In reply to Augustus Spotswood (msg #18):

The bull stomps again, shakes its head, and gets a vaguely confused look on it's face. then it nods. "Mmmm. Peace. But you keep away from my heifers."

It stands, watching. Waiting.

[[OOC: Cool. As the Bull's size is 2, it costs you 7 points [3 for the base, +4 for the size, out of the 10 in the device] and gives you 10 minutes of control. Better hope the next monster you have to use it on is human-sized or less]]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FavUpD_IjVY&">Also, some mood music, because it came to mind.</a>

Alouette is utterly still. "I do not know. I am...trapped, drunken...in..agony...my Name taken from me. I think he sought to give me oblivion, but still I feel...still I am, and I..." The metal body arches and shudders with a surpressed scream; there's  pause in which static builds, much like a creature would pant for breath.

"...I cannot keep control. Cannot concentrate. Cling to the rhythm the rhythm the rime ocean..." Another pause. "They must not work out how to do this. What he discovered, what...this body must be lost or destroyed utterly, but not yet, there are...things...must stop the fire...the others...others oblivious, play with humans, do not know them...I know. It will scorch the plains of the Hunting Grounds...perish in the smoke. Too soon. Even the Eater knows, but...pain...unreason."

"You...must be kept from them. Your kind is rare, dying..." for the first time, there's almost a little humour there: "...or did you really think you were a crow, Little One? You have spent so long in their company you almost look like one." Pause. "I will protect you, as I can; do not hinder me." The brass head tilts to survey the very dead-looking boy talking to it. "...how long do you need?"

In reply to El Toro Grande (msg #19):

Augustus looks a bit surprised again, but quickly determines the cause of the sudden change.  A smile slowly curls across his lips and he veritably beams with pride, "Ha!  It worked."  Depressing the key again, he says to the bull, "I will stay away from, your...heifers...  Absolutely.  I am lost though, can you help me find my way to the ranch house?  To where people, like me, are?" 

With a smile, Charging Bear lightly pets the kitten.

Charging Bear:

The cat purrs and preens at the attentions. She crouches, and leaps up into Charging Bear's lap.

---

Alouette:

The boy moves his head, and a slightly bemused expression spreads on his face. "You have been long gone, whatever you are. This is a new age. The Pact is broken, and we are all free once more. The Old Ones have been slain. It is time for us to resume our rightful place in things, free from their meddling. The Raven said so, and the Reckoners agreed. I shall not hinder you...you help feed the crows"

He pauses. "I do not think you are trapped. I think you chose this bond, as I have done. If your cage is broken beyond repair, you will be lost forever. Learn to pick you moments. Guide the shell to where it needs to be, and take control only when you must. If you are clever, and weaken it enough, you will win control forever, and the mind of the shell will be buried."

"I need another hour, and six pounds of meat. I have done the best I can repairing the boy's foolishness, but he has been severely damaged and I am running out of material to work with."

---

Augustus Spotswood:

The bull is quiet a moment, pondering whatever it is something of its might and intelligence ponders (in other words, who knows?) before replying.

"Mmmm. This way." It says, and begins ambling out of the gulch and across the plain.

Taken a back by the pouncing kitten, Charging Bear lets the little beast setting in before resuming the petting. "Hopefully Alouette and that green horn are fairing as well as is." he muses.


OOC: It should be noted that my wife is chuckling at this

The brass head draws back a little, surprised. “The raven in man’s skin...broke the Pact? That was not meant...” the hand that first caught the thing’s attention raises it to beak level by the throat, grip not hard or damaging but certainly urgent. “What happened?”

It lets go, disgusted, the anger ever present beneath the surface rising to taint its voice. “The ‘Reckoners’ think with their bellies. This...fifty years too soon...fools! They think of feasting, and do not note the coming silence...blind...free, indolent fools.”

There’s a vicious laugh at the advice. “This...has no mind, but uses my substance.” Static crackles like the sparks of a burning house. “Better to be...ended, than...diminished. Better to let the silence take me than lose the sky. As to what I am...I...might as well be...an angel.”

Charging Bear:

The cat purrs at the treatment, settling her rump down and curling into a fuzzy, warm, purry ball.

[[OOC: It seems you've made another friend...glad she's having a laugh. I'll move the scene ahead once all the other loose ends are tied up here.]]

---

Alouette:

"The Raven was a man, not one of ours. And we welcomed his intervention. The Old Ones intended to keep us all bound forever, but The Raven and the Last Sons put an end to that with their blades. The Last Sons and the Old Ones fought a mighty war, and the Last Sons won. With the Old Ones dead, the pact was undone, and we were free."

"All starving things think with their bellies. But the Reckoners feast now, and will remake the world to continue feasting forever. They will not be silenced again."

"You think so? And what of those you mourn? I taste the pain in you. I know that you desire to bring ruin to those who brought ruin to those you watched. Take this form. Use it, and bring wrath to those who deserve it, before you end yourself. If you cannot have the sky, take vengeance."

"Right behind you," returns Augustus as close to cheerily as he can.  No sense making the bull angry again.  As he goes he takes another look around to see if any of his equipment is visible.  If so, it will be gladly taken.  If not, well, at least he's headed towards safety.  As he goes, he does his absolute level best to avoid any of the heifers, trying to give them all as much distance as he can.  He'll even thumb the key on occaision to offer an "Excuse me, ma'am" or  "Pardon me, madam."

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyLIl9OkaH4&feature=related">Some mood music</a>

Augustus feels out his carpet bag, which is where, apparently, he got the parts for his new apparatus.

The bull and the scientist plod on through the herd, and, eventually away from it. They move at a leisurely pace over the darkened plain, leaving the heifers and cows and strange flickering flames behind them.

Eventually, Augustus can spot the distant shine of lanterns...and the shine seems to be moving towards him!

Meanwhile, the bull stops. "Mmmm. Over there. You go now, stinky one." it lows.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:51, Fri 10 Sept 2010.

"He was Spoken of. Meant to negociate, him and his son, secure a time...Lost Sons? This...it makes no sense..." There's a furious hawk-cry of pain and frustration. "They will starve anew, those few that are left, if they do this!"

There's a long pause, static faltering and being gathered. "No...my...my land is...gone, but if we unform the earth we forget...what we are. Learn to feed from their hope, Little One, and...pray you never learn of love." It tilts its head, misunderstanding or deliberately mistaking, barely in control. "You propose we swap skins?"

In reply to Alouette (msg #29):

"Negotiate. Heh. Raven and his Last Sons did try to demand the surrender of the Old Ones, to step aside and allow the spirits to return to their proper place, and allow The People to fight off the Ghost Men. The Old Ones refused. They thought we were too dangerous to be allowed to roam free. So they were disposed of. And the Reckoners have a plan this time. They will not be as rash and wasteful with their power as they were before. You'll see."

The corpse laughs. "No. I could not, even if I wanted to, leave this body now. I meant that you should take your form, the mechanism that binds you. Turn what they meant as a prison into a weapon pointed at them."

The native son falls a sleep kitten in lap.

OOC: Still here just with little to do

In reply to El Toro Grande (msg #28):

Augustus breathes a sigh of relief at the sight of the lanterns.  Keying his device with a thumb, he turns towards the bull, "You have my thanks...sir...  You are a great protector.  Your umm....heifers...are quite lucky to have you.  Keep them safe!"  That said, he begins to trot off towards the approaching lanterns and shouts, "Hello!??!  Hello!?  I'm a bit lost!"

"-trust that I know a way to do as I suggest," the static-voice cuts in sharply. Its tone shifts then, like one flattering a young warrior's courage to soften a rebuke for lack of trophies, speaking very rapidly as its hold lessens: "...I have means to displace you...fast, safely, into this, and take your place...since you clearly have a better grasp of its capabilities than I...the risk of being ended would be lessened - I would welcome the silence as an end to pain...but you, you are a bold spirit at the dawn of your true power...a tragedy if your fenian idiot took a bullet in the brain...answer swiftly: I cannot concentrate like this...much longer."

"You haven't been listening. I do not possess this body. I have merged with it. Our essences are entwined. Inseparable. Bound for eternity. Not even the Reckoners could separate us. Not even the Christian's God himself, if he exists, could unmix us. I have chosen my tool, angel. make the best use of yours."

In reply to Augustus Spotswood (msg #32):

"Mr. Spotswood? Is that you? Over here! We've found him!" Comes a call.

Four horses canter up. One of the horses has no rider, apparently meant for him.

"It is good to see you well, Mr. Spotswood." Ward says. He turns to one of his fellows. "Slim, go find the other outriders. Tell them we've found our errant guest, and they can return to their rest." he turns back to Augustus, and offers the reigns of the riderless horse to the scientist. "We should not linger. The range is not a safe place for gentlemen after dark."

[Private to Charging Bear: I know, and I'm sorry. I'm trying to wrap things up as quick as I can to move on to the next chapter.]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Fri 10 Sept 2010.

The 'angel' gives an irritated mutter of Chumash and pulls the boy aside, then ducks the barrier, feeds the lamp what hay, dried grass etc. it can find on the floor until it flares, and knocks it over.

Alouette watches the oil on the workbench burn for a bit, wondering why the lmp is on its side and how Danny got on the floor. Dr.Ward did tell it to abide there, but the fire's changing the wood's colour...

Finding that trying to pick up flames only gets them everywhere, fearing that Danny will end up cremated after all and that Dr.Ward will shoot it from ten paces away for not preventing property damage, the clank hastily drags the lad through the house into the place it first saw Abraham appear from, to ask him how to make fire stop.

After receiving some hasty explanations and pointed questions on where the fire is, Alouette's more than willing to help - first convincing the mildly alarmed Abraham that the body has to be in a locked room if unguarded, in case it turns into a ravening wendigo. The pantry, small, secure, and built to keep meat fresh, readily suggests itself. Alouette insists on taking any dairy products out first, but is swift to join the butler in running around with damp teatowels/blankets etc. once the key is turned.

Ward'll find it outside, helping, and the kitchen, foyer & porch littered with containers of cheese/butter/cream/custard wherever the've been (carefully) put down.

In reply to Dr. Dexter Ward (msg #35):

An eye brow lifts.  Augustus seems genuinely surprised at the doctor's concern.  He does give a glance around as he sets to carefully removing his earpiece and packing the device away in his carpet bag, "Really?  I mean wandering out here in the dark is not my usual manner, of course, but I have met some simply charming people."  A pause as he fastens the bag to the saddle, "Well, by people I do of course mean cattle.  Charming all the same though."

"You are lucky it was just cows you met out here." Ward says as they begin to ride back towards the house. "The rustler escaped, and met up with one of his companions. The pair attempted to take revenge on my hands. I've spent the last hour stitching saber wounds and fishing out bullets. So when I heard you were missing...well, I feared the worst."

The ride is uneventful, though it seems there's some event near the carriage house as the clank rattles around.

"Oh my word." Ward sighs. "What is going on now?"

"No need to worry, just took a bit of a bump is all," returns Augustus trying to sound like he believes that's all it was, "Stumbled away from the firefight and out here..."  He trails off at the noise and works to get into the saddle.  He makes it on the second attempt, "It certainly does stay exciting around here..."

"Yes...you certainly seem to have arrived during interesting times..." Ward mutters as he dismounts and tries to ascertain the situation.

There's a hurried conversation between Ward and his butler over what's been going on in his absence. As it turns out, Alouette accidentally knocked over a lantern in the carriage house, which set fire to a workbench. Luckily, the fire was caught and contained before it spread out of control. Also, there is apparently a corpse locked in his pantry.

Ward seems to be quite weary after this.

"I believe I shall deal with this situation after I've had some rest." He says, rubbing his forehead. "Friend Alouette, if our deceased is secured, then I shall perform the autopsy in the morning. If it wakes and begins moving around, I shall instead perform an exorcism." he turns to Augustus. "You may yet have that demonstration I promised, though it will have to wait until I am rested. My man Abraham will show you to your room when you are ready to sleep."

With that, Ward takes his leave for the evening.

[[OOC: Please post what you plan to do for the rest of the night.]]

[Private to Augustus Spotswood: Augustus, are you going to finish repairing Alouette? That will take 2 hours, but you've already succeeded on the check, so no rolls required

Are you going to work on repairing your devices so that you have all of them in working condition, including your new Beast Friend power? That will take 1d6 hours, a Repair roll (at +2, since you have an unconscious grasp of the theories already) and a draw from the deck for your shiny new dementia.

Also remember that you need 1d6 hours of sleep as well]

[Private to Alouette: What will Alouette be up to for the rest of the night?]

Augustus, for all his getting lost on the prarie, seems quite awake really.  More than awake enough to get back to work he understands.  Finding Alouette, he would inquire as to completing repairs to the automaton, perhaps even some additional damage control.  If the mechanical marvel proves amenable, the scientist would lead him back to the workshop and effect those repairs.  After this, he, still buzzing with scientific joy, would turn to working upon his devices at the worktable.  Disassembly, reassembly.  Fiddly complicated sort of work, but he manages to complete it rather quickly; with several "Aha!"'s and "Eureka!"'s.  At some point, after putting some final touches on his scientific work, fatigue would catch up to him quite suddenly.

Should Alouette remain in the workshop during all of this, he would see Augustus fall forward as though his strings were cut.  His head would hit the table a little roughly and he would then slide to the floor.  Wide awake to dead asleep in 6 seconds flat.  Ah the life of a scientist.

[Private to The Stray: Finish the repairs on Alouette (If allowed) 2 hours; Repair devices with an 11 roll, 1 hour; collapse into deathlike sleep for 6 hours.]

Alouette has no objection at all to being repaired, though Augustus might get the odd static shock whilst trying to repair the byzantine static control system. The downwards sabre thrust that would have turned a human's innards to mince has done no more damage than the odd bit of scraped brass, entirely missing crucial parts.

It'll even make suggestions whilst watching Augustus work, having - naturally - a memory like a steel trap for the theories and ideas he's rambled in its presence: one of which is to mark off the frequency where ambient static is heaviest 'so he can talk to angels'.

Unable to find Abraham at silly in the morning when Augustus conks out, Alouette will put the scientist as horizontally as possible on a shelf in the laundry room, because humans sleep where there are sheets. It fetches his bags and hat and piles these on top before going to stand guard in the dark kitchen, where it'll quietly potter about the rest of the night, investigating the various properties of soot, soap bubbles and coffee beans and leaving a haphazard trail of whatever it's curiously picked up unless someone hears it and puts it out. Even then it might prove difficult to separate it from the vegeable steamer.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:29, Sun 12 Sept 2010.

Please resume posting on the Chapter 6.2 thread!