Session Start: Tue Jan 25 19:18:06 2005 Session Ident: #ethresh * Logging #ethresh to 'C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\Exalted\Abyssal\Logs\AB-01-25-2005' well okay then ugly girls need to get used to doing things for themselves. and there was a jesus fish on her car. And she looked a little young. After the Savemart debacle... Even if they get married and need help, their husbands will just say, "No. You're ugly." haha, very true I do it all the time Did I mention I sleep on the couch often? you ever see the "Shorties watching Shorties" where the one comic suggested that everyone have a rating of 1-10 given to them on their drivers liscence no and it would be illegal to hit on anyone more than 1 level above or below your level. Keeps the gene pool nice and straightforward. hah but it would be different factors based on gender plus it cuts down on getting into a rage over seeing ass-ugly guys with hot girlfriends dude, i know i just...i just know. sometimes i just can't do much except shake my head man for example! a girl in my section...Donielle. She is the first girl i have ever met in the entire military i actually enjoy spending time with. and i do not embelish she's also incredibly attractive, and that's obviously a plus all she used to do was bitch about how she didn't like her boyfriend, how he was going nowhere in life, and how breaking up with him would make her life easier. now she's 5 months pregnant and engaged. All i can do is frown. That sucks, what's the percentage of women in the military who get married within a year? Like 90%? yeah divored within 2 years is 92% we checked on that in tech school also, the number of people with STDs in the military is more than 5% over the national average really? Thats not actually that bad no, surprisingly i mean, it's not good but Keesler was so bad i thought i was going to catch HIV from going to the club The Vandenburg...*shudder* everybody always wanted to go to "The V" bring lysol for the seats i just wanted to go to the card store to pick up another deck of magic cards though there is some hilarity in the fact it's initials could be 'VD' hahahaha, good call i wish i had come up with that while i was there. Maybe i could have indirectly stopped stupid, stupid couplings so many, many ugly women. So many, many desperate guys. So many....many failed marriages spawned. oh yeah, and if you can't open the Amber Circle i can put it on wordpad although i can't promise the chapters will fit as nicely I already tried, it opens just fine 108 pages by the end. I was surprised I did get an error... but it looked okay that is alot of writting eh, i feel i rushed the ending it's fine to read, but i could easily expand it another 70 or 80 pages I look forward to it did you get a chance to read the short story for this week? yep very good cool. I now have a vision of how to wrap up the mirror abyss story kinda its better than the one I had, lets just say that sucks for Walking on Laughter...obviously the DL is going to bust out "Command the Dead" and end the entire attack after mass slaughtering about half of them, of course Perhaps. But so obvious a move would be planned ahead for. Lion wouldn't really send his guys to die needlessly... would he? command the dead is so amazing. You can just say "Hey, knock that shit off" and they will. Yeah, it takes essence...but hit the commanders Yes yes, future stories will tie in and draw closer to you. Hopefully by the end the entire world will be looking at your actions. well that's...intimidating indeed considering there are at least 50 abyssals just as powerful as you, besides the other amazingly horrible beasts/deathlords/ghosts out there thats one of the problems with an abyssals campaign. You want to play big, you have to deal with _really_ big dogs whereas a solar could conceivably rule a quarter of creation without running into anything more powerful than an essence 5 god ready to get started? Perhaps we'll be leaving Genove soon. sure Llarra exits the lavish room and the lights are dimmed by her servants. You are shooed out of her chambers into the cold hallway. Your room is down the hall near the library, if you are interested. It's likely to be a long day tommorow.* (obviously there are some choices here. Llarra is certainly asleep, and Cassius likely is. Rhemenon is probably asleep by now as well. Crimson must be imprisoned somewhere around here, but you still can't leave without shutting down the manse.) * Echo eyes Llarra's door and grins widely. He lays a single hand on the center mass of the doorframe. From his fingers slide a black liquid...in fact, from his entire hand slides the dark stuff, as if being fed to the doorframe intravenously by Echos very veins. He pulls his hand away from the door with a quick motion, and his black handprint is left, slowly dissolving into the doors frame. The seeds of discord had officially been sow (Cunning Subversion Style, 10 motes, 1 wp.) (I call that inventive charm use, btw.) (heh) (the last part got cut off.... officially been sow) * Echo had sown the seeds of discord. Now he turns away from the doorway and looks down the deep hall. Time to find the bitch. He didn't trust Ruin, who originally claimed to be here to KILL Crimson. That was not acceptable. Crimson needed to live long enough to dispense the information she undoubtedly held. Besides, death was a release, Echo knew that. She would have to suffer for her betrayal. * (assuming you wish to expend personal essence first.. you are down to 0 personal essence and 14 peripheral. 4 out of 6 willpower remaining.) (Roger) (by my count you had spent 17 prior to that. You'll have to watch your essence use or risk you banner displaying) (Aye.) (I assumed because it was nighttime many would ignore my anima. I can always claim it's a miracle of Rheammore...whatever.) (true enough. I'll average in your hearthstone shortly for the day's regen...) From the brief look you had of the Hall before getting inside, it looks like a garrison is placed one floor below. It shouldn't be hard to get to and it is likely where they keep the prisoners. The hall is dark and no guards are roaming at the moment.* * Echo continues down the hall, wary of anyone else inside the Manse. He was risking much by being out at this time of night- who knows what could have him branded as a traitor in this strange place. His Exquisite Ettiquete charm would help tremendously..but against inquisitors it simply might not be enough. * Echo casts a weary look down at his soulsteel arm. He had done well to keep it hidden up until now...hopefully none would question his always masked apendage. If someone did, he lacked the essence to avoid detection one way or another. * Echo continued on nonetheless. The garrison below him should provide him with a route to Crimson. If not, he could always try again tomorrow. Still, it would be better to know the locale of his enemies sooner rather than later.* You make your way through the relatively deserted halls without incident. The few guards around have not interest in stopping you. They are more than happy to help themselves to the pantries and maids quarters. Heading down a set of marble stairs, the decor gives way to rough cut stone and a dank smell. It seems the fabled ancient halls of justice had quite the dungeon. It has been converted to a garrison by the new administration and there are far more soldiers loitering around. You draw more than one odd look. You are far overdressed to be a guard.* * Echo continues down into the stockades, as they were. Better to be overdressed than not dressed at all. Hmm, Echo ponders. Who told him that? It's a stupid quote, probably from a stupid person, he assures himself. Oh yes, it was his brother. That was humorous in many ways. (it has been 2 hours since you started using charms. You get 6 motes per hour. With your last charm you now have: 5 personal, 16 peripheral. Sorry I didn't just say that to begin with.) "Ahem." Echo speaks up to a well dressed guard he assumes to be an officer of some variety. He assumes so only because the insignia he wears is the same as the child gate guardian he met earlier. "I am here for a particular piece of lore, master guardsman. I was sent by Lady Llarra, although she has retired at the moment. Can you help me?"* (Hearthstones rock.) He narrows his eyes and looks you up and down. "Lore? Ain't none of that here fella." His breath reaks of cheap alcohol and his officer status seems more to represent his brute strength rather than his military experience. "What do you want?" He staggers slightly. You notice all the other guards in the room have a similar, plastered look on their faces. Many open bottles litter the floor.* * Echo sniffs the rank air and gives the rest of the men a quick look of annoyance. "Oh i disagree. You see, this entire place is a wealth of knowledge! Do you follow me?" Echo asks, knowing with absolute certainty the man was probably too smashed to understand Echos first sentence. "There are hidden glyphs everywhere in here. I must find and document them. Understand?"* He nods yes, but his expression says no. You have his full attention at least.* "Very well. I intend on finding these glyphs, whereever they may be! They might be near cells, so I will need an escort. Or at very least, your express permission to explore around a bit." Echo smiles.* He looks out the door into the hall beyond. None of the cells are being guarded and the only soldier in view looks to be hitting on one of the female prisoners. She's crying. The officer turns back to you and shrugs, his interest wanning. "Just don't bother the librarian, he asked not to be bothered."* * Echo raises a brow. "Librarian? What librarian?"* He waves a hand dismissively and he turns his back to you to rejoin his companions. "That odd one in black. And keep quiet!" He plops down on a bench and grabs a bottle.* * Echo rolls his eyes. The bastard moves quickly. All the same, Echo bows to the guard and proceeds to wander around the area, investigating the "glyphs" on the walls with total disinterest. He needed to find Crimson, and quickly.* The dungeon is a maze of ancient tunnels in horrible shape. Most of the cells don't have anybody in them, but those that do container terrified looking commoners who are either sobbing or rocking back and forth. It'll take you at least a couple minutes at this rate. Hurried whispers can be heard further down the hall, but they are hard to hear above the crying.* * Echo investigates the whispers beyond with haste. He assumes that few prisoners will be talking amongst themselves in their current condition. Even if they are, he still has ground to cover. Better to follow his instincts for now. After all, The Echoing Words From the Darkness is infallible. Or so he thinks.* Your rush through the dark halls leads you around a corner and to an abruptly disturbing sight. Standing before a cell is Ruin, but he seems to be struggling against something. As you get closer you see a pale white arm stretching out from the cell, its hand gripping Ruin's throat. You hear Crimson's voice, "You bastard let me out!" Ruin gags and looks around in terror.* * Echo approaches the duo with a grin on his lips. "Well well well." He smirks, drawing his hood back from over his face. "And here I thought maybe we could all be one big, happy family. Crimson, greetings. Ruin...greetings. Again. I see you found your way alright."* Ruin turns his head towards you, his eyes bulging in fear. He tries to talk, but his voice is cut off. He punches at Crimson's arm to no avail. Her voice echoes through the dungeon loudly. Perhaps too loudly. "One-arm, that you? Get me out of this hell-hole!"* * Echo rubs his chin with his soulsteel hand and cracks a devilish grin. In the darkness, his glasses reflect only ill lit torches and his deceptive green eyes, which beam with dead essence. "One-arm? Oh that's poetic. And why should I get you out of this hell-hole? You seem to have the situation well in hand. Perhaps we'll continue our conversation from earlier, and then we'll talk about getting you free. Doesn't that sound like -fun- (that sound like -fun-) ?"* "FUN?!" Her voice carries down through the twisting tunnels. "You sonofabitch. I knew it. I told you I'd help you find the Mirror Abyss Echo. I know something nobody else does about this little gem and you'll need me to find it and use it!" Her spittle flies onto Ruin's cloak as she shouts at you. You can see her now, pressed up against the bars to get a look at you. "Let me OUT!" To emphasize her point she launches Ruin back against the far wall. He gives a gugglish grunt and slams agains the wall. His head hits the cold stone wall rather hard, and he slumps to the ground, moaning.* * Echo continues smirking as he throws his head back, a dull laugh booming from the depths of his vocal cords. "You prove yourself an impressive one more with each passing day. As for you, Ruin, well...I'm sure you'll be fine. Now Crimson. We have a deal to broker. I offer you freedom. You offer me the Mirror Abyss, with strings attached. Let's start clipping some of those strings. What do you want right now?" He purrs.* She growls under her breath. "50/50 Echo. We find it together, we reap the rewards. If I stay in this cell I won't tell you a thing and you'll be up the creek then buddy."* * Echo rolls his eyes. "Up the creek? Yes, of course. And if I release you, you will strangle me in a very similar manner as you did Ruin, and then take the Abyss as your own. Now tell me...do I overestimate your cunning, or your ability to betray? I believe neither. So why would I trade my life for power? What can you promise me that you cannot simply ignore?"* Crimson stays silent for a moment. Her voice is now fairly calm and subdued. "We can make a pact. One that the Malfeans themselves will oversee." She lets the words hang in the air.* * Echo nods. "That we can, little lady, that we can. And they will hold you to it, even if I cannot. I hope that petrifies you to the point of understanding." Echo extends his hand. "You will take me to the Mirror Abyss. You will neither harm me, nor indirectly inflict harm upon me or my efforts. I will not hinder you in such ways either. With the Malfeans as our witnesses, let the pact be sealed." Echo states, offering up his hand.* She offers up her hand. "Done." You can see a slight smile on her face through the cell bars and the two of you shake. A voice from behind you is less than thrilled however. "Great. I'm happy for the two of you. Really. But you still have absolutely no idea what it is you are looking for do you? Crimson you said you know something important, lets hear it." Ruin stands slowly. "I think it's best we find this thing before the Deathlords do."* (Before the deathlords d) (oath santified, 10motes, 1willpower) Before the deathlords do."* (Wish that was less expensive. For how weak it really is..) (Weak? The dawn caste ability doesn't give gods pause.) (I know, but it's still 10 motes, 1 wp) (Besides, the dawn caste ability simply sucks) (you are down to 6 peripheral essence btw. 3 willpower. careful...) (eer...) (11 peripheral, my bad) (haha) (But hey, i make people do stuff i want them too all the time, heh) * Echo nods. "Indeed. Out with it, Crimson. You say you've got some amazing information, so let's hear it. I have become tired of interruptions and the like. Explain yourself so we can get a move on." Echo snaps, annoyed at the fact that he even had to force the bitch into an oath in the first place.* She frowns. "Fine. I'll explain..." She launches into her story about her encounter with the Lion's strategist during the Circle's mission to The Thousand. Crimson caught up with the old ghost and destroyed him. She then used magic to question his corpse. He revealed a startling tidbit. It turns out that Banestones can only react to essence. Not exactly an amazing discovery, since everything was technically essence in one way or another. But the corpse went on to say that it wasn't motes of essence it responded to... but a soul's essence. Not just any essence either, one which is significant. The sudden activation of the stones can mean only one thing. The soul which the Mirror Abyss rests in... Has Exalted. She finishes her story with a solemn tone and stares at the two of you. Ruin looks at her with disbelief. "What the hell does that mean? I thought this thing was an artifact?!"* * Echo rubs his temples. "You're telling me the Mirror Abyss is a fucking Exalt? This is ridiculous. Well did the damned ghost say anymore? Or are we narrowed down to "An Exalt In Bluehaven"? And how the HELL are we to possess the power of such a thing then?" Echo sighs, still rubbing his temples.* She stomps her foot angrily, "How should I know? Do you think if I knew that I'd be stuck here! Huh!? No, I'd be out doing whatever it is that I could do to use this thing!" She rambles on in such a manner for several more minutes. Ruin walks up beside you, still rubbing his sore throat. "This certainly does complicate things. But I'll tell you this - The Lion doesn't know about this. His correspondense to his officers clearly states..." "They are to be looking for an artifact. He even described it. It seems he has been misinformed about what he has been searching for. Interesting. We should get moving on this quickly." The word 'we' clearly sticks out.* * Echo stops and eyes Ruin. "Described -how-? What kind of artifact did they say it was? A sword, a suit of armor, what?" Echo asks, trying to gather up as much information as he possibly can.* Ruin rubs his chin, "An orb, about the size of a human head. With symbols and all manner of interesting things on it. It was very detailed, there is no way the Lion could have made it up. Unless of course Crimson is mistaken." He sighs. No, his dreams were explicit. Find the woman with the pink hair. Follow her lead. Destroy the Mirror Abyss before it is too late. Ruin sighs again, damn he thought he could just kill her and end it.* * Echo pushes his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose and quietly rewraps his arm in his cloak. "Well then, when we get to Bluehaven we'll keep an eye out for both Exalts, and strange orbs. I suppose that will cover all our bases. For now let's concentrate on getting out of Genove."* Ruin nods, "Good idea. I think-" He stops talking and looks over your shoulder. Behind you stands the guard captain, his eyes wavering back and forth between the three of you in a stupor. "Quiet!" He yells rather loudly. "What are you doing with the prisoner?" You notice a large key ring with dozens of bronze keys at his waist. He is alone in the hall.* (Stupid lack of larceny skill) (heh. actually this would have been the perfect campaign to make a theif/sneaky/assassin fellow. they usually work best alone, so in a campaign with multiple players their skills are largely wasted) (Definitly) (why take 5 in stealth when a guy like Jerrypants might be in your circle?) (Yeah. I always did wonder about that kind of specialized group dynamic...i just don't see how it could EVER work..) (me too. I love night caste abilities. But i can't ever see myself playing on.) (one*) * Echo winks at Crimson and turns to face the guard. "I apologize, but it's this wench! She simply will not be quiet! I only wish to see the gylphs written in the cell, and she is throwing a tantrum! -Do- keep her under control, master guardsman, or else I'll have to report this to Lady Llarra! Why don't you go in there and show the weak woman who is boss of this prison?" Echo asks.* (Yeah I know. I'd like to play an uber stealth badass, but damn, what point is there in a group..? I was actually going to post about that on EC) (rolling manipulation + presence, difficulty 3) (4 successes) He nods to himself. That sounds like a great idea. He carefully puts his drink down, managing to splash quite a bit out onto the floor. He unlocks Crimson's cell and walks inside pointing his finger at her. Before he can open his mouth Crimson walks past him, grabbing the key ring as she does so. She kicks the cell door shut and chucks the keys down the hall. The captain stares as the key rattle down the hall in amazement. He looks back at Crimson for a full ten seconds before his face contorts in rage. The explicitives that fly from his mouth are far to foul. This campaign is rated PG-13.* * Echo smiles and nods to Crimson. "You know, I was expecting you to break his skull, but honestly, that works just as well. Perhaps we should get a move on. Do you think you can stay hidden for a change, Crimson? Or shall I simply throw you into my room and hope you aren't discovered?" Echo muses.* "Funny." She says dryly. She is already picking at her hair, worried that the stress may have given her split-ends. Ruin clears his throat. "Lets get out of here before this racket brings the rest of the guards. I've been studying in the library for a couple days now. I think we can destroy the Terrestiral's connection to the manse by causing significant damange to the Hearthroom." He walks down the hall quickly.* * Echo holds out a hand, beckoning Crimson forward to follow Ruin to wherever he intends to go. He won't let her out of his sight this time, Echo thinks to himself. Of course, in reality she could probably disappear at a moments notice. But that would be breaking the pact...something surely she would have the presence of mind to avoid. Or would she..? She had already proven her inability to think coherently before. So Echo follows Crimson, who follows Ruin. For now they'll both have to be his good little friends. For now.* (...I have a bump behind my ear. A big one.) In time the three of you follow Ruin to a chamber above Llarra's library. Before you stands a mighty looking iron double-door. It is inscribed with sun symbols you recognize instantly as those of the Dawn Caste. This is a Solar Manse after all. "Uh. This does provide some troubling situations though." Ruin pauses outside the doors. (It has the consistency of cartilage. Except cartilage usually isn't behind the earlobe) "Beyond these doors is the Hearthroom. As you know this is the room where the Manse's energies are focused to form Hearthstones. All manses have built in protections to warn their owners about tampering. All three Terrestrials are attuned to this manse and each hold a small hearthstone from this manse. Once we get started, they'll come running so we have to be quick." "Also, if your Deathlord didn't mention it, dwelling within a Solar Manse is specifically prohibited by the Malfeans. Normally spending the night in one counts as one offense. From what I know, spending even ten minutes in a Solar Hearthroom counts as one offense. My friends, we must make short work of this."* (Maybe it's a tumor.) (Always reassuring) * Echo just shakes his head. "This is ridiculous. Why do yourself what you can make others do for you? I have already begun my work on Llarra. All I need is some time, and the Terrestrials can do this ..manual labor themselves." "Think about it! If we go in there we will probably be killed. Then what will we have? Nothing. I have already driven the nails of hate into Llarras mind. Let my magics work, and we will destroy their circle in a matter of days, if not before. I have no doubt I can even convince her to destroy this place, or at least disable it for us." "I have spent significant time and effort attempting to divide the fools from one another. Now let's make good on that. Forget this madness for tonight. I'm sure Crimson can manage to make herself disappear for a bit. As for you, Ruin, you're already well under their radar." Echo concludes. "Let them destroy themselves and save us the trouble."* Ruin looks at the door longingly. "Perhaps you are correct Echo." Crimson nods in agreement. Though she really likes wailing on stuff, she isn't so confident as to risk her life. "Very well," Ruin continues, "Echo, meet me tommorrow at the execution ceremony." He glances at Crimson. "Lets just hope they don't realize they are missing a pink haired prisoner." (we can end there for the night if you wish) (Okay) Your charm will work pretty quickly. The terretrials relationships are pretty strained I wasn't about to let my essence go to waste...even if it means ignoring the chance to invade a Solar tomb. or just a solar hearthroom actually it was a good idea. Rhemenon sleeps in there. hahaha how wonderful for him you side-stepped that one, good for you I shall have to set more clever traps next time... woo for duck fate 10 motes hahah. One of the best charms ever No kidding if i was running a pure Sidereal game that would get so annoying only kindergardeners and Sidereals can get away with "Doesn't count! Doesn't count!" yeah but with Sidereals it's true perhaps like lunars sidereals are best as plot characters Session Close: Tue Jan 25 21:32:51 2005