is important.  Then multiplication enters in.  It also refers to the Para-Synthetic Creation of a Ghost Eagle which it says is harder, and requires greater skill in the maths.  But it is an alternate method of using the spell.

The mattress is hard, but sleep hits you harder.  Within seconds you're asleep.

Breakfast is bacon, eggs, and buttermilk biscuits cooked on the outdoor grill on the deck out back.

"I've decided to start you on something easy this morning.  Charm a fish.  Its useful for your studies as well.  You can learn how to charm a spirit as well."  He hands you a rune, and a knife, and points out to the small lake back of the house.  " I need some time to talk to Kimberly alone."

PT

I travel towards the lake with the rune and knife in hand.

--Okay, it looks like I'm a full-fledged pupil for Blackstaff now.  I hope you don't mind the seclusion that might result?--  I ask my dog, as we head down.

I take the rune and focus on it, then on a fish.  I'm actually curious about what charming a fish will do to the fish, but I pay attention to see the results as I attempt to charm one.

OOC: Did he give me a knife the other day with the Call Fury Down rune on it, or was it to borrow?  Same question for the stick with a rune on it, and this one that I am trying to charm fish with.

Your dog (name is again?) looks at you as if you were crazy.

*Squirrels. Mice. Bunnies. Strange smelling predators that smell tasty.  Woohoooooooooooo!*  He leans back and gives vent to a doggie howl of joy.  And then he charges splashing into the lake.  As abruptly he comes out.  *Cold, cold.*  He looks up at all the giant trees that fill the 'backyard' of this country cabin. *got to mark my territory, boss, okay?  Do you want me to bring back a bunny for you?*

You feel a union with the fish you spot.  You cannot quite complete the link because you're standing on land.  But once you wade hipdeep into the chilly water, it accepts its destiny, and floats up to the surface right in front of you.

After you've done as you will with the fish, the lake freezes solid in seconds, trapping you.

PT

I tell my dog that I don't need any bunny, but he can go play around if he likes.  I also assure him that he will soon be named.

When the water around me freezes, I think, I don't think so...  Then, I focus on my fire symbol on my glove, and towards putting as much fire into my hands, which I put against the ice around my hips and shout "AMEN!" to activate the flames.

After attempting to heat up the ice, I use the strength I have to break free of it.  I even call on Fenris for the strength to break out of the ice.

Your fire flares out and bathes you in searing hot steam blinding you.  You call out to Fenris, and you hear another voice respond...

"Now, now Son of Adam, no need to call on the Wolf.  You've got me, Loki, friend of man."  You feel a shattering pain in your chest, and the steam coalesces into the figure of a man ten feet tall.

His clothing is Viking, his beard jagged and sharp, his hair is bright red like fire, and his eyes are intelligent, amused, and pitiless.  You look down and his left hand is in your chest.

"If you want to live, swear loyalty to Me, Loki Odinson."

PT

OOC: Botch, followed by a real bad dice roll on the effects.

"Sorry, Odi, but I don't want to pledge my loyalty to you.  I'll be loyal if you earn it."  I give him my most confident look, sure of myself.  "Go ahead and kill me if you have to.  I'm not afraid."

While I speak, I attempt to summon as much energy as possible for my fire spell.  I wonder if Loki can be burnt...  If I'm still alive, I look at the image on my glove and shout, "AMEN!!" as loud as possible, picturing Loki engulfed in flames.

OOC: Did Blackstaff give me the property-a knife and stick with runes on them?

"You insolent dog!" Loki Odinson crushes your heart as you flash flame at him. Whether it hits, or whether he brushes the impudence away, you never no. Your body spasms, and you find yourself running beside a wolf.

"Fate cannot be avoided. It can only be met with courage." The wolf says, and ....


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Next world is "Krillis and XXXX" once I figure out which one to send you too.  Hmm, Placeholder....:)