OOC: This message is a placeholder for Cala's latest thread, GMed by Tadeusz.  :)

Swords keeping hitting soccer balls which bounce off clown's heads to the tune of 'White Christmas' while the swords argue about whether ...

You're awake. Cold. Chilled.  Your right shoulder is on stones.  A faint rank odor hits your nose, and then beyond it a much stronger odor of manure and rotting food and wood and human.  Opening your eyes, you see a thin layer of snow dusting you as you lay on a cobblestoned street.  In front of your face are two leather boots, mismatched.

Your bubble foam astronaut suit is on you.

I panic briefly.

I just died, definitely, 100% dead. But now I'm not. Did I transmigrate again? Does this mean that shock from the computer killed me? Damn, easily the lamest way to go. This obviously isn't a one time thing, since it has happened twice already. Well, I guess that's cool.  But let's avoid the creepy and the nightmare fuel from now on.

Also, that... dream? Supa creepy. Not a fan of clowns, why would they show up?  Anyway, real talk, where am I? Boots. I can breathe, so I'm not in space, time to get out of this suit.

I look up from the boots, is there a human in them? I also look around my surroundings to see what buildings (if any) are nearby.

If the boots are standalone, then I get up and find an alley or other place to disrobe where no humans are present. If no one is on this street, I'll just discard the space suit where I am.

If the boots have a human attached to them, I get up and greet the person, "Hi, name's Cala. Must be fate that we meet like this."

In reply to Cala (msg # 3):

Your facescreen broke, and you versed from explosive decompression and lack of oxygen and supercold.  It was quick, but not pleasant.

The human in the boots has a tunic and loose pants on.  Nearby buildings have thatch walls, with some whitewashed and others not.  The roofs are some different type of thatch somehow.  Looking more closely you realize the walls are mud and thatch, and the roofs are just thatch.  The doors are hewn wood, and painted solid blue and green or red.  The doors have iron latches.

Snowflakes drift out of the sky, and the smell of woodsmoke is strong in the air.

You rise and begin to speak, and then suddenly with a  sinking feeling you see a spider cross over his eyeball.  He doesn't twitch.  Fact is, he's not breathing.  He does not respond to you, but a man in a heavy green corduroy coat and woolen pants comes out of a nearby red door.  He starts yelling and gesturing at you, even as he yanks a twelve foot leather whip from his waist belt with clear signs of using it.  You don't understand his words, but he sounds angry.

I nod and flee.

Once I reach a vacant area that is not obviously part of someone's property, I get out of the suit and put my hood up. I head through the town looking for signs of an inn or tavern.

Must be an inn somewhere. Definitely not in kansas anymore. So, inn should have a fire going and be someone noisy? Stereotypical D&D inn at least, but I don't have much to go on given this architecture.

The whip cracks behind you, touches your bubble foam suit on the arm, but does no damage.  You make it around the corner, dodging piles of poo, and find a short dead-end alley.  Taking off the suit takes a few minutes, and suddenly you're much cooler.  A shiver runs down your back.

Walking out, you look around, and find one and two story buildings.  In the distance, you see a square tower rising above the buildings.  Its made of stone, and has what looks to your wondering eyes as a giant mandolin hanging on its exterior walls.

Finding an inn is quick and you enter the Dead Duck passing by two dead looking men in mismatched boots just standing outside, very still.

Inside, its smoky, and dim lit by rush lights.  A tavern wench comes up to you, but her lack of teeth and her wart don't inspire adoration. A few others are inside, with one obviously falling down drunk.

Cheery.

I look around and say (in English):

"Does anyone speak English?"

In French:

"French?"

In Spanish:

"Spanish?"

In Japanese:

"Japanese?"

In Portuguese:

"Portuguese?"

In Italian:

"Italian?"

After rattling off language names in multiple languages I await a response, standing awkwardly at the entrance.

---

Real talk: I can speak English fluently, obviously. I've learned a bit of French (was taught in elementary school, middle school, and high school). I also learned a bit of Japanese in high school (and have watched copious amounts of anime). In this part of the world, there are lots of folks that speak Spanish, so I know enough to recognize it and ask if anyone speaks Spanish (plus, it's a question I get asked in Spanish frequently at work).  I've heard bits and pieces of Portuguese from friends and family, enough to say the language name appropriately and literally nothing else.  Lastly, I've learned Italian on my own because half my family is Italian and it's generally a cool language.

I can't even begin to claim competency in any of them, but I can recognize enough to ask.

They stare blearily at you until you try Italian.

And then suddenly several speak up in something that sounds like a dialect of Italian.

"Yes, Rhodani, in the City we speak it." Says one man.
"More beer." Says the drunken man to  you, holding out his hand.
"Yes, signor (????), we speak that. Would you like a small beer, or a wine?" Says the tavern wench.  She's treating you with a little more respect since you're evidently a man of learning.

A man in a pale purple jacket and trousers comes out of a back room with several more poorly dressed men behind him, pleading, you think, for a job.  He also has a whip at his hip.  The others are dressed in drabber thinner clothes with one having a jacket that is but a sheet of fabric cut to shape, thin as a t-shirt.

He looks at you.

"You're too late. Be faster and earlier next time if you want a job, unless you're just naturally lazy."  He begins to move past you on the way out.

How do you say speaks in italian? Probably a version of parlay. Parlo? Probably, let's go with it. Birra? Beer? Late? Something something job?

"Non parlo molto bene Rhodani. Parla Inglese... Alternativo linguiva? Lingua?"

Ok, that should be 'I don't speak Rhodani (assuming that's what they call it) very well. Speak English... Alternative language?' I don't remember how to say language, it's probably something like that. Most of the words are close enough to english that they can be guessed, anyway. After a fashion, if drunk enough.

I shrug and shake my head in a negative fashion, and move out of the way of people trying to leave.

Times like these I wish I had a D&D style comprehend languages spell, or even a pill or drink that just teaches me the language a la Seoul Station's Necromancer.

---

I'm assuming my language proficiency didn't get a sudden meteoric rise, so I'm going on the assumption that I missed 90% of what they just said.  If it did, that's awesome,
 but I'm assuming it didn't.

OOC: Agreed, no meteors.

They shake their head, and the tavern wench points at herself and the bar and waves her hand all around...."Rhodani."

Strongly wishing for a comprehend language spell, you see the wench offer you a beer, and one of the guys babbles something at you.  He seems friendly but otherwise not a clue.

The richer dressed man leaves.  The others stay and sit down.  They wave at you to sit down with them with gap-toothed grins and thin arms.

I decline the beer and take a seat. I will try to further my understanding of the language by piecing together the little I know and the words that sound similar to English. I otherwise relax and consider ways to improve my language proficiency.

In reply to Cala (msg # 11):

After an hour, you have a dozen words.  After two hours, you have a few dozen words.  People have come in, and left.  Many of them seem to be poorly dressed, and there are a number of young men.  A small game involving placing stones has started over in the corner table.

Rhodani 1@1.

Huh. I have no idea what to do next. I should learn more, but how do I navigate in a foreign culture without a common language? I can't speak the language properly. Ugh.

I stay until I get kicked out. I'll continue trying to beef up my Rhodani, and occasionally try to ask if someone can help me learn the language. If someone takes me up on the offer, great. If not, then I'll wander around once I leave, trying to find a reasonable place to sleep.

In reply to Cala (msg # 13):

By closing time, which is shortly after nightfall, you've boosted it to 1@2 Rhodani.

You wander out into the night, and the power of the dark in a time before electricity is immediately apparent.  Its black, and a fog hangs in the streets, and the moon is not out.  You can barely see your feet.

Stumbling on, you find an alley, and bed down in it.  Its cold, and you're shivering, wondering if you are going to make it through the night when you hear a scream in the distance.  You hear some doors open, and men with torches and clubs step out.  But most of the doors have scraping sounds behind them, and t hey stay shut.

A man with a dark beard comes out, and his wife pleads for him to come back in.

"Dead walker, dead walker, man, come back inside."

More screams are coming closer.

Yep. Nope.

I get up and find a person with a torch and ask what is going on.

"Mi scusi signore/signora..." (Excuse me, sir/miss) and then what I hope passes for 'I'm new here, I don't understand Rhodani well, what is going on?'

If I can't get anything solid from them, then I go in the opposite direction of the screams.

In reply to Cala (msg # 15):

"Signor, the dead men, not ruled, come over the city wall.  Kill all the living. Tell my husband to stay here." The distraught wife in the doorway says to you.

"I cannot wife. I made a promise."  The tall bearded man with the torch says.  "Signor, can you fight?  Will you fight?"

"Oh. Zombies."

I shake my head, "No ability, abili..ta? to? abilita?"

Times like these I'd love to have fire magic, throw a fireball, do 3d6 fire damage. Or maybe a friendly fire elemental.  Does magic exist here? Can't believe I'm thinking such a question. This time last year, magic was merely a fantasy, and then poof, time travel/transmigration and luck magic is a thing.  Now I'm here and there are actual legit zombies. How would I even do magic? Depends on the book it's similar to, I guess. What would I choose? Less Dresden Files, more Coiling Dragon? No, that'd be bad if I had no affinity for fire. Lightbringer wouldn't necessarily be bad at first, it'd be enough to get through this.
 Not the time to be thinking of it. Maybe I should ask.


I try to ask if magic or wizards/magi exist.

If magic is a thing, I'll see about putting book theory to the test. Might try it out anyway, but confirmation would be nice.

In reply to Cala (msg # 17):

"Is Signor a Deadmaster, a muerte maestro, or a Magi, or Wizard?"  The big man looks at you with hope.

Oh. Snap.

A grin spreads across my face.

I shrug in response to the question. "Maybe. Or perhaps, not quite. We'll see."

How is magic handled? Is it internal, where everyone has mana, or is it external, like the weave? Perhaps it is will based? Or negotiation between the planet / magic itself and the caster, getting to use however much can be persuaded or swindled from the other? Too many possibilities. Perhaps there is no limit, but how much that can be used is limited by understanding? A slew of books and games to choose from, but which do I try out first?

Alright not sure if this will work at all, but it could make me look like a fool. It's really dark, so let's try chanting, it's generally considered a reliable method. Deadmaster is probably a necromancer, the distinction between Magi and Wizard is important, so multiple paths for magic exists. Not sure what this falls under, but let's try it out.

I walk out in the middle of the street and look towards where the screams are.

I say the following the English.

"I go by the name of Cala, and am a newcomer to this planet. I know not which beings or entities oversee magic or the power to call upon the elements. I extend greetings to all entities, known and unknown. While I am here I hope to use magic or the elements, and wish to do so in a manner that is agreeable to both you and I. Until we can formally meet, or at least meet through a designated representative, I hope you'll forgive any offense I may give if I address you incorrectly.

"I call out to the spirits of Light, please bless me with some of your power, so that I may bring light to this lightless night. I seek an orb of light, shining in the sky, bringing light upon this town for 4 hours, or 14,400 heartbeats.

"I call upon the Lord or Lady of Fire, I seek a temporary pact with one of your servants, so that I may bring cleansing fire to the dead that walk these streets tonight. May their spirits rest as their bodies turn to ash, nourishing the planet so that life may spring anew."

I wait to see if anything happens, or if I just look like a crazy foreigner monologuing in a foreign language in the middle of the night.

OOC: Sorry about missing replying.

Full body involvement, Loud, Vocal, Takes Five minutes, Commune with Unspecified Powers.

That would be relatively easy.

Commune with Lady of Light 1@3.

Speak, Worldwalker. A cool, female voice with an undertone of dancing enthusiasm echoes through your mind.

And you make your request for light.

And as you do, you hear some deep, subterranean voice that speaks in words you don't understand, and you can feel the light from above being twisted with the fire from below.  And the ground shakes.  Soon there will be light....after all, volcanic magma produces light when ejected into the air above a city.

OOC: Botch.

Well. That happened. Not quite as planned, is this the real life equivalent of a nat 1? But I can work with that. Also, what was that about a Worldwalker? Is that what I am now? Cool.

"Lady... Woman... Female entity of Light, not sure how you prefer to be addressed, but if I get through this night, I'd like to see about having a discussion, possibly about a working relationship. Also, please don't take this the wrong way, but unless light magic also includes color magic, I've got some other elements to speak with, zombies don't stop themselves."

I look up as I speak, feeling what I do.

If this was Dungeons and Dragons, I'd swear it was a being of earth speaking Terran. No Lady or Lord of Fire, unless the Lady of light is also the Lady of Fire. Fire magic does share a border with light magic, after all. Earth is on the opposite side of fire, where it borders earth, so to get through this, I want water, but I don't have the control for it, and I'd rather not drown. Air or wind counters earth, but I don't know the dao of wind, and lack the magic necessary to react quick enough.

What to do, what to do...  Shamans and Druids channel the elements, Mages go elemental, wizards arcane, cultivators go for daos, priests for the divine. I really need non-specific elemental shields covering the city to protect it from whatever I just summoned, as well as shooting fireballs to just wreck zombies.  Of course, I could go for control, but necromancy is generally frowned upon and zombies are icky.

If magic is non-specific or all encompassing, then I could ask assistance from a being of light, as I had, but I could also try to control or channel the elements. If it is only the type of calling for assistance, then trying to channel it to be according to my will is terribly insulting, but if it can be done as well, then I'd be stupid not to try it.  I just don't know enough.

"I don't know how magic is handled. Do I always need to ask for help? Do I need to make a pact with an elemental being? Does magic or mana just flow through the air waiting to be called upon or channeled?  I just, I don't, I don't know, and I don't want to insult y'all. So let's just chalk this all up to me being new, ignorant, and uninformed, and I would gladly speak to everyone's representatives after this night so I don't behave improperly."

As I start this monologue/speech with the unknown/newly known, I turn around (180 degrees) and then start walking at an angle in the 2 o'clock direction. I continue walking as I talk.

"The goal is to get rid of the zombies. The walking dead. That which walks the night past its time. Undead. My limited understanding, from books and web novels suggests that light magic would be best to purify them, or fire to cleanse, but I figure any element has their own ways of handling problems. Water can wash away, earth can bury, darkness can devour/drain, wind can slice into pieces or blow away. If I just caused a volcanic eruption, then I'll leave it to lava to handle the zombies, but I'd rather not kill all the townspeople.

"Being of Earth, thanks for the volcano, I'm sure it suits the spirit of what I asked, if not really the letter, and it should take care of the zombs, so thanks. I'd thank you in what I assume might be terran, but I don't know the elemental languages, or whatever passes for them on this planet.

"Spirit or spirits of Water, after the volcano does its thing, after it spews lava and removes the zombies, I humbly request a torrential rain in this region for 2 days. Let's cool the area down and wash away the bodies.

"Spirit of Air or Wind, I don't know who or what governs this element, but I request that you safely whisk away the townspeople, that they might escape from this danger caused by whatever raised the dead, as well as what I have inadvertently caused to happen to their town.

"Spirits of the Elements, I don't really expect this to be done for free or just because I ask, but if I make it through this night, then I'll gladly be your representative to work with you or to repay whatever amount of effort or work my requests have caused you to do or go through until such a time as my efforts have repaid you.  I may not be able to work with all of you at the same time, but I'll go in order of response for as long as it takes, starting with the Lady of Light."

I keep walking to escape what I assume will be a burning hell in the very near future. If I see them I'm actually going towards danger, I'll turn in whatever way seems safest and away from everything and jog in that direction.

---

It's k. Happens.