OOC: IDK.

I teach her friction with a bow method, and friction with a pointy stick and a fireboard method, and I teach her iron and flint for fire starting.  I learn from her the vegetables bit she learned from a rabbit.  Clever, I tell her.

I push myself a bit to try to learn better methods of smithing.  Paying attention to the metal to make sure its properly wielded together, and well balanced.

If the locals have wooden flutes, I encourage her to learn.  If they play mah jongg, I play as well (not gambling) and encourage her to play as well.

"Its good for memory." I explain. "And fun.  While you're out to day, I want you to remember your path, and draw me a map in the mud when you get back.'

She thanks you and gets the hang of them. She really likes the flint and steel method. So much faster than a magnifying glass.



You're making Isis iron and they're making magical black iron. Are you planning to make them a full suit of the armor so they can make your kind of iron? Or do you take off the armor suit to make normal iron?

Either way, someone tells you that Slidehammer made magical iron. There's some things he built in the museum. You can feel heat radiating off of some of them.



Of course they do!!! Samantha teaches some of the children how to play Checkers. Apparently that game was never invented here.

But yeah, she plays the flute some of the children. They form a band of sorts.



She complies. The map isn't perfect, but you can see she's got the general idea.

GE 21

Andy, the little boy that has Samantha's interest, has apparently been telling people around town about the stranger with the suit of armor and the little girl with the strange, bright blue coat. Also, the fact that you've only ever interacted with the Chinese and never with "Your Own Kind." It's aroused some suspicion around town as to who you really are. There's rumors floating around about you two. If you don't do something soon, the townspeople might decide to investigate the matter further.

On the positive side, the Chinese have no intention of evicting you or Samantha. It would take more than a few folks talking trash to make them do that. It's not like the Chinese aren't already the object of ridicule and suspicion here. A few of your closer Chinese compatriots even swear to you that they will have your back if it should come to that. A few of them give you the "You have my sword." "And my staff" "And my bow" speech from the Lord of the Rings.

I make normal iron.

I explain the situation to Samantha, and state that I am going to the asylum.  She can stay here, and the Chinese will hide her (and I instruct her to make a hidey spot in the woods which she does NOT tell the boy about), or she can come with me, but it might be scary.

In any case, I sit down and explain as much as I know about the verser life to her.

"I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.  Also, this is why I want you prepared.  You could end up being in some very weird places, and a little preparation can be the difference between happiness and suffering."

With that, I tell the Chinese that I am going to the asylum to try to help the people there, and if anyone comes looking for me to go ahead and tell them where I went.

Their blacksmith makes the black iron. And they've got a woodworker who makes the Ordered wood from which the staffs are made.

Not everything they make is Order metal or wood. Only weapons mostly.



She wants to come with you!!!!! She's adamant about it. Nothing against the Chinese. She just feels safer with you.

She's got a Chaos katana and an Order staff, unless you tell her to leave them here.

She tells you "I can help. One of the Chinese masters taught me how to heal people with this sword."

Then she holds it left-handed and starts waving it in a specific pattern. It kind of glows a little, a faint white aura leaves your body and those sore muscles you've got from working the blacksmithing forge disappear.



OOC) I hated it when MJ made me do this, and I never understood why he made me do it until I started running games. Tell me what you're telling her. Not just "I tell her about versing." Be specific. What are you telling her?



OOC) Do you mind if I use that as a quote for Magehammer? That sounds like the kind of thing he would say to a n00b verser. He tries to get them started properly. The Architect (Or as Magehammer would say "That idiot, The Architect.") Taught him psionics but failed to mention that they wouldn't always work. (Actually The Architect did tell him. He just forgot it.) So Magehammer tries to teach n00b versers practical skills like how to live off the land and how to get a job.

IC) Samantha doesn't quite understand what you're saying, but she agrees. She does ask "Can I come with you?"

She's asking to be your associate.



They nod and agree. There's a couple of Chinese folks in there. They'll be happy to have them back.

So you and Samantha head into town. Your odd appearances draw stares and pointing, but so far you've not been made as versers.

(Doing Therapy)

"Samantha, I think you won't grow any  older, of if you do, it will be very slow.  And if you get 'killed', you're going to arrive in a different world than this one.  And the rules of how reality works, like magic or science, they may be somewhat different.  You may end up on a desert island, or on a spaceship, or in the middle of a corrupt dictatorship.  What you do then will be up to you.  I won't be there to help you.  This is why I want you to know how to survive off the land because that gives you freedom if you land in some nasty place, you can hide in the woods.  And I want you to know how to fight, because that helps to protect you.  But at the same time, its not all about you.  You've been given a chance to do good, and even great things, to be a heroine.  In fact, that is what we are about to do....wee're going to try to heal these poor souls."

OOC: Go ahead and use the quote with my blessing.  No need to attribute.  There is a Christian song that has that line in it....about 'I don't know about tomorrow, I just live day to day....but I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know He holds my hand."  I enjoy listening to it on YouTube.  The world is full of awful, but I don't have to worry about it.

OOC) I like that. It's kind of uplifting.

Samantha ponders, then nods.

"My daddy tried to teach me that too. That's why he got me the bow and the Swiss Army knife for my birthday. He was gonna take me squirrel hunting."

She agrees with you.

Then she looks at you really hard and thinks at you. Your brain feels like it's been shoved.

Her voice says "One of the Chinese masters taught me how to think at people and animals. Communicate with them and stuff. Pretty neat huh?"

Then she stops and smiles at you.

Probably worthy of mention, Samantha has put on a bit of weight since you've been with the Chinese. She's almost back to normal body size.

So what are you doing now?

(Doing Therapy)

"Telepathy. Good."  I smile. "And you're looking healthier as well."

I head on to the asylum.

GE 23

So you approach the asylum. There's about a half-dozen townsfolk just milling around out front of it. Half of them are wearing the crystals. Their crystals are already glowing from being in proximity to one another. (OOC) MJ Said that in order to detect scriff, it must contain scriff. So that's how the crystals work) But when you and Samantha approach, their crystals instantly perk up and begin glowing much, much brighter.

The people wheel around to face you. "Verserscum!!!!" someone shouts.

This draws the attention of everyone within earshot. People start running towards you. Some with weapons, broken bottles, boards, a few muzzle loading weapons. You're quickly being surrounded.

Samantha is cowering behind you.

A young nun comes out of the asylum. She's maybe 19 or 20. She's trying to calm the people, to no avail.

I wish I'd brought a chair so I could just plunk it down and then sit on it.

I raise my hands above my head.

"Good people, I surrender."

GE 16

Samantha looks up at you and thinks "I hope you know what you're doing!!!"

And she drops her sword, throws her hands up and yells "I SURRENDER TOO!!!!"

Then she just stares at you in disbelief.

Someone moves to harass you. There's murmuring about what should be done. "I say we do this." "I say we do that." Too graphic for the site rating.

Then the young nun steps forward, sticks her fingers into her mouth and whistles shrilly. You're sure it could be heard for a mile around and your ears are ringing.

Everyone stops what they're doing and stares at her, wide-eyed.

She examines you and finally says "Good sir. I am Sister Bertrille." (Bonus points if you can tell me where I got that name.) "I have been praying to the gods for the arrival of another verserscum. For I believe only one of your kind could undo the curses which have been wrought upon these innocent souls. Can you undo their curses?"

All eyes are on you. Staring holes into your flesh. You get the distinct impression that an answer of "No" will result in your immediate termination. And Samantha's.

OOC) And check your Facebook.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 64):

"I think I can." I resist making a train whistle noise. "I think I can.  Lead me to them so that I can try."

If they do so, I smirk at Samantha.

OOC: Sounds vaguely familar.

Sister Bertrille says "That's all I ask of anyone." And leads you inside.



Samantha picks up her sword and takes your hand and follows you inside.



OOC) The Flying Nun. Starring Sally Field. That's what Sister Bertrille looks like.

So, inside the asylum. It's staffed by nuns mostly. A lot of bedridden patients. There's a guy whose left hand will spontaneously burst into flame at random times. He shrieks in pain and someone has to put it out with a wet towel every time. One guy can't stop walking in a left-handed circle. He needs to be carried everywhere.

If you examine them with the X-ray feature on your gauntlets, you will find that the vast majority of them have a small piece of Chaos iron embedded in their flesh. Easily removable by a guy with magnetic gauntlets.

Sister Bertrille leads you and Samantha to the back. There a young woman lays in bed. She's completely catatonic. No one has been able to communicate with her. Her eyes continually dart back and forth. It's obvious she's in considerable pain.

Sister Bertrille says "This is the worst of them. She's been like this ever since. Unable to communicate or do much of anything."

Samantha approaches her and places her hand on the girl's forehead and starts reading her mind. All at once both of their faces contorts into horror show masks of pain and sorrow. Samantha starts crying. When she breaks the connection, she turns to you and says:

"Slidehammer did bad things to her."

It's obviously too much for her eight year old mind to process or comprehend.

But, undeterred, Samantha unsheathes the magical katana sword and begins slowly waving it over the woman. A white aura flows from the woman and into the sword. The woman begins to recover. She sits up and looks around. Finally she speaks:

"Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!" and embraces Samantha in a full on bear hug.

Samantha hugs her back and says "I could see what he did to you."

And they both cry together.

After they calm down, I look firmly at Samantha.

"No more mind reading in here.  In fact, keep your shields up.  You don't eat garbage or carrion, and you don't want it in your head either."

I turn to Sister Bertrille.

"We will follow you.  We will alternate healing as we can.  My healing might be easier on me than Samantha's, but..." And I look at Samantha. "Its a good thing for her to do, and for her to get practise with as well."

I put a hand on both the women's shoulders, and close my eyes.

"Lord of Hosts, Great Physician, guide us in this Your work. Amen."

"Now, Sister Bertrille, next patient." I put a little snap in my voice as I am eager to fix these people.

OOC) Are you just using the gauntlets? You've got access to Order and Chaos weapons, don't forget.



What she saw really spooked her. So she will go along with what you say..... for now.



They agree with your plan. Although Samantha says she doesn't feel quite right. She feels hyper and jumpy all of a sudden. Probably from the Chaos she absorbed.



Sister Bertrille prays with you. You feel a sense of calm descend upon the building. Like nothing could penetrate the protection of the building.



You get to the next person. You're told to stand to the side because when this man opens his eyes, he shoots lasers from them that can burn. Apparently he saw Slidehammer doing something he wasn't supposed to, and Slidehammer cursed him to take away his sight.

You examine him with the X-ray gauntlets and remove the piece of iron from behind his eyes. He opens them for the first time safely and stares at Sister Bertrille.

"You're as beautiful as I imagined. And more."

She's obviously flattered by it.

The next person, Samantha heals by waving her sword over the person and drawing out the white Chaos energy. All at once, Samantha starts bouncing off the walls. (Not literally. She's 20 cups of coffee hyper) She focuses her Chaos into the sword and it begins to glow brightly like a neon light bulb. She slowly calms down.

"Ah, I get it......" She says ruefully.

And so it goes this way. Between the two of you, you heal the asylum. When you finish, everyone wants to leave and go home. You are more or less pushed out the door, and into a crowd of angry villagers who were being kept back by..... something.

When the villagers see their friends and family healed, hugs are given. Tears of joy are shed. You are greeted and thanked and congratulated. More than one family invites you to their house for dinner.

Samantha is overwhelmed by the attention.

The town mayor steps forward and declares "From this day forth, the word "Verserscum" is hereby stricken from your vocabulary!!!!" as he wraps his arms around his wife, whom you healed.

And a mighty cheer goes up from everyone.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 68):

I'll use the Order and Chaos weapons as seems appropriate as well.

"I'm not saying everywhere, Samantha, just in here." I whisper to her.  "Understand?"

Feeling the calm, I smile, grateful and pleased at the kindness from Above.

I and Samantha go to eat with a calmer couple so that we can be polite and eat, and not be overwhelmed or get in the way of people's joy.

"Its ok, Samantha.  Just remember this.  Its a good moment and in hard days to come you can cast your mind back, and know you helped many."

OOC) I thought you were opposed to using magic????



She's rattled by what she saw in that woman's mind. It's going to be a while before she tries that again. That has nothing to do with you.



Samantha is likewise grateful.



One of the folks who invites you to dinner is the museum curator. He stares long and hard at you and Samantha side by side and says seriously "Sir, I need you to come with me to the museum. I've got something important to show you."



She agrees. This is a happy day. Happier than she's been in a while. But she most certainly wants to see what the museum curator has to show you.

I will gladly go with the museum curator.  This sounds to be interesting.  Besides museums can be cool, and Samantha needs more education.

I tell her as such.

"Not all life is magic and hunting.  Some is books and such learning."

So you go to the museum. Right when you first walk in is a life-sized color photograph of Slidehammer. He's wearing a white trenchcoat and an impossibly large backpack. He's maybe 19 or 20 and bears a striking resemblance to actor Jerry O'Connell. He's holding a white iron Chaos hammer in his left hand and has it raised over his head. Even in the picture, it seems to exude evil and malice.

Going in, there's a four inch thick bank vault door with a hole burned clear through it. Numerous photographs of people's lands which were destroyed. Testimonials from people who encountered him. On display is a collection of white iron implements that he made. He was an accomplished blacksmith and made tools. You can feel the Chaos energy radiating from them. The heads up display on your helmet can register it.

Going back to the curator's office, he gets into his desk and produces an envelope. Inside it is a 3x5 color photograph. You, Samantha and Slider. Not Slidehammer. It's him, but he hasn't taken that name yet. He's not yet become Slidehammer. He's not wearing the white trenchcoat. Instead he's wearing an army MP military jacket, blue jeans and a red tee shirt. He's got a Colt 1911 45 auto on his right hip, a pouch with 2 spare magazines and the white iron Chaos hammer on his left hip. He's smiling like an idiot. The three of you look like old friends hanging out together. There's no intention of malice or evil from him. He's just a kid hanging out with his friends.

On the back is written "Hey What's up Tadeusz? Thanks for all your advice, but ya know, it is what it is. Catch ya in The Verse buddy!!!"

The curator says "I was hoping perhaps you could shed some light on the meaning of that photograph."

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 72):

"I assume that I will meet him again, when he is not yet evil, in another universe." I say slowly.  "I wonder..." I wonder to myself if my advice was or will be w hat turns him evil.

"Does that make sense?"

"No, it doesn't"

He and Samantha say in unison.

OOC) If you're going to explain, don't just say "I tell them about versing." Tell me what you tell them. I never understood why MJ made me do that until I started running games.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 74):

"Versers or verserscum as you call them..." I wave off any objection.  "We travel to different universes.  And we may arrive at any given time in such a universe.  So I read this now, and in my personal future, I may talk to Slidehammer.  He may go in his personal future to the past of this universe, and leave this message for me. And Samantha. Now does that make sense?"

The curator says it doesn't make any more sense, but concedes that it's something you'd probably have to experience to really comprehend.

Samantha looks at the photo and says "This is me in the future??? Wow!!!!"

She doesn't get it either, but she believes she will by the time the photo is taken.

The curator still invites you to his home for dinner.

OOC) You've accomplished the objectives I set out for you. Do you want to stay in the world for the time being or proceed to the next?

We go and enjoy the meal.

I can go to another world.

So the curator, Mister AtoZ leads you back to his house. His wife is cooking a homemade stew made from wild herbs and specialties.

It's a tasty meal, the conversation is light and polite. But then Samantha turns to you and grabs her stomach and says "I don't feel so good....." And she verses out.

And just as your own stomach knots up in debilitating pain, Mister AtoZ turns to you and whispers "I almost killed Slidehammer with these herbs. I guess verserscum are allergic to it."

And his, mad, wild, maniacal laughter is the last thing you will hear before you verse out.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:32, Mon 24 Aug 2020.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 78):

"Clever." I gasp around the pain and verse out.