You and the other verser, Day, are proceeding with the Grand Quest. A several hundred long line of knights, hundreds and hundreds of men-at-arms, a small company of Elves, wizards, and some artisans along with their families are proceeding to the Door Between the Worlds. Day is leading them, and you've got the position of Tail-End Charlie.

Its mostly a matter of chivvying broken wagons to the side of the path, and you had to heal one knight who got thrown by his horse.  Small children respond well to jokes and smiles.

The column dissappears into the Door as the Duke and his men watch from one side, and Terracuyl the Dreadful Red Queen, the Dragon Overlord of all the Lands watches from the other side.

And then the vampires strike. A black tornado of mist and flying bodies pounds out of the sky, and turns into a dozen princes of the dead. Surrounding them are hundres of the expendable. Ghouls, Zombies, Skeletons rage.

At first you don't understand why they attack, but a moment's prayer reveals it to you. Here, the vampires of the Necropolis are held in check by the other monsters, by the human priests, by the knights, and even by Terracuyl herself who brooks no challengers to her power. In that other world, they think they will be able to expand unchecked.

Terracuyl strikes first with her teeth, faster than a king cobra, and larger than a locomotive. One vampire prince is now two parts with the legs heading east, and the chest heading west. The Duke and his men set lances and  charge even as Terracuyl burns a wave of ghouls who surge toward her. You call for divine fire again and again as you are forced to back up behind sheets of flame.

You are the keystone of this defense as they want the Door you're standing in front of. With one foot in the Doorway, you call for fire again as a Prince of the Dead dives toward you, his fangs out, his eyes mad with fear and desire. And the power of the Door rips through you, shatters the Door, shatters you and the creature diving at you.

*Fare thee well, worldwalker* You hear Terracuyl say in your mind as you vanish from that world.

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

You wake wet. A fine drizzle drops out of a cloud-covered night, and a chill breeze drifts along the empty sidewalk on which you lay.

Illumined skyscrapers point to the end of the long, straight road you lay by, and around you are dozens of three to four story tall buildings with odd script on their frontages. Most of the buildings near you are unlit. You see no people.

Playtester :)

Awareness comes slowly, as I come to terms with recent events.

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

That battle was... unexpected, but in retrospect, not surprising.  And where has the LORD led me now?  My exit from that situation seemed more likely to be via versing rather than traversing the Door.  But I take comfort in knowing the part I was able to play in helping save the others, and the universe of Day's Quest, from those evil vampires.

I'm not certain where I am, so better safe than sorry.

Eyes still closed, I open up my senses to the soothing smells and sounds of the freshly-washed drizzling breeze and evening sounds.

Trying not to move (or to shiver), I stretch out other senses, reaching out to sense where my belongings might be, and if there are any other versers in this universe.

Then I attempt to send out my telepathic senses, in order to get an idea of my situation without letting on to any observers that I am awake.

Then I attempt to stretch out my clairvoyant senses to examine my surroundings from a slightly more dispassionate third-person perspective, from my immediate surroundings to a more macroscopic view of the area, and eventually zooming out to the world itself.

And finally, I open my eyes, and stand up to examine my surroundings with my own eyes.

"CU2.  Status.  Are there electronic communications within detectable range?  If so, begin recording now.  Monitor, and summarize when ready.  Analyze current surroundings, and summarize.  Analyze the writing on the nearby structures, and translate if possible."

"Ring.  Status.  Are there electronic..."

This certainly isn't the world I came from.  And given what I know from Day's shared memories, neither is it the world I had intended to travel to...

OOC: And this is why Oak was my IT department at Worldwalker.

You smell asphalt, oil, metal, old food, and internal combustion residue.

Your items should be right next to you, in any case, you sense them, but no other versers.

No one seems to be watching you.

You're on a long, two-lane street that stretches out to a bridge toward your back, and skyscrapers toward your front.

Moving out further, you see a large metropolis by a very large lake.

Expanding outward to orbit, you see the Great Lakes and then North America. You're somewhere close to Chicago in your home timeline.

You open your eyes and take in the street, and your gear but three feet from you.

"Simple radio frequency communications are abundant. Unencrypted. Language is German. Script is similar to Fraktur Gothic. Radio communications are also in German for 95% of local communications."

"Starling Cycles."
"Windy City Repair."
"Fosterson's Eatery."
"Walls Biergarten."
"Hunters."
"Cooper's Electronics."

The ring confirms CU2's answers.

"Are detected communications broadcast or peer-to-peer?  Are there any other signal traffic types detected, such as video, or computer network?"

"Analyze and classify content.  Is it primarily civilian or military?  Local or regional or national or world-wide in scope?  Secular or religious?  News, entertainment, or conversation?  Are there repeated or prominent topics?  What conjectures can be made from them about this culture?"

"Are there references to identifiable authorities?"

"What languages are used in the other five percent of traffic?"

I examine the area, both visually and via clairvoyance, to see if there are any recognizable churches to be found.

Then I attempt to stretch out my perceptive senses toward any available impressions of the past, and of the future...

"Broadcast with video primarily civilian secular. Primarily local, although a small percentage is global. Primarily entertainment. News and religious are strong secondary categories."

"Further analysis of repeated themes and conjectures about culture will require time to listen in to the messages. Minimum time two hours."

"Authorities: The Council and Prince of Windy City, The King of Vespucia. Analysis continuing."

"Languages:Nipponese, Old English, Unknown, Unknown."

You spot with clairvoyance a building with a cross above it two streets over. CU2 translates the German sign in front. "Palmer Street New Orthodox Cathedral." Further on, you spot "St. Vincente Gothic Revival Church."

Looking into the past you catch glimmers of ordinary looking people busy about their business on the street, coming and going in their cars, or on foot.

Looking into the future you see a melange of dark images. Hideous humanoid black shapes darting down the street with claws extended, hunting. And then the image jerks. The City is on fire. The image jerks again. Water flows through the City in a flood ten feet deep as the Lake overflows. The image jerks again. A dark haired man with a staff in hand says 'Ok.' as if defeated. The city burns in a fire that makes the previous fire seem as nothing. Streets flame and stone melts. The image jerks again. Some sort of large fly?? is eating a slice of pizza. The image jerks again. A very small Oriental woman is staring at you with knowledge in her eyes. The image jerks again. A man with hard eyes who does not see you is swinging a longsword to cleave your head from your shoulders.

You hit the ground gasping for breath.

"Include summary of prominent current news topics, and of prominent religions and religious topics, in the analysis.  Update me silently through Ring mental interface when further information is available."

"By the way, are you able to find any indication of what the local time is?"

After the vision, I shake my head to clear it, and pray silently for wisdom and strength.

Then I stand, and gather my belongings, and take shelter in a nearby darkened building's doorway, choosing one with an orientation that provides shelter from the prevailing wind direction.

Taking a steadying breath after the shock of the vision, I focus my thoughts once again, and search the area clairvoyantly to see if there are any libraries or bookstores nearby, and if they are currently open.  I also search for places that would be useful for taking shelter in, if necessary, and for any additional churches.

For the various churches I find, I look to see if there are any people currently there...

"Time is 2314."

You feel stronger after the prayer.

The nearest location that is open is the Biergarten. If you're willing to walk ten blocks, you can enter a restauraunt with bright neon green script of an unknown language. The people inside look to be a quiet, late-night crowd with a couple of them reading books, and two arguing over something on a piece of paper.  You find no churches open within ten blocks radius. Do you wish to search further? Its taken you about twenty minutes so far, and your head is aching.

You have spotted several bookstores, but none are open.

You have also spotted a few people, one of them walking his animal on a leash.

When I looked at St. Vincente Gothic Revival Church, what specifically did I see as far as the layout, grounds, etc.? 

Is the church yard open access, or gated?

Are there any sheltered places outdoors on the church grounds, such as with a patio roof, benches, picnic tables, or etc.?

How far is it from my current location?

A number of metallic I-beamed flying buttresses, a lot of battlement, a low stone wall around a playground and a picnic area with a gate which is five blocks from your current location, or three as the crow flies.

I relax a few minutes to rest my aching head, pondering my situation.

Then I pray quietly.

"Dearest LORD, I know that you have brought me here.  Please strengthen and guide me now, and show me where you would have me go, and what you would have me do.  I pray in Jesus' Name...  Amen."

If there is no immediately obvious response resulting from this prayer, then I stretch forth my clairvoyant senses once again, back to where I saw people in the restaurant.

Using my mental interface with Ring, I examine what they are reading, and what they are doing, and what impressions I get about them.  In short, analyzing which of them would be most useful for me to telepathically probe for information about this neighborhood, and this world.

For my post-prayer actions, I keep watch for any intuitive nudges I may feel directing me one way or another, and act upon them accordingly...

You begin reading the Windy City Gazetteer, a newspaper. There is a story about the Velvet Room burning down, another story about a local sports team called 'the Windstorm' having a shot at the NorthAm championships, a knighthood conferred on a real estate developer...and thats on the first page along with a 'Tuesday, October 1988'.

You're about to switch over to checking on the book when you hear a female voice and an idling car.

"Oak, Oak, man wake up, I have coffee, so get some or I'm going to throw you in jail for vagrancy."

The Ring translates for you, but its a half-step behind her.  She's got a large Sombrero model, dark metallic blue car idling in the street. She's about five foot four, bright blue eyes, blonde. She's leaning on the far side of the car waiting for you to speak with a quizzical look in her eyes.

OOC: Hmmmm, a Tuesday in October 1988.  Is that the 4th, the 11th, the 18th, or the 25th?  :)

I blink as my awareness shifts to the scene before me, and thoughts flash by in a heartbeat.

: Wow.  Either the LORD has revealed my name to this person, or has brought someone who knows my counterpart in this world.  And either one sounds like an answer to prayer right just now, and rather clear leading.  Thank you, dearest LORD. :

I give a friendly nod and a smile.

"Danke schön."

Having just used a significant percentage of my existing German vocabulary, I pick up my suitcase, and make my way towards the car.

As I do so, I attempt to make telepathic contact with her mind, first targeting her language center, then her surface thoughts.  If successful, I glean as much as I can, as quickly as I can...

"The great Oak says thank you. You must have gone off to manners school like your brother. Do you want me to..." She pauses to listen to the police band radio when it says 'SI', but then relaxes a trifle. She's quite high-strung. "Take you by your office or apartment?"

Its not as easy as in some worlds, but on the second try you start reading her surface thoughts. Your surface reading kicks in now.

"And sides can you tell me what you were gone for three days anyways."

*Even for you, pal, that was unusually paranoid and secretive. I hope you're finally not losing it what with all your enemies.*

You feel an instinctive urge not to confess your nature.

She drives like she's in a competitive race even though the streets are nearly empty.

Edit: You contact the language processing center on the first try.

"Apartment."

In response to her latter comment, I look back at her with mild surprise.

"Enemies?  What could a polite vagrant like me ever have done to make enemies?"

I keep monitoring her surface thoughts...

She whips you across town to a semi-industrial part, and parks on a street behind a blue VW bug.

"There's your Beetle. One day you have to get a newer car."

*If you can get a car to run.*

She hands you a set of keys.

"Not sure why you wanted me to hold on to these since you got Molly to feed Mouse and Mister. But here you go."

*I'm going to keep an eye on you.*

After getting out of the car, you see a concrete staircase leading down to an underground basement. It must be yours as there are no other nearby apartment doors.

OOC: The "*" is for the mental surface reading so she did not say that out loud about enemies.

OOC: Oops, my usual laptop is in the shop, and my current font didn't show that difference very well, so I overlooked it.  I'll keep my eyes open from now on...  :o

Is she also getting out of the car, or is she just dropping me off?

Do the keys have an apartment number on them?  :)

She's just dropping you off.

Good question. One key has a number on it, and the other has 'VW' on it.

OOC: How long does the car ride last?  I want to use the travel time to attempt to probe her memories, and find out as much relevant information about my counterpart and this world as possible.  If successful, what do I find out?
</i>
<i>Once we arrive, am I able to see the apartment number of the most obvious candidate from where we are?  If not, then after getting the suitcase out and getting out of the road, then if she hasn't driven off, I put the suitcase down as if to readjust my grip, and try to use clairvoyance to see the apartment number of the most obvious candidate.  In other words, if I'm being watched, I want to try to verify that the obvious choice is indeed my apartment number, before starting to walk in that direction...

You sort through her memories on the second try for about four minutes before the ten minute ride ends.

"Karrin Murphy, do you swear before God and your fellow officers to uphold the justice of the Prince and the Laws of the Council without fear or favor?"

"Karrin, I'm sorry, really, but the board of review says you're off to Clancy. At least you're still on the force."

"Oak, WHAT IS IT?"

And then you see a flicker of scenes of dead bodies in various that have been destroyed in unique and horrible ways. Almost all of them make you wish to pray for protection from Evil.

The clairvoyance outside the door doesn't work.

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

I exit the car, get out my suitcase, and give an acknowledging simple wave of thanks and farewell.

Then I make my way to the Beetle, open it up, and search around in the glove compartment for a bit.

While doing that, if she is still there, I make another attempt to double-check the apartment door number via clairvoyance...

She drives off before you get to the Beetle.

The car is fairly clean in an old, much beat-upon, one door panel is a different shade way. The glove compartment opens, and you find a car repair manual in English. There is a small set of tools in a battered plastic case about the size of a thousand page paperback novel.  There are registration papers with the entries, even the signature typed out, but the name is familiar to you...John Oakmaster.

That's it.

You check the door again, and you feel resistance. No luck.

I give an inward sigh of relief to be alone, so that I can make any mistakes unobserved.

I pray again silently for strength and protection and guidance.

Then, unless I feel nudged to the contrary, I bring my suitcase over to the most likely apartment door, and look with my own eyes to see if the apartment door number matches the number from my key, and from the car registration address.

And if it matches, and I don't feel nudged to the contrary, I open the door, and enter...

You hold out the key to the door to Apt. 101, and feel as if something was folding back away from you.  You unlock the heavy steel door with four long scratches in it, and have to heave it a bit as the door is a little askew from its frame.

Inside is a very masculine room. Beaten up leather couch, bookcases in light brown, dark brown, and black, rug in front of the fireplace with a stack of wood next to the fireplace.

You flick on the light, and gas lamps on the walls illumine the one room space further. Its bedroom, kitchennette on the far wall, and living room in the center. You see a couple doors off to the right beyond the fireplace.

Its neat, but hard-used.

There is no TV or computer than you can see.

And then you hear a demanding "Miaow." from above. You look up to the top of the bookcase next to the door, and a black-grey cat, thirty pounds worth of feline majesty is sprawled across the top of the bookcase. She looks at you demandingly.

I close and lock the door, and give heartfelt thanks to the LORD, for I feel his hand upon me, and pushing evil forces away.

And as my eyes fall upon the cat, I stretch out my telepathic senses toward her.  She probably wants food, but it is possible she wants a certain type of petting, etc.  And her mind may hold useful information...

If she seems to want food, I look around to see if there is anything suitable for her.

Then I sit, and stretch out my postcognitive and precognitive senses, gleaning what information I can about this place, and the occupant...

She wants her token of respect, aka rubbing her ears for a second, and food, and then to be let out to go pick a fight with the disrespectful cat the street over to the left. She knows that you call her 'Mister', and the funny man calls her 'Her Imperial Nibs'. She simply thinks of herself as the Great Cat.

You stride over the floor which echoes under your feet a bit, and into the kitchennette where you find a bag of dry cat food next to the ancient Frigidaire from the 1930's it looks like.

And suddenly you're face down on the kitchen floor and something very heavy is standing on your back, and smelling your neck.

OOC: What impressions do I get concerning the "funny man"?


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

I attempt to stretch out my telepathic senses toward the large presence upon my back, to read the mind of (I presume to be) a large dog named Mouse (companion to a regal female cat named Mister).

If I sense danger, hostility, etc., I attempt to induce sleep on my newest companion...

You get a flicker of images back which you translate to...

"Err, sorry, not-Oak friend, thought you were a monster. Oak said you were coming. Oak left."

Mouse gets off your back, and you can breathe better now. You sit up, and see that Mouse is a very large, black-haired dog with a face somewhat like a bear in that he has a powerful jutting jaw suited for crunching bone.

He looks abashed.

And then he stands up with his paws on top of the Frigidaire and barks once at the cabinet door above the fridge.

Mister pads in to see what the fuss is, and gives you a 'Miaow' which even without telepathy you can easily translate too....'what's taking you so long?'.

OOC: Do you know the book series I've dropped you into?

::That's OK, Mouse friend.  I'm John.  Nice to meet you.::

::Oak said I was coming?  Do you know where Oak went?::

::What is Oak like?::

I attempt to glean any information I can from his mind, hopefully including how he likes to be petted, and give him some loving encouragement when he looks abashed.

Then I look into the cabinet door above the fridge, and look into feeding my two new companions...

OOC: Nope, no clue.  Is that good or bad?  :p

Mouse drops down from the fridge to your shoulders with ease, and licks your face.

*Said so. No.*

*Nice. Protects the little dogs. Strong.* You get an image of yourself standing in a dark and lonely street with a trenchcoat and a black staff, rage masking your face, and you're shouting 'Forzare', and then a car is flung down the street to crash into something unwholesome.

He gets over it quickly, and you pet him for a while until Mister reminds you that the Great Cat needs nourishment to maintain her mass. You pull out a bag of dry dog food which has a note attached to it.

"I usually get the forty pound bag, but Grinnell's was out, so I got the five. Oak." Its your handwriting.

You give Mouse a can of wet and two cups of dry. Mister is content with half a cup of dry. She twirls through your legs after you feed her to show her approval. Mouse finishes his and goes off to the living room to go to sleep in front of the fireplace. Mister is scratching at the door.

OOC: That's good.

Reading the note, and what it implies, makes me rather thoughtful indeed.  It would seem that I was expected... unless Oak's note and what he told Mouse were directed toward Molly instead of me.

I check the peephole to make certain there aren't any of those monsters outside the front door, and then let Mister out.

After that, I look through the apartment for any further notes, and for anything that would give me more information about my counterpart, and about this world.

Then I sit near the fireplace with Mouse, and stretch out my postcognitive and precognitive senses, gleaning what information I can about this place, and the occupant...

There are no further notes. You do find the floor echoing as you cross the second rug into the kitchennette. On the bookcases you see among many others...

"Knife-fighting for Beginners."
"Power Chords and Rock" This is for guitar music.
"The Holy Bible"
"Repair: Internal Combustion Engines"
"Ancient Myths of the Sidhe"
"The Way of War" By Sun Tzu.
"Advanced Meditations and Visualization Practises"
"The Book of the Dead" An Egyptian religious text.
"Human Anatomy for First Aid"
"Ninth Krims Textbook on Chemistry"
"Herbs of NorthAm"
"Songs of Clouds" Poetry.
"Latin-German Dictionary"
"Bold Runner" Looks like a comedic novel.

You try to find the future and the past and something in the apartment blocks you.

::Dearest LORD, please cast out any forces of evil near this place, and show me what hinders my sight here, I pray...::

That floor seems to echo more than I might have expected.  Right about... here.

I lift up the rug near the echo...

You feel no push back from the first part of your prayer, and from the second, you see pearl lines of arcing power circling the apartment, and a pale ruby haze throughout the apartment. The pearlescent lines seem to have a fracture point near the door, and you see a glow in your pocket.

Pulling out the keys, one of them, the apartment one, is also glowing, and its revealed to be made of mother of pearl instead of pedestrian steel.

But the ruby haze is what seems to be blocking most sorts of spying inside the apartment.

You feel strange surges in the power coursing through you.

Later, you pull back the rug, and there is a large wooden trapdoor in the floor with an inset iron ring to lift it up.

I pray for guidance as to whether or not it is safe to open the trapdoor.

Then, unless I feel any nudges to the contrary, I proceed to open it...

You open the trapdoor, and look down a steep ladder into a concrete floored chemical laboratory, strike that, model-making facility (you see a model of the city laid out on a table), err alchemical laboratory as you notice the silver pentagram inlaid into the only clear spot on the floor.

Entering you see a smaller collection of books on the wall.

"Uses for Elemental Water."
"The Laws of Magic" This is a very slim volume.
"Practical Demon Banishing" This looks like a folio.
"The Mysterium"
"A Guide to the Nevernever" This also looks like a folio.
"A Fireman's Guide to Reactions of Materials to Extreme Heat" This is the biggest book here.
"Laying of Wards for Protective Shields and Warning"
"The Proper Usage of Potions"
"Alchemistry Throughout History"
"Molly's Workbook" This is also a folio.

Propping them up on their single shelf is a human skull on one side, and an eagle bookend that's seen better days.

In the corner is a gray cloak.

I pray for guidance and wisdom and insight to discern the nature of the items in the trapdoor room, and whether or not the LORD would have me make use of any of them, and then examine each of those items without touching anything.  I carefully avoid stepping on or in the pentagram.

Does the ruby haze extend to this area as well, or only above?
</i>
<i>If not, I try postcognition and precognition in the trapdoor room.

After exploring down below, I come back up, and walk out to the Beetle (locking the apartment door behind me), and get into the driver's seat.

Then I try postcognition and precognition here, to see what stories the Beetle can tell me...

You pray, and it comes to you that its obvious that this other Oak is a mage of some sort. There is, of course, an alchemical or potions aspect to it, you decide as you look at the stainless steel table with the bunsen burners and the glass retorts, and the colored chemical boxes. But from your previous vision, you think he has some sort of magical telekinesis, enough to throw a car, anyways.

You don't sense evil or good from this room. And it occurs to you it might be just a tool. Or not.

You look pastward in the room. Its hard. There's so much power, so many strong impressions. One comes to you.

You see yourself drinking a bottle of vodka, sitting at the table, and reading the laws of magic. Over your Other's shoulder you can read the book.

Upon examining the 'Laws of Magic' you see that there are two laws.
1. Don't mentally influence another by changing their brain.
2. Don't kill by magic except in self-defense.
After that, there are several dozen cases of wizards, often rather young wizards, violating the Laws. And the punishment is the same. Death at the hands of a grey-cloaked Warden of the Council of Wizards.

Its a very harsh book. The youngest executed is a fourteen year old girl who ambushed her abusive father and burnt him with magic, not even killing him.

You see your Other take up the bottle for another drink, and then throw it full force against the wall so that it shatters.

The link to the past is gone.

Upstairs, you head outside and enter the Beetle.

Here, there is no blocking, nor excess of power. Just a lonely street in the wee hours of the morning.

You cast back, and find yourself trapped in a loop. You see yourself get in the car, drive across town with Karrin, and look at the Beetle. Then it starts over again. And again.

It doesn't stop until you hear Karrin's voice.

"Oak, I've heard of guys getting kicked out of apartments, but its your apartment, and you don't have a girlfriend."

Karrin is standing by the open door of the Beetle, and its nearly dawn.

OOC: Hmmmmm.  Perhaps I should rephrase that... :p

I already had an idea of the overall nature of the room.  I am seeking information about the individual items (such as "Molly's workbook seems magical", or "the eagle bookend seems evil", or "the cloak seems to amplify telekinetic abilities"... ;).

Am I able to discern anything specific about any of the individual items?  :)

As I blink up at her, I once again attempt to link to her language center, and to read her surface thoughts.

I rub my eyes, and stretch.

"I was lost in thought.  Good morning, by the way..."

OOC: The human skull is looking at you stealthily, trying to hide.

"I can see how that would happen, visiting a country you're not used too." She crooks a finger. "Come on, I'll drive. I have coffee."

:: (for mental)...Afdgl...the first bit is garbled, and then it comes in clear...I need him awake for this. Sleeping in the car, what's wrong with him?::

You get in the car with her, and she looks more tired than last you saw her.

"You might not think its a good morning soon. You have a case. Try not to embarrass me."

::You get a flash of something deadly and fire-related.::

 Her mind flinches from it.

:: Fifty an hour is painful to the budget, but then I don't ask the other SI to charge |||| with a black staff.::

She puts the light and siren on top of her car, and peels out.

I look at her with weary innocence.

"Have I ever embarrassed you?"

I rub my eyes and stretch again.

"Fill me in..."

She grunts.

"My math grades were not that good to count that high. Although there was the month I spent as a Sergeant."

::His 'butter won't melt in my mouth' look is getting better. SI is a natural embarrassment, and having a consulting wizard is...problematic.::

"We have a single guy, early twenties, we think, barbecued in his own apartment. SI is calling it an explosion from the microwave which caught a rug on fire. But, let's just say he had some real interesting tattoos on his arms, and the rug looks burnt in the shape of a five-pointed star."

::Magic.::

"What do we know about him, other than the tattoos?"

When there is a natural lull in the conversation...

:: Ring.  Mentally relay and summarize current analysis of intercepted radio communications.  Pause if current conversation with this car's driver resumes. ::

I pray for wisdom and guidance and strength to see the LORD's will clearly, and to follow it faithfully.

Then I try to probe her memories to glean information about what I have done in past consulting work for her, especially details about what standard procedures I have used, deliverables I am expected to produce, etc...

"Darrin McClan, social activist by choice, courier by need, and blood donor by desperation. He got a rent-fixed apartment which I'm betting he got by special preference. He's also an on again off again student of the Humanities at Wilson College. Age 28."

She pauses.

"That is, if its him."

::A flash of a badly burned body::

==The Ring fills you in on the interests and concerns of a large metropolitan city which has a semi-functional, semi-corrupt gov't. There are, according to teh Ring, a statistically improbably number of natural gas explosions in conjunction with Special Investigations leader, Karrin Murphy. There is concern about global warming with the regularly cold nights, but the rising temperatures during the day as summer solstice approaches in a month. So far daytime temps are ten degrees above average.

Of specific interest to you are two items...
1. An advertisement on the radio. "Visit Detective and Wizard John Oakmaster at his Wedgley Road Office for help with unusual problems. No love potions. Discretion assured."
2. "Johnny Marcone, notoroious alleged criminal kingpin, released a public statement of 'no comment'. "I refuse to dignify the absurd allegation that John Oakmaster had anything to do with the burning of the Velvet Room. While he and I have our differences, we are professionals in our respective fields."

You look into Murphy's memories.
You're there as a consultant on magical issues, and to offer another brain for solving more mundane ones when you can. On occasion this goes to places where Murphy shoots and you sling fire at something dire. Murphy knows that you keep a lot from her for what you think of as her own good, and she's not sure you're wrong. After all, the things she's already seen have scarred her mind badly already.

During my briefing with the Ring, I query it about the current analysis of the known local and global religious matters, with an eye toward possible significance of the summer solstice, and possible links to the creatures seen in my precognitive vision.

And as I probe Karrin, I keep an eye open for any information that might give me insight about "the funny man", Molly, Johnny Marcone, and Oak's recent activities.

I certainly have a case before me this morning.  But I may also have a far bigger case... like the mystery of my counterpart's disappearance.

And for all I know, everything could all be part of one bigger case...

And so I pray again for strength, and wisdom, and guidance, to see His will clearly, and to follow it faithfully.

OOC: No, I haven't read or watched anything like this before.  But this setting is certainly an interesting one...  :)

==Wiccan practitioners give a good deal of significance to this date if the lecture I am listening in on in Yorkshire is correct. It is the time of fire, and powers of the Light, and the Seelie Court. Unfortunately, there is very little proper online storage so I am limited to analysis of current broadcasts which are limited to 49 in the Windy City area, a very large number of which have to do with sports.==

Your brain search fades, and you feel a warning twinge of pain when you try to restart it. Karrin looks over at you for a second.

The car swoops up to a halt canted into the road, and you see a number of people in night clothes and blankets standing around looking dazed. Two patrol cars are already there, and the yellow tape is out.

A fat but lightfooted guy in a suit jacket and pants comes up to Murphy.

"Murph."

"Randall."

"Went home to get your toy wizard, I see."

"If I don't let him help us, he cries." Murphy says drily.

"Are wizard tears specially good for something magical, Oak?" Randall says with a smirk.

Later, they take you up to the front door with Randall peeling off to bum rush a nosy reporter off with a story about a microwave.

You walk in to the apartment. It smells like cooked meat. A dead man is laying on the floor minus his face. The rug is eerily five pointed in its hole.  His arms are covered with tattoos that make your skin crawl.

Its nothing you recognize, but the malicious intent, the will to dominate and destroy is clear.

I respond to Randall's smirk and query with a good-natured twinkle in my eye, and a slight upward quirk of the right side of my mouth.

"You'd be surprised..."

While waiting to enter the apartment, I pray to the LORD for protection from evil, and for insight as to what has happened here, and for discerning eyes to see any clues and/or anything unusual (mundane or otherwise) and their nature, and for strength and healing and wisdom and guidance.

I also mentally instruct Ring for both it and CU2 to scan the scene closely, and bring any possible clues to my attention by mental communication via Ring.

Upon entering, I'm not certain whether or not I find the carnage or the tattoos more disturbing... but after the initial shock, I firmly decide upon the latter.  However, I keep such reactions to myself, under a silent and grim mask.

Then I examine the crime scene, hopefully with eyes to discern anything unusual, and to investigate the nature of any such items and clues.

And then I pray, and attempt to stretch out my postcognitive senses to discern the events that have taken place here recently...

You feel a power around you that shields you from an oppression hanging in the air as you step in. You look around in the apartment, and see cheap skillets, cans of sauerkraut and sausage, ragged blankets in the closet, a small TV partially melted, and hanging up behind the bathroom door, a very nice tuxedo.

::One of these things is not like the other thing:: The Ring comments. ::Most items are indicative of a low social status, and an inferior aesthetic sense. This item of clothing is not.::

You reach back into the past, and see the man whole, coming in, grinning triumphantly with the tuxedo and a very nice envelope in his hand. He puts up the tuxedo, and leaves for a bit with the envelope. He comes back emptyhanded, and begins to dig in his crisper in the fridge. Behind the corn, he pulls out several books and some supplies.  With that, he flips over his rug to reveal a pentagram sticthed into it, and begins to cast his spells.

Time passes as he continues to work, and redo, and redo his efforts, not getting it right.

Your vision fades from tiredness and time, and Murphy is staring at you expectantly.

I give silent thanks to the LORD, and rub my hand over my face wearily.

"I have not yet seen the critical moment."

My gaze wanders off toward the body, with a far away look in my eye.

"He came in, whole, grinning triumphantly with the tuxedo and a very nice envelope in his hand. He put up the tuxedo, and left for a bit with the envelope. He came back empty-handed, and began to dig in his crisper in the fridge. Behind the corn, he pulled out several books and some supplies. With that, he flipped over his rug to reveal a pentagram stitched into it, and began to cast his spells.  Time passed as he continued to work, and redo, and redo his efforts, not getting it right..."

My voice trails off, before shaking my head, and regarding her again.

"I will need more time to attempt to see more..."

"Can you find the envelope?" Murphy asks as she nods at a patrolman. He steps quickly over to the fridge, and looks in, behind the corn.  The patrolman calls over the evidence bagger, and the two of them pull out several leather books, and some metal containers.

It takes you another five minutes to drop into the trance. And it fails.

After my attempt, I look up at her.

"Nothing further has been revealed to me thus far."

I rub my face wearily.

"Perhaps a different approach..."

I bow my head, and pray for refreshment and restoration, and wisdom and insight.

Then I stretch out my senses, and, asking the LORD to guide me and reveal what remains hidden, seek guidance toward the current location of the envelope.

Afterwards, I try once again to reach back into the past, and see the scene during the actual death...

You feel the LORD by your side as you reach back into the past. This time, you follow the man as he walks out to his car, and puts the envelope into a hidden slot under his car seat. Then dusting his hands, and grinning he come back up, and begins again to do the magic.

This time, you are able to re-watch him do his magics. You realize he is attempting to summon an Imp of Fire under his control.  Leaning on Jesus, you grit your teeth, and hang on to the vision, until you see the Imp, a creature about the size of a garbage can, and formed of fire and smoke, appear in the pentagram.  The sorceror sneezes, and some of the phlegm lands on the pentagram's lines. Suddenly, the creature is through the break and on the sorceror's face.

It then turns and looks at you as the sorceror flails backwards to the rug and dies.

::Catch me if you can, Firecrown.:: It laughs at you.::I will dedicate my next kill to you.::

The vision snaps, not of your will.

Edit: Back in the present moment.  OOC: +@1 to your searching the past for following someone who moved elsewhere.

My attention snaps abruptly back to the present, and I silently give thanks to the LORD for his merciful revelations.

Then I open my eyes, and regard Karrin again.

"Evil here is strong.  But thankfully the LORD God Almighty is stronger."

I rub my face wearily once again.

"He put the envelope into a hidden slot under his car seat."

"Afterward, he managed to summon an Imp of Fire.  But he sneezed, and some phlegm landed upon the lines of the pentagram.  The Imp broke free, and went for his face, and killed him."

Karrin takes you out to find the sorceror's car, and its a beat up Yugo.

"Magicians and their cars." Karrin says with a laugh.

You open it, and fish out the contents of the slit. A .38 revolver, fifty in small bills, and a cream-coloured envelope.

"Your presence is requested at the Windshire Gallery adjacent to the Windy City Civic Center for a public gala. Please present this letter at the front."

The time it gives is eight o'clock tonight. No name of any kind, or RSVP is included.

I read the contents, and then quietly pass it over to Karrin...

She shrugs, and puts it in the evidence bag.

I wait for any further need that Karrin might have of me...

"Any ideas?" She says as you two walk back up to the front of the apartment.

I try to reestablish the link to her surface thoughts, in order to get an idea of what she might be expecting.

For things regarding this particular case seem to be rather open-and-shut, from what I've seen and described.

Unless... we are now going to chase the Imp, and bring him to justice as a murderer?...

::I suppose this falls more into Oak's problem than mine now. We've got our cover story, and this is basically 'death by being stupid'.::

"I might like to find out why he's messing around with demon summoning, and what's with the tux, but its not a high priority. Go to bed, Oak."

OOC: You've got a point.

"Sounds nice.  Does this mean that I've earned my ride home?"

I listen to her response, and ponder.

"I also wonder about this demon summoning.  Are you interested enough that I should try to check out this event that he was invited to, and/or more closely examine the tux?"

When there is a sufficient natural lull in the conversation (perhaps while she is driving?), I pray for strength and guidance, and again attempt to probe her, keeping an eye open for any information about Oak's recent activities, as well as "the funny man", Molly, Johnny Marcone, and any other cases related to demons...

"Yeah, but only cause taxis are hard to find at this hour. Oh. You're the PI. Bill us."
::I'll find a way to stick it in the budget.::

::This is the stuff he doesn't tell me about, mostly.::

"Yeah, find out about the envelope...tell me who's inviting sorcerors to parties."

::"I'm off to take a short vacation, Murph." Your dop says.
"Wow, a vacation. I didn't know you knew how to do that."
"Well, its hard, but I need to go on this..."
"Anything to do with Ramirez and your visit to Arizona?"
"No, don't think so. And you're not supposed to know about Ramirez."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
"what's really going on?"
"Its problematic, but I think I can get a different pov on things and that may resolve the problem better than my futile efforts."
"Wow, you really do sound depressed."
"Maybe I need to call in some outside help."
"Nah, you're beyond help."
"Probably."

There is something odd about that conversation.

"Does that mean you want me to keep the invitation?"

If she wishes, I'll attempt to do some prayer and postcognition on the invitation and the tux.  Also if she wishes, I'll take the invitation with me.

When probing, I continue to seek information on "the funny man", Molly, Johnny Marcone, and any other cases related to demons...

She thinks about the invitation. On the one hand, its evidence, and giving it to you means its now worthless. OTOH, you can probably do more with it than she can. She gives it to you.

You try to do postcognition and you find yourself walking in a mist of perfume, lilacs and something else. You pray over it, and you receive a definite sense of some answer is out there.

You've gotten info on your dop's last visit with her.  On Molly...

"She's energetic." Murphy says.
"Yeah, well, when I was twenty I could party all night and work all day too." Your dop grouses.
"I don't understand why you didn't want her with us. You know learn by example."
You're on some sort of stakeout with Murph.
Sigh.
"Her last boyfriend was a druggie. He's not anymore."
"Oh?"
"She...fixed...him."
"And thats a major no-no, isn't it?"
"Look, Murph, you're afraid of spiders. I could change that about you. All I'd have to do is reach inside your soul, and rip it a little bit. And I'd have to believe I was right to do that in order to do the magic."
"Ah."
"Yeah."

And you're at home.

OOC: BTW, in what way(s) did the conversation my dop had with Karrin seem "odd"?

After entering the apartment, I give whatever loving attention Mouse and Mister may be needing, and get some breakfast for myself.

Then I take some time for Bible reading, and a quiet time in prayer.

And then I pray for wisdom and insight into the nature of the skull downstairs, and whoever (or whatever) is watching me from it, whether directly or indirectly...

OOC: Mine to know, yours to figure out. :)

Mister wants back inside, and she has a smug look about her. She flops down and promptly goes to sleep. Mouse takes his food and drink, and a walk up to a neighborhood park where he runs at a full-tilt sprint around the park at a terrific pace. He then pads back up to you, and leads you back to the apartment.

You pray about the skull, and realize that you felt there was indeed something in it. It did not feel explicitly malignant as a demon would.

I pray further, seeking more insight into the Watcher in the Skull.  Could it be one of Oak's enemies?  Could it be one of Oak's allies or colleagues?  Could it be Oak himself?

Afterwards, I stretch, and take a sip of water, and walk around the apartment a bit.

Then I pray once again, and attempt to use postcognition on the invitation, trying to gain insight into those who handed it over to the deceased...

You pray for insight into the Watcher In the Skull, and suddenly you hear a voice in your head.

::I really wish you would stop doing that. By the way, my name is Roberto De Vallez Orichondo Et Mercurio...but I won't give you my whole true name. You can call me Bob.::

You have some insight now.

==========

You are rapidly reminded that the apartment is shielded against post and precognition.

But outside the ruby haze, you run into the lilac mists again. This time you recognize it as a mental barrier. Someone with considerable mental skill does not want other people spying on her.

:: Well met, Bob.  You can call me John.  What brings you here? ::

::I died a few centuries ago, and you got me from your 'mentor' Justin, what a scumbag, and stuck me on your shelf.:: He sounds exasperated and self-pitying. :: Now, I'm not sure why you're trying to probe me with magic, and I'm real annoyed that you've gotten behind in your supplying me with romance novels to read. You do know how boring it is to be a skull, right? Did someone blow some circuits in your head? Remember our deal?::

:: Sorry, my knowledge of things past is suffering a few gaps right now, and this old mind and memory aren't what they used to be.  Could you please fill me in? ::

OOC: Am I able to sense whether or not the entity I'm conversing with is being truthful or not?  Am I able to read surface thoughts, or to probe?

::Well, I am your friendly adviser Bob who you ask to find terrible secrets, reveal minutia of arcane lore,and assist you in magics so unsafe and crazy that Bedlam fears you. In return for this, you don't tell anyone else about me, and you keep me well-supplied with romance novels. If this deal, in your newly reconfigured state of mind strikes you as unfair, imagine how I feel. I have to risk blowing my circuits, and sending my immortal soul to meet my Creator when due to some tiny indiscretions in my youth in the sixteenth century, I am not entirely certain He would be happy to see me just so you can find out yet another dire threat to the City, the World, and the Fabric of Reality as we know it, or just to friends of yours. Of which I number, which is why I put up with this garbage, but where, oh, where are my romance novels?!::

OOC: That's an MJ question. This is a human spirit bound by magic to a skull. He seems fairly truthful to your intuition.

:: I'm sorry, Bob.  I do think that is a fair deal, and I'll try to get you something to read right away -- today, if at all possible. ::

:: Could you please help me fill in a few more memory gaps?  What has been happening lately?  What is the current situation around here?  What things have I been working on lately?  What have I asked you about? ::

::You would. Do you think you can come downstairs so we can talk face to skull? I want you to remember this moment. Sometime in the 26th Century you're going to be sitting on some wizard's desk complaining about how he treats you, and remember back with shame. Oh, how I mistreated Bob.:: His woeful tone changes to snappish. :: Or not. You'll probably get blown into so many tiny pieces they'll have to get an air filter to gather you up.::

::The trashier the better, please.::

There is a long pause after your last set of questions.

::Hmm. I seem to have some memory gaps myself. Specifically, the whole last month. And from the damage field, it looks voluntary, as if I agreed to this. What does this mean?::

:: Hmmmm.  It would seem that recent gaps are there for some purpose... ::

:: What was the situation when you last remember?  What had I been working on, and/or asking you about? ::

I move downstairs as we converse mentally, so we may do so face to skull.

And after he responds...

:: Let me see if there is anything that can be done to shed light on more recent events... ::

I pray for wisdom and discernment, and attempt to focus my postcognitive senses upon the skull, looking back over the period where the memory gap is...

I'm guessing the question is whether Oak can use mind reading to read the mind of a human spirit connected to a skull.

Multiverser is intentionally vague about the distinctions between mind and brain, and for this reason.  If the creature can think, it has a mind that can be read, even if it doesn't have an organic brain.  Therefore the answer is yes, Oak can use mindreading skills on it.  Detecting truth and lies can be based on other aspects, and so someone would have to be clear exactly how that particular skill works (obviously a skill which works by monitoring changes in body function is not going to work on the skull), but if all Oak wants to do is see whether the thing is thinking one thing while saying another, that's simple enough.

The other question is whether the target mind is human.  I'm assuming that it is, and that Oak has contacted it with a form of Telepathy to Humans.  However, telepathy to humanoids and telepathy to aliens exist so that those skills can work without penalty, and reading the mind of a humanoid or alien takes appropriate penalties (see level one psionics; I'm not sure off the top of my head, don't want to misquote, and don't want to crash my computer yet again by opening the PDF of the rules--not sure where my printed copy is at the moment, but I think half of it fell behind the shelves here).

If that's not the question, please clarify.

--M. J. Young

OOC: That is the question, and thanks MJ.

You can read Bob's mind.

'tiny indiscretions' comes out as ::stupid, but fun bits of Black Magic::

He seems to be telling you the truth, if not perhaps all the truth.

Down you go into the working room, and you see the skull with its eyes glowing orange.

"Well, you were going on a date with Sarah. Up to the top of Hardison Tower. You were telling me to shut up about my advice on how to kiss a girl. And then you left. Working on...well, we'd just finished dealing with the murders on LSD, and the several forms of werewolves you met. You were trying to track down with a detection spell this lady's purse as it was a slow week, and cash is cash."

You reach out your post-cognitive senses, and are suddenly gripped by such a powerful vision that you black out. Upon waking, all you can remember is fire and the phrase 'the ladies three give the weird' and 'ok.' after it.

I pray earnestly for the LORD's healing and refreshing, and protection and strength to perceive and discern what has taken place during the period of memory gap.

Then I attempt once again to stretch my postcognitive senses toward the skull, and the time of unknown events...

Surrounded by shining light, and filled to the brim with power, you step, so it seems into the past. Immediately, you are assailed by winds, black and obscuring, which drive you to your knees. Praying, you rise to your feet, and trek onward.

A flicker of light, and you see the Windy City whole until a trumpet blows.

The winds change direction suddenly, and you fall into a hole in the ground that they drive you into.

There's another flicker of light, and you hear a tear-strained female voice backed up by fire engine sirens.

"KBNU News. So, far, the police are estimating twenty thousand dead from the terror..."

The winds are circling the top of your twenty foot pit and dumping black rocks into it as if to bury you.

As these events unfold, my mind fastens onto the following passage of Holy Scripture...


:: Dearest LORD, there are evil forces against me, but I know that you are with me, and that you have brought me here, and that you have the power to overcome.  Help me now to do your will, in spite of any opposition, to your glory alone.  I pray in Jesus' Name...  Amen. ::

And with that, I attempt to teleport out of the pit, at a safe distance from the rocks.

If unsuccessful, I then attempt to telekinetically lift myself out of the pit...

Your spirit calm, and buoyed by the Presence, you 'teleport'. Its not actually teleportation you know as this is some sort of vision.

Clear of the pit, the wind dies.

The day turns sparkling and cloudless blue.

A strawberry blonde girl in a ragged jean jacket and jeans with a tie-dyed t-shirt walks over the top of the green hill in front of you.  She has a notepad in her hand.

"Give me my secret, cutie, and I'll let you by."

I pray to the LORD for wisdom and discernment and protection, that I would know how He would have me interact with this presence in my vision.

IF He leads me toward interacting (rather than ignoring, or attacking, or fleeing), then I attempt to read her surface thoughts, while saying "What is your name?  And what brings you here?"

Interaction.

She has no surface thoughts.

"Wrong answer. And supposedly you set me here.  If you want to go forward, then enter the Butcher's Shoppe on Halston. And take the door on the right in the back."

She vanishes, and you're back out of your vision with a nasty surge.

I blink, and shake my head, and mentally share my vision with Bob.

:: What are your impressions?  Do you have any insight, or suggestions for how to answer such a question, if I encounter her again?  And do you think I should proceed with the Butcher's Shoppe? ::

"Um."

::He doesn't recognize Sarah?! That could be the mind memory thing. What's going on? I mean, its Black Magic to wipe my memories like he did, and then he must have done it to himself.::

"Find the girl."

"I honestly don't know. I know thats a door to the Nevernever."

::Just what is going on? Is that a trap?::

"What is the Nevernever?"

"Um." Bob the Talking Skull seems to be rendered speechless.

::WHAT is going on? A. Oak's majorly blown his mind on faerie dust. B. This is not Oak, and therefore is something nasty that probably would like to munch on tasty spirit and knows enough magic to get through Oak's wards, and brazen enough to risk the Threshold.  Bad, bad news for Bob. (A long string of curse words follows.)

An extremely calm and polite Bob speaks up.

"Its the over reality, the land of everything that does not quite fit into normal reality."

::And even a mage with a tenth of Oak's talent knows what the NeverNever is.::

My own natural instincts are to level with Bob, and tell him who and what I am, and how I came to be here.

But I remember the LORD's prompting for me not to tell Karrin.

So I pray silently for the LORD's leading now, seeking insight as to whether or not it is of Him for me to speak of such matters with Bob...

Not yet is the clear impression.

"I don't recall hearing that term before."

My brow furrows.

"Well, Bob, this seems like a worthy case, even if we ourselves are the clients.  For this mystery, we have three questions to be answered."

"One, what memories have been deleted?"

"Two, how did we come to be in this situation?"

"And three, who did it?"

I regard him quietly.

"Any ideas?"

"Perhaps a fourth question: Why was it done?" Bob says. "As far as I'm aware the only people that have come in here are the Wizard John Oakmaster, myself, and Molly.  I am uncertain if Molly has the power to do this, she might, but the skill to do it, without damaging me, again perhaps as she is more of a light touch than you. But to  convince me to volunteer for her to do so, highly doubtful. Which leads me to the conclusion that I and the Wizard did it to ourselves which is Black Magic, of a sorta grey kind."

He pauses and you can read his mind that he's not holding anything back although he is prepared to fight you in a wizard's duel if you try to jump him.

"I am uncertain of what you have lost, but I have lost everything of the last month except for the last three days."

He pauses.

"I believe I have answered your questions."

::Well, Ramirez...nah, the funny guy is clever, but not that powerful to break a Threshold, and still bespell me. Merlin, that old stick, wouldn't bother. Ancient Mai, well she could, and if she has, oh boy, we're so dead. And Oakmaster's old nemesis, oh, he'd love to do this to Oak and me. Probably buy himself a fancy bottle of Dom after he executed us both with his Warden's Sword. Not sure he's got the juice. Of course, Oak has made a LOT of enemies, demigods, demons, White Court, Red Court, Black Court vamps, Sidhe queens, necromancers...its really surprising he's still alive, that is if he is, and this person in here is him. First rule, survive. Second rule, think about helping Oak out.::

I pray silently, seeking the LORD's leading as to whether or not I should enter the Butcher's Shoppe on Halston, and take the door on the right in the back...

You pray, and you realize there are a number of things you could do....

1. Track down that Imp who promised to murder someone in your honor.
2. Track down who Sarah is.
3. Get ready for the party tonight.
4. Check out Johnny Marcone.
5. Wait for Molly to show up.
6. Get breakfast, or perhaps lunch.
7. Research the NeverNever, particularly in the folio in Wizard Oak's collection.
8. Try to blast past the image of Sarah with raw power.
9. Since Marcone is denying you burned down the Velvet Room in a somewhat unconvincing manner, investigate this.
10. You now know Ramirez is the funny man...
11.Go visit the Butcher Shoppe and try the door.
12. Ask the Ring for data.
13. Research why most of your dreams of the future show up with 'Fire' or 'FIRE'.
14. Other possibilities...

Indeed I do realize possibilities such as these.

However, I am acutely aware that:

(*) the LORD has brought me here for His good purposes
(*) I don't know what those purposes are yet
(*) I don't know a whole lot of other things yet either
(*) my own wisdom, randomly flailing around, won't be as effective as His leading, if I can discern it
(*) my own instincts thus far (tell Karrin about me, tell Bob about me, don't necessarily engage with the girl in the vision) have not thus far proven reliable here, since He has led me to act contrary to my own instincts

My own current instincts would be:
(*) tell Bob about me
(*) try to blast past the image of Sarah with raw power (dealing with things via the LORD's power and playing to my strengths, rather than dealing with things by Sarah's rules or anyone else's and playing to their strengths)

However, I already know it isn't time yet to tell Bob, so I'm also unsure if blasting past the image is what the LORD has in mind for me.

Therefore, I seek His leading in prayer, so that I would have insight into which of the many possibilities He would have me prioritize...

OOC: I'm aware that such an approach might short-circuit the scenario, so I won't be offended if you don't want to provide such leading.  But in character, seeking His leading is what I would do...  :)

OOC: I should not complain too much. Its a wonderful hook, and allows me to impose odd restrictions. And I have an answer for you, which even if it turns out to be apparently wrong, I'll put it down to the mysterious purposes of God aka if you are not smart enough to figure out how to outthink a superintelligence, then how would you be able to outplan God who is vastly smarter than a Starsongian 'mad god', or an Avalonian superintelligence.

You feel God leading you to what your player had decided for you to do. (I hope that's not too disrespectful. I don't think it is.)

So you you are barred from telling others of your true identity, you dig deep and go after the image of Sarah in a postcognitive trance.

This time, she appears right away.

And you assault the way with force and diligence until you begin to drive her back.

"Oak, please, stop, Oak!" You hear Bob's panicked voice from mundane reality. "My skull is beginning to crack."

"Heads you lose, tails I win." the Sarah image says.

I pause quietly within the vision.

"Why do you seek to hinder me?  Are our paths irreconcilably opposed?"

"I was set here by the Wizard Oak for his purposes which he did not tell me. You may yield, or give me my secret and I will let you pass, or destroy Bob."

Bob appears in the vision.

"Ah, I really don't like the plan that involves me getting smushed. As I trust Oak, I have to assume he had a good reason as he would see it to kill me. He'd better have a good reason. You'd better have had a good reason, because I'm thinking about killing you myself."

"Hmmm.  So I'm supposed to avoid the plan where you get smushed, so that you can kill me instead.  Well, I guess that's what friends are for.  But is it likely you would be in your current state if you hadn't agreed to it?"

I sigh, and turn back to Sarah.

"There must be a good reason why you were set here.  So I will cease my current efforts.  Have you any advice or wisdom to offer me?"

After the vision ends, I ask Bob if he is OK, and try to mend or heal him if necessary.

Then I go upstairs, and pray, seeking any glimpses of superintelligent insight that the remnants of the supertech in my brain may be able to provide...

"No, as I said, the signs in my brain show that it was voluntary. There'd be more damage if I was forced to it." Bob says. "And don't forget teh romance novels."

"Find my secret, or go to the Butcher Shoppe or cease seeking this way." The Image of Sarah says as the vision ends.

"No, just give me time. I know the magics to heal myself. Your necromancy is a bit subpar." Bob says.

You seek insight, and you have suddenly a flicker. Sarah on Hardison Tower...you were to meet her. On a date. The last thing that Bob remembered before his amnesia began. Its likely that somewhere around here is information on her phone number or address.

You flip through some papers, and eventually find written in the back of the telephone book a name 'Sarah Maxwell' with a phone number.

The front door opens, and a pony-tailed girl comes bouncing in.

"Good to have you back, boss."

I smile and give a welcoming nod, even as I attempt to tap into her surface thoughts and language center.

"Thank you very much.  What has been happening around here lately?"

"Well," She frowns crossly. "I've managed to get four of the beads on my bracelet to stand up."

::You get a flash of her furiously concentrating, and cursing your name, and then going back to concentrating.::

She holds out a bracelet made of copper wire and fifteen black beads. She frowns again, this time in concentration. And three of the beads go to the top and pull up into the air.

::Up. Up.::

"I don't see why I have to do this before I can help you." She pouts. And then brightens up as Mouse comes charging in.

::He's as bad as Dad with this 'little grasshopper' garbage. I should call Dad, see if I can schedule some sparring with longswords. Get the kinks out of my back, and let me blow off steam.::

"Been feeding the Voracious Appetite." She says as she go gets his and Mister's food. "And," Calling out a bit louder from the kitchenette. "I did the research you wanted me to do on Mrs. O'Leary and the Great Windy City Fire. Turns out Mrs. O'Leary was on the Wizard's Council at the time. She dissappeared twenty years later. Could be still alive. Would be in her second or third century by now, I guess."

::Should have remembered to get O'Leary's exact age.::

"OK, well done with the research.  Thanks."

"Now I need you to write up complete briefings on every case I've been involved with for the past two months, and the sooner the better.  I'll need them quickly to get an out-of-town consultant up to speed, so don't assume they have any local knowledge.  Start with the most recent ones first, and give each one to me as soon as it is ready.  How fast do you think that can you have them ready?"

I smile.

"Not only will that be useful to me, but it will also help you learn how best to help me.  The more complete your grasp on these things, the better."

"Oh, and keep at the beads.  Among other things, you will need control, and discipline, and perseverance to progress."

OOC: I need clarification...

quote:

You feel God leading you to what your player had decided for you to do. (I hope that's not too disrespectful. I don't think it is.)

So you you are barred from telling others of your true identity, you dig deep and go after the image of Sarah in a postcognitive trance.

I wasn't certain how to parse the typo.  Am I barred from telling others of my true identity, or not barred?  :o

OOC: You are barred. Now why would that be?

She blinks.

"Um, okay, I can do that. Of course, I wasn't that involved with some of the stuff, but what I have I can get for you." She thinks. "Two days, okay?"

::He kept me out of a lot of things, and made me stay home a lot. But I'll start with that renegade magician, then the LSD murders, then helping him build his city model. Need to get out some notepaper."

She finished up.

"Now that I've got my assignment for the next bit, is there anything else you want me to do?" She says as she heads to the door to leave.

::New Magic Spell. New Magic Spell.::

OOC: GM Whim, no doubt...  :p

"OK.  Whatever you finish sooner, give to me first."

"Oh, please get O'Leary's exact age for me as well."

I give a friendly nod.

"Keep working at the beads.  When building a building, you need a firm foundation."

After she departs, I pray, asking the LORD to reveal what has happened to my dop, or some insight to help me discern this mystery...

OOC: A bit of that. :) But there is an in-game reason beyond that.

You pray, and you get an image that seems to require poetry to understand. A snowstorm hurricane covering the Midwest, and in the eye of the hurricane, your dop rests. When you seek more information, you're suddenly aware that the hurricane is aware of you. And the vision breaks, no, that's too violent a word, the vision ceases, as if a newborn baby had a toy gently removed from its grasp. You're not sure what that hurricane was, or what it represented, but it had power that dwarfed what you've received as a man does a baby.

I scan through the "Songs of Clouds" Poetry book to see if there are any relevant references to my vision of the dop resting in the eye of a snowstorm hurricane.

After that, I go downstairs to the gray cloak, and gently lay hands upon it.

Then I pray, and reach out with my postcognitive senses toward the cloak.

And then I pray again, and attempt to telepathically contact my dop, using the clock as a link between us...

Winter Queen

In the snow
I stood quiet
Sitting soft on the drift
As my lady walked
Toward, ever toward
Me she stepped over
The snow, Between the
Flakes
Dream of regal grace
My Winter Queen
Surrounded by her storm

That's the closest you find.

You reach back into the past.

You're standing in a circle. The man who tried to kill you in your dream is across from you. To your right is a Native American man in a grey cloak. To your left is an All-American Girl, also in a cloak. All those in the circle have one.

In the middle, is a Korean guy spitting out blasphemies and insults as he is forced to kneel on the stones.

Your enemy looks at you with a cold smile.

"Warden, you brought him in." He pauses. "However, you're without a sword. Let me handle this for you." He draws his silver sword and a strong voice cries...

"For the crime of Black Magic, the Wizard's Council sentences..."

The vision fades.

You pray, and suddenly you're very cold, and nothing else happens.

I emerge with a thoughtful expression, and ponder.

Then I move to the eagle bookend, and pray, and stretch my postcognitive senses toward it.

And after, I do the same with the shelf upon which the skull resides...

You see a vision of a different room, a ratty apartment. You see something with too many arms come crashing through the wall, followed by a vision of loveliness almost too beautiful to bear.

"Wizard, you should have known an apartment has little Threshold." The lady says with a cute smile as she raises a kukri knife to slice you open.

You see your other, in deep fear, reach up and smash one of the eagle bookends. And the
All-American Girl steps in from the kitchen.

"Ms. Raith, this is America, not the Old World, and nobody cares how noble a vampiric bloodline you bear."

The thing takes AAG's lightning bolt by diving in front of the vampiress who flees before the wrath of a Warden. The thing turns into slime.

"Called from the NeverNever, young man. Oak, right? Well, accept Martha's advice, get a long-term lease or a house, and ward it properly."

You catch a vision of your dop banging his thumb hard with a hammer as he tries to put up the shelf.

The vision ends, and you're a bit shaky with all the psi work you've been doing, and your stomach rumbles as well. It's lunchtime, and you had coffee for breakfast.

OOC: Nah, I don't do coffee, and I don't skip breakfast.  But I'm about ready for some lunch anyway...  :)

I sigh, and stretch, and make my way upstairs for lunch.  And as I eat...

"Ring & CU2.  Please update me with current analysis results..."

After lunch, I look around the apartment for information regarding nearby libraries and/or bookstores, and for any cash, credit cards, IDs, library cards, etc...

OOC: Ok. But Karrin had offered you coffee, so evidently your dop does do java.

The food is mac and cheese, ham slices for sandwich bread, and the like.  There is no microwave so you're left fiddling with the antique gas stove.

"A high pressure cell with an inversion layer is causing the unseasonable warmth in the day, while allowing the normal temperatures at night. Uncertain about their theories as they seem to have logic errors inside them.

Also, three recent fires which is statistically anomalous we gather. One is at the corner of Oak St. and Maestro Blvd..

Also, the leaderof the nation-state of Suzari has threatened that Vespucia 'will burn in the fire she has given others'.

Also, Reverend John Fredericks is currently preaching a sermon on the radio entitled. 'Why the world will end in fire in thirty days.'

Our analysis suggests an unusual for human, and unusual for this culture, preoccupation with 'fire' and 'apocalypse'."

"Play sermon from beginning."  And I listen while eating...

After lunch, I look in the apartment for info on libraries and bookstores nearby, and for my dop's IDs, library cards, cash, credit cards, etc...

You listen to the Reverend who pounds, shouts, and condemns with enthusiasm the excesses of the wicked, and the corruption of the government in the Windy City, and the apathy of the people.

"And the Lord has revealed to me, my children, he has revealed to me his faithful servant, and me alone, that on the Summer Solstice the demon Azarael will be released from the Pit, and all who are not brought into Holy Communion will be erased in fire! Come to me, my children, and I will show you the path to life everlasting."

You find a wallet.
Inside it are two hundred marks in various denominations, the largest a single fifty. A wrapped up piece of paper with a single phone number on it in a feminine hand, and some lipstick in a kiss. Another more recent piece of paper.

"Wizards don't use credit cards." Says the paper.

There is a driver's license, and you see that you were born on the same day as your other, although his full name is 'John Houdini Copperfield Oakmaster'.  Looking at the picture is close to looking at yourself, although there is a harder, more dangerous look about your other. He looks like a man it would not be wise to mug in a dark alley.

You see a Windy City Public Library Card.

There's a bar tab for McConnelly's.

Around the apartment you find an add for McKay's Used Books, and another one for the Book Emporium, and one for Dark Forces (Books with Danger) says the subtitle. In the blue pages you find about two dozen more bookstores, although the blue pages drop open from use to 'Wizards', and you're the only one listed in teh blue pages.

OOC: Is the "Wizards don't use credit cards" paper in my handwriting?

I ponder that particular piece of paper thoughtfully, as well as the tidings from the sermon.

"What are the locations of the other fires, besides the one at Oak St. and Maestro Blvd.?"

Those street names can't be just a coincidence...

Then I pray for wisdom, and refreshment, and guidance.  And I attempt (downstairs, if necessary) to stretch my telepathic senses toward Reverend John Fredericks, to probe his thoughts, and determine how genuine he is, and how genuine his revelation story is...

OOC: Yes.

"Wedgley and Martins. LSD." The Ring replies.

You pray, and suddenly you remember the Imp of Fire promising to dedicate its next murder to you. And you know what started the fire at Oak and Maestro.

You reach out to the Reverend's thoughts, and you feel a rising pulse of energy inside you building, soaring out of control, and then it halts as you feel help. You've contacted the Reverend's mind.

"Joe, I know you want to do what God wants, to be saved from the wrath to come. Well, Communion of the Saints means Communion. We share and share alike. There is no marriage in the fellowship. Your wife, Kimberly, will be loved and shared amongst the others of the congregation,a nd spiritually counselled by the deacons and by me, of course."

"But, really...."

"Son! Have you looked outside? Felt the heat? Had the dreams of fire? You KNOW what's coming don't you? Do you want yourself, and your lovely wife and children to be saved?"

"I-I guess so sir."

OOC: Man who tried to kill me in my dream???  What man?  What dream?  :o

-=-


"CU2, what is the local date and time?"

After lunch, I pray, and ask for the LORD's healing and discernment, and attempt to probe my own thoughts, seeking the forgotten details of the powerful vision I experienced.

Then I head down to chat with Bob again.

"I'm trying to mentally round up possible suspects for the memory misplacer, but I'm not certain I know all the possible angles."

"What enemies do you remember either or both of us having?  And which ones do you think are the most likely suspects?  Please give me a synopsis..."

You remember back to your first vision of the future. There had been a man in it with a sword trying to cut off your head in a fight with you. Now from this second vision, you recognize the sword as a Warden's sword. Evidently, you're a Warden as well, but you don't have a sword for some reason.

CU2 gives you the date of May 21, or thirty days till the Summer Solstice, of 2010, and a time of 12:30 in the afternoon. The outside temp is 96 Fahrenheit.

You pray.

And you remember a pastor talking...some times we have to start with milk, can't handle the tough stuff right off. After we get tougher, more wise, more knowledgeable, more trusting...well then God sends us the hard cases.

Bob giggles and then gets himself under control.

"Oak, you've made so many enemies. The most logical suspect though is ourselves. Somehow we saw somethng we thought it better to forget. And while you have a lot of enemies, and I have a fair number of them, only Molly, Ramirez, and you know about me being in your service. If you want to know who or more importantly what is your enemy in the preternatural world, you might better start with what or who is NOT your enemy. Of course, by now, a lot of them are rather cautious about messing with you, considering what tends to happen to those who attack you."

I consider his words thoughtfully.

"Please summarize all you remember about Molly and about Ramirez..."

Molly is your apprentice. She is twenty, blonde-haired, perky. She is the daughter of your friend, Matthew Schmidt.  She tried to 'fix' her druggie boyfriend with Black Magic, and ended up turning him solidly nuts so he spends his days confined in an asylum. For that, she was going to be executed, but you stepped in, and took her on. Of course, if she strays again, then not only is she executed, but you this time. She's got a more subtle touch with magic than you do, but then most people do.  She does have greater skill with empathic magics.

Ramirez is the hotshot Warden, a young twenty-five year old, the youngest Warden in over ninety years. He's good with knives, and electrical magics. He's got a strong sense of humor, and he tends to have a large number of stories about his successes with the ladies.  He usually works the Southwest.  He's not as powerful as you are, but he might well become so.

Bob considers it possible, but unlikely that either could have forced him to amnesia, and with doing the amount of damage, he thinks it rather unlikely.  You could have forced him too, especially with the bond between skull and owner, but he thinks it unlikely you could do it with such minimum damage against his will. You're not exactly known for your light touch with the magic.  If you had your skill and Molly's skill together, you could. Or, as he thinks, it was voluntary.

I monitor his thoughts as he summarizes, probing for faces to match with the names.

Does Ramirez look familiar?

IF he doesn't match the man who tried to slice off my head in the vision...

"OK, here is another question.  Do you recognize this guy?"

And I telepathically share a still image of the man in my vision...

And after his response...

"What about Sarah?  What skills are her strengths?"

You've already met Molly, and she matches. No, Ramirez does not seem to be familiar.

"Ah, your nemesis and general pain in the neck. The Warden Morgan. He's a genuine tough guy, and unlike yours truly, he believes that you are just one step from turning to the Black Side, embracing your evil destiny, trashing the planet, and so forth. So to be on the safe side, the Wizard's Council should kill you now, rather than after you've opened the Gates of ||||. He's had you up on charges twice, and tried to trick you into making a lethal mistake that would have been Black Magic at least once just to get you in to trouble so he could legally execute you. You've never let him down here on sound principle."

::When did he learn to master the Inner Power?::

"As to Sarah, a far nicer person. She's Aquisitions Director for the Windy City Metro Museum. She had a certain statue come to life, and try to eat her. You disposed of it. Now she has you check out some of her incoming for 'bad mojo' as she calls it. No real power, except you say 'she has a streak of luck a mile wide'. And you've been dating her on and off for the last six months. I've never met her which is highly unfortunate as you nver show a pretty girl, except for Molly to me. Its been literally centuries since I've been on a date."

I take his information in thoughtfully.

"What do you remember about Johnny Marcone?"

"He's a criminal kingpin."

"Do you remember if he has crossed paths with the likes of us?"

After listening to his response about Johnny Marcone, I then project still images of the dark haired man with the staff... and then the very small Oriental woman... and then the hideous humanoid black shapes... and then the large fly.  After each one, I pause to hear what Bob knows about the subject, before moving on to the next one...

"Well you burned down the Velvet Room."

"Matthew Schmidt."

"Oh, my, oh....that's Ancient Mai. She's serious trouble. Wizard's Council member since 1170."

"White Court Vampires in full unshrouded form."

"Pixie. You said they called you the Pizza Lord."

"Do you remember why the Velvet Room was burned down?"

"Do you remember if Ancient Mai, or White Court Vampires, or Pixies, have crossed paths with the likes of us?"

"Well, I assumed you used your blasting rod. It was something to do with Molly, and her friend Liselle. You said and I quote. 'Mr. Marcone needs to be reminded of a few facts.' We didn't discuss it more after that, but you seem satisfied."

Bob pauses.

"I met Ancient Mai back when I was still in my body. Being non-suicidal, I was very respectful, and answered her one question promptly and truthfully. But while you have met them, they have not met 'us'. Which is how I prefer it, being afraid of the first two, and annoyed at the last. Pizza Lord, indeed."

"Do you remember anything about any history they may have with the likes of me?"

"Not really." Bob pauses. "I need to rest."

You find one map of the city. Its a full scale metropolis map covering a fifteen square mile area.

The model has no words on it, and the only numbers appear to be some very large numbers if they are to scale (at least three stories tall), and another place near downtown with a big '1' in front of it.

Your office is easily found from the advertisement in the blue pages. Its on South Wedgley Street. Add in the map, and it looks like two miles away, roughly.

The library is the other direction, north to Loyola Street, in the downtown area, about a mile.

Edit: Hardison Tower is two hundred yards north of the Library on Hardison and Oak Street.

Edit: OOC: In my home town, we have a network of numeral streets and tree streets, so yes, we have Oak Street.

The first is Lauvier Park, and the second is close to the center of downtown.

I nod sympathetically.

"OK.  You've earned it... and more.  In fact, I'm headed out to the library now."

I stand up, and glance over toward the model.

"Oh, last question for now.  Do you remember why those locations are numbered?"

"Um..." Yawn. "This materializing my voice ain't that easy. Some idiot artist and First Club where PYT's hang out."

OOC: What surface thoughts (if any) accompany this conversation?

"OK, thanks.  Get some rest..."

I spend several moments more examining the model, while at the same time gathering any additional telepathic information I can on these subjects from Bob.

Then I check on any last needs of Mouse and Mister, gather the wallet and keys and map, and head for the library.

Once there, I first look for a few George MacDonald historical romances.  What they lack in trash, they will hopefully make up for in spiritual feeding.  Bob's soul is one of my many concerns in this troubled universe.

Then I pray for wisdom and guidance, and I go over to the recent newspapers, and I skim the major articles from the last month (covering the period of Bob's memory gap), to see if there is anything interesting that jumps out at me...

Despite the tiredness, you find yourself running into a solid wall in looking at Bob's thoughts.

Mouse barks and it sounds kinda let 'get moving'. Mister wants out to deal with another usurper.

Its a 'hammer on the head' really hot sort of day. A helpful librarian gets you a cup of water, and shows you the system, which is not Dewey, but similar. You find only three GMcD books as the rest are checked out.

Newspapers....
1. A statistical plot that shows steadily rising number of fires along with a plea for more money for firefighters.
2. A vicious editorial by Howard Dodd that slams SI, Lt. Karrin Murphy, and without using your name, but using your services as one more reason to slam SI.
3. An alleged group of serial killers who used dogs to rend their victims died in a rogue wave on a boat on the Great Lake.
4. A highly unusual 4.2 earthquake, preceded by boiling water in the GL.
5. Pressures to form an expanded Arson Task Force which the Police Chief is resisting.
6. Marcone linked to a murder execution of Tong gunmen.
7. The upcoming O'Leary Festival with the Shakespearan plays attached.

OOC: Ouch.  The reason I shared the images with Bob telepathically is because we originally made contact telepathically, and conversed telepathically, when I was probing the skull from upstairs.  Was the mental projection of images something significantly different enough to trigger his defenses?
</i>
<i>BTW, when I first arrived, I clairvoyantly saw someone reading a newspaper about the Velvet Room burning down, and it was dated October 1988.  But it is now May 2010?  Am I confused, or was that a typo retcon?  :o

You don't know why his defenses are up.

Oops. Its 1988. But its May.

OOC: So each date had a different typo?  ROFL!  :p
</i>
<i>I'm sad about Bob's Brick Wall, though...  :(

Encouraged by the newspaper tidbits gleaned from the missing month, I proceed to also look over the newspapers from the month leading up to the memory gap as well, to see if I can spot any clues in what circumstances led up to the memory gap situation...

Dodd has another editorial slamming SI.

Marcone is linked to another crime.

I take in the information thoughtfully, and then head back to the apartment.

As I drive, I have Ring update me on the current analysis progress.

And when I get back, I give the library books to Bob, bring the appropriate folio(s) upstairs, and do some research on the NeverNever...

You learn more about world and local affairs from the Ring. Bob accepts the books, but he grumps about the lack of trash on the covers, and goes back to sleep.

Its four o'clock as you start to dig into Paths of the NeverNever. By five, you've determined that the NeverNever is humanity's dreams and nightmares. And some of them are enough something that they can cross from the NeverNever to normal reality. Also, that the Paths in the NeverNever are less dangerous than simply tromping through it, but the key word is 'dangerous'. You've also determined that really understanding the folio is going to take you at least three days.

What do you do for the rest of the night?

Well, my powerful vision experience included a fragment referring to 'the ladies three', and my attempts to postcognitively examine Bob have been hindered by the image of a female.

And my attempts to postcognitively examine tonight's party invitation end in... lilac...

And Karrin was indeed interested in what that lead might offer.

Thus I find myself eating dinner, and taking care of Mouse and Mister, while figuring out how to navigate to the Windy City Civic Center in time for the festivities...

You arrive in the area, and see a sign 'Parking for Raith Gala'.  You take the arrow's direction to a parking garage.  The security guard, a man suited for a career in the NFL, and the valet are both dressed better than you.

The valet reaches for the door.

"Ah, the Wizard Oak, an unexpected pleasure."

OOC: BTW, I hadn't gotten as far as posting how I planned to dress... though my options may indeed be limited. 

However, given that the invited dead magician had a tux, I would indeed be aware that the attire would be formal.

What clothes does my dop have in his apartment closet?

Long, black, leather trenchcoat. Black, broadbrimmed leather hat. Black, Brown, and Dark Green Pants (along with some more that are less formal). White shirt that looks like it might fit into the 1700's. Dark blue shirt. Dark green shirt. Dark purple shirt.

There are cowboy boots with an inscription on the bottom.

"From your pal, R. May you be light on your feet."

There is also a pair of dark, hiking boots with good treads. And a barely used set of wingtips which surprises you when blades pop out the front.

You also find a drawer with a half-dozen knives and rigs to go with them. One set of the knives looks to be silvered.

You also recognize that the staff behind the door, the black staff that come to think of it resembles the staff in your first vision, might be a fashionable thing as well. And upon closer looking at it, it is rune covered. Of course, you don't read Rune, but there is not the nasty vibe you got from the sorceror's tattoos.

And of course, there's your Warden's cloak.

I pray for wisdom and discernment, that the LORD would show me the nature of the staff, and whether or not I should carry it.

I also pray similarly over each other item, especially over the cloak.

And if Bob is awake, I tell him about the invitation, and ask his advice about what to wear, and what I should be prepared for at such a gathering...

You've heard of a blasting staff you carry. This is likely it. It seems a practical hand to hand weapon, well-balanced for your height.

The cloak is something of an official suit like a policeman's outfit or a judge's robes.

The trenchcoat, upon closer examinging, reveals to have thin, but solid plates in it, and symbols inscribed inside it. It feels safer.

Bob is asleep.

I pray over each of the sets of footware, seeking any indications of a non-mundane nature, particularly over the inscribed "light on my feet" boots.

How does the style of the dark green pants and dark green shirt compare to the protective clothing that I am wearing from Ring's space station?

Any non-mundane vibes from the knives, other than one set being silvered?

The space station stuff is pretty sleek in a grim sort of way as its a military costume. Its about as stylish in its own way as the other pants which are more urban slick in style.

You get nothing off the footwear.

Upon closer examination of the knives, you see one of them has the words 'Cold forged steel' imprinted in the handle. You know this one was chosen for that reason.

I'll wear my space station clothing/armor and shoes with the trenchcoat.  I'll carry the cold forged steel and silvered knives in a concealed rig, and carry Oak's wallet in a pocket, and carry the staff as a walking staff in my left hand.

BTW, is it an oak staff???  :)

And I'll have my usual gear (Ring, CU2, Empathic Field, Kinetic Repulsor, etc.) readily accessible through Ring's mental interface...

As I dress, I get the latest analysis update from Ring and CU2.

And as I drive down, I pray for the LORD's guidance, and wisdom, and discernment, and protection, particularly protection from evil.

As I arrive, I activate my language tap and surface thoughts taps...

I give a friendly nod to the valet, even as I telepathically seek impressions as to his expectations.  How does he expect me to respond?  Do I know him?  Am I expected to tip?  Am I expected to know which way to walk after getting out of the car?  Which way should I walk after getting out of the car?

OOC: It HAS to be an oak staff doesn't it?

You feel surrounded by the almost visible Presence of God, and you know that you are 'walking into the valley of the shadow of death'.

::Oak. Hmm, Lara's scheme worked. Well here comes the bit about the Unseelie Accords. Sigh.:: Garble, garble. He has mind shields up, but he's undisciplined with them.

You touch his mind again, and suddenly you see something in his mind. A black worm that fills almost all of him. ::Tasty wizard. Yum. Down. Down. Remember the ...::

OOC: Are these thoughts from the valet or the security guard?
</i>
<i>Is it obvious which way I should walk after getting out of the car?

I avoid the worm as I attempt to get further information on the Unseelie Accords, and on Lara and her scheme...

Valet. The security guard's thoughts are more simple and creepy.

They center on making Master Kevin happy by standing there.

Its obvious as others are walking by in very nice suits, and furs, and you need be but an ant and follow the scent trail of expensive perfume to arrive at the gala.

The Unseelie Accords are some form of general agreement between the various factions in the supernatural world such as the Wizard's Council and the White Court Vampires. You don't get more before you have to dodge the roving presence of the worm.

The valet is staring quizzically at you wondering why you are just standing there.

OOC: I do my telepathic searching while slowly gathering my stuff and exiting from the car, rather than just standing around...  :p

I follow the crowd, scanning surface thoughts of those around me.  I keep a sensitive heart toward any nudges the LORD might be giving me, to discern what to do or not to do, who to focus on or to avoid, etc...

You walk across the street on a walkway bridge, and enter in through a set of glass doors held open for you by a pair of lovely young ladies with minds like that of the security guard.  Below you is a vast atrium with a second story walk-around balcony. In front of you is a grand staircase leading down to the first floor.

...Yea though I walk through the valley of death... You're aware you're in deadly danger.

::The Raiths have such wonderful parties. So clever.::
::The girls are so beautiful.::
::I hope these freaks can get my business permit through.::
A lilac fog.
::My boss is such a weakling to let these people into his circle. Pretty. Yeah. Sharks. Oh Yeah.::
::Everyone knows the Raiths are just a bit off. But such fabulous parties.::
A lilac fog.
::Old Man Raith has four gourgeous daughters. And they dance attendance on him. I just wish I could get my kid to mow the lawn.::
::These hellspawn and their corrupt clients deserve to burn.::

The floor is covered in rice paper, and white streamers with kanji script drape down the walls. Thousands of white balloons hang in a fishnet over the center.

Littering in a deliberately careless seeming fashion the main floor are two dozen white trellises holding romantic paintings.

You smell peppermint mouthwash nearby, but see no one.

OOC: Which people corresponded to which surface thoughts?  Particularly the lilac fogs?

:: Ring.  Access linguistic databases, and previous examination of my staff and trenchcoat.  What do the symbols on them mean? ::

I keep reciting Scripture in the back of my mind as I walk, using it like a shield (spiritually, telepathically, and otherwise).

And I pray for the LORD to give me His perspective and help me see with His eyes, that He would again bless me with Sight to perceive the true nature of my surroundings, and the true nature of each being present.  Hopefully this might reveal things hidden, in more ways than one...

Respectively...
Mrs. Rich and Jaded.
Mr. Junior Partner
Mr. C.H. Cash
A man in a white suit who passes handsome and goes to beautiful
Mr. Worried Assistant
Miss Tourist
An astonishingly beautiful brunnette walking toward you now.
Mr. Boss to WA
Mr. Poker Faced Waiter

::Runic. Control of fire. Protection from fire and kinetic damage.::

You See, and you throw up in your mouth. The dozen or so beauties are each almost consumed/transformed by a black worm. They look with hunger and desire on the humans around them. Treachery, manipulation, and seduction are their nature before final consumption.

And turning about, you see a shimmering Veil around Molly who is standing two feet to your right. She's the source of teh peppermint.

Is the brunette worm still coming toward me?  If so, what is her ETA?

I check Molly's surface thoughts (as well as the brunette's, if she is on an intercept course with me), without letting on that I am aware of either one of them.

Does my Sight reveal anything unusual about the surroundings themselves?  For example, are those paintings really portals to Entropy that I can TK the worms into?  :p

About twenty seconds.

Molly. ::Keep the Veil up. Man, Oak is such a stick. I've proven I'm powerful enough to handle things. He will be so shocked later when I show him I was at the gala thing. Heh. Maybe he will start treating me like an adult.::

Brunnette. Familiar lilac fog.

No. And no.

"Hello Oak. So good of you to join us." The brunnette says with a smile, and suddenly you can't see the worm as she cranks up whatever she has. You feel the magnetism of her beating on your shield.

BTW, what is Molly wearing?

I pray silently for the LORD's protection and wisdom.

"Thank you.  Interesting weather we've been having lately, isn't it?"

Blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a green terry cloth pullover is Molly's apparel. Her hair is tied up in a ponytail. She looks dressed for action.

"Yes." She agrees, but you see a faint flicker of puzzlement cross her face. "How do you like our art exhibit. 'True Love as Illusion'?"

"A fascinating theme... but to properly treat such a theme, the exhibit would need something more, which it currently lacks."

"In fact, what is currently missing is the most important element of all..."

You again puzzle her, and this time she openly shows it.

"Now this is unusual. Master Oak as an art critic. Please inform us Raiths on our lacks."

"It is indeed the case that what most of the world thinks of as 'true love' is an illusion.  For there is only One source of True Love."

"So to give a complete treatment to such a theme, the illusion must be compared and contrasted with the reality."

"As it is written, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

I look at her kindly.

"Illusion is certainly not lacking here... but a proper treatment of the Reality is.  For how can True Love be put into true perspective, without reference to the LORD Jesus Christ?"

She winces, and you feel her power rise even higher so much so that there seems to be a faint glow to her skin, and the men around you are staring at her.

"Master Oak has followed the swordswinger into delusion. Now that is unexpected. I always knew you played for the white hats, and not the white court, but a fool...I think less of you now."

"Ah, but that is the entire point, is it not?  In the True Love of Reality, the LORD Jesus Christ is all, and we are nothing... apart from Him."

"As it is written, 'But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.'..."

"You are not nothing. You are a wizard of undoubted power, and a very handsome man." She smiles, and its hard to think straight for a second, or think at all.

"However, perhaps you can explain to my father, The Raith, your newfound beliefs?"  She gestures to lead you up to what looks like a rather distinguished group of people surrounding a man in white.

BTW, do I sense any verser vectors?

I incline my head agreeably, and walk with her to the group quietly, not yet risking trying to talk again.

After the momentary muddling of my thoughts, I pray with renewed fervency for the LORD's strength, and protection, and wisdom, and discernment.

And I pray that I may be a faithful witness.  A nest of vampires may not be the most promising ground to hope for repentance from, but who knew what ears might hear, and what seeds might be planted?

After praying I mentally recite relevant Scripture...

You walk up, and you see and hear Mr. Boss to WA, and WA making an attempted subtle pitch to The Raith for him to intervene for a permit. Several others are standing about him, and right behind him is another female of astonishing beauty with red hair.

The Raith cuts off the Boss smoothly as you and the brunnette come up.

"Gentlemen, one of the loveliest flowers in all the Windy City. My daughter, Lara, and of course, her companion is welcome as well. Well done, Lara."

Lara preens a bit, and the redhead looks a bit put out.

"By the way, do you know where Cantos is?"

Lara shakes her head.

"Hmm."

The Raith turns to you with a charming smile.

"He is a devout friend, truly so, Father." Lara says low enough not to be an interruption that seems ungracious.

BTW, do I sense any verser vectors?

I continue my silent fervent prayers and Scripture recitations to strengthen me as I interact in this perilous setting.

While doing so, I acknowledge his welcome with a respectful inclination of the head, and a kind smile.  My voice is quiet but friendly.

"Have you an interest in things devout?"

OOC: No.

He smiles back, and you feel a moment of pride in your skills that you let expand, and suddenly you realize your shield is gone. And the massive charm being put out by these vampires washes over you. Desperately, you fight back, and hold on to your mind.

"More in beauty and the profane, sir. Unless you mean the devout worship of beauty."

He holds out his hand, and you can see a ruby ring on it. And inscribed in the depths of the ring is a rune like on your staff. A rune for 'Fire'. You feel your mind falling into the ring.

More OOC: Botch. Followed by successful roll by you.

I prayerfully cling to relevant Scripture with great fervency, and silently cry out to the LORD, confessing my sin, and beseeching His deliverance...

You pray, and feel rescued, but then The Raith speaks.

"Your god has abandoned you, hasn't he?"

A moment of doubt, a moment of distraction, and you've fallen into the ring.

But here, you feel peace.

You stand, or seem too, on a pavement of fired stone, and around you at a physically, if not mentally comfortable distance are jets of fire. In the stone is a rune of enormous size taking up most of the pavement.

"I do not doubt your god, fleshling. In this place, of the NeverNever, my particular corner of it, half dream and all real, the lies of the White Court Vampire who sent you here, cannot exist." The voice is like a crackling fire, and it seems to come from all around you. Its male, and has a somewhat friendly tone to it.

I shake my head.

"It is written, 'Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.' "

-=-


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

I look at my surroundings, and listen thoughtfully to the voice.

"Please, who are you?  And why have I been sent here?"

The Raith steps back as you quote that verse with a grimace, and then you're not there, at least in mind.

"I am the the Firey Rock that Rests Under the Waters, but that is too short for my people, and too long for yours. Call me Madric, its what the servants of Thor, who made my bed called me."

It pauses, and you feel a sense of sorrow.

"Your kind, child of Adam, and mine, are of the fabric of this world, but the vampire who sent you here is not. However, it is not good for you to meet me, for I burn up what is about me. Soon, I will burn your will, your understanding, and then the twisted thing will draw you back by the ring that holds me, and you, and he will use his charms on your weakened mind. I apologize for this, but fire is my nature."

"What may be done to free us?"

I silently pray for strength, and protection, and deliverance, and discernment.

"The vampire has made a mistake. Others he sent here lacked power. You may untrace the rune. However, while that will free you, it will also begin the process of freeing me. I am held in rest by seven rings."

He pauses.

"Fire is coming. Every spin of the earth, I can feel the call of the Great Fire. Someone, something must come, I believe. I will rise to the surface, and boil the land and the water, and cast forth ash from my mouth. The chains that hold me are weakening already."

It occurs to you as you pray that the evil of the city might be weakening those chains. And you feel protection around you, while at the same time you feel the massive power of Madric around that. Madric is far more powerful than The Raith.  They're not even in teh same ballpark.  Just by existing, Madric could kill you.

"How and why were you chained here, and by whom?  And what is the Great Fire?"

I pray for discernment, that the LORD would guide me whether He would have me help free this Madric, or refrain...

"The servants of Thor made my bed with these runes in their seven rings. And the Great Fire is ....the Great Fire."

You pray, and you realize there are advantages both ways.

"Who else has been sent here before me?"

I attempt to stretch out my postcognitive senses...

You see nothing.

"My fire already begins to burn you, fleshling."

There are advantages both ways... and disadvantages.

And though this Madric seems honest, I have only his say so for what he says.

And the precognitive vision that I have had...  If Madric is set free, then would I not end up as the agent that brought such a future to pass?  And is that the purpose for my having been brought to this universe in the first place?  But...  who's purpose?

However, becoming a vampire's thrall isn't too nifty an alternative... as was no doubt foreseen.

And so... I pray.

:: Dearest LORD, 'I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.'::

:: You know all things, and you know every facet of my current circumstances, past, and present, and future. ::

:: If you would have this rune be untraced, then I pray that you would untrace it now. ::

:: If you would have me freed in some other way, then I pray that you would free me now. ::

:: And if not, then I pray that you would strengthen me and protect me to endure the flames, and be purified rather than corrupted and comsumed, and glorify you.  As it is written, 'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.'::

:: Thank you, dearest LORD.  I pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ...  Amen. ::

You pray and you receive a rather clear impression.

I'd like your opinion on this artwork we're creating together.

 And its clear that 'artwork' has multiple meanings. In some sense you're a junior artist at the easel, and in another sense you're the painting. And in another sense, its the universe on the easel. And in another, its the relationship between you and your Friend that is the subject of the art.

I am awestruck at the grace shown toward me, and I bow my head in worship to the LORD.

For it is written, 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.'  And again, 'But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.'.  And again, 'I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.'

Yet with some objects of special grace, such as Abraham and Moses, You discussed Your intentions with them, and at times harkened to their voices.

Dearest LORD, I want You to be glorified.

The evils of this land are offensive, and I would like the evil to be purged, and all these vampires and imps and others that hate You to perish.  But, as Abraham petitioned regarding Sodom, I do not want the righteous to perish with the wicked.  And I want the wicked to have every opportunity to repent, and for all that You will to be saved.

I don't know if You want to use this Madric as an instrument of Your judgment upon this land, or if You want to use me as an instrument to free Madric.

I am privileged to live for You, or to die for You.  But I beseech You to protect me from evil and corruption.  Please free me or not, and free Madric or not, as it pleases You.  But if I am to remain here, please strengthen me, that I would not be weakened by the flames, nor corrupted by the vampires.  Please purify me, and make me into a more fit tool for Your Hand, and an instrument of righteousness rather than an instrument of evil.

Thank You, LORD.  I pray in Jesus' Name...  Amen.

You see a vision of a great city of shining towers, but upon the peaks of those towers you see Nero fiddling, and the great and mighty engaging in all manner of cheating and oppression.

And flying toward the city, racing each other, are seven beasts. One is a dragon with golden eyes who breathes out flames as it flies. Another is a maddened jackal who glows blue, and everywhere he steps the plants turn strange and start to die. Another is a cow who looks forlorn and resigned, but from each horn there is a torch. Another is two animals, a mighty hawk who flies without feathers on his wings, and in his claws is a skunk with a cigarette lighter and a key. One is a phoenix who blazes in the air with joy, and you know this is Madric. One is a snake who comes whispering words that set men on fire. And the last is more terrible than all these for he is yourself, coming to the city, a boil of fire all about him, command in his eyes, and terrible blasphemies on his lips.

And the giant walls about the city come down, brought down by the mighty, and by the beasts who scented corruption, and by their yearning for the burning sun in the pitiless sky.

"Son of Adam. This city, this great city, has with its oppressions and its cruelties called for its own dooms. Madric would be a more merciful punishment than many, but this is not punishment. This is consequence. They seek their own, and do not fear me. The little children in the streets cower in fear, but do not plead to me. I send them a protector and a prophet, but will they listen, will they allow him to rescue them?"

There is a long pause.

"Now, stand strong, Son of Adam, for the fire will not burn you. And you may ask one small question of Me, for I know you, you would ask for Me to begin reading all my books at teh beginning, and the City has but little time til it burns."

Another pause.

"And tell Madric that but a little time and he will meet the messenger who will bring him joyful news."

Dearest LORD, by Your gracious invitation, I will ask something of You that requires but little time.

When You said to Solomon, 'Ask what I shall give thee', he said, 'Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.'

And it is written that You were pleased that Solomon asked this thing.

Solomon asked to know Your will, and You graciously answered him.

But his request was not enough, as it is written, 'For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.'

Solomon knew Your will... but he did not always love Your will, and he did not do Your will faithfully to the end.

Therefore, I ask You not just for an understanding heart to discern Your will, but also a faithful and enduring heart to do Your will lovingly and faithfully to the end.

It is written, 'And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.'

Please, dearest LORD, show me Your will clearly, and what You would have me do.  And purify me, and strengthen me, to do Your will lovingly and faithfully to the end.

Thank you, dearest LORD.  I pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ...  Amen.

"You are clever, Son of Adam, and ask well." You hear a chuckle. "Let it be as you have said. Now save my city, and glorify my name."

The audience seems to be ended although you can still feel a faint bit of Presence. Its almost swamped in Madric's presence tho'.

OOC: Hmmm....+@1 Intuition, and a 1@3 Mag skill for Second Chances?????? Ask MJ too, maybe. No definitely.

Second post.
I started a thread 'Theology...' for some of the puzzlement you have induced in me. Feel free to look at it, although its nothing more than a plea for help now.

I give fervent thanks in silent prayer, deeply moved by this encounter and by this outcome.

Then I raise my head, and open my eyes, and look at my surroundings.

"The LORD is gracious to us both.  He has said that the fire will not burn me.  And He has said that but a little time and you will meet the messenger who will bring you joyful news."

"I have been waiting for the messenger all my life. Perhaps this is a true message from my Maker. I have not heard his voice since he made me, and then he told me to live, and that one day he would send me a messenger to summon me. And I would know that messenger was from him. I know not my Maker's name. I wondered if it was Thor as the servants of Leif Erikson said. Now I wonder if its your god. In any case, I shall wait in hope." Madric says.

You stand, and feel comfortable.

After a time, you feel drawn back to your body, and The Raith smiles at you.

"Now, my friend. We are friends aren't we?" He bends his charm your way...

I smile in response to Madric's words.

"The LORD God Almighty is the Creator of all things.  And may the fulfillment of His words to me now as I endure the flames give you even more hope for the fulfillment of His words to you in but a little time."

While waiting, I answer any questions Madric may have about the LORD.

And when that portion of the conversation ends...

"Please, tell me more about the NeverNever..."

-=-

I pray for strength and protection as I feel myself drawn back into my body.

And I pray for discernment.  Would the LORD have me immediately reveal His deliverance, and call The Raith to repentance?  Or would He have me feign friendship for a time, in order to infiltrate and overthrow his evil plans?  Or are neither of these pleasing to Him?

He's skeptical, but willing to listen, and hopeful at the same time.

After you tell him of the Fall, he hisses.

"So that's why the Great Pain came upon us. The world was pleasant and orderly before then."

He speaks of the NeverNever.

"All beings have magic of creation in their souls. And the NeverNever responds to this. And once something is created as not just a whisp, but as a solidly grounded reality, it has its own soul. So it too can create things. As to who exactly created the White Court of the Vampires, or the Red or Black Courts, I do not know. It is the Wizards who might know of such things.

There are great empires in the NeverNever. Much of it is ruled by the Sidhe, both Seelie and Unseelie. The Queens of Winter and Summer have dueled since before the Flood. I do not know if Man created them, or if my Maker did, or perhaps the Fallen Stars."

You are drawn back to your body, but the trip is rough, and so you are not focused on your prayer or extending a hand in faith as the charm of The Raith hits you. It bites into your soul, and you find yourself thinking....this is quite the most handsome and reasonable man I've ever met...and some distant part of you struggles...but happily the powers of the White Court are subtle, and so you pray again, and barely find protection in God's arms.

You pray for guidance, and it comes clear.

If you wish to strike with the fury of King David, and flail this room with the fire of Heaven, then speak to him of repentance. For if you speak to him so, and do not call down the fire of Elijah in this room, you will surely verse, and then my purpose will be thwarted.

As you were but seconds later. Lots of semi-innocent civilians around.

:: Dearest LORD, I do not want to sin, or to deny You in any way. ::

:: If these evil creatures require me to say or do anything that is displeasing to you, I must refuse, and lose any opportunity to infiltrate their ranks, and fight even in this crowded place, or flee. ::

:: If you want me to infiltrate them, please restrain them from putting my friendship to the immediate test, and forcing me to refuse them. ::

:: And if not, then please burn those You wish to be consumed, and protect those You wish to be protected. ::

:: Thank you, dearest LORD.  I pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ...  Amen. ::

I blink in confusion for a moment, even as I rapidly pray silently.

Then my face clears, and lights up with a genuine smile as I regard the speaker.

"Friends..."

"Excellent." And you can see that The Raith does not expect much out of you right now as you've presumably been seriously damaged in mind by exposure to Madric. "You know, I think our new friend here is not feeling that well. Why don't you take him up to a more private room, and let him sleep it off, Lara?"

The brunnette, Lara, takes you by the arm, and guides you up the stairs.

She mutters under her breath as she goes.

"Well, Oak, I expected better of you. I thought you'd break Dear Old Dad's ruby ring which he flaunts over us. But, being promoted to number one daughter isn't a bad consolation prize. Still I so wanted to rule." She laughs cruelly to herself. "But we're friends aren't we Oak?" She says as she takes you to a private sitting area on the third floor.

She waves at a couch near a fake fireplace.

"Rest, wizard." She's enforcing her command with her charm, but it merely batters on the outside of the divine rock you rest in.

I obediently lay down on the couch, and close my eyes, and breathe peacefully.

:: Dearest LORD, You have graciously given me insight into Lara's scheme... but I still do not know about why the vampires are to attack the city, or if that will still happen given the current turn of events. ::

:: Would You have me stay here longer, lengthening the risk of being overcome by the evil charms of these vampires in order to gain more knowledge?  Or would You have me depart now? ::

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

Molly appears.

"Master, err, Oak, ah I just remembered the Unseelie Accords." She looks at you, and Molly blows back a hair on her forehead.
"Man, you are messed up. That ring, I could feel its power. You told me that one invoked the Accords when you visited the Nasty Neighbours. Without it, they can legally burn you alive or whatever. I'd forgotten this when we walked in."

She gives you a hard look.
"Please tell me this is some brilliantly devious plan."

As I lay breathing peacefully on the couch with my eyes closed, I stretch out my telepathic senses to read Molly's surface thoughts while she is speaking to me...

And I continue praying for wisdom and guidance, for I am still unclear of the significance of her words, and whether the LORD would have me stay or flee...

Her thoughts slip from your understanding.

The radio clicks on.
You hear a bit of a Shakespearan play...
'Friends, Romans, Countrymen...'
A radio announcer shilling for a product...
'You need to buy this...'
Another channel, about cooking...
'Fire and bbq, man, I love this guy'
A sports channel guy yelling about baseball...
'Get him home! Get him home!'
A political talk show...
'And now for the other side...(different voice)...I say let the murdering |||| fry.'
A soap opera drama...
'But I love him...'
A crime drama...
'Who, man, who is the suspect!?!'
A wine commercial...
'Serve her red wine tonight...'
An ending to some show...
'This has been a NoonTime Production.'
A Spanish channel.
'Dios.'

It stops.

The radio was the response to the prayer for guidance. Evil smile.

This blast of suggestive radio, signed off by 'Dios' is too coincidental to be anything but an answer to my prayer for guidance.  But what does it mean?  'Get him home' seems clear enough, but the rest seems pretty murky.

And the only ones in this world that I have encountered thus far thinking or saying 'Master'-someone, like Molly's 'Master, err, Oak' have been either vampires or vampire thralls.

It is certainly possible that Molly simply picked up on Lara's terminology as she invisibly listened in on our conversation.

But it is also certainly possible that she has been charmed, or even impersonated.  And the fact that right just now is the time that I can't read her thoughts successfully is just too coincidental for me.

So I can't give myself away to her... at least yet.

Without stirring from my restful pose, I respond with the same vacant peacefulness I used when responding to The Raith.

"The Unseelie Accords?"

And I pray that the LORD will assist my efforts to discern Molly's thoughts, and with His aid, I try to read them...

::Oak, man, he's messed up. Maybe that's why he didn't say anything about them. His brain is fried. That'd explain a lot.::

"Ah..." She visibly gathers patience. "The Unseelie Accords are the treaties between the various signatories to the Accords." She sighs.

::Less dictionary, more fact.::

"Um. All the supers, err, the groups of supers,not the individual supers, unless they're like that one guy...never mind...groups....like the Wizard's Council and the White Court agree to a set of rules that apply if you claim them, and if the person you present them too agrees. So like a Red Court Vampire could go to the Council Building and claim hospitality, and if they agreed, they'd have to let him in, and be nice to him, and keep him fed and stuff even though he killed a bunch of them last week. And if they said 'like no way', they'd have to explain their actions to the Winter Queen of the Unseelie who's the judge of the Accords."

As to the message, it occurs to you that you need to decipher it from the top down. If God were saying 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen' who is He talking to?

You think about it more, and pray and suddenly its revealed...

Line One: Hey Oak,
Line Two: Go exert yourself to get
Line Three: The waiter who was thinking about fire because I love him
Line Four: You need to get him to his current residence
Line Five: Satan's opinion is 'forget it, let the guy burn.'
Line Six: But I, God, love him even if he does not deserve it
Line Seven: Who am I talking about?
Line Eight: The waiter who is serving red wine at the party
Line Nine: This has been a message from the angels who work for the Lord of Noon, Jesus
Line Ten: Signed, God.

OOC: Wow, it is a good thing that it is not by might, nor by power...  :)

Since I had prayed for guidance as to whether or not I should stay or go, it never even occurred to me that the answer involved taking someone else home (with the possible exception of Molly).  :o

It is a good thing that there are plenty of Scriptural examples of His servants receiving a vision, and then an explanation/interpretation...  :)

Thanks for unsticking me!  :D

"Did you invoke them?"

I send out my clairvoyant senses, seeking the waiter I need to rescue...

A bit fuzzy, you try and get zilch. Breathing in and out, forcing yourself to clear your mind, you pray, and then calmer, you send out your mind again, and get a clear lock.

You see a white-coated waiter with a bottle of red wine in his hand that he is serving at the bar. There are other waiters and waitresses, but none are serving red wine at the time.

The waiter, as everyone in the staff, is handsome. His dark eyes are cold, and his manner is reserved. His chin is stiff behind the thick, dark mustached with goatee such that he has to work at smiling at the people he serves. To you, the tension radiates from him, but no one else seems to notice, perhaps because he's a waiter and hence invisible.

In my peaceful, vacant voice, I ask Molly, "Did you invoke them?"

-=-

I stretch out my telepathic senses toward the waiter...

"Hunh?" Molly says puzzled. (As I am/ I'm not sure what you're asking Molly.)

You touch the waiter's mind.

::Die, hellspawn. You're going to scream, infidel worshipper of Shaitan. Not long now, and all these pigs die.::

"Um, no. I was hiding behind a Veil. If you're up to it, we could do that, walk out of here Veiled."

::After all, no one detected me on teh way in, and Oak, even fried, is better than moi. It could work. ::

Thanks. And this gives me more time to consider the unique issues in your game. I think this counts as a new use for Gamemastering if I can figure it out.