Session Start: Thu Aug 12 19:05:28 2004 Session Ident: #ethresh * Logging #ethresh to 'C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\Exalted\aug12_2004.Stratics' since hydraulic fluid is needed to actuate the hydraulics ouch, how old was this plane? it's ...45 years or so so they were talking about hand cranking the gears and flaps holy crap more precisely uh, does that work? they were talking about me hand cranking the gears ye *yes slowly, but yes apparently it's the flaps that are real bithces...at least with the gears you have gravity on your side *bitches my ability to type has been hindered by constant CoH yeah, but what about quick turns and stuff? could you really do those by hand? whaddya mean quick turns? like, the whole plane doing a quick turn? yeah because quick is awfully relative besides, we don't do quick turns even on tactics missions i doubt we'd pull anything more than 2 g's well, good for your health I suppose 2 g's is surprisingly harsh i think most roller coasters keep it under 3 and even then, only for a moment sounds about right was fucking terrifying though the loadies and engineers were running from window to window, checking the fluid leaking out of the engines I'd imagine. I wonder how many more times stuff like this will happen? the front end sounds -real- worried, they are talking about dumping fuel, cutting engines and shit like that meanwhile i'm trying to do some events geez, hell of a way to spend an evening no kidding well, ready to get started? sure lemme cue up my villain music drowning pool- tear away ok, when last we left our (kind of) heroes, they had just twarted an attempt on their lives. Much to their credit they slaughtered the attacking ghosts, but troubling questions remain. They were obviously set up, but there is a short list of people who knew of their quickly arrainged trip, which makes the situation unsettling. But what choice do you have? Thus far events have been far from your control and things seem to be spinning out of hand... ... Betrothed of Pain bellows into the air in a manly and totally useless attempt to vent his rage. He's bleeding quite a bit, though none of the wounds seem terribly dangerous. Even so, he's pissed. The Soul's Twisted Design is staring blankly at the dead faces of your enemies. The corpses are slowly fading away. The will that held the specteral beings together has drifted away, and shortly there will be nothing left of the ghostly assassins. Crimson hasn't sheathed her sword yet, and is actually seems intent on something in the woods to your left.* * Echoing_Words sighs. People have tried to kill him before. Hell, those people were even -family-. Nevertheless, the situation was a rude awakening for the Echoing Words from the Darkness. No n00b in the world of darkness and grey, Echo expected combat and death during this grand adventure laid out before him. He delighted in the thought of both, but this was an early attempt on /their/ lives, and no one else. The would-be assassins failed. And yet, their slowly fading bodies were the dull aftershocks of a surprise attack which caught an entire team of Exalted unawares. Yes, the circle would have to be more careful from now on, but it was nonetheless a real drag. Echo was left to pick up the pieces of his tattered party, and to make the best out of the life debt his one party mate now owed him. He would start with the most receptive hitherto, Crimson. She was easy. Well, so he thought anyways. She was hiding something, but they all were, save for Echo. He wasn't easy to read, but his story was one of a weak plot and dull characters. He had few ambitions save for revenge and domination, but dammit, he'd have both if he desired it. "So, Crimson..." Echo smiles, noticing her stalwart gaze, "How are we feeling today?" He asks with a poignant sarcasm.* She pauses for another moment, staring into the rugged brush of the forest before turning to you. "Oh, I'll be okay." Now that you see her face she appears to have taken a direct hit on her right temple. There would be a significant bruise there by the end of the day, but nothing her Exalted body couldn't recover from. She sheathes her sword with finess and turns towards you and the others. "Are we all okay?" Her eyes pass over Pain, but she seems unfazed by his bleeding, "Design? How about you and your men Echo?"* (one of your bodyguards took a significant cut to the arm, but otherwise you are all fine) "Perfectly fine. I'm unsure of how many we slew...but altogether it was what, a dozen assassins slaughtered? We did exceedingly well for being taken by surprise. Tell me, have you any knowledge of medicines?" Echo asks, driving her towards his point. "One of my men was injured, but I worry more about our bleeding compatriot." Echo smirks.* Crimson Tears of Regret begins to shake her head, but Design interrupts, "I do Echo, it's no problem." He rushes up to your injured bodyguard and looks the ghost warrior over. "Eh, its nothing I can't handle." He looks up to the sky briefly, "We should get moving, we're wasting what little light we have, I can mend him while we walk." Everybody looks to you oddly enough.* "...Of course. I can take lead...no problem." Fucking wussies. Grow some balls, Echos mind hissed towards Bethrothed of Pain. You die first. "Well then, let us get the lead out, as they say." With that, Echo turns and begins a swift pace down the untravelled and forboding road. He's terrified, of course, but too well conditioned to show any such emotion. His bodyguards flank him as he walks, and the rest of the party is left to fol * (is left to fol) left to follow, or die alone. Both suited Echo just fine.* You manage to cover a significant amount of land in a rather short time. It seems the circle's nerves made for quick steps. As the underworld twilight begins to darken the sky, you come upon a clearing and somes sounds. Travelers. Odd that there would be ghosts this far south of the city, but then again there is a war on. As you draw closer you begin to realize what is happening. Families and individuals, carrying what meager belongings they have are headed north past you. Refugees it seems. Those unaligned with the First and Forsaken Lion or those unwilling to trust in his benevlence. The clearing leads into a larger area where the forest stops abruptly. A vast (vast) bridge of ebony stands before you stratling a very large gourge. It seems there is little choice but to cross it and fight your way through the growing crowd. You circlemates move closer to you, disliking the precense of some many ghosts at once, though none of the travelers seem to mind you much.* Echo picks up the pace as he sees the refugees on the move. They are likely unprotected, and ripe for the picking, as it were. Echos mind leapt into action, demanding he take advantage of this situation, a situation which spoke only to his diabolical side. So many disenfranchised people, so little time. He halts, and his war ghosts move up beside him as he stands before the crowd. With a smile, he plunges in, driving through the mob l a spear. He makes for the bridge first and foremost, and expects his circlemates and bodyguards to keep up. He intends to create a spectacle, right on the bridge. Because that's simply what he does.* You bodyguards rush to keep a tight circle around you, wary of the ghosts. Your Exalted companions keep up as well, not entirely certain what to do, but sure they should all stick together. Though the bridge is quite wide, you rapidly make your way to the center where the side railing are almost two yards thick, easy enough to stand upon and high enough to see the entire crowd.* (What city is this anyways?) (Already to the Thousand?) (oh, south of paragon, not nearly close to the thousand quite yet. These are villagers mostly, not natives of a large city.) (Gotcha) * Echoing_Words grabs ahold of a random female ghost, placing his hand firmly on her shoulder. He flashes a smile, then asks a simple question- "What do you think of the First and Forsaken Lion, child?" He asks with no particularly menacing overtones. He was being fairly polite, actually.* She looks up with an irritated, tired look on her face. She begins to speak but freezes in horror as she realizes what you are. The right hand of the Deathlords is not a welcome sight to most ghosts and this one is certain you are picking her out to do her harm. She pulls her young child close to her and almost begins to cry, "My Lord, my Lord! You master is the greatest King of the Underworld, we love him!"* "Of course you do child." Echo places his sculpted, cold soulsteel arm on her head and smiles again. "Of course you do. Now scurry along! You've a long road ahead of you..." Probably. He thinks. As he turns away from the woman, he makes for the railing. Literally as he steps, his footfalls grow louder, his form grows darker, and the shadows playing across his body become visibly darker. He looks like a true menace, even as he stri (Elegant Tyrants Mastery, 6 motes) (even as he stri) Even as he strides. Yet that is not the end of his magics. His feet become wrapped in wrought iron of the blackest forge. His entire body becomes sheathed in volcanic, shifting and screaming black armor dribbling flowing blood of the darkest crimson. His visage becomes warped as a helm of illusion appears, spiked and massive, truly foreboding. His fists gauntlets covered in bone and soulsteel, his body draped with bodyparts hanging from flesh and bone wir (bone wir) bone wires. (sigh, getting close, heh) As he steps atop the railing, it becomes obvious what his plan is. "LOOK UPON ME AND TREMBLE, MY DEVOTED CHILDREN!" He roars, his voice as deep as his Exalted lungs will permit. He is the First and Forsaken Lion.* (Used my artifact armor, 1 mote to change appearence.) (Uhhhh...and its storming like a mofo. Thunder just rocked the entire house. Literally.) (crap, you want to do this later?) (Nah.) (I think it may just be the tail of it. We already got the bad stuff. I think.) (oh, missed the *, duh, one sec0 A uniform and horrified gasp comes from the crowd in the same instant. You realize that even you bodyguards and circlemates joined in. Almost 300 hundred open mouths and wide eyes just kind of stare at you for a moment before pandimonium breaks out. (manip+performance?) (eer, precence, with your charm that is) (One sec) (I can consult the book) (manip+presence+ess for the charm's effects, plus a 2 die stunt bonus) (Elegant tyrants majesty was more for dramatic effect. I'm using haunting inflection trick to add to my performance score. 1m per 2 die. Spending 4 motes, hence 8 additional die.) (k) (That's a lot of fucking die, holy crap) (14 successes, uh yeah, that's a lot) (Mind control. That's all i can say.) And pandimonium it is. To say the very least. No fewer than 50 of the closest ghosts recoil in such horror that they grasp Lethe rather than face the horrors you represent. The literately chose to end their existences rather than stand before you. Another hundred fall prostrate before you, weeping and bowing. The remaining ghosts simply turn and run screaming, none look back. It is chaos, glorious, glorious chaos.* (and _that_ particular performance is worthy of something I was saving for later....) (You want me to pose?) (if you'd like, I can go if you don't want to) (Go ahead) (I only thought this far ahead) You feel it in your bones first. It is nearly imperceptible. The ghosts on the bridge have significantly bigger things on their minds and don’t notice it, but you can feel it. Then a rumbling sound comes, but from where? The ground in obviously shaking now and everybody in your circle freezes. An instant turns to seconds and the rumbling grows. Your bodyguards circle around you and draw their weapons, as do your Exalted companions. The screams of wailing and screaming ghosts roar around you but is quickly overcome by the sound of an incredible earthquake. Suddenly you realize, the ghosts on land are running from the bridge easily, but those closest to you have lost their footing and have fallen. And then you see it, the movement at either end of the bridge. The ends of the bridge heave into the air and then back down again, throwing hapless ghosts into the air and for some, off the bridge to a ghostly death. The sound of deep, throaty laughter echoes through the dead air. Unlike most sounds in this realm, which are muted and die out quickly, the haunting laughter seems to travel forever. "HO HO HO" Is the bridge... laughing?* * Echoing_Words blinks, and leaps down from the railing, then grabs hold of it for the sake of stability. Well, he was totally shown up by a thrashing bridge. Geez. His illusory helm retracts, and he pushes his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose with an enourmous armored hand. "Hold on to something!" He orders his men and his circle alike.* The bridge’s roadway begins to ripple slightly. Almost as quickly as the rumbling started, tendrils of pure, sickly black spike out and lance through the running ghosts. Hundreds, if not thousands, of the tendrils rush outward, dragging screaming ghosts into the rippling, watery surface the bridge’s surface has become. Only the circle and you bodyguards are left unaffected. (oh yes, watched the end of the dark tournament in Yu-Yu Hakusho) (Just when you thought it wouldn't end with the typical "spirit gun" crap, it did.) Moments later only the fading screams of the ghosts who made it off the bridge resonates in the air. The bridge stays silent and still for several seconds, as if thinking. Without warning, you find yourselves pushed to the other side of the bridge. The amazing mass of ebony massonry bubbles and swirls above you. It is huge, a hulking... thing above you all. (yeah, i caught that too) (I was kinda pissed...Kuwabaras fight was similarly aggravating) "HO HO HO..." It pulses as it echos the dead sounds. It is at least ten stories tall and impossingly looms above the group. "So... you have returned to see me." The beast booms.* (yeah, kuwabara's fights always suck) (Well, at least he didn't really win) (yeah) (Did you see the complete end? Kuwabara was still alive, and so was Genkai) (yep) (Fucking ridiculous) (as if nothing happened0 * Echoing_Words coughs and returns the helm to its original place. He stands steadfast against the menacing beasts imposing figure, and even smiles. "Why must everything be a surprise in this world..?" He mutters to himself. "Ahem. I was travelling through here! Who are you, and why should I remember you if we have met before? Speak quickly!" He adds with absolute confidence.* The thing moves slightly, as if taken aback. "Ahhh, yes. It has been quite some time. I too have changed, much as you have. You seem... darker Golden Voice of the Sun." Though it doesn't have eyes, it apparently is speaking to you. Almost instictively, you entire team moves away from you slightly.* "Answer now! Who are you, and why should I remember you?!" He beckons again, this time with added emphasis. He seems intent on being the First and Forsaken Lion, even if it means his own death. A metaphor for his entire personality? Maybe. Maybe he's just really trying the good-actor approach too.* Once more the beast laughs. "You truely do not remember me? So sad. I remember you. I remember our long debates, those endless days of talking. You company eased me through my transition, and I do think, my company eased you through yours. But yes... you essence is the same, but your mind different." The beast's voice changes to milder tones, as if speaking to children, "You must not remember the great war. You kind brought death to our perfect Creation. The masters created me from pure essence to be their cherished pet, and their pet I was until the day your kind, those of the sun, the moon, and the stars struck me down defending my masters..." Again, that irritating, echoing laugh. "But did I die wimpering like a beast? No, no you, Golden Voice, found out the hard way. You were there to advice and perhaps find a peaceful solution. You assumed the two dozen of your bretheren and the assembled other Exalts could do me in if negotiations failed." "But that was not to be. Single handledly they all fell to me, and me alone. My master merely watched and applauded my power and his design. Then only you were left... and the unthinkable happened. You gave your soul to bind me to the underworld... but it sent you there as well." * Oh godammit. Echos mind raced. His tutelage of First Age history under the Bodhissatva spoke of the Great War, the Solars, and precious few other details. Yes, he gathered more from his perusings in the Royal Libraries, but it was, nevertheless, a rough sketch of the Golden Age at best. Never in his meek studies did he run across anything remotely like this beast. "Well." Echo sighs, losing his growling tone. His armor remains black and massive, but his voice changes to meet his new...friend. "Then I must say I apologize for my curtness. I was right in the middle of something, you caught me a bit off guard. Still, I am sorry I do not remember you more clearly." Echo says, smirking as his helm once again recedes into his suit of jet black falsehood.* (rolling manip+social) (You need the numbers for rolls?) (please) (12 total, with artifact bonus) (a meager 3 successes) (Wunderbar) (Still decent) The behemoth chuckles slightly in his own way. "No, you do not remember the time we spent, you know you can not lie to me." He settles back, kind of. The mass of black stone is constantly moving, not really giving him a true shape. (Think the big old bad thing in Phantoms). (nice) (Ben Afleck! You were the bomb in Phantoms yo!) "So here you are once again.. this time different. I too have changed... I have grow darker inside and out. My thoughts constantly turn to hatred for the Creation I left behind. Much has changed I'm sure." He kind of shakes his 'head' as if dismissing the thought. "But... many things move down here as well. I know the five of you seek the power that has no name. You seek it for your own, I can tell. He does. When the time comes, Golden Voice of the Sun, remember your old friend Ankh. I wish to repay to Creation the pain I have suffered in this wasteland."* "Haha, true I cannot lie to you. The blackness in my soul has darkened my sight of the past. You understand of course, as this place has done the same to you." Though deeply interested by this conversation- if only out of a sharp desire to live to see tomorrow- Echo takes notice of the beasts name, and its knowledge of some...nameless power? Interesting. Nameless powers are the best kinds! (do you think one of the first living beasts, who once was the size of a city, would have a mere four letter name? His true name could not fit in a large book... :) (just a hint, he'll be back later, but he is the closest thing you'll find to a primordial. Best to keep him on your side...) "I would not forget about you again, ancient one. Especially after that...gruesome, if memorable entrance. Though I must be honest, as you seem to see through my lies, I do not come seeking the strength of this nameless power. We came to seek the Deathlord who resides in this area...although the two may be related." Echo smirks, then continues, "But that can be held for a moment. Let us talk of you." "You have sat here for how long, Ankh? How many thousands of years have passed since you became trapped here? Truly it must have been an eternity."* It nods a bit and talks earnestly. "Yes, yes it was a long time. Your days with me stretched to millenia and soon your witty conversation turned to madness. So sad, the day you left me for good to be reborn. But I found only friends, true friends indeed. Both came upon me to curry my favor and give them power. They were odd beasts, I'd not known them in creation. They were shards of my dead masters, if that means anything to you. Odd though they were, I welcomed them into my arms and made them my guests for four thousand years. They didn't like it at first, but soon their madness came. But their was hilarious madness, and I enjoyed it greatly." He pauses a moment, "Walter and Perry there were called. Not at first of course, but when madness set in, they took those new faniful names. They often talked of someday finding you, and repaying the joy they felt for those four thousand years in my company. That should be fun." He smiled a hideous smile of dark granite and stone. "But of your Deathlord... no, he has not been here for some time. At first he pleaded with me to join him, but here I sat, content to be a bridge for all eternity. He gave up of course. But I have watched him since... what do you wish to know of him old friend?"* (heh) (Still struggling with walter and perry) (I couldn't pass up those characters...) * Echoing_Words smiles. "Walter and Perry eh? Interesting. Well, I wonder exactly when he came about? Surely you took notice of his arrival, and the arrival of all of the Deathlords. I simply wonder of his origins, and if you know anything of them."* "Origins? Origins yes, odd beginnings those. Much like you were in my company, a disembodied child of the Sun god he was. An angry one at that. He decended into the Labyrinth, where even I can not see the glory of my former masters, and came out a new being. They all did. You are much like them, though diminished in power somewhat." He cocks his puesdo-head slightly, "Has the one you call master not told you of his beginnings?"* "No...he has not. And I am pleased to learn of them. Truly I shall endevour to learn even more, but I thank you for that, even if it was but a bit of information." "Speaking of my master, I have been sent by him- all of us have been, to find this First and Forsaken Lion. He's been making a lot of problems in the world of the living, and we have been marshalled against him."* "Ahhh, you seek it too? That is something I can help but little I am afraid. Even it is beyond my knowledge. In fact, I dare say it is beyond knowledge itself. I felt it you know," He leans in as if to share a secret tidbit, "I felt it start. I was one of the first to fall into this odd place, one of the first to create this place, this underworld. I felt it then, as the Underworld is a mirror of Creation. Has no one thought that the..." (Has no one thought that the.) (yeah, I stopped to begin a new paragraph (gotcha) "Single most important object in all the Underworld, the Abyss, is not a mirror of anything in Creation?" He laughs again, louder this time. "The fools! There is a faded mirror of the Abyss in Creation! I can smell it, sense it move. The dead ghost king you speak of only recently realized such a thing existed... and such trouble he has casued to find it, such trouble..." He fades out.* (whaddya mean fades out...just kinda trails off?) (yeah, sorry, my words bad and stuff) (haha) * Echoing_Words pushes his glasses up with his index finger. "Interesting." Echo says. Interesting? More like amazing. It only stands to reason such a thing would exist, but it had been ruled out...obviously...not by all. Yet, that would put this Creation Abyss in the heart of the Dynasty- a place where even the Lions great armies may falter. "So...this abyss in Creation. Why is it so important? And...you said it moves? Where is it?" "I apologize if I sound too pressing, Ankh. It is just that we have precious little time, and you know so very much that could help us!"* Ankh shrugs, "It is not bound to a place, nor even a time. I think it once had a name, like the Abyss once did... but it consumed it's own name in it's ravenous hunger. Of its location, I can not say, I merely fell that it is among the living above us, yes far above." He begins to chuckle. "I have a grand idea, why didn't you think of it young one? Why don't you simply ask the Deathlord how he knows where it is? Should be simple for one such as yourself..." He once again trails off, his interest in this subject waning. "Perhaps I shall spend the next millenia or two as a lamppost... perhaps not." He sits still in contemplation.* * Echoing_Words smirks. "Quick witted, I like that. I can see why we spent so much time together, Ankh. So now I wonder, why do you not accompany us on our trek? Unless you would prefer being a lamppost?" Echo offers.* Ankh chuckles again, this time softer, sadder. "I wish I could, dark child, but I am as bound to this place as my masters are to the heart of the Labyrinth. You see, it was at this location in the living world where you struck me down. But do not fret, my anger at you as long since passed. But if you managed to find this... this mirror of the Abyss, you could likely free me by destroying my bonds. Yes, then I would owe you a great deal." (Owe a great dea) owe you a great deal." "I think... I think the first thing I will do is scourge the world of the Sun's Children. Then I shall reach up to the heavens and pull the Sun from his lofty perch. Yes, that would suit me just fine." This is not likely an empty boast, this beast claims to have slain 24 or more First Age Solars with the likely army that accompanied them.* * Echoing_Words shrugs. "You may do as you see fit when that time comes, I certainly will not interfere in your assaults against the Sun, nor his children. I am not quite what I used to be." Echo says with a shudder. He has no real concept of what he is now. Perhaps the next time he sees his master he will find more information regarding his origins, and the origins of his very liege. "Good enough then, old friend." "I shall return for you when the time is right, but rest assured it will be soon. For now though, we must make haste to the Thousand. There we may find answers to our endless supply of questions."* Ankh does whatever it is he does to smile and nods, "Yes, and you have given me the best of ideas. To prepare, I shall become that which my anger is focused. Good luck old friend. Oh, and tell the fifth dark one that she needn't hide in the woods from me..." (Gotta go soon, if possible) (Need some sleep tonight...been getting 4+/- 2 hours) With that he shudders and begins to shift, slightly at first. With a rumble the timeless beast grows... and grows, and grows. Slowly he takes the shape of a man, a colossus. His arms, legs, and torso begins to fill out, armor surrounds the body and it appears as though Ankh has turned himself into a massive statue... of a Solar Exalted, complete in battle armor.* (sure thing, we can wrap up here, I didn't really intent for Ankh to be so talkative, but I couldn't help myself :) (okay) * Echoing_Words smiles, content with the knowledge he has gained. Not only did he find a new ally, but a few possible reasons regarding the invasion of Creation. As for the fifth dark one, and those walter and perry characters...chalk those up to madness. Ankh has been down here a loooooong time, and these things happen. Still, he would be invaluable...later. "So long then for now, old friend." With that, Echo bids his allies follow him back on co (him back on co) s his allies follow him back on course.* Seems like a good place to end to me cool Next time: The Thousand and the fifth dark child :) good session awesome not too bad, I hope to let you make some serious decisions soon, but there is so much to set up yeah, i know the feeling after the next session, you'll have to pick a major fork in the road honestly, the only challenge after that is running outta things to do heh, at the moment Echo has created a new ambition for himself... become a Deathlord hot damn yeah nothing's impossible. I certainly don't aim low for my story lines, so you never know haha cool well i'm gonna head off seriously do need sleep ok, cya later been lacking night later * Echoing_Words has quit IRC (Quit: ) * Disconnected Session Close: Thu Aug 12 21:44:39 2004 Session Start: Tue Aug 24 18:56:43 2004 Session Ident: #ethresh * Now talking in #ethresh * Disconnected Session Close: Tue Aug 24 19:07:05 2004 Session Start: Tue Aug 31 18:43:45 2004 Session Ident: #ethresh * Now talking in #ethresh * Disconnected Session Close: Tue Aug 31 19:24:42 2004 Session Start: Thu Sep 02 19:47:37 2004 Session Ident: #ethresh * Now talking in #ethresh this druglord game is hard do you just buy and sell drugs ? well it's kind of a bunch of things armed robbey, trading guns, drug deals cool\ you assign them the task, then when they inevitably fuck it up (Being cute preteen girls) you yell at them or praise them...sort of then you can one on one with them to train them to be a stripper or a junkie heh, interesting ok, would you like to get aleast something done tonight? certainly once again I'm sorry I forgot np Session Close: Thu Sep 02 19:54:34 2004