Jagged triangles of fuschia sweep you up, and dump you into an array of magenta octohedrons which you fall through and onto a mat filled with slithery apricot squares with ...

...A very strong grape smell.

A hand is grabbing the back of your shirt and pulling you up. You're spitting out something grape in your clogged mouth.

"Yas, soken, luddie?" You hear a male voice from behind you.

You open your eyes, and  you're chest deep in a vat of crushed grapes and a a girl with her legs stained purple is staring at you with her mouth open.

"Papa, mujik manny."

PT

(Gah, I forgot that I made a promise to Morpheus.)

I reach out mentally to the girl who's talking, so that I might be able to get the jist of what she's saying.  Whether or not I'm getting help, I'll lift myself up and get out of the vaut of grapes I'm most likely in.

Slightly embarassed about this verse, I can't help but blush for a moment; however, I'll then get hard eyes and picture a flame appearing in my hand.  I'll then proceed to say "Amen" in an attempt to summon fire in my hand, in plain sight of the girl.

You almost catch what she's saying, but then it slips through your fingers like sand.

Reaching for the magic, you feel it far off, and then contact is made and fire blooms from your hand. She stares in awe as her father drags you with your help out of the vat. He's got a hold of the back of your shirt, and its not unlike riding an elevator as he casually lifts you, and then deposits you on the ground.

He starts in on you with some complaint, but the girl overrides him with her near shrieks of ...

"Menlo, menlo, menlo, papa, menlo..."

The whiskered and leathered older man stops in his incipient tirade and looks closely at you and how you're dressed. He's wearing boots, plaid shirt too short in the arms, suspenders. He nods.

"Ah, yar riut, giral. Menlo."

He holds out a huge hand for you to shake.

PT

I extinguish the flame in my hand, and I address the man who I assume is the girl's father.  I shake his hand and attempt to pry into his mind to see emotions and surface concepts.

Once I've shaken the man's hand, I'll perform another feat in front of them.  I'll attempt to create a green healing energy ball between my hands again, both to see if I can and to show them that I'm powerful.

After that, I try to feel for vectors to my things and Kox.

Did I have the mohawk long enough in my last world to have versed with it?  Also, when I tried to read the woman's emotions, did it feel like it was more difficult than normal?

When prying into his mind, you pick up a few concepts.

He's a vineyard owner, a proud if worried father of four girls, and he thinks of you as a 'Menlo Park Man' which is both a good and somewhat worrisome thing. You also see how he twists his language....

"Mujik, manny" becomes "Magic man".

They speak English, just not a dialect you're at all familar with.

1@1 Simple Surface Concepts (Psi).

He nods, and then the two of them clap after you summon the healing ball of energy. Evidently you've convinced them you're a stage magician....

The effort to read the girl's mind did not seem any harder than the last world.

"Let's get you sprayed down and have Daphne here wash your clothes. I am Alexander Rostov, my father fought Napoleon outside Moscow, but he retire here to Pacifica where its peaceful."

Kox comes bounding up to you, looking relieved, and then curious, and then he starts licking the grape skins off your pants legs. You reach out for that sense of other versers, and you feel at least a dozen contacts, most of them toward sunrise.

PT
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:15, Thu 02 Oct 2008.

I look in the direction of the vectors, and my eyes glow.  Versers...  I'll allow this family to help me get cleaned for the time being, and I try to focus on communicating with them rather than the vectors.

"This is Kox, my dog and companion through my travels."  While they're helping me get my clothes and myself clean, I will inquire about menlo park, as well as what magic men are like and what magic they usually know.

"Most magic, laddie, is just a matter of quick hands, but there be some men of power that can lay a curse or bring rain, or tell you how to twist the ley lines so that your farm profits. I've heard of some who can start fires with the snap of their fingers, but no one I knew had seen such a thing." The papa says as he pumps water from a pump in the ground in the middle of the yard and then sluices a bucket of ice cold water over your head.

"I hear tell Menlo Park made those newfangled electric pumps. That'd be nice."

In a few minutes you're clean and dressed in a burlap bag dress. Its not the best thing to meet a bevy of laughing girls in. But papa has mercy on you, and chases them back inside.

"Menlo Park is on the east coast, up near Bostontown somewhere. Its where all the wonders come from. Its what made Pacifica the greatest nation in the world. A lot of very strange people live there, but they don't seem to harm anyone so I say let them be. And I say, you're one of them."

PT

I'll look him in the eyes with determination.  "Yes, I am one.  I need to get back there as quickly as I can.  Could you, by chance, help transport me over there?  I can teach you an ability that will help produce water."

If he agrees, then I'll draw the symbol of water for him, tell him to focus on the symbol and what results of water he wants, then to say "Amen."  I'll show him an example of it as well, slowly, so that he might get the hang of it.

If/When he's willing to transport me, I'll follow his lead about how to reach Menlo Park.

"Well, yes." He brings you over to a dial phone in the kitchen next to the back door. "Dial in #123456789, and it will connect you straight through."

You do, and you hear some breathing on the line.

"Party line, old Mrs. Henderson's a nosy one, doesn't have enough work to keep her busy." He says.

"Menlo Park College of the Arts. If you are claiming admission status due to extraordinary origins, please be discreet, but we require confirmation before we send out the Flying Pig to pick you up." A cooly businesslike voice comes on the line, and you hear a distinct uptake in breath from your eavesdropper.

PT

"Flying Pig?  Haven't seen one of those yet, but I suppose I can believe it.  Have you heard of the natural rights mentioned by John Locke, a native from where I'm from, or perhaps Mr. Cooper if you've been to another place I have.  Or perhaps you've heard of some famous people from my town, named George Bush, Mr. T, and Rocky Balboa?"

I assume that this might be enough, so I'll stop unless prompted to continue.

"I know a GB who was head of the National Hockey League." The voice replies questioningly. You reply "President of...well, not that."

"OK. Good enough. Give the phone to the local."

You do, and there is some conversation about the location.

The farmer hangs up the phone with a big smile.

"He said he will be here in five hours. So, food, sleep, a party? Right now your clothes are being cleaned."

You can see a gleam of avarice in his eyes, and glad welcome at the same time.

PT

I nod my head at the man, and say, "Food would be fantastic, as long as it's not too much trouble."

I'll take whatever he offers me, and I'll wait for the flying pig to arrive.

He laughs.

"My friend, we will have a feast, a quick one, but the reward for returning one of your kind to the College is great. I will have half a years money from my vineyard in exchange for your use of my barrel as a swimming pool."  He slaps you on the back, and runs off to fetch things, and people.

Within two hours, you see fifty people dancing and eating cold lunchmeats, drinking grappa, grape juice,k tossing olives ten feet in the air to catch them in their mouths, and heavily vinegarred salad. There are two violins playing, one in the kitchen is slow and sweet, the other is in the yard where wild dancing is underway.

Everywhere you go, you get someone trying to talk to you. Some are plain-spoken farmers, some are seed salesmen, and about half are vineyarders. You get practically abducted when you pass the dancing, as two girls and a guy drag you onto the dusty circle in the front yard.

Kox loves it. He runs around barking everywhere, and snagging bits of ham off the buffet table.

In the midst of the partying, a four stubby winged, fat-bodied, quad proppeller plane wanders out of the sky, and thumps to a landing on a nearby road.

You sense a verser on board.

PT

I shake hands and make my introductions to everyone.

When I'm taken to the dance floor, I do my best to integrate into their dance style with them.

When I finally feel the vector, I can't help but get excited.  It's a place where versers are known and accepted in the world-a place where versers use knowledge to help the world...  Maybe I've finally found a place I can comfortably settle down at.

Do I recognize any vectors that I feel in this world: anyone I've met-perhaps even "T"?

With all my things, I walk to the aircraft slowly, with my hands out in the open so that the other verser can see them.  I present open palms to reveal that I'm not holding any weapons as well.  I'll follow the procedure of whatever the verser on the chopper wants.

Vectors feel the same whether its T or anyone else.

A thin man in a long leather duster with a metal hand, and a severe look that breaks into a smile reaches out his human hand to shake yours.

"I'm the Walking Man. And this is..."

He points to the cloaked female next to him with the incongruous Rayban sunglasses over her pale features and frosted hair.  She removes her glasses, and you see white eyes with flecks of crystal in them.

"Its the Magister of the Northern Wind. Krillis, how good to see you again."

"And this is Alf Liskgar of the Light Elves." The Walking Man finishes.  A rabbit hops up between his feet and wanders over to you.

"And this is Fluffy, or Dumb Bunny." He finishes sourly.

They're all versers.

PT

I'll extend my hand to each of them in order of introductions, offering my hand to Fluffy last.  You never know who's sentient these days.

When I shake Alf's  (the female you described?) hand lightly, I tell her, "It's nice to meet you, I can't say that I've seen you before-perhaps a temporal fluke in the multiverse?"

I'll greet each one likewise, except for the address involving our 'past' meeting.  I make further introductions.  "By the way, this is Kox.  He's pretty smart.  He can talk on a decent level, in dogtalk at least."

I dogtalk in front of them.  --Don't you?--

Whenever they're ready to leave, I'll go with them.  On the way, I'll ask Alf, "So, what am I like in the future, then?  What does the title 'Magister of the Northern Wind' entail?"

The bunny climbs up into your hand, and expects you to pick him up.

The girl, Alf Liskgar, takes your hand, and then does the Walking Man. Hers is cool, almost cold. His is strong, and hard and bony. Fluffy is a bit heavier than you expect, but soft and cuddly, and clearly a pet.

"Of course, I know Kox." Alf Liskgar bends over and begins to speak to him in dogtalk.  Kox licks her nose.

*I like her, boss* He says.

"Of course, you do. In your future, we'll be friends. Thats in my past, and no, Krillis, I'm not going to tell you about it. Marty, he talked about strange dooms, a wyrd upon the universe, and I trust the sage." Alf Liskgar says.

"Temporal paradox." The Walking Man explains with a small grin. "Alf is stuck somewhere in the Bronze Age. And Marty is a Martian Terraformer Project Leader from the 24th century. He's...smart. Gengineered smart. He's back at Menlo Park."

PT

I'll lift the bunny, and I'll attempt to talk to it via magic, using my magical communication with Kox as an example.

Can I understand what Alf says to Kox?  I do know dogtalk.

"It seems like you all have been doing plenty of work here.  Should I assume that Menlo Park is available to any verser to join?  I'd love helping this world out.  In fact, I think that I can interest you all in something as well, if you could help me master it.  I have a theory that I may have accidentally opened a portal to another universe in my last world.  The metal monster that came through it is the reason why I'm here."

I'll gladly go with them on the helicopter if they want me to, and to Menlo Park if I'm invited.  "So, could I talk to Marty directly when we get to Menlo Park?"

*Verser. Friend* The bunny replies. You don't get a sense of a lively or as deep an intelligence as you get with Kox.

Alf said....

"Are you just the cutest little puppy? Yes you are. Yes you are. You don't remember me, but you will. I'll give you a treat later when your master isn't looking."


The Walking Man nods.

"Yes, we have billboards and signs on barns all over the world. And we have a telephone number anyone can call. We get a lot of crank calls.  But any verser can join. You pay for the college by helping out. Teach what you know. Learn from others. Help with various projects. And yeah, the Deans of the College are trying to help or shape this world. We've got a lot of power here, of course, you know what they say about power." He frowns.

"My friend is a cynic. He would not think, the glass is half-full. He would think...the glass is poisened." Alf says.

"Its more of a question of can you understand him. He's way more than a standard deviation smarter than any of us. But yeah, he'll at least meet with you." the Walking Man says as he walks into the helicopter, and leads you to a luxurious chair.

"I'll be your pilot today. Alf doesn't get along with machines." TWM leaves for the front and the bunny follows him.

"I stay in this world with its cold machines and small amount of magic because of fellowship, and because I can give this world some little bit more magic. Maybe some day, I can awaken the rocks and the streams from their long sleep, eh?"

PT

I'll address a few things with my new friends while we're on the chopper, unless there isn't time to or the two of them are too busy.

"I have projects that I'd like to investigate as well.  For example," I pull out the white crystal that I got from Devlin, which he claimed to have telekinetic properties, "I fought a vampire and pulled this off of him.  He said that it has telekinetic properties; however, I don't know if it's a good idea to trust him on that.  I thought that, if you're good with magic, Alf, you could sense its magical properties?"

I present the crystal for her to investigate.

Also, I mention, "I thought it'd be of importance to add on that I've opened a gate to another dimension, I believe.  I was curious if I could get any sort of help in researching this.  We could potentially network out to other worlds.  What do you guys think?"

On the way, I'll see if Alf would like to exchange methods for summoning fire, summoning water, and charming magically.  I'll also present to her something I take pride in-I'll create a ball of healing energy for her to see.

Do I now have the skill Bunnytalk?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:06, Mon 13 Oct 2008.

"I'm suprised future me didn't mention it.  I'm on good terms with the Chained Wolf, Fenris, and I suppose he helps me with my attempts sometimes when I don't try to call for him.  Do you have the assistance of a god when you cast?"

Then, it all of a sudden reminds me of another god-Morpheus.  "Alf, I need to build a temple here, on this planet.  I swore a duoambivalence oath to the god of sleep that I'd build a temple on the next world I went to.  I need to get money for this world-is there a way for that at Menlo park?"

I'll put the white crystal away, eager to try it out later.  So that must mean that it has a psionic quality to it, rather than a magical one.  It also means Alf knows how to sense magic in objects-which would be a useful skill to trade for.

"What exactly is a Mirror Room, and how do I make one?"

I just wanted to let you know I'm all for landing whenever you want to.

"Sometimes. I am a worshipper of the Aesir. Freya created my kind." She listens gravely when you tell of your need to build a temple. "Aye, an oath given can be a heavy weight, and some gods are understanding, but others take offense at the least slight. I am glad I was not born of the Olympians. That lot tends to anger easily."

She gets up and walks up front. After a couple minutes she comes back.

"The Walking Man is a follower of the White Christ, but he says you should have no problem finding a small cottage you can turn into a temple on Menlo Park grounds."

She takes out some chalk, and sketches a design on the floor. It shows a nine sided room...

"Nine for the worlds of the Tree."

...with each side having a mirror...

"This enables the mage to see himself more clearly and to focus the magic more clearly. Also, there are ways, I am told of using the mirrors as a trap for enemies who try to attack you. Naturally, this will be a perfect circle, basic protection and purification."

She goes on to explain Nordic magic with plentiful helpings of other systems as well.  It gets pretty deep, and by the time  you land, the floor is covered by dozens of scribbles and the chalk is worn down to a nub.

The side door opens, and a familar looking man with bright red hair pokes his head in.

"This needs to be..."

"George. Student's privilege." Alf says and leaps over him. TWM laughs and walks on to the door.

"Ah. Well, you get to clean it up since you're the student. Welcome to the college. I'm the temporary Dean of the college. You can call me George or Mr. Washington."

PT

"You kidding?  That's a work of art right there-an addition to this contraption.  Now versers will be able to get stuff done on the long ride here.  Plus, it's my first day-give me a break!"

I'll jump out like Alf did, using the power of my over-exercised legs.

"Mr. Washington, I need to find a cottage that I could use for a temple.  I swore an oath to Morpheus, and I'd prefer not to get on the bad side of a god.  Could you help me out with that?  I figure I need a small, black notebook, some black candles, and a couple beds to complete the insides of the temple."

If I must, I'll use my magic to clean up the mess inside the chopper.  After that, though, I'll immediately work on getting an unused cottage.  I'll ask Mr. Washington if the things I requested will cost anything of me, and what the price would be for them.

If the cottage can't be worked out at the moment, I'll go with Alf so that we can exchange methods of casting spells with one another.  I'll also ask her if she can teach me any other elemental magics, like wind, earth, or lightning, as well as the wardens for them.

"No break, sir. Its the way of the College. You serve as helper to your teacher when in class, and you teach in your turn or serve some other way to pay for your classes."  Mr. Washington points toward a clean-up cabinet. "However..." He vaults up five feet one handed into the chopper bay, and pulls out a Polaroid camera.  He takes a couple pictures of the drawings and one of you.

You use your magic to clean up.

"Come with me, sir. I think we can fix you up."  He leads you into the building and down a main hall, and then into a nice restauraunt.

"This is the Commons area. We have labs, private buildings, homes, storage areas. All told, we have seventy-four buildings, and at least thirty are not in use right now."

He takes your picture and attaches it to a billboard with a dozen other pics.  You recognize Alf, TWM, and Mr. Washington. Next to it is another billboard with far more pictures, some hand-drawn.

"I need to know what classes you can teach." He says as he walks on and out of the Commons Building to a large warehouse with a guard who lets you both in with a smile.

Inside are rows and rows of objects both common and weird.

"If we have it, its in here."

He turns about and takes you from there to two cottages side by side.

"These are both empty and in decent condition, but they could use some work. We try to rotate the use of the cottages to make sure each gets some care. Pick one for your home, and the other for your temple. Supper is at seven o'clock sharp. Snacks are available at other times. Room and board are on the college. We ask that you be discreet in public as we keep many secrets here."

When I see the pictures, I decide to skim the hand-drawn ones to see if I recognize any of the faces on them.  I'll also inquire about them to Mr. Washington, "Excuse me, but what are these pictures of?  Are these versers that we've met before?"  Faces I keep an eye out for ar 'T', Avahur, myself and Devlin.

I get a little nervous when he talks about me teaching a class.  "I'm still much a student to many subjects that I could teach.  I know some esper skills, some magic, and I believe myself to be pretty good physical shape, especially my legs."  I'll do a wall-run to show him.

"I suppose that I do have something of use that I could offer here."  I present to him the books I have on hydrogen and nuclear fuel cell plans.  "I have CDs to go with them as well-I could teach these subjects to versers or locals."

"Now, can you explain to me how classes work here, and if I could get some assistance if I ever have a project to work on?  Also, in thanks for accepting me into Menlo Park, I have some items that I might be willing to donate to the institution, eventually, after I finish my small temple to Morpheus."

I'll shake Washington's hand after he leaves me to my own things, I check the warehouse for any generic watch that I could set.  Once I find a clock, I'll set it.

After that, I'll start work on Morpheus' temple.  I'll look for a single bed, mattress, pillow, and black blankets.  Also, I'll look for black candles in the room.  I'll bring all of these things to the cottage I'm going to use as Morpheus' temple after I sweep up the interior so it's in better shape.  If I can find those things in the warehouse, I move the bed in, with black candles in a semi-circle around the head of the bed.  I'll also gather extra black candles.

Once I finish the shrine, I lay on the bed, light the candles, and invoke Morpheus like before.

If there's no time for that before dinner, I'll go straight to dinner after putting away my things in my own cottage.

You see a picture of Avahur with a note 'violent and unpredictable but frequently helpful', one of Captain Christophe and Annie with notes 'The Captain is known for having killed ten emperors and his wife is said to be nearly as good a shot as Di Vars.', another of 'T' although it gives a full name and notes..'Tadeusz also called Ghost and the Sledgehammer of God. Said to have permanently killed a verser. Not an Ancient Verser like the Alchemist, per se.' You also see one of Franz Lictcen 'Nazi verser creation program. Genocidal totalitarian.' and one of a young kid with a staff 'Kyler the Kid also known as the Fourteenth Lord of Chaos, and Madchild. Very low impulse control and frequently malicious. Do not approach unless you're at least several hundred years old.'

There's more....You don't see Devlin.

"They are versers who've been to the college, or been contacted by recruiters." He points to a few that have a little star by them.  "Some few are versers who took pics of other versers and stored them in some media, and they didn't come by the college's timeline."

"We would like to make a transition to a hydrogen fuel cell economy backed up by nuclear power plants. Yes, you'll be teaching a class in this. And come talk to me if you need local help, or another verser if you need their help. It tends to be a barter system here of two for one. You teach two classes, and you can take one class, and so on."

The warehouse has wind-up alarm clocks, wind-up train engineer watches on fob chains, and about a dozen atomic clocks which claim to be based on Creation Instant Time.

The other stuff is easily found, but dinner rolls around too quickly, and you make your way to the commons where you see a room filled with a couple dozen well-dressed people and five versers.

TWM is the only one you recognize.

PT

I'll go over to TWM, and ask him if he knows where Alf is, or if she usually even attends dinner?

After I greet the verser that I do know, I approach the other five, and offer my hand to shake with each of them.  "None of you know me from another timeline per chance, do you?  If not, I'm new to the college-my name's Krillis."

I'll also ask each of them if they teach a class, and what class that might be.

Once those introductions are over, I'll go back to TWM and ask him directly, "Do you think that you'd be willing to help me master creating gates?  I know that I can do it, but I need backup-I was overwhelmed by what came out the other side last time.  I just want to learn to control it."

TWM grins knowingly.

"Alf's not human, and sometimes she finds us a bit wearing on the nerves. She usually eats by herself."

The others greet you with handshakes mostly, although one primly dressed woman bows and snaps her heels together.

They introduce themselves...
"I'm Captain Gravity." Big handshake, wide grin. "I teach Disguises and Hostage Rescue."
"Luisa Della Rosella Maya Esther Shantiri Delaquez of the Nueva Amerika Delaquez's" She has no smile. "Dancing, Horsemanship, and Knitting."
"Call me Bob. Do you like to bowl?" Normal handshake. "Practical Genocide."
"Everyone calls me Marty, so you might as well join the crowd." A hapless looking man with a strange skull shape and incisively keen eyes examines you with forensic intensity. "American English dominated timeline, yes? Computer age?" He shakes your hand as if its a foreign ritual that he's learned to do by much practise. "Um, Paratemporal Physics, Inverse Spatial Calculus, and whatever else I find of interest when I get an interesting question."
"By which he means mind-boggling hard. Arthur Radcliffe, MBA in international trade relations and Jedi Knight." He shakes your hand briskly. "I was going to be one of the 'Masters of the Universe' until I found out how small my understanding of things was. Philosophy, Light sabre combat, and my MBA."
"Baroness Liselle Jutman." The woman bows and snaps her heels together. "Do you think men or women are superior?" She sighs. "Shiphandling, cannon foundry work, cannon use, what your world would call 'Napoleonic tactics and strategy'."
"Magister of the Northern Wind." A tall, skeletally thin man says. After a second you realize he's talking about himself, and using your title of your future self.

"Um, I know nothing about gates. However if you're just wanting someone to help kill any rampaging monster let loose, that I can do." TWM says later.

PT

I look at Marty, still shaking his hand, and an idea comes to me.  I'll ask him, "If time were moving at different speeds, would you see your reflection in a mirror?"

I'll politely continue through the versers.  To Bob, "I think bowling is pretty fun.  Out of curiosity, is 'Practical Genocide' an application class or a morality class?"

To Captain Gravity, "Disguises and Hostage Rescue.  Are you a superhero?"

To Arthur Radcliffe, "What philosophies does your course consist of?  I could possibly tell you some from my own timeline, if you'd like."

To Baroness Liselle Jutman, "My lady, it depends on who has the gun.  Shiphandling must be fascinating.  Where did you learn it from?"

To freaky tall guy, "Interesting, I just recently got called Magister of the Northern Wind; however, I suppose it's a future me who might have that title.  Where did you get the title from, and do you teach anything here at the college?"

I'll address TWM after these questions are through.  "I'd love to take my food from here and go eat with Alf.  Everyone here is excellent; however, we made an agreement on the helicopter earlier.  I wouldn't mind if you'd come too.  We could work on the gate togeather afterwards, if you have time."

At that, I'll go with TWM unless he doesn't tell me where Alf is and I'll ask her if she wants to exchange methods for using elemental magic, magical charming, and healing.

==She looks tired, but nods.

"One spell at a time, you first."

PT

"No, no.  Forget it-there will be time tomorrow.  However, if you want, I can show you a couple things before then."

I'll draw her the symbol for water, which I have on my glove as well, and I'll give it to her.  "You can look at that if you can't sleep."  I'll then leave her be and go back to Morpheus' temple.

If TWM was still with me after visiting Alf, I'll ask him why she looked so tired, and if it had to do with the fact that she's an elf.  I'll take a guess, and propose, "Does she draw energy from the sun?"  Before I leave him, I'll ask if there will be time to register for a class tomorrow, and if Alf teaches any classes.

Once I say farewell to TWM, I'll go into Morpheus' temple and invoke him, as I lay in the bed that I put in there.

"Hmm, you know you could be right." TWM says thoughtfully. "She teaches Gifting the Gods and Negotiations with the Divine and the Supernormal. She also teaches Housekeeping Magic."

You invoke Morpheus, and have a pleasant dream in which a giant frog speaks to you.

"Y'know, its a good thing I'm fairly casual, or you'd be in trouble. First world I said, not....whenever I get around to it. That said, a world in which I get a chance to talk with a lot of versers has a lot going for it. So...one of the mysteries of life is going to cruise right by you...." He pauses.

"Thats what the fly said right after the frog snatched him out of the air with his tongue. Good night, sweet dreams."

And you fall asleep with smooth power, and wake the next day feeling ready to leap out of bed, and as if caffeine were a completely unneccessary invention.

PT

OOC: This is the first world.  I saved a verser in a coma with Morpheus' aid in the timewar world, which was my last one.

I thank Morpheus for his patience and understanding.

Since the sun's up, I assume that Alf is probably awake and doing some morning prayer devotion to whatever god she worships, so I'll head over to her place and see if she wants to share magic now.

If she's interested, then I'll show her simple flame and water generation through looking at symbols and saying "Amen."  I'll explain, "Saying 'Amen' is stating a declaration of your will while you visualize the results."  After that, I'll ask if she could show me the same-then I could move on to healing.

She is outside her cottage hut, and kneeling in a small circle painted white as she intones words in a strange language to the Sun.  Aware of your presence, but she ignores you until she is finished, and then she rises, and steps outside the circle.

"Welcome Krillis, I'll make a pot of tea. That's one thing I don't miss about my homeland. Beer for lunch is okay, but for breakfast thats an abomination."

She lightly walks inside, and leaves you standing until you realize she meant for you to follow her. Inside, she's busying herself with salted haddock, and turnip soup, and Earl Gray tea.

You offer to show her the spells, and she nods.

"In the next room is a sand table, I use it for my spellwork."

You wander over to her workroom which is right next to the kitchen, and find a table with low walls and a couple inches layer of fine, white sand.  In it, you make the symbols.

She comes along and nods.

"Nice basic technique."

Then she takes what you've drawn, and adds about thirty lines attaching to it.

"My theory far exceeds my practise, but still I am nearly two hundred years old and was made directly by the Aesir."

Her grin flickers like light in the dim room.

"Still, I'll trade you spell for spell, human. When you've deciphered this one that is."

PT

I'll look at it, and see if I can make anything out of the extra symbols that she put on it.  For example, does it put any images in my head from looking at it or give me any impulses?

If I can't determine it, I tell her, "I need a moment to concentrate."

Then, I'll close my eyes and breathe slower.  I'll attempt to enter my Altered Mental State that I was in when I opened the gate; however, I won't mess with energies this time.  Instead, I'll open my eyes once I enter that state and look at the spell that she drew.

I'll relay anything that I feel or see to Alf.

It has a number of associations with the Nordic Pantheon, or the Aesir, and the tree Yggdrasil, and the Worm Ourobouros....

The worm expands about you, and circles you in a ring of scaled flesh.

And then the ring is gone from your sight, but you feel it pressing down on your head.  Alf is standing in front of you with a cruel grin that is not human in its flickering amusement.

"Free yourself, and you'll be worthy of my continued attention. For now, go!"

And you find yourself not in control of your body, and walking outside. Her door slams behind you, and you're in control of yourself again. For now.

PT

I suppose that this is proof that I'm far too trusting.

I go back to Morpheus' temple, and lay down on the bed.

I focus like I have when I've cracked into peoples' minds to read them before; however, this time I'll attempt to direct that attention at my own being.  What I'm looking for is an image or any clue about something foreign within me.

If I can't feel anything or I get the sense that I'm being blocked, I give up on that attempt, and I'll try my next plan.

Whether I find what's wrong or not, I'll light black candles and call on Morpheus and Fenris as I lie down on the bed, hoping to invoke both gods at once to come to me in my dreams.  I apologize for Morpheus mentally before doing so, for calling another entity into his realm.

To Fenris, I convey the message of myself being trapped and a rage within.  Considering he's the 'chained wolf,' I hope that it persuades him to come as well.  When I enter that dream, I'll look at myself and feel around my body if it's lucid enough for me to move.

Of course, both of these are based on assumptions that they work.

If neither course of action works, then I'll sit down outside on the soft grass, breathe deeply and try to enter an altered mental state.  I try to feel the same that I did when Drake said there was an aura crown above my head and my eyes were glowing.

In searching you quickly find that your head is surrounded by an image of the Worm Ourobouros, the Midgard Serpent, who circles the world at the equator and has his tail in his mouth.

You summon both, and Morpheus is accepting of your plan. Fenris growls in rage at your predicament.

"Light Alfs are not to be trusted. The Alf race is cunning, wise, but it owes to much to my father Loki's sense of mischief."  Fenris snarls.

"Be grateful she's not a Dark Alf. Then you'd really know pain." Morpheus chuckles.

"Yes, the Dark Alfs would suck your eyeballs out with a straw." Fenris nods. "You need an opposing force with opposite resonances." Fenris adds and then disappears.

"Good basic spellwork. If attacked by fire, then summon ice." Morpheus elaborates, and then dissappears as well.

PT

I'll sit on the ground and meditate some.

Characteristics of this worm include...
1. Function-bind me.
2. Original spell-water.
3. Physical representation-sea serpent.

Perhaps if all of these resonences are countered, then I'll be able to break the enchantment.

I'll flip through my gray magic book and look for elemental opposites, and I'll attempt to find the opposite of water.  Also, I'll look through it more to see if I can find how to break enchantments (for example, what sort of circles I might have to draw and with what elemental materials, like salt).  Finally, I'll look through the book for information on any entity that might be a sea snake and how to defeat it.  If I can't find how to defeat it, I'll look for how to summon lightning.

With all this research, I plan on doing the following...

I'll draw a circle with the information I find on breaking enchantments.  I'll also put the symbol of water's elemental opposite in a circle around me as well.  Finally, I'll put either the serpent's weakness in a circle.

I'll learn the spell for lightning as a back-up in case I come to blows with the snake.

Before I do the spell, I'll take a bath and picture negative blackness leaving my body during it.

While I'm performing the spell, I'll attempt to enter my altered mental state and if the spell seems like it's starting to fail, I'll just push more energy into its success.

Elemental opposites of a sea snake are Water and Falcons according to your book. Salt is good for purifying, and for blocking the passage of malign influences, and its good for dealing with faeries.  Silk is good for blocking power.

You find the Circle of a Thousand Spears which has a design which shows a circle with spears pointing outwards.  The spears are unleashed in a wave, and puncture the binding, or so goes the theory.  The writer admits to not having tried it himself.

"Great heroes such as Beowulf with Grendel, and Thor with the Midgard Serpent often seem to use brute force to defeat the Serpent. This is likely a mythic representation of the victory of Strength over Cunning."


PT

I'll take note of Thor defeating the Midgard Serpent; however, I'll go with my own means for the time being.

I'll draw two circles, one inside the other.  The inner-most circle will be a circle with only one symbol making it up-the symbol for water that I know.  In the center, there'll be one large symbol for water.  Outside of that circle, I'll draw the one that I found inside of the book, the Circle of a Thousand Spears.

Outside of that, I'll circle the area with salt.

If there's a spell for summoning a spiritual falcon to aid me, then I'll do so and ask it's aid against the serpent.  I'll then focus on the water circle and symbol beneath me, focusing it to surround my entire body and enclose around it, leaving room for me to breath, though.

I'll remove the water from me and keep it on the snake, if I can.  If I can't, then I'll remove all water from me inside of the circle.

Finally, I'll use the Circle of a Thousand Spears.

You've just finished casting for the spiritual falcon, and you'll feel a sense of 'wait.'  So you do.

The door to your cottage opens and a Native American man in leathers enters. He's followed by a lady with soft brown curls and a gentle smile.

The man walks up to the edge of your circle and then sits with legs crossed.  He pushes aside his tomahawk, and pulls out a handful of something from a leather pouch strung around his back.  He blows it out of his hand.

Multi-coloured sand floats above you, and shapes into a brightly coloured and stylized Thunderbird.

"I am Whispering Winds, a shaman of the Rouhu People, and this is my friend, the Great Sorceress." He speaks with quiet authority.

She waves a bit awkwardly.

"Call me Gwen. Or um, Summer Queen. Do you need further help, or are you about to unleash your arrow attack against the snake now?"

PT

"If you swear in your true names that you will not impede me and that your intentions are to help me, then you may proceed."

If they do so, I'll allow them to perform any spells they wish, and I'll hit the serpent with all I've got in those arrows after I'm through.

If they don't swear that oath, then I'll politely tell them that they don't have permission to perform the magic in my circle, and I'll release the arrows.

"I, Guinevere Lucille Fairchild, Summer Queen, the Champion of the Lady of the East, so swear."
"I, Whispering Winds, a shaman of the Rouhi People, so swear."

Winds sprinkles dust around you, and then writes symbols in the dust with his finger.  They look like American Indian symbols. The walls seem to pulse in and out as he writes, and he is singing in a low monotone that takes your mind away from the room.

You can half see a vast sandy dessert around you, and the only things truly clear are the Thunderbird high in the burning sky over you, and the magics you've inscribed on the ground in front of you.

And then you see a woman surrounded by fire stand in front of you.

"O Most High, you promise freedom. You promise victory over the Old Dragon. Let this man be released."

The snake hisses at her, and she snaps back.

"Quiet. You don't frighten me. I struck the Lord of the Abyss in the face. You're nothing but a little snake."

She pulls out a ruby tipped sceptre, and commands you to stare into it.

You do, and power floods through you.

The spell you cast is unleashed.

The spears fly like thunderbolts, and the serpent is shredded.

You're free, but you still see the dessert overlaid on your cottage. Its a double vision at the same time.

"You're going to have a headache from my herbs and smokes." Winds says softly.

PT

I'll nod to Winds.  "Thanks for the help, both of you.  Do you two teach anything here?  I'm Krillis, future Magister of the Northern Winds.  I'm a little curious about how one could gain such a title, but I suppose I'll reach that goal eventually.  For now, I think that it's time to bind that woman from casting magic maliciously against others."

I get out my spellbook again and look inside it for information on binding others.  A specific spell I'm looking for is how to bind someone from casting harmful spells.  I'll also look in the book for information on spellcraft, if I so decide to make a spell on my own.

Other than that, I'll just sleep off the headache.

"I teach stalking and hiding which is very funny as I was the worst in my tribe so I became a shaman instead of a hunter. I also assist some in vision quests." Winds says softly as he gets you a glass of water to help your suddenly dry throat.

"I teach Prayer and Miracles, Sunday School, the use of mythic archetypes, vampire killing..." Gwen says softly.

There is a spell to bind someone from casting malicious magic at yourself,or in general. It is very complicated. There is a simpler version, but you have to face your opponent in order to cast it.

I'll look into the simpler spell.  Also, I'll look into it for a spell where I can make a target individual mute for a short amount of time.  Both these spells would have to be fast-casted, or with as little preparation as possible.

I ask Winds, "A vision quest sounds very interesting.  What happens during them, and what are the sought results?  Would it help me master summoning interdimensional gates?"

When Gwen speaks, I recall Devlin and smirk a little bit.  "I met a vampire once.  His name was Devlin, and I'd be more than happy to study some vampire killing.  Do you cover the slaying of general undead or only vampires?"

*cough* I'd like to declare my major at this pleasant university now, please.

Upon finishing conversations with those two, I'll seek out Mr. Washington or some administrative official and declare what class I'd like to take and what times of day I need to teach mine during.

You study the spell, and the modifications for fast-casting it. And then there is a spell for making the target cough repeatedly.

"One travels to the spirit world, and receives guidance from various entities there. As to what you learn, it could be your purpose in life, or how to fix a problem. Its hard to say what you will receive." Winds replies. "It is dangerous."

"General undead, werewolves." Gwen says.

You track down Mr. Washington and find him writing a letter with his quill pen. When he is done, he puts it down, and rises to greet you with a warm smile.

PT

I'll remember the two spells for later use.

I'll mention to Winds that I'm very interested in going on a spirit journey; however, I don't think that I'm ready for it yet.  "Is there anything I can do beforehand to improve my chances on a spirit journey?"

I'll offer my hand to Mr. Washington to shake then inquire, "I was curious about my obligations here at the university.  I'm interested in starting up my classes and taking Lady Gwen's."

"Strengthen and purify your body and soul as in preparation for a very long trip through the dessert. You will be tested repeatedly." Winds says severely.

Mr. Washington nods.

"All right, which of the Lady Gwen's do you wish to take? All of them?"  And he pulls out a notepad suited for modern schools and dips his quill pen into an inkwell.

"And what classes will you teach? Its two for one here. Or other labor."

PT

Teaching Possibilities...
1. Hydrogen Fuel Systems
2. Nuclear Fuel Systems
3. Dogtalk and Pack Fighting (requirement to have a pet)
4. Visualization
5. Politics (being influential in a foreign world)
6. Dreamshaping (if I can get Morpheus to set up a small campus-wide shared unconsciousness here)

My priorities from most important to least to learn are as follows:
1. Gwen-Vampire Killing
2. Arthur Radcliffe-Philosophy
3. Alf-Housekeeping Magic

I also ask Mr. Washington, "What sort of labors can I do in order to take classes here?  Can you go into detail on the trade system involving labors?"

I'll talk to Winds and say, "I'm not going to take this light-heartedly.  I'm not ready for a spiritual journey yet."  At that, I'll say my farewell to Winds, anxious to possibly see him in a class I'll have later.  I'll let him know about my plans for classes to teach, but let him know that some might not appear on the registrar.

"With your six classes, you've got it covered. However, we can use people to translate diaries, pick up new versers, work on machines, rake leaves, fix rooves, really anything around here."

Mr. Washington says.

He gets you started in 'your' classroom which has a desk, and chairs and small tables for the students.

You have no students show up for visualization, but you do have from two to five in your other classes. Mr. Washington shows up himself for Politics, and he has keen insights.

Morpheus is only too happy to help you.

1@2 Create Localized Dreamland. The spell takes most of a week to work, but Morpheus aids you in the whole thing. Most of the work is to boost a spell from something suited for a bedroom to a college campus. This is your most popular class with five students.

PT

"I can try to build a hydrogen generator for the entire place after some people learn about the fuel cells from me, so that I can have assistance on the project."  I say to Mr. Washington after the classes are already begun.  "By the way, do you take any classes at this unversity?"

For that week that I was setting up the dream world, I had students practice visualization, so that they'd have a foundation.

Do I have any students for the dogtalk class that have other animals than dogs?

What have I learned in my classes so far?

While I'm teaching people in the dreamshaping world, which I assume I teach every night, I'll do personal training as well while I can.  I'll focus on changing personal shape once I'm able to generate objects without any trouble at all.

"Well, I'm taking your Politics class, of course, and the Lady Gwen's Prayers and Miracles, also Double-column Accounting, and Dancing with the Baroness. I also spend my personal time horse-riding." Mr. Washington replies and then he adds with a wide grin. "And there are a number of parties in town with some very pretty ladies. Most of the time, I do the work of running the college, but I do teach a course in American History, and one in cavalry combat."

In the dogtalk class you have Fluffy the bunny, two lizards and a parrot and three cats who belong to a little old lady named Terri. She's a true...cat lady.  Her focus is on her animals, and their feelings, and they pretty much run her life for her, and use her as a portable perch at any time they like. She usually has cat hairs in her sweater and a bit of bird poop on her shoulder. There is also the Baroness who shows up with a German Shepherd named Max. Max is a guard dog trained for war onboard ships.

Gwen is teaching you how to summon sunlight. Arthur is asking you a lot of questions that go 'But why is that so?' and you're starting to get headaches halfway through his class. Alf has taught you how to create a Sorceror's Broom 1@2.

PT

I separate Terri from her animals for a moment so that I could talk to her alone in class.  "I hate to do something like this, but I feel compelled.  I believe it's up to everyone to manage their own relationship with animals, as all creatures are different from one another; however, this class is also about teamwork.  You just need to make sure that your animals and you are on the same wavelength.  It just seems like they're running your life at the moment.  This is just a suggestion."

I'll continue to talk to Mr. Washington, "So you go to town regularly for these parties?  If you let me tag along, I might be able to privately tutor you in how to actually pick up women.  That way, you won't feel like a dork there."  I say the final part in a joking tone.

For Arthur's class, I'll try to get some good rest ahead of time so that I can think clearer for the questions.

For the dreamshaping class, I'll evaluate everyone by giving them a white dream-ball.  I'll ask them to change its color however they feel.

For the Politics class, I'm going to hold a debate after I pass around a short test so that I understand their own personal opinions on how society should be run.  For each person during the debates, I'll assign them a position that is opposite their own opinions.

In Visualization, I'm going to bring some paper and pencils into the class, and I'm going to draw an image with criss-crosses throughout the middle, with other various lines included.  I'll show it to the class for thirty seconds, asking that they memorize it, then I'll hide it and ask them to draw the image.

For the Hydrogen and Nuclear Fuel Cell classes, I'm going to teach straight out of their respective manuals.

I have a question about the classes--Teaching is an effective way to learn something more.  Do I gain any experience or abilities in these classes that I'm teaching?

"Thank you for your advice, young man, but I'm just fine." Terri replies stiffly.

=========

Mr. Washington stares at you in open surprise, and then he burst out in a laugh.

"I forget modern manners. Very funny." He grins widely and pats you on the shoulder in comradely fashion.  "I do fine." And its clear from his look and manner that he does. He's well over six foot, athletically gifted, quite handsome, cheerful and polite, and always kind but with an edge of mischief and wildness. He clearly has no problem making lady friends. "However, if you wish, you could come with me to the next party, this weekend at the Senator Makepeace's house. A dance, a bit of a horseride, and a nice buffet. It'd do you good to see the world a bit and not just the campus."

==========

Arthur's class continues to be hard, but you can feel your brain growing more clear as you begin to understand just why you think like you do.  Its a bit humbling as well as you soonn realize that for a number of things your only answer to 'why do this' is "I like it."  But then he teaches you that moral intutition is a valuable source.

"I'm not here to teach you that you can't prove anything. Ultimately,  yeah, but you can prove enough to make wise decisions. And your intuitions are valuable. They are precepts your parents taught you sometimes unconsciously and your culture taught you.  And they are the stuff that all humans have in their hearts, unless you're a sociopath, and you're not. But now that we've peeled things back, we'll see about helping you build up reasons and try to make things fit together."

He pats you on the shoulder.

"You're much better than some of my students. I can tell that you've gone to a hard college."

===================

Dreamshaping goes well.

In politics, you find the Mr. Washington is teaching you more than you're teaching him.

The other classes continue.

PT
OOC: You're quite right, Teaching is a very good way to learn or so I've heard a number of people say. We'll start compressing time a bit, in a bit, I think, but we'll see.

Right now its at a week at a time.

I'll continue things as normal on campus; however, I'll add two things to the list.

I'm going to request that TWM helps me one night in destroying a potential big beasty as I try and summon a gate like in my last world.

Also, I'll head out with Mr. Washington to the party and see if there are any interesting women there to flirt with.  Also, I'm interested in seeing Mr. Washington in action in that environment.

I'll proceed to study the spell for binding Alf rigorously every night, and I try to make sure I have any gestures or vocal work down for the spell.  What does the quick spell involve me actually doing?

You go with Mr. Washington to Senator Makepeace's annual Mid-Summer Ball. There are three groups that exist somewhat uneasily with each other, local New Englanders, Washingtonians, and foreign representatives.  This is because of the College, and its vast power. There are commercial and national people at the party. Its a gala scene with topcoats and tophats, cigars and wineglasses.

You find that being a verser attracts attention at the party. There are many who want to question you about all sorts of details of other worlds and technologies.

Mr. Washington fits in very well, and has to spend at least half of his time talking to people who greet him with glad hails. He seems to remember dozens of names, and merely walking across a room gets him in three to four conversations.

You notice he mixes kindness with an unthreatened assurance when someone attacks him, and at other times he uses his wit like spice to liven things up. At no time is he wanting for female company for more than a minute.

You begin to try to follow some of his techniques, and you see some genuine flickers of interest in a few of those around you.

=============

The quick spell involves a throat-busting set of syllables about ten seconds long, and a concurrent imagery of a moving orrery to contain and expand and direct the power you're summoning.  Lose control, and you could blow a hole in your mental capacities.

===========

TWM agrees, not being particularly fazed by the whole 'beastie' thing.

PT

Involving the spell, screw that risk--I like my mental capacities as they are, haha.

I'll tell them about interesting details of other worlds; however, I'll leave out bits about technology and try to change the subject to how it really inspires my current thoughts on society (hopefully I could pull some ideas from the philosophy class for this).

Next time I go to Alf's class, I'll address her once the class ends, "That was a nasty trick you pulled a while back.  I was tempted to bind you, but decided that this might just be how you work.  Am I worth further attention, then?"

One night, I'll head to a field with TWM, and I'll tell him that I'm going to try to summon a gate.

I sit down for meditation, and I'll enter my Altered Mental State.  In that state, I'll focus on feeling the same energies that I had before, when that monster had come out.  Then, I'll reach out my hand as I did last time, letting the energy flow into it, and I'll attempt to rip another gate open.

Some of them are content with wild tales, and others pry further. One especially, a female from France, Jeane Delacroix, is very friendly as long as you're spilling new details.

You find yourself almost on the verge of telling her how nuclear power works, and she's looking so sweetly into your eyes with bated breath....

=====

Alf looks at you, and then her eyes sparkle like ice.

"Not as bold as I'd like, but not wholly milk-blooded either. And you are cute. I shall teach you, but I am not a steady influence like Washington, or a gentle soul like Lady Gwen...."

Alf turns away and you almost think you see fear on her face.

"I am a Light Alf, and you will be taught in the manner of my kind. Generosity to friends and retainers, loyalty to oaths, and strength, above all strength. The strong command arts and men. I will teach you an art now."

And she shows you how to summon branches to walk from a wood, and lay themselves ready for a campfire.

=============

TWM prays for your success, and then leans back against a wall with shotgun and sword in hand.

You drift into your altered state, and reach out to ...nothing.  You redouble your effort, and ....

A gate forms.

You see a dessert covered by green glass.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." TWM says uncertainly.

I'll smile at the woman, and I'll pry into her mind slightly to see if I can pick up any surface thoughts or intentions.

Then, I suddenly get an idea in my mind.  I'll attempt to get on that same wavelength; however, I'll try to push an intention in her mind.  I'll push the intention of turning around, away from me.  I'll watch to see if she follows this thought.

*************

"I want to learn about the elements, specifically the Northern Winds."  I say to Alf.  Still, I talk to her civilly.  "These other skills would be good to learn as well.  Explain please how this is art."

*************

"Wow, I should have thought of this ahead of time, but I've never closed one of these before.  I'll go for it now..."  I visualize the gate closing as strong as I can, and I try to feel the energy around the gate close in on itself, so that the gate might close.  Above all, I'll try to will the gate to shut.

If I succeed in closing the gate, I'll take a break and attempt to summon a gate in the same fashion; however, this time I'll think about the Killerbot world and how all the people I met there and the situations I felt there made me feel.  I'll push those feelings into the energy as well, in hopes that it'll direct where the gate will open to.

She's working for the French Secret Service and trying to use her feminine wiles to get you to reveal secrets the College would not want you too.

She almost turns away, but then she stops. Then she looks at you, and her eyes widen. She backs up quickly, keeping her eyes on you, and then leaves the party at once.

Command One Normal Action 1@1 (You failed to complete it but not for lack of your success. She just has a strong willpower.) (Psi.)

=============

"The Arts of using Magik. Thus Art."  She shows you the spell which involves carving a rune into two branches to set the bounds on the size of branch you want. "Do not use fresh torn down branches because the Law of Similarity would only allow you to draw fresh torn branches."

She shows you how to work the spell,a nd you do so.

1@2 Mag Gather Branches.

"Do you know how to light a fire? And I am teaching Housekeeping Magic. Although I do have a wind spell to air out a dusty house."

==========

Your face is tingling as if you're getting a sunburn. You close the gate.

Close Magic Gate 1@1.

"Your face is red." TWM says. "Green glass....green glass..I know that. Oh yeah, crud. Sand fuses to green glass at a nuke bomb impact point."

PT

===============

I'll approach Mr. Washington after the woman heads off, and I'll tell him that I need to speak with him in private for a moment.  I describe the woman to him, and I explain, "She was a French agent trying to pry information from me with her femininity.  I read her mind to confirm it.  I should let you know that I was trying a new technique and scared her some."  If he inquires about the technique, I'll let him know what I tried to do.

*****************

I nod, and attempt to do the magic myself.

Then, I address Alf.  "If Magic is an Art, then I can create my own spells, can't I?  I know that you know how to.  You changed my symbol for water into a spell that cursed me.  I want to know how to runecraft."

If she was serious about fire, I'll create a fire by focusing with my fire symbol and saying a small "Amen".  I say the word lightly, because I don't want to burn down the place or anything.

*****************

I sit down for a breather.  "Well, I guess it's good that I figured out how to close the gate quick enough.  I think that this is a research endevour that could ultimately help us out a lot, if I could just control it.  Say we rest for now and come back here the same time tomorrow?"

If he agrees, I'll go back, get a good night's sleep and meet him in the same place at the same time the next day.  That night, during the dreamshaping lesson, I'll attempt to create a ball of dreamshaping energy in the dreamworld, and throw it at a rock.

"Thank you for your loyalty and discretion. Yes, we're not ready to give the people of this world nuclear bombs yet. We managed to head off, what is called World War One in many timelines, and we've managed to make sure that Mr. Schickelgruber has a moderately successful career as an artist so he's not inclined to go into politics." He claps his hand on your shoulder and such is his charisma that you feel like blushing at the public honor. He speaks softly. "Not everyone here is your friend. But you already knew that."

==========

"Yes, a Runecaster can, but...the path to Runic mastery is dangerous." She smiles challenging you with her grin and sparkling ice eyes. "I would be willing to add an additional class for the teaching of Runic mastery. Remember Odin's wisdom."

And she dismisses the conversation suddenly as if it had never been. Flighty, and mercurial describe her well with an edge of cruelty but also a love of the light.

She nods as you use the spell to light the fire.

"Aye, that will work quite nicely."

=========

You go to sleep,and pitch the ball at a rock, and it turns into a turnip, a very large turnip.

When you wake, your face hurts, and your nose is running. Upon checking in the mirror, you see blisters on your face and your face is quite red. You feel lethargic, and a bit achy.

PT

I nod at Mr. Washington.  "I think I'm going to leave the party now.  I can find my own way back afterwards.  I want to check out the town for now."

I'll leave Mr. Washington with his party, and I'll go a few blocks away, making sure I know how to get back.  Then, I'll sit down on anything nearby that I can.  I'll attempt to do a mental domination on the next person coming by, and I'll command them to hop on one foot.

******************

"What is your spell for making a breeze blow?  And is there any way that I could change spells so that they'd increase in intensity or purpose if I wanted to?"

******************

I'll create a ball of healing energy the size of my head, and I'll put it up there.  I'll attempt to channel the energy so that a ball stays there constantly, while I attempt to activate my full-body skin-deep healing energy as well.

I'll keep this up and head to the infirmary, assuming that they have one here.  This is just a precaution in case I have serious injury from what I assume is radiation.  I deactivate my healing when I reach the infirmary.

A businessman comes by, and he starts hopping on one foot.

========

"There are ways, but I need to teach you Runics first. I don't just want to jump you straight to one tool or another tool. You need to see the basics first." Alf replies. "Its a bit freeform. Like writing a story, more than doing the math stuff."

========

The infirmary is open, and they examine you. Then they ask you what the problem is because you're just fine.

+@1 to Healing (new use, repair damage from radiation).

I smile a little when I manage to force this individual into such an action.  Then, I decide to push even crazier actions into his head.  I'll try to force him to strip into his underwear and start running.  The purpose is mostly to see how much power I have over the individual, and if it makes a difference the stranger the command is.

*********************

"Well then, Alf, I look foreward to taking your runics class.  I suppose I'll see you there?  I'll make sure to register in a couple days."

*********************

I smile a little bit.  "Thanks, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't having any trouble."

I leave the infirmary, and I attempt to track down TWM again.  This time, I'll focus on a world that I'd visited in the past--the Killerbot World.  "I told myself that I'd go back to help those people.  Maybe now I finally can get them out and to safety..."

At that, I attempt to open a gate to a world of my own choosing, rather than a random one like the nuclear incident.

Your first and second commands do nothing as your amusement keeps getting in the way of the proper mental focus. You calm your brain, but still flickers of laughter lick through your brain, and you reach him.

He stops hopping, and starts unbuttoning his shirt.

And then he mutters to himself.

"What am I doing?" And he buttons back up his shirt. However, he does start running. "Got to get home soon. Chocolate cake."

=================

"Since I'm the teacher, I suppose you will." Her ascerbic comment brings a blush to your face. "If there's somethign you want to ask me, just ask. I do despise weakness."

=================

TWM is in the gymnasium with Marty who is attempting to explain the Sawtooth Snap and its implications on time travel to TWM who is obviously struggling. TWM is lifting weights, and Marty is on the uneven parallel bars (and how someone can manage to explain physics while spinning upside down....)

You have to wait for about thirty minutes before the informal class is done, and in that time, you feel you learned more than TWM about why time travel is a very bad idea. Your Socratic question like classes with Arthur  help you a lot in untangling the logic.

After that, TWM takes a quick shower, and then joins you.

"Sure, let's do it." There's an edge to TWM, a man ready for danger who doesn't flinch from it, or seem overly concerned about violence.

You cast your spell back at your hut, and ....

A gate slowly ripples open (+@1 new use, targetted gating). On the other side, you see a barren wasteland and darkness. You do smell hot metal, and motor oil.

"Doesn't look much like what you described, but then a worlds a big place." TWM says, half-pulling his sword from its sheathe.

PT

I smile to myself, and I decide to leave my practice as it is for the time being.  I'll head back to the party and begin flirting with the women there once more.  I'll use my Read Surface Thoughts and give off a good aura to them to make it more effective.

********************************

"Nothing at all, madam.  I'll see you in class."  The next day, I'll go see Mr. Washington late and let him know that I'd like to drop Alf's Housekeeping Magic for her Runic Magic class.

********************************

"Well, I'm not absolutely sure if it's the world I'm looking for or not, but we have to start doing something so that we can go through and peek our heads around without the gate closing before we can make it back to this world.  Any ideas?"

I'll watch the gate from our side, taking a plasma pistol out just in case, and pointing it at the gate.

You have a great time at the party, and get invited to four other parties in the next six weeks. You haven't wholly gotten over the sudden fear of what happens when you walk into a room full of elegantly dressed people who you don't know, but you've been able to go from there to chatting easily with them and getting invites.

+@1 Charisma.

====================

"Of course, but you do remember the story of Odin, do you not?" Mr. Washington asks you with a wary eye.

===================

TWM shrugs.

"We can walk through. Or you could try to pump more energy into the gate when it weakens."

You see a man walking on the far side. He's more marching than walking. He is well-built, wearing a jumpsuit, and he has a military haircut.

"Looks like a soldier. Special Forces, or something." TWM says. "Where's his gun?"

PT

I suppose that I'll keep going to the parties, and I'll try to manipulate people accross the room to me.  I'll try the specific test of targeting a man and I'll try to mentally command him to say to a woman around him "You have too large hips and the face of a goat."

****************************

I'll look inquiringly at Mr. Washington, and even read him for surface thoughts while I ask, "What about Odin?"

****************************

"Let me try something."  I'll push a little energy into the gate to keep it open, then I'll focus all of my attention on the man.  I'll push myself into his mind, and try to command him to come towards us and walk through the gate.

If I can't command him, then I'll search his mind for any and all knowledge he has on his world.  I'll search for the key terms "Neo Tokyo" and "hyuk".

The man gets slapped, and then a drink dumped on his suit. He slinks away after muttering apologies.  The others sympathize with the woman, and call the mad 'an unmitigated cad'.

=============

An image flashes into your mind from Mr. Washington's.  Of a huge man hanging on a tree for nine days of thirst and starvation, and sacrificing one of his eyes to a raven in exchange for knowledge.

"Odin One-eye, the old tales name him. I personally prefer Cincinattus.  The Old Gods were barbaric and dreadful, splendid, but still, not the sort of people you'd wish unleashed on teh world. Christ can be a consuming fire, but there is Reason and compassion to him as well. Odin, I fear, finds compassion to be weakness."

Its in keeping with Mr. Washington. He is devout, and genial, and strong under his mild manner, but oh so very reasonable.  He believes in the value of Reason in a way that seems out of keeping with the life you once lived. He's not a pure philosopher, but he is in no way touched by post-modernism.

===============

Your push to the gate (+@1 to skill) strengthens the gate.  You push at him with uncertain effect. He turns toward you, and halts for a second.  Then he starts running at you.

It takes you ten steps before you realize he's still building speed, and he's passing thirty miles per hour.  There is a certain rigidity to the way he runs.

And in the back of your mind you can hear a grinding music.  Your attempt to read his mind only gets back....

101001010101010010100100100001010010.....

PT

Now, I'll leave the party temporarily and attempt to find two people out and about near the party outside.  I'll try to control both of them at once, commanding them both to punch the other in the face.  I won't target only men, gender won't be a factor for this experiment.

***************************

"Mr. Washington, I've been meaning to ask you something.  What world do you come from?  What was your homeworld like?"  I'll still scan his mind while he answers this, because images are far more helpful than words sometimes.

Once he finishes, I tell him, "I've been working on opening gates to other worlds, and I've succeeded.  I was curious if my efforts in performing this service could possibly allow me to take another class.  Is that possible?"

***************************

"I have a theory, TWM.  Ten bucks says that when he gets to our side, he fries.  Still, I would much appreciate it if you could get your sword out, because he's definatley hostile and definately a robot."

I move a little bit back from the gate, and point my plasma pistol at him.  "There's a chance that he won't come accross.  If he doesn't, could you please pull him into our world?"  I push a little more energy into the gate while I talk.

You find a couple talking quietly to each other in the garden back of the house.  There are others out here, but its clearly a social situation for couples who want some space.

An elderly aunt keeps an eye on several teenager aged couples from a bench on the side of the garden.

You reach out your mind to your targets...His face twitches, and he restrains himself. She jerks, figthing it, and then slaps him hard.  She then breaks down into tears.

OOC: +@1 for new use to Command. You can clearly see that the stronger disagreed with or more odd the command, the more likely the target is to be able to fight it off with willpower or logic.

==========

"I was a landowner in Virginia in the British Colonies in 1748 when a strangely dressed man assaulted me. He claimed that 'You running dog American President are the source of all evil in the world. By removing you, imperialist warmongering chief I remove America.' He stabbed me with his knife, and I bashed in his nose with a head butt, and then broke his neck. He vanished, and I realized I was mortally wounded...and then I arrived on some orange grass plains and met my fellow versers."

You see images of life as a member of the Virginia Squirearchy, planting corn and tobacco, shoeing horses, fighting Indians, and then a man with staring, black demented eyes, and a dirty Soviet Red Army jacket and a knife....followed by a plain of orange grass.

====================

"Sword later. Shotgun now." TWM unlimbers his shotgun and takes two shots at the approaching robot's head. Both hit. The music plays louder in the back of  your head, and so you're not really surprised when the outer skin is peeled away on the side of his face, to reveal metal, and that one of his eyes is damaged and glows red.

Triple Eight Terminator. Somewhere on the other side of this gate John Connor is fighting Skynet.

"This is bad." TWM says flatly, and he backs up and draws his sword.

The robot steps through. And it stops.

"Processing impaired. Rerouting. Unsuccessful. More damage. Proceed with basal directive."

You pull the trigger on your plasma pistol. It doesn't fire. A reflexive jerk and it fires hitting the Terminator in the chest. This rips through its suit and its human skin, but does little damage.

It backhands you into the nearest wall. Your ribs are on fire.

TWM splits its hair with his sword, doing no real damage.

"Great." He says and the robot punches him in the chest hard enough that you hear bones crackle from ten feet away. TWM is shot back and crashes against a tree in a tangle of limbs. He vanishes.

PT

Considering that this could possibly lead to my death, why don't we focus on the final one?

I make a small noise when I suprisingly hit the wall.  I look over to Kox and say, --Ask Fenris for some help, then hit him with all you've got!--

I think to myself as I go around to the far side of him, Fenris, Chained Wolf, lend me your strength in this trail.  Fill me with your fury!  When I make it around him, I expect that Kox will attack him from the opposite side while I do.

I'll use my fire that I did back in the Kreeps world-where I surround my fists with fire, and explode them upon impact.  I'll do that against the terminator, hoping that the strength from the hit plus the explosion will be enough.

Kox roars, and surges in size as he leaps at the Terminator. He slams into it, knocking it down, and the Terminator belts him across the belly and flops him backwards.  You lunge in and your fists explode in fire as it hammer punches you again in the ribs.

Your hands are in its chest, and you can see that its trying to say something, but Kox has already damaged its jaw. And then you see him close his teeth about the Terminator's neck, and start to shake the robot like a dog shaking a rat, and with the same intent...to break its neck.

A flurry of blows is exchanged, and then K-rack.

The robot is non-functional.

Kox leans back, and whimpers. You try to go to him to help, but both your legs are broken, and you don't remember how that happened....

PT

I'll attempt to channel healing energy through my body; however, I'll avoid the bone breaks on my legs.  I wouldn't want them healing in an abnormal way.

"Walking Man, you doing okay?"  I'll send some energy out and try to close the gate.

--Kox, just stay put for now.  Heal yourself a little.--  I'll try to send some healing energy his way from a distance in a small stream, unsure if it will work over a distance.

I'll look over to Walking Man.  If he's okay, then I won't bother worrying any more, and I'll ask him if he could please get us some help.

If he's still hurt, and we all seem too injured to move easily, my priority will be to close the gate if it's still opened.  I'll also send some fireballs up, so that people might see them and come to help us.  I'll shout for help too, in case someone's around the area who might hear me.

Bones begin to rise up off the floor, slowly followed by muscles, flesh, organs and then skin and clothing.

It coalesces a short while later into the form of Tom Day who blinks in confusion.  He looks around a moment and then says, "Didn't ever expect to be on the receiving end of this.  Hello Krillus.  I'm fighting something rather horrific, though I don't know what it is.  If you're willing, I could use the help."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Sat 29 Nov 2008.

I cough a couple times.  "Well, I'm not in the best shape at the moment, but why not?  Maybe going with you will fix up my legs.  Kox is in bad shape, too."  I gesture over to the husky, probably still large with power, and laying down in pain.

"Both my legs are broken right now, but hey, we took down a terminator."  I point at the robot on the ground, very very broken.  "You can take a piece of it if you want, I don't mind."

This counts as consent to come with you, Day.

He says, "I saw Terminator II.  I wouldn't take a part of the Terminator with me ANYWHERE.  I'd destroy everything you see here personally."

Tom is not a 'master' cleric....but he's already using magic far more powerful than he's ever messed around with.  He internally prays about the best way to handle this situation.  Would returning via the ring accomplish this? Should he use the Symbiot or prayer?

He is pleased to see the Walking Man again as well.

I look at Tom while he thinks to himself.

"I thought I should let you know about a couple things.  Last time I saw you, remember Devlin, that vampire?  Well, after you injured him and disappeared, Kox and I really took it to him, until a huge mech came and stepped on me.

Also, it's probably important for you to know that currently we're on a campus of sorts, for schooling.  It's a place where there are tons of versers gathered-it's called Menlo Park.  Unless there isn't anymore time, you might want to try to get some others here to tag along."

"I think that's a good idea.  I don't know the nature of the magic though.  I'll ask.  Also good job on Devlin.  Shame that guy is a verser."

Tom pings the Lord to see if it is acceptable to ask the other versers here for aid.