The continuing adventures of Tadeusz, GMed by JohnA1nut.  :)

Following that, you're waking up. The area around you is wood and plaster. It's old-timey construction. It's looks like the aftermath of a war between a lot of guys with guns and explosives against one guy with a flamethrower. Bullet holes, burned out buildings, destruction.

There's a rough stone alter in the middle. Attached to it is a bronze plaque which reads:

"On this spot, in the Year of Our Lord 1865, more than 2,000 brave souls gave their lives to defeat The Verserscum. May we never forget and remain forever vigilant."

And there's a scriff sense of another verser off in the distance.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:37, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 2):

Oh crud.  This does not look good.

I check what weapons I have, and then head out toward the other verser sense.

OOC) You've got your armor, gauntlet blasters and your sword. Beyond that, I'll go with just about anything you want, within reason. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head.

So you're walking along. You see buildings, houses occasionally. Log cabins. Late 1800s tech. A horse-drawn carriage zips by at a crossroads. Their clothing is cotton and wool. Plain, simple, neutral colors.

Continuing your walk, you come across three ladies working a garden. A young mother of perhaps 30 and two daughters, 10 and 12. When you approach, the 12 year old daughter looks at a crystal she has hanging from a string around her neck. The crystal is glowing bright red. She looks up at you, her face is a horror show mask of terror. She stammers "Oh Ma. He's verserscum. You know what they say he's going to do to all of us."

And the mother, also terrified, looks at you and says "What do you want verserscum? Haven't your kind done enough damage around here?"

OOC) Your chance to get information from non-combatants. I wrote this world for Krillis. I really wish he would have played it. Scord really liked this world though.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:38, Wed 06 May 2020.

I sigh. Pray silent and quick. 'Lord help me understand.'

I take the single bench near the garden, and plop down.

"I am sorry for scaring you, but I do not know what you are talking about.  Would it be too much to ask your daughter to get me a glass of water?"  I'm thirsty and maybe getting the kid out of the way might be a good thing.

I sit there patiently showing with my demeanor that I'm not talking anymore or moving.

They're obviously awe-shocked that at your brazenness. The mother crosses herself and prays silently for a moment.



But she sees you're considerate and kind. She says "Laura, fetch this versersc----gentleman a glass of lemonade."

And the girl without the necklace runs into the house. She returns a moment later carrying a glass of a cold, yellow, lemonade smelling beverage.



It doesn't take long. You hear them whispering about how verserscum were supposed to kill people on sight. They decide you're at least worth the benefit of conversation.

The mother approaches. "It was just after Laura was born. He arrived. Sparks and fire surrounded him, every step he took. He wanted to rule us and we wouldn't let him. So he hurt people. Lots of people. He burned crops and fields because people wouldn't do what he said. Finally they raised an army to fight him."

She gestures back towards the city in which you started.

"My husband, their father, was killed in that battle."

Pause, crying, getting herself back together.

"His name was..... Hammer.... Something. I can never remember. He wore a trenchcoat and a huge backpack. He had a hammer that could throw lightning and fire and clouds of acid. There's an asylum where they took his victims."

Gestures in the same direction as the verser scriff sense.

Then Mary, the older girl with the glowing necklace says "Don't forget about the little girl verser. They say she lives in the woods outside Walnut Grove. Nasty Nellie stole her coat."

Laura says "No she doesn't!! She's not real. Nasty Nellie got that coat in Mankato!!"

Mother "Girls, girls, calm down!!" Then to you "Is there anything more we can do for you?"

OOC) In the world as written, the other verser here is an eight year old girl. If you would prefer, we can make her an eight year old boy. I dunno. I just thought I'd mention it.

(Doing Therapy)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 07:23, Thu 07 May 2020.

Two Posts



I know you don't really keep track of gear. So here's my proposal. If you all of a sudden want to say "I whip out my Mossberg 500 12 gauge pump shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot." I'll probably allow it. You've had plenty of opportunities to acquire such a weapon. I would totally believe you've been carrying it this whole time and never used it.

Just wanted to let you know that. You've got a four dimensional, infinite storage hypercube on your toolbelt. You can pull out any weapon or item you might need, within reason, at a moment's notice. Cool?

And, to be honest, I expect the same in return. :)

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 10:44, Fri 08 May 2020.

Three Posts

You've got a backpack or something that you acquired in Verser World. It's a four dimensional, infinite storage hypercube. It was invented by a verser named Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.

The hypercube you've got will allow you to pull out any item you might reasonably need. Roll of duct tape, first aid kit, an AK-47, etc. The stipulation is that the item would have to fit inside the backpack.

What do you think Tadeusz?

(Doing Therapy)

I'll take that backpack. Thanks. And same for you.

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

I sip the almost lemonade to find if its good, and then gulp a bit, and slow myself.

"Thank you."

I shake my head, and stare into the distance.

"that's terrible.'

When I hear that her husband died, I put my hand on my face, and after a moment quietly pray for her and and her children's peace of heart.  It has to rip her to shreds at times.

I almost say 'magehammer'  hoping I'm wrong, but then realize telling them I know of their tormentor is not a good idea.

"No, thank you. I wish this verserscum had not done this." I get up, nod, and leave.  I go off to track down Nasty Nellie, the girl.  Maybe later I can  help the people in the asylum.

OOC) You've not picked my game up, but that's cool. I'm fine with just running you for now if that's how you want it.



It's not bad. It tastes almost like lemonade. They're not trying to poison you or anything. Worthy of note though, the glass is ice cold.



OOC) No comment.....



OOC) Nasty Nellie is not the verser girl. She's an indig girl that those two attend school with. Didn't you ever watch Little House on the Prairie? I watched every episode of it and a couple TV movies before I wrote this world.

So you bid them farewell and you're walking along. Down the old dirt road. You pass by a large mountain off in the distance. Burned into the hillside, as big as the Hollywood sign are the words:



You might recall him. You met him briefly in Verser World. Krillis spent a whole world with him. He's a former student of Magehammer's. Powerful Chaos mage. Wears a white trenchcoat instead of a black one.

(Doing Therapy)

I can try to pick up your game.

Interesting about the glass and the glowing crystal that detects versers.

I've seen a tiny bit of Little House, but I think I remember Nasty Nellie's face.

Ah, Slidehammer. Thats better.  Still...oh well.

OOC) It's fine that you're not. Really, if you did pick it back up, I might not reply to it. But if you insist...



Are you doing anything else with that? Did you take her crystal to study?



She's cute, really bratty. Daughter of the richest family in town.



OOC) Yeah, Krillis' world before this one was the world where Slidehammer got his powers. Krillis had acquired an Order hammer and would have become almost as powerful. I wrote this world for Krillis. Honestly, I'm just running out of worlds to run you in!!!!

So you're walking along down the dirt road. You pass farms and farm houses. You also pass one house and field which have been burned to the ground. Slidehammer was here!!! burned into the hillside behind it. Eventually you come across a sign which reads:

Welcome to Walnut Grove, Minnesota.

Lars Hanson, founder, 1840.

It's a wood and brick shanty town. There's a blacksmith shoppe, a barber, the bank, and in the center of town, the largest building. Olsen's Mercantile.

There is a sign in the window reading "New Shipment of Verser Detection Crystals in!!" And there's about two dozen necklaces hanging on display, all glowing.

The Olesons are a family of four. Mother, Father, Daughter, Son. The Daughter is wearing a bright blue coat at least two sizes too small for her. It looks like polyester or nylon. About a hundred years more advanced than the cotton and wool clothing you've seen.

The father is complaining "Nellie, I wish you'd give that coat back. It's too small for you anyway!!!"

And the mother pipes up "You hush Nels. It's the most attractive coat around. Stupid verserscum girl hit your daughter, don't forger."

And the husband cowers and says "Yes Harriet."

Nellie is a young blonde haired girl of perhaps 11. You notice she's got a black eye which looks a few days old.

So you're at the edge of town. Nobody's spotted you.

The alternate verser sense would take you through but mostly around the town. Are you going that way?

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 07:40, Thu 14 May 2020.

I left her with the crystal.  I wanted a positive impression of me, and taking her crystal would not do that.

I back off until I'm out of sight.  Those glowing crystals are a Big Red Sign to anyone noticing them.

Then I go through the woods outside of town.

OOC: As to worlds, you can use some of mine if you like.  Or you can just steal from a book or TV show.  DnD dungeons.  Historical pieces.

Actually you're far enough away that they're probably not glowing because of you. Probably they glow when it proximity to one another.



So you go around the town. Still tracking the scriff sense. About a half-mile into the woods you see her. A young girl of perhaps eight. (We can change her to a boy if you'd prefer) She's wearing filthy dirty bib overalls over about 4 or 5 short sleeve tee shirts. All just as filthy. Her face is completely covered with dirt, save for a pair of lines underneath her eyes, where her tears have washed the dirt away. Her hair is grimy and matted to her head. It almost looks like you could plant seeds in her hair and get them to grow. She's thin and emaciated. The picture of the starving abused orphan girl.

She's sitting on the ground staring into a campfire, and crying. Next to her is a yellow plastic bow and arrow set. The kind of you would get in a toy store. Blunted tips on the arrows. But good enough to take down a rabbit. There's also a Swiss army knife and a magnifying glass sitting next to her. She's got a pile of arrows that she made. The tips look like they were cut from old tin cans. There's a small pile of empty tin cans sitting away from her. There's a number of stuffed animals sitting nearby. Most of them are riddled with arrow holes. She was practicing with her bow.

There's a metal can sitting in the fire with some kind of liquid in it. It's got a meaty smell coming off of it.

And she's just sitting there on the ground, crying, waiting for whatever is in the can to heat up. She doesn't seem to notice you yet.

OOC) I'd like to point out that you are under no obligation to help this girl. You could verse her out or you could leave her here to die. You are under no obligation to help her.



OOC) I've already used two worlds you ran me in. You just got out of one of them!!!

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:34, Wed 20 May 2020.

Hmmm, how to approach a girl child who is no doubt justifiably paranoid and hungry.

I walk away, and once I get half a mile away, I start hunting.  I'm looking for deer, but will settle for rabbit.  I look for vantage points, and wait, and look for hoof prints in soft mud, and animal paths.  I try to avoid poison ivy.

GE 19

You don't see a rabbit or a deer. There's ample fish to be caught in small ponds which dot the area. In one particularly swampy pond, you spot a couple of four foot long alligators which could be caught easily enough. Your favorite superverser would have told you that "All meat is meat."

Don't get me wrong, there are rabbits out here. You're just not seeing them today.

(Doing Therapy)

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 16):

Do some fishing until I either catch a string of five small ones or a couple large ones.  Spy on a gator, make sure he's alone, make sure I've got land with visible roots in it to stand on, if I can.  If not, take a deep breath, tport above gator, and stab, stab, stab.

GE 23

Fish are easy to catch. You improvise a fishing line out of something and you catch a couple of rather large fish. Enough to last you for a day or two.

The alligators are practically begging to be caught. You just just walk up and grab one out of the water and break its neck with your gauntlets before it can even react. It's like catching a pigeon with your bare hands......

But then you hear the growling behind you. Turning, there's two 20 foot long alligators on dry land, ready to attack you. Mom and Dad you would guess.

They start charging at you.

(Doing Therapy)

Teleport. Teleport again.

If I get clear, start cooking the fish.  I wish I had salt or herbs or even a lemon, but they do say hungry is the best spice.

I hang the gator in a tree, after cutting its throat to drain it of blood.

Once one of the fish is done, I stealthily slip back to the child.

So you do.

OOC) Are you doing anything to hide your armor or would she be right in saying "You look like Iron Man."?



Your favorite superverser taught you how to identify wild, edible plants. So you've got some spices and you dig up a couple of wild onions to cook with it.


So you do.


You sneak up on her. She doesn't appear to have moved. The can that was being used to cook is out of the fire and empty. She apparently ate whatever was in it. Other than that though, she's still sitting in the same spot, staring at the fire and crying.

When you make yourself known to her, she clumsily leaps to her feet and grabs the bow and an arrow. She shakily gets the arrow into the bow and pulls it back and levels it at you.

She screams "YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!! I KNOW HOW TO USE THIS!!!!"

She's terrified and shaking to the point that you doubt she could hit anything if she let the arrow fly. However, you do not doubt that she would try to kill you if she felt she had to.

(Doing Therapy)

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 20):

I will look like Iron Man so she knows I'm not from around here.  And yes, I spice it up mildly because I want it to taste good, but not upset a fragile stomach.

I sit down, and as good as I can, which is not much, cross my legs.  I give her a small smile, and hold out the fish on a bit of bark to serve as a plate.

"Its an honor to meet you, sister verser.  My name is Tadeusz." I pull my hands back and nod at the fish.  "its yours, and I won't move.  I don't want you to shoot me.'

Its true i don't want her to shoot me, not because of fear of the bow, but because it would mean I was failing at winning her over.

I sit there and wait for  her to calm down, and then I sit there some more.

Charisma check 3

I don't know if I mentioned this, but you are sitting next to a small stream. About 2 feet deep. You could step across it. She's getting her drinking water and small fish from it.

She drops the bow and takes the piece of fish gingerly. She smells it and then proceeds to gobble it up piece by piece. All the while mumbling.

"Was my birthday...... Was playing........ New video game.......... Shocked me........ Woke up over there (Pointing).......... People threw rocks.......... girl took my coat......."

Finished the fish, gulps some water out of a plastic cup she's got.

Then she rears back her head and flat up demands:

"HOW DID I GET HERE??!?!?!!?!?!?"

You're sitting down. She throws herself at you, embracing you around the neck and crying uncontrollably.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 21:58, Wed 27 May 2020.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 22):

I let her cry.  I try to pat her back, but then realize an iron gauntleted hand is ill suited to the task, and so I stop.

Once she's stopped crying, I sit her alongside me, and build up the fire a bit.  Lord help, I pray.

"It was wrong of that girl to steal your coat.  it doesn't even fit her.  She's being silly and greedy."

Deep breath.

"Have you heard of the idea of other dimensions, other worlds?"

She's happy to be with somebody that isn't throwing rocks at her.

OOC) I've seen how you are with children. I thought this would work for you.



She takes a deep breath and says proudly "I hit her!!! I socked her a good one right in the eye!!!!" and mimes throwing a punch.

You may recall, Nasty Nellie had a black eye.

"Her Papa is really nice. He never throws rocks at me. He gave me candy once and sometimes he leaves cans of food out for me. That's how she stole my coat. She caught me getting them."



She thinks for a minute then says "You mean like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Rabbits? Kring and the Slicer were always trying to get back to Dimension Y? That's just a cartoon!!"

But she's listening intently.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 24):

OOC: Children are great.  I try to be patient and calm and listen to them.

I think about it a moment, and then nod.

"Well done, young one.  You gave her a well deserved black eye."

"Yes, I saw her father, poor man is ruled by his wife.  But he seems a good man for all that."

"Yes, like that.  Thing is, this is a different dimension than the one you came from.  I don't think they have the technology for video games here.  My world, my dimension did, but not all worlds I've been too have that technology."

"I can still feel my coat though. I can feel it wherever she goes. She's right over there." And points in the direction of the town. "I could feel you too. But I was too scared to do anything."



She just agrees with you.



Failed Check.

She doesn't understand. Finally she asks "Am I ever gonna get to go home?"

Then after a pause, she looks you over and, observing your armor and weapons "Are you a knight? Like Lancelittle of the Cube table? I wish I had a sword....."

She also tells you that her name is Samantha. She's eight years old. It was her birthday when she versed out. The bow and arrows and the Swiss army knife were birthday presents.

Two Posts

Samantha has as possessions:

A few changes of clothes, she's currently wearing bib overalls and about 4 or 5 tee shirts. Bow, arrows, Swiss Army knife, magnifying glass, several stuffed animals and other various toys, and a muddy blanket and pillow from her bed. She's got a plastic cup, plate, knife, fork and spoon from the restaurant where they got birthday dinner.

(Doing Therapy)

I tell her how I arrived in a collapsed America with a dictator, and took care of him (I gloss over the assasinate him in his bed bit).  Of how I led the people for years, and eventually froze to death.

Of how I fought an evil woman dictator with my telekinetic powers I had learned.  And failed.  Of how I freed human slaves from alien elves who lived in a jungle.  Of how I had met other versers, and some of their stories.

"I've learned much.  We travel from world to world after being nearly killed.  So near as to make no mind.  Some worlds, you can learn to do stuff you can't do  on Earth.  Some worlds, they can't do stuff we did on Earth.  But I've never heard of anyone getting back home."

And I cry.

OOC) Lying to a child Eric? I realize you have played many different characters but this character never did most of that. The Tuatha I'd count as alien elves and meeting other versers, but you know nothing of psionics.

So I think you mean you tell her about landing in Verser World where you met the jagoff who is responsible for this mess. (It seems I can't remember any good stories either....)

To which she says "I hope you beat him up next time you see him!!!!"



She still doesn't understand. But when you say that she cannot go  home, she breathes a sigh of relief.

"My father.... he's a bad man. He liked to hurt me..... When I grew up I was gonna shoot him with this bow while he was sleeping...."

She's happy that she cannot go home.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 11:56, Thu 04 June 2020.

Two Posts



Samantha sees you start crying, and she hugs you to comfort you.

Then she points in the direction of Mankato, away from Walnut Grove.

"I need to go there. I don't know why. I just need to. Will you take me?"

Maybe it's another equipment sense, maybe she's psychic, or maybe the referee is just trying to move the story along. But Samantha wants you to take her to Mankato.

(Doing Therapy)

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 30):

"First we get you cleaned up, and fed more, and rested."  So I cook some alligator.  I have her go off and wash herself and her clothes in the stream.  After the alligator is done, I yell to tell her I'm going to scout out the area toward Mankato for a trip tommorrow.  She needs to dry her clothes near the fire.  I'll be back in three hours.

So I go scouting, and probably find something to hunt on the way back to make dinner.  We have dinner, and while she looks better, I can tell she's still dirty.

"Did you clean behind your ears?  Of course not.  Next time, do that as well."

We sleep, and next day, with three full meals in her, and cleaned up, I hope she looks less like an orphaned waif about to pass out as we head to Mankato.

At first she begs you not to leave her alone. But you manage to convince her that she'll be fine. She's made it this long on her own, right?

In the end, you leave. Samantha promises to take a bath.



You go scouting. You rustle up some grub. When you get back, Samantha is much cleaner than you expected.

She tells you "That guy, Nasty Nellie's Papa came around right after you left. I don't think he saw me in the stream. But he left me my coat and a bar of soap and a couple cans of food."

And indeed, her coat is sitting underneath three label-less cans of something.

OOC) I suddenly realized, you getting the coat back for her would probably require violence of some sort against the 11 year old girl and/or her mother and family. Can't have that.

She picks up one of the cans, holds it to her ear and shakes it vigorously.

"Beef Stew."

She does it again.

"Chicken Noodle Soup."

Third time

She gets a huge smile and holds up the can

"This is chocolate syrup!!!!"

When you open them for dinner, she's right on all counts.



She rolls her eyes at you and says "Yes Papa." all sarcastic and whatnot. Then she giggles.



She looks better. She doesn't ask you to carry her very often. Usually just when the grass is too thick for her to walk through.

You pass by a log cabin. A large man is holding a much smaller man by the collar, shaking him violently. "There's got to be something you can do for her doctor!!! There's just got to!!!!"

The doctor says timidly "I'm sorry Charles. That's beyond my knowledge!!!"

And in his panic, he spouts off some medical jargon that you interpret as an affliction easily healed by a guy with Heracles's gauntlets.

They don't know you're there. You could just keep going.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 07:15, Wed 10 June 2020.

OOC)Good thinking on the coat.

"That was nice of him."

 I laugh when she is revealed to be right about the cans.  "Very impressive."

When we get to the log cabin, I look, think, and then decide.

"Follow me. And not much talking please."  And I walk up to the log cabin with the girl following me.  "Gentlemen, I overhead.  I know a few things, and I think I can help.  If you're willing."  I say this from a good twenty five feet away so as to not scare them.

OOC) Thanks.



"He leaves cans out by the dumpster sometimes. He never came in this far though.... The cans he leaves out never have any labels on them..... I never knew what I was gonna eat. I had to teach myself to tell what was in them."

OOC) Nels Oleson can justify to himself giving her what are, technically, defective cans. Ordinarily he'd just glue the label back on. If he didn't have the label, he'd shake it himself to tell what was in it. If he still couldn't tell, his family would have it for dinner that night. But since she is here and she needs it, he can justify to himself throwing them away so she can have them. Label-less is technically defective and unsalable. He's obeying his wife's rules, to the letter.



It's an infection of some sort, easily cured by antibiotics, which have not yet been invented. Your gauntlets removed zombie infection, stands to reason they'd work here.

You're not close enough to activate their detection crystals, although they definitely have a stare at your armor.

Charles asks you sarcastically "You one a them Roman Soldiers muh daughter reads 'bout in His-Story class?"

And they both have a laugh.

OOC) I just realized the other day how out of place you look here.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 07:26, Wed 10 June 2020.

Two Posts

Samantha tells you that she's been here for about a month and a half, as far as she can tell. Probably longer.

She got caught by Nasty Nellie two days ago, trying to sneak into the Oleson's mercantile dumpster. A fight ensued in which Samantha lost her coat and gave Nasty Nellie a black eye. Harriet Oleson wants Samantha's head on a platter. Nels thinks it's quite humorous that his well-fed, well-rested 11 year old daughter was bested by a half starved and exhausted eight year old girl. He has great respect for Samantha. But due to the situation, there's not much more he can do for her.

The Oleson's are the wealthiest family in Walnut Grove. In Mankato, they're more like upper middle class.

You've been told or heard by listening that, in Mankato, there is an asylum where Slidehammer's victims were taken as well as a museum dedicated to his rampage.

And at some point whilst you're walking, Samantha asks "Teach me to fight???"

OOC) I wrote this world for Krillis. Krillis just came out of Candy Store. He's got five years of intensive survival training and a magical Order hammer. On top of that, he spent his last world with Slider, Aka Slidehammer. Slider allowed himself to be possessed by the Demigod of Chaos after receiving a white iron Chaos hammer from your favorite superverser. And so became Slidehammer. One of the most powerful Chaos mages ever.

But anyway..... This world would have fit Krillis perfectly. I regret that I never got to run it for him. Tying to shoehorn other players into it is..... challenging.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 07:55, Wed 10 June 2020.

Three Posts

You teach Samantha how to build a shelter and sleep before heading out to Mankato. She was sleeping on cardboard boxes she pulled from the Mercantile dumpster.

The next morning, Samantha will tell you that being in that shelter was the best sleep, and the first time she's felt safe, since she got here.

"Thanks" She says.

(Doing Therapy)
This message was last edited by the player at 08:27, Wed 10 June 2020.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 36):

"No, I can see how you would think that.  But why are you laughing?  Do you need help or not?"

They immediately stop laughing. Charles says "Begging your pardon sir. We just don't see too many Roman gladiators 'round these parts."

They're still snickering, but it's subsided.

Then the doctor says "Do ya think there's anything you can do for his wife?"

Still not close enough to detect you as a verser.

Samantha is cowering behind you.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 38):

"Yes." I walk forward.

GE 15

You step forward. At about 10-15 feet, their detection crystals light up. Charles screams "VERSERSCUM!!!!"

And he runs inside the house and grabs a double barrel shotgun and brings it out, cocking both the hammers and levels it at you.

He says "Get off my land verserscum!!!"

Samantha is crying and cowering behind you.

And the doctor tells Charles "Put the gun down. He could have killed us already if he wanted to."

But Charles just keeps waving it.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Sat 13 June 2020.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 40):

"Lay down flat behind me." I say softly to the girl.  Then I shrug.  "Do you hate me enough to watch your wife die?  If you kill me, I can't save her."  I wait, and after a bit I yawn.  "If you kill me, I just go somewhere else.  I don't really die.  So....make up your mind, man, time's a wasting."

GE 12.

Samantha obeys.

Charles becomes a bit shaky with the shotgun. The doctor says to him softly "Charles, your wife will be dead by suppertime Monday. There's nothing I can do. You should give him a chance. I watched Slidehammer heal someone...."

In frustration, Charles fires both barrels of the shotgun into the air. Then he relents. You're free to do what you need to do.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 42):

I walk slowly, praying a bit as I go, and enter the cabin, and try to use the healing of the gauntlets.  If it fails, well, good thing Charles unloaded his shotgun.  I'd be trying to teleport out with the girl if that happens.  But hopefully this poor woman gets well.

You enter. The woman is laying in a bed, covered in a quilt and sweating profusely. She's moaning and obviously in considerable discomfort.

You lay your hands on her. From the doorway, you hear the doctor whisper "See Charles? He's not so different. He also believes in laying on of hands."

Your gauntlets draw out the infection. Her color clears up, she stops sweating and opens her eyes. Looking into your eyes, she smiles and says "Are you Saint Peter?"

Charles pushes you out of the way and takes her. He's happier than he's been in a very long time. He offers you his hand and says "Thank you verserscum."

Samantha looks up at you and smiles broadly.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 44):

I'm tempted, I'm tempted to say 'you're welcome, violent idiot' but I simply nod and walk away with Samantha in tow.  He has reasons, and he has had a very rough day.  I can show some compassion.  We were going somewhere before and we keep on going.

You start to walk away but Charles cuts you off. He gets in front of you, blocking your path. He drops down onto one knee and bows his head, in complete and total submission.

"What can.... what can I do to repay you versers..... good sir."

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 46):

I'm shocked.

"Ah. Tell other people  what happened.  Not every verser is a monster."

I pat his shoulder.

"Take care of your wife, friend, and thank God for his good gifts."

And then I walk on.

And Samantha announces triumphantly "And don't let verser kids starve to death outside!!!!" Then she huffs and turns to follow you.

Continuing on, you see a sign that says "Mankato 6 miles."

Samantha asks to be carried sometimes.

But you soldier on. Off in the distance, you see a large town. Wood and brick and stone. Closer than that though, you see a settlement of tents and wooden shacks filled with Chinese people.

When you approach, it will become clear to you that the Chinese are almost as shunned here as versers and that the Chinese have no prejudice or malice towards you. They welcome you and Samantha to stay in their settlement if you agree to do your share of the work. You'll be assigned something. That is, if you want to stay here.

There are several training areas where you see Chinese masters training children with staffs and katana swords. Samantha runs off to investigate this.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 48):

I'll take a job, and ask also if one of the Chinese masters can teach me the use of the staff.

So you get a job doing something you're good at. You begin training with the staffs. Very quickly you find out that these are not ordinary staffs. They're Order weapons. (Unless you really really don't want them to be.) Some of the masters can throw wind tornadoes.

Samantha starts training with katanas. Chaos katanas, they are. After about a week, you hear people calling her Mogwai. It's the Chinese word for demon. She's incredibly vicious in her fighting prowess. After a week, she's beating kids who have been training for months. She's got a lot of pent up rage to work through.

Most of the people here speak Chinese, but they speak enough English that you can get by. You hear Samantha conversing in broken Chinese with some of the other children.

Meals are served three times a day. However, if you're hungry throughout the day, you can get a bowl of peas porridge. There's a couple kettles of nearly boiling water. People throw miscellaneous bits of meat and vegetables into them, as well as taking them out. The nursery rhyme "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old." is a reference to this practice. Sometimes there might be meat in the pots that are days old.

Occasionally you see other white folks from town who come to trade with the Chinese. So far, you've not been made as a verser.

You hear a story about how Slidehammer healed people. The doctor was telling the truth. He would beat people to within an inch of their life, then heal them and beat them to within an inch of their life, then heal them, over and over as a fear/interrogation tactic.

You hear of an asylum in Mankato where Slidehammer's victims were taken, as well as a museum dedicated to his rampage.

In reply to JohnA1nut (msg # 50):

Then I learn very good defensive skills with the Order staffs.  I enjoy staffs as a weapon, and this is going well for me.

And one of my key concerns is making sure Samantha knows how to survive on her own.  I tell her to help out whereever she can because whatever skills she learns from peeling potatoes to boiling noodles will be useful.

I'm not ready to tackle the asylum project yet.

Samantha trains staffs as well. After a while, she's given an Order staff and a Chaos katana. You are given these as well, if you want them.



They hunt with bows and arrows mostly. Slings and sometimes just throwing rocks. You are one of the more capable hunters here. Samantha accompanies you on the hunting trips. Somebody crafts for her a new bow. She rarely comes home without a rabbit to throw in the stew pot.

She was up to 1@3 Wilderness Survival when you found her. She says she hopes she never has to do that again. But yeah, she's getting better.



Understood. You hear that Slidehammer would curse people by injecting a piece of magical iron underneath their skin. The best doctors and surgeons here cannot remove them. A guy with magnetic gauntlets shouldn't have a problem with that though.

You are welcome to stay here so long as you pull your own weight. You are expected to help in gathering food and to defend the camp if needed. That so far has not happened, but they do train for a reason. And whatever else they ask of you. Occasionally you are called upon to blacksmith. You stay in a tent which would be the equivalent of a Single Gentleman's dorm. Most of the guys in there are late teens, early 20s who have not yet found a wife. You're one of the oldest single guys there. Married guys get their own tents. Samantha stays in the children's tent. She's making friends among the children.

You often times catch her eyeing a certain young boy with a dreamy look in her eyes. "Andy is so cute..." she mumbles. They train together.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:58, Thu 02 July 2020.

I will stick with the Order staff.  It feels good as it spins in my hands.
And I think it helps me think more clearly and calmly.

"OK, Samantha. You can shoot with your bow, and fight with staff and katana.  Good.  Can you track a rabbit? Do you know what signs these are....?" I sketch in some mud the footprints for fox, and bunny, and oppossum, and several others.

"Show me how to start a fire. Campfire that is."

I also check around a bit on this young boy she likes just to make sure he's not obvious a bad seed.

I also see if I can find a small bell.  If I can, and if I can trade labor for it, I'll get it.  And then next time, Samantha goes out hunting, she wears it on her clothing. Teach her to be really stealthy.

You find that with some practice, you can throw an Order tornado with it. You could likely do other Order magic as well.



She can track rabbits. She learned what a game trail looks like. She's figured out that if a rabbit can eat the plant, she can eat it too. Then she has a nice salad whilst she eats the rabbit.

She wants you to teach her to make snares and traps.



She can do that with a magnifying glass, but that's it. You'd have to teach her to do it with friction. But as far as using a magnifying glass, she says:

"I saw that in a movie once. I didn't think it would really work, but it did."



He's a boy from town. Nine or ten years old. The son of the town blacksmith. He hangs out with the Chinese because he likes learning how to fight with swords. They welcome him. The Chinese don't seem to understand the concept of prejudice. All are welcome here. He runs errands in town for them sometimes. So far he's not made you as a verser. He doesn't wear a detection crystal. None of the Chinese care about the fact that you're a verser. But yeah, he could be a problem. It wouldn't even be his fault. He could just say the wrong thing to the wrong person and half the town is on their way here. So far so good though.



Oh she knows stealth. She had to evade men with rifles who were hunting her on more than one occasion. Stayed away from them until they gave up.

But she takes the bell.

So your days pass. There's only one blacksmith and his apprentice among the Chinese so you are called upon to work in that area on occasion.

GE 10

But yeah, the weather is nice. The hunting is good. The crops are growing nicely. No one has made you as a verser. You're making friends among the Chinese. Samantha is obeying you and learning. She's getting rather fluent speaking Chinese. She often has to interpret for you. Things are going well.

OOC) When I ran Misty in this world, she said that if it wasn't for Samantha, she would verse herself out of the world. I was wondering if you're sharing that sentiment, or are you enjoying playing? When I ran it for her, it was the first time I'd ran it. Scord said this was one of his favorite worlds.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:38, Tue 07 July 2020.

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.