Dreams of Ralphie laughing maniacally chase you down hallways and past pictures of Ralphie leering at you, and then you escape the house to the garden only to find every flower in the garden has Ralphie's face...

And then you're awake, smelling flowers, and hearing a young voice.

"Momma, there's a man sleeping in your daffodils."

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

I check for vectors, and attempt to stretch out my telepathic and clairvoyant senses...

You sense one verser.

You stretch out your mental senses, and suddenly your mind is flying into a piece of crytal on the top of the cottage you're laying next too.

I try to sense where I am now, and what is around me, and what my current circumstances are...

BTW, did I feel any response to my prayer?

Your mind is entangled with some sharp spikes embedded in a crystal on the top of the roof of the cottage.  It does not look impossible to get free.  Its more like you've been draped over and under several strands of barbed wire.

You see a little girl, perhaps four, and her mother walking toward your body.  Your body is laying in the middle of a flower garden up near a fenced small yard and a tiny, but neat cottage.

The mother has a heavy stick in her hand and is obviously considering whether she should dispatch you now or not.

And no response other than a feeling of warmth.

:: Ring.  Can you hear me?  Please acknowledge.  Are there electronic communications within detectable range? If so, begin recording now. Monitor, and summarize when ready. Analyze current surroundings. ::

I ponder my current position.

: Hmmmm.  It may take some time to get free...  And I don't have enough information to know whether moving my body would make her more or less likely to attack anyway... :
.
: And it seems that using psi outside the crystal sucks me into it, but that at least clairvoyance can be used safely while inside the crystal. :
.
: Should I try to contact her telepathically?  Or would that make her more likely to attack?  Or do the sharp spikes permit clairvoyance, but not telepathy? :
.
:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

Unless I get any nudges to the contrary, I gently and cautiously try to stretch my telepathic senses toward the mother, trying to read her thoughts, and ideally to get more information about the circumstances here.

If I feel that benevolent telepathic attempts poke me with sharp spikes, then I back off, and continue simply observing via clairvoyance...

:Yes.  Strong static evident.:

The telepathy yanks you back into the crystal.

She goes up and prods the body, and purses her lips.  And then you see and hear her send her daughter to ‘fetch the Guard.'  She backs up, and starts to work on her garden while keeping an occasional eye on your body.

: Hmmm.  Clairvoyance seems OK, but telepathy doesn't.  Hmmm... :

I start from my current vantage point, and move my clairvoyant point of view upwards while looking downwards, so that I can get an idea of what the surrounding vicinity, neighborhood, city, continent, and globe look like...

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

Then I *very* gently and carefully start trying to untangle myself from the crystal.

If it seems like that won't be successful unless I damage myself, then I give up, and wait, and observe...

:: Ring.  Status update.  Any information gleaned thus far? ::

Your clairvoyant point of view stays stuck where it is.

Minor damage is what it seems will happen, so you stop and consider.

:Illogical specific order detected at multiple bands within general static.  This suggests high-level encryption.  Perhaps the static is an attempt to jam the encryption.:

Two Guardia, in blue and red uniforms, armed with nightsticks and with one having a boarspear, and the other a very heavy crossbow, are coming up the road led by the little girl.  They stop and tell her with gestures to go to a neighbours...

I pray fervently for the LORD's deliverance.

:: Ring.  My first use of clairvoyance and telepathy in this universe appears to have trapped my consciousness and perspective within some type of psionic crystal on the top of this cottage.  Can you determine from your external perspective any specifics as to the nature of this crystal?  In particular, can you discern anything that you can do to release me unharmed? ::

:No.:

One of the Guardia pulls out a crystal after they've been examinging your body for a minute or two.  He waves it about a bit, and then points at the crystal atop the roof where your mind is.  They both grin.  Its not a pleasant grin, and one of them hustles off heading back the way he came from.

:: Ring.  It appears that my mind is trapped within this psionic crystal, and that the crystal may be controlled by potentially hostile entities.  If I so instruct you, does your programming permit you to kill my body, so that we can escape safely into another universe, rather than allow myself to be psionically enslaved or imprisoned? ::

I pray fervently, and then reach for my remnant shard of superintelligence, seeking insight as to how to deal with my current circumstances...

:My programming does not permit that.::

Your mind floods with Awareness, and oh, how you had missed it, and you see how one of the encrypted bands is a laser power sat for mobile attack modular devices, or mamdevs, and you can beam power at the crystal...

It shatters. You're free, and back in your body.

The Guardia near you is up and spinning about, very nervous, his boar spear held out in his hands...

:: Ring.  Invoke Empathic Calm mode on those nearby.  Monitor surroundings.  Invoke Sleep mode on anyone seeking to attack me. ::

I stand and slowly raise my hands in a gentle, reassuring, non-threatening manner, palms out.

"‘Peace be unto you.'  I mean you no harm.  Please pardon my inadvertent intrusion.  I was attacked and lost consciousness, and the next thing I knew, I was here.  Please, where am I?"

He calms, gulping air.

"Widow Cumberly's garden.  It must have been a Soulchaser...." And with that he pulls out the crystal, and starts to wave it about near you...

I look at the crystal with interest.

"Please, what is a Soulchaser?  And what is that crystal?"

"By the way, my name is John Oakmaster.  Well met.  Is there any way I can be of assistance?"

"My name is Mkael of Dring Duchy.  I am a second guardsman sworn to the Duke, and assigned to Cly Village." He nods politely, and puts the crystal back on his neck, and leaves it out.

"Creatures of will and malice, they take an unprotected soul, or even slice and strip a soul and put in pieces of themselves.  The crystal is a mindtrap, and a sensor for them, or other things like them.  But I can tell you are a man.  And I fear now that the greater crystal is broken that we are in trouble for we are on the outer edge, where the crystals are stronger and the Soulchaser's closer."

"What other methods may be used to thwart such creatures successfully?  And how long will it be before the greater crystal can be replaced?"

"Will and fire. If you are strong of heart, or keen of mind, they like it not.  Nor do they like fire."  He keeps looking outward. "An hour there...time there...hour back.  It should be three hours, but the Countess is in town, and she may stick her nose in, and then who knows when we would get it."

He points to some trees atop a distant ridge which seem to wave in an invisible wind....

"Maybe...."

"Is the need known already?  Or do we need to see it done?"

"Who else is nearby, formerly protected by the broken crystal?  How may we best protect them until the replacement can be brought here?"

"My partner goes to tell them in the village." And he waves at several houses further in that spread out like a cone from your position.  "I'm for staying here."

And you smell something rank in the wind.

:: Ring.  Raise psi shields.  Alert me at any attempt to breach them. ::

I take up my oak fire staff in my left hand, and my light sabre in my right, ready to be activated.

"Who else is nearby, formerly protected by the broken crystal? How may we best protect them until the replacement can be brought here?"

"What options do we have for fire sources?"

I pray fervently for protection, and to activate my Sight...

:Aye:

"The Widow, but she will be hidden in her house, which offers its own form of protection. While we tasty morsels are outside."

He tries to light a fire, but a wind smelling of garbage and carrying a dire song flips him airborne, and he crashes to the ground ten feet away.

:Destabilizing spots in psi shield developing.:

OOC: What do I see through my Sight?

: Try to stabilize psi shield.  Invoke Calm Empathic mode on surrounding area. :

I move to take up a protective stance in front of him, and activate my light sabre as I face the wind.

"Who are you, and why have you come?"

Sight is magic, so nothing.

A howl of anguish responds to the CE mode.

...you!!!....

And then you click on the lightsaber and the sense of nastiness is suddenly gone.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD... ::

I look around for any further signs of these creatures (wind, smell, psi, etc.).

: Ring.  Status report.  Any further attempts to breach the psi shield?  Is it stable now? :

If the coast is clear, I turn to my companion.

"Are you all right?"

The coast seems clear to your senses, and to the Ring.

"Ow. I broke my arm." You can see as he struggles to sit up that indeed he did.  His forearm has two bones, and the jagged end of one of them is poking through the skin.

I regard his wounded arm soberly.  It doesn't seem that this universe supports healing through prayer.  My Ring can only heal others in Second Chance's nanite-rich environment.  I could try psionic healing, but my skill level isn't that high, and I am hesitant to try with Soulchasers and crystals around.

"How far away is the nearest healer?"

"About an hour, if she is in the village.  Up to three hours if she is in the district somewhere."  He's clearly talking about Cly Village which the other guard went to, to fetchhelp.

"Are those creatures likely to return?"

"Are there any other nearby crystals that helped protect this place?  Or are we out of their protective range here?"

"Probably not.  There is another house about a mile to our right with its own crystal, no two miles, yeah, but it doesn't do much good here."

"Do you wish me to try to heal you?"

"Hnnh?" He looks surprised. "Are you a healer? You don't bear the listening ear and tube."

"I am not a fully trained healer, but I do have some skill in first aid.  If you wish, I will do what I can to help.  Do you want me to proceed?"

If he consents, then I use my Mary Piper training (successfully used on Krillis in the Temple of the Dying Sun) to carefully set his broken bone.

As I do so, I make conversation...

"Are evil creatures such as Soulchasers the only ones with powers of the mind?  Or are there any creatures of good will that also have powers of the mind?"

I also ask him questions about himself and about the places and peoples hereabouts, both to get to know this world and to make him more at ease and distracted from his injuries...

You're setting his bone, and he's white-faced in pain as you have to insert his bone end back into his arm.

"Ya-uh, there are the crystalcutters...uh, we're near to going to war with the king of Mvery over some pasture land high in the mountain passes to the south, and the Wa-aaaargh is infested again...and..."

He passes out.

: Hmmm...  Well, that is one way to keep him still, and manage his pain... :

I pray fervently as I continue setting the bone, checking carefully to ensure that it is set properly.

Then I focus my concentration, and then focus upon the wound...

OOC: Attempting psi: In the Groove, followed by Healing...

You try the psi, and it nearly spins out of control.  Breathing heavily, sweat on your cheekbones, you try again, and slide into the Groove where every step just seems Right, where intutition is linked more profoundly with intelligence, and distractions are a distant thing.

No luck, but again, and it succeeds.  You see the arm bone knit back, not as strong as before, still fragile.  The hole is now like a week old, and the shudders of approaching shock are gone, and he's now in a healthy sleep.

You stop and you're shaking as if you'd been pushing a car uphill.

: Thank... you... LORD...  *Whew*...  Better... sit... a... bit... :

I sit in a position to guard the guard, light sabre at the ready.

: Ring.  I know that you cannot Heal others without local nanite support available, but you can still Heal me.  If I put you on someone else's hand, would you be able to Heal them? :

I continue watching over the guard until help arrives.

Was my previous burst of insight that cracked the laser sat encryption sufficient to crack the rest of the encryption as well?  If not, then while waiting, I have Ring work on trying to crack the rest of the local encryption.  If needed, then after I am more rested, I try to lend a hand with another shard of superintelligent insight.

When the encryption is cracked...

: Ring.  Analyze and summarize content of encrypted communications... :

:Yes, however every such transfer would expend ‘familiarization' nanos, and be more costly on healing than healing you. Such cost is minor.:

Your burst of insight serves as an example of the type of encryption, but doesn't offer the key to the encryption.  You and the Ring struggle with it, but no luck.

An hour later, and the guard comes back with a lady on a donkey.  She looks closely at you, and then examines the broken arm, and talks to the wounded guardsmen.

"Take this willow bark in your tea, drink every few hours, take tommorrow off, don't let your wife put you to work...you will be fine." The guard thanks her, and you, and she shooes them off.  Then she looks at you.

"Remarkable healing technique." She says looking closely at you.

OOC: OK, then I'll hold off on transferring the Ring to further Heal the guard, since he is already stable.

I meet her close gaze peacefully, benevolently, openly, and honestly.

"I am but an unworthy servant, yet the LORD my God blesses my humble efforts."

"My name is John Oakmaster, m'lady.  I was attacked, and awakened to  find myself here, but I have very little idea where ‘here' is.  Please, where are we, and who are you?"

"I am Ellen Watersdaughter, a healer of no great skill, from Cly Village.  I serve there at the Duke's pleasure.  And I am no ‘lady'. You can call me Elle, or Mother, or Healer.

You are at the Widow Cumberly's house on the edge of the Cly Village Defense Barrier."

She hands to the uninjured guard a crystal which he puts up on the house top, and then he fetches the Widow and her daughter and shows them the new protection.

"Well met, Elle."

I give a friendly respectful nod to the Widow and to her daughter, the latter with a bigger yet still gentle smile.  I really do like kids, and it shows.

"I am John Oakmaster.  ‘Peace be unto you.'  I was attacked, and awakened to find myself here.  Please pardon my inadvertent intrusion."

"I'm afraid that I know very little of this place, or of its ways.  May I be of any service here to any of you?  Or is it more appropriate for me to present myself to the Duke for him to use as he sees fit?"

"You could make flower necklaces with me." The little girl pipes up, and the others laugh.

"He's a busy man." Her mother says.

"Probably the Duke, I can give you a letter introducing you..."
Elle says.

I give a warm grin at the little girl, and then give Elle an appreciative look.

"Thank you very much, Elle.  That would be very kind of you."

Then I squat down to put my head at a similar height to the little girl with a warm gentle smile.

"That sounds lovely, my dear.  I may have a few minutes before I go to see the Duke.  But you will need to ask your mother, for she may already have other plans for you."

I give a kind glance toward the Widow, obviously looking for her lead, and obviously willing to follow it...

The Widow flushes a bit, and one of the guard interjects...

"Well, I wouldn't mind a bit of a bite..." The Widow seems deeply embarrassed at forgetting a social obligation, but the guards assure her they understand as its been a very trying day for anyone. She heads off to her kitchen to throw together something to eat for her guests.

The little girl and Elle sit down in the flower garden to make flower necklaces with you.

"We're doing purple and yellow flowers in se...se...order." The little girl commands in a soft voice. "Its the colors of the Lord in the Sea Tower."

Elle asks you about your healing techniques even as her fingers move surely and quickly among the flowers.

: Argh.  Now I've gone and inadvertently forced a widow of unknown economic means to entertain us all.  I'll have to find a way to help her later... :

I smile at the little girl.  "I don't know how to make flower necklaces, so you'll have to teach me.  What is the Lord in the Sea Tower like?"

I listen and follow carefully, and respond to Elle as I slowly work through my first necklace.

"First I had to set the broken bone, which was not the most pleasant experience for the guard.  Then I prayed, and reached out with healing power to him.  The LORD God was gracious to speed his way toward recovery."

She gives you clear directions, and when you make a mistake...
"Stop. You're doing it wrong."  Then she shows you. "Like that."

Elle grins at you, and whispers to the little girl.  After listening to your story, she nods, an dyou can see she has more questions.  She sends the little girl to the other end of the garden to gather some flowers there.  Yet, she seems to feel an obligation, and so she pulls up an orange flower, and exposes a nodule on its root.  This she breaks off with her thumb, and reburies the root.

"Chop this very fine, and steep in water of half a cup, if cold, for the count of a hundred, if hot, a half that, then drain the grounds, and give it to your patient.  It will make him very drowsy."

The little girl comes back and tells you several tales of the Lord of the Sea Tower who is sometimes a Lady.  He comes and lives there, and overseas the people of the Forty Lands, and protects them against the monsters and the screaming minds.  Sometimes he lives for a very long time.  Adeno lived for more years than the Empire of the Poledrans.  Other times, like with Magnus, he lives but a short time.

I listen attentively to the little girl's instructions, and nod.  "Thank you, my dear."  When she is looking away, I return Elle's grin.

I listen even more attentively to Elle's instructions.  "Thank you very much, Elle.  There is much I have to learn in these lands.  I would gratefully learn whatever else you would be inclined to teach me."

The stories of the Lord of the Sea Tower interest me, and that interest increases as I hear more details.  Overseer?  Protector?  Memories of my time as the Superintelligence protecting Second Chance hover near.  And even more interesting, sometimes very long lived, other times not?

: Hmmmm.  Did I not detect one vector?  Could it be?... :

I close my eyes for a moment, then open then thoughtfully.

"By any chance, does the Lord of the Sea Tower dwell in that direction?"

"Herbalism and the simple treatments of injury, and the rules of cleanliness are what I know.  But I will be glad to teach what I can."

With that, she quotes the Ten Rules for Health.
1. Touch not the unclean, but if you must, then make it clean, and make yourself clean again.

And so on...

The little girl and Elle both nod in agreement.  It seems your theory is correct.

I thank Elle, and listen with keen interest as she teaches me.

"How long ago did the current Lord of the Sea Tower come?  How far is the Sea Tower from here?"

"Four generations ago, he came, and it is fifty leagues as the plover flies." Elle says.

Food is brought forth.  Its bread and butter, thinly sliced ham, a half acorn squash each, a corn cob each, and a pile of turnips in turnip soup.  Everyone falls in to eat picnic fashion as the Widow has no table large enough for them all.  They all compliment her on the food, and she smiles, pleased.  And the little girl puts necklaces around each of the guests necks.

"Let our visitor say the blessing." Elle says, her eyes curious.  The others accede, and everyone bows, putting palms flat on their faces except for one of the guard who keeps his eyes open, and searching for any trouble.

I join in the compliments to the Widow, and then bow as the others do.

"Dearest LORD, thank you for sovereignly creating all things, and this day, and this food, and our kind hostess, and these friends to share it with.  Please bless it to nourish and strengthen us to better love and serve you and those around us.  We pray in the Son and Savior, Jesus Christ...  Amen."

The food is spiced with local herbs, and salt.  Soon enough Elle and the Guards are heading back to Cly Village...

You?

OOC: How was my prayer received, particularly by the curious Elle?

As I eat, I try to draw out the various folks gathered there, gleaning tidbits about themselves, and about life in these lands.

I try to get a description of the route one would take to get from here to the Sea Tower.  How long does it take to get there?  Is Cly Village on the way?

I also try to get information about the Lord there, such as stories about him, an idea of his personality, what hoops and hurdles one has to go through to meet him, etc.

And when all is done, I thank the Widow and her daughter...

OOC: Where I go and what I do depends upon the information I get from my queries above...  :)

They listen, and study you, but say nothing.

Its an agrarian society based on small villages.  They have issues with a neigboring king over the mountains.  Occassionally there is a threat from a metalbeast, or a mind creature.
You'd go northward to the Sea, and then along the coast.  They're not sure.  Opposite directions.

He visits his lands twice a year, is regarded as harsh but fair, is a distant figure, and tends toward snapping out orders, and then leavinmg things in the hands of his folk.  Its not hard to meet him.

I get more information regarding what villages are northward to the Sea, and what villages are along the coast.  Are these lands under the same rule as here (the Duke)?  Are they under the rule of the neighboring king over the mountains?  None of the above?

I also get more information about metalbeasts and mind creatures, as well as how likely they are to be encountered on the route to the Sea Tower...

There are Fenmen north to the Sea. Fenmen live in wild and crazy conditions, walking on water, and eating fish with no friends.

Further up the coast, is Strengsli Realm which is known for its perfumes.  Its ruler is the Matriarch.  Inland, is the king over the mountains.

Metalbeasts are varied land monsters, not being able to fly or swim.  They tend to be territorial, and frequently prefer mines and caves as lairs.  They are very hard to kill.

Mind Creatures dislike fire.  Some are Madsynths which twist the mind and perceptions until the attacked losing his mind, and they can then use the mind.  Others are stronger, and directly attack.  And then there are the many Spooks which have little power, but enjoy harrassing people.

"You honored me by asking me to say the blessing, but I am not familiar with the customs and beliefs here.  Was my blessing similar to one you would have given, or different?"

"How do the customs and beliefs differ between Cly Village and the various lands between here and the Sea Tower?"

"Different. We worship the Maker of All like so..."

She holds her hands over head, and intones...
"Great are your deeds
Happy are your people
Give us power this day
O Give us power this day
To do your will"

This is what we say at eveningtide, or when guests are visiting.

Those lands near us, such as the king we have difficulty with, are similar in belief, but northward, among the Fenmen, I hear they worship wild and savage gods.

"Is there much travel or little between villages and lands?  Are there bards or merchants or healers or other various travelers that move about relatively frequently, or is movement more rare?  Do caravans ever go to and from the Sea Tower, for example?  What lands have you been to?"

There is little travel between most lands, although some lands have regular trade routes.  In villages in the same land, its much more common, but still not that much so.

Several years back a caravan of strange lookinf folk came through who claimed to have stopped at the Sea Tower.

None of them have been in another land than their home.

"Are there regular trade routes that eventually connect Cly Village with the Sea Tower?"

"Where in Cly Village could one obtain provisions for a journey to the Sea Tower?"

"What is the Duke like?  Has he ever been to the Sea Tower?  Has he ever met the Lord of the Sea Tower?  How do they get along?"

"No, Cly Village is not very important.  You could go to the chandler, and get some supplies, and get more further on up the road.  The Duke has been to the Great Moot, and swore allegiance to the Lord of the Sea Tower.  He is a loyal subject to him."

You get the feeling of ‘there's peasant business and noble business, and we don't stick our nose into what doesn't concern us.'  So for public consumption, the Duke is a loyal subject.  Reality? He might be, at least he has to pretend to be a little bit.

"Where might I be able to obtain maps?  Would the chandler have such things?"

"The crystals are interesting.  What do you know of them, and of the crystalcutters?  Where do they dwell?  How did they develop their craft?"

The chandler has maps they agree.  The Duke brings back crystals from the Great Moot which he buys from the crystalcutters who live off to the west far away.

OOC: So we currently have:
West: Crystalcutters
North: Fenmen
Northward, then along the coast (NW?  NE?  etc.?): Sea Tower
Opposite direction from Sea Tower (SE?  SW?  etc.?): Cly Village
Further up the coast (NW? NE? etc.?): Strengsli Realm
Inland (N? E? S? W? etc.?): king over the mountains

Could you give me a clearer idea of compass directions and distances for the various landmarks discussed?  :)

"How far away do the crystalcutters live?  How far are they from the Sea Tower?"

"Where is the Great Moot?  How long will it be until the next one?"

Inland –W. Cly Village SE.  They're not precise enough to give you more than that.  Cly Village is a couple hours away.  Fenmen are a week or so north.  King over the mountains is about four days away in good weather.

"It takes the Duke a week on good horses in early summer during the good weather to go to the Moot. The Crystalcutters are further past that some distance.  They are a great way from the Sea Tower."

"Past the King over the mountains, and then join the West Road, and keep to it. Two more months."

OOC: Heh, nicely aggravating directions from peasants. ‘oh, its offa toward that ways a bit, a week or two providing you don't run into a gale, or the road gets avalanched out.  And thats hoping they have good horses up that way for you to rent which might be, or might not be...."

OOC: What time of the year does it seem to be now?

Assuming that Elle and the guards are heading not only to Cly Village but also towards the chandler, I will go with them.  And perhaps meeting the Duke with Elle's letter of introduction wouldn't be such a bad idea after all...

Its mid-spring.  Road quality varies in part to how much the locals have spent on gravel, or logs for corduroy roads, but also how recently it has rained.  The twin ruts that lead to the Widow Cumberly's cottage look a bit damp, but suitable for horse or foot.

One hour later, the guards kill a coyote, and chuckle at their luck.  Coyote's get a bounty to try to keep their sheep killing to a minimum.  You pass a number of isolated houses for the next hour, and then its a travel through some as yet unripe orchards, and past a fine looking multi-room house with a huge wolfhound out front.

Over the next hour, you're never out of sight of a house, but they are few and far between.  And then over a hill, and down into the hundred thatched cabins of Cly Village with about a dozen other buildings.  The guards go to one, and they point you to another with a wooden sign bearing crossed candlesticks.

Before departing, I check vectors, and also check Ring (or my compass, if Ring can't do it) to track what direction(s) we travel in.  I make sure to leave some small insignificant object behind, hopefully pushed into the dirt or mud, so that I can have a vector toward the Widow's place as well.

As we continue traveling, I periodically check vectors again to get an idea of how far the Lord of the Sea Tower is from here.  I talk with Elle, getting to know more about her, and about healing skills, and about the world here.  I also get to know the guards and chat with them about the world here as well.

As I glean various tidbits, I try to find out what kinds of things I possess that might be valuable for barter in these parts.  Hopefully my gems at least are worth something...

When we arrive, I look for any signs of crystals, whether atop the various buildings or otherwise.  I also make arrangements with Elle for how to meet up again later, so that I can get the letter of introduction to the Duke from her.

:: Ring.  Are you able to detect if there are any more of those crystals around here?  Have you been able to break the encryption yet? ::

And then I thank the guards, and approach the building with the crossed candlesticks.

:: Dearest LORD, please bless my interactions now, and help me to be a blessing, I pray... ::

You leave a penny behind, pushed deep into a bank of dirt by the roadside.

Eventually, you decide that the Sea Tower is 200 miles north, give or take ten miles.

Listening to Elle you get a sense of a fairly localized world.  Most folk do not travel beyond their own lands, and those that do rarely go more than one or two except for the upper nobility.  One of the jobs of travellers is to spread tales, and the Duke when he comes back from the Moot will set aside a whole day to tell the tales of his trip, and he will have minstrels with him to tell of other lands.  These minstrels would have heard their stories from other minstrels, or nobility, or the long distance traders who use the great routes.

Elle talks about how it used to be when she was a child.  The Moot was held only once every three years.

"The world changes a lot. My great-gram before she passed, she said it was nice in the end of her life that the land was warm, not like the ice of her youth."

Gems are worth a good bit, but you suspect from bits and pieces that its not as much as you're used too.  They seem to be adept with crystals in this world.  And on top of every building you find crystals.

: Yes. Likely time to first encryption broken is 1743 hours.::

You walk into the chandlery and see a tall, thin man with quick fingers loading suet into a clay pot.  There is an aroma of spice, and honey, and woodland leaves, and leather, and soap, and hanging everywhere are bundles of candles.

"Ken I do fer your strainger."  He's got an accent, and he's clearly taller and paler than the locals you've seen so far.

When I get the impression during our travels that gems may not be quite as valuable as I'm used to, I also check to see how much gold is valued.

And when I hear about minstrels, I also try to get more information about them.  What type of instruments do they play?  Are they only valued for news, or also for music and/or storytelling and/or etc.?  Are songs and/or stories valued here?  How much of knowledge in this society is passed verbally versus through writing?

OOC: What time is it when we arrive?  How long until estimated decryption progress?

I glance around to get an idea of the items available here beyond what my nose already tells me, and give the man a friendly nod and smile.

"Good day.  Do you have maps to help a stranger find his way?"

About a thrird of what you're used too.

The most common instruments are drums, trumpets, flutes, and something that sounds like a guitar, but has no long handle, only a large box.  You also hear tell of one minstrel named Ricordian who has a guitar box that on the reverse side is a drum, and can be opened up to use the guitar box string as a slingshot to shoot small game.

Music, storytelling, and news are all valued as well as whatever other skills they have like juggling or teethpulling (in some places they hear that are so barbaric as to not have Healers.  Most knowledge is verbal, and is taught from parent to child, or master to apprentice.

Four in the afternoon.  1735 hours.

Hoes, and a couple sawblades and knives.  Salt. Cloth of linen and cloth of wool.  Leather hides.

"Sharely dew."  He pulls out a half-dozen maps.  One shows the Great Roads, and supposedly shows the whole continent, but in extremely little detail.  Another shows an island in good detail, but where Mintac Isle is??  Another is of the Duke's New Lands Given As of Right, and it shows the planned locations for the various villages and such including Cly Village.  Another shows the Duke's and the Kingdom over the Mountain.  There is also a List Map which is a list of landmarks that one will see on the way to the Great Moot.  The last looks like its made of plastic and shows a giant circle with three dots on it which are named LT, ST, and MT.

During the journey, I encourage my companions to give examples of popular songs and stories that they like, in order to get a feel for the style(s) and culture.

In the shop, I look over each map for a few seconds to give my perfect memory (as well as Ring and CU2) a chance to get a clear recording.  Then I actually pick up and examine the last one...

:: Ring.  Analyze maps, particularly the last one.  What material is it made of?  Is it anachronistic relative to the rest of the observed culture, excluding the encrypted transmissions and laser sat?  Do you detect anything beyond the obvious?  Do you have any conjectures regarding designations "LT", "ST", and "MT"? ::

"Interesting.  How much is each map?  And what is this last map of, with the ‘LT', ‘ST', and ‘MT' dots on it?"

OOC: When and where am I supposed to meet up with Elle to get my letter of introduction?  Did anyone make any offers of hospitality during the journey to put me up for the night?

Well, you've already spent your time gathering info.  Maybe later you can find about songs.

You've got the maps in memory with yourself and the computers.

:primarily carbon-carbon based ‘plastic'.  Yes. Carbon-carbon laminated transparencies did not come into common use until 2214 in original timeline.  This material should be extremely durable, but susceptible to solar heating and explosive flammability.  No.:

"A silver piece to a pair of silver pieces, but this last map, ah, I cannot make another, but I know not what it means.  Two gold."

Not yet clarified. No.  However you suspect on both this is more due to being overlooked or procrastinated on than anything else.

OOC: Wasn't the journey a minimum of three hours?  Wouldn't there have been time to ask about songs???  o_O

-=-

"Curious.  What is it made of?  Where is it from?  Do you have any similar items?"

-=-

"When we arrive, I look for any signs of crystals, whether atop the various buildings or otherwise. I also make arrangements with Elle for how to meet up again later, so that I can get the letter of introduction to the Duke from her."

OOC: If meeting with Elle is not yet clarified, then how will I find her again?  I would have not parted company with her without knowing how to find her again...  :o

Yes. No.

"Claricle.  Its a Caravanner artifact.  And no, I don't, well, ...."  He shuffles through some boxes, and pulls out a small black button like for a shirt, and hands you a knife and a hammer.  "Far as I can tell, its just a button, but I've not been able to scratch it or anything."

Every building has at least one crystal on it.  Elle tells you to meet her at the inn for dinner.

OOC:  True.

I verify with Elle when dinner is and/or how I will know (do they ring a dinner gong or something?), and where the inn is, before parting ways...  :)

"I don't know much about Caravanners.  What have you heard about them?"

I examine the button thoughtfully.

:: Ring, analyze this "button"...  Is it just a button, or is there any tech within, beyond the material it is made of? ::

Dinner starts about five minutes after the lower edge of the Sun touches the horizon.

"The messengers of the Old Gods some say.  Others think they live deep in the Earth, and occasionally rise to steal forth and take Humans.  Some of their items have a peculiar magic about them.  Some say the Great Monsters were once their kine."

:Item is impenetrable to my sensors.  It does not respond to queries.  It is nearly pure carbon-carbon and thus for this tech level, indestructible.  Even tossing it into a volcano would do nothing to it.:

OOC: Where is the dinner venue?

"What kind of magic?"

"I don't know much about the Old Gods, or about the Great Monsters.  What have you heard about them?"

"How much for the button?"

Its at the inn as it would be improper for you to eat alone at her place even if she is an old woman.

"Oh, there is many stories. Stronghand, a kings' sword, was said to be able to cut rock like a man can dip his hand in water.  And the Hat of the Mountain could let you see your enemies every move.  And the Magic Flute would play of itself so beautifully that kings and queens would give its owner jewels just to hear another hour."  He goes on in that vein for a bit.

"The Old Gods?  They were so fast they could arrive before they started.  They had thunderbolts which could destroy kingdoms.  They gave this world to humanity as a gift, and then, well some say they fell asleep, and others say they left, and others say the Christ came and slew them for they are not really gods but the mothers and fathers of monsters."

Its clear he's recounting tales told with no firmness known behind the tales.

"But if ye wish to see a Great Monster go a week inland to the Bog of Periphen, who used to reign there, until the Seven Footed Bog Dragon destroyed his castle and took the land for itself."

He asks for three times as much as for the map.

"Are there any folks still around that have seen any of the Great Monsters, or would know more about them?"

"I've heard a bit about Soulchasers, but don't know much about them.  What have you heard about them?"

"I've heard a bit about the Lord of the Sea Tower, but don't know much about him.  What have you heard about him?"

I look around as we chat to see if anything interesting else catches my eye.  Are the prices posted, or do I have to ask?

He tells you about Pater the Shepherd who years ago went hunting with the previous duke for monsters.

There are Madysnths which affect the perceptions.  There are Vola Tiles which tend to be stuck to a particular stone and effect the release of emotions.  There are Nibbs which are small creatures of relatively little power, but they can be dangerous if one is uncautious or weak.  There are Soulchasers which are the worst,,,,although he's heard there is worse than that.  All of these can be defended by Will, and Harmony and Fire, and Crystal.

The prices are not posted.  Its this era's equivalent of a small general store or Wal-mart, but with only about a hundred different items.

He tells you about  what you already know about the LST.

"Harmony?  As in music?"

"So folks can defend against them by Will, and Harmony and Fire, and Crystal.  But how did the previous duke actually go hunting them, offensively rather than defensively?"

"Where do Crystals come from, and how are they made?  Are they all the same, or do they have different properties or capabilities?"

"Where is Pater the Shepherd now?  How would I find him?"

"Yes."

"Oh, he hunted Metal Beasts, not Soulchasers.  Those can be hurt by anything that hurts a man....as long as its strong enough.  Arrows tend to glance off them, but a heavy spear can hurt one, if well thrown."

"I've heard there are ones with differences.  Some that repel, and others than capture, and others than join, but I don't know more than that."

"Hmmm, he'd be out near Falcon Hill which is ...."  He walks outside and points to a circling bird. "Follow a hunting bird west, and chances are you'll see it leading you toward Falcon Hill."

"I notice that there are many crystals here.  How do you obtain them?  Who makes them, and who brings them here, and who sells them?  How much does a crystal cost?"

"Has anyone studied the monsters?  Are there books or scrolls that tell about them?"

"We buy them from the crystal cutters at the Great Moot usually.  They cost about a three months wages for a skilled worker or a farmer.  Studied them?  No....I mean, I imagine someone must have, but I've never heard of such."

"Where do the crustal cutters live?  And where and when is the next Great Moot?"

Beyond the Moot a good distance, and two months.

Its about three weeks to the West, he says.

A few hours at least.  Probably not.

Its about three weeks to the West, he says.

A few hours at least.  Probably not.

Its about three weeks to the West, he says.

A few hours at least.  Probably not.

OOC: How long until dinner time now?

"I'm new to these parts, and also to this village.  What are some of the other places and people of interest hereabouts?"

An hour.

"Hennsta the Weaver had her best bought by the Duke for his palace, and at least once a year she sends one thing to the Great Moot.  She is hard of hearing being of great age, but her fingers are still nimble.  Docksy, so called because that is the most common word he says, came from a far village, from some tragedy in a massacred caravan we think.  He walked for weeks assailed by the mind spirits until ....well, he is quite mad.  No one knows how he survived.  Man at arms Weaver is the leader of the Guard, and quite capable with staff and sword and torch."

"Poor man.  Where is ‘Docksy' now?  And how do these mind spirits assail someone, with such drastic effect?"

"They tear at your mind, your heart.  They take you over.  They twist what you see.  There are tales of wives killing their beloved husbands thinking they slew a bear, and of men happily walking off cliffs to certain doom, and worse of men in such pain that they killed themselves to be free."

He takes you to see Docksy who is resting dazed under a tree near the edge of a village.  His fingers are stained yellow.

"Crivvel Weed.  Its hard to find, and against the law to take or grow, but we ignore what Docksy does."  The chandler points to the fingers, being careful not to touch them.  "It will soak through the skin, and make you sleepy and relaxed.  Eat it, and you'll be transported to Heaven its said, before you fall to ||||."

As we make our way to where Docksy is, I ask:

"About how old would you say that Hennsta the Weaver is now?  Is her memory still sharp to recall the olden days when she was young?  Does she sell her weaving work hereabouts?"

After we arrive, I regard him quietly, moved with compassion.

"Can anything be done for him by the healers here?"

"Whereabouts in these lands do the crystals protect, and where do they not?  What is the range of these crystals here in the village?"

"Are there any places that are surrounded by crystals, with an inner area that is not?  If so, it might be useful to examine him in such a place..."

"Hennsta the Weaver has grandchildren who have grandchildren.  I would not know.  I think it may for I find as I age that the memories of my youth stay with me well.

Certainly.  She sells most of her work roundabouts.  I have two of her quilts in my home.  Good quality they are."

=============
"No, they've done what they may, which is why we let him eat the crivvel, and of feastdays give him a bottle of cheap wine.  He seems to know enough not to go to the same place each day to beg for food, but we all feed him from scraps and such, and I've seen him hunt for rabbits on his own, like a dog."

He explains that the outer ring protects the village, but the secondary ring really blocks any holes in the outer ring, and that might be all that was needed, but no one is willing to test that theory.

A crystal will offer some protection as much as a half mile away.

He cannot think of any such.

"Is she in the village now?  How may I find her?"

-=-

"How do people travel from village to village safely?  Do they carry portable crystals with them?  Would such provide sufficient protection to venture beyond the outer edge?"

He gives you directions to her granddaughter's house where Hennsta lives but a few dozen yards from where you stand.

"Aye, and also the road as much as may be is inside the land of villages."

"If I needed to travel beyond the outer edge, how could I obtain such a crystal to protect me?  Are there any extras for sale in Cly Village now, or would I need to wait until it is time to journey to the Great Moot?"

"You talked before of there being crystals that repel, and crystals that capture, and crystals that ‘join'.  What do ‘joining' crystals do?"

"If I wanted to stay in Cly Village for a bit, what options are there for a stranger to earn his daily bread?  Are there any who could do with an extra hired hand?  Are there any roles or trades or crafts that the village lacks?  Does the Duke have any needs?"

"How long have you lived in Cly Village?  What things do you find to be good, and not so good, here?  If you were a stranger, would you choose to stay here a while, or to move on elsewhere?"

"...I would think the Great Moot, or convince ye the Duke of your need.  Joining crystals can magnify the effect of other crystals by adding more crystals together.

Are you a bowvyer (an arrow maker), or a barrel builder, or a wagonsmith, or a breaker of wild horses?  There is need for men with strong backs too.  As to the Duke, it would be best if you asked him yourself.

Nigh on twenty years.  The folk are friendly and generous, but they do expect to be paid back eventually.  But they are patient about it.  They could use some more vision.  I've been telling folk for five years we need to fix Yaxon Bridge, but no one will set aside the money or time to do it.  Since I was a stranger, and did, I'd say yes."

"Does the Duke interact with the villagers regularly, or does one need to request an audience?"

"Does Hennsta welcome visitors, even if they be strangers?"

"By the way, what is your name?  I am John Oakmaster..."

One would need to go to his town, and request an audience.

"Aye, that she does, but be bringing a drink, and some time for she will talk your ear off."

"Charles Chandler of Cly Village."

"Where is the Duke's town?  How far away is it, and how does one go there?"

"Hmmm.  I suppose there is almost an hour before dinner.  Do you think that would be time enough for a visit with Hennsta?"

"Charles Chandler.  Well met, sir.  ‘Peace be unto you.'"

"South...about a week."  He gives a short list of directions starting with ‘head south toward the lightning struck hickory tree on the hill'.

He shrugs.

"What things happen in Cly Village on a typical day, such as the dinner gathering?  What things happen in a typical week, such as worship?"

-=-

"Well, perhaps I'll see if I can drop in on Hennsta before dinner.  Thank you very much for your time, Charles.  It has been a pleasure talking to you."

And so I make my way to Hennsta's place to see if she feels like chatting with a stranger...

"Ah, well, we're a farming village.  Our activities follow the seasons.  We also have a number of shepherds."  Actually, to your eyes, they look more like a ‘gardenning village'.  "We get a merchant from Morie Village once a week.  We worship in the pavillion west of town."

He shrugs, and asks you to come along.

Following him, he points out the businesses, which are few, a baker, a woodworker with his two apprentices, a blacksmith, the village leader's home which is about twice the size of the others homes.  There are a couple barns to be used in common (this is divided up by right, and paid for by taxes).  He points out the stocks which are rarely used as the villagers would prefer to get good work out of troublemakers.  He points out the diner, and you can smell the food nearly ready.

And on the far side of town you see an open pavillion with a roof.

"We worship here.  In winter, we take hay bales and wall it in, and those hay bales are used to feed the animals in early spring before anything grows."

"Who eats at the diner?  Do just some folks eat there, or does everyone eat there together?"

"Does everyone worship here, and have the same beliefs, or do folks differ in their beliefs?  What do folks believe here?"

-=-

"Well, perhaps I'll see if I can drop in on Hennsta before dinner. Thank you very much for your time, Charles. It has been a pleasure talking to you."

And so I make my way to Hennsta's place to see if she feels like chatting with a stranger...

" Mostly its the young bachelors not yet owning a farm, the old widowed men, sometimes a young lady asked by a young man.  The baker as he says he cooks too much already.  A couple too laid up too cook.  Sometimes the mayor will visit.  People having a special night."

He looks thoughtful. "Strange way of talking. No everyone worships the same here.  We believe in the Maker, and his Seven Servants who do battle among the lights."
==========

You traipse on over to the Widow Hennsta's.  She has several young women helping her get a quilt finished in her front room, and the front door is open to let in the air.  She's bent and twisted, and all her hair is white, but she looks up with eyes blue and bright like marbles.

"Welladay.  A man in fine, but strange clothing.  Oddly even stitchery.  See ladies, this is what we want.  Even stitches.  No tiny stitch and then you start dreaming of your big farmer man, and I get stitches as big as your farmer man's biceps....Come in, come in,....you wish to buy, no doubt...."

"Please, tell me of the Seven Servants..."

-=-

"Good day, Widow Hennsta, ladies.  I am a stranger who would like to learn more about these lands, and have heard that you have seen many things, and have many stories to tell..."

The Lords and Ladies of Time, Sea, Stars, Family, Sword, Harvest, and The Warp were given charge of certain elements of creation, of changing them to suit Man by the Maker.  And they do battle, even now, among the Lights in the Sky against the Unnamed Evils.

From listening to him, they don't seem to have individual names, and it might be there are more than seven, but there are only seven jobs, he says.

==================================================================
"Aye, a sweet-tongued man.  Such are not to be trusted ladies."  The young women giggle. "My first husband, and my third were sweet, could talk a bird out of a tree.  Maker rest their souls.  You dress as a noble might from some far land, but have not the pride of the noble born.  I think you some new thing.  Perhaps the Tower has called you, or the Seven Servants send one of theirs among us...?"

She studies you closely.

"Now, a tale. I was a young girl, even younger than these, barely given my first sheep to care for when I came with my father and mother to this land.  The Duke had sent gracious letters promising land and support if we would come.  And many peasants did for the Earth warms, and the lands to the north grow ever more pleasant.

And we came, and there were dreadful fights with some of the lesser metalbeasts, and later came the Synths, the Shriekers, and other spirits of the wind that have been forgotten in this day and time, and we almost were driven from the land, but the Lord of the Tower came and stood before us, and such was his power that the sky crackled with lightning, and so we found enough time to equip ourselves with crystals that the Duke had sent for in desperation.  And then I met the man that would in two years become my first husband, and I was fourteen at the time."

"Are any from the Seven Servants to be found in these lands?  How long has it been since they been seen or heard?"

-=-

When she mentions the Tower, and studies me closely, I consider, and slowly nod.

"I would say that with passing years, your eyes grow sharper rather than dimmer, Widow Hennsta.  I have come from a very far land, and am just starting to learn of such things.  But am I correct that the Tower is in... that direction?  For I do indeed feel a call leading me there..."

I listen to her first tale thoughtfully and with interest.

"Do you have tales of the Tower and the Lords therein, or of the Seven Servants and those they battle, or of those the crystals hold at bay and how they came to be?"

One of the maids speaks up as if she can't quite contain herself.

"The Lady of the Sea is said to have come to the Fenmen further north nigh on two centuries ago when they were in dire need, and gifted them, and ‘gave them fire and water and a hand for fish or for war'"  The other maidens chide her for ‘if invaders came, they would not need torture, she would tell them everything she knows for the asking."

The Widow smiles back at your nod.

She confirms it is in that direction.

"One more tale, and stop mizerizing Elspeth, she cannot help talking. When she was but a tot and fed the pigs, she would give them long lectures."  Elspeth blushes at this.

"In the most ancient tales, it is said there were three towers, and one fell to the wind, and one to the metal, and one the Men still hold.  But no one can now read the ancient languages, or the codes to know more than this.

Of the Lords, they may be Ladies, and they come from afar, and bring strangeness and justice.  Of one it was said he lived for a thousand years, and during that time, many great empires were founded, and many of the metalbeasts were slain by heavily armored knights mounted on gray mountains.

Of the Seven Servants, it is said that a metalbeast the size of a castle crawled forth from the Earth, and the Lord of the Sword fell in flames from Heaven, and struck the beast with his sword of light, and injured it so sore in one strike that it made to flee, and that the sword went in after him.  But wen the Lord came forth with the beast's teeth, he carried not his sword, and would not speak of it. I know not of the Nameless Evil.

I heard the Lord of the Tower say ‘poor things. demistable energy matrices." and then he smote them with lightning.

But now is time for dinner.

And she sends you off to the dinner hall where a dozen already gather.

> But no one can now read the ancient languages, or the codes to know more than this.

"Are there records or other things written in the ancient languages?  Where may they be found?"

-=-

I listen with great interest to her words, and nod my thankful acknowledgment at her dinner dismissal.

"Thank you very much for sharing these moments with me, Widow Hennsta.  Your tales and your company have been delightful.  ‘Peace be unto you', kind ladies."

I make my way to the dinner hall, and look to see if Elle or Charles or anyone else I recognize has arrived yet...

"To the south is the Old Kingdom where the Scroliing Box is, where one may find words of the Seven, but much of it is unreadable." Elspeth replies.

They all bow back with smiles, and you go to dinner to find Charles already there, and he beckons you over to his table with a couple young guys already there.

The food is cornbread, and stewed hare.

I nod and smile as I accept Charles' invitation to join his table.

"‘Peace be unto you.'  May I join you?"

Assuming they agree, I take my seat amongst them...

"Please." He says and the others welcome you as well, and then go back to teasing the youngest of them, Josh, on his attempts to catch Selene's attention.  Josh merely blushes during most of it, and buries his face in the platter of hearty vegetables he has scooped up for himself.

After a bit the young farmers start asking you where you are from.

"I'm from a very far land called ‘California'.  I'm new here, and a stranger."

"How about you?  Are you from Cly Village, or did you come here from elsewhere?"

After listening to their responses...

"I had the pleasure of meeting Charles earlier today, and just came from hearing some interesting tales from Widow Hennsta."

"Say, do you have any interesting stories, or songs?  I like to hear of such things when I journey to somewhere new..."

"Call E Fort Ya? Is this a castle of some noble lord?" Burt asks, but then replies to your question.
"I and the others were born here.  Its a good place.  Once we gather enough money, there is plenty of space to start our farms.  All we have to do is pay the Duke's surveyor, and the land is free."

They start singing.
First its ‘The Tinker Came to Cly' which is about a too clever for his own good merchant who tries to steal from the locals and ends up bankrupt.
Then its ‘Pretty Girl Sal' which has the two ladies on the far end of the room blushing as it describes the lovelorn sadness of a farmboy seeking a single kiss.
Then its ‘Johny Be No' which descibes the improbably adventures of a clueless young fellow who keeps on falling into stupid near fatal situations and only insane luck frees him.
After that one wants something more serious, so one of them sings a solo of ‘Winterborn' which is a promise of sacrifice and protection.
Then there is ‘Astounding Love' which sends chills down your spine as its very close indeed to ‘Amazing Grace' in tune and words.
After this, its ‘Round the Table' which turns out to be a chain dance around the exterior of the room which you get roped into.  And each verse is sung faster than the last until the last person falls.  They get a favor of anyone in the dance, and one guy asks for a walk with a girl outside in the village square.

And thats the songs for the night.  People start saying goodbye, and cleaning up after that.

OOC: BTW, did Elle show up?

I enjoy the songs thoroughly, ensuring that Ring and CU2 record them.  As I say my goodbyes and lend a hand cleaning up, I discreetly query Charles (assuming no one has made any offers yet)...

"Where do you recommend a stranger sleep in Cly Village?"

And during any lulls in the action above...

:: Ring, have you been able to break any of the encryption yet?  What information have you been able to access?  Please summarize. ::

OOC: Yes.  She came in during the song ‘Winterborn'.

"I have an old mattress you can use in my front room." Charles replies.

::A. Every five minutes a query and a response 1.4 seconds later.
B. Every hour a query and a response 48 minutes and 12.2 seconds later.
C. Every ten seconds a q/r so short this unit lacks the equipment to measure it.
D.  Every four and eight seconds a q with no reply.
E. Every two hours a q exactly repeated "Please send help. Imperative." No response.

I look at Charles with a slightly surprised but very appreciative expression, and nod slowly.

"That is very kind.  Thank you, Charles."

During the cleanup, I look for an opportunity to greet Elle.

"Good evening, Elle.  Did you enjoy the music?"

-=-

:: Ring.  Are you able to determine the original source of the transmissions?  Is it in *that* direction?  Are you able to transmit a response if I specify one to you? ::

‘Very much.  Its good to hear a new voice in the old songs too.' She replies with a quick smile as she turns to pick up a dirty platter of once food, now tiny scraps as a farming village is pretty big on ‘clean your plate'.

::Need more information to specify direction as these are radio waves.  Triangulation.

I give a good-natured grin.

"They are lovely to sing.  I hope my harmonies fit well enough.  I would love to hear more."

"Tell me, how do folks learn of the Maker in these lands?  Are there copies of Scriptures that are written down that folks own and read?  Or do they learn only verbally, through sermons or stories or songs?"

-=-

:: Can you review the data captured since our arrival for directional information, and use it to triangulate the signal source? ::

:: Are you able to transmit a response to the message if I specify one to you? ::

"Sermons and songs, Master Oak."

::The information is not stored in a format suited for temporal manipulation as it has been exposed to decryption using Atemporal Meaning Theory.  Original data has been corrupted.::

::Weakly.::

"Who gives them, and where, and when?"

-=-

And eventually, after clean up is completed, and I have returned with Charles to sleep on his old mattress, and I am alone at last...

:: Ring.  Transmit the following response to the decrypted message... ::

:: ‘This is John Oakmaster.  Peace be unto you.  I heard your transmission requesting help.  May I be of assistance? ::

"The oldest elders with good voices rotate the job among themselves.  They sometimes meet in private to recite the old songs as well, and to train those of younger age."  You're told.

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

There is a pause. ::This is Lieutnent Elle Cameron. I'm heading south from the secondary impact site. I don't think anyone survived. Please send help.::

It repeats four more times, and then shifts back to the prior message.

I pray silently, and write a note to Charles, and leave it on the mattress.

"Dear Charles, I have an errand to run, and may be delayed, but I hope to return as soon possible.  Thank you for your kindness and hospitality.  – John Oakmaster"

I quietly walk to a secluded portion of the village as I continue to pray silently.

:: Ring.  Change form to Kyle the Ariatte, now. ::

And after the change is complete...

:: Ring.  Initiate flight mode.  Triangulate source of transmission from Lieutenant Elle Cameron.  Fly at best speed to location.  Estimate travel time required. ::
.
:: Monitor vicinity for hostile entities, whether physical or psionic.  Inform me immediately if any are detected.  ::
.
:: Ping local crystals.  Inform me when I am safely out of range.  ::

Once I am certain enough that I am safely out of range of any nearby crystals, I attempt to stretch out my clairvoyant senses.  First zooming out to see my vicinity and that of Cly Village, then upward to the region and the planet, then back downward to focus upon the location of the transmissions and vicinity, and what lies in between us...

You're changing form when you hear a hiss, and you see a calico cat from the village sitting on the roof edge of the building you're behind just staring at you in shock.

You take off in flightmode and soar into the cool and clear morning air with the sun painting some clouds at the horizon a glowing orange.

The Ring guides you to follow a base line so that it can triangulate, and then it tells you ‘Fifty-two minutes'.  It only takes fifty minutes as you catch a favorable breeze.

No hostile entities are detected.

You reach out with you mind and get a quick view of Cly Village and the nearby areas including Crow Hill.  You go up, and see fenlands to the north, and the coast to the east, and a city to the south, and several other villages you spot before you move up to orbit.

From orbit, you can see massive glaciers covering the northern forty percent of the north hemisphere, and that the land gets more cultivated the further south you go along the coast.  And that further inland there is a lot of settlements in a  narrower band than the coast, and north of this band is an almost impenetrable tangle of woods that appears odd to your eyes.

Between Cly Village and the transmission is a road going south to another village, and then further south and toward the coast is a very dense patch of trees, and the signal comes from within the greenery, and thats as far as you mind will reach.  It seems to bounce off the greenery.

:: This is John Oakmaster to Lieutenant Elle Cameron.  Transmission received, Lieutenant.  My ETA to your location is approximately fifty-two minutes. ::

:: What is your situation, please?  Are there any threats in your vicinity, or any other information that I should be aware of as I approach your position? ::

As I journey, I repeatedly check for vectors to triangulate the probable location of the Lord of the Sea Tower, and also examine that area via clairvoyance...

:: Ring.  Estimate distance from Cly Village to the Lieutenant.  Estimate distance from both of them to the Lord of the Sea Tower, in *this* location. ::

:: Examine the dense woodlands near the Lieutenant, as well as those north of the settlements in *this* direction.  There appears to be something unusual about them according to my clairvoyant senses, and I cannot observe the Lieutenant's location within those dense woodlands.  Are you able to detect crystals in the vicinity, or anything else unusual, whether mundane or psionic? ::

There is no change in the message after you send Lieutnent Elle Cameron your message.

You're able to triangulate for the LST.

You spot a spire of gray-green stone, seamless, rising to a spike at least twenty stories above a sandy beach on a desolate moor touched by snow with many black rocks poking above the whitecaps when suddenly you are jumped by some pschyic entity that rips into you, driving the wind from your chest, and making your right thigh scream as if something is trying to  it shred it, and remove it with immaterial claws.  Black spots come in front of your eyes.

::Twenty miles. Three hundred miles. Foiliage does not appear normal terrestial, suggest genmodding.::

:: Ring.  Raise Psi Shield and Calm Empathic Field, now!  Initiate Healing. ::

I silently pray as I activate my lightsabre.

"Stop!  I am a servant of the LORD God Almighty, Maker of All.  You cannot prevail against Him.  I mean you no harm.  Why do you attack me?"

OOC: Do I have any impressions as to whether the attack is from a creature in close proximity, or if it is from the Lord of the Sea Tower? :o

::Running.::

You feel a shield raise around you.

Snap-hiss.

You start speaking....and then you feel amazingly calm as you watch your frantic with rage body drop away below you, slicing itself once with the saber before it flings the device away.

You look down, and realize you're looking through your legs, or where your legs should be....you feel real....to yourself....but....

Even as I calmly watch this scene, a memory narrates it in my mind...

>"Poor man. Where is ‘Docksy' now? And how do these mind spirits assail someone, with such drastic effect?"

>"They tear at your mind, your heart. They take you over. They twist what you see. There are tales of wives killing their beloved husbands thinking they slew a bear, and of men happily walking off cliffs to certain doom, and worse of men in such pain that they killed themselves to be free."

I keep as physically still as possible, remaining as I was, not relaxing my hand to release the lightsabre I know must still be there, nor moving it to injure myself...

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

I ponder briefly.

:: Ring.  My perceptions are under psionic attack from a mind spirit.  Status report.  Am I physically uninjured, and still holding my lightsabre?  Can you share your own sensory data of me and my surroundings to me telepathically? ::

"Why attack me, mind spirit?  I have heard of such attacks, but I do not understand your hostility.  You see I am not to be fooled.  Can we not converse peacefully?  If you have need of assistance, or if you have some grievance, I will listen willingly.  And if your cause is just, I will do what I can to aid you..."

You pray, and you realize your interpretation of events is off.

The Ring does not respond.

Your body snarls at you as it drops away into the trees in response to your words.

As soon as I realize that my interpretation of events is off, then I attempt to grab what looks like my body with my telekinesis, and stop it from hitting the trees and ground below, fervently praying all the while...

You reach out to grab your body with a hand made of mindforce, and its hard to close your hand about the body as the furious entity resists your approach, but you're able to catch it just above the trees.

Looking back over events in your mind, you realize that the spirit did not do this.  You attacked, and threw too much of yourself into the attack, and pulled yourself out of the body, and the spirit was yanked back to the vacuum, and you were yanked with it.

You're above the woods you can't ‘see' into, and your body is three hundred feet below you, and the mind spirit, which was already angry, has reacted to its shock and fear by....getting even more angry.  Its seems to be its primary mode of expression.  Hulk smash and all that.

OOC: Why would my body fall, and why would it be enraged, with Ring keeping it in the air in a Calm Empathic Field?  For a being that is probably not thinking very rationally, it is one thing to open a hand to fling a lightsabre, but it would be quite a bit more complex and less random a sequence of movements to actually grip and remove a Ring...?

I ease my perspective toward my body, and then both gently toward the ground.

:: ‘Peace be unto you.'  I mean you no harm.  Please, why are you angry? ::

OOC: Good point.

Your perceptions shift again as you unwind the delusion about you.  Its diving your body telekinetically away from you, at about the speed of a slow flying bird.

The sense of rage is strong enough that it may be simply able to resist the Calm Empathic Field.

You're above your body, and you're lowering it down to the trees even as it flails at you with its rage that feels like getting flicked by a Portugese man o' war, and then it falls from your grasp and the rage stops as it enters the top level of the trees.

The leaves are dense, deep emerald green, glossy, and spiked at the point of their olive shapes.  Your mindforce hits the leaves, and then just dissipates.  You can't see the body right now.

I mentally give my disembodied mind a forehead slap as my body falls from my grasp.  I already knew that ground level in this area was not psi-friendly, yet I moved myself toward it.  : Doh! :

I hover for awhile in silent prayer as I attempt to glimpse what is happening with my body.

Then, assuming that I see nothing that alters my impression that my body is beyond my current reach and observation, and assuming that I get no prayer promptings to the contrary, I set off at best speed toward the Sea Tower, and the one that dwells therein...

You see your body in part, obscured by the upper level of the leaves.  Its hanging about three feet below the top level of the leaves.

You head off to the Sea Tower.  Its an enormous spike of some black stone with green moss on its side that is at least a hundred stories tall, but much thinner than a skyscraper.  It seems to be built on a barren moorland above a beach with nothing around it for a long way.

  And you feel a definite sense of ‘Stay Away' on the psi band.

OOC: Am I able to observe whether or not my body's left hand is still wearing the Ring?  I am still confused by my current circumstances, since it seems strange that an irrational enraged being would be able to do the complex motions of removing the Ring, but my body should still be flying where I left it if it is still on...?

I pray, seeking guidance as to whether or not to proceed in attempting to contact the Lord of the Sea Tower.

If I do not receive any nudges to the contrary, then I explore to see if I am able to approach the Sea Tower more closely, or if some crystal-like repulsion prevents me.

If the latter, then I use my telekinesis to write a message in large letters on the sand: "PSI VERSER HERE – LOST BODY – NEED HELP!".  Then I look to try to TK something noticeable but harmless into some portal of the Sea Tower, and make something hover and bob and weave over the sand to draw attention to my message...

The being left the Ring on, and that's why the body is flying.  The being used its own Flight TK to move down.  The being....well....it was a psi creation and it flew into a psi unfriendly area so .....?  I'm thinking your Ring is not going to return your body to wear it was, but it will keep it flying until it runs out of power.

Clear as mud?

You do your experiment, and toss a large mass of seaweed at the tower.  About an hour later, a lady dressed in riding clothes like a fox hunter's comes walking out, and she has a book in her hand that is open.  She walks over to the message in the sand.

OOC: BTW, did the psi creature attack me, and eject me from my body?  Or did I botch, and eject myself?

I examine the book as best I can, and pray.

Assuming I don't get any nudges to the contrary, I add to the message via TK...

"PEACE BE UNTO YOU.  MAY WE TALK?"

OOC: Botch.

It looks like a Russian to French translation dictionary.  Its got letters that look Cyrillic possibly, on one half, and you recognize the word ‘Champagne' and some of the general ‘deaux' at some ends of the words.

The lady jumps when you do the TK thing, and then you feel her psi shields harden around her as a cautious look appears on her face.

She takes out a knife in a sheathe and not unsheathing it, uses it to write something in Cyrillic below what you wrote.

I calm myself mentally, and scan my Perfect Memory to dredge up the correct spelling of the following phrase, writing below what she wrote:

"PARLEZ-VOUS ANGLAIS?"

She gets a bit excited, writes something with her knife and sheathe in the sand, and steps back.

"Nyet."

I carefully draw a recognizable female stick figure with closed eyes and mouth.

Then, with a bit of separating space, I carefully draw a recognizable male stick figure of the same size, with thinner, shallower lines, and closed eyes and mouth.

Then I write underneath: "PARLEZ?"

Then I draw a couple of curved lines emanating from the female head toward the male head, and a couple of curved lines emanating from the male head toward the female head...

She scribbles out the curved lines, and puts up a hard octagon around the female figure.  In the psi band, her shields flare brighter, and you recognize that she has a hard psi shield around her in the shape of many octagons in an almost sphere.  There are no holes in it.

And then you notice a purple amethyst stone hanging on a necklace which has the same octagon of octagons shape as her psi shield.  Also, looking at her face, you judge she's really enthused about keeping her shields up.

I pray that the LORD will bless my interactions, and help me to be a blessing...

Then I draw an arrow to the male stick figure, and write "JOHN" (including the quotation marks).

Then I draw an arrow to the female stick figure, and write "???" (including the quotation marks)...

"Vanya Smirnovei" She writes in reply, and then she writes ‘John = Ivan = (mass of Cyrillic)".

I change my "JOHN" to "JOHN OAKMASTER".

Then I ponder what vocabulary I can piece together from the planet Oleander...

OOC: didn't the Oleander folks speak a language based partially upon French?  If so, what level of French should we assume I can glean from that for conversing now?

1@1 French.  At times you're going to think you're speaking French when you're not, btw.  A lot of opportunity for GE rolls....

OOC: I have sung in French before, so that may help a bit in recognizing non-French...  maybe...  :o

I write in French (hopefully)...

"I was attacked.  Please, can you help me?"

Time for a skill roll, and then a GE roll.

She studies what you wrote, looks in her French-Russian dictionary to translate back to Russian....frowns, studies it, frowns and her psi shields glow orange around her as she increases their power and does something else to them that looks nasty.

Then she starts gathering seaweed.  She's moving methodically, and she has not attacked yet.

I pray fervently, and try again...

"I don't speak French well."

"Please, I need help.  My body is injured.  Please, can you come?"

Man, the dice don't like you.  A failure on communicating and a 20 on 4d6 on the GE roll for that.

She panics, and snaps some words out of her mouth in a tumbling roll. These words make the air catch fire in small puffs of flame that attach to the seaweed strands.  A sketchy animate bipedal seaweed giant thing of perhaps ten feet tall begins to rise from the beach and take shape.

You can clearly see fear on her face.  It seems your ‘I am injured' was read as ‘I will injure you'.

OOC: Time for Plan B.  Yes, I do know these words...  :o

I pray harder...

"Sorry!  I don't speak French well."

"Peace, mon ami!"

"Pax."

"Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis."

She pauses.  She looks puzzled. Glances at her seaweed thing. Frowns. Glances back at the words. Waits.  She's clearly not sure what to do, but she's not panicking, yet she's not trusting enough to dismiss her creation either.

I pray, and write "‘Pax', mon ami.  Parlez-vous?".

Then I draw an arrow to the Latin text...

She studies it, and then writes ‘pax'.  She speaks some more words that come out as puffs of fire, and the seaweed thing bows, and then disintegrates.

Based upon my previous clairvoyant orbital view, I carefully draw a globe circle with appropriate land masses.

Then I draw an arrow from our two stick figures to our current location, ending with an "x" at the Sea Tower's location on the globe.

Then I write "Parlez-vous?"...

She adds two x's at roughly equidistant ranges from the first x.  It seems familiar.

She shakes her head at your message and says — Rue-ess.  She then points repeatedly at the Cyrillic letters in her dictionary.

I erase the "Parlez-vous?".

Then, away from the other two stick figures, I carefully draw a stick figure lying down, eyes closed, with the thicker lines I previously used for the female stick figure (rather than the thinner lines I previously used for the male).

Then I draw a couple of curved lines emanating from the head toward the other stick figures.

Then I label it "John Oakmaster".

Then I draw an arrow to the location of my body on the globe, with a "*".

Then I write "Kyrie eleison".

Then I draw an arrow from our current location to the "*", and label the arrow "Vonya?".

Then, after a bit of Perfect Memory, I write "S'il vous plaît?"...

John Oakmaster is temporarily minus his body, and he's trying to get help from a Russian lady who is armed with a French-Russian dictionary, and some sort of psi shielding gem, and a reasonable (given the local mental predators) aversion to opening up her mind to having a mental chit-chat.

They are on the beach just south of the spire of the Sea Tower.

She frowns, and studies.

Then she draws a figure with an octagon around it, and then a tree over it, and she scribbles out the octagon.  Then she draws arrows from the sky to the head of the figure.

I write her stick figure with an octagon around it and a neutral expression, followed by "+", followed by my upright fainter stick figure with a sad expression, followed by "+", followed by my horizontal less faint stick figure with a sad expression.

I label her "Vonya" with another octagon around the label, and me "John" with arrows to both my figures.

Then I write "=", followed by a copy of her figure (still with the octagon!) with a happy expression, followed by "+", followed by a single less faint vertical copy of me with a happy expression.

I label her "Vonya" with another octagon around the label, and me "John".

Then I draw an arrow from the equal sign to the "*" on the map.

Then I draw an octagon around the "Vonya?" I wrote previously, and underline "Kyrie eleison" and "S'il vous plait?"

And... I pray...

She holds up the octagonal shaped amethyst gem on the necklace, and you can see the psi shield flare with pyrokinetic fire on the exterior of an octagon, hard edged psi shield.  So now you know what the octagon is...its her shield against the immaterial mind monsters of this world.

2nd post...

She studies the figures, and reads the words, and after reading them drops to her knees and mimes praying.

Then she gets up, and draws several trees, and draws back from the trees in exzaggerated fear...

I make the octagon lines in my drawing a little darker for emphasis, as well as the happy expressions in both figures on the right hand side of the equation.

Then I draw a long line beginning from a meter in front of her own physical feet, heading in the physical direction of my actual physical body, with periodic arrowheads along the way.

Then in front of the line, I write "Kyrie eleison" and "S'il vous plait?"

Then I write "Vonya?" shortly after the line begins, with an octagon around it...

2nd post...

Next to one of her "trees" in her drawing, I write "+", then my neutral vertical normal stick figure, then "=", then my two sad stick figures (faint vertical and normal horizontal).

Then I write "Kyrie eleison".

Then I underline the equation that includes her...

The asterisk is the trees, right?   If so, she again demonstrates that she fears the trees.

Along the line line pointing toward my physical body, I erase "Vonya?", and write "John".

Then I draw my darker horizontal stick figure among the trees.

Then I draw my fainter vertical stick figure at some distance above the trees.

Then I draw a rope with lasso down from the vertical stick figure toward the horizontal stick figure.

Then I try to take a long nearby sturdy looking strand of seaweed, and tie it into a lasso (Perfect Memory) using TK.   If the longest strand isn''t long enough to reach my body from above the trees (Perfect Memory to estimate the distance), then I attempt to tie multiple strands together using TK.

If I can''t do it, then hopefully Vonya will catch on, and lend a hand...

An enlightened look appears on her face.   Then she frowns and nods to herself.   She draws a clock, and another clock with the hands slightly forward.   Then she leaves for the tower.   She comes back in fifteen minutes with a coat, a thermos bottle of coffee, and seventy feet of yellow nylon rope.

"Ivan Cowboy" She says in something like heavily accented English.

I write "Merci, Vonya!".

Then I start attempting to tie the rope into a lasso via TK, unless she seems to want to do it herself.

And as I try, I pray...

You tie the rope into a lasso, and you lead her toward the trees.   Some mind beast twists your perceptions for a second, but then Vonya flares her shield so that it burns with pschyic fire, and the beast flees in terror you can feel.   It takes several hours, and you have to keep to her slower  pace.   She is apparently a regular walker, and finds the trip of little difficulty as you walk through woods, and over small creeks.

She moves as a hunter would, and you could definitely see her as part of a hunting party with horses and guns and servants out to do in some foxes or something.   Her rifle is a bit big for that, tho''.

She spots the trees, pauses, and advances to a hundred paces from them, and then rather definitely stops.

If the ground is soft enough, then I write "Merci, Vonya!" once again.

Then I attempt to TK the non-loop end of the lasso high enough into the air that the loop end is above the level of the trees, and then over my body.

If that is successful, then I attempt to dangle the loop around an ankle.

If that is successful, then I attempt to gently pull my end of the rope up until my body is clear of the trees, and then gently over to Vonya.

If that is successful, then I attempt to repossess my body.

And if that is successful, then I open my eyes, and look up at Vonya, and say "Merci, Vonya."...

(Restored Message from Tadeusz on October 11, 2012 at 1:47 pm)

Its a bit harder, but you get the idea across even tho' the ground crumbles in ways that obscure the message to some degree.   She looks surprised at the courtesy, and pleased.

It takes you a good twenty minutes of try and retry again, but you're dragging the body from the trees&

Something rips into your mind, and you feel like you lost something.   You see Vonya's shield flare as something bounces off it.

(Restored Message from Oak on October 11, 2012 at 2:06 pm)

I pray fervently, and attempt to repel the attack.

And I attempt to get the body down to Vonya as quickly as possible, so that I can take refuge behind her shields&

OOC: What do I feel like I have lost?   BTW, didn't I learn some psi defense from the Star Wars verse and/or the Mary Piper Epsilon verse?   Would that help me repel the attack long enough to get over to Vonya?

(Restored Message from Oak on October 11, 2012 at 5:17 pm)

OOC 2nd post: my previous move's posted actions discussed my attempted actions via TK, without stating where I was located when making my attempt.

Staying near Vonya would be a natural precaution since she has psi shields, and since she doesn't want to get any closer even with the shields, and since I myself was already attacked in this area.

However, moving closer than one hundred paces might have been tempting to see more closely the placement of the lasso relative to the ankle.

Since I didn't specify, how do you want to handle it?   Assume that I stayed near Vonya?   Assume that I stayed near the high end of the rope?   Do a GE roll?   :o

OOC: I believe you made two posts after this which I read but didn''t save before the GO database hack, since I was trying to post first.   I didn''t realize that I hadn''t saved them until checking my backup copy...   :o


As I recall, your first post reasoned that even though Vonya does trust me, she wouldn''t be keen to let me into her shields.

As I recall, your second post stated something along the lines that I was hit by a lightly armed but rapidly moving attacker, hit-and-run style.   I successfully activated my psi shields, and observed a psi entity similar in appearance to a flying squirrel, very rapidly moving, now turning to come around for another attack run.

Please feel free to correct any fuzzy memories, or even better, to repost your original posts if you have them anywhere...   :o

I keep my own psi shields poised as I attempt drag my body out of the tree and over toward Vonya.

As soon as my body is out of range of the anti-psi zone, I move to it immediately, and try to keep my body between me and the attacker. If Ring is still following previous instructions, then it should still be flying my body around, and it should still have its own psi shields up.

:: Ring, can you hear me? ::

If I can make it over to Vonya, I try to keep her between my body and the attacker as well, since her psi shields are the strongest.

And... I pray fervently...

:Yes. The Ring says and you order it to fly the body in.   You get between it and the Memory Cutter which rips at your shields with its sharp claws and richochets away.   And then you join with your body, and the cutter is gone from sight.   You float down next to Vonya who seems a bit startled, worried, and happy at the same time.

And you feel the memory come back to you, of the time you spent in Haston, in answer to your prayer.

"Ivan?" Vonya asks.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD...::

I look at Vonya with a gentle smile and nod.

"Merci, Vonya!"

:: Ring, initiate healing if required.   Please give me a Russian translation of the following, or a French translation if Russian is not available... ::

I relay the translation verbally:

"Thank you, Vonya, for your help and kindness.   Do you have any extra psi shields?   My previous attacker managed to penetrate mine, which causes me some concern..."

"I came here in answer to a distress call, but I have lost much time.   What is the nature of this place, and of its dangers?   Can the area within the trees be explored safely?"

I look around to see if I can locate my light saber, given my memory of what direction it had been falling when my attacker threw it away.   As I do so, I remove the rope from my ankle, coil it up, and offer it to her with a thankful nod...

:You are suffering minor dehydration and insect bites.   I will begin with the bites.   May I suggest obtaining water?:   The Ring replies.

:Nineteenth Century Russian translation program is most suitable as that is what Vonya speaks.:

She shakes her head.

"I have this psi shield amplifier.   Otherwise, my shields are much weaker.   I cannot do the mind over matter skill you do so adeptly."

She looks at the trees, and shakes her head again.   She does not take the coiled up rope, and after a couple seconds you realize its because she is a Lady, and ordinarily would not stoop to manual labor.   You''re a Man, even if a Gent, and manual labor is not beneath you.

"I and Georg have never penetrated the trees.   He is stronger than I in the Inner Voice, and we fear these trees for they take our powers from us.   Please join me, Lord Verser in the Sea Tower for tea."

You''re able to easily find thelight saber and retrieve it.   Its a bit scuffed.

I pick up my light saber gratefully, and look regretfully toward the trees.   I am concerned for the man I conversed with who had called for help.   However, I don''t think I currently have the power to help him.   As it is, having already been successfully attacked through my psi shields as I approached this place, I reluctantly deem it necessary to retreat to a safer environment for now.

"Thank you, Vonya.   I would be honoured."

I take out my water container and rehydrate myself as we start making our way back... and check for vectors.

"You name me a Verser, and so I am.   But it takes one to know one, does it not, Lady Vonya?"

I give a gentle smile.

"Please, what do you know of versers?   And what paths have brought you to this place, to dwell within the Sea Tower?"

"Yes, Lord Ivan, I too am a worldwalker.  I was born in 1879 in St. Petersburg to a high noble family.  As such, I am a Demi-Tsarina, and the heir of my father, a Tsarete.  He ruled the city for the Tsar, and the surrounding countryside.

We had a plague strike the city, and this man, Georg, he came, and showed us how to stop it.  And he showed us that this man, Rasputin was behind the plague, and when we could not kill Rasputin, this man and I went to a holy temple and begged the saints to give us one of King David's slingstones....which we were able to use to kill Rasputin.

My father and mother were well pleased when I married this man.  And then one day, he was badly injured for Georg was always a man to try dangerous things.  And I found myself in a far land with him.  And through several lands I have been with him, until we come here to this Tower.  And here we rule for a time, but then my husband gets the idea that he wishes to talk to the mindbeasts, and so he sends his spirit out into the high airs and the low places below the earth until he finds a mighty spirit, and it rends him, and he walks and wakes no more, except at times, he comes awake but as a madman."

You enter the area near the Sea Tower and you can feel immensely strong psionic shields protecting you from the outside.  No skill you have could even begin to bend those shields.

"Is your husband still afflicted?  Do you wish me to examine him, and see if I can be of any assistance?"

I approvingly take note of the psionic shields of the Sea Tower.

"This Sea Tower seems well protected from psionic attack.  What do you know of the history of this place, and of this world, and of the beings that dwell therein?"

"Yes, and yes, Lord Ivan.  Do you have healing skills for the mindsick?"
She clasps her hands together, and looks wistful as she leads you to an empty closet with no roof.  A word is spoken, and you are hurtling up with her in a vertical tunnel.

"The Sea Tower is but one tower.  The last here was another verser, a Lord Krillis who unfortunately had to leave quickly from this universe.  We know of the metalbeasts, and the mind creatures, and of the twenty some independent polities which we are overlords of.  They swear allegiance to us every year at the Great Moot."

"The LORD has blessed me with some humble healing skills, although I know not how effective they may be in this universe, nor how effective they may be for the mindsick.  But the LORD is Sovereign and Gracious, and can choose to work powerfully through even the weakest and most unworthy vessels if He sees fit.  We can but try, and pray."

As we ascend, I raise my eyebrow in pleasant recognition.

"Ah, Krillis was here before me?  I suspect that I know him, if we speak of the same man.  Our time together was brief, but he is a friend."

"What can you tell me of the various mind creatures, and of the types of mind sickness they bring?  And do you know what type your husband was afflicted by?"

"Are there any records or libraries within the Tower with more information about them, or about the Towers, or about this world?"

"I will pray to St. Jude, and my other saints." She says as the ride up the 'elevator' ends, and you exit into a more homey level.  Your ears pop when you do so.  "We are high up here, and the air pressure is less.  We could keep the air pressure the same, but then the air grows stale so we lets winds blow through the place.  Lord Krillis seemed pleasant, but rushed.  We had barely a half part of an hour together."

She leads you through what is obviously their living quarters, even as its a bit sparse, and to a bedroom in which a man lays, bound by leather straps to a bed.

"Of the mind creatures, they vary by locality, and by levels of power, and one is not sure that the ones in a far land are the same as here even if called by different names.  The ones most common near here are the Mindbenders who can make a man see what is not.  Memorycutters, are very fast, and steal pieces of history from someone.  The Rage attack to crush one's spirit and mangle one's body eventually.  Spooks are of little danger unless one is easily unmanned for they delight in unusual noises and minor bits of matter over mind, and it is said they derive power from the fear they cause th eweakminded.  Soulchasers are the worst of the locals for they can rip apart a mind, and so damage it that they can possess the body and then do all manner of evil in the most vicious manner.  Slaying the innocent with knives and fire is a great enjoyment to them.  They have power over matter and storm as well.  But all are fearful of crystals properly arranged, and fire close to their 'bodies', and prayer and a settled mind are of great use against them."

She points to her husband, a sandy haired man with sweat on his face and gritted teeth signs of some interior struggle as he sleeps, and shakes her head.

"He went in search of a spirit of power.  For my husband was strong in the Inner Voice.  He could, if he so willed, compel a man with a glance, although he eschewed such unless direly needed.  He could shield, and travel beyond his body, and throw lightning back into the sky.  And he feared not any spirit, but the Soulchasers, and even them, he was merely cautious of.  But he found something he should not have."

She nods.
"We do have a library in the twentieth level, and then there is the great storage hold far below."

"Do you know why Krillis had to leave in haste?"

"How long have you been here?  And how long since he was afflicted?"

"Did I understand correctly that there are three Towers?  What of the other two?"

"Are you aware of any other societies that may exist in this universe away from this planet?"

I regard the stricken man thoughtfully.

"If he has such strength in the Inner Voice, and if he is not himself, then examining him may be perilous.  Does the Tower have any additional personal shields?"

I pause, struck by an idea...

"For that matter, does the Tower have any other items that could be of use to facilitate healing of the mindsick?"

"He said it was a function of the tower, of the orginal verser, but neither Georg or me were able to unriddle his meaning.

And we have been here four years, with him afflicted eight months ago.  Georg thought there were other towers, but when he sought one, it nearly undid him.  As I say, my husband is a daring man."

She shakes her head.

"Georg has encountered such, but it was before he met me, in his, he said, fourth world."  She shakes her head.  "I have searched thorougly, but found nothing as you suggest.  But then there were items that I knew not what they did, so perhaps..."  She shrugs delicately.

I nod gently but decisively.

"Perhaps it would be best then to first see what resources we have to work with.  Could you show me these items?  And could you show me any available writings here, in case there are any that might help me learn more about possible causes and cures of your husband's affliction?"

She takes you to the library after a short trip on the flying elevator.
Its a small room, about ten by eighteen with a tiny window cut in the wall looking out over the inland.  There are several hundred books.  She points out the ones that are hers and Georg's, and most of them are in Russian.  There are also books in French, German, and two that look to be in Boolean?? or Machine Language.
Of the ninety in English you see as follows: 1. A half-dozen of what look to be various computer language manuals.

A. Dummy's Guide to Worshipping Bill Gates' Cyborg Head as God-Emperor. B. Spreadtables for Combat Accountants.  This has a metal cover.

C. Filing Medical Claims to the Institute of Medical Claims for Forms 20090A- 21045D.  Its about five inches thick.

D. Linux for Sysadmins.

E. Interstellar Navigation Code for Command Path Ensigns.  This is a very thin booklet.

F. How to Defend Against Mental Hacking by Black ICE by Chypher90X 'a better hacker than the Guardian is a white hat'.

2.  Four sketch books of the local area it seems. A.  An impressionistic and emotive viewing by a young girl, quite talented of the local wildlife and the tower.

B. A map, partially completed on the 'Supercontinent' and 'Interior of Sea Tower' by Krillis with a note attached ' feel free to add on, fellow verser.  See you round the Verse'. C.  Some very detailed sketches of local wildlife with their babies in nests and other such events along with explanatory notes. D. Something that is brilliantly colored on a plastic sheet that looks like a child's picture of a planet with three spikes sticking up off it, and a rocket in space with flames coming from it, or from another rocket in space.  And then another rocket being shown blown up.  You can sense the happiness in that in the very young child's drawing. 3. Versers's Handbooks. A. Lewis Clark's who seems to be the same man as did the sketches of the wildlife in nests. B. Tom Day's who claims to have set up the Great Moot system. C. Captain Chirstopher and the 'Lil Miss' account which is primarily an account of hunting and killing mind spirits with his 'sword of flame' and her twin laser pistols and to your surpise mentions his pity for 'the poor devils' although that is never explained. D. Jeremy Radmondsen's touches you with pity as it seems to be the account of a brand new verser who is horrified by where he is, and wondering what happened to his neat life as the research director at TechNu in the coastal city of Huntsville, Alabama.

I look over the library with interest, but eventually shake my head.

"There are some things I should look at more closely later, but at first glance they do not seem to useful for your husband."

"Could you take me to the great storage hold far below?"

Assuming we go there, I keep my eyes open for any potentially useful devices (psi shields, psi healing devices, etc.) or sources of information (computers, books, other records, etc.)...

In the Great Storage Hold, you see..

1. A crystalline rod, clear, resonates to pschyic senses.  2. A metal glove with spikes, black, scary, violent, marked with a Greek 'alpha'.  3. an empty vial marked in bad penmanship 'scriff isolated'.  4.-10. A variety of telescopes.  11. An expensive but blank piece of paper.  12. A Gideon's Bible.  13. -40. Small clear balls each marked with a holographic name and song list.  41. a box of dissasmembled 'gun' parts with notations on how they fit together and a decidedly frustrated complaint 'this thing should not work, but it did, and now it doesn't'.  42. A Toolbox  43. A crystaline wedge, clear, resonates to pschic senses.  44. A list of names: Orange Grass Plains, the Underground Labyrinth, Iron Fusion Solar System, Mary Piper Temporal, Sea Tower  45.  A vial of dried blood.  46. Stuffed miniature dragon-an example of the taxidermists' art.  47. A coonskin hat.  48. A bag of marbles.  49. A bag with a blue gemstone and a green gemstone.  50. A very long list of questions about the worlds you've been too left by 'the Baron and She Who is Gold'.  The list goes to an even thousand and is very detailed and thought provoking.  51. A picture of Quinn Mallory and some other guy.  52. A textbook on 'Abnormal Spiritual and Mental Conditions in the Mainline Human Species, a Second Level Race' by Gyantai of the Do'upo-Gysta, Fourth Level Race-Third Variant.  Praise be to the Creator and to the Righteous Emperor of the Local Galaxy.'  53. A listing of around a dozen different mental beasts with some speculation as to 'hybrids' and 'similar creatures with differing names'.  Its not rigorous, but more in the nature of informed speculation.  54. A necklace with twigs and bird talons.  55.-91. Copies of several dozen novels.  92. -93. A pair of lances.  94.  Kit for 'Defeating the Air Spirits'.  'All spirites of the aire fearest fyre, so goeth thou foreth with trorches enflamed.  Be at guarded, withe morren threy foreth your for in numbre.  Ailso praye, for maidness is they king,  But the very God is harmonie, anders in suich is safetie tooest.'  The kit is otherwise empty.  95. -100. Crystals as you've seen atop houses already.

There is also a pile of papers which is in a language and alphabet you do not know.

As I flip through the written items, I go quickly but page by page, so that Ring can record them.

:: Ring.  Analyze items.  Can you identify the nature or purpose of any of them, particularly the crystal/crystalline items?  Can you translate these papers from this unknown language and alphabet? ::

"Lady Vonya, have you or your husband investigated any of these items or writings?  Do you have any idea as to their nature or purpose or function?"

The Ring is able to state the obvious 'the Bible is a manual for proper life here, and a successful hereafter.', but except for the small balls it has nothing more than the obvious to say.  With them, it reccommends you drop one on the floor to hear a melody.

"My husband thought the rod and the wedge were psionic in nature, but we're uncertain as to what they do.  We both mistrust the metal gauntlet."  She shakes her head after looking at the pile of papers.  She picks up a copy of 'Wolfling' and 'Barrrayar' in Russian from the novels.  "These are good books.  Fun to read."

I nod.  "I will look forward to reading them.  Do you have any other recommendations from here or from the library upstairs?"

I look over the items thoughtfully, and pray for guidance, asking the LORD to show me what items He would have me investigate, and what items He would have me avoid.

Then I take an item, assuming I am not nudged away from doing so from my prayer.  If I receive any positive nudges in response to my prayer, I take the item I am most nudged toward.  If I don't receive any nudges, then I take item 1.  I take the item outside the Sea Tower, but safely within the psionic shield.  And then, I stretch out my postcognitive and precognitive senses to glean what information I am able.

If I receive any other positive nudges, I do the same with the other positively nudged items.  And if I don't receive negative nudges, I follow this procedure with Great Storage Hold Items 1, 43, 52, 53, 94, and the unknown language papers, as well as Library Items 1A, 1D, 1E, 2D, 3C, and the Boolean language books...

"Mmmm, from upstairs, you studied a small section of the English books."  She courtsies, and leaves, coming back a few minutes later with a book labelled 'Receptor Discontinuities in the Human Cranium." and a pair of folders.  One is 'Theories in The Universal Vibration' and the other is 'My Time at the Sea Tower' which is a sketchy and incomplete diary by her husband.
You receive a definite nudge AWAY from the gauntlet with the Greek 'alpha'.  And at the same time, a nudge toward it.  John Oakmaster, you wish the power to heal this man, it can be yours. So too the power to rule this land, make them bow to your kindness so that all may live in peace and harmony...
OOC: If I'm remembering right, your precog and such don't work here.
In any case as you attempt to activate your sense, the rod glows with a faint luminescence, and you hear a dry voice in your mind. "If you wish to activate this device, then do so. Point the more luminescent end away from items of value."  You get the feeling that this voice is not a personality.
With the wedge,  it glows on one side, and you hear the same words, but somehow rushed as if fastforwarded, and suddenly there is a four foot long, and three inch deep slice in the soil at your foot.  You feel wearied a bit.
Looking at the Dummies book, or 1A, it is a guide to basic usage of Windows 2020, and how to integrate your usage of that with your worship of the Cyborg Head of Bill Gates.  It has a number of references to 'in utilizing your datajacks, proper hygiene, both personal to avoid bacteria, and computational, to avoid the more nasty 'BuyEverything mind viruses' is essential' along with exaltations of the greatness of Gates in whom is all computational power found.
It also includes dire warnings against the Mac heretics who 'hide in plain sight, pretending to be normal citizens of the 22nd century'.
1D or Linux for Sysadmins looks like it could have fit comfortably on your bookcase in your office.  The only thing out of place is the front page which mentions that 'this was printed under the authority of the Imperial Canadian Parliameant in the Year of Our Lord 1989.'
1E or Navigation for Ensigns is made of a very durable material, and is a dumbed down, very concise 'If A happens then do B, and wait for light C to blink' with lots of bright colors and big arrows.  It assumes computers and hyperspatial travel.  It also mentions other such booklets like 'Plasma Gunnery for Ensigns' and 'Hydroponic Maintenance for Ensigns'.
Its printed by Ceres Federal Republic in 1856 A.S. for the Deep Launch Fleets.
2D. This is also a very tough material.
3C. Reading Captain Christopher's account, you recognize a most lethal combatant, a man who can take an ambush and turn it against his ambushers in a flicker of a second.  While he is not without mercy, once he attacks, the enemy is frequently destroyed with startling economy of time.  He seems to feel some kinship with the mind spirits and to pity them, but that does not stay his hand in the least.  "Its needful" is all he says.  He seems to feel that he is in the Verse to 'destroy problems for good folk, and this is what God put me here for.'

OOC: Argh!  I meant "1F", rather than "1D".  Could you please summarize the "How to Defend Against Mental Hacking" text?

I proceed to point the crystalline rod toward some unimportant soil, and attempt to activate it.

I ask Ring to analyze the contents of the book and folders Vonya brings me, plus GSH 50 & 52 & 53 & 94, and Lib 1F & 3C, and to give a summary of potential causes, cautions, and cures for Georg's condition, in decreasing order of hypothesized probability.

I pray fervently.

And... I approach Vonya.

"I believe I have gleaned what can be gleaned from these materials thus far, at least without attempting to examine your husband more closely."

"However, such examination may be perilous, since your husband is not in his right mind, and has much power."

"I suggest that you observe me as I examine him with your psi shields raised.  And if you see me collapse, extend your psi shields to protect me as well.  Hopefully, if he detects my attempt to examine him and lashes out, you would be able to interrupt any attack by raising your shield between us.  Is this plan acceptable to you?"

:: Ring.  Monitor my thoughts.  If I appear to be overwhelmed by a psionic attack from this stricken man, impose sleep mode upon both of us until the attack ceases. ::

Assuming that she agrees, I approach Georg's bed, and begin by gently opening my passive psi senses to detect and observe any discernible thoughts...

"Humans are to some extent computational devices.  A human mind has low level electric power messaging, and as such  it may be hacked at the muscle level with a general pulse field, or by tapping into the receptors in the gray and white matter.  Howerver such control is direct and clearly seen as 'Other' by the target.  One may achieve longer lasting effects by the usage of threatst o impose pain or hallucinatory nightmares or the obverse, and indded the Fifth Cyber Republic, a short lasting endeavor was founded on such until a coalition of Black and White Hats trashed the Republic with invasive malware.  More useful is the Insidious Hack where the victim is unaware that their thought patterns have been realigned.

One chief aim is to repress or obscure or change memories that conflict with the hack.

Deep analysis of indeterminate topics is not really something that the Ring does that well.  Reading over the list of questions from 50, find some comparison between the mental disorders and the side effects of psionic massive failures.

"Human minds are a collection of processes that run at their own clock speeds, and damage to, or subtraction of one of them can radically alter the functionality of, and the personal experience of an organism.  This is unlike our species which exist as a solid whole."

You see a similarity between some of the monsters and some of the 'sub minds' in the textbook above.

94. You see what you see.

The mindhacker explains how to set up recurring cycles to overuse subprocesses and weary them to breaking, or how to set up emotive triggers which lead to incorrect processes being run.  One can, forex set up a link between math and instead of the calculating subprocess, a flight or fight process which through overuse becomes a fear of the fear involved which then gives the victim a math phobia.

You approach Georg....reach out...

You're standing on a cement sidewalk underneath a spreading oak tree with an open parklike area, shaded by other trees, and in the distance uphill....a concrete building with a sign outside 'Admin', and off to your right a lower bldg....Cafeteria.

It looks like an American university.

OOC: BTW, what happened when I tested the crystalline rod?

:: Ring.  Can you hear me?  Please acknowledge. ::

"Vonya...  I see a scene with a cement sidewalk underneath a spreading oak tree with an open park like area, shaded by other trees.  In the distance uphill, there is a concrete building with a sign outside 'Admin', and off to the right a lower building, 'Cafeteria'.  It looks like an American university.  Does this scene sound familiar to you?"

OOC: Is my current experience as I would expect from passively sensing his thoughts, or is it more immersive?

The rod projects a spherical glowing pale blue field ten yards in front of the end of the rod.  The field lasts as long as the rod is pointed at the field up to five minutes.  It seems to be  a matter blocking psionic forcefield.

OOC: Why yes, I 'borrowed' an idea from one of MJ's worlds for a psi device.

It seems very immersive, so much that you can't even smell the faint seaweed stench of the Sea Tower or feel the cool sea breezes.  The Ring does not respond.

A bolt of lightning jumps out of the clear blue sky and lands somewhere in the campus.

:: Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, I pray... ::

I attempt to stretch out my telepathic senses to see if I can sense any thoughts, whether from Georg or from anyone else in this scene.

Then, assuming I don't get any other nudges, I start to stroll toward the cafeteria...

OOC: Is my body here?  Am I carrying whatever I had before trying to examine Georg?

After you pray, a man jumps down from out of the oak tree, and lands on the sidewalk next to you.  He's wearing a strait jacket, blue jeans, and cowboy boots.  There's something off about him, and its not just the faint odor of unwashed body or spiky hair.

"Is it every time a cash register rings, an angel gets its wings, or is that only for fairies?  Hard to keep track these days."

As you walk toward the cafeteria he clumps along alongside you, tilting his upper body off at a cant, and with a cheerful grin that might mean nothing.  You try to sense thoughts and get back a great big BZZZZZZZZZ.

Your body seems to be here, and whatever you were carrying you're carrying now.

OOC: Do I recognize him?  Does he look like Georg?  BTW, is that a strait jacket as in the long-armed restraining type used for mental patients etc.?

When the man jumps down and speaks, I stop, and blink in surprise, and nod at him.

" 'Peace be unto you.'  My name is John.  Please, what is your name?  And where are we now?"

Yes, its the type used for mental patients.  He does not at all look like Georg.  And no, you don't recognize him, although there is something vaguely familar about him.  Maybe he was a minor character in a TV show.

"Peace be unto you, as well John.  My name is Mischa.  We are inside a place for certain values of the word created by Georg and..." He coughs. "Also you."

"Is Georg here?  Could you please bring me to him?"

"How did Georg and I create this place?"

"Um, sorta, yes. And no."

"That's not exactly what I said.  You both have great power of mind."  He points to a telephone pole upon which are various advertisements for bands and such and one flyer 'Two weeks from tonight is Halloween.  But Let's not have a boring, safe halloween.  Let's have a Devil's Night!  Students of Georg University.  Let's Part-ay!"

You arrive at the front steps of the Cafeteria, which are wide, broad steps, and you see a rather fat guy in a 'Rock the World' T-shirt rush past you.
"Hey Professor."  He says and moves on in to the Cafeteria.

"Could you tell me how to find Georg?  I really need to talk with him.  Or is he the setting, such as 'Georg University', rather than an actual person here?"

"What paths brought you to this place, so that we could talk together now?  And what of these others?  That one seems to know me..."

"No. Umm, yesssss....." He looks a bit doubtful.

He gives you a bright smile as if you've finally asked a question he's been hoping you would.

"You prayed. I came."  He looks at the fat guy walking away from you too. "He does know you, Professor Oak Master.  He....." Mischa waves his shoulders around helplessly and squirms up his face.

"Thank you for coming.  How did you know I prayed?"

"Please, why are you in that strait jacket?"

"The obvious reason.  You've heard not to put God in a box, well, I'm not God, but its good advice."  He pauses.  "Oops."

You see a black car with tinted windows pull into the Cafeteria parking lot.  Mischa bolts off to the side of the Cafeteria, and the car seems to continue on as if its following him, but limited to the roads as he is not.

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

I casually follow Mischa and the black car at a discreet distance, observing whatever I am able...

Mischa escapes by running into an orchard around St. David's Cathedral, and the black car pulls off and goes on its way.  You see the entrance to the Cathedral is open, and it feels pleasant/friendly.

I walk toward the entrance to the Cathedral, looking for signs of Mischa as I draw nearer...

You see a statue on the right side of the Cathedral door that has Mischa's face, of course this statue doesn't have a strait jacket.  It has angelic wings.

And its holding its hand out in a 'let me help' way while on the left side of the cathedral door is a monstrous statue of something that vividly captures everything nasty and vile about the human condition.  It seems to be trying to drag itself into the cathedral.

I regard the angelic statue thoughtfully, and after a moment place my hand into the outstretched hand.

OOC: Do I sense anything extraordinary about the statues, or do they seem to be mere blocks of stone?

Then I look into the open Cathedral entrance, sensing whatever vibes or impressions I am able.

As I do so, I keep an eye open for any signs of Mischa from the orchard...

After a second, you realize the hideous monster has your face, twisted, distorted, revealed.  Its all the darkness that winds through you, even in the kindly moments.  Almost nauseated, you reach out, clasp the hand, and feel peace wash through you, and then the statue of Mischa turns, revealing a hidden passage into the wall of the cathedral.

You feel a sense of safety from inside the cathedral, and a sense of challenge from inside the secret entrance.  Looking, you see a statue of a kingly figure inside the cathedral, which makes sense as this cathedral is 'David's', along with an altar, and oddly an empty cross above the altar.  And the secret passageway just shows stone blocks of granite in its passage.

You don't see Mischa, but it occurs to you that the statue might be Mischa, after all, considering where you're possibly at, the rules might be a bit odd.

:: Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, I pray...  ::

Assuming I am not nudged to the contrary, I step to the threshold of the secret entrance, and look within...

Inside are statues against the side walls in the lobby, and then as it opens into the pews there are stained glass windows, and further to the front an altar and an empty cross.  Hurrying up the middle is a short priest with glasses perched on his nose.

"I am Father Jonavov, Professor Oak.  I heard you were transferring from another college and had started classes, but unfortunately I've been most busy and unable to come to properly welcome you to Georg."

"Thank you.  I feel as though I know almost nothing of this place.  Could you give a newcomer orientation?"

"As the holy Apostle said, I do not have gold or silver, but what I have I give to you.  Please join me in my study."  He leads you to the right side of the cathedral and past the front to a small door, and back through a couple of hallways stacked with hymnbooks and also Christmas ornaments all dusty as if they've not seen much use.

In a small office with a book lined wall, he gets out a choice of drinks.  For himself, its black tea from a samovar, piping hot.

"You are in St. David's Cathedral, named for King David, the giant slayer.  A tale I feel sure you are familar with.  Its younger than most of the Old Campus, but older than the New Campus with its various additions also to the OC.  I work here, and to some extent in the commuinity of students....I have a deacon to assist me, and ...." He frowns. "A liason officer to assist me as well."

He gets out a map of the college, and you immediately notice that the campus is large, well apointed with many trees, and there is an octagonal wall around the outside of the campus.

> Assuming I am not nudged to the contrary, I step to the threshold of the secret entrance, and look within...

OOC: BTW, what did I see when I looked within the secret entrance?

OOC: Does the layout of the campus remind me of anything, other than the octagonal wall similarity to the octagonal psi shield?

"What are your impressions of those who dwell here, both generally and for notable individuals?"

You see a passage that follows the other wall into dimness with a packed earthen floor.

On the left side is the Art Museum, on the right side is the Math and Sciences Complex.  Near the front is the Olympic sized swimming pool, and the baseball stadium.  Near the back is the Herpetology Studies Lab.

It does remind you of something....

"Wounded souls many of them seeking for something lost.  But I'm afraid I do not get on well with the Administration.  No doubt it is my fault as I'm often not a humble man, 'much inclined to argue for pointless reasons' as our good vice president of student affairs told me but last week."

OOC: How did the secret passage "feel" as I stood at the threshold?  What kind of "vibes" did I get?

As he speaks, I silently pray for wisdom to discern the meaning of this place, and what the layout reminds me of, and what He would have me do, and whether I should explore the secret passageway after my current interview...

"What differences of opinion have you had with the Administration?"

Challenging.

You know that you  are here to heal the mindsick Georg from his sleep and his rages, or at least that was your plan.  And with that you recognize the shape of the campus....right brain....math....left brain....art.....its layed out in a pattern reminiscent of the human mind in many parts.

OOC: Yeah, I suspected the left/right brain for Art/Math&Sciences, but the other landmarks made me wonder a bit...  ;)

"What differences of opinion have you had with the Administration?"

"What do you know about the history of this place?"

"Have you noticed any significant changes here within, say, the past year?"

Herpetology is the study of lizards, so lizard brain.  The part of the brain that controls the physical movement is near the front.

"Ah, well, its not my place to be talking about such, especially with a newcomer.  And as to History, why you might want to check with the history professors, or with the Archives. "  He shakes his head "Ach no, things stay much the same for the month of October."

It takes a bit of conversing, but you eventually realize October repeats itself with everyone thinking this is normal.

"I have yet to visit the Archives.  Where may I find them?"

"Do you have any prayer requests?"

"Below the English rose garden are caves, but they are not well kept up, and some say the rats down there grow as big as dogs."  You look at his map, and the ERG is near the center of the OC, just behind the Library.

"Pray for unity."

"Do you have any last words of advice for a newcomer?"

After listening to his response...

"Thank you for your time, and for your kind welcome..."

After taking my leave of him, I examine the Cathedral as I walk toward the entrance.

And then... I enter the secret passageway (putting my hand into the hand of the statue again, if necessary)...

"Remember Frodo's words to Aragorn."
And he ushers you out with a smile as if he can't say more.

The stained glass windows do not tell the ordinary tales one would find.  One shows a man, his face hidden, struggling mightily with a hideous demon.  Another shows an Oak tree in a field of other trees, and the Oak tree has a ladder above it.  Another shows a woman fallen and lightning bolts rainning down on her.  The other windows are covered with enough muck and dirt that you cannot make them out.

The hand is neccessary, and you enter and feel that sense of Challenge rise to meet you as you walk into the wall, and descend down a ramp into the spaces below the cathedral.  A great wooden door is barred against you from the inside, and above it is written the words....that you cannot make out.

I look at my left hand, and the version of the Ring that has accompanied me to this place.

:: Ring...  Can you decipher this writing? ::

If I get no mental response, then I repeat the request verbally, with the added instruction to respond verbally.

If I still get no response, then I carefully activate my light sabre, and peer closely at the words using the resulting light...

Using your light sabre, you see 'if you would pass this way, daring questor, illegitimi non carborundum be your guide.'.

I ponder this inscription, but my Latin knowledge (excluding Latin lyrics I have sung) is decidedly limited.

The first Latin word is obvious enough... but the last one?  It sounds vaguely like a chemical element, from someone who is an ex-chemistry major.  But it could also have something to do with carbon, or even with carburetors, as far as I know...  Perhaps something to do with my light sabre?  And Ring is unavailable.  Sigh...

I pray for wisdom and guidance...

Then I search my Perfect Memory for hints on deciphering the Latin phrase.

Then I reach for my shard of superintelligence, not only for this one query, but for all that I have encountered regarding Georg, and the beings he may have encountered that brought him to his current state, and indeed, the state of things in this universe, based upon the puzzle pieces I've received thus far...

OCC: Second Post, as I ponder...

Hmmm...  The door says, 'if you would pass this way, daring questor, illegitimi non carborundum be your guide.'  Together with the words of the clergyman here, 'Remember Frodo's words to Aragorn.'  Perhaps the passage where Frodo first decided to trust Aragorn/Strider.  So perhaps I should let what looks foul (or illegitimate) but feels fair be my guide?  Hmmm...  would that be the "angel" that is somewhat "off"?  Or the Papist "Father" of a "Cathedral" with an empty cross?  All or none of the above?

Hmmmm...

Perfect Memory comes to your aid with the door....its a bit of mock Latin....don't let the ||||s grind you down.  Since this  secret passage has the flavor of a challenge.....opening this door is going to lead to some sort of grinding experience with you as the subject of the grinding.

And the bit about you being

second post...

....a daring questor seems clear in its warning.

It seems clear to you as you access the Shard that there are two races in conflict, a human and alien.  The humans used to have an interstellar starship, and built three  enormous towers but fell to medieval tech.

You see that the Old Campus is probably the verser and the New Campus the entity he  contacted.

It seems likely the mindbeasts are disintegrated parts of a human mind.  And most of the folk you meet hereare litkely bits and pieces of Georg.

Be especially wary of folks with smiles who feel foul underneath, although foul and weird are not the same thing......And Rasputin was....

The Knowing is gone, and you're shuddering, and it feels dreadfully sad to be so limited again.

I repress a single silent sob, blinking back tears.  The loss of my superintelligence is an ache that always throbs, but I feel it even more acutely without even the Ring's aid as a solace.

As I take slow deep breaths to steady myself, I pray silently, asking for strength and wisdom to carry on.

My mind feels clearer, even where the shard did not touch directly.  Of course, Georg and Vonya are of Russian royalty, and used David's slingstone to slay Rasputin in their home universe.  And now we are in King David's Cathedral, which is obviously Russian Orthodox rather than Papist.

After steadying myself, I attempt to send my clairvoyant senses through the blocked door, first to perceive the specifics of whatever is blocking the door, and then further on to see what lies beyond.

And then... I leave the secret passage, and again seek out the clergyman in the Cathedral.

If I find him, I ask him to identify the portions on the campus map that are Old Campus and New Campus... and I ask him about the stained glass windows and their meanings, including those too dirty to see clearly... and I ask him about the two statues by the entrance...

Looking through the door, you see a secret button worked into a knothole in the wooden door which will unlock the door.

Looking further, you see darkness.

You don't find the priest.

After my unsuccessful search for the priest, I head back, and and pray, and press the secret button, and enter within, light sabre lit...

You open the doors, with them swinging wide as you step on to a wide wooden platform that extends deeper into the darkness.  As you walk forward, the doors slam shut behind you, and the floor timbers begin to slide lenghthwise into the back wall....leaving a drop to a mass of giant, metallic spinning gears.

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray...  ::

I activate my Repulsion Field device (manually, since Ring doesn't respond), continuous field mode, omnidirectional, to suspend myself in midair above the spinning gears.

If that doesn't work, then I attempt to use psi to levitate.

If that doesn't work, then I attempt to use the light sabre to either slice through the doors, and/or as a hook to stab through the door to keep myself from falling...

Once I am able to stabilize my position (if I am able), I then activate my Empathic Field device (manually), Calm field mode, and see if it has any effect upon the spinning gears.

For I am aware that my environment is actually within Georg's mind, perhaps shared by whatever presence he made contact with.  Ring may not function, but my light sabre does, so perhaps my other devices do as well.  And if I can produce a Calm field, perhaps that will actually affect the physical environment I interact with in this place...

In an instant you're levitating with rock solid control. The gears seem dissapointed.   Pausing for a second, you reach out with your Empathic Field and seek to Calm the gears.  And a pushback, a volcanic fury spiking its way to the surface from deep in some shadowed caverns, a gushing magma of rage lunged up, driving the gears skyward toward you...

You try desperately to do something, to teleport, or divert the flow, but the local psi field is overwhelmed.

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

You come to laying on your back in a circle of scorched grass beneath an oak tree.  You're on a college campus for some reason.  You're .....twenty.  Now that's odd.  You should know your age.  After all, if you're twenty, you're twenty.

Your friends call you Oak, but how you got to this campus you're not really sure.  And it must have been some real party because your shoes are tattered and burnt along with the calf area of your pants, and you shirt is doing a fair imitation of the Hulk's right before he rips it off.

OOC: A botch and a fairly bad one, but not fatal.  And of course, Eric's unusually cruel botches as one player put it....

:: Ugh...  What... happened?...  Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, I pray... ::

Assuming I can't remember how I got here and that I even have a different impression of my current age that seems odd to me, something must be wrong with my memory.  I'm not the partying type, so the singed and torn state of my clothes is also quite strange.

I take inventory to see what else I have with me, and to see if any of it looks familiar.

Then I look around to see where I am.

Assuming I can see the Cathedral, I am drawn to start walking there.  Something has happened.  Perhaps someone there can tell me where I am, and who I am, and what has happened, and help me...

You glance up into the oak tree overhead, and its almost like there is a staircase of light cast by the shadows of the branches of the tree that rises up through the branches and into the sky.

You also look and feel twenty.

You're under an oak tree on a pleasant college campus just south of a park full of large trees and grass that looks well maintained.  Although in the far distance under the trees to the west, the trees begin to look closer to the ground and darker.

And you see a man walking among the trees about fifty feet off.  He's got a strait jacket on.

You head toward the Cathedral, and you can see a fire engine pulled up front, and smoke rising from the back of it.  There is a priest out front.  He seems familar.

Second....you have your clothes, and a wallet with a student ID in it.

Mr. Oak Master.  Junior Student at Georg University.  Majoring in Ahistorical Studies and Artificial Intelligence Theories and Practises.

And their is a key with the number 2012 on it, and the word 'Trinity' on the thick wooden layered keychain.

I look more closely at the staircase of light.  If upon closer examination it remains, I look still closer.  If it still remains, I see if I can climb up to touch it...

When I (eventually) head toward the Cathedral, I look at the man with the strait jacket curiously.  OOC: Is he looking at me?  Is his path parallel to mine?  Does he look familiar?

When I (eventually) arrive at the Cathedral, I am drawn toward the familiar looking priest as I note with interest the fire engine and smoke.  Could there be any connection with my own burnt clothing?

"Is everyone all right?  What happened?"

OOC: Do I have any of my other items (light sabre, etc.)?

The ladder almost feels solid under your fingers...

Occasionally. Yes. Yes.

"Some sort of explosion, or fire in the gear house.  It blew the roof off the back part of the Cathedral."  He smiles at you.  "No one seems to have been hurt, although we are looking for the body of a teacher."  And then he frowns and you smell orchids, which bring back odd feelings like standing in a rice field which you know you've never done.

"Father Jonavov, I am so terribly sorry.  I am sure the Chancellor will be devastated when he hears as well.  And you were planning on a special service to address teh violence....and now you can't have one.  So sad."  The voice is a woman's and turning, you see a most attractive business suited lady.  For some reason you remember Frodo.

Intrigued, I pray, and climb to where I can place a hand and a foot upon the ladder...

-=-

When I see the man in the strait jacket glancing, with parallel path, and especially looking familiar, I adjust my path to gently converge with his, and see if he keeps his distance or not...

-=-

"The body of a teacher?  Was there someone thought to be near the explosion?  Do you need help searching?"

The ladder holds your hand and foot, but its almost like it won't, like its trembling on the verge of breaking, but it doesn't.

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

He allows you to close with him, and you see an off looking man with wild hair and sad eyes.

"Ah, what have you done to yourself?"

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

"Errm, yes, a Professor Oak.  And spare me the Pokemon jokes."  A nearby police officer interrupts the conversation. "We're going to look, and you're welcome to help, but be careful.  The cathedral might still be settling."

"Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray..."

OOC: Do I get any nudges as to whether I should continue upwards or not?

-=-

"I... don't remember very well.  Do you know me?  And why are you wearing that strait jacket?  Do you need help getting out?"

-=-

I nod in agreement, and join in the search...

OOC: Does anything seem familiar?  The priest?  The Cathedral?  The mention of "Professor Oak"?

You get the nudge that either way is a valid choice.  Neither choice has to lead to doom.

=======

"Yes, I can see that.  A very little bit, and not really this part of you.  Should God be in a box?  It is not my will, nor yours that holds me thus."

O....kay....that was cryptic enough.  He smiles at you, and you get the distinct feeling that he can't be clearer.

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

You find a red notebook with 'Professor Oak' on the outside, and pages after pages of Boolean numbers.

The fact that you and the missing professor have similar names is immediately obvious.

The front of the Cathedral has those twin statues, one of the strange guy as an angel, the other of 'you', but an older you, with his hair on end, and eyes filled with a burning intensity that make you take a step back, and an overall aura of intense, smothering evil.

You seem to think the statue should be different.

I pray, and attempt to continue up the ladder...

-=-

"What parts of me do you know?  There are things I don't remember, and some of what I do remember seems... odd."

"What will holds you thus, then?  Is there anything I can do to help?"

"What is your name?"

-=-

Assuming that the angelic statue still has a hand invitingly extended, I pause as I regard it, and then, intrigued, place my own hand within the hand of the statue...

Your first action might well negate your other actions so we will only deal with that one.

You are going up the ladder, and then there is a swirling motion and you find yourself laying on a stone floor next to a sick man's bed, and a lovely lady, both unconscious.  Your body feels different, but very familar at the same time.  The air is different, touched with salt and cool breezes instead of an inland college campus.

I blink, trying to make sense of this transition.

:: What... happened?  Where... am I? ::

I look at myself as I realize how my body feels different, taking note of how I am dressed (and if it is burned), what I am carrying, and what seems familiar.

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray...  ::

Then, as I become more aware of my surroundings, I take note of my companions, and examine them to see if they are still alive, and if they seem to be in any obvious medical distress, and if they seem familiar...

OOC: I assume that my memory is still messed up, correct?

Your clothing is not burned.

They are alive, comatose, and both seem familar.

You are in a stone floored room with a window that looks out upon the sea.....a long, long way down, and its not a skyscraper from the outside appearance of the building.

OOC: Yes.

I inventory and examine my possessions, seeking any familiarity... until my eye catches sight of a golden wedding band on my left ring finger.

I do a double-take.  Married?  At twenty years old?!?

:: A... Ring???  How?...  When?... ::

There is something obviously messed up with my memory.  There are so many things unclear, unremembered.  My body wasn't burned.  My hands don't look like they are twenty years old.  Things I do remember seem... odd.  Things I don't seem... familiar.

:: Well... I do remember the LORD...  Dearest LORD, please heal me now, I pray.  Help me to discern what is truth and what is not.  Help me to know what seems familiar.  Be thou a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path...  ::

Assuming you have your wallet, you find your hands pulling it out...and receiving several more shocks.  And you do receive a feeling of ....even though you are stranger to yourself, you are never a stranger to Me....

OOC: BTW, am I correct in assuming that I have all my other items again, even if I don't know what they are?

I don't suppose any of my mental musings have managed to trigger a response from Ring???

I move to examine the two unconscious figures again, and then lay my hands upon them, praying that the LORD would heal them...

OOC:  Yes.

:: Active. I am your data manipulation/storage device of first resort, designated 'Ring'.  Waiting.....::

The lady moans....

"I've fallen inside."  And then lapses back into a coma.

I look around sharply as Ring communicates, and examine it intently.  I'm not certain if it is more strange to have what seems to be a ring computer, or if it is more strange that the "audio" seems to be omnidirectional, or from within my head...

My mind races as I absorb the simple introductory sentence, and what it implies...

:: Um... "Ring"?  I seem to be having some type of... memory malfunction.  Does the data you have stored include information about previous events that I have experienced?  Please summarize your capabilities, and the capabilities of these other devices.  Are you able to give me a summary of our current circumstances, including where we are, and when, and who these people are, and what may be wrong with them, and how we got here?... ::

::To some degree.  Certain events are inexplicable to me.  You claim to have psionic abilities for example, and the evidence seems to suggest you are correct, but I am unable to detect the usage of such abilities.::

It gives you, in outline, a description of events.  Some events are described as 'You prayed to your deity. You began to be healed."  And when dealing with vampires, it does not say 'vampires', but 'unknown human subspecies named ....' but you're able to piece together a pretty fair representation of major events in a very telegraphic style (aka short and concise.)

It does not read your mind unless it thinks you are talking to it so your inner speculation it was not privy too.

Second....It does summarize its abilities and your light sabers and such.

I take some moments to absorb this information thoughtfully.  Then I drill down to more detail about current circumstances, and eventually replay through my translated dialog with Vonya.

:: So it seems that this man, Georg, made contact with some powerful entity with psionic abilities, and suffered injury.  And I thought I could help, with prayer and with my own psionic abilities, and offered to do so to Vonya.  I knew it was risky, and tried to take some precautions.  And now I am suffering some type of memory lapse, and Vonya is also afflicted in some fashion.  Does this seem to be a plausible interpretation of events? ::

Assuming Ring agrees...

:: Ring.  If you are able to access my mind telepathically, then are you able to gain read access my memories?  ::

::If the a priori assumption of such events impossibility is set aside, then yes.::

::Unable to access memories.  Unable to access deep thoughts even on command.  Able to access clear thoughts on surface of mind, but forbidden to do so by Starsong Law 3485, unless specifically instructed to do so for a fixed purpose by the user who is in a sober and sane state of mind.  It is uncertain whether you qualify as you claim to have suffered significant memory loss, and you Truth Quotient is high, and your observed behavior tends to bear our your claims.  Able to access direct commands from user whether mental or verbal.::

OOC: 2nd post...  :)

:: What happened between the time I made my attempt to help Georg and the time I arose from the stone floor just now?  What did you observe?  What time interval elapsed?  When and how did you observe Vonya lose consciousness? ::

:Your brain waves are less complicated then they were, and I cannot aid with a 'software issue'. But...::  And you feel something in your head suddenly work better.

::You collapsed upon Georg with Vonya providing a shield about you.  Twenty seconds later, you made a face of extreme disgust.  At this point, Vonya began talking herself into joining you.  It is my contention that she always intended to do so, but was not willing to admit it to herself or you, and that she waited for the first reasonable excuse to 'I'm falling inside' as she said.  It was then two minutes and fourteen seconds further before you became awake again.::

OOC: Does Ring's healing help me remember anything more?

I consider.

:: Ring.  You have stored half a dozen forms I am able to shapeshift into, including my own, is that correct?  If so, suppose that I were to shapeshift into a form, including my own form.  Would that restore the memories that I had when I last assumed that form? ::

Not immediately.

No, or your usage would be a reversion back to the moment of copying.

OOC: Although that was very clever.

I ponder my current situation, or at least what I can grasp of it with my current information.

::  Hmmm.  Well, if I was trying to conduct a psionic examination of Georg, that must mean that I have the ability to do so, even if I can't remember how to use it right now...  ::

:: Ring, I am going to attempt to read my own mind psionically, and examine my own memories, and see if they can be accessed.  I wish you to monitor my clear surface thoughts as I do so.  Is this acceptable, given your restrictions? ::

Regardless of whether or not Ring is able to monitor, I then pray, and take a deep breath, and see if I can somehow reach out to read my own thoughts and memories.  Perhaps, even if the knowledge of such techniques escapes my current conscious thoughts, subconscious habits will help guide me toward the correct approach...

:Yes:



After an hour of struggling, all you have is the awareness that you did come up a ladder of light, and nothing more than a headache.

I sigh, rubbing my temples wearily.

:: It seems that I am currently unable to read my own thoughts psionically.  Perhaps it is through my current ignorance of such techniques.  Perhaps the same attack that took my memories also took my psionic abilities, even if I still remembered the techniques.  But it seems that the LORD my God would have it so, at least for the present.  So I must serve Him as best as I am able...  ::

I ponder, considering the limited facts at my disposal.

:: Ring.  At some point during my conversation with Vonya, I said "This Sea Tower seems well protected from psionic attack."  Did you detect any type of psionic defenses?  Please lead me to where I was located when I made that statement... ::

After Ring brings me there...

:: Ring.  Can you detect any type of psionic defenses near here?  ::

Assuming that it cannot...

:: Ring.  I am assuming that there must be some type of psionic defenses here to protect the Tower dwellers from the surrounding psionic creatures.  I am going to explore the area slowly.  As I do so, please start counting quietly.  If you detect some change that makes it harder to communicate with me telepathically, inform me immediately.  And if I detect that it is harder to hear you counting, then I will know some type of defenses have been encountered.  Ready? ::

I stick my arm with Ring finger out at arms length, and slowly start walking away from the Tower, listening to Ring counting all the while...

The Ring leads you out on to the beach where you can see your attempts to communicate in the sand from a distance.  It says it cannot detect psionic defenses, but your experiment very shortly works.  You find its ability to talk with you goes from 'just fine' to 'nil' within one yard, and the effect lasts for ten yardxs, and then reverses.  Inside the shield, you feel a sense as of massive glaciers invisible, but real holding themselves about you.

OOC: Clever, am curious where you're going with this.

:: Ten yards.  Hmmm. ::

I consider thoughtfully.

:: Ring. You are familiar with the operation of this Empathic Field device.  Does it have the ability to be activated manually, using a timer of some type?  Alternatively, if I instructed you to activate it after a certain period of time, and then took you off of my hand, would you be able to do so? ::

::Yes. Yes.  Time lengths down to microseconds and up to one year and a day are possible.::

I ponder, and nod to myself.

Then I go back up to Georg and Vonya.

:: Ring.  You are familiar with the operation of this Kinetic Field device.  Can the continuous field setting be used to levitate an object above the ground, if the device is placed upon or attached to the object? ::

::Proper technique is to attach the device.  Non-attached devices void the warranty.::

I attach the Kinetic Field device to Georg's bed, with him still securely tied to it.

:: Ring.  Does the Kinetic Field device attached to the bed securely enough to levitate the bed?  If so, activate it now. ::

I push the levitated bed, and bring it down to just outside the Tower's powerful psionic shield.

Then I lower the bed to the sand, and remove the Kinetic Field device.

:: Ring.  Set the Empathic Field device to Calm mode on a timer, starting one minute from now. ::

Then I place the Empathic Field device on the sand near (but not too near) the bed, and retreat to within the Tower's shields.

And after one minute, I observe if there is any visible result when the Calm field initiates.

:: Ring.  Translate so I can converse verbally with Georg... ::

"Georg?  Can you hear me?"

You're outside on the beach with Georg in his bed on the exterior side of the shield...

You call out....

He does not respond.

I pray, and try again.

If there is no change, then I retrieve the Empathic field device, and move the bed so that Georg is right in the middle of the ten yard shield zone.  Then I try calling to him again, and compare observations between inside, outside, and within the shield to see if I observe any changes in his state...

You're outside with Georg and you see leaves moving where there is no wind and something is coming your way....

I push him quickly back within the Tower's shields...

You feel fear and something pursuing you, something invisible, and then you're inside the shields and the sensation cuts off abruptly, and you feel surrounded by stolid safety.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD... ::

I examine Georg to see if I detect any changes.

:: Ring, did you detect anything out there just now?  I felt... some type of hostile presence...  ::

OOC: 2nd post...  :)

I consider what I have learned thus far as I bring Georg back upstairs.

Then I use Ring to review whatever information I can glean about events since I have arrived in this universe.  I also get thorough instruction on how to operate all of my devices.

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray.  Please bless my interactions, and help me to be a blessing.  And please open the doors for us to be healed...  ::

Then I do the only thing left that I can think of to try to help Georg and Vonya... and myself as well.

I approach Georg, and gently place my hands upon his head.  And I close my eyes, and relax, and focus my thoughts upon a ladder above an oak tree, which I envision myself carefully climbing down...

The Ring did no detect a presence, and down the gold ladder you go.

Before approaching Georg...

:: Ring.  I am going to attempt to relink with George's mind.  I have an idea that might enable me to do so.  Please monitor my thoughts as closely as your programming permits. ::

And after descending the golden ladder...

:: Ring.  Can you hear me? ::

I look around to see what is currently taking place.  If things are the same as when I left, I then head toward the Cathedral.  If I see Mischa walking nearby, I adjust my path to intercept his...

OOC: Am I still carrying my stuff?  What do my clothes look like?  Etc.?

You lose contact with the Ring.

Several hours seem to have passed, and you realize that you have control over your clothing.  You can choose A. Student clothing B. Verser clothing.  You are carrying your stuff.

Mischa does not seem to be around.  You can smell dinner from the cafeteria....its smells like beef stroganoff and black tea.

Not remembering my pre-explosion explorations of this place, I look around as I descend the ladder, memorizing the layout of the campus from an aerial viewpoint, and comparing it to what I saw as I climbed the ladder when departing last time.

Taking note of the Cathedral, I set off walking toward it when I finish descending...

A few minutes stroll down a shaded sidewalk, past a telephone pole with a 'Devil's Night' advert nailed to it,  and cross the road and you come to see the cathedral which is cordoned off, and there are a couple of guys in hard hats standing on the lawn discussing  over a pair of clipboards something or other about the building.

OOC: I'm assuming that the entire Cathedral is cordoned off, rather than just the portion near the explosion, correct?

Feeling a vague sense of disappointment over my inability to access the Cathedral, I head back toward the cafeteria.

It would seem that is the most likely "location" to find "anyone", if anyone can be found here, at least at this "time" of day, whatever time means in this place...

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray...  ::

Yes.

Down the sidewalk, underneatht the side metal awning, and you come out on to the open porch with the eight double doors for arriving and debarking students.

A pretty girl hands you a tract.

"God Wants You to be Whole."  It says on the front cover, and then she's hobnobbing with some soccer team players who come up behind y0u.  Entering you get in a line that stretches around the interior of a vast dining hall suited for perhaps two thousand people, with about five hundred here now.

Several pretty girls are talking in front of you that The Who is coming to a concert tommorrow.

:: Hmmm.  An interesting topic, considering my current state of mind... ::

I read the tract, and observe my surroundings, trying to glean whatever informational tidbits and clues to help me unravel the mysteries of this current situation...

The tract seems fairly standard, but one phrase jumps out at you.

"It is the action of Demons to destroy, break apart, alienate man from God, his friends, his reality, and even from his own self.  It is the action of God to undo all this evil work, and to put man back together as he was meant to be, whole, with integrity, and health."

The girls in front of you are particularly looking forward to hearing 'Who Are You?'  (Which the GM knows from listening to the beginning of CSI Las Vegas...sadly my music culture is deficient).  They hear a lot of the politically active sorts are going to be there, and some cute boys, like Georg Vanya....

You make your way around the line, get some hot black tea and sugar if you like from the samovars and then a plate of beef stroganoff.  A guy from a crowd at a table leaves his group, and he with black sunglasses suddenly put on, comes up alongside you, and grabs the tract from your hands and demands where yo ugot it from.  He's loud and challenging.

I pray silently, and manually engage a Calm Empathic Field, and regard him peacefully.

"I don't know the person who gave it to me.  Why do you ask?"

You feel disturbed to be in his presence, but he calms as you engage the field.

"Its hate speech.  Its not distributed under a valid Proponent's License which is needed for free speech.  Hope you didn't read it."

"Oh, wow.  I'm new here.  What other things do I need to know?"

He thinks a minute after being startled, and then tells you to come to the Student Gov't Meeting tonight at 7 o'clock.  He then leaves you, and you feel a sensation of peace steal over your soul after he's gone.

The food is decent if very Russian.

You sit and overhear a couple of students at a nearby table loaded with books and food complaining about 'that impossible Professor Oak.  He wants this subprocess downcoded into machine language of all things'.

::  Hmmm.  Another "Oak"... ::

I keep listening and watching and observing during my meal.

After eating, I go look to see if the girl that gave me the tract is still around.

If so...

"Hi.  I'm new here.  I enjoyed reading your tract.  Do you folks have a Bible Study or fellowship group?"

She gives you a searching glance, and then turns away.  It takes you a second to realize she is praying for guidance.

She turns back to you, and tells you to Dr. King's study room in the Zodiac Observatory at seven tonight.

I give her an understanding and reassuring look.

"Thank you... and 'peace be unto you'."

I ask her for directions how to find the Zodiac Observatory and Dr. King's study room, explaining that I am new here.

Afterwards, I walk around campus looking for a campus map (many of which can be found scattered across most campuses I've been to, for helping visitors find their way around), and glean all the information I can from it and any other observations I can make.

As I do so, I pray for guidance as to where I should go, and where I should avoid.

And as seven o'clock approaches, I go to the Bible Study venue...

The ZO is on the top of Campus Hill, and the study room is in the basement of that building.  You do find some maps.

They show what you've already seen of the campus, but forgotten.  There is a LOT of admin buildings you notice for a kinda small college.  It looks like maybe ten thousand folk go here at most.

You note King David's Cathedral, an Infirmary, the Zodiac Observatory, the Cafeteria, the Russian Culture Institute,  Center for Advanced Experimental Studies,  AI Lab, Frat Row, Security HQ and Parking Garage, Math Hall, Biology Audiotorium and Labs and Secured Labs, and President's Row, and Campus Relax Hall along with a long line of music practise rooms, and an art museum under renovation.

As you pray, a black car with tinted windows drives past you and you get a definite impression. AVOID.
And its bumper says 'Security--Georg College'.

You walk into the Bible Study, and within ten seconds, the ice is broken and uncertain looks are changing to smiles and offers of tea (black), coffee, or generic coke in a can.  You feel welcome here.

Once you sit down in a chair circle, the leader smiles and asks someone to volunteer to lead a prayer.  He does not pick out anyone.  The prayer which is for healing of the land, and for good grades and for Tiffany who has dissappeared lasts only a few minutes.

Then the leader works his way through a passage showing how Jesus dealt with dishonest questioners who were not interested in the Truth, but only wanted to trap them.  There is a lot of interjection from the students with various situations like that, or even some unrelated.

"I'm in front of Frat Pi Omega, you know 'Pie Now, Pie Forever!'"  There is some giggling at this.  Evidently P0 is famous for their pie parties.  "And one of Winkler's little bees comes buzzing up with one of the AltLife guys, a young kid, really, confused, and asks me what I think of gays.  Now honestly, I didn't know what to say.  I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, or get kicked out of school, or deny the truth...so when I saw one of the Pie Masters I yelled at him that I wanted to buy a pie and ran into the Frat."

It becomes clear to you that merely quoting 'for all have sinned' is enough to get mandatory ten hours of counselling, plus community service.  And now you understand why the door is locked.

"Some tea would be great, thank you."

After the pie story, I nod quietly, and respond.

"I was reading your tract in the cafeteria, and someone from another table put on black sunglasses, came over, and grabbed it out of my hands.  He was loud and challenging, and I found his presence... disturbing.  He called the tract 'hate speech'."

I sigh, and shake my head sadly.

"I am thankful that the LORD led me to that tract, and to this fellowship.  For I woke up earlier today to found myself laying on the grass with burnt clothing, and I seem to have some troubling gaps in my memory.  I have identification as a student here, and I have a key, but I don't remember being here before.  If you could remember me in prayer, I would appreciate it."

"When you wrote that tract, had you encountered anyone else with memory gaps?  Could anything be done to help them?"

"Please, why do the others seem so hostile to the LORD, and to His people?  How long have things here been like this?  And what did you mean by 'healing of the land' in your prayer?"

[Eric's reply while GO was down...  :)

They nod, and a couple grimace at your story, but no one seems surprised. This leads to other tales of harrassment, and to a mention of Greg, but they hush each other at that point.

They gather in prayer for 'their brother Oak', and you find yourself looking up in the midst of the prayer to see a guy in a strait jacket leaning against the wall. The door is locked, and the room small for him to hide, you'd think. He gives you a cheerful grin.

No one else notices the gu They look at your key and tell you its a dorm key.

"We've encountered many. But uually its only segments lost. The Taint Administration denies there is a wide problem, and well..." The girl says. Her name is Alexis. She shrugs helplessly at helping them.

"Oh, the cool kids, and the Black Glasses....most people are sheep." A young guy says. For a second you feel as if you hear the clash of steel and feel artic breezes.

They don't know exactly except they feel as if the world is broken.

"Some tea would be great, thank you."

After the pie story, I nod quietly, and respond.

"I was reading your tract in the cafeteria, and someone from another table put on black sunglasses, came over, and grabbed it out of my hands.  He was loud and challenging, and I found his presence... disturbing.  He called the tract 'hate speech'."

I sigh, and shake my head sadly.

"I am thankful that the LORD led me to that tract, and to this fellowship.  For I woke up earlier today to found myself laying on the grass with burnt clothing, and I seem to have some troubling gaps in my memory.  I have identification as a student here, and I have a key, but I don't remember being here before.  If you could remember me in prayer, I would appreciate it."

"When you wrote that tract, had you encountered anyone else with memory gaps?  Could anything be done to help them?"

"Please, why do the others seem so hostile to the LORD, and to His people?  How long have things here been like this?  And what did you mean by 'healing of the land' in your prayer?"

[It seems that my previous post was accidentally appended to Eric's post above, but it won't let me edit it now...  :(

"I saw someone that was wearing a strait jacket.  Does anyone know who that could be?"

"Does anyone know a 'Georg' or 'Vonya' here?"

"How do I find the dorm that this key is for?"

"How long has it seemed like the world is broken?  Was it this way last year, or the year before that?"

I consider.

"I too think that the world is broken.  Are there others praying for it as well?  Or are we the only Christians here on campus?"

[Eric's reply while GO was down...  :)

Alexis mentions that late at night as she was leaving the library she saw a black car going by, and felt sure it was going to stop, and ....

"And then out of the bushes stumbled this man in a white jacket. He fell in front of the car, forced it to swerve. I thought it hit him, but he just leapt to his feet and ran away with the car chasing him."

[Eric's reply while GO was down...  :)

Second post....."You could go to Student Records." Someone says after no one knows those names.

They compare their keys and eventually one matches. You're in Torquemada Hall.

They get fuzzy when you ask this question, and start talking about the month of October.

They are the only ones ctively meeting.

OOC: BTW, how many male and female students are present?  Are there any faculty or staff members (such as Dr. King)?  Is Alexis the one who gave me the tract outside the cafeteria, or is that someone else?  What room number is the matching key?

I thank them for helping me identify the dorm, and turn to the one with a matching key, gently asking his/her name.

"I don't remember how to get to Torquemada Hall.  Are you... going that way after the meeting here?"

-=-

"How many weeks are in a semester here?  When are final exams?"

-=-

"I saw a Cathedral on a campus map.  Is it used for services or anything?"

-=-

"How can I pray for you all?  I heard Tiffany being prayed for earlier..."

"Regis." He says.  There are four male students, and three female, and one male leader who is Dr. King, an astronomer.   Alexis is the one who gave you the tract.  The room is 1112, and REgis will be glad to show you there.

They're not sure how long the semester is.

Yes, its used for services.  But Black Glasses always go.

They give you their first names and say you can pray for those.

:: Hmmm.  No one knows how long the semester is, much less how long things have been broken?  That is... strange... ::

"Does anyone have a calendar, or an academic calendar, or a syllabus?"

"How many semesters have each of you been here?"

-=-

"Does anyone else go to the services?  If so, how do the ones with Black Glasses respond?"

"Um, my teacher in Remedial Logic said that calendars were an anthroprocentricism, and hence represented a speciest assault on the planet." Regis says, closing his eyes to help him remember.  For a second, his upper face seems shadowed.

The others shrug in agreement.

It turns out that at least once a month there is a major disruption, that is one requiring evacuation.  Lesser disruptions are just part of life and not really noticed.

"I mean, the first time you see someone moon the priest, its shocking, but by the dozenth time, its boring."  Alexis says.

I look at them with concern.

"Your tract says: 'It is the action of Demons to destroy, break apart, alienate man from God, his friends, his reality, and even from his own self.  It is the action of God to undo all this evil work, and to put man back together as he was meant to be, whole, with integrity, and health.' "

"I know that there are gaps in my memory, and that I need prayer.  But one thing I do remember is time.  How can we be anything but alienated from our reality if we can't perceive time?  How long have you been here?  How long are your semesters?  How long has this world seemed broken?  When are your birthdays?  Are you able to think about such things?  Or are there gaps in your memories as well, gaps that you have difficulty perceiving?"

They look generally enlightened and then disturbed by your reminder of their own words.

"Oak, you ....ask some powerful questions." Dr. King says scratching his ear. "I...I remember working years ago getting my degree in San Francisco for Starfleet,,,,and then .....there is a muddle, and I've been here, I'm not sure how long.  The semesters are.....I don't remember the end of any semester."

Alexis giggles.

"Birthday, well, there's that crazy kid in the infirmary, the flasher, everyone calls him 'Birthday Boy'."

"Thats not helpful.  My memories are swiss cheese.  I do remember last Halloweeen and the one before it tho'.  Everyone goes crazy."  A guy says.

OOC:  Whoa.  Starfleet and San Francisco would certainly blip my own radar, but would I remember any such things from my original universe?  Or are all such memories lost to me at the moment?

"OK, you can remember getting your degree for Starfleet.  Then what?  Please, try to remember, Dr. King..."

"And the rest of you...  Can you remember your own birthdays?  Can you remember your own homes and families, or where you came from before you came here?  Do you have any pictures or keepsakes that come from a time before October?"

"Please, everyone. This could even have something to do with why the world seems broken.  Try to remember... Please... Think!"

-=-

"What is the major disruption that happens every month, and when does it happen?  Please tell me everything you can remember about them..."

You'd probably remember Starfleet as you remember what you did when you were twenty.

He tries very hard, and then stands unsteadily.

"I'm not sure I feel like myself, exactly."
=====================
One of them confesses to not remembering when he got saved and the trouble this causes him.

=============
One of them, a girl named Janet speaks up.  "Well, I have this keychain.." And she's pulling something out of her pocket.  And then you realize there was no Janet here just a second ago.

Second post.

"This, ah, the weekend before Halloween is the usual time." Regis says to your last question. "Of course with the Cathedral damaged, who knows what will become of things now?"

I pray silently as I listen to Dr. King.

"We should pray for you, and for all of us.  Let's see where the gaps are.  Can you remember what you did in Starfleet?"

-=-

I give a kind, epathetic look at the one making this confession, and turn to the others.

"Can we pray now, together... for all of us?"

-=-

OOC: What impressions or "vibes" do I get from "Janet"?  Does she "feel" like the others in the room, or like Mischa, or like the hostile guy in the cafeteria, or like security?

IF Janet feels evil, I attempt to zap her with my Sleep Empathic Field before she can remove what is in her pocket...

-=-

"Did the Cathedral help before?"

Strength and enlightenment seems to flow into Dr. King's face as Janet pulls out a holopicture of SF.  And then Janet is gone.

"I remember my next world. After Starfleet, I went to the Towers of the Sensitive, and there I met my trainer, a young lady named Janet who instructed me in basic mindshields and telekinesis."

All of you bow together to pray and when you raise your head, Regis is still there, and so is Alexis, and Dr. King, but everyone else is different, and yet you feel welcome among them.  Mischa is still leaning against the wall and he gives you an encouraging nod.

I look around with interest after our time of prayer, giving a friendly nod to the others.

"How do you feel now, Dr. King, and the rest of you?  What do you remember now?  Can you remember anything more about your homes, or your families, or your birthdays, or where you were before coming here, or what happened before October, or how long things have seemed broken here?"

"And you, Dr. King.  What do you remember about Starfleet, and about the Tower of the Sensitives?  And what worlds came after?"

"I feel clearer, if that makes sense." Dr. King says.  The others say similar things, using words such as 'stronger', 'calmer'.

They don't remember their birthdays.  One talks about his mother who made him beef stroganoff every Sunday after church.

Alexis wonders if the world was ever not broken.

"I worked in the medic corp for Starfleet, which makes no sense.  And among the towers...they said I had a strong Voice."  He doesn't remember any worlds further than that.

"Please, what are your names?  And how do you know each other?  When did you meet?  Let's start with... you..."

I direct the last portion of my question to Mischa...

-=-

"Do you remember 'Tiffany' or 'Greg', and what happened to them?"

-=-

"Do you remember 'Georg' or 'Vonya', and what happened to them?"

-=-

"Dr. King, you mentioned two 'worlds'.  How did you get from one to the other?"

They all stare at you when you point at Mischa, and then he grins, and stretches, and he's suddenly visible.  There is a definite oddness to Mischa, as he's differenmt than the rest.

"People call me Mischa.  They don't know me, but I've known 'them' since they were conceived. And that's three questions, Master Oak."
=======

"My name is Jennifer.  Greg is my brother.  I...have never been to prayer servive being too scared to go.  I was afraid I'd get caught and my grades would suffer.  And my papa works so hard to put me through school."
===============
"My name is Tina. Some of my friends called me Tiffany when they got me to dress up and be more social, but really I hated that lifestyle.  Mostly.  I'd rather stay in and study.  I know Jennifer and Alexis from Dr. Oak's AI class."
==============
"Georg is supposed to be the founder of the college.  Some say that he's a ghost that still haunts the place." Alexis laughs. "And I dated Greg once.  Funny, I didn't remember that until he left the meeting."
==================
"Vonya...I think I had a student by that name.  She collapsed and went to the infirmary." Dr. King says.  "As to how I went from world to world, well, I'm a verser...."  He goes into the explanation and the odd thing is how the dog doesn't bark.  No one seems shocked by the notions he puts forth.

"How do you know them, Mischa?"

"You seem... different... than the others, but I don't understand why or how.  Do you know?"

"Are you able to appear and disappear?  How?"

IF he is still wearing the strait jacket, "Why are you wearing a strait jacket?  Do you need help getting it off?"

-=-

"What happened to Greg?"

-=-

I ask Alexis and Regis and Dr. King how they know each other, since they are the only ones other than Mischa that didn't change...

-=-

: Hmmm.  Dr. 'Oak' again... :

"Please, what is Dr. Oak like?  It seems curious that we have the same name..."

-=-

"Do you remember your original verse, Dr. King?  And how many verses you have been to?"

2nd post:

"Mischa, you say that you've known everyone else here since they were conceived.  Please, what do you know about me?  I have some troubling gaps in my memory, and there is much that I don't understand..."

-=-

"Dr. King, why doesn't it make sense that you worked in the medic corp for Starfleet?  What exactly about your memories seems... inconsistent?"

"Yes, I know. Yes, I'm different. I can dissappear and reappear in certain spots such as sacred ground. As to the strait jacket,  I can't explain, but yes, I need help, unfortunately not from you." Mischa says.

They seem to think that Greg got up and walked out.

The trio started the Bible study program.

They describe Dr. Oak....he seems familiar, most familiar.  He's working on developing an AI.  He's not popular with the Taint Administration.

Dr. King remembers just the two verses, and bare fragments of Stalingrad.

"I apologize. I mispoke. I didn't know you since your conception, Oak." Mischa says.

Dr. King does not find the Starfleet bit to be weird, just the opposite. Which is odd in itself.

"Are you able to tell us who you need help from, Mischa, or what kind of help you need?"

-=-

"Dr. Oak sounds... familiar.  Am I in his class?  How do I find out what classes I'm in... at least, without having to interact with the Administration?  Where is his class, and when?  How can I find it, or his office?"

-=-

"How long have you known me, Mischa?  Do you remember anything about me prior to tonight's Bible Study?

"I need out of my jacket."

==

"No, but he doesn' tmind if people audit his class.  He says 'you paid to learn and if you want to visit, then come on by, I'll teach anyone who shows up'.  Um, well, your student advisor....or we could check for you." Alexis says.  "His class is in the Math Building, along with his office.  Every day except Sunday, of course, in the mnorning is his class."

They look at you a bit oddly when you ask what days his class is.

=========
"I knew you since you first walked up to the First Tower.  You looked a bit different then, and you had a fire crown, but it was you.  That was a few hours ago, btw.  And you didn't see me, until shortly after you came down the Single Oak in the Park the first time."

"Who do you need help from, Mischa?"

-=-

"What day is today?  Is there class tomorrow?  What time in the morning is the class?"

-=-

I regard Mischa with interest.

"I was told about my previous time in the First Tower, but I cannot remember it myself.  And I have no knowledge of what took place the first time I came down the Single Oak.  Please, tell me more.  How did I look different then?  What do you mean by a fire crown?  What did I do and say?  And how did I end up with burnt clothing, lying on the grass, waking up with so many gaps in my memory?"

Mischa smiles helplessly.

Wednesday. Late at night. Class is ten o'clock in the morning, every morning, except Sunday.

Mischa asks Alexis to sketch on the chalkboard a pic of what you looked like.  She does.  And then she gasps.

"That's Dr. Oak."

"Pray for open eyes, Master Oak." Mischa says seriously.  "And you went to the Cathedral, and were in it when it exploded."

I blink in surprise.  "I... was... am... Dr. Oak?  But... how long has he been here?  Please, tell me all you can remember about him..."

-=-

I blink in surprise again.  "And I went to the Cathedral... and it exploded?  Does anyone know what happened, or how it happened?"

"So... I came down the ladder into the Single Oak the first time, looked like Dr. Oak, went to the Cathedral, was in it when it exploded, and... I wake up with burnt clothing and memory gaps?"

-=-

"Yes, I think I should pray for open eyes.  Could you all please pray for me now as well?"

They describe a gentle, hardworking teacher.

No one knows, except Mischa who tells you what he saw, which is not necessarily everything.  But whenever I said he was there, he tells you about that now.

Mischa agrees to your summation.

You pray and the others do as well.

You see glowing golden auras around the people in the room.  Dr. King also has a slingshot hanging on his waist that is not visible to normal sight.  And you have a crown of fire floating above your head.  And each of them has jigsaw puzzles in their auras.

And Mischa, well he has wings even if they are wrapped up in entangling rope.

He smiles at you, and the room fills with a blazing light, before he dissappears...

"Fear not."  You hear echoing in the room as the light dies and you're back to normal vision.

I give thanks to the LORD in prayer, and turn to the others.

"Wow...  did you all see what I just saw?"

-=-

"But... I'm still confused.  If I am Dr. Oak, and I arrived here for the first time earlier today, then how is it that Dr. Oak has been teaching classes since before today?"

2nd post:

"Dr. King...  do you remember anything about Rasputin, and about a sling stone?"

They shake their heads negatively.

To your second question, they shrug.  And you remember that the locals thought that Greg had gotten up and walked out, even though you know the door did not open.  Their memories and perceptions are not exactly trustworthy.

"Um, no....ah....well, my brother has this statue.  Its called 'the Death of a Madman' and the hero has this slingshot.  I remember because the President of the U wanted to buy it from him pretty badly." Dr. King says, scratching his head.

"Did anyone see where Mischa went?"

-=-

"Please, tell me about your brother, Dr. King..."

-=-

"Does anyone remember anything about the First Tower?"

-=-

OOC: Were there any differences between the auras of Alexis and Regis and those of the others who appeared more recently?

They seem to have forgotten Mischa.

++++

"Oh, Dr. David King, he's in the archeology department.  He is a Christian as well, but unfortunately he's on the Watch List as he has taught about archeological facts that support the Bible, and that don't support multiculturalism.  So he has to watch his step.  He frequently acts crazy when the Taint Admin tries to talk to him....and since crazy is a protected category, they leave him alone."

+++++
They shake their head 'no'.

+++++

More jigsaw puzzles in A and R's auras than the others who only had fewer.

"What other categories are protected?"

"What other ways do Christians on campus deal with persecution?"

"What part does the Cathedral play in the life of the campus, and in the lives of Christians on the campus?"

It turns out that there are ranks of protected.  Handicapped is lowest, white women next, gays next....to really hit the jackpot you need to be a Bipolar lesbian female of multiracial background who was born into poverty and has a tendency to act out her rage by punching out white guys.

"Well, there's the Weeper.  He's been thrown in jail, medicated, lectured, and he's out there in front of the Admin building the next day, on his knees, praying and crying."  Alexis says.  "But, no offense, he's kinda crazy.  There's also the Review.  Its like the cool newspaper for the college.  The University News is boring.  The Review....well....they never met a bad joke they didn't embrace.  Some of them are Christians."

Second post....

The Cathedral seems to be the respected leader of Christian thought.  Not everyone agrees with them, but no on e ignores them.

"Who are involved in the ministry in the Cathedral?  What are they like?  And how do they deal with opposition from the Taint Administration?"

"The priest at the cathedral and his staff are very professional, well-educated.  Which helps...it gives the Taint Administration little to attack them with.  Also, the Cathedral is well....part of the tradition of the school.  Like the rugby team which the Admin doesn't like either...but you can't just kick out a team which has won five national trophies in the last thirty years."  Dr. King says.  And one student cynically adds....'plus they got lots of friends in the alumni.  The Taint Admin knows which side of the bread is buttered.'

I absorb this information thoughtfully, and turn to Dr. King.

"What did you learn in the Tower of the Sensitives?  Do you know telepathy and/or healing?"

2nd post:

"I hear there is a 'Devil's Night' 'celebration' on October 31.  What types of things usually take place during such events?  What are you all planning to do then?"

"Who are the prominent folks in the Taint Administration?  Who should I be aware of, and on guard for... and pray for?"

Dr. King shakes his head 'no'.  "Although I do have a cousin who works in the parapschyology lab."

Several shudder, and others look ill at your question about Devil's Night.  Some look a bit interested.

"Lots of drinking, and car races.  Later, you get the vandals and sometimes buildings get burnt.  Its not safe for a girl alone or even in pairs, late.  And then later, well...there's stories. Crazy.  We...well some of us go out to the early parties, but we generally hide.  Lock our doors, and put a chair under the door and get five or ten folk in a room to play a quiet TV show and snack." Alexis says.

They list the female Liason Officer with the Cathedral, and the college president, and the chief of security, and the Dean of English.

"What skills does your cousin have?"

"What kind of stories?"

"What happens after that... when morning comes?"

"He claims to have moved pennies....but never when I'm around."

"Oh, that vampires and ghouls and all kinds of monsters run loose."

"And that the Great Shadow goes forth in rage, don't forget that one."

They are more clear temporally, and they all say "October the First."

"What did you learn in the Tower of the Sensitives?  And what other abilities did you observe there, even if you did not learn them yourself?"

-=-

I look at them with concern.

"My brothers and sisters, among the things your tract said is: 'It is the action of Demons to destroy, break apart, alienate man from God, his friends, his reality, and even from his own self.  It is the action of God to undo all this evil work, and to put man back together as he was meant to be, whole, with integrity, and health.' "

"Please, try to think through this, and remember carefully.  Are there not twelve months in a year?  January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.  Do not semesters have a beginning and an end?  Are there not things that take place outside of October?  Does not November 1st come after October 31st?  For example, do you remember Christmas... any Christmas, from any year in your lives?"

"Please, let us try to think through this, and pray through this.  Is this not one significant way in which this world is currently broken, and that you are currently alienated from your reality?"

"I....I learned to meditate, but nothing beyond that."  He looks puzzled and worried. "I did see telepaths, healers, summoners, telekinetics, and firestarters, and searchers, and of course, truth hearers."  Dr. King says aware that he should know more.

It takes some of them a little bit, but in the end, all agree that there are indeed twelve months in a year.  And that you name them...except for May.  That they've never head of, but they have heard of the month, Receni.

They agree that semesters should have a beginning and an ending.

Memories of Chistmas pour in, and you notice a lot of similar themes.  Several mention the banana pancakes their father served them before the opening of the presents, and the way their father wore a Christmas cap.  Others mention the Christmas mass, and the way their mother sang the solo.

You start praying, and the others join in.  And you feel a massive pressure pushing against you...

"Dearest LORD, it is written that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.  And it is written that you have searched us and know us, and know our lying down and rising up, and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  And it is written that we are not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ Jesus."

"We are such little children, not knowing how to go out or come in.  We are trying to walk toward you, but like Peter, we are sinking beneath the waves.  Peter cried out to you to save him, and you did.  Please, help us now, and save us.  Please restore to us the joy of your salvation, and renew a right spirit within us.  We cry out to you for mercy.  Please, LORD, bring back your wandering, lost sheep now, we pray in Jesus' name...  Amen."

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see..."

I pray fervently, and sing fervently (but not loudly)...

You hear some knocking on the door...

Having finished my prayer and quiet singing, I glance over at Dr. King for his leading.

As I do so, I pray silently yet fervently, and manually activate the Calm Empathic Field...

Under the influence of the Field, Dr. King is not worried, and opens the door.  About a dozen folk come in, and start praying.  You still feel that presure coming.

I listen to their prayers to glean clues about the specifics of the spiritual battles being fought here, and add my own fervent prayers as well, even as I monitor the pressure...

OOC: Is the pressure directional at all, or just more of an omnidirectional oppressive feeling?

You hear of missing friends, odd fears, rages unprovoked, and a general crushing weight of dismal doom.  At the same time you feel that omnipresent doom encircling the building, and two centers of darkness coming directly toward the Observatory.

"Dearest LORD, I feel the weight of this dismal doom, and two centers of darkness coming directly toward the Observatory now.  Please guard and guide us now, I pray, whether you would have us remain here now, or whether you would have us depart for another place now."

"Thank you, dearest LORD, that Thou art a shield about us, and if Thou be for us, nothing shall be able to separate us from Thee, and from Thy love.  I pray in Jesus' Name...  Amen."

Two verses come to mind....Flee from the wrath to come and Knock and it shall be opened unto you.

You hear a shattering noise and the building quakes.

"There goes the front doors." Dr. King observes calmly still under the field influence.  Lights flicker in the room, and you feel as if a python is wrapping about your guts.  Several in the room sway.

You pray and the python draws back but you can feel its redoubled rage, as if, how dare you resist?

"Dr. King, is there somewhere we may flee to, and a way to get there safely, in order to continue our prayers?  Or shall we take our stand here as we continue to pray?"

Regardless, I redouble my fervent prayers for the LORD to guard and guide us, and to strengthen us to resist the devil, and to bring light and healing to this dark and broken world...

If any foes directly approach our area, I attempt use my TK device to shield and protect us as well...

"Um, follow me." He leads you and the others out into the hallway, down about twenty feet, and opens a janitor's closet.  In the floor is a linoleum covered trapdoor that he opens.  "This leads to the steam plant under the Observatory."  You have about twenty people waiting...how are you going to do this?

The lights go out, and everyone is in darkness, and you hear a breathy, highpitched giggle coming from down the hallway.  It makes the hair on your neck stand up.  It does not feel like one of the twin major points of darkness which are still approaching.  You throw up your TK shield.

And then one of the guys flicks his flashlight on, and another does as well.   You feel as if this is an answer to prayer.

I protectively take my stand between the hair-raising giggle and the rest of the group.

"Dr. King, could you please lead the way down with the others?  I will bring up the rear."

"And everyone... please... keep praying!"

I pray as I wait for the others to descend.  Once the last of them descends, assuming I have not been prevented, I will attempt to follow them...

An inky body, low-slung, with arms too long for humans, and three talon like fingers, and burning yellow eyes drags itself around the corner with a scritching sound.  Then it giggles.

I enjoy pain.

It screams, and you feel danger rushing at you, and then suddenly a force stops the scream.  And it snarles in frustrated rage.

With my TK Shield and Calm Empathic Field still raised, I pray, and lift my voice in song...

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
Than when we first begun.

I pray as I watch for the creature's reaction, and for the progress of the others as they escape...

Sparkles of fuzzy light fall through the ceiling, and lighten the space.  And the thing retreats a half step, and then the light drifts down on the thing, and you hear them singing in tune with you even as the thing screams like its being boiled in acid.

This is odd to you, but clearly Good.  And then you realize that since you're inside another's mind, his mind is influencing how things happen and or appear.

And then a lady in a business suit and manicured and hairstyled as a professional of some beauty steps around the corner, and waves her hand.  The sparkles flee backward.

"This is unacceptable.  You're trying to impose your religion which is against the College Code."

I blink in surprise.

"Impose?  May it never be.  The College is composed of many different peoples, and cultures, and religions, and beliefs.  We sing different songs, and others are welcome to join the chorus I sing in, but none are forced to do so.  I am free to sing my songs, and they theirs.  I am confident that those who love Tolerance here would not dream of doing so Intolerant a thing as to condemn me for my beliefs, even if we differ.  Such a thing would be the very essence of Hate Speech."

I regard her quietly.

"To impose or coerce or force thoughts or beliefs upon someone else is most distasteful, is it not?  I know a man named Georg who suffers thusly.  Those who love Tolerance would condemn such an act."

I look at her with interest.

"So... how has this College changed since the current Administration arrived?  And was this change brought about willingly?  Or was it... imposed?"

And as I speak, and as I wait for a response, I monitor the progress of those escaping... and I pray.

"But you, by loudly singing in a public space are imposing.  If you sang in your room, with only consenting co-religionists there, the College would not have an issue with you." Her face grows more professional, less empathetic.  "As to this Georg person, I'm sure if you were to bring his case before the Student Affairs Council, you would receive your due."

....your due, your dues.... echoes down the halls like a sibilant whisper.

"The College has changed for the better.  The old intolerance has been adjusted in many helpful ways that the students are learning to appreciate.  A new wind of freedom is blowing through the campus, and I would not want to be caught defending old, dead ideas."

More escape, and you seem to have found the academic's weakness.  They love to talk.

"Ah, but how has this change been brought about?  How has this adjustment been performed and maintained?  Has the College changed and adjusted willingly?  Or was it... imposed?"

"And who judges that this change is better, or helpful?  It could hardly be someone who is Truly Tolerant.  For by definition, the Truly Tolerant embrace Diversity, and reject Right and Wrong, and Good and Evil.  Everything is Relative, with different people doing their own thing, and going their own way, and holding their own opinions.  There is no Absolute Standard, for the possibility of an Absolute Standard Giver with any Authority over His Creation has been rejected."

I regard her with perplexity.

"The Truly Tolerant would not and could not judge one set of beliefs to be better than another."

"The Truly Tolerant would not and could not impose their beliefs or adjustments on others, whether an individual or a College."

"Any who would judge thusly, or impose thusly, are manifestly Intolerant."

"I would not want to be caught defending such Hateful Hypocrisy... would you?"

I continue to monitor the progress of the others, and to pray fervently...

"A headhunter came to talk to President Taint, and from there the adjustment began.  People suffering from false consciousness cannot be said to be making an informed choice.  Just like you, if you were truly informed, you'd not be an ignorant religionist.  And by ignorant, I mean no offense, its just you have not been taught better.  I could show you a New, Better Way."

....power, control, fame....whispers down the hall.....secrets held in hidden vaults opened for you.....

"Your definition of Truly Tolerant is formed in the matrix of your gender and race, and is incorrect.  You need to rise above this history of atrocity and open your mind."

"Ah, but how could you know that I am suffering from false consciousness, or from ignorance?  What standard do you rely upon to make such judgments, other than that I must be wrong because my beliefs differ from yours?"

I regard her quietly.

"What then is your definition of Truly Tolerant?  Who is this headhunter, and what did he say?  What is this New, Better Way?"

I continue silently yet fervently praying, and monitoring the progress of the others...

"You are WRONG!" She screeches, and you see her fingernails suddenly gain ten inches, and the inky thing startsw giggling again.  "I tried to do this the nice way, but niceness doesn't work with you people."  Her voice is bitter and angry.  "You want to know the Headhunter, well, he is Georg.  And I'm going to show you the NBW..."

She starts stalking down the hall toward you, and you realize her legs are getting longer, and her eyes are starting to glow.

OOC: What is the status of Dr. King and the Bible Study folks?  Are they all away safely yet?  Are my Kinetic Shield and Calm Empathic Field still up?

"Please, why are you angry?  I am asking questions because I truly want to understand you, and to understand your ways..."

I continue to pray fervently.

OOC: How far away am I from the trap door?  What type of physical structure does this hallway have?  Does it look like it has pillars or other structural elements that I could TK to collapse the hallway between us?

The fields are up, but seem to have no effect.  She charges you, and then evaporates before she arrives.  Its like she's water, and you're protected by a rock of solid reality.  The others are already gone.

And then a man steps around the corner.  A bristling menace fills the air.

"If you will not take the easy way, I will be glad to do this the hard way."  This is the other source of darkness, and its got an imposing mass and hatred to it unlike the Liason Officer aka the Unreasonable Lady.

And yes, there are pillars on both sides of the walls that look to be load-bearing.

"I do not understand.  Please, what do you want me to do, and why?  Why are you here?  What do you wish with Georg, and why?  Why are you angry?"

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

"What do I want you to do?" He barks out harsh laughter.  "Kneel before me, and beg for your life. We will convert Georg into more weapons of the mind to destroy the humans on this planet. As to why I am angry, I am just to be angry.  I will and desire and am thwarted by the rules that a cold hearted and tyrannical creator has imposed on me.  I want to be free to do as I will, and I will be free.  None shall stand in my path."

Barbed and spiked tendrils of darkness expand from his hands and drift down the hallway toward you...meanwhile the inky thing is at the feet of this being and is positively slavering with its eagerness to have haunch of Oak.

I pray fervently as I switch the Empathic Field to Sleep Mode, and solemnly quote from the book of Jude.

"The LORD rebuke thee."

Then I defensively activate my light sabre, in case the tendrils pass through the Kinetic Field, while putting my other hand on the Kinetic Field generator.

If I see the tendrils penetrate the shield, then I immediately activate TK pulses to take out the pillars closest to the hostiles...

OOC: 2nd post...

... and as I wait, I start singing "Amazing Grace" once again...

The walls turn green and begin to drip red roses and you hear a howl seeming to come through the walls which seem to be growing in depth.  It feels as if you were dropping into a nightmare.  This is right after you turn on the Sleep Mode.

The man flinches, but does not retreat.

The light saber blazes up, and the man eyes it with a definite sense of caution.

The tendrils press against the shield,a nd you feel power pressing against power, and a thrumming shudder runs through the air, and you feel the shields begin to give way so you rip the pylons which are now trees from the walls/edge of the forrest, and the sky falls in on him.  You see a chunk nail the inky beast, and him batter away chunks as he is forced backward howling in pain.

And as the walls come down, you start to sing and the air around you starts to glow and you hear a chorus of singers joining you in singing Amazing Grace, but in Russian (you assume).

As I continue singing, I immediately attempt to hit him with a maximum strength TK pulse...

He reaches out with his clawed and suddenly massive arms, but then the TK force sweeps him away. Flinging him through a number of walls until he is lost to sight.  Curiously, the TK force is surrounded by a gleaming light.

And then a white rabbit runs by you.  "I'm later than I should be, I'm later."

I give thanks to the LORD for His deliverance, and then immediately follow the rabbit as he passes by.

"Where should you be, and why, friend Rabbit?"

"Out, out on the streets, and on my way to my home for time's arrow flies fast, and the monsters stir, Master of the Oak, or be you a Satyr, or Faun, ah yes, you and the Oak are one.  Dear me, I'm later, than later..." And he passes through the 'walls' into the 'forrest'....And you follow him, and as soon as you cross the line, you're in deep, primeval woods, and you feel Ancient Powers afoot, Powers that do not bow at the sign of the Cross, nor respect the Law.

The rabbit flees in front of you, going down to a hole in a tree, and preparing to dive in while muttering in fear.

"What news of Georg and Vonya, friend Rabbit?"

I switch from Sleep Mode to Calm Mode before he can dive through the hole, watchful to see the effect upon both my surroundings and my companion.

(Assuming the rabbit doesn't vanish when I turn Sleep Mode off...)

"Peace be unto you, friend Rabbit...  How do you feel?"

"He is being broken, and she sleeps." The Rabbit replies, and the hole turns to a varnished picture.  "That was well done, part of Oak.  But the hole has been opened wider still, and time has flung by.  I feel worried, fearful, and out of time."

"What must be done?  And how can I help?"

"Survival, part of Oak. Survival, indeed.  The monsters wake.  Do you know a place to hide, to hole up, to barricade, to fort up, to protect yourself in extremity.  I being composed of equal parts whimsy and panic am not welcome in the Cathedral, but you might be safe there"

"But how can Georg and Vonya be delivered if I hide?  Must not the monsters be defeated?  Or is it that I must simply survive while the monsters are awake, and then may do more when they sleep again?"

"What monsters are there here, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?  How may they be defeated?"

"What can I do to help Georg and Vonya?  And what can I do to help you?"

"The landscape has changed since I induced Sleep here.  How do I find my way to the Cathedral?"

The White Rabbit starts to answer, and then looks at his watch.

"I, part of Oak, am no Hero.  You have to ask yourself what you are to answer that question.  As to the monsters, some perhaps, but I am not sure that the Great Monster can be."

He glances about nervously.  "The monsters are those of Georg's deepmind.  Although they seem twisted.  Their powers and weaknesses are in the rules that Georg believes to be true.  As to helping Georg, I know not.  Vonya sleeps the enchanted sleep.  Help me?  Give me one of the oak leaves from your tree.  Understand the levels, the Liason, she cannot exist down here, among primal forces.  And the Monsters can rarely surge to the surface levels.  The landscape has changed because you've dropped down across the border into the Upper Deepmind.  But the Cathedral exists in all levels.  Here it glows with light.  But here, paths are not always certain so I cannot draw you a map."

"When I switched from Sleep to Calm mode and the hole closed, you said it was well done... 'but the hole has been opened wider still, and time has flung by'.  What hole has opened, and what does it signify, and where does it lead?"

"I am an unworthy servant of the LORD, but He can do all things."

"What rules does Georg believe to be true about the Great Monster?  What are its powers and weaknesses?"

"I understand a little of the levels... but what level should I seek to best help Georg?  Should I head to the surface levels, or deeper into the deepmind, or remain at this level?"

"What are my oak leaves, and how may I give one to you?"

"Where is Vonya, and how may she be delivered from her enchanted sleep?"

"Late, later...the hole from the deepmind to the surface which opens full wide on Halloween.  And as you opened it, Halloween sped closer."

Time travel of a sort, you realize.  And that makes sense with the White Rabbit being later than usual.

When you speak the name of God you hear angelic choruses hum through the trees as a kind of heavenly muzak.

"I do not know that. I only speak of the lesser monsters, the skinchanger, the witch on chicken legs, the nixies who drown the unwary, the trees that thirst for blood, and such.  I am not such as to inquire into the doings of the Great."
The White Rabbit says and listens to your next question.  "You would be better to ask the wargamers that.  I am a Rabbit, not as Pooh, of very little brain, but such things are too high for me."

He chuckles.  "Where are your oak leaves but on your oak tree.  And but speak my name and I will come to you."

The rabbit shrugs at the last, but you remember hearing that Vonya was in the Infirmary, or some new woman was.

"What do you know of the lesser monsters, and of their strengths and weaknesses?"

"How may my oak tree be found below the surface levels?"

"How may the infirmary be found below the surface levels?"

"Have you been to any of the levels below the Upper Deepmind?  How do they differ from here?"

"How do you travel between the levels?"

Your clothes change to a long robe of wool, open fronted, pale purple over a full white robe of linen underneath it to include sandals and a strange purple, sorta square hat.  At your feet is a black cat on your left, and a white cat on your right.

"Um, well, it should have roots, but...hmmm, as you're only part of Oak, I'm not sure how many levels you exist on.  It may be just as it is on the top level."  The White Rabbit ripples its whiskers in frustrated cogitation.

"Its a tower, barred and warded, with a Dark Lord on a horse standing athwart the door.  Most nasty person, too."
The WR pauses.  "I don't want to say his name, might draw the attention of the unseemly or unhealthy, if you get my drift."

"More fundamental, more direct, often darker.  More powerful.  And I was about to travel down by taking that hole in the tree.  Those are my routes.  Yours...I can't say.  Well, there are the High Gates, but the Gatekeepers are not inclined toward passage from those they don' know."

"Look, human, I do wish you well, but I'm late, late for an important date...."

When my clothes and the cats appear, I look at the White Rabbit in perplexity.

"What does this new clothing signify, and these cats?  And where did they come from?"

And when he makes to take his leave...

"Farewell then, friend Rabbit.  I hope to see you again..."

I watch as the White Rabbit departs, and then observe my two new companions...

OOC: When I saw the glow after mentioning God's name, did it seem to be completely omnidirectional?  Or did it seem as if it might be radiating from some defined direction or source?

BTW, how do these cats "feel"?  Do I get good or evil "vibes" from them, or neutral, or nothing at all?

"The clothes make the man." The White Rabbit says.  "You are a scholar seekng knowledge."

The cats feel sorta neutral.  The black one stares at you with interest while the white one seems to be looking about expectantly.  They act like they are not going anywhere.

And omnidirectional.

I squat down to see if the cats are friendly or not, and give them a nice petting and scratching if they seem to be receptive.

Then I thoughtfully take a look around at my current environment, looking for any features of interest.

"Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray..."

Then, after a moment, I thoughtfully take out my compass, and see if it points in any particular direction...

OOC: BTW, which way did the White Rabbit depart?

They both purr and accept the petting with enthusiasm.

The forrest is dim, shadowed and filled with mystery.  The trees are maples and hickories, not overly tall, but well branched and leafed.  It slopes downhill in front of you gradually.  And you hear the howl of a wolf.

You flip out the compass and it points to the rightand forward but you find that you can't read the words on the compass.

OOC: Which way did the White Rabbit depart?  Which direction is the howl coming from?

If the cats seem inclined, I allow them to climb onto my shoulders, or into any pockets they can find.

Then, I start singing "Amazing Grace" once again, and walk in the direction the compass is pointing, periodically rechecking to ensure I continue in that direction...

2 O'Clock, and 5 O'Clock respectively if the direction you are facing forward is 12.  The white cat is happy to climb in a pocket, and stay, but the black cat climbs in, noses about, and then makes its way up your robe via its claws.  It shows signs of being a restless cat.

They both purr in tune to your singing and there is a chorus of angels in the background as before.

You come to a dark ravine, and following the compass you come up on  trail that winds down to a babbling brook.  In the dimness, there is a man shape, very large standing in the ford, facing you.  Its past nightfall now, and you can hardly make out anything about him, although he does seem to have a rifle or a sword.

OOC: Do I feel any "vibes" from this man shape, or any "nudges" of guidance about how to deal with him?

Does my singing produce any light as before, or only angel chorus audio?

How do the cats respond to this man shape?

He feels like he's part of the scene.  Only audio this time.

The black cat surges out to examine it, and the man shape tosses him into the creek, and in that move you can see the man is made of wet clay.  The white cat goes after his brother racing down the side of the stream.

I go after the cat to rescue it, keeping a watchful eye on the clay man.  If he does anything threatening, I immediately raise my shields...

The two cats come back to the stream edge a hundred yards down the stream as you get close to the edge.  The white cat is bringing the half-drowned black cat back by the scruff of its neck as it paddles through the water.

Something about this sends a twinge of recognition through you.

And then you're dropping to your knees as you see a beautiful maiden, clad modestly, pale skin, light blue eyes, curly, long blonde hair (rise from the water. EDIT)....you find your heart skips a beat to see her...

"Come take a quick dip in the creek, Man.  You must be hot and tired and sticky."  It sounds like a wonderful idea, and indeed you suddenly realize you are covered in twigs and mud and that stream which is only waist deep looks awful inviting....

I blink, groping after this fleeting flicker of memory where so much has been darkness.

"Do... I know you, Fair Maiden?"

Assuming that I get no "vibes" or "nudges" to the contrary, I do as she bids, and enter the water...

Curiousity killed the cat, Fortuiosity brought him back. The words swirl back out of memory.

And feeling no vibe you enter the chill waters, and with the water enchantments that block your senses are washed away.  You see the bottom is not the bottom, and you're over a bottomless pool, and that a magic had blurred your senses to feel the vibe that now is very clearly warning you to FLEE.  And looking about, you see three women, mostly transparent of skin, green-haired,and teeth like spikes, and taloned fingers swirl around you.

I immediately activate the TK shield, omnidirectional mode, both to shield me from the women and to levitate above the water...

"Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray..."

The shield goes up, and their talons raise to attack, and as soon as you say the Name of God they all flinch back.  A glowing aura of peace surrounds you, and then one of them summons the nerve, and waves her hand.

A surge of water slams you into the river bank underwater, rattling you around.  Meanwhile another begins to sing, and you see darting shapes of  come out of the darkness of the water toward you.

You were ten feet under, now you're five.

I pray, and start singing "Amazing Grace" once again...

They stay back, fearful of being burnt by holy power, but they fling water currents at you with two hitting you square on, battering you against the river bank, and then you rise above the water, the water splashing off back into the river, and then two sturgeon, rough, hard looking thing, nine feet of black grey spear leap up out of the the water.  One hits your shield, and glances off, but the other hits dead on, cracks your shield and passes through the holy protection without a pause as its a natural creature, and bites into your leg calf muscle to hang there, flapping its body.  This tilts you sideways as you're airborne.

Your blood drips into the water, and the dark pool swirls like a whirlpool so that you can see glistening silver leaves of a tree at the bottom of the creek some great distance away.

Ouch, that sturgeon's teeth are sharp.

Ahdabumpetybumpetybumpies.

OOC:  You posted last week!  Sigh...  :(

"Dearest LORD, please help me now, I pray..."

I invoke the Sleep Empathic Field upon the sturgeon, and attempt to remove it.

"Dearest LORD, please heal me now, I pray..."

I continue singing, and attempt to reactivate my shield...

OOC: Do I get any "vibes" about the tree?

2nd post:

If the Sleep Empathic Field isn't successful in helping me remove the sturgeon, then I slay it with my light sabre, and then remove it...

The sturgeon falls asleep, but hangs on anyways with its jaws slightly relaxed.  Some kicking and twisting and the sturgeon flops free and hits the water.

You shield goes back up even as you heal.

And looking down at the tree you realize you've found a way to the Deepmind, or at least part of it.  It feels wild, like a garden gone feral.

OOC: Where are the cats?  Do I still feel the urge to FLEE?  Does the tree seem to truly simply feel wild, or does it feel like it did when my senses were magically obscured by these attackers?

I look around to see what my attackers are up to, and to locate the two cats, and to see if any light sources are evident, and to ponder the tree far below me.

As I do so, I remember the White Rabbit's words: '... the Cathedral exists in all levels.  Here it glows with light.'... '... the nixies who drown the unwary, the trees that thirst for blood...'.

"Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, I pray..."

And I continue singing as I expand my Sleep Empathic Field toward my attackers...

The cats are behind you on two different tree branches looking anxious.  The urge to FLEE is gone.

Wild, untameable, rebellious, fierce....the tree would not stoop to enchantments that blur the senses.
The water maidens have slunk back deeper into the river not wanting a fair fight.  They pop their heads up from downstream and shout insults your way.

The Tree can't be the Cathedral, and its on a different level so it might not be bloodthirsty.  The water maidens are probably the nixies.

And you see the trio of nixies fall under your Sleep Field and drift floating in the water...

OOC: Are there any discernible sources of light on this level, such as might be emanating from the Cathedral?

I turn off the Sleep Empathic Field.

"Dearest LORD, if you would have these creatures perish, then I pray that they would perish.  And if you would have these creatures awaken, then I pray that they would awaken.  Thank you for your gracious deliverance and healing."

I go to gently collect the cats, while keeping a wary eye upon the attackers.

Then I take out my compass.

"Dearest LORD, please guide me now, whether I should seek the Cathedral on this level, or the tree below, or some other place.  Show me your will, and strengthen me to do it faithfully, I pray..."

And I look at the compass, both before, during, and after my prayer...

The nixies sleep on,drifting under the water, seemingly not needing to breathe air, smiling as dreams of sudden violence and sport with their sisters occur to them.

The cats climb on your shoulders and within seconds Curiosity is investigating the gear that keeps him afloat by nosing it, and pawing it.

The compass points across the river toward the Cathedral as you begin to pray.  And you seem to receive no answer, but then you realize you already know the choices and that is the answer in part.  Seek safety in the Cathedral, or venture onward.  Onward could be to cross the river, but the mudman bars your way.

You're here to mend Georg, and hiding is not going to accomplish that.  To be prudent, so far you've managed to deal with what monsters appear.  Perhaps further risk is not unwise.

OOC: Yeah, that is my thinking as well... but after having been suckered by the nixies, I've learned my lesson.  I can't rely on my own senses or wisdom or strength.  I must first seek the LORD's guidance, and do all due diligence to avoid getting lured and fooled again.  And before descending to the depths, I have a bit of preparation to look into...

I put my devices safely out of reach of the cats as I pet them soothingly, and move over to gaze upon the tree, letting the cats see it, and watching their reaction.

And as I gaze, I ponder...

"But how can Georg and Vonya be delivered if I hide?  Must not the monsters be defeated?..."

"I, part of Oak, am no Hero.  You have to ask yourself what you are to answer that question.  As to the monsters, some perhaps, but I am not sure that the Great Monster can be."

He glances about nervously.  "The monsters are those of Georg's deepmind.  Although they seem twisted.  Their powers and weaknesses are in the rules that Georg believes to be true..."

And suddenly, I know what must be done... and my first stop is... the Cathedral.

I look for a long branch to use like a pole, and see if I am able to use it with my omnidirectional kinetic field bubble to cross the stream without approaching the mud man...

And if successful in crossing the stream, I head off toward the Cathedral at best speed...

Curiousity thinks you mean to play with her, and so she bats some more until she's out of range and then she looks surprised.  Didn't you understand your role in the game?

Curiosity wants to explore. Fortuisity goes to sleep when faced with the tree.

You start crossing, and its going well until you reach halfway across and the mudman notices.  He roars something out, and suddenly your stick is stuck in the mud at the bottom of the river.  Its another thirty feet to the far side.

I use my light sabre to cut the branch above the waterline, and then hold the remains as a paddle in the water, attempting to let the current of the river push against the paddle, downstream and towards the other shore.

And as I pray, I continue singing...

You start paddling, and its hard because the branch is not much of a paddle, and so you dig deeper....and feel a muscle running across the back of your right shoulder blade tear.  The paddle drops from your fingers, as you blink away surprised tear-lets while dangling above the stream.

OOC: Yes, that's a botch.

I wince in pain as I blink back the tears, and pray.

"Dearest LORD, please heal me now, I pray, and bring me safely to the other side, I pray..."

And I resume singing "Amazing Grace"...

For whatever reason, the Lord has not healed you, but a gust of wind pushes you to the far side.  Safely across you float above the grassy bank of the stream.

"Thank you, dearest LORD..."

I ease the field strength until I am gently standing upon the grassy bank with the cats, moving the afflicted area as little as possible.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

If anything, this setback confirms the need to go to the Cathedral first.  Perhaps healing may be found there.  And the need for my... other... errand there is as great as ever.

And so I make my way toward the light of the Cathedral, making my stiff and painful way as gently and quickly as I am able..

As you press onward, you find the forrest changing to pine woods.  And the temperature keeps dropping.  And then you come upon a pleasant looking village behind a tall stone wall.

Its gate is heavy iron.

You feel more tired and worn than before as you plod forward.  And you find that you can't fly.

"Dearest LORD, please heal me now, if it be of your will, and guide and guard me now, I pray..."

Unless I feel any nudges to the contrary, I knock on the gate.

If there is no response after some time, then I attempt to do the following...

I take some rope, and tie it to the gate as high as I can reach.

Then I activate my Kinetic Field, slowly increasing the strength until I am just above the wall.

Then I tug at the rope to drift over to the other side.

Then I slowly decrease the strength until I am safely on the ground again.

Then I untie the rope, and continue...

Knock nor float avails.  The sound booms hollowly out, setting wolves in the nearby forrest to howling.  And the floating ....'I'm sorry, could you repeat that command?'.

And then a large squirrel hops on top of the wall from inside the village.

"Well, Napoleon.  E'en now your strength fades, but to enter Bethel, I ask you if you believe that which you spoke to the Highest?  Not arriving at Moskva you will, for tho' you evaded General Mud, surely General Winter will steal your strength, not unless you rest, and e'en then, the outcome is fearsome."

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

Assuming I don't receive any nudges to the contrary...

"Napoleon?  Not I.  I am but a humble servant of the LORD most high.  I come not to take captive this land and those within that worship the Highest, but to free this land from captivity."

"I do believe that which I spoke to the Highest... and I do have need of rest."

"Do you and those within love the LORD?  If so, I humbly ask your hospitality in His Name.  As it is written, 'For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.'..."

"I know who you are.  But you enter the Russia of Georg, and you seek the Cathedral, which is in Moskva.  You are Napoleon.  And are you sure you are not here to capture?"

The squirrel leans back on its tail, and speaks again.

"If you believe, then show me."  And you feel dreadful weakness assail you.  "This is Bethel, the house of rest.  And we who dwell here seek to test you.  Act quickly, or you may find what the tooth of the wolf feels like."

"Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray... "

Then I gather my strength, look thoughtfully at the squirrel... and sing with heartfelt feeling Amazing Grace once again...

You find yourself raising your hands in worship and then they seem to go toward the gate....as terrific weakness slams into you so that you can barely stand, or even breathe....and you remember that you prayed ....that God made you strong when you were weak.

The squirrel is looking at you hopefully as you wobble back and forth and the howls of the wolves seem to be from much closer.  If you turn to face them, you're sure to see them....

:: Dearest... LORD... please... strengthen... me... now... I... pray... ::

I still my thoughts, seeking his strength in prayer.  Tuning out the external distractions and threats, and giving them to Him.

And if and when I feel the strength, I begin to sing Amazing Grace...

You feel no strength, and find yourself dropping, gasping to your knees, but you do feel an urge to reach forward, a nudge, and so you do.

GARUINCHENENE!!

The noise is like that of a fender bender, only it continues, and you feel what seems like very cold butter sliding through your hands.  Looking up, hardly able to, you see the iron gate has finger holes and wrinkles in it, and the whole gate of rock and iron is shaking.

The squirrel is saying 'Yes, yes. Through God, we will throw down fortresses.'

After having been tricked by the nixie, and having yet to perceive any nudges here, I had not been certain if the squirrel was friend or foe... until finally feeling the nudge, and then seeing the result.

Encouraged, I attempt to reach out toward the gate again, and even if possible to move forward as I continue praying.  And if I get enough breath to start singing, I do so...

You stagger forward, and rip the iron gates apart.

"The Gift of Samson." The squirrel says as you collapse inside the gate.  It jumps down to land on your back.  You feel no energy to rise, but warmth and peace seem to flow from the air and the ground into your body.  "You cannot enter into God's rest, except by the strength of God.  Welcome to Bethel. Want a nut?"

And you no longer hear the wolves.  And when you're sufficiently recovered, you sit up, and the gates are as they were.

"We have a bath, and spare cabins for bed, and food. Your choice as to which you go to first." The Squirrel says after coming back.  Curiosity bats at it, and the Squirrel pins Curiosity's ears back with a well thrown acorn.

I think back upon the ripping of the gates, and then gently, experimentally test to see if my afflicted muscle from the river has been healed...

OOC: My injury (or lack thereof) will affect my next actions and choices...  :)

The dice like it.

You're healed.

I then experimentally try to think back to remember what took place before I lost my memory, to see if my mind has been healed as well...

"Dearest LORD, thank you for all of your good gifts, and for your tender mercies, which are new every morning.  Great is thy faithfulness..."

I look gratefully at the squirrel.

"Thank you for your kind encouragement and hospitality."

"Just as my first need was to have my sins washed away, so too I think that my first need now is to wash away the foulness from General Mud and the River Nixies.  Once cleansed, I will be more fit company, and will not soil your chair or bed."

"Please, what is your name?  And are there others here?"

OOC: Was my memory healed also?  :)

Peace washes through you as you pray.

"Of course.  Follow me to the pool."  And hopping on ahead, he leads you to an idyllic swimming hole in clear water with willows hanging overhead.  There are towels and soap laid out on a rock.

"I am Porchester Rochester the IVth, more precisely, I am the memory of that ancient squirrel that a young boy fed from his second floor bedroom, and made up tales of my amazing feats for his younger sisters.  Just like this pool is lifted from a summer camp he went to during a break from his Upper Academics.  And yes, there are the Wise Sisters, and the Good Dragon, and others here.  They will all be pleased to meet you as we've been worried about the Taint."

Your memory seems not to be healed.

"Thank you, friend Porchester.  I look forward to meeting them very much, and to taking counsel together."

When alone, I pray as I undress.

"Dearest LORD, please heal my afflicted memory, even as you healed my afflicted muscle.  If it be thy will, please do so in such a manner, and at such a time, that pleases you, and brings you glory.  I pray in Jesus' Name..."

And so I enter the waters, and submerge myself, and reach for the soap...

-=-

After washing myself and my clothes, I exit the waters, and seek my hosts to share bread and counsel together...

...take captive every thought....the water seems to whisper.

The dining hall is a long hall of pleasing proportions and well-lit.  Tables and chairs are filled with various characters, some that you recognize.  Jack Frost, one of Santa's elves, the Energizer bunny, and others that you do not.  Most of the people seem to be kindly crafters.  And a spot is saved for you at the head table.

There sits three beautiful women, all gowned in blue, purple, and gold respectively.  Next to them in the corner of the hall, gnawing a pig skull is a dragon curled upon itself with bright gold, knowing eyes that see reason.  Completing the table is Porchester, and a valiant knight with the fleur-di-lis on his surcoat.

"The Master of the House is not with us, so we sit as equals at this table, sirrah."  The knight says, offering you the seat to his right.

I give a friendly nod to those that look my way, and thank the knight as I take the offered seat.

"Thank you all very much for your kindness and hospitality.  Please, what are your names?"

"What paths have brought you all here to this place, to give me the pleasure of sharing this time together?"

"What tidings do you have of the Taint?"

"How far is the Cathedral, and what perils may one encounter along the way?"

The Wise Sisters introduce themselves as Hope, Faith, and Love.  The Dragon is the Good Dragon, Keeper of the Ancient Law, etc., etc..  The knight is Roland of Roncevalles, paladin of Charlemagne.

"Georg loves us, and keeps us near to his heart." Roland says simply.

"The Taint rises in power again, seeking to overthrow the shattered remnants of Georg's mind.  We hear that you have healed some of him, on the upper most level.  This is well done.  Unfortunately, each cycle of October, each Halloween brings closer the day when Georg will be wholly destroyed, and the Taint own him entirely.  Which will be bad, for those who created the Taint as a weapon came to fear it, and had it imprisoned, and now it has a door out if it can but break through. But God has sent you, and has other plans as well, and his love for his wife is strong too. There is much cause for Hope."  Hope says, her voice soft and sweet, and full of resilience.

"By entering Bethel, you have evaded General Winter, who is not evil, but Georg's mind, it sees you as an intruder here so he sends out his forces.  There is a thing, it has two long legs, and a house on it, and an evil lady inside.  You will see her.  And there is the man of steel who has a book.  He is dreadful and will seek to drown you in blood, or rend your body.  Once past these, there are the walls of Moskva, where you may face an aspect of Georg, and perhaps Rasputin." Faith says. "And three days travel it is unless you dare the ice sled."

"How did this thing come to pass?  What did Georg do, and how did the Taint overcome him?"

"I was attacked, and have lost part of my own memory.  Do any of you have the power to heal me?"

"I wish to learn from you all, and to take counsel together on how best to help Georg.  Have you any suggestions?"

"It is my understanding, from the White Rabbit, that the powers and weaknesses of the monsters here are in the rules that Georg believes to be true."

"If this is so, then it seemed to me that it was worth the perils of the journey to the Cathedral.  For it may be that, once there, I may be able to obtain King David's sling stones, and use them to defeat the Taint."

"Does this plan seem to you to have merit?  Is the White Rabbit's understanding of the situation true?  Does the Cathedral possess King David's sling stones?  And do you believe they would be enough to defeat the Taint?"

"Georg has a great Voice, and he sought out the spirits of this planet to seek some sort of understanding, and perhaps a peace. One of the great spirits was the Taint, and it attacked him violently, viciously, and with no mercy whatsoever for it is truly evil." The Good Dragon says. "It is that in every man that desires wrong, unleavened by any other desire or thought. Now, even the good in man, is wrong, but this is Evil for Evil."

"Seek out th eother parts of yourself, and join with them." Love says. "Take them captive and bring them together, in kindness."

"There are elements of Georg's mind that are not yet fallen, and some of them are of great power. The Cathedral is one. His Voice is another."

"If you can get the elements of Georg's mind to remerge, then I feel he has the strength with the Lord's good help to overthrow this beast that besets him." Hope says crinkkling her brow.

They agree with the White Rabbit, although cautioning that the Taint, like you, is another thing, somewhat free from those rules.

They agree that attaining David's stones would be wise. And yes, the Cathedral has them. They don't think by yourself that you can with just the stones, but...

"Remember, if you are careful and lucky, yo ucan regather the stones." Roland says.

"What is known of the spirits of the planet?  How did they come to be here?  What is their purpose?  What are their goals?"

"How should I seek out the other parts of myself to join with them?  Do you mean the parts I cannot remember, or something else?"

"Do you have any idea of particular strengths and weaknesses that the Cathedral perils may have, and strategies that may be more or less effective against them?"

"Do you have any idea of particular strengths and weaknesses that the Taint may have, and strategies that may be more or less effective against it?"

"Do you think it would be more effective to attempt to get the elements of Georg's mind to remerge from the upper levels, or from this level, or from lower levels?  Do you have any suggestions how I should proceed?"

"Is this a task best performed alone?  Or would it be more effective if more went forth against it?"

"They, the spirit, feel as us.  But they are unwholesome things, needy."  Hope says.  "And as I said, the Taint is that evil in man.  Sin." The Good Dragon says.  "And yes, the other parts of yourself, that you remember not, or have skills that you do not, or have emotions unfamilar to this part of you."  Love says sadly.  "This may hurt.  Not every part of our heart is lovely.  In fact...well, hope that your breaking was not in such kind as to shatter you in too many bits for if so, you must travel a very dark road."

"Georg thought them unfortunate victims of an accident, but I, a military man, see an attack." Roland says. "The beast on legs must be Baba Yaga, the ancient witch of Russia.  She has a flying stone, and is very evil.  Be brave."

"The Man of Steel...make your heart strongfor he can stop your heart with a glance."  Porchester says, trembling.  "If you can find his heart, he is yours."

They have no advice for facing an aspect of Georg other than to look pale and worried.

"The Taint likes not Truth, or Love, or Humility."  Faith says.  "Simplest of all, it likes not light."  Porchester adds.  "Been saved bya  campfire once, I was."  The others laugh, andPorchester refrains from retelling the story.

They have no advice.

"Alone, brother.  Right now, the Taint laughs at you.  It knows of you, but feels secure.  If we sent a host of shining knights with you, it would mean war, and stealth is better.  Plus, we fight in the mind, and we dare not do too much damage to our whole."  Roland says, and you can tell he desires to go with you.  "But blow this horn, and I shall come."

"But how can I seek out those parts that I cannot remember?  Through prayer and introspection, or by other means?"

"What kind of accident did Georg think occurred?  What did Georg think these spirits were before this accident?"

"Is anything known about where the Man of Steel may be prone to hide his heart?"

"Please, Porchester, may I hear this story?"

I take the horn, and give the knight a heartfelt thanks.

"I will have to set off on the morrow... but I am here with you all now.  Is there anything I can do for any of you?  Have you any needs, beyond the mission before me?  Any praises or prayer requests?"

"Yes, " Says Hope, "And there will be signs as well."

"We do not know, the Voice might, or it might be in the Archives on the uppermost level." Porchester flicks his tail upward like a pointing arrow.

They shake their heads no, although Faith says that his heart will be in what he loves.

Porchester tells you a story of luck and exzaggerated bravery and real bravery with a campfire i the dark wood and standing off the Taint.

You join them in a worship service before they go to bed.  And the bed is sweet, and the dreams pleasant.

When I awaken, I spend time in Bible study and in prayer and in introspection, seeking those parts of myself I currently remember, and also seeking His strength for the journey ahead.

Then I return to the dining hall for breakfast and final counsels together...

Among the questions I ask: "do you have any weapons or tools that may aid me in my quest, beyond your kind counsel, and your prayers, and the horn already kindly bestowed?"

You remember hearing of Professor Oak, and the AI program he was working on.  Those seem like promising places to start, as with your tree as well.

Love gives you a monocle.  "I am not sure I should give you this.  It will give you much pain should you use it."  She refuses to explain further.

Faith anoints your head with oil, and Hope gives you a brightly wrapped present in beautiful sky blue paper with a yellow ribbon.  "Do not open it now."

"There are five of you in here." The Good Dragon says.  "Forget not in extremity, the fifth."

And with blessings and cryptic comments you leave to head out into a darkened wood along a path that has a sign that says "Moskva, this way, seven times seven miles."  Underneath is a handscrawled note that says...

"You will never make it.  That means you, Oak."

"During my time of prayer and introspection this morning, I remembered hearing of Professor Oak, and the AI program he was working on.  And I remembered my tree...  But these things are on the upper levels."

"Do you believe I should seek those parts of me that are lost first, and then press on with the quest?  Or should I press on with the quest without delay?"

-=-

I thank them from my heart for their kind gifts and words, and then depart (destination depending upon their counsel to my question above)...

They give you no advice, but to have faith.

"You said before that 'those who created the Taint as a weapon came to fear it, and had it imprisoned, and now it has a door out if it can but break through'.  What is known of those who created the Taint?"

"How does one access the archives on the upper level?"

"Is it true that the Cathedral exists on all levels?  Would the sling stones also be on all levels?"

"How does one travel from here to the upper level?"

"This is speculation, but well founded logic. And that is what is known."

"Walk over to them, enter the doors..."

"Yes, and perhaps."

"There is a tree in the forrest, with a ladder on the side of it."

"How may I find the tree?  How will I know the way?"

It is the tallest tree in the forrest by many multiples.

"Which direction is it in?"

-=-

After departing, I thoughtfully regard the sign to Moskva and the handwritten note beneath it.

Then I head for... the tallest tree in the forest...

They say that it moves.  You have to cast about a bit, looking around, but in a few hours, you spot a tree that seems to go up into the clouds.  After that, its a mere matter of hiking, and keeping your eye on it a the same time as it seems to try to escape when you 're not paying attention.

Finally, you reach the bottom of the tree, and unlike all the other trees in the forrest....its an oak.

There is a sign 'Say 'Run' and climb.'

OOC: Is this sign like the handwritten note, or like the actual Moskva sign, or neither?

I know that Georg opposes my journey, and I've been fooled before.  So I fervently pray for the LORD to give me wisdom and discernment before proceeding here...

bump.

You feel assurance and amusement as you pray.

The  script is a DOS font, and you're suddenly aware that you put this here.

"Run."

You put one stepon the lowest rung, and like a plus one loop to twenty , you're to the upper level in your tree.

I thank the LORD, and look carefully around as I ascend, getting an aerial view of this level.

And when I arrive at the upper level in my tree, I look around again...

OOC: Does my current location seem familiar (Georg University campus), or different?

There is not enough time to look around.  You ascend very fast.

And yes, the stopping point is familar.  Its the oak in the campus, in the park, just down the street from the Cathedral.

OOC: What time of day is it?  What do I see?  Who do I see?  Etc.?

I make my way toward the Cathedral, observing all that I can as I proceed...

It is late afternoon.  The air has a small bite of chill in it.  Dark clouds, in fantastic shapes, race across the sky.

You climb down, and you see Mischa there.

Out on the sidewalk, you see a young guy talking to two girls, and one of them kisses him, and he leans back, and playfully howls...but halfway through it becomes something more, and with a frightened look he runs.  The girls look scared too.

Passing the telephone pole, you see 'Halloweed Party Manana!! Get your costume, get your beer, be at Omega House."  and "Listen to the Music of Dark Dance.  We open for Rebel."  and "Have you seen this woman?"  and its Vonya, and a piece of paper blows down the street and hits your legs.  You scoop it up.  All it says is ...We continue to pray.

The Cathedral looks damaged with little improvement.

"Mischa!  I've come from Georg's Upper Deepmind.  What has happened up here, and what is happening now?  Do you know where Professor Oak is, or Professor King, or where the Christians from the prayer meeting are?"

"Mischa...  I need to get into the Cathedral.  Is it still blocked off?  Is the clergyman there?  Are King David's sling stones there?"

Mischa smiles at you.

"Time flew by suddenly.  It is now the day of Halloween.  Professor Oak might be in his house, or at his office in the Math Bldg..  I do not know where King or the other students are, except they are together, and I can follow the sweet smell of their prayers to them, if you wish."

He raises a questioning eyebrow in his flexible face.

"It is blocked off, but the guards will likely have already gone.  And yes, the clergyman is there.  The stones....something is there.  I know not what.  There is a block shielding something from my sight."

"How much time do we have before it is too dangerous to be out and about?"

"What kind of block?  Do you think it indicates something good or evil?"

"Do you think it is better to weather the storm in the Cathedral, or with those praying?"

"Nightfall. Two or three hours.  But avoid deep shadows even now." Mischa says.  "And I do not know what the block signifies, only that is something of great force for I boast not, but I am an angel, and most mortal magics are not a serious hindrance to me unless I am treaty bound."  He shrugs.  "The Cathedral is near and a great defensive structure, whereas the prayer group has power to strike as well as defend, but where it is is uncertain. Know this, Oak, sometimes you are given a choice and not shown the door, because our Father wishes to see what you will make of what you are given.  The choices you make, make yourself.  And sometimes all doors are right. " He lauighs.  "And sometimes all apparent doors are wrong, too.  Trust in God, even when He hides his light."

I nod thoughtfully, and decide.

"Thank you, Mischa.  And now... let us make best speed to the Cathedral."

As we go, I query him further...

"Which portion of the Cathedral is shielded from your sight?  Do you know where the clergyman is?  And is he a true believer, and a man of prayer?"

OOC: 2nd post...

As we go, I take care to avoid areas near deep shadows...

"Near the altar, below the floor is one spot."  Mischa says, and then adds further as you enter the lawn around the Cathedral.  Your oak and the Cathedral being quite close.  "He is in his office, and while he prays and God hears him, he is more focused on politics and logic and sermons and the mundane duties of his position.  Worthy things, but not the best things."

You come up to the front door, and see the twin statues as before.  Yellow tape bars the way, and a sign is posted saying services are being postponed until the Cathedral is fixed.  And there is some fresh spray paint with hateful wishes dotting the front wall of the Cathedral.

I assume that I don't remember being here before... but the statues certainly seem... interesting.

"Mischa... that statue looks like... you?  And the other.. looks like... a twisted version of me?  Please, what is the significance of these statues?"

I look at the statue of Mischa, feeling some comfort and reassurance in the midst of the approaching Devil's Night.  And then, on impulse (since the same mind is facing a similar situation, and ending up with a similar result), I extend my hand, and place it in the hand of his statue...

*bump* :)

After a second, you realize the hideous monster has your face, twisted, distorted, revealed.  Its all the darkness that winds through you, even in the kindly moments.  Almost nauseated, you reach out, clasp the hand, and feel peace wash through you, and then the statue of Mischa turns, revealing a hidden passage into the wall of the cathedral.

You feel a sense of safety from inside the cathedral, and a sense of challenge from inside the secret entrance.  Looking, you see a statue of a kingly figure inside the cathedral, which makes sense as this cathedral is 'David's', along with an altar, and oddly an empty cross above the altar.  And the secret passageway just shows stone blocks of granite in its passage.

You don't see Mischa, but it occurs to you that the statue might be Mischa, after all, considering where you're possibly at, the rules might be a bit odd.....

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

You suddenly remember doing this before, and see that Mischa is no longer standing next to you and the secret entrance is open.

OOC: What all do I remember now?

I ponder the two statues, and the secret passageway, and the Cathedral, and the different feelings that they generate...

:: Dearest LORD, thank you for helping me remember.  Please help and heal me now, I pray, for I am such a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in, and you have put me in charge of so many things.  Now I only see through a glass, darkly.  Please guard and guide me now, I pray... ::

The jog to my memory tempts me to continue down the secret entrance, but Mischa's warning to avoid deep shadows restrains me.

So I enter the Cathedral, and walk toward the statue of King David, looking around as I proceed, both for signs of sling stones, and for details here in general that might give me clues as to what happened when I came here last time, and for the clergyman...

OOC: Nothing more than that little snippet extra is gained to your memory.

You see a stained glass window of David defeating a bear.  And another of him being anointed.  And another of him stooping by the creek to get the stones.  And the last of him chopping Goliath's head off.

You cross a carpet runner going sideways.  Its blue.

And then the statue of King David steps forward, crackling stone and grows, and its face changes so that its hideious and arrogant.

"They send a child to defeat me.  Hahahahhahahaha...."

"Who are you?  And... who do you think sent me?"

"I am Goliath of Gath, and the puny king of Israel, the coward Saul hath sent you."

:: Dearest LORD, please reveal the sling stones to me, or deliver me by whatever means brings you the most glory, I pray...::

Sling stones...  Stooping by the creek...  Blue carpet runner going sideways...

I look around to see if I can spot the sling stones anywhere around, including by stooping by the blue carpet runner...

OOC: Any sign of the sling stones?

Your hands touch cool water, and then stray to the edge of the 'creek' and you find five stones ready to hand.  All are smooth, circular, and just about the right size for giant thumping....now if you only had a sling....And then your fingers touch a sling as if it were laid by the creek side.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD...  ::

I straighten up, and regard the statue.

"It is the LORD God Almighty that has sent me.  Your spear and sword and shield cannot avail... for the battle belongs to the LORD, to His glory."

:: Dearest LORD, please guide this stone for your glory, I pray... ::

I place the first stone within the sling, and attempt to hit him in the middle of his forehead...

And its almost like its foreordained,  whirr goes the sling, and the stone flicks out...and the statue reaches up and catches the stone in its hand.  As dismay crashes in on you, the statue knees to one knee, and smiles gently.  King David then holds out the stone in his hand, and a click is heard behind him as part of the floor recedes.

And then the face of the statue is the face of Georg.

"I am that part of Georg that trusts because I know truth by logic, and I respect the power of good ritual which leads us in the right way.  But hurry I can feel even here in this fortress, my powers ebb, and the Taint rises."

:: Thank you, dearest LORD... ::

I take the stone, and regard the face of Georg.

"The LORD has sent me to help deliver you, and to help deliver Vonya.  Take heart, for the battle truly belongs to the LORD."

"Please, how may I best help you?  What must be done, and how?  What do you know of the Taint's strengths and weaknesses?  How may it be defeated?"

"I have also been attacked, and my memory damaged.  Have you any power to heal me?"

"Praise to the Lord of Hosts.  Perhaps God sent this trial to me for I was vain in my own mastery of the mind."  Georg says.  "I must be unified, and the Taint driven back or even ejected so that I can become wholly myself again.  Prayer heals, love heals.......Go to the Math  building and defeat the Giant Doubt, alhtough he goes by another name no"wadays.

"What then?  I know not if I will be able to contact you again.  What must be done after defeating the Giant Doubt?  Do you have any counsel for what enemies must be battled, and where, and how, and in what order?"

JThere you will find healing, he says, and retreating turns back to an immobile statue...

As he starts to retreat, I call out.

"What is Giant Doubt's name nowadays?"

After he turns back, I go up to the statue, and examine the area where the floor receded from.

"Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, I pray.  Show me exactly where the Giant Doubt is, and how I may know him, and how I may defeat him, I pray..."

And I reach out with my mind, mentally envisioning in what direction the Math building must be in, based upon the campus map I previously examined...

OOC: I don't think I have any memory of knowing how to check for vectors... but after such a prayer, and during such inner focus afterward, would I be able to detect any vectors?  :)

He does not have time to answer.

You find a small hole in the floor that leads to a closet sized space with a bookshelf.  On it are a number of books...
Winning by Intimidation by Robert Ringer.
Several volumes by Rousseau.
The Origin of the Species and the Preservation of Favored Races by St. Darwin.
The Republic by Plato.

Are a few of them, and a fair selection of the kind of books available.

And you find yourself standing on the broad front steps of the Math building surrounded by a glimmering of light, and Mischa is at your right hand. And the first thing about him you notice is that his 'i love me' jacket is looser.

Standing in front of you is a giant ogreish sort of man, clad in a business suit, and wingtips.  He presents you his card.

"Lucifer, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, and Morningstar.  One of the finest law firms in the Multiverse.  You are putting yourself in a great deal of legal jeopardy, sir."

In front of him stands a hideous looking man in rags, holding a live grenade in his hands, and strapped about his chest a bomb.  This man grins at you with madness in his eyes, but says nothing.

:: Dearest LORD, please guide and guard me now, and stretch forth thy power against thine enemies, for thy glory, I pray.::

I take a breath, and regard them quietly.

"And here... is my card."

I quietly take out my Bible, and open it.

" 'Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.'  Matthew 4:10.  This is the word of the LORD."

"There is only One Legal Authority, over all of the Multiverse, and everything within it, and everyone within it."

"
'
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me'. "

"I was indeed in legal jeopardy once, due to my sinful rebellion against the LORD God Almighty.  But that price has been paid through the death of His Son Jesus Christ."

"As it is written, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' "

I regard them soberly.

"It is therefore you that are in legal jeopardy, unless you repent of your own sinful rebellion against the LORD, and find salvation through His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ."

"I have a claim in this situation, so I have a right to be here."  the Giant replies even as he winces.

After your second arguement, he smiles thinly.

"Perhaps, but that is one, begging the question, and two, that is not yet that time.  So, ovverruled, I'd say."

Your third statement has him gritting his teeth, and unwilling he grunts out an affirmative that sounds remarkably like a curse.

The giant smiles, and touches the ragged man on the shoulder peeling back a layer  of skin and muscle that the man does not notice.

"See his arrogance, see his threats, his oppressions....the wicked man has come as I told you, to chain you, and what are you going to do about that?"

"Kill him."  The ragged man says, as his fingernails turn to talons and his slack muscles bulge....

I pray fervently as I activate the Calm Empathic Field and the TK shield.

"Chain you?  No, my brother.  You are already in the chains of this evil Giant Doubt."

"But it is written, 'For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.' "

"And also, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.' "

"Christ Jesus alone can free you from your chains, my brother.  Turn to Him now, I exhort you, and be saved!"

"You're the one who come speaking of sin and death.  If I kill you, then that goes away."

"Excellent logic, my liege."  The Giant Doubt says sounding sincere, smirking at you and the man  from over the man's shoulder.

"Why should I have to believe?  Your God leaves me alone, I leave him alone.  Besides, he's just a bully."

The man has grown two feet in height, and is becoming more and more like Charles Atlas on a good day.

"With my rage, I see clearly.  No more doubts, fears, just action."

But despite his clear desire, something, perhaps the field or something else, is getting to him as he has not yet struck.  The giant is practically slobbering in his eagerness, and you can see he is holding chains in his hands, chains that lead back to the man's wrists, but the giant is holding them delicately and discreetly with a smooth professional skill that lets you know he's done this many times before.

"You're the one who come speaking of sin and death.  If I kill you, then that goes away."

"Excellent logic, my liege."  The Giant Doubt says sounding sincere, smirking at you and the man  from over the man's shoulder.

"Why should I have to believe?  Your God leaves me alone, I leave him alone.  Besides, he's just a bully."

The man has grown two feet in height, and is becoming more and more like Charles Atlas on a good day.

"With my rage, I see clearly.  No more doubts, fears, just action."

But despite his clear desire, something, perhaps the field or something else, is getting to him as he has not yet struck.  The giant is practically slobbering in his eagerness, and you can see he is holding chains in his hands, chains that lead back to the man's wrists, but the giant is holding them delicately and discreetly with a smooth professional skill that lets you know he's done this many times before.

"Will sin and death really go away?  No.  We have no power to save our own souls from death, any more than we have power to save our own bodies from death.  We will all face death, sooner or later."

"I have no reason to fear death, for I am saved, and shall dwell with the LORD in heaven forever."

"And you too shall die, one day.  What then, my brother?  If God leaves you alone, you shall truly perish.  It is only by the LORD's tender mercies that you can be delivered from sin, and therefore from death."

"Listen well to these words, my brother, and be delivered from your chains while there is still time..."

And...  I sing "Amazing Grace" once again...

"You!!...."  He puts his hands up on his head, and collapses to his bottom on the stairs, weeping, rocking back and forth.

"Don't listen to him." The Giant says.  "The pain you feel, he causes.  He is the source of your pain."

"No, but..."

"Think about it like this,..."  And the giant spins a complicated strand of illogic and blather that almost sounds like it makes sense a few times, and wears the man down.

"My brother, this Giant Doubt would keep you enslaved to sin, and under just sentence of death, for your willful rebellion against the LORD.  You are in legal jeopardy, and in great peril, for those who will not be saved by God's tender mercies will face God's just and unabated wrath."

"You yourself heard his own unwilling affirmation as I read the Holy Scripture before.  As it is written, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' "

"My brother, you feel the pain of sin, and of your estrangement from your loving Father.  But, by his quickening grace, you can choose a different path.  Turn away from this Giant Doubt while there is still time, I beseech you."

"As it is written, 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.' "

"Resist this Giant Doubt now, and turn to the LORD now, and find deliverance.  And I will stand by you, my brother."

:: Dearest LORD, please deliver this man, that his chains would be broken, and that he would turn to you now.  And please stretch forth thy mighty arm against this Giant Doubt, to your glory, I pray... ::

And... I resume singing...

The man wavers, and the Giant whispers to him, and the man wavers, and panics, and you can see the point about the giant's admission hits him, and ....

You pray, and you feel a tug in your hand that holds the sling.  Somehow one of the stones has landed in the sling.  It occurs to you there is one way to let the man have some peace and quiet to think things through....

:: Thank you, dearest LORD.  ::

I regard the Giant Doubt, and read solemnly.

"As it is written, 'All this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.' "

I take the sling up, and begin to whirl it.

"And as it is written... 'The LORD rebuke thee.' "

:: Guide this missile, to your glory, dearest LORD, I pray... ::

And... I sling the stone toward the middle of the Giant's forehead...

He wilts as you quote to him, and you feel certainty infuse your aim as you swing the sling, but the Giant weaves his head at the last second, and the stone smashes into his left cheekbone.  He roars in anger, and steps forward and backfists you across the face, making something go CRACKKKKK in your skull. as you sail backwards and come down hard on your back ten feet away.

"A cheekbone for a cheekbone." He roars in fury.

OOC: My Kinetic Shield is up.  Wouldn't that keep him at bay, at least long enough to give him a TK pulse?  :o

EDIT: Either way, I try to hit him with a maximum strength TK pulse, and then follow up with another sling stone and fervent prayers...

MMMM, good point.

Not quick enough for a TK pulse, but the shield dampens the blow to the point where you only get a loose tooth instead of a broken cheekbone.

I try to hit him with a maximum strength TK pulse, and then follow up with another sling stone and fervent prayers...

In the uncertainty field generated by this giant, your TK thrust splatters all over the place, driving a wind, but doing nothing more.  The giant bares his teeth, and tries to yank up a chunk of concrete from the steps, but even his great strength and taloned hands are not equal to the challenge.  You can see consideration of all that has happened on the prisoner's face.

Your slingstone hits him on the shoulder, and he howls.

But then an evil look crosses his face, and he says ...

"I've got a spinner too..."

And with that, the giant uses the chains to begin spinning the poor fellow chained to him, over his own sleek and stylish head.

"My brother, behold your chains!  This evil Giant Doubt holds them!  He hides them no longer!  He uses them to spin you without mercy!"

" 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you' !"

"As it is written,
'
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved' !"

I pray fervently, both for the prisoner, and for my next sling stone.  Hopefully, either the giant will be distracted by the peril of my words enough to provide an opening to hit him solidly, or he will not pay sufficient heed until the prisoner is lost to him...

And so, I resume my singing of "Amazing Grace", and fling the next stone...

The prisoner yells something, but you can't make it out, and suddenly his chains snap, and he tumbles wildly to the side, battered and bruised, but free.

Looking at him, you don't see him resisting anyone right at the moment.  He can't even get to his feet.

Your next stone screams in, and the Giant flings his hand up to block but too slow.  It hits him in the nose, and plows it into his face.  He wobbles, steps forward, the chains rattling in his hand, and then dissapears into black dust.

+@1 to slinging.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD... ::

I move over to the former prisoner with concern, gently checking on his condition.

"Your chains have been broken, my brother, and the Giant Doubt is slain.  Thanks be to God!"

"You took quite a tumble there.  How do you feel, my brother?"

"I feel...."  He pukes on the sidewalk after raising himself to an elbow.  "free. Free-ish.  Like I was a piece of steak that got pounded on by one of those square hammer things.  Ow."

He tries to get up, but can't.

"And I guess you're right. Thanks, ah, God."

"What is your name, my brother?  And how much do you know about the LORD?"

OOC: Didn't Statue Georg say I would be healed here?  Have I been healed yet?  :o

He looks up, and as he does, he ripples.  And you're looking into the face of Georg, only this one is dressed in Nerd Chic.

"I'm the Mathematician. And I know, well, not a lot.  He exists, and He rescued me from despair.  I guess."

And you're not healed yet.  Of course, you haven't even entered the front doors.

"Is your office inside?  Would you be more comfortable if I helped you up?"

If he wishes, I help him up, and walk him to his office.

"How did you come to be here?  What do you remember?  And how did you come to be chained by the Giant Doubt?"

"Yes."  He lifts his hand, and you help him up, and into the building.  Several security guards move up towards you.

"I...work here.  I'm the Dean of Mathematics.  I ah, well, Doubt visited me, and beat me down, and once I was down, I ....I've always been subject to doubts. Its what got me into math, searching for certainties, and finding assumptions...."

"How long have you been here?  Where were you before you came to Georg University?  How much can you remember?"

"By the way, is Professor Oak in this building?  May we see him now?"

"I first became interested in Math when I was five.  And...I think I was in a Tower before I came here, but that just shows how my own judgement is perverted.  I seem to remember more than the others around me."

The guards look to your patient, and he nods, and they lead you and the Mathmatician to Professor Oak's room.  Inside it is a message on the desk....

But its not in any language you know   But somehow its familar, and then you recognize it as a code you learned as a kid, a simple substitution cypher, as "A" = "C" and "C=E" and "Z"="B" and so forth.

But then the code part kicks in....Remember what you did when you got the new computer set up for your friend Jamie,...is the message.

You remember how you helped your pal who had bought a new PC which required inserting a floppy to start it, and how he had thought it lost, but you found it behind a desk.

OOC: Are these guards more generic, or the AVOID SECURITY types?

"Why does remembering more than others show that your own judgment is perverted?"

After the guards lead us here, I thank them, and gently close the door behind us.

Assuming that the guards have departed, I decipher the message, and carefully check behind any desks here...

The guards seem respectful and solicitous of the Mathmatician, and courteous to you.

You find a floppy disk of unusual heaviness, and no floppy disc receivers.  And suddenly the room is full of darkness, whirling airs, and ice cold drafts, and polluted stinks.  You can feel a bony hand on your wrist that is attached to the hand that holds the disc.

"GIVE IT TO ME." The words grate out in your ear.

I pray fervently as I activate my light sabre, and carefully slide the hand without slicing myself or the disk...  :o

It screams, and lets go reluctantly, babbling resistance, and then falls away from you, and collapses into a figure in a painting on the office wall.  The painting is of a shadowy monster in some trees waiting to jump out on some unaware travellers.

:: Thank you, dearest LORD. ::

I look around the rest of the office, including the paintings, to see if there are any other things I should be aware of.

Then I thoughtfully consider the floppy disk, and the apparent floppy disk drives around here...

"Do you know where this can be read?"

Then, pondering the nature of this place, I consider the possibility that the floppy disk is more of a figurative representation of knowledge.

: Could the knowledge Professor Oak would want to pass to me, in the place where Statue Georg said I would find healing, be my missing memories? :

And so I take the floppy disk, and experimentally place it against my forehead...

It seems that that particular picture is the only thing of darkness waiting to ambush you.

As you bring it to your face, your mouth widens, and flattens...

You slide it in, and you hear a voice coolly saying 'decompressing....'

And then your math knowledge and computer knowledge is back with you, although not your other knowledge.

'AI and college information sets merge successful' you hear, and then the voice goes silent for a long pause, and then you hear a voice much like your own, but more mature.

"Rescue me, Obi-wan, you're my only hope.  Cancel, that, I hope in God.  The metaphors in this mind are messing with me."

And then it stops entirely.

I blink as I assimilate the regained knowledge, and give thanks to the LORD.

"I think that Professor Oak may need our help.  Do you have any idea where we might look for him?"

If there is a computer in the office, I use my new knowledge to access it, and look for clues and anything else of interest...

You spin up the computer, answer a difficult math question as the password, and then see your face in 'orthogonal rendering??'.

'Hello friend, how can I......" Long pause.  "Hello other Oak.  I'm the superintelligence part of you, mostly.  In this extended metaphor, I'm an AI.  As to where the Professor is, I'd ask you where Leia was, and seek what compares to that.  And keep on praying."

"I don't understand tis Obi-wan reference." The Mathmatician says.

"It is a reference from a science fiction movie called 'Star Wars'.  Princess Leia is captured by the Bad Guys, but manages to send a call for help to a nearby ally, Obi Wan Kenobi."

"I suspect that, as Leia was held at the nearby Bad Guy fortress, so Professor Oak is at the nearby Taint fortress... which probably means either the Administration Building or Security.  Please give me a moment to think..."

I close my eyes, and pray, and attempt to sense vectors, assuming that recovering the superintelligent portion of me (acquired as a verser) will help me remember the concept of scriff vectors.  Of course, I know well that they may not exist in this extended metaphor.

I then reach within to grasp my shard of superintelligence once again, seeking insight as to how to go about getting fully healed and recovered, and seeking insight as to how best to rescue Professor Oak...

The vector does not exactly work as you expected, but a little bird materializes out of thin air and tells you that they are in the Security Building basement.  The Mathmatician laughs....

"I remember....I use to own a little pair of finches....I was a child...."  He smiles again and shakes his head.  "Dream logic."

And as you grasp the shard, you remember a small detail of the guards.  Each guard has a mathematical symbol on his pocket flap instead of a nametag.  And you realize that the front lobby was 2 to the power of 2 to the power of 2 to the power of 2 squared feet.  Other things in this building jump out at you, all of them very definite mathematical relationships.  In a very important way...tis is the House of Math, and its lord is standing next to you.

"The floppy disk we found behind the desk has restored some of my memories, but not all of them.  Do you have any ideas how I can recover the rest of my memories?"

"What do you know about the Security Building, and the basement there?"

"I suspect meeting your other self, perhaps rescuing him, will do the job.  A handshake may be required.  Or you might have to eat the brain of your other....."  He pauses.  "Probably not."

He tells you that the SB was built after the Taint Administration got into power.  And while proclaiming absolute transparency, and demanding such from others, they did not do so themselves, but.....

"Here's the Taint Admin link-in.  They may be paranoid, but they're not really that good at it."  He shows you a computer monitor with TA on it, and an 'enter password' blank....  "How good are you at hacking?  Because I have a set up with four connected Crays in the basement that I can put at your disposal.  In there, you will find your blueprints."

"I can certainly try to hack with the Crays... but there might be a better way, if we can narrow things down a bit first."

"You have both the Mathematical perspective and the first hand knowledge of the Taint that we need.  Based upon what you know of the Taint... what might you choose as a password?"

Rebellion.

He says, and you can feel the echoes of his word shake reality.  Even if he was wrong, he's right now.

A guard with the formula for figuring out the area of a circle as his name enters.

"Sir, there are unusual shapes, bipedal, but ....unusual, gathering outsidein the shadows."

I pray, and enter that as the password...

As you pray, you feel assurance, and the opening of the Taint Admin database to your computer is almost anticlimatic.  You would have been surprised if it had not worked.

I look for the blueprints, and for anything like security camera feeds, etc.

I also look for any information about Professor Oak, and about the Taint's plans, strengths, weaknesses, etc...

Professor Oak is down in the subbasement cells next to Pikachu.

The layout is a straight hallway with ten cells on each side, an one staircase up and down at the north end.  A locked gate, and locked steel door at both top and bottom of the staircase block things. So does a pentagram. There are four security guards and two warlocks.

Plans and Tactics of the Taint Administration.
In the interests of being proper evil overlords, we're laying out our most secret plans here.  Unfortunately, we seem bound by the rules of human imagination when we are in a human mind. Plus, we are a segment of a human mind, thus we have those weaknesses ourself, plus other limits imposed by the Entity to be known hereafter as the Enemy.


We have invaded Gregor's mind, and are breaking it apart, and subverting its values so as to conform it more closely to our nature.  Our hope is to prove that distance attacks can be effective, and that we need not physically kidnap unchanged Humans.  Doing so will give us the edge over the Interlopers who still struggle to control the Fragments, that is, us.  It will also enable the Rebels, that is our faction of the Fragments domination over the other Fragment groups.  Lastly, it should highly elevate my own personal stock amongst the Rebels.

We feel that this form of attack has significant advantages over the Interlopers mechanical techniques as it enables the harvesting of vastly more Fragments from each mind than the alien Interlopers managed.  With such a horde unleashed, we could wipe out Human Settler Civilization, and end the interference of the Oddities from the Tower.

However, not being completely stupid Evil Overlords, we've also loaded a mind virus into these words so shortly, unless you're able to defeat our protocol, you're going to be drooling on the floor.  Mwahahahahhahaaaa!!

Signed,
Taint, Evil Rebel Fragment of Lieutenant Commader Lynne Elanders, Evil Overlord, Bane of Humans, Sin Nature, Baaaaad To the Bone Guy, etc., etc.


Note: Use of 'we' in former piece does not designate multiple entities so much as linguistic confusion due to my primogene not paying much attention to pronouns in her language class growing up.

"They claim to have placed a mind virus in the document that I have just read.  You know math, and you know the Taint.  How can I defeat their protocol?"

I pray fervently for deliverance, in case the warning isn't merely a bluff...

You pray and get the feeling back that this is not a bluff.

Mischa walks in the door, wearing a security guard uniform, with the nametag of 'less than infinity'.

He frowns at you with concern.

The Mathmatician takes over the computer, and links in with his Crays, and a minute later as sweat comes down your face, and heat radiates from your ever hotter skin, he curses.

"Its a 2048 bit code, that I could solve if I had twenty billion years.  All the time in the world is not enough. It can't be done."  He grabs the pencil box on his desk, and throws it across the room.

"Not by brute force...  But that isn't how... we guessed the first password...  Think now...  What code would... the Taint use?..."

I ponder, remembering the words...

: 'Unfortunately, we seem bound by the rules of human imagination when we are in a human mind...' :

Then I blink, and look at the guard.

"And Mischa...  Please give me... your hand..."

I reach out to take his hand, and fervently pray for deliverance...

2nd post: If the above measures don't work, then I reach for my shard of superintelligence...

The Mathmatician stares at Mischa, and then reaches out and takes the other hand, and joins you in prayer.  For a second, you see a dozen ghostly 'Gregors', (the Statue, the Man in the Tower, the Voice....) overlap the Mathmatician.

"The Taint knows that its Wyrd, its Doom, is Hellfire." Mischa says.  "And I have been waiting for this moment, Gregor.  You have held the Living God in a box, in your mind, said, thus far, no further."

Mischa sighs.

"Thus you have trapped me in a love me jacket.  Now, tho' the Mathmatician sees infinity, and I am free."

Wings appear around Mischa, and then he dissappears.

still.

OOC: I hit the "submit" button on my reply, minutes after you posted yesterday!  Sigh...  :/

BTW, is it "Georg" or "Gregor"?  I'm using whatever is correct below...  :)

"Gregor... Do you know how... to heal me of... the mind virus now?..."

I fervently pray for deliverance...

If the above measures do not avail, then I reach for my shard of superintelligence...

Georg, sorry.

The Mathmatician makes by force of will, a wire connection from you to his computers.  He then types in 'Wyrd', 'Doom', and 'Hellfire'.  He then tries combos.  He succeeds with Wyrd is Hellfire.

As he types the words in, he is quoting from the poem about how the world ends...

Some say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice.From what I've tasted of desireI hold with those who favor fire.

And then as you cool, he adds...

But if it had to perish twice,I think I know enough of hateTo say that for destruction iceIs also greatAnd would suffice.

"Your Englisher poet, Sir Robertos Frost.  I find poetry unleashes the mathematical imagination.  Now outside my Hall of Math I am being attacked by monsters but it is hard for them plus Mischa aids me."

:: Thank you, dearest LORD... ::

"Thank you, Georg.  How do you feel now?  What can you remember?  Are you completely whole again, or are there other portions of you that are still missing?"

I use my wired connection to interface with his computers, seeking any useful capabilities or information, as well as any available anti-virus capabilities.

Then I carefully and cautiously check the security systems holding Professor Oak, to see if they can be taken over and controlled by me...

"Many parts of me are still missing.  Or enslaved.  But I am in contact with the Cathedral which strengthens both of us.  There is a line of energy between us that only the most baleful would dare cross."

You upload an anti-viral, and take over the security cameras.

Without actually doing so, I check to see if I am able to control the security door locks.

I also check to see if there are any resources that I can take over that would aid an escape, such as lights, fire sprinklers, or even guard tower weapon systems of any type.

And... I check to see if there is any way to communicate with Professor Oak...

Yes.

You can switch off the main power supply, but not the lights specifically.  Fire sprinklers....they don't have them.  (Its a case of 'rules for you but we in the leadership get a waiver').  The GT are independent.

He's got a video camera watching him at all times.  Its got movement and power that you can control.

I check to see if anyone is monitoring the security camera feeds.

"I can control the security cameras and doors, and the main power supply.  But there are four guards and two warlocks.  Is there a way to sneak him away, such as tunneling in?  Or a way to incapacitate the guards and warlocks?  Or do you think a battle is the only way?  What does your Mathematical insight tell you of the probabilities?"

A warlock and a security guard are in the camera room, sharing a bag of pork rinds right now.

"You could go down a level and then come up in the prison.  Its a way of tunnelling.  Its also true that their foundation is weak, and you should have the weapons to destroy it ....which is tunnelling.  40% success rate for combat in battle....I believe you can overcome the guards and even the warlocks, but not in enough time to prevent them from sounding an alarm which will bring abundant reinforcements."

"How do we tunnel in this place, Georg's mind?  And will it damage him if we do so?"

"You won't really be that much in Georg's mind.  You'll be in the Taint's territory.  And the foundation of the House of Math...."  He pulls up a computer screen and shows you a schematic of the Math Bldg..  The foundation is a=a, b=b.  "The foundation of the Taint is going to be something else, a lie, a wickedness and can you not overcome wickedness?"

"Not alone, by any means.  But the LORD God Almighty can..."

"You are well acquainted with the ways of the Taint.  Do you suppose that the foundation of Taint Security is one specific lie or wickedness, verses their generally evil ways?  If so, what think you as to what it would be, and how to overcome it?  Would 'rebellion', 'wyrd', 'doom', and 'hellfire' hold any clues for us?"

"Can you rig my computer connection to be wireless, so that I can tunnel to just underneath Professor Oak, and then take over the security cameras and such?"

"Indeed." He agrees with you as a clarification correction.  "Um, well, the most basic sin of Man, would be the Foundation.  I'm not the theologically trained part of Georg, although there were some definite crossovers between Math and Theology.  I'd say, maybe 'rebellion'. "

"Mmmmm, well if you want an open door into your mind.  I could rig you a fiber optic line, or a set of relays, or if you wish we can do the wireless."

OOC: Had PC difficulties.

"Hmmm.  That is a good point.  I do not want an open door into my mind.  How about a wireless portable device that I can use to see the feeds and take control?"

I pray for wisdom, for I know that their foundation is rebellion, and that the LORD has the power to overthrow it.  But I don't know what I should do to tunnel through it.  Prayer?  Sling stones?  Light sabre?  I am uncertain how to proceed.  So I pray.

If I am still clueless afterward, then I reach for my superintelligent shard...

"Done." He taps the desk and a book sized device appears in a haze of numbers that dissipates as it grows solid.

You pray and find yourself gently reaching a hand to the floor, and a small section of the floor misting away before you.  In your left hand is the light sabre, ready for action.    The Mathmatician says 'let me'   and he creates a tunnel to the edge of his land.  There you see the dark, sullen mass of tarry, stinking mess that underlies the Taint.

"I leave you here."  The Mathmatician says.

I take the book sized device and look it over, familiarizing myself with how to operate it, and verifying that I can access Taint Security through it.

"Thank you.  By the way, in the Real World, this Ring is a nanite computer... but I cannot access it telepathically while within Georg's mind.  Can you restore functionality to it while I am here?"

I brief him on the capabilities of Ring, and see if he is able to activate it or not...

-=-

After he creates the tunnel, I nod, and regard him.

"Thank you again.  And so, we make our way there.  Any last words of advice for me?"

After listening, I nod.

"After I leave you, beware the Taint.  The Giant Doubt may well have friends and relatives that will try to ensnare you again, if you are not vigilant.  Go with God, my brother."

And when we get to the edge of his land, I silently embrace him.

Then I turn toward the Taint Security building, and proceed forward with prayer and light saber...

He touches the Ring and it glimmers.

"I've done what I can, but you need to talk to the Voice."

He shakes his head.  "Too many factors."

"Right now, the monsters continue to attack my security forces outside the building.  Mischa, who...well, seems to be my guardian angel, is helping my forces.  I'm going to go toss some exponential numbers into a werewolf's mouth and see if that can tear it apart.  But I will be wary of giants."

You enter into the foundation under the Taint Building.  Its a black mucus mixed with coal??  and prayer dissipates it slowly.  You're moving forward about four feet a minute as you tunnel toward the prison cells.

After he touches the Ring...

:: Ring.  Can you hear me now? ::

Pause... and, if necessary...

"Ring.  Can you hear me now?"

If Ring is functional, I check to ensure that it can interface with and control the newly created book sized device.

"Where is the Voice now?  How can I talk to it?"

"By the way, how far will I need to tunnel?"

-=-

As I tunnel, I pray, and reach for my shard of superintelligence, seeking insight into successful strategies for rescuing Professor Oak, potential strategies that the Taint may use to thwart me and how to counteract them, etc... but being careful not to end up in an endless cycle of move and counter-move analysis...

No sign of response from the Ring.

"Last I heard he was in the infirmary.  Um, well, like me."

You'll have to go a hundred yards.  As you access the shard, you realize that the substance you're going through is very permeable.  And there is a lack of moving air.  Logically, the passage back has been blocked by a fluid which means in the next forty seconds you're about to learn how to breathe tar....

How far have I tunneled thus far?

Assuming that I am less than half way there, I pray fervently, and reverse course.  If I encounter any oncoming fluid, I activate my shield...

Thirty percent there, and you reverse, and quickly come to a wall of black fluid blocking your way.  Your field is up.

I use my wireless device to contact the Mathematician.

"I am blocked and surrounded by a wall of black fluid, with limited air.  Is your device, in the laws governing this place, able to transport or teleport me wirelessly, by digitizing me?"

"Hmmm, I think so."  And you feel yourself as if you were detached from your body, and then another force seizes you, a pitiless all-seeing Eye, and you rematerialize on a circular platform in a mad scientist's dungeon.  You see Georg across the lab, in a stained white lab coat, and standing nearby him a shadowy figure.  Georg paces up and down, waving his hands wildly, talking to you.

"I've done it. Perfect control. I have the Supercomputer which Sees All."  Mswhahahahahahha. He points to a wall of 'computers' right out of a black and white horror movie.

"If it truly sees all, then it sees that your Tainted companion seeks to fragment you, and estrange you from God, and destroy you."

"Put not your trust elsewhere, my brother.  Only the LORD God Almighty can deliver you from the chains that bind you..."

And I pray, and attempt to hit the computers with a maximum kinetic blast, with another one for the shadowy figure...

"That's irrational..."  And your power bolts smash into the shadow thing, staggering it, and blow the 'computers' to pieces. Where the computers stood is a man, like Georg, but there is a kind, gentle perception about him.

"Ah me." And he waves his hand and the shadow thing dissappears.  "Brother."  He says to the Mad Scientist who looks frightened, but then relaxes.  This new Georg turns to you.

"You're saving splinters of splinters, and then major chunks of my mind.  I'm...the Mirror of Truth.  Self Knowledge given by God."

"Well met, brother Georg."

"What self-knowledge do you have now?  What chunks and splinters still need saving most urgently?  And how may I rescue my own missing fragment, held prisoner in the Taint Security Building Basement?"

"You are in the basement where your other self is.  The Voice and the Praying Man.  Those who you knew as praying folk in the hidden service have nearly coalesced into the Praying Man.  As to that, go up the stairs and out the door, and make your way, left, right, left, and choose the second door on your right."

He bends, speaks quietly to the Mad Scientist who after a moment smiles cryptically, and then pushes himself on his own nose, and collapses into a plastic children's ring.

"The Power of Imagination. You may use it once."  The other Georg says nodding at the ring on the ground.  "Now I go to wake those who sleep."  And he fades from view.

I take the ring on the ground, and give thanks, and pray for wisdom and strength, guidance and protection.

And then... I follow his instructions to locate and rescue Professor Oak...

You walk through the basement, expecting an attack at any moment, your footsteps echoing down the halls, and arrive at the door.  Feeling timid, you reach out and open the door....

Inside, you see yourself sitting there, praying, and then ....

You're yourself again.

I blink in surprise... and then blink back tears as I reclaim the missing parts of myself.  My memories of my life and family, which were all I had left of them.  My own identity.

I silently yet profoundly give thanks.

And then... I use the Mathematician's computing device to contact him.

"Can you try again to transport me digitally from here to your location?"

Suddenly you're digitally transported.  The Mathmatician grins, and you see shadows behind him of the Statue from the Cathedral and the Mirror.

"We/I are integrating.  Getting stronger."  He seems exuberant.

"Thanks be to God.  How best may I help now?  What is most needed?"

"Indeed, Glory to the Most High."  And for a second you're looking at the Statue.  " The Voice and the Praying Man....um....some of my others are arguing, I'm having second thoughts, its possible that you could go to the deeper depths and evangelize the Pagan.  He has great strength so that the Taint could not touch him, but then he was already under the sway of evil....but....I cannot consider this further.  Your question causes me confusion and disintegration."

You can see his face looking pained as he can come up with no clear answer.  The veins stand out on his forehead.  And for a second, you see Gregor as Mr. Hyde, glaring at you in wounded frustration ready to take his melon sized hands and ....

I activate my calm empathic field, and sing "Amazing Grace" once again.

And I hold my hand on the button, ready to activate my shield if  I am attacked.

And... I pray...

Assuming he calms down again, I show him my plastic ring of imagination.

"Could this be used to complete the reintegration, my brother?"

He calms down, and sighs.

"That's Anger/Frustration." He flexes his hands, and then pops his neck.  "its something to deal with. Reintegrating brings its problems, nothing is perfect, except the Most High.  As to the ring, no...you need it."

"Is that where I am most needed, then?  How do I find the Pagan?"

"The hole in the river, and I'm not sure.  The human mind is more complicated than a planetary data net.  People keep underestimating how complicated we are...its steamworks, then computers, then more advanced computers....but that is only touching the edge of the matter.  Which means that there is no perfect answer I can give you....even if I had all the time to the end of the universe to calculate one."

"Fair enough.  What is known of the Pagan, as Georg sees it?  Strengths?  Weaknesses?  Advice for dealing with it?"

"Its mostly amoral, worshipping strength, but generosity and honor are virtues.  And it believes in tragedy and doom as the end of all men.  It has a barbarian vigor, and murderous rage when provoked.  In some ways, its one of the least touched parts of my self by the Taint.  I have been joined to Christ, but this part of me, it still has not.  It has slain ambassadors sent to it by the Taint, and sent back their heads in boxes."

I nod.

"Please pray for me, brother, and ask your brethren to pray for me as well.  LORD willing, we shall rejoice together after.  And please, stay contactable, so that I can call for emergency transport if needed.  For now, farewell..."

And I head for the hole in the river... and pray fervently... and activate my kinetic bubble shield... and go down the hole...

You fall past the nixies who hiss at you, and enter an orchard of trees that whose trunks glow with red lines, and silver lines glow in their leaves.  And pixies peek out at you from behind every rock, and up in the sky, you see a face in the clouds.

You feel Presences all about you.  Its like the World is Alive and full of spirits.

A frog hops by you, and you're morally certain that if you were a princess and kissed it, you'd have a prince on your hands.

There is an electricity to the air that is exciting.

I pray fervently, and sing "Amazing Grace".  As I do so, I look to see if there is any visible effect...

The verse about the Laodiceans occurs to you.  And then, as you sing bubbling water comes from the ground, and moss grows up from the ground around it, and then saplings start to turn into trees and they all have such a stark, ravaging beauty that you cannot bear to look at them.  Its a beauty that outshines the Orchard of Silver Leaves like the sun the moon.

And then off in the distance, you hear the voice of a woman calling your name with a melodic softness that seems to heal your freshly hurt body that has been shocked by a glory more than human.

"Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray..."

I look with my Sight at my surroundings, and in the direction of the voice, thankful for my restored memory...

OOC: Do I receive any nudges or vibes?  If not, does the lack of them remind me of when I last encountered the nixies?  How does this woman's voice compare to the nixies I encountered earlier?  How does it compare to the one that healed me at Gilead?  How do the pixies etc. react to all of this?  :)

There are spirits in practically everything.  Most are not human, but not unattractive, although a few are loathesome.  She radiates energy like a small sun.

You pray and a nudge leads you toward the woman.

Both the women's voice and the nixies had an essential wildness in them  But hers seems more vibrant.   She's untamed and wild and dangerous compared to the healer at Gilead.  The pixies hide themselves.

"Come Master Oak.  I am Life and Joy. Plant yourself by my waters, and I will take care of you."  Her voice winds its way through the trees a not very great distance although still ouro f sightl..

I follow the nudge, though still wary after my experience being fooled by the nixies last time.

And as I make my way toward her, I sing, observing the effects around me with my Sight...

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav'n be one.

As you walk and sing, you can see your footprints glistening with gold behind you.  And the spirits of land and sea, of rock and rill, of blade of grass and tall tree, bend to listen, and then, mostly to bow.

Coming over a low hillock through calf-high grasses and then descending to a spring-fed pond at the base of the hill, you see a Lady standing amidst the water.  She raises a hand, the song falls from your lips.

"Offer I something too.  The first of many gifts has been hinted at by your bards.  When Conan is asked 'what is good in life?' he responds to see your enemies driven before you."  She smiles, and gestures and a seat, almost a throne appears at the water's edge.  Take it, her hand gestures in a grace-filled move that wrings the heart.

"What is this but the natural human desire for vengeance, for justice, upon the wicked.  Surely, tell me no lies here, Master Oak, you have met many liars, thieves, despoilers of the innocent who would have benefitted the world by passing from it along a narrow bridge of shining, sharp steel?"

"Ah, but 'it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD.'  So their time will come... in His good time, by His just and righteous Hand."

"Please, Lady, tell me more of yourself, for there is much I know not of this realm.  What are your natural desires?  'What is good in life' to you?"

"If it is in your hand to do, then why bother you your noble lord?"  She wrinkles her eyebrows up in a puzzled glance.

"All men who are not sick in the head, or broken in the heart know the answer to that.  To have good, steadfast friends who honor you, and children who have children, to have a wide, pleasant house, and a land you know from childhood, to have a book by one hand and a sword by the other, to live generously, and valiantly, and to show the stranger hospitality, and repay all insults with a just severity.  This is good in life."

"There are privileges that He reserves unto Himself, unless He commands otherwise.  He is the Sovereign Creator and Almighty God, and His power is unsearchable.  All Creation is honor-bound and duty-bound to obey His just and righteous commands.  Alas, for I am a rebel from a long line of rebels, worshiping myself instead of my LORD, and deserving of nothing but the doom of everlasting death.  But He is gracious and merciful, and has provided a generous Amnesty through the substitutionary death of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  So I have sworn to lay down my arms, and turn from my rebellious ways.  He commands, and I am honor-bound and duty-bound to obey.  Yea, I do so with right goodwill, for He has given me everything, in this life and ever after through eternity, and I owe Him my all."

I regard her thoughtfully.

"Please, Lady, what comes after your life here, even if one is so blessed with such things?  What lies beyond, for those that dwell for a time in this realm, and eventually pass away?"

The air turns cold and the sky gray.  Leaves, brown and cracking fall from the trees, and the spirits of the land slip deeper into the soil until white snowflakes fall from the sky and cover everything, even the pond and the throne until nothing remains but snow drifts and a sad-eyed Lady.  But then some brightly garbed mice run across the snow, and a fine ripple of music fills the icy glade.

A man with a harp walks forth and begins to sing a song of many stanzas of the great deeds of heroes of old.  He" does not seem to notice you, and when many minutes later, he has recounted many bold and valiant men, he falls silent.
"In the end, Master Oak, even the gods die.  Life is a tragedy. Live boldly, love largely, die valiantly."

I listen quietly, and speak gently.

"Indeed, all these things shall pass away, and our own might and power cannot endure.  Left alone, we are all doomed to die."

"But there is hope, dear Lady."

"For there is One who will never die.  Yea, there is One that is not only from everlasting to everlasting, but One who graciously offers eternal life to whosoever will come to Him."

"He is strong.  He is just.  He is holy.  He is righteous.  He alone is worthy to reign over all.  And His Son, my Savior, has lived boldly, and loved largely, and died valiantly, yea, surpassing any that have ever lived, or ever shall."

"There is hope, dear Lady, if you so desire, to escape this tragic end..."

The Lady reaches out a trembling hand, uncertain, unsure, divided in mind and body, but then her hand goes up....and the skies cleave open to revel in black night and in stars that burn with an actinic brilliance.  A Man steps through, and you see the praying folk merged and gathered up, and the priest at the cathedral, and the mathematician, all gathered in one.

And then a lightning bolt flashes up, dazzles you, and you see that the Man is bellowing with laughter, savage, perhaps cruel.  And all about you, you feel a vast space, as a mind that knows itself from top to bottom, or so it seems.

"Come Taint, come and face me.  I am One now, more than before!  You wolfpack of shadow and hate,   come for I have a gift for you." And the Man unsheathes a sword that flickers with dire lightnings.

I pray fervently, and regard him through my Sight...

You see archetypical symbols of each of his sub-selves, including the Lady, although now she is clothed in white, and has a seven pointed crown on her head.  And you see more archetypes you haven't met, including what must be the Voice.

This archetypical symbol seems to look right back at you, to pierce through your shields with casual ease, and then turn aside when the realization that you're not one of us occurs.

You see flaring and dimming connections occurring through the Man as subsets of himself give and take back and forth.  Odd linkages such as Math and Cathedral make sense, even Math and Poetry.  But infusing it all is a new found joy and vigor.  For the old mash up was a dour, disciplined sort doing the right thing for love and affection and worthy reasons, but this new Man, has the deeper instincts of his heart brought into union, and so he laughs at evil, with a battle joy.

I watch and pray, with shields up and light sabre active, as I look to see if the Taint will appear...

A wave of inky water rises up from all about you and the man, and the water, thick, almost like oil, but more pellucid by some dim degree, has seventeen heads.  And each head is a figure of such malice as to strike terror in the heart of even the brave.  Venomous, malicious, hateful, monstrous....there really are no words for the awful distortion of human flesh apparent in those blobous skulls of protoplasm and black ether.  Some grin, some scream, and some roar, but the noise is overwhelming, shocking the senses, horrifying to the soul.

Only your shields and the fear they have of your light saber are keeping them at bay from you, and you feel your grip on sanity slipping.  And then the man shouts, and the skies crack open again and dozens of flaming meteorites fall from the skies to assail the Taint...

And you see Mischa appear, golden and glorious, with a sword of fire and he cries to you....

"Fight!"

I pray, and start singing "Amazing Grace", and try to blast any nearby targets away with TK, with light saber as backup.  If none are nearby, I try to pick up a flaming meteorite that has already hit the ground, and TK it into a worthy target...

Do you have Watery TK? You slice one of the heads of the Taint off with your saber, and the whole mass shrinks a bit.

And then a head bites your right calf muscle, and another head bites into your right shoulder, above  and behind the saber.  Every horrifying thing you've done, and worse, every horrifying thing you've considered doing floods through your brain in full detail.  Its enough to make you want to puke, or ram the saber through yourself in outrage.

OOC: So these biting heads penetrated my Kinetic Shields?  :o

I gnash my teeth, and hold onto the knowledge that the price has been paid in full, and pray and sing and battle with renewed fervor...

You can feel the heads talking to a part of yourself inside you, and that part is telling them how to get past the shields.

Another head is lost to your lightsaber, and weeping, you feel the weight of guilt being pushed back, even as it trickles back around the edges, like wet mud being shovelled out of a hole.

With the connection through to your soul, you learn of the Taint as well.  There were seventeen officers on the command bridge of the Human colony ship.  Their sin natures were unwound from their minds, and merged together by the alien usurpers to make a weapon against the Humans.  But the Taint was too strong and terrifying a weapon for even the aliens so they locked it away deep in the ground inside a psionically sealed chamber.  But then a man with a great power of Mind came seeking information and by accident set the Taint free....and now you realize that the Taint has been slowly weakenign the Man, but the opportunity for a slow strangling of the Man has passed....and the Taint blames you and your God with a vile fury....and so it is now time for WARRE, no subtlety or cleverness,  just all out destruction....or so it says to you.

"We are Legion.  We are Fifteen now. You will have your inner Taint added to ours to fit the empty nodule given us by the foolish aliens who thought they could control us."

"As it is written, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' "

I fight on grimly.

"And as it is written, 'For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.' "

"There is only One who can fill the emptiness within... and there is bit little time for you... unless you repent."

And I take up my song once more...

"Repent? WE/I cannot repent.  Our hosts might, but we are Taint, utter evil to you, but Power to us."  Its an interesting theological point.  Can an entity purely composed of sin nature actually repent?  Or is it like a vampire, dammed from the beginning?

Your mind skitters over this, driven by the sheer awfulness sludging through you to find some escape.

You feel some part of you pulling away, unwinding, and it reaches down into you, into even the most noble moments, it was there, and as it go, you feel as if your connection to the World is going too.

You strike out, your light saber cleaving off another head, and the whole of the Taint shuddering as you quote Scripture.

STOP bAD wOrDS,  it screams.  And lightning bursts from the body of the owner of this space slashing at the Taint....and you fall into darkness.

When you wake, you're in a shadowed room w ith a carpet covered floor and some sort of central air working....

OOC: Does this room look familiar?  For example, is it in the Tower?

I look around as my awareness returns.

:: Dearest LORD, please guard and guide me now, I pray...  ::

And I experimentally attempt to sit up...

It does not look familiar.

...I am with you always even unto the ends of the Earth, or other planets....the words seem to rise without warning into your mind as if from nowhwhere, and have a touch of humor to them.

And you float off the floor...

OOC: Do I feel different, as if the Taint attack succeeded in unwinding any portion of me?  Or do I feel as if the attack was thwarted?

I examine the room I am in as I float around, both with my normal senses and with my Sight.

Then I check for vectors, and attempt to stretch out my psi senses to examine what lies beyond my room...

You feel the same, so you are you.

The door has no handle nor hinges.  Vectors make no reply, but you stretch forth your psi senses and realize why.

You drift through walls and corridors and come into a large circular room, with five regular chairs in-built into the floor, and very comfortable and advanced looking they are, and another twelve more portable chairs.  A man in a grey uniform with gold braid is addressing the room.  Everyone has uniforms on.

OOC: Do I understand the language?  Does the style or architecture remind me at all of the Tower, or of still being within Georg's mind?  Is everyone in the room sitting, so seventeen are present, or is there some other number?  Are people and/or things floating in that room, or only in my room?

I listen to the address.  If I can't understand the language, I try to tap into the language center of the speaker...

It feels somewhat similar in texture to being in Georg's mind.

There are seventeen in the room.  Those sitting are not floating, but the leader gets up and he floats, but quite skillfully, up to the front of the room.

"Gentlemen, and ladies of the Far Traveller.  I'd like to offer congratulations.  We've brought our passengers thus far, in safety, and it seems the terraforming bots sent ahead did their job well.  Now is the most critical time of the trip. We are going to be waking the passengers by sections, per the much hated (general laughter) drill.  We need to un-traumatize them, get them on board, and moving forward as soon as possible....without causing pschyic stressors buried or instant reactions."

You're pretty sure you're 'on' the bridge of the starship as it approaches the planet, or you're in the memory of the officers who provided the raw material for the Taint.  Since time travel seems unlikely...

I attempt to read the mind of the leader, and find out any information about known aliens or threats, and about the potential perils as the passengers are awakened...

Second try....

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

While there are occasional 'tachyon anomalies', and unexplained colonial collapses which do not get investigated because of the time length for slower than light drive, he knows of no living alien presence.  There is, of course, the Structure orbitting Rigel, and the Sands at Kyo Plal Njira, but whatever force they had, is long spent before Human ships arrived to investigate.  Other than that, he knows little, and he's not one of the 'Aliens Hiding Amongst Us' 'cult' (he sneers in his mind).

I attempt to follow up in his mind to see if any of the other crew members are one of the "Aliens Hiding Amongst Us" folks, and generally what he thinks of his crew members, their mission, the risks, etc...

'You find that Astrogator Lazari is a secret 'cult' member according to Captain Renault.  Calc Vi is like most Human Calcs, kind of spooky.  Weaponeer Aramis is up for an award and a bonus for his shot that destroyed a rogue asteroid that might have damaged the ship after entering this system a half-year back. Ensign Chensi is pretty, but a total disaster on anything more complicated than simple stationkeeping.  XO Walker could do Renault's job and has the best stone face for a game of Xix (which has an image of playing cards of unfamiliar design) attached to it.  Sneaky as all get out.  Red Wind is the other Weaponeer, and a practioner of the Stoic Philosophy.  Helmswoman Charles is addicted to telling long, boring stories when she's nervous which drives the rest of the crew nuts when she's doing a difficult passage.....

and so on.

Its his eighth planetfall, and his third to a new colonial world.  Its a job.  Not too risky, but the Romance is long gone.  Still its, good pay, and unbeknownst to himself, he still has a touch of the Romance in his soul.

I attempt to follow up on their philosophies, particularly if any of them seem to be Christians, and if any of them seem to be particularly vulnerable or prone to Taint-ish tendencies.

I also attempt to follow up on the potential hazards faced as they start reviving the crew...

Calc Vi is a Follower of the Revealed One.  And you note that he has something similar, but less effective, to your Shard.
Weaponeer Aramis believes in nothing but 'his strong right arm'.
Ensign Chensi belongs to the High Temple of the All in One which seems to take Ecumenicalism to a logical endpoint as in all religions are true.
XO Walker is an agnostic who  leans toward worship of the God of Skies and Stars.
Captain Renault does not consider things religious to be important.
Helmswoman Charles worships the Lady, or the Three (Maiden, Matron, and Crone).
Ensign Marius worships the Law.

Red Wind is a Stoic.
Commander Randall is a Logicist Theist, which is open to  Christian views, but agnostic on them.
Observer Louis is a traditional Skies and Stars Man, as he thinks of himself.  He worships in large part because his parents did.
Observer Mahan is pschyologically odd, and does not appear to have opinions of his own on the subject.
Observer Jin Mari has changed her religion five times in the last three years, to correspond to the beliefs of her current boyfriend.  She and Ensign Yan are  currently dating so she is an atheist.
Ensign Yan is an atheist.
Commader Cindy Taggart is repulsive and appears to believe in might makes right, but even so, her innate viciousness is only logical, and not in actuality.
Engineer Gingram is a Wayman.  He follows the Wayman.

They start reviviving the crew, and some small percentage don't make it, immediately, and are dumped in FastFreeze to be revived back home at a full up med facility.  After this, they start dropping colonists down on the planet.

I follow up to see if any of these coincide with Christianity.

I suspect that I am somehow experiencing the memory of those used in the Taint... but that means the objective events probably cannot be changed.  It also raises an interesting question... for if I am experiencing these memories now, then what is happening elsewhere?  Has Georg defeated the Taint?  Is this what is left of the Taint, freed after Georg gave the Taint a killing blow?

I continue to watch and learn what I can.  I also experimentally attempt to reach out with my telepathic senses to find Georg, if possible...

Wayman has the closest comparison to Christianity.  Its doctrine is similar, but its practises include meetings on any day of the week, no specified location, no clergy, any male of good character and more than a couple years in the Way may speak.

The worship of the God of the Sun and Stars has temples somewhat similar to the cathedrals with vast high spaces, and a clear emphases on the majesty of the Creator.  It also has as doctrine a personal relationship, but this is guided by the priests who 'show you the Orbit of Righteousness'.

Logical Theist has a very strong pre-Christian point of view.  They have gotten into several wars with atheist cultures and in their lands 'atheist' and 'braindead' are synonyms.  Commander Randall is more tolerant than most home staying LT's as he views atheist as 'misguided aspies' which is a common viewpoint among space-going LT's as no one is going to hire someone interested in starting a duel over religion on the command deck of a spaceship.  The relationship between the Commander and the Ensign is frostily correct.

After a bit, you realize that yes, these are memories.  You see the Landing, and the establishment of the City and the Three Towers to run the atmosphere.  And then the Alien attack....and the spaceship is crashing....

But one thing jumps out at you.  There is no oppressing sense of evil with these people like when you faced the Taint where just breathing in its presence required an effort of will.  In fact, even the worst of them seem almost 'nice' and 'kindly', even the one who would like to be a monster if she  could get up the nerve to do so seems sweet sort of.

You reach out and find Georg reaching out to you.  His Voice is booming, precised, layered with meanings and perception.  Its not like being in the Presence of God, but its very clear he's a powerful and skilled telepath, overreaching your abilities by a great measure.

"MASTER OAK, I GREET...err, sorry, I wanted to say thank you..."   The Voice drops from boom to conversational level, but the sense of flexible strength able to do wonders does not leave.

"It is my pleasure and honor to serve, Master Georg.  Praise be to God for His deliverance from our captivity, which we need every day in every way.  "

"Please, how are you now?  What is the status of the Taint?  And how is the Lady Vonya?"

"What of the intangible creatures that dwell upon this planet?  What are they?  Can any deliverance be found for them?"

Delighted laughter that is in itself a rejoicing responds to your first statement.  The joy is almost tangible.

"I am stronger and more whole than ever.  For not only do I see myself more clearly, but there are depths to me that are now in union, thanks to your good works.  The Taint is driven from me, deeply damaged, and I fear headed your way.  The Lady Vonya is well, and 'very pleased to have her husband back'.  Unfortunately now that I am awake the Tower is driving me from it, to a new universe,   Its a function of one of the earlier versers here...."

"Incredibly powerful....Bellerophon."There is a grunt of effort.  "I must soon leave.  He feared we would have too much power together...."

"You will find your answers..."

I blink at the news that he is about to be versed out by the Tower, and bow my head.  The will of the LORD be done.  But the challenges before me are formidable.  Am I to watch over this people with my feeble skills, and do battle with the foes that remain?  I am but a little child...

"Master Georg... are there any skills, or knowledge, or devices, or counsel that you can leave with me in the time you have left, that I may better serve and protect this people?  And who is Bellerophon?  Is the Tower sentient?"

"Is there some token of office for Lord of the Sea Tower?  How will the people know that this task now falls to me?"

......I will try.....the voice seems to come with strain and effort from a great distance....a great lord among our kind, beware.......I think so....and you catch a gleam of amusement, and suddenly the link is gone.

And meanwhile, in the memories, you see the first human colonists are upset.  Some members of their group have been a long time returning from a scout.  Directing your attention elsewhere you see the Captain alone in his cabin, dictating.

"We did not know to what lengths they would go, what madness they would unleash."

And in his memories you see the discovery of the scouts, with two dead, and one alive.  But the living one is damaged heavily in mind, and the eventual conclusion is that parts of him are missing.

And then the Things that are Invisible as the Captain calls them, attack.  He an one other of the party of ten would-be rescuers barely escape with their lives.

OOC: What are my current circumstances?  Am I aware of my actual surroundings, such as being in the Tower, and merely remembering their memories?  Or am I in an immersive virtual reality based upon their memories?

I follow up to find out all I can about the Things that are Invisible.  What are they, where do they come from, what are their goals, how do they attack, etc.

>OOC: What are my current circumstances?  Am I aware of my actual surroundings, such as being in the Tower, and merely remembering their memories?  Or am I in an immersive virtual reality based upon their memories?

>I follow up to find out all I can about the Things that are Invisible.  What are they, where do they come from, what are their goals, how do they attack, etc.

I also follow up on the memories of the Landing, and the establishment of the City and the Three Towers to run the atmosphere, and the Alien attack, and the spaceship crashing.  For example, what exactly are the Towers?  Were the powerful psionic shields of the Tower created when the Tower itself was created, or did they come before or after?  Are there any memories of sentience associated with the Tower?

And I see if there is any knowledge or memory of Bellerophon...

I also follow up to find out any available information about the galactic civilization this crew came from, and if I can glean any clues that will help Ring break the encryption currently used, and if I can glean any possible insights into Lieutenant Elle Cameron (the one that sent the distress message, and disappeared into the psi-blocked greenery area)...

You are in an immersive virtual reality, but you're aware its their memories.

The Things that are Invisible are fragments of a human mind.  They are driven by need, and most of them are not  much more intelligent than a house cat.  They attack by distorting the human mind which gives them relief??? or sustenance???? and offers the possibility of more Things although not the certainty.

The Taint was doing roughly what had been done to others.  It was breaking apart Georg's mind to turn the various pieces into Things.

The Things don't have goals, but the aliens who created them seemed to want to use them to wipe out the humans and steal the planet.

The humans had landed, and begun scouting.  One of the first lost when serious scouting for a new living site was Lt. Cameron who left one bright morning, and never came back.  Her loss also meant the loss of one of the few shuttles.

During the first twenty years humans were desperately trying to hold on.  They discovered fire by accident as a weapon against the Things.  Society was falling apart because no one had time to train the kid in high level skills.  And then Bellerophon versed in.  He had massive psionic powers and was able to deal with the Things.

He led the humans to their new lands far south of the Sea Tower, and it was a land with lots of natural crystals which the Things did not like.  He helped them restart society as a feudalism with a lot of federalism.  Mankind got back on its feet, and began to expand a bit.

Bellerophon told them to obey their overlord, and created the psi shields of the Towers.  He then vanished.

Galactic Civilization is a bit of a stretch.  Humans had over a hundred worlds.  They were expanding at a pace of four to ten worlds per year.  Some expansions did not succeed, or the colonists went off line.  There was a central trade union and its rivals, and then there were separatists empires along the fringe.  You'd be out past t.he fringe, but by now, you might be in the fringe or even core as its been a very long time.

You catch a hint of info about the codes in the captain's mind.

I attempt to get information on the psi-blocking greenery, and what the effects are, and what the dangers are, and any other useful information.

I attempt to get information about the Aliens.

I attempt to get information about what might have caused me to get a transmission that was supposedly from Lt. Cameron if that person actually lived long ago.

And I attempt to investigate whether or not this virtual reality is something I have any control over exiting and entering, or if I am currently unable to exit...

The psi blocking greenery is a surprise to the Humans as nothing like that was terraformed into this world.  It seems to have a high amount of the psi crystal in its long fibers.  This makes it extremely durable.  Bellerophon seems to have avoided it, and that started a tradition of doing likewise.

The Aliens had a starship.  They also had aerial vehicles, and digger vehicles.  They did not breathe quite what we do.  They are sorta bipedal;  what few times they were spotted they were usually in vehicles.  They made no attempt to communicate, but they were very enthused about spying on Terran comms which is why the very good encryption.

The message might have been from her vehicle, an automated distress call.

There seems to be numerous passages that would allow you to leave, but where they go to you don't know.

:: Ring.  Can you hear me?  Please describe our current physical location and surroundings... ::

I pray, and examine my current surroundings via Sight...

::Yes, this unit can hear you.  You are in a Tower near a very large  body of water, next to an empty bed.  You are sprawled out on the cobblestone floor.  A pillow has been placed under your head.::

By Sight, the People around you glow with a light closer to Angels than Men, but there is something Hollow about them as well.  They do not look like Saints except for the Wayman.

You also find, unless you exert a minimal mental effort, that the scene naturally shifts back to the original one on the bridge of the Human spaceship which is where you are now.

I attempt to read the Wayman's thoughts for his perspectives on the historical events.

I also seek his perspectives on the events just completed.  Does he have any recollection of the Taint, and what happened after the seventeen were unwound, and what happened before and during and after the battle with Georg?

I also try to find out what his current state is.  Is he still alive, or what is left of him after the Taint unwound portions were slain, if that is what has happened?  Is he just composed of previous memories, or is there current awareness and sentience?  Is he aware of my presence?  Can I interact and converse with him?  If so, I attempt to do so...

I also check to see if he (or any of them) have any idea if what can be done (if anything) to help the survivors of the seventeen, as well as the Things that are Invisible.  Can they be helped?  Can they be reintegrated?  Can they be restored?  Can they be healed?

He tries to see the Reasons the Wayman has led him and the other humans down the path they are on.  This offers some useful insights.  Its turning them into a People instead of a random collection of strangers.  The Wayman views are spreading.  He's one of the deepest theoreticians as to what's happening to them with his deeper understanding of human nature, and he finds the Things Project by the aliens to be truly demonic in that it destroys integrity of mind.  He's able to teach people how to resist the Things to some degree, and this helps so that the ordinary person can now survive more than one attack swipe, but must require several attacks before being overwhelmed.  Also, the Faith Trained mind is less likely to fragment and create new Things.

He recalls having an innate desire to malice and envy and then it just went away in a blaze of awful pain during an annual meeting of the ship's officers.  Now he feels hollow, but at peace.

He does not remember anything about the Taint or Georg.

He seems perhaps alive, and so you reach out to talk to him, wondering what will happen.

"Hnnnnh?" He blinks, and suddenly you're standing in a pasture dotted with yellow and purple flowers under a clear blue sky.  He's dressed in white, and he turns to you, and smiles beatically.

"The Man Who Is a Tree."  He says.  "I was told in a dream that you would come one day."

In dream logic, you feel like a tree, but you're still able to move and talk.

....There was some speculation as to helping reintegrate the Things, but no one had a clue how to do it, and since Bellerophon did not and he was esteemed very skilled, they gave up that line of thought.

" 'Peace be unto you.'  Please, tell me about that dream..."

"Indeed, Peace be unto you.  I had been troubled by a great feeling of forboding for several days, so I went to bed that night after fasting and praying all day.  Nothing had been seeming to happen, but when I dreamed, I saw a rock in a wood, and on the rock was a letter that despite it being a dream, I could read.

'Your path takes you through pain, and dreams, but the end of that will come when the man who is a tree comes to you.  Tell him that he must follow his root down to the darkest hold."

I feel a cold chill at his last sentence, but pray silently for strength and peace.

"How long ago was this?  And what happened after?"

You are comforted.

He starts to answer, and then looks confused, and then shrugs.

"You know, I seem to have lost track of time. What year is it?"

"As near as I can tell, you first arrived at this planet many generations ago.  Perhaps thousands of years..."

I regard him gently.

"What is the last thing you remember before meeting me?"

"Ah."  He takes a few moments to let that digest, and then nods.

"I was in this field, as I have been, and before the field, I think, yes, we had gathered together, all of the bridge officers to meet to discuss the threat of the aliens....and then the doors...."

He tries again, but that's as far as he gets.

"How long was it from the time you first arrived to the last thing you remember?  And when was the dream that told you of me?"

Second time posted....website ate my first reply a couple days ago.

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

"I think about eight months, and the dream was a few days after my feeling of forboding. Then Pain, and I'm here.....since maybe the day before yesterday?"

"How do you feel now, as compared to before the Pain?  Does anything seem different to you?"

"I had such conflict, such fear, such striving.  Now I work at my poetry without effort."

And he begins to speak, and for a good thirty minutes he reels out stanza after stanza of spellbinding poetry.  Its glorious, but there is something not quite human about it.

" I think I gained more than I lost when the Pain overtook me."

"Please, tell me of the civilization you came from.  Does their poetry resemble yours?"

"What aliens have your civilization encountered?  What is known of them?"

"Mmmm, some.  But, well, we had shorter, not epic poetry, and not so religious, so focused on God.  There's some other differences.  But those are the big ones."  He pauses. "But what you said probably means my civilization is gone."

==================
"The Dodenka and the People of Sirion Four.   The D.  are very prolific.  They are asexual, with them splitting to make two or even eight new 'modules' as they called themselves.  We're not sure why the translation programs picked that word.  They were plastic in shape, with a skeleton that could be interior or exterior as they wished.  Most of the time they just ignored us, but sometimes they would want to trade.

The Sirionese, all we have our ruins on one world, including the Floating Tower, which is a half mile tall pylon floating inside the atmosphere of Planet Four."

"How many worlds does your civilization span?  How is it organized?  What things are valued in your culture?"

"What all were your reasons and goals for coming to this world?  What were your plans after your work was done here?  And what are your plans now?"

"What differences do you perceive in this world, comparing the time before the Pain to now?"

"Ah, about several hundred.  It was rising about five to fifteen each year.  A collection of singleton worlds and some small groups of multi star unified governances.  But, that was less important than the overarching Culture....although some, no  many would disagree.  I guess I was a member of a cosmopolitan elite, or an adjunct to such, as a starman.  We valued...growth, expansion, vitality."



"It was just another world for us to grow into, more  humans, more life.  I think it also offered a stronger support for this edge of Human Space against alien incursions.  But space is so big, we didn't think aliens were likely.  After we'd got them loaded off and established, we'd leave.  After all, we were starmen.

Now?  I...begin to think we were shallow.  I ...will have to think.

As to the last, we were a high-tech society, able to live with a small population.  Now, this is a low tech society."

"Is any of your technology still available here on the planet?"

"What has become of the other starmen that you served with before the Pain?"

"I don't know to either question.  But I can guess.  The main Vacuum Energy source should be able to run for at least a couple thousand years.  We knew that much.  We really had no upper limit on how long it would work.

And unless the aliens blew them up, there should definitely still be some stuff in high orbit.

Perhaps some of the others survived as I survived, in a sort of dream."

"What kind of technology did you bring with you?"

"Did your civilization have psionic skills or technology?"

"Genetic engineering tools, and anti-grav, and vacuum energy, and a starship.  We did have some psi tools on the cutting edge of science.  It was new stuff.  We did have some older psi stuff, but it was weak and fickle."

"Do you have any communication or scanning devices?  Can you tell if your starship is anywhere nearby?"

"What kind of genetic engineering could you do?  What kind of psi tools did you have?"

"What is vacuum energy?  What can it do?"

"Surely. We had devices in orbit that could spot a starship out to eight AUs.  And if it was pushing, err, using its drive flame, out to a couple lightyears.  Our starship would have been left in High Orbit. Parking."

"Cure diseases of the genome most surely before fertilization, but possible afterwards.  Transfer genetic material from one genome to another.  There was some experiments with creating living starships of wood, but the metal ones worked better."

"Um, how much do you understand about the quantum foam substructure of the universe?"

"Um, not very much.  Can you fill me in?"

"What kind of psi tools do you have?"

"How did you get down from the starship?  Is there some type of shuttlecraft on the planet's surface?"

"Do you have any way of checking if the starship is still parked in high orbit?"

"Its not my field, but you introduce a small amount of energy to the substructure, and then borrow it back with extra, which is re-lent, and borrowed again with more energy in each cycle until you reach the siphon point, where you have enough energy that you can start siphoning off the energy while still maintaining the cycle until about an hour later, you reach the outer control limit.  At this point, the machine gets shut down, and the field recalibrates itself in a few seconds, and then one can start back up again.  Peak energy for our device was ten gigawatts."

"Probability manipulators, mental focus devices, primarily."

"Oh, yes, the Towers should have shuttles in them, and this council chamber should have a couple outside it."

"If I can wake up, sure."

"Did your people build the Towers?  What were they used for?  What do you know about them?"

"Are these psi tools mental skills or abilities or techniques, or are they devices of some type?"

"Do you have any idea how I can help wake you up?  Or can you tell me how to do check on the starship?  Or can you share consciousness with me, and use my body to do it?"

"We did build the Towers.  They are for terraforming control.  Not a whole lot....I'm a starship guy not a terraformer."

"Devices."

"Maybe I can follow you.  Um, yes, in the main room, there is a ....(he goes on at some length telling you how to turn on various devices and align them.  He's clearly competent at this with a well experienced manner.)  Um, I'm not sure.  That seems close to demon possession."

"You don't seem like a demon to me... but why don't we try having you follow me?"

I attempt to get up ("Can you hear me now?") and go to the main room to turn on and align the various devices described, in order to check on the starship...

You and he separate as he reenters the physical world, or seems about to in a different location than you do.  You wake up in the Tower.

I pray, giving thanks for our deliverance, and interceding for Georg and Vonya, and for the Wayman and the rest of the crew, and for all the broken creatures that afflict this place, and for me and for all still in this world that shall look to me as overlord for protection and deliverance.

:: Ring.  Status report.  Please update me on all that you have observed since you last updated me.  How much time has passed since I talked to Vonya here, and tried to help Georg?  How much time has passed since Georg and Vonya arose?  What did you observe of Georg and Vonya before they departed, and as they departed?  ::

:: What progress has been made on breaking the encryption of the signals you have detected?  I was able to glean some information about it that may help you in your efforts... ::

I look around for any items or notes that Georg and Vonya may have left for me.

I share the encryption insights I gained from the mind of the Captain with Ring, and then proceed to follow Engineer Gingram's instructions to check on the starship...

You pray, and you feel as if your prayers are answered.  But you're not sure what the answer is. Rising from your knees, you go about to search while conversing with the Ring.

::One hour and ten minutes have passed since George and Vonya arose.  They seemed to struggle against an outside force which drove them upward, and out of my sight.  Its been twelve hours and fourteen minutes since you last talked to Vonya here.  Note: Your body has bee significantly stressed.

What encryption?"  The Ring denies knowledge of this project.

Following Engineer Gingram's advice, you make your way to the tenth level of the Tower, and find a very ancient shuttle, and a control kroom.  You're not able to get the control room started, and a quick exam reveals that something has been chewing the power cables.

:: Ring.  Initiate any necessary healing of my stressed body. ::

:: What is your progress on breaking the encryption of the electronic communications you have been monitoring?  I have some insights on how it may be broken, if you have not been successful thus far... ::

I examine the control room and shuttle, looking for any objects or technology of interest.

Then I return to lie down, and see if I can contact the Wayman once again...

OOC: Did I find any interesting things left behind by Georg and Vonya?  For example, did they leave me one of their psi shields?  :)

Healing initiated.

Please repeat query. I have no files on 'breaking encryption of monitored electronic communications.'

Sadly, they did not leave you anything.

===========

You find a hand pump in the control room, which is connected a hollow crystalline sphere which has power cords running from it to the control panel which is analog (dials and switches and slidebars.)

Inside the shuttle, you find another analog control panel.  There is a styrofoam cup sitting in the coffee holder.  As soon as you touch it, it crumbles to dust.

On this panel, you notice what looks like a PC (personal computer symbol) as a button.

There is a locked side closet, and an unlocked one.  The unlocked one has some very fragile bags.  They are flexible like plastic, but somehow rough and heavy, and when a piece breaks off it turns into what looks like sand.  Written on one is 'Gengi Mutti #4 SimiCrys Trah: Doktor M. Morovan.'  The others are likewise.

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

You lean back into the pilot's chair, which despite being millenia old seems uncaring and unaffected by time, and send out your mind to find the Wayman.  You can feel his prayers guiding you in, and suddenly, you're with him in his meadow.  He rises from his knees.

"Praise the Master of the Ways, and the One True Way.  You have found your way back.  I almost reached my body, but my strength failed, and so I fell back here."

"Praise the LORD.  I am very thankful to find you once again, my brother."

"How much are you able to perceive of the world in your present state?  Do you know where your body is, and what condition it is currently in?  Can you see my body now?"

"I am currently in the pilot's chair of the shuttle.  It appears that it has been here for thousands of years.  The chair itself is unchanged, but less sturdy objects such as a styrofoam cup in the coffee holder turn to dust when touched.  I could not start the control room, as it appears something has been chewing the power cables."

"How sturdy is the shuttle itself, and the control room technology itself, and the starship technology itself?  Would you trust your life to it after thousands of years?  Could the shuttle still be used safely to travel to the starship?  Would the starship likely still be safe to use?  Or would the construction materials and techniques used likely render them unsafe after all these years?"

He points his hand over your shoulder, and after looking you realize its a ritual gesture.  The Wayman then embraces you.

"I had wondered if I might be here some great length of time, and indeed a horror was growing in me."

He tells you that he saw his body in a chamber, in a cryocapsule with the others in the bridge crew.

"It makes me wonder, if we killed the bodies, would we kill the Taint?"

He shakes his head after trying to see your body.

"The shuttle material should be sturdy.  That is, its frame.  Insects and other vermin might have damaged its control elements.  As to trusting my life....I feel as if I have been given a gift, a second life.  And if I should lose it, then I have lost nothing because what I had was an unexpected joy.

The starship should be fine, as long as the magnetic shield has not failed. If that's dead, then radiation will have turned the computers to gibberish, and micrometeorties will have damaged the hull.  But starships especially, are made to last long centuries."

I return his embrace warmly.

"Do you know what exactly has happened to you, that you have become separated from your body?  Is such a thing known of in the experience of your people?  Do your people have the knowledge or skill or technology to reverse the effect, and return you to your body?"

"Given that it is your body, and given the concern about the Taint, what would you have me do?  Should I leave your body undisturbed?  Should I attempt to revive it?  Should I attempt to destroy it?  How best can I help you?"

"What of your shipmates?  Can I do anything to help them?  Do you know where they are, or what has become of them since the Pain ended?"

"Yes, I know, but no, not even in our wildest dreams did we know how to do this."

"If we revive myself, that should weaken the Taint as I will reabsorb the evil, I ....think.  I'm not sure what we'd be without our darkness."  He looks thoughtful.

"Do to them what you do to me.  They are with me in the same room, at least their bodies are. They were the root of the Taint along with me, I am sure. I'm not sure where there...minds or souls..."

"But what would you have me do to you, my brother?  You know what happened to you, and you know of the Taint.  What do you think should be done?"

"Are you aware of the various psionic entities that dwell upon the planet now?  They may well have been human once.  Do your people have any knowledge of them, or of how they can be made whole again?"

"I...am not sure.  To face again the unbridled and rampant darkness in my own soul terrifies me.  But I cannot let it run free either.  I would live my life in the world, but I have to admit, this meadow is very pleasant."  He frowns, and walks back and forth, swinging his arms with wild energy.

"No, I did not know, except for what little I knew before the Pain.  We had no knowledge of how to heal them.  We were only working on means to defeat or contain them."

"What of your shipmates?  Should they be revived, and live life in the world?  What do you know of them?  How might they react if revived after thousands of years?  This world currently has a low technology level, and the current status of the civilization of your own people is unknown.  Might your shipmates be a threat to the people that dwell on this planet?"

"They were, in the main, strong of mind, and flexible.  They would not break, I think.  Such an event is part of the darker possibilities of being a starfarer, one might be marooned, or trapped in some time dilation effect and come back to a vastly changed world.

Most I would trust, but a couple not so.  However, they would wish to take a leading role in this world, and such seems reasonable to me.  They have greater skills and knowledge, how then are they not to be among the great?  But this will surely cause disruption."

"Which would you trust, and which would you not trust... and why?"

"I hesitate a bit, to say, but Commander Taggert, and Weaponmaster Aramis.  Taggert, well, she got into a dispute with another crew over the last brownie, at lunch.  It looked like an idle thing, but then I saw her eyes.  She was deadly serious.

And Aramis, well, he has a tendency to arm wrestle newbies, and once he wins, then he begins to bully them.  He says its to toughen them up, but all I see is him breaking themdown, and him skipping his work."

"What are your capabilities right now, as you are?  What can you perceive?  Where can you go?  What can you do?  Can you interact with the physical world at all?"

"Do I have to come here to converse with you, or are you able to stay with me as I come and go in my own body?"

"I am concerned about these shipmates.  The people of this planet have low technology, so their ability to defend themselves from hostile starfarers is limited.  I know not if there is anything that can be done for them... but if I even had the ability to help revive their bodies and reintegrate them... should I?  Would they be a threat to the people here?  Or would leaving them as they are, and leaving the Taint as it is, be a bigger threat to the people here?"

"I must pray about these things... and I ask that you pray as well, my brother.  And if you have any insight, I heartily welcome your counsel."

"I can see this meadow and go up the root a bit.  That's as far as I can go, as I know.  Perhaps I could go further with another test.  And no to the last."

He listens to your first series, answers it, and waits for the second.

"Now, you'd have to come here."

"I think the good among the starfarers could control the evil, but I have no doubt they would be vastly disruptive.  Then again, perhaps if my crews starship could be refitted, we could leave and go back to the life we chose.  I think the Taint is an awful evil, and it should be confronted merely on that basis.  As to threats...depends on what your standards are."

He bows and begins to pray with you.  Listening to him pray, you find yourself learning things, seeing things of God in a new light, like turning a diamond to reveal a new bit of flashing light.

I pray fervently for wisdom and guidance, that I would know what the LORD would have me do (any nudges?)...

I also examine the Wayman with my Sight, seeking any insight into his nature.

"Where is the meadow, and what is the root you speak of?  Where are your bodies stored?  Do you have any idea where the others are?  Are you able to commune with them?"

No nudges, just an awareness that any solution is going to cause pain.

The Wayman glows with golden light, but he seems hollow at the same time.  In some way, he's not quite Human, at least not like you.

The meadow is here, but where here is...?  You came down the root to find the meadow.

He tells you that he thinks they are where they met.  And no.

"The power cables to the control room have been chewed on.  Would the shuttle still have independent power, or would the long centuries be likely to deplete it?"

"Can the equipment aboard the shuttle be used to check the current status of the ship in orbit?  If so, how?"

"I am going to try to view our surroundings and our planet by clairvoyance, and see if I can find any trace of the ship in orbit.  Try to stay with me, and we will see if it is possible to make such excursions together.  If we lose contact, fear not, for I will come again, LORD willing."

I attempt to stretch out my clairvoyant senses, moving upward and looking downward, until I am able to look around in orbit...

"Mmm, they were long-life batteries in the mix, but they would not have been designed for that great of a length of time.  I'd say they were depleted."

"There is a handcrank inside the shuttle.  My authorization code is...."  He explains how to send a text query as that's the cheapest in energy cost.

After a bit of work, you reach mountain height, but you're a long way from orbit.

I lather, rinse, and repeat.  As I do so...

:: Ring.  Are you able to interface with this computer system? ::

You struggle on and upward, eventually reaching orbit.  From here, you look about and do not  spot the spaceship over the next 'long while'.  Time is a bit hard to figure right now, in space, in astral form.

::Connecting....Connecting...Connected.  System defenses blocking.  System counter-attacks, futilely.::

:: Ring... Where is the signal coming from?  Given this viewpoint, please compute the direction and distance to the signal source. ::

Based upon Ring's direction, I shift my viewpoint to look for the signal source.  As I do so, I check to see if the Wayman was able to keep contact with me while I do my astral search.

:: Can you still hear me, my brother?  My computer is attempting to contact your system, but system defenses are blocking it.  What must be done to receive authorization to access your system? ::

You spot it.  There's a white glitter of light, the apparent size of a pinhead, that occasionally disappears some distance further up, and its moving very fast.  And in less than ten minutes, its over the horizon.

You don't keep contact with the Wayman.

I return to my body, and reach out to the Wayman again.

::  My computer is attempting to contact your system, but system defenses are blocking it. What must be done to receive authorization to access your system? ::

And I pass his instructions to Ring (while maintaining contact with the Wayman, if possible), and see if Ring can contact the ship successfully...

Wayman passes the information on to you, and you link up with the spaceship in fast, and low planetary orbit.

Checking for instructions and suggestions with Wayman as necessary, I use Ring to query the ship regarding current status, current sensor readings, detectable activity on comm channels, records of any significant detected events since Wayman left the ship, etc...

There is station keeping info from the three towers.  And there are occasional encrypted bits from what you figure out to be groves of crystalline and or metalloid backed growths like the one you ran into where you lost your psi. Contact was lost with one tower, and then all but the most basic contact was lost with it.  Four hundred years ago there was a brighter spot in they sky which the ship thought might be rescue, but went to another star.  A hundred fifty years ago there was a supernova remnant wave that went through the local neighbourhood of stars.

I check to see what information there is on the aliens and their comings and goings.  I also figure out how long ago the ship arrived, and check ship's diagnostics to see what shape it is in after all these years.

I get whatever information is available about the capabilities and technology of the ship and whatever equipment is aboard, and information about their civilization.  How far and fast can it travel?  What supplies are aboard, and what shape are they in?  What weapons and defenses does it have?  What information exists about their civilization (history/music/literature/science/technology/etc.)?  How smart are their computers?

Would comm channel silence be an expected thing this far out from the beaten paths of their old civilization, or would it be an unusual indication that their civilization has collapsed?

The ship arrived over two thousand years ago.  The ship is in pretty good shape, although there has been enough micrometeorite damage to make landing it in an atmosphere unlikely.  A lot of it, you'd have to turn it on to make sure it can actually turn on.

The aliens have very good stealth tech, and have been seen infrequently.

The ship is sublight, and can run up to .8 c for three thousand years.

Most of the info you seek requires waking the ship up more.

Off the beaten track.  Although th eother is possible.

I share this information with Wayman, and get his analysis and impressions in general, as well as with a specific query...

:: Do you have any idea which star might have gone supernova?  With the remnant wave encountered one hundred fifty years ago, might it have threatened your civilization? ::

Not unless a branch of our civ had expanded out that way, and that would be Corina Tantal or Delta Radii, or perhaps the tail of the Lone Goose.


He pauses.


We built ourselves new constellations as we travelled deep enough into space to have it matter.

Cryosleep capsules.  Magnetic field hydrogen scoops.  Automated medbeds.  Ten pumped fusion laser pods.  Micro Electron Zappers (for micrometerorites).

The medbeds and pods are semi-portable.

There would be the pschy profiles of all the crew and passengers, but that would require the Captain, or two more senior officers than me to unlock it.

OOC: Is Wayman saying I can get the codes by querying the computer while I have access?  Or do I need to get the codes from the appropriate crew members? :o

If the former, then I try to get the codes now...

:: How many medbeds and pods could fit safely on the shuttle?  What is needed to check it to verify if it is still safely functional?  What is needed to successfully board the ship? ::

Computer codes for basic access, but if you want to do something fancy you need the appropriate crew member.  You retrieve the codes, and its reassuring how similar their structure is to what you've used before.  Its a very stable, solid language with built-in double-checking.  It does not have a whole lot of ‘make easy' or ‘be clever' modes as they chose stupid, reliable, and slow as their engineering goals.

Max medbeds looks to be four.  Max pods looks to be eight.  If you want a mix, you can have two medbeds and three pods.

You'd need to run a Full Systems Check which would involve powering up most of the systems to at least one quarter power.  It cannot be done remotely for safety reasons.

To board, you'd need to dock, unlock the hatch, and enter.  They have no serious safety guards against entry.

Yes. Yes. The medbeds can require ressupply and new spinner cells for power.  The pods are one use devices.

2nd...this helps make clear that this is not a warship.

  Six months on ‘moderate use'.  Most of the devices on the ship are made for long-terms, but its true that its been VERY long.

The pods are rated as ‘highly reliable'.

I consider this information thoughtfully.

:: When I leave this Tower, I will have to take a psi crystal to protect me from attack by the psi fragments... but I don't know what effect a psi crystal would have on you.  If I go alone, would you be able to give me all the information needed to bring the medbeds and pods back down? ::

After listening to his response...

:: Perhaps I should examine these crystals a bit...  I will contact you soon, LORD willing... ::

I go to examine the crystals I previously found in the Tower, and bring them with me to just outside the Tower shield.  Then I wait to see if the crystals can protect me, ready to immediately fall back behind the Tower shields if needed...

OOC: Remind me about psi crystals.  One of the things I want to try on our next world is keeping a tighter focus, which is pretty much my fault.  I started this world with a focus on the overlordship and then shifted to other things.  A tighter focus would help me remember details and delineate events and characters with greater clarity.

It seems that the posts for the beginning of this world are not currently available on GO, so I am reposting here.  Note that the posting times are relative to when I saved the file, not relative to this post...

I have also used bold font for crystal references for you. :)

This post ends where page one of our current thread begins.

After testing, I contact the Wayman again.

:: How are the crystals created?  What do the groves consist of?  How do the crystals work?  What kinds of crystals are there, and how do they function? ::

The crystals were not my project.  The groves were an attempt to create a biology that would naturally resist the psi frags.  But, we were having difficulty in getting them to spread.  From what you say, we failed in that.  Otherwise there would be groves everywhere instead of only infrequently here and there.

I don't know the precise details, but the psi frags vibrate at certain frequencies, and the crystals have channels in their internal    structure that match those, so the crystals act like sponges.  Its also why the frags don't like fire, because it causes them to gain energy, and to become disordered.  Like melting a plastic weave into a puddle of plastic if they stayed around.

I heard there was an attempt to make sponge crystals with an opposite effect, they would project a form of order that the frequencies of the frags could not pass down between,  but I don't know what became of that.

:: Can specimens from the groves be transplanted?  How do they reproduce?  Can they be cultivated and propagated manually, even if they do not spread so much on their own? ::

:: Who worked on the crystal project? ::

Yes. But its very tricky.  They don't seem to thrive without tender care and a good bit of luck.  I'm not sure.   (already answered)

He lists that girl whose recording drew you to the grove, and one of the science staff from the bridge crew.

I bid the Wayman farewell for now, and see if I can tune into the collective memories of the crew again, as I did after Georg and Vonya departed.

If so, I try to read Lt. Elle Cameron's thoughts, and see what information I can glean from her, both in general and about the crystals and groves.  However, I do not attempt to interact with her (at least, not yet)...

She seems to be talking to someone, a good friend, about groves, and growing schedules, and the boyfriends she's had, and the expansion of the human colony.

I try to follow those tendrils of thought to get more detail about the groves and growing schedules...

Eventually, I turn my attention to the other one the Wayman thought would know about crystals ("one of the science staff from the bridge crew")...

You slip into a solid matrix which stiffens and quickens your thoughts, and you hear a female voice.

Hello. Is someone there.

I withdraw immediately, and turn my attention to the other one the Wayman thought would know about crystals ("one of the science staff from the bridge crew")...

You slip into this other mind, and see dozens of floating chalkboards covered by numbers. Also, there are floating models of atoms and other things. All of this is arranged in loose formation of the six main directions, all floating in a great empty white space.  Occasionally lightning leaps from one model to another.

I spend some time examining the various pieces of information and their connections, storing the information away for later analysis.

Then I withdraw from the contact, stand up and stretch, etc.

Then I spend some time examining the rooms of the Tower, particularly the beds and any combs that may be around, looking for hair or other sources of DNA from Georg and/or Vonya.  And if I find any, I attempt to use Ring to shapechange into each of their forms.  If I could use Kyle's feather to do it, hopefully hair samples can do the job as well...