Assuming Kurt signs the contracts, and Madeline Lee, the woman in the business attire, will allow up to 3 other town's folk to countersign each contract, will then say


Assuming there is nothing else then the 2 women will return to the Ranger, which will leave, followed a couple of minutes later by the 2 gunships.



At whichever point Kenneth returns to the farm  there will be an "Envelope" (see below) on the table personally addressed to him. The "envelope" just bears his name and is hand written in black ink.


I will hold things here until all the other characters catch up to this point.

When you return from your afternoon of exploration, sitting on a convenient table/desk will be said envelope.

When you return to your room, left on what ever doubles for a desk/dresser/table will be said envelope. In you case it has your name written traditional Yue script.

When you get back from your lab said envelope will be on your desk..
If Tiffany is there, then it "appeared" when she was out..

Returning to his apartment, Harris put down the food he had brought back and looked over to the envelope. Things were where he had left them of course, with the exception of the new addition. Strange letters appearing from no where might not be too unheard of for him it seems, if a bit unusual still. Something new his parents were sending to him?

Stepping over, he picked up the envelope and looked it over carefully, finally cracking the seal on it in the end and opening it up to see what was inside.

Firstly, assuming everything works, you should find a private link for each character which will enable you to download your invites..

Having discovered your envelopes, what, if anything, do you choose to do at this point?
Don't go too far and assume things, especially if you're not on the Mizzurian Shadow Earth....
The only character who is on the Mizzurian Shadow Earth at this point is Rhiannon..
Each of the rest of you are on a different Shadow Earths
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:13, Sat 30 Apr 2022.

Big Creek circa 13:45 Good Friday 2013

By 13:45 a low drone will start to reverberate through the hills.

As time ticks by the intensity of the sound will increase, until it can be resolves into the sound of approaching heavy vehicles.

At 14:15 approx a convoy of heavy trucks escorted by 4 BAE Caiman (RCWS mounting TRT2-RWS: M242 Autocannons) and 2 Predator drones will roll into the town. The convoy consists of 2 Mann HX87(8x8 heavy trucks with winches), a KWZT-1 Mamut Engineering truck, 3 Mann HX81 towing commercial semi-trailers, 1 with a 40ft container loaded and 2 with low loaders, and a Mann HX81 towing a container semi-trailer with a 40ft medical container (mobile hospital unit).
The low loaders carry 2 4CX series 10ton JCB diggers, 2 John Deer 6130 tractors with front loader attachment, 2 7 shaft plough/harrows, 1 seed drill, 1 fertilizer spreader, 2 general purpose trailers with side, 2 post auger attachments for the tractors, 2 sets of buckets for the JCBs, 2 sets of forks for the JCBs, and 2 rock hammer/breaker attachments for the JCBs. One of the containers holds the 12 Kubota NC131 2 wheeled tractors with attachments.

All the trucks, Caiman, Drones, and containers bear the Mizzurian name and logo.

Whilst 2 of the Caiman carry predominately heavily armed security personnel (each carries 6 security personnel), the remainder are technicians, engineers, and medical staff (8 man team, 2 doctors, 7 nurses, 1 administrator).
The field hospital will be open for business within 1 hour of arrival in town. It offers a free of charge health check, and will treat anyone free of charge. If a program of drugs are required, or a long term prescription is needed, then supplies will arrive the following morning..


Big Creek circa 12:05 Easter Saturday 2013
At about 11:59 the town will hear the approach of helos once more.
4 Sirorsky CH-53K lift helos escorted by 2 Bell AH-1Z Vipers (the same gunships as the previous day) will roll into town.
2 of the Sirorsky's each carry 2xSS-463L pallets each loaded with 4 IBC's of diesel (total of 16,000L).
Any required drugs supplies will be loaded in the spare space on the pallets.

The other 2 each carry an underslung 40ft container.The first is solar/wind power/comms hub. The second contains the "parts", a 20m mast to support a 12Kw 48V Wind turbine, the turbine and its 5m blades, and the anchors and lines to secure the mast. It also contains 8 500W solar panels which mount, 4 on each container.

Setup will begin almost immediately, but the 30m mast won't be erected and the wind turbine operational until Sunday evening. The Commms station will effectively be operational from Easter Monday. When powered it provides a direct hookup to the Mizzurian Network and the internet (as far as it has been re-established) via satellite comms. It also provides a VOIP phone capability. Once fully operational, circa mid afternoon Easter Monday, the wind turbine will on average be able to provide 8Kw of power to the town..

Noticing the strange envelope on her desk, Rhiannon slides it off the edge of the desk with her fingers, then holds it up in front of her face, flipping it back and forth. Appreciating the clean black penmanship with which her name was written and geeking out on the very cool wax seal. The paper felt like real parchment, and the fold was expert and precise. Someone had taken time to make this look beautiful and formal.

"Tiff?" Tiffany was laying on her bed, texting to her boyfriend with her headphones on. "TIFF!!"

Tiffany tilted her head up so she could see Rhiannon. She took one side of her headphones away from her ear. "What?"

"When did this envelope come?" she showed it to her.

Tiffany shrugged. "I don't know. It's your desk. I don't pay attention to what you have there."

"You're saying that you didn't put this here?"

"Nope. I don't think I even noticed it."

Tiffany went back to texting to music. So strange.... Taking a seat in her desk chair, Rhiannon folded her legs under her as she continued to marvel at the sealed letter. She knew very well that things could suddenly appear without rational explanation, but it had just never happened to her. Eventually her curiosity got the upper hand. Cringing at the idea of damaging that beautiful seal, she managed to peel it open without actually breaking it. An invitation? No, it was a personal invitation. What was the Mizzurian Corporation and who was Cordelia Chan? Who the hell named their daughter Cordelia in this century? This was a job for Google.

Rhiannon pulled her laptop from her pack and unfolded it on her desk. After logging in she performed her searches. 'Mizzurian Corporation' first, then, 'Who is Cordelia Chan?'.

That didn't take long. Mizzurian was a game company and Cordelia Chan was a founder who now had controlling interest in the company. The expo was their big convention to announce their stuff. They had a new game BlackShadow Cyberdeck. Apparently it was highly anticipated, and was generating a lot of excitement. Rhiannon wondered if she had ever heard of it. It seems like maybe she did, but she wasn't that big a gamer. Sometimes she would get so long in her own 'other worlds' that she just wasn't up on these things. She certainly had gamer friends she could ask. But how important was it? Her question was more around herself. She wasn't a gamer really and she had no presence in those groups or forums, so why would she get a personal invitation from the big boss lady herself?

Rhiannon looked at the invitation again. There was no contact information or even an RSVP. It said that boss lady Cordelia would come to collect her. It was very presumptuous. In fact she wondered if this was really a version of one of those scams where some fictional African General had £5million they embezzled and needed a native safe harbor. Except maybe Ms.Cordelia would show up and collect Rhiannon and sell her to said African General. Well it would be easy enough to verify. Cordelia's picture was everywhere. When she came to personally collect her, Rhiannon could see for herself if it was really her. If it was, then she could interrogate her on how she won the Mizzurian lottery.

Folding the invitation back into the envelope, Rhiannon put it in her sock drawer under her socks. Whatever this bit of mystery was about, she would find out on Monday, April 29th at 2:30 PM. She expected Ms.Chan would not be even a second late.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:47, Sun 01 May 2022.

An envelope on her nightstand? Someone was giving Winter snail mail? And in her dorm room?

Winter's roommates hadn't arrived yet, so she figured she ought to at least take a look. She slipped one fingernail into the envelope's adhesive, popping the envelope open, and took a look at its contents. "What." That was her only reaction to the letter for about a minute. Who was this person, and why was she inviting Winter to an expo of this...Mizzurian?

Winter pulled out her laptop and looked up Mizzurian. Apparently, they were a Los Angeles-based corporation specializing in robotics, exoskeletons and prosthetic limbs. She wondered why this person had any interest in her, though. Was she trying to set up a contract of some kind with the FRC military? Winter didn't have any useful contacts there, though she figured she might try to set up a bridge if she liked what she saw. Especially if there was something in it for her.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:26, Sun 01 May 2022.

Kenneth stomped the mud from his boots before he ascended the few steps up onto the deck of the cabin.

He and his father had been deep in conversation the whole walk back, and it would likely be all anyone would talk about for the foreseeable future.

He spotted the envelope and cocked an eye curiously, then steadied his rifle on its sling with one hand as he bent over to retrieve it.

He brought it in, and after a few questions to the other family members about it, he pulled out his knife and opened it carefully.

He read it a few times before he made a puzzled sound and handed it to his father to read.

"How do they even know who you are?" He asked sensibility.

"No idea, probably some mistake. Although they did find the place..." Obviously there was no official post office or mail anymore. The only people that supposedly knew they lived there were their neighbors.

"Says transports provided..." Ken quipped with a wry grin. The thought that someone would come all the way out into the sticks to collect him personally was laughable, and his father grinned as well, less jovial though.

"Well, guess we will see..." He shrugged.

-

But that was just the beginning.

The whole family was back out later that afternoon to see the show, and true enough Mizzurian seemed to be holding up their end of the bargain.

It turned into a huge social event, work stopped, the kids watched and played, it was the largest gathering the town had seen since the harvest last fall. Nearly the whole town, population 59, was there.

Some of the more experienced men commented about the equipment, but they tried to stay out of the way of the security detail and workers. The militia stayed armed, they had lived armed for so many years it was part of their culture now, but they were downright cordial considering these were strangers.

And then the hospital was set up, with real doctors, and real medicines.

Just about everyone needed something, but by common agreement the kids went first, then the oldest folks.

Some ailments were ubiquitous. Most people had parasites, fleas, worms and otherwise.  Most people had various levels of respiratory illnesses from so many years of breathing ash. Everyone needed dental work, having gotten by with strong alcohol and pliers for the past few years.

The list would be too long to bear reading, but suffice to say, people wept openly when they learned they would be getting things like replacement eyeglasses, and antibiotics.

Kenneth himself received a surprising clean bill of health considering that he had not seen any real medical care since well before puberty, but they chalked it up to the strength of youth and thought little of it.

By the time people made their way back to their homes in the failing light, the whole feel of the little hamlet had changed.

-

Easter Saturday 2013

They had been eating dinner, fried spring onions, black bread, and a sort of garlic paste when suddenly something beeped...

The microwave was on, and so was the coffee maker. A light in one of the back bedrooms shone out into the hallway.

Everyone broke into broad unbelieving grins at once and looked around, some shook their heads, others laughed.

They had run their generator before, especially in the early years, they were obviously not cave people. They saw electric light on occasion and the solar panel that charged the batteries for the militia radios also charged cell phones when the weather was good.

But this, this was real power, whole house power. They suddenly saw how dirty and dusty and dreary the whole house had seemed in the light of their fireplace.

"They actually did it..." Kenneth's father exclaimed, and stood up from the table.

All of them walked through the house, then outside it, and their neighbors did the same. They literally saw it all in a new light, and memories of a decade ago, when life was normal, came flooding back.

"I don't even know what to do first...." Kenneth exclaimed with a laugh.

"Do you think that DVD player still works?" Emily asked excitedly.

Everyone started charging phones, asif they were afraid it would die again again at any moment.

One day they were living life, doing what the could, and the next...power. Everyone had assumed that they would get it back some day, that the roads would be repaired, and the power grid and the water plant, but it was another thing entirely to actually see that day come.

It brought a lot of hope, much needed hope, and a promise of better things in the days to come.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:35, Sun 01 May 2022.

Harris read over the invitation a couple times and even flipped it around as he inspected it. Quite a bit of information contained in the invitation, but also a lot of questions left unanswered too.

He had a bit of time before this Expo, so he took immediately to looking into details about what it stated. Mizzurian was the first thing he opted to search for, looking through what online sources he could find. The second, of course, was Carnelian - where was it? Finally, the individual who invited him. Seeing what he could find through such sources first, Harris finally opted to inspect the actual invitation itself a little more carefully, seeing if he could detect anything unusual about it as he went over it with a fine tooth comb as the saying were.


If all else failed, of course, he could always call and ask his one final resource for such things so mysterious: his parents.

Based on your Earth Shadow..
There is no Expo.. the effect of a Yellowstone eruption is substantial, although the actual severity of the affect depends on the length and extent of the eruption.
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what...ed-again-yellowstone
https://www.usgs.gov/observato...ews_science_products
https://www.usgs.gov/media/ima...wstone-supereruption
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvrad...olcano/article.shtml
Mizzurian as a Company exist, they have an office in Sacramento. Beyond that nothing much, i.e no games launch etc.
The article on Cordelia Chan exists as per the website, as this predates the Rodian War events.
Your parents would have no more idea about the Invitation or where it came from than you. They have no more idea about who Cordelia Chan is than you do.

Based on your Shadow Earth
Effectively Mizzurian exists as you've defined, so there won't be a big new 3D virtual reality game, and no Expo.
Mizzurian were at CES 2013 but that was back in January and they are listed as exhibitors at CES 2014.
The article on Cordelia Chan exists as per the website, as this predates the Rodian War events.

In reply to GameMaster (msg # 23):

With not much to go on, beyond the existence of such a company, Harris considered the matter carefully. It was an interesting mix of intrigue and curiosity. The invitation's arrival was certainly outside the norm - appearing in his apartment by its own means. Had someone broken in to deliver it? That seemed a bit much. A lot of trouble to go to just for that. But the location alone was of interest.

With only little to go on, Harris opted to pursue it anyway. After all, he was still waiting on job opportunities to present themselves and something like this was just enough of a mystery to draw his attention. Even if it might not specifically be in his field of study... perhaps it just might. The means of its appearance was a question all its own, so Harris looked into arranging a trip on the indicated date out to where this Mizzurian was located. Sacramento. Not perhaps the most ideal place to call a vacation spot after the events of the Rodian War, but things were beginning to settle out these days. At the least, he could find out what this was all about.

Curiouser and curiouser. So she was being invited by a company that was mostly a US defense contractor, to an expo that the Internet had never heard of, and yet their CEO was expert enough in Cantonese to write a death threat to the Big Brothers - in characters complex enough that most Triad goons wouldn't even be able to read them - and stick it in a formal invitation.

Okay, this was getting creepy as fuck. Winter knew that a lot of local government in Shenzhen was still unofficially outsourced to the Triads, but what did that have to do with her? Another piece of a completely insane puzzle.

Winter couldn't do anything about it now, and besides, her roomies would be filing back in soon. One room plus four girls didn't leave much privacy. She resolved to wait, but to set her smartphone's alarm clock on Monday night. The "invitation" didn't sound like an RSVP - and she was apparently going to be snagged at oh-dark-thirty - and she'd see if this Cordelia would be able to get into the dorms after hours without waking everyone else up. (Probably. Boys did it all the time.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:10, Sun 01 May 2022.

2013/03/29 07:20 a.m. 32km southeast of Popular River First Nation, landbase "Poplar River 16", Manitoba, Canada.

---

As the sun rose a scrawny she wolf padded softly into the clearing, majestic oaks towering like a wall around the small area of open sky, deep piles of snow clumped around their bases hidden from the sun.  She favored her back right paw, but was trying not to show signs of this, the frozen earth burning her abraded pad with each step.

The only thing within the clearing was a large mound of snow dusted hides and furs which she approached, and when spotted there was no fire, even a small one, whined softly.  The bundle stirred, a thickly calloused and scarred hand reached up into the hood and pulled an earbud free to dangle, thin tinny music and vocals stretched to fill the space between trees.

^♪♫... been for a walk, I've been for a walk, On a winter's day, on a winter's..._♪ ♫

"Yes Nana, the fire is long out and buried.  Can't risk smoke by day, not this close.  Here, kept the last of the rabbit warm" his voice low, deep, but not gravely or thick with age, the hand dug into the furs and pulled out a small haunch, his head turned, black eyes took her in, dusted in ice and snow, shivering, "See your hunt was unsuccessful today as mine yesterday."

_♫ ♪"... California dreamin', on such a winter's day..."♪ ^♫

The wolf growled softly, but trotted over with a light wag to her tail and took the last of their fare.  The man laughed, his mated black hair spilled out from the hood.  He reached out and pulled the wolf into his lap, tucking hides around her.  "Ya need to warm up, then we leave."

♫ _♪"... the preacher like the cold, preacher like the cold, he knows I'm gonna stay, knows I'm gonna stay..."^♫ ♪

The wolf muttered around the bones of the hunch as she chewed them.

"Yeah, once again 'shuffle' proven to be prescient."  He laughed, "Oh, you grumble that we are on this 'accursed trek'.  Almost home Nana, and I will see with me own eyes what is left."

♪ ♫"All the leaves are brown, all the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray, and the sky is gray,
I've been for a walk, I've been for a walk, on a winter's day, on a winter's day..."♫ ^♫

He leaned forward and laid the back of a hand against the buried firepit, feeling it was cold as the frozen ground, he reached out and gently scattered a pile leaves and debris about.  Doing so he spied the wolf's rear right pads and sighed.

The wolf squirmed sensing, knowing what was coming, but she was not fast or strong enough.  His massive hands grabbed her neck and back, and he pinned her to him, lowered his forehead to hers, and whispered, "Ya foot is hurt again.  Said I'd make ya some booties, but no, and now the pad torn.  I'm gonna to carry ya a few hours, we'll see how it's doing then.  If we find a stream, we'll make a salve and you will wear the booty, or I will tie your muzzle shut and booty all four of your feet, understand?"

^♫ ♪ ♫ _♫  ♪^♫ ♪ ♫ _♫  ♪

She growled, bristled, and squirmed, testing his hands, but she was trapped.  Slowly, little by little her growls ceased and her bristling and tail lowered, until she gently whined acquiescence.

"Good, we're all we have.  What if we have to run fast and long?  Ya four hard lopes away from leaving a blood trail and I will not leave you behind."  He lifted his head and relaxed his hands, "Now I know you hate it, but, hup, up on the shoulder," she put her front paws on his shoulder, he wrapped the hide poncho about her and tied it into a makeshift papoose.  She laid her head down with a huff.  "Yes, watch our six."

He shouldered his old weathered army rucksack, snatched up the spear that was laying at his side, and heaved himself to his feet.

_♫ ♪"...  California dreamin', California dreamin', On such a winter's day, California dreamin'..."♪ ^♫

His large hand tucked the absurdly tiny looking earbud back in, allowing silence to dominate the clearing and he strode off not even leaving footprints to show they ever spoiled the peace of the woods.

---

2013/03/29 11:41 a.m. Popular River First Nation, landbase "Poplar River 16", Manitoba, Canada.

---

It was noon, the giant bear of man had removed the poncho in the sun and tied it under the rucksack, the light breeze stirred his long tangled and matted hair.  He was from the area, or at least baring his height and frame, no one would bat an eye at his high cheekbones, brown skin, rugged nose, wide mouth and chin; the classic Algonquin features.  Yeah, sure, Poplar River was Ojibwa territory, but the northern tribes had done a lot of mixing in the two centuries since they were occupied and relocated.

The two trotted along a graveled road, passing the occasional house.  Most were small and poor looking.  A few long abandoned having collapsed under the ash fall and never being rebuilt, but some were larger, those showed signs of habitation, the roofs swepted, exteriors repaired, gardens maintained.  The wolf ranged back and forth ahead of him, sniffing the air, brush, odd rocks.  Her back right paw was 'bootied' with a small leather sack, she occasionally gave her foot an indignant kick, clearly annoyed at having to wear it.

They finally approached the house they were looking for, windows boarded up, weeds and tall grass choked out the small stone drive, the porch all but hidden behind run-away thorn brush.  "See, told ya the trees would shield it from the ash, roof still looks sound.  Bet the old shed even made it."  He stood in the road and stared at the house lost in thought.

The wolf trotted about, constantly glancing around.  After several very long minutes she whined and bumped him.  He looked down, "Sorry, I was just wondering why they... they never returned?"  His voice sounded smaller, tighter, younger.

The wolf just continued looking at him.  "Yes, I know Mother Elizabeth never liked it here... and Dad always said 'we have family everywhere, so anywhere we go by the water is home'... but still?"

The wolf looked at the house, back to him, the house, him.  "Sigh.  I know, we'll never figure it out standing around out here... and didn't drag ya all this way just look from the road an leave..."  He turned and trudged to the house, scuffing his feet the whole way as though, maybe if he walked just a bit slower, they'd magically arrive before he got there.

He carefully pulled and chopped the thorn bush back from the steps, and then gingerly tested the porch's ability to take his weight, the boards creaked but held as he stepped up, over the three small, very rickety looking steps.  He slipped the machete back into the sheathe on the rucksack, set the sack under the porch window, and leaned his spear next to the door.

The wolf chuffed at him and headed around the side of the house.  He stood a moment, then fished out the chain he wore with the set of keys.  He took it off, and slid one gently into the lock and turned it slowly.  It ground with disuse and rust, but the dead bolt slide back.  He put the keys away and stood another moment, his hand on the door handle.

From behind him he heard her grumble at his slowness.  "Did ya smell anything back there need to worry about?"

Two chuffs of negation, "Well, this is it."  Grumble of annoyance.

He gently turned the handle and pushed the door open, it was stuck with age, but yielded to his firm pressure.  He leaned his head in and was about to step through the doorway when he felt the tug on his leg.  He half stepped back and she slipped through the narrow space between his legs and the frame.  The wolf stopped just inside, sniffed about, sneezed from the thick dust, and then silently padded into the house, cautiously sniffing and occasionally sneezing.

He leaned his head against top of the frame, his hands clenching the wooden jambs.  He took a deep breathe, let it out and then ducked his head and turned his shoulders to step through the door and not catch himself on the tiny house that used to be so very huge.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:33, Thu 05 May 2022.

The morning of Saturday 30th March.. at what ever time Mackh decides to rise and exit onto the front porch.

As you turn to close the door or to look back, you notice there is something stuck to the door, what appears to be a parchment envelope with your name handwritten in ink on the front.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:12, Fri 06 May 2022.

Sunday 31st March.. Cambridge MA, Mizzurian Earth, how does Rhiannon spend her Sunday?

Sunday morning is church time. even in Cambridge. But Rhiannon doesn't go to church. Instead, she takes advantage of the thinner crowds to take a long run, go to the gym, and then get a good breakfast. After, she gets in some study time, alternating that with breaks to do laundry so she has the evening to hang out with any friends who aren't drowning in coursework.

This afternoon, she went off with Tiff, Tiff's boyfriend Zach, and two of his friends, Sham and Dwayne. They're at the beach on Cape Cod. Sham and Dwayne are engaged in a mostly subtle competition for Rhiannon's attention. She's doing nothing to discourage them. In fact, she's not so subtle encouraging them.

Returning from the beach, you enter your Dorm building. As you do so, you feel a sort of stabbing sensation behind your eyes (imagine your eyes are very light sensitive and somebody has just turned a 10,000,000 Candela spotlight on you). The closer you get to your dorm room the greater the intensity of the pain, until it becomes completely disorientating, and you stagger and collapse. There is then a very massive increase in intensity and you blackout for a few seconds.
When you come round, the source of the pain has completely gone, although it will take you a couple of minutes to completely regain your senses. Somewhere in the back of your mind you have the image of a tall oriental female with long hair standing further down the corridor from your room. She appeared to have something about the size of smart phone in her left hand, and maybe a sword across her back. Just before you blacked out you think she vanished into thin air. If your senses were to be believed she was the source of what was inflicting the pain, a massively powerful source of the same energy that you unconsciously draw on when producing your Magic Pictures.
When you check your room, the first thing that is evident is that your invitation is on your desk on top of several of your Magic Pictures, all ow which have obviously been moved.

Monday 1st April Circa 11:45am Big Creek, Real Earth.
A Mizzurian Bell Ranger puts down in the centre of town as before. A single female occupant of oriental descent exits the helo. She has on a business type jacket and skirt, knee high boots, with a Mizzurian Flak jacket on over the top. Strapped across her back is a Katana, and she has a pair of Glock pistols in holsters at her waist. Her hair is plaited into a pony tail which hangs down her back. In her hands is a clipboard on which there is a sheaf of paperwork.
Initially she heads for the Comms centre and after making relevant enquires and obtaining relevant directions will make her way to the Elgrim residence. She's looking for a "Mr Kenneth Eday Elgrim"...

Cleaning had been the order of the day since the Elgrim family had started stirring around dawn.

It was not like the house was completely filthy, they had kept it up over the years, but it's difficult to clean carpet without a vacuum, and the renewed life in town had inspired them all into a real Spring Cleaning.

Several things no longer worked, but they were used to that, and there were other things that did and were most welcome. The microwave, the aforementioned vacuum, and the dishwasher all worked. Small things to some, but significant events in their little lives.

They, and most of the other residents, were at the point to where they could not really afford to laze about watching the aircraft and the vehicles. Tom was breathing far easier after his visit to the mobile clinic, had slept through the night, and actually had the energy to pitch in.

Kenneth's mother had answered the door by chance, and Kenneth himself had been picking up wood shavings from where the logs and kindling we're normally stacked next to the fireplace.

Most of the family looked at the woman with reserved, serious, but not hostile stares. At least in Kenneth's case he had ever seen anything like her before.

He was typically shaggy, barefoot, unshaven and dressed in weather stained clothing. He had not washed in some time, but was looking forward to potentially getting the washing machine up and running.

While she...how could he describe her?

He was no stranger to people wearing armor when the situation warranted it, whatever they could get thier hands on in the militia, but she wore it with...a suit?

And she wore...two pistols? He had never seen that, expect maybe in cartoons or silly movies he had seen as a kid.

How was she supposed to hit anything? If she was worried about danger, what would she do past, what, 25? 50 yards at the most?

And the sword... again, he had seen pictures, vaguely remembered that it was some sort of eastern sword, but pretty much ancient history. Actually he remembered seeing a black and white photo in one of the books about the second world war, he had seen one in the book, had thought it odd even then.

He had not forgotten the invitation exactly, but now it all came flooding back.

He approached the door curiously, tossed a handful of shavings into the trash and brushed his hands off.

"I'm Kenneth" he confirmed with a nod, polite enough but reserved. "Is somethin' goin' on?" He asked, and tried not to stare.

He had not actually had many conversations with the new people yet, and he found it made him feel...dirty, or primitive. The sharp contrast between cleanliness, clothing, demeanor, even the cadence and accent of her voice. It was all... unfamiliar.

In reply to GameMaster (msg # 31):

When Rhiannon opened her eyes, Tiff and two other girls from the Dorm were standing over her. Tiff had her hands on Rhiannon's shoulders, shaking her gently while the other stood still, looking on with expressions of concern tinged with panic. The lights seemed normal and the normal sounds of activity hummed in her ears. The world felt solid and real. What transpired moments before also felt real as it happened, but now seemed more like a painful dream filling the space between when she blacked out and when she awoke. As blurry as that memory felt. Rhiannon knew it was not conjured from her imagination. There was only one other time in her life that she felt anything similar, and the idea that someone could have just unleashed that on her hollowed her gut and filled it with fear.

"Oh my God, Rhiannon?" Tiffany pulled Rhiannon by the arm to help her to her feet. "What the hell? You gave me a heart attack? You must be dehydrated. Did you drink enough water?"

"I'm fine, Tiff." Rhiannon waved off Tiffany's arm, insisting on standing on her own. "OK, maybe I'm not totally fine. I have a massive headache. I just need to lie down. Can you bring me a couple bottles of water, please?"

Tiffany nodded, running down to the vending machine as Rhiannon staggered into the dorm. Letting the door slam closed behind her, she staggered a few steps before dropping her hand onto her desk for support. That's when she noticed the invitation. Sh had put it in her drawer for safe keeping, but there it was, set upon a stack of her cards, which were also stashed away when she left earlier in the day. She knew immediately that this was a message, but why deliver it in such an unfriendly and agonizing way? Maybe it was meant to scare her off, or perhaps it was some heavy handed way to let her know that the invitation had a connection to her secret talent. She'd always thought that there had to be others who could do the same thing, but this mysterious woman was so much more powerful. Still, if the woman meant Rhiannon real harm, there would have been little she could do about it. It was all so confusing and her head was splitting. As Rhiannon hurriedly hid the invitation, she again felt that familiar tingle. Supported by the episode she just experienced, Rhiannon felt like she was about to connect with people who would turn her world upside down, and she didn't feel even remotely ready for it.

After stuffing her magic evidence into a drawer, she dropped onto the bed and curled under her blanket. Tiff came in carrying three large bottles of water, but Rhiannon waved her off. She needed to sleep. Letting here eyes flutter closed, Rhiannon slipped and swirled down the drain of unconsciousness.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:42, Sat 07 May 2022.

She initially appears a little shocked at your appearance but covers it very well..
"Nothing to concern you Mr Elgrim, just routine"
Her tone is calm and level, like this is all a little tedious
"Just need to verify that you've received your Invitation and that you're planning to attend the Expo.."