Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 2 Chapter 5 - Driscoll? (NOTE: all posts either to or cc ) Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 00:03:11 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Together again At 01:26 AM 3/14/97 -0600, Doc wrote: >The KnightShift had not gotten far when he encountered a squad of >Dark Elves. He was walking past a corridor when at the opposite end, >the squad walked by. For a fraction of a second they stared down the >hallway at each other. The KnightShift smiled. > >"Hello, I'm the Doctor! I believe you want to kill me!" > >The KnightShift and Pyewackett ran, the Dark Elves close behind.... Morgan sighs, as visions of a small teddy-bear like creature jumping on a speeder bike as a diversionary tactic come to mind. She retrieves a splendid claidheamh m¢r, a few of sgiandubh, and an eligant looking blaster <*A blade isn't _always_ the best choice :-)*> from the armory, and looks as Roscoe. "Once more into the breech, old friend. West, I believe you said?" She looks at the rest of the group watching the monitor. "Might as well all go. It's not like they don't already know we're here, and we probably shouldn't split up any more than we have to." Greywolf /|\ =========================== From: Martin Gerster Subject: Re: Aae-Together again (Long) Date: Fri, 14 Mar 97 03:46:54 PST On Thu, 13 Mar 97, Morgan (L. J. Wolfe), the Wolfmae, wrote: >"I guess our next move boils down to do we try stealth or a >straight-out assault? It's probably safe to assume our presence is no >longer a secret, so we whatever we do it needs to be soon." Assuming that some kind soul amongst the gathered Callahanians bothered to drag the Sentinel-Lensdragon's sorry carcass into the TARDIS, "Lancett's eyes slowly open and the more observant will notice they have no pupils (no change there) and that they are bloodshot! He quickly shuts them again, raises a hand/forepaw to shield his vision, and slowly opens them again. Then, he mutters, to himself as much as to anyone else, "Yes, it's not the lights in here, it's just me. I know I hurt too much to be dead so once again I'm treated' to experiencing what a hangover must feel like." He hestently takes a swallow of air and then continues, "Palatine and Tahkis, I've forgotten how much I hate redaction headaches. Then again, what do you expect, Lensdragon, when you allow an Arrisian and a Vorlon to take leisurely strolls through your cranium and them start to use two 'Artifacts-of-Power' so similar that it doesn't even take a reactionless-drive engineer to tell you they're liable to set up a feedback-loop on your personal mental wavelength." He ever so slowly turns his head so he can see Morgan and asks, "Milady Druid, you wouldn't happen to have anything that would allow someone my size to intake a massive ammount of Vitamin C into my system would you? Because otherwise I might as well go back to sleep for all the good I'm going to do you." The Greywolf rummages around in her satchels and then hands something to the draconian Lensman. No one can get a good look at what it is, but it requires both of Morgon's hands to lug it around. "Lancett" does something similarly occult with it and he suddenly looks like he's in much better shape. /Many thanks./ sends "Lancett" to the Bene Gesserit Druid, winking a, now non-bloodshot, eye at the Healer. He gets up and suddenly now notices Morgan's other patients, namely Roland and The Stranger. "Oops. Seems like I was out of it for quite awhile. However, I think I might've telepathically caught some of it while I was unconcious, and I have a theory about who one of our 'black hats might be. I'd like to try something before we do anything else, if I'm sucessfull we'll have reduced the number of the players on our opposition by one,posibly two." /@/ ("@" represents the time/space locus of the cavern where (The Stranger, "The Doctor" and Roland had their tete-a-te (sp?) with the arachnids and the dark elves, which "Lancett" has jusr copied out of Roland's short-term memory) "Roland's and my powers work differently, so I ought to be able to 'translate' myself into the cavern and back again with little difficulty. In case I need any help, I'll leave a 'backdoor' open." An emerald/jade beam of burning energy leaps forth from the Sentinel-Lensdragon's Sentinel/GL Ring and toggles the TARDIS' door-switch. "It's best," attempts to explain the adolecent Ruby-Fire Dragon, not to create an interdimensional hyperspace wormhole in a place which already a hyperspace construct." He pauses,"Don't ask." The Sentinel-Lensdragon walks out the front door of the TARDIS. His Sentinel's Ring again springs to life and open's "Lancett's" signature hyperspace jump-point. This time, however, once he's entered the hyperspace construct, it continues to remain open. The green-stained glass hued lantern is still sitting on the floor of the TARDIS' main control room. ********************************************************************** The cobwebbed cavern hasn't changed much since Roland and the Stranger left in such a hurry. The huge spider seems to be fast asleep and the smaller, mearly giant, spiders are doing most of the work; namely dragging the bodies of their fallen Drow compatriots down into the shadowy depths behind the chamber's cobwebbed "walls," where they'll assumedly recieve proper burials. However, several of the few remaining Drow are helping in this task. In a far corner, "Lancett's" jump-point and the Sentinel-Lensdragon quickly appear. Somehow, before anyone, or anything, notices his sudden appearence, the draconian Lensman causes himself and his "backdoor" to become psionically invisible. The first sign the residents of the cavern have that something's amiss is when "Lancett" uses his geomantic abilities to cause a wall of stone to slam upwards, cutting himself off from the rest of the cavern's inhabitants. The noise of the magickal upwards explosion of rock awakens the huge spider who begins to scuttle about, trying to determine what is happening. The remaining Drow warriors draw their weapons and several more of them, seemingly "waiting-in-the-wings" join their brethern. The giant spiders, however, have had their fill of battle and begin to retreat back into the shadows. "Wwhhooo did thisss," hisses the huge Spider, still moving about, "Wwhhhoo iss therre?" Meinwhile, the Drow are nearly stumbling over themselves, almost unaware of the changes that've occured around them. "Lancett" causes his stone wall to crumble back into the floor and makes himself visible again, although he keeps the jump-point invisible. "My Lady Llolth," says the Sentinel-Lensdragon, calmly addressing the huge spider, "My name is not important right now, you may consider me an envoy from the court of my Lord Baphahmut. I'm here to tell you that the humans and their allies, including the Shihde; all of whom you mean to move against, are under my protection. I, nor my Lord of the Good Dragons, would be very happy if you were to carry out these plans and those whom you've aligned yourself with." The huge spider seems to shrink in upon itself, whereupon it becomes a tall and stunningly beautiful dark-elf woman wearing not much else but a few pieces of silvery jewelry, thinly laced leather sandles and a white mono-kini. "So, you are a representitive of the Prince of the Four Winds, Hmm?" answers the demon queen of both the spiders and the Drow. "How is it you knew who I was, how did you know my name?" As she slowly move backwards, away from the adolecent Ruby-Fire Dragon, hundreds of thousands of tiny, seemingly mundane, spiders swarm onto the floor, down from the web-strewn walls and immeaditely form themselves into a macabre living throne, which she sits upon. As all this is happening, two metalic, jeweled, seemingly half-spider, half-scorpion, clockwork horrors move out of the cobwebbed arches at the back of the cavern and take their places by the demon's side as her grotesque honor guards. Three of the bloated, half-Drow, half-giant spider, Driders also move out of the shadows at the rear of the cavern at take their places in a staggered hemesphere to the upper-left, upper-right and rear of the demon queen. "Oh, I don't know, 'my Lady'," replies "Lancett." "First it was the Drow and the spiders, and now you're joined by a triad of Driders and a couple of Retrievers on loan from my 'old-friend' Demogorgon, no doubt. Off hand, I'd say it was pretty obvious." "Well," returned the self-styled patron goddess of the Drow, "Tell your lord 'Palatine' that I'll consider your request, perhaps if your able to defeat my champions! Hahahahahahaaha! And if you survive this, drakeling, you'll understand that Queen Llolth doesn't like little *newts* interfering in here affairs!" As she says this, the Retrievers move forwards towards the Sentinel-Lensdragon while the Driders move in closer to attack. "Ah, 'My Queen,' you shouldn't have done that." Says "Lancett" as his mouth forms into a smile, exposing rows and rows of teeth and fangs which cause the remaining dark-eleven warriors to retreat slightly to the rear of the cave. Upon the press of the demon's arachniod troops, the draconian Lensman assumes his Tsudo stance. The first Drider draws its sword and advances into melee range and, within the blink of an eye, "Lancett" disarms him with a powerfull right sweep kick, knocks it off its feet with a sweep of his tail, slices open its abdomen with a left sweep kick and then follows through with the momentum and snaps its neck with a powerfull left open-palm strike. The second Drider approaches hesitantly, this one carrying a shield and a sword. In an equally swift series of moves, "Lancett" brushes the Drider's sheild away with his right wing, knocks its sword out of its other hand with his other wing, slices open its abdomen with a left sweepkick, and then breaks its kneck with a vicious right forward kick. An enraged Llolth screams something intelligible at the third Drider, something "Lancett's" Lens translates as "What are you waiting for you fool, Kill him!" At which the third Drider approaches the Sentinel-Lensdragon, this one armed with a peculiar-looking, multi-bladed spear/polearm. Both "Lancett's" Lens and Sentinel's Ring blaze to life and the draconian Lensman's Psi-Sword, a scottish, claymore-style, two-handed sword constructed of solid crystalized emerald/jade fire, manifests itself in mid-air in front of the adolecent Ruby-Fire Dragon. "Lancett" plucks it from out of mid-air, just in time to parry a sudden downward swing from the remaining Drider's polearm. A comination of blurry and spiral movement from the draconian Lensman's blade moves his opponent's weapon from above him to his right side, Then using the Drider's weapon as a ramp, he drives his own blade forward in a swing/thrust attack, only the Drider somehow gets its pole-arm inbetween it and the Sentinel-Lensdragon, blocking "Lancett's" counter-attack. The draconian Lensman suddenly reverses his grip on his Psi-Sword, driving the Drider's weapon down towards the floor. The Sentinel-Lensdragon then lashes out with a wicked right cross causing the Drider to stagger back and loosen it's grip on the strange pole-arm. With a blindingly fast figure-eight motion, "Lancett" has switched the sword from his left to his right hand and impaled the Drider upon up to a third of the length of his Psi-Blade. The Drider looks down at the roughly two-thirds of an seemingly solid-emerald sword which protrudes from his torso (not the business end but still quite shocking), and The Sentinel-Lensdragon performs another blindly fast movemenents with his blade and with a lightharted, mental /There can be only one./ beheads the last Drider. The Demon Queen Llolth, now livid with anger, yells at the Retreivers in a language even "Lancett's" Lens garbles, but the draconian Lensman doesn't need a Lens to understand the language, or the command. As both of the metalic, spider/scorpion, jeweled, clockwork horrors shamble towards him, the adolecent Ruby-Fire Dragon's Sentinel's Ring comes to life once more and at the same time the lens he wears on his forehead-crest shimmers to life. A huge horrific sight fills the space between "Lancett" and the Retreivers. Imagine a gigantic, hairy, reptilian and vaugly humaniod body, now instead of arms give it four, incedibly long tenticals which look like they're composed of rotting flesh; two to a side, and then top this visage off with two baboon heads, this is the apparition which would greet you if you were in the place of either one of the Retreivers or the demon queen called Llolth. The apparition opens its mouths and appears to say something in the same language that Llolth had used mere moments before. Upon which, both Retrievers, turn around and vacate the cavern completly. "Lancett" is facing the abysmal demon queen. He is leaning on his still manifested Psi-Sword, she is is ashen-faced with an unmentionalble rage and has been rendered quite speachless, at least for the moment. "'My Lady, Llolth'" begins the triumphant Sentinel-Lensdragon, "I believe that I have bested your champions, I assume you will honor our bargan and withdrawl you peices from the game being played by the Shadows and their various pawns? You may speak, by the way," he adds when no answer is immediately forthcoming. The color completly drains out of the face of the demon Drow queen. All she can muster in a retort is, "You, you, you, you tricked me!" "Yes, and even you'll have to admit I had one hell of a fine teacher." As the draconian Lensman says this, a tall fae appears in the chamber. He has long, bleach-blond hair and wears a multi-colored tunic and breaches. "I don't believe she fell for it." "Ah, Pan/Puck, I was wondering when you would show up here." "Well, Oberon did banish me from Avalon, but Life wouldn't be much fun if I didn't bend the rules once in awhile." "Lancett" smiles again and Puck says, "I'd love to know who does your dental work!" "Well, 'my queen'?" asks a chuckling Sentinel-Lensdragon. "Yes," replies the spider queen reluctantly, "I'll remove my pieces from the game the Shadow-Spider is playing." Then she looks evilly at the draconian Lensman, and says, "One day, 'flame- tongue,' your Geas will fade and I will very happily take my revenge upon you!" Puck seems to have disappeared, as quickly as he arrived, he's probably causing havok for someone, somewhere else in Tir Na Nog. "First you have to find me," replies "Lancett, "In whatever Fiction I'm in, amongst the millions upon millions of Alterverses in existance, and I'm always open to a challenge... 'my queen'." The adolecent Ruby-Fire Dragon twirls around and flies directly into the mouth of the still invisible jump-point, which has gone undetected all this time, and closes down once he's entered it. When he disapears he leaves a demon queen with her mouth hanging open, suprised, amazed, and angered, that he could pull off one last conjuring trick as he left. =========================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 22:31:27 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall Roland X wrote: >>She takes her stance between Stranger and the dark horde, regarding >>them with a mixture of bloodlust and amusement. ** My enemies call >>me far worse than that... ** The Stranger smiles weakly at Mayhem "Sorry, Mayhem, it's a quote from Lethal Weapon 2, couldn't resist. Glad you could come." > "Screwed up the gateway," Roland chuckles, slipping to his > knees. "Sorry. At least we got Stranger back. Too bad we can't > go back home yet..." > Roland loses consciousness. The Stranger staggers to the wall and slides down it leaving a dirty, blood red smear. "Oh boy, I don't feel to good." Morgan attends to The Strangers wounds, he is not too badly hurt and most of the blood turns out to be other peoples. "Thanks milady, you are an angel. I am so tired." "We're not on OA anymore are we? Please let it be Kansas. I could cope with Kansas." He gets up, quite slowly and heads off to find a washroom. He returns having washed and shaved and swapped his dirty clothes for clean black jeans and a cobalt blue silk shirt. He still wears the same boots, however. He also has his swords. "I found them in the bathroom. Knew they'd find their way back to me." The assembled company is gathered around amonitor watching Knightshift/Doctor heading down darkened tunnels, pursued by Drow. "Is it that time again?" The Stranger =========================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 22:59:44 +0000 From: Gareth Owen Subject: Re: AAE -- The Sequel (War In Arcadia) "By the way, guys, thanks for coming to look for me!" The Stranger =========================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 18:11:42 -0500 From: Caprice Organization: Me, myself, and I Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall Gareth Owen wrote: > The Stranger staggers to the wall and slides down it leaving a > dirty, blood red smear. > > "Oh boy, I don't feel to good." **Fair enough. You don't look too good either.** Mayhem loses her shadow-like appearance, appearing as a normal black panther, if your reality conciders panther's the size of a small pony normal. > He gets up, quite slowly and heads off to find a washroom. Mayhem grooms her already immaculate whiskers, bemused. > "Is it that time again?" Mayhem looks up at that, her attention caught. ** Did someone mention dinner? ** She looks at the images of the Drow, and begins to purrrr wickedly. -- Caprice - Who wonders who was posting Squee, and how he is dealing with Mischief pouncing at him? =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 16:14:18 -0500 Subject: Aae-Onwards Callahanian Soliders Roscoe watches KnightShift's departure and the Morgan's after him. [Well, I can think of better forms to go into battle with.] So speaking, Roscoe begins to grow, until he's 5' tall at the shoulder. Grey fur gives way to black leathery looking skin, and spikes sprout from his back along the spine. The eyes grow red and flames lick out from his mouth and nostrils, and the stone of the tunnelway melts slightly under his massive paws. The only identifying mark that this is Roscoe, is the collar that is still glowing and about his neck. Roscoe gives out a combination howl and growl that sends shivers down the spine, and bounds off down the hall to the west, following his mental connection with Driss. Squee continues through the tiny spaces in the walls until he turns a corner and sees sitting there, a Kitten, tail twitching with antcipation and the hunt. Startled, all he can think of is, "U-Um Hi. I don't S-Supose you're freindly?" =========================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 19:08:15 -0500 From: Caprice Organization: Me, myself, and I Subject: Re: Aae-Onwards Callahanian Soliders gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Squee continues through the tiny spaces in the walls until he turns > a corner and sees sitting there, a Kitten, tail twitching with > antcipation and the hunt. Startled, all he can think of is, "U-Um > Hi. I don't S-Supose you're freindly?" Mischief pounces, only to hear Squee's words mid leap. She twists mid-air, and for a moment gauzy grey wings spread from her back, flapping. Somehow she manages to miss hitting Squee, landing in a kittenish tangle. Mischief mews, and tries to gather her dignity, but is far too young to pull of the 'I meant to do that' look. *i am a very friendly kitten. but it isn't nice of you to speak to me! i'm not allowed to eat things that talk. * Mischief licks her paws, and grooms her whiskers carefully, watching this strange rat out of the corner of her eye. =========================== Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 02:24:58 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: AAE - "The Diversion" or "Go East, Young Man" Running from the Drow Squad, the KnightShift/Doctor notices a slight confusion in the Callahanian group mind on who to go after, Driss or him. /Gang, go get Driss and return to the TARDIS. When I need a way out, I can send for her. In this maze of hallways, they can't stop to get a good shot without risking losing me. This is a perfect diversion. Use it./ The KnightShift runs down a long stretch of hallway, Pyewackett, the feline God, right at his heels. He realized it was a dead end as he rounded the corner, but there is a door at the far end he is hoping is unlocked. Picking up his pace from full tilt to warp speed, he slams into the door, busting it open. (It WAS locked, but the hinges gave way.) Beyond the door is...open space...oh, there was a flight of stairs leading down at one side of the door, but the KnightShift, having no time to brake, ran straight off the top step and plummeted into a large pile of hay below. Pyewackett follows KnightShift's short cut, mewling in a "Wait for me" manner. The drow elves, being familiar with the castle, ran down the stairs to the room's main floor. Seeing the pile of hay, the leader pointed to one of the elves and then to the hay. The Drow walked slowly towards the pile of hay, sword at the ready. When he reached the edge of the hay pile, the drow plunged his sword into the hay in several of it's thickest parts, anywhere a human could be hidden. On his last plunge, a high-pitched squeal could be heard as a small, yellow object shot out of the hay and attached itself to the elf's face, before scurrying off behind a large barrel. Several bloody gashs marred the elf's face as he cursed loudly. He began to move toward the cat, but the leader stopped him. "We don't have time for that. He must have headed into the main stables. Come on!" The Drow squad ran into the long rows of stables. When their clanking footsteps could no longer be heard, the KnightShift poked his head up from out of the barrel. "I told you not to hide in there," he said to the yellow cat. The cat looked up at him with a "Shut up" expression. The cat shook as if he were trying to dry himself. As the KnightShift watched, the yellow seemed to shake off, to reveal a larger black cat underneath. "C'mon Pyewackett. They will figure it out before long. We better get moving." The pair darted up the stairs and began to retrace the way they had came, back toward the TARDIS... =========================== Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 10:06:29 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Aae-Shall we dance? ;-) At 10:31 PM 3/14/97 +0000, The Stranger wrote: >"Thanks milady, you are an angel. I am so tired." Morgan smiles and blushes slightly. "You're most welcome," she says, giving him a light kiss on the forehead. He senses a flow of energy, relieving some of his fatigue. And then at 02:24 AM 3/15/97 -0600, the KnightShift/Doctor wrote: >/Gang, go get Driss and return to the TARDIS. When I need a way out, >I can send for her. In this maze of hallways, they can't stop to get >a good shot without risking losing me. This is a perfect diversion. >Use it./ <*My thoughts exactly :-). Let's not make the Doc play tag with the Drow any longer than necessary.*> sends the Greywolf. She looks at the... (?!?) at Roscoe <;-)>, motions her wolves to her side, and with a courtly sweep of her hand motions Roscoe toward the door. "Lay on, Macduff; And damn'd be he that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'" Morgan /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 13:28:52 -0500 Subject: Aae-Rumble!! Roscoe continues to run full tilt down the hall, even when the squad of five centaurs appear from around a corner ahead. Arrows are loosed from their bows, but can not penetrate the thick skin, though a few hang off Roscoe for dear life. As he nears the centaurs, flame erupts from his mouth curling madly as it moves down the hall. One centuar screams only momentarially before life leaves his body that quickly turns to ash. Another is caught only on his right side, the flesh melting from the bone and a horrible gurgle the only sound he has time to make. One of the three remaining runs, while the other two charge Roscoe. Steel-shod hooves slam into his hide, while his claws send one Centaur to his knees, and reveals the other's insides to him. Deciding Morgan can finish off teh crippled one, Roscoe keeps on downm the hall in pursuit of the one fleeing, who also seems to be going in the right direction for Driss. Sqee cringes back from the kitten, still not sure to belive her or not. "Well, it's good you don't eat things that talk, because I really d-don't want to be eaten. I-I'm Squee. I-I'm l-lost. My f-family is d-dead, but I th-thought I felt someone else f-from the village nearby. C-can you help me find them?" Then Squee slowly and carefully changes shape, to show a very young biy, standing no more than a foot and a half tall. =========================== Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 16:11:09 -0500 From: Caprice To: "Action, Adventure, Excitement" Subject: Re: Aae-Rumble!! gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Then Squee slowly and carefully changes shape, to show a very young > boy, standing no more than a foot and a half tall. Mischief tilts her head, concidering. * only one group of nicepeople i know around here.... and you don't smell like an evilnasty... i'll show you... though you might want to change into something smaller * Mischief bounds off back the way she came, leading Squee back to the Tardis. Occasionally she glances over her shoulder to make sure he is following. =========================== Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 18:58:25 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE: Back to the wall On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, Gareth Owen wrote: > Maybe it was a good day to die after all. > > All this time the great spider had not intervened. > > "OK, lads, who's first?" > > The Stranger Finally sensing the request for help, Xzerrion turns his head one way, than the other. `Where ... there, that's got him. Folx, I'll be back in a bit. I think someone is in more immediate danger.' Xzerrion opens one of his trademark trans-dimensional gates, dives through, and finds himself suddenly right next to Stranger. Closing the gate, he realizes a problem. He is drow. Stranger is fighting drow. This could cause difficulties with friendly fire. *Stranger, it's Xzerrion. I'm behind you and to your left.* Immediately after the warning, Xzerrion unslings his bow and fires a couple poisoned arrows, but is soon forced to drop the bow and draw his blades. The two are still outnumbered, but not as badly as before. =========================== Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 15:51:59 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Rumble!! At 01:28 PM 3/15/97 -0500, Roscoe wrote: >Deciding Morgan can finish off the crippled one, Roscoe keeps on down >the hall in pursuit of the one fleeing, who also seems to be going in >the right direction for Driss. Morgan, who's claidheamh m¢r takes the fallen centaur's head as she passes without breaking stride (hey, there can be only one ), calls ahead to her companion. <*Roscoe! Don't get too far ahead of the rest of us! If we get separated we'll just make it easier for them to pick us off one at a time.*> Morgan /|\ ?> =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 18:57:04 -0500 Subject: Aae-OOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooK Roscoe seems to ignore Morgan as he keeps barreling ahead, leaving a trail of paw prints in the stone behind him. The corridor ends in a pair of heavy wooden doors, but Roscoe barely even pauses before going through them and leaving a large smouldering hole in the wood. But then he screeches to a halt. Beyond the door is a large set of stone steps, cirling up and up the shaft, leaving a large rectangular open area in the center. The landing Roscoe sits on look to be about 5 floors form the bottom, and it looks like another 20 or so above him, but that's not what gave him pause. From about 4 floors above, 6 figures can be seen decending the stairs. Their faces are too far away to be seen clearly, but their bright yellow armor shows up easily in the torchlit area. Glinting metal in their hands suggest drawn weapons, but they seem to be taking thier time coming down. [Their minds are fully linked, so it's hard to distinguish one from another by their minds alone, but one of them is Driscoll.] Eyes strain in the gloom to see as they get closer on their circuts, only to reveal, they _all_ apear to be Driscoll. Squee follows Mischief through the wallsback to the Tardis, once again in the form of a rat. They arrive in time to see the Hellhound galumphing off down the hall with Morgan coming up a close second and (hopefully) the others right behind her. "Hmmm Mischief. Busy place. Where do we go from here?" =========================== Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 22:50:27 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Aae-OOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooK On Sun, 16 Mar 1997 gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > But then he screeches to a halt. Beyond the door is a large set of > stone steps, cirling up and up the shaft, leaving a large > rectangular open area in the center. The landing Roscoe sits on look > to be about 5 floors form the bottom, and it looks like another 20 > or so above him, but that's not what gave him pause. `Heights. Just bloody wonderful. Give me a nice, safe underdark cavern anytime.' > Eyes strain in the gloom to see as they get closer on their > circuts, only to reveal, they _all_ apear to be Driscoll. Xzerrion has an idea, and typically tries it before consulting with anyone else. `I wonder if they have magic protection. Let's find out.' Xzerrion raises both hands and mutters a few arcane phrases. His hands glow with a blue radiance which coalesces into a wide beam of light which strikes all six of the Driscoll-clones. `This ought to work, a paralyzation spell should to sort this bunch out nicely, and maybe even unlink their minds and find out who's who.' [OOC : not my call; were they shielded, or did this work?] =========================== Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 13:59:09 -0800 (PST) From: " Capricia Davis" Subject: Re: Aae-OOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooK > Squee follows Mischief through the wallsback to the Tardis, once >again in the form of a rat. They arrive in time to see the Hellhound >galumphing off down the hall with Morgan coming up a close second and >(hopefully) the others right behind her. > "Hmmm Mischief. Busy place. Where do we go from here?" Mischief washes her whiskers thoughtfully. * i've seen this before... they'll run off, be gone for a while, then come back. * She looks slyly at Squee * you can change forms... you can have hands.... there's a kitchen in here someplace... and /tuna/... * She bounds off into the Tardis, looking for the kitchen. =========================== Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 19:51:25 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: AAE - "Reality Check" or "RL's that end well..." >"C'mon Pyewackett. They will figure it out before long. We better get >moving." The pair darted up the stairs and began to retrace the way >they had came, back toward the TARDIS... The KniteSHFT and Pyewackett retrace their steps down the twisting corridors. As they round a bend, the SHING! of a sword being drawn catchs their ears just as a large sword appears from around a corner, nearing detaching KniteSHFT's head. The blade stops less than an inch from the KnightShift's adam's apple. "So, we meet again, Doctor! Or should I say....KnightShift?" Stepping out in front of the KnightShift is a tall blonde man, dressed in black, with a large broadsword's business end pointed at the KnightShift. The KnightShift realizes it is the man from Callahan's who acted as a diversion so the Timelords and Vorlons could take away the powers he had. Was that really only yesterday? It seems like longer... Of course, for the KnightShift it WAS longer...it took three months to regain his telepathy. "Call me what you like, you piece of worm-ridden filth. I owe you plenty for what you helped do to me..." "Well," the man in black replied, "that is a debt you won't get the chance to repay...Take him to the lab!" The KnightShift is grabbed by two VERY large Drow and "escorted" to the lab. On the way, he is relieved of his backpack and jacket, then checked for weapons. <"Hey, watch it! You gotta buy me dinner first!"> His hands are then bound in front of him with rope. The small party arrive in a large three story room. In the center of the room...in fact, filling most of the room, was a machine. Scaffolding rose up from floor to ceiling. The machine was a mass of pipes, wires, monitors, gauges, and various other odd bits and pieces of technology...nothing that could be obtained in Arcadia. "So where's the monster, Doctor Frankenstein?" "Laugh now...I assure you, you will not be able to soon." The Drow drug the KnightShift up onto a platform. As he passed across,the platform, the KnightShift was suddenly disoriented. Suddenly, everything looked (for lack of a better word) smaller. His link to the Callahanians had been very strong a second ago, but was now dead. "Catch," said the man in black, tossing a white tube at him. The KnightShift fumbled it, before catching it against his body. He looked at it. It was a white aluminum folding cane. The man in black smiled. "Are you begining to guess what is wrong? Your eyesight has worsened, you have no depth perception, and your telepathy is gone. That dais is the target for this machine. It creates a field of Reality. Anything within that field is what it really is. A magic wand out here, is a stick in there." He grasped Pyewackett by the scruff of his neck and threw the cat at the KnightShift. The cat twisted, howling, claws out. The KnightShift caught the cat, receiving several cuts, and held him close. "A feline God is just a cat." "Shh, it's ok..." the KnightShift whispered, trying to quiet the very upset cat. "And a time-traveling, lightsaber-wielding, ex-operative for the Time Lord Celestial Intelligence Agency and spy for the Vorlon Empire is a blind computer geek from Missouri who has watched too much television..." "Ok," the KnightShift retorted, "if this contraption actually works, how did the Drow get in here? As soon as they hit the field, they should have vanished." "The belts we are wearing nullify the field. Without one, anything entering the field becomes it's real-world counterpart." "What happens when something leaves the field?" "It returns to it's previous state...but you won't get a chance to find out about that," the man in black said as the guards raised several machine guns. "Wait!" the KnightShift said hastily, "can I at least have a last request? There is a gumball in my jacket pocket. May I have it?" The guards mumble about being required to honor last requests. The man in black threw up his hands and got the gumball from the KnightShift's jacket. He walked up on the dais, and in an iron grip, shoved the gumball into the KnightShift's mouth. "Tell me, why do you wear one of those belts?" "I have the same powers as you do in Arcadia, and I am stronger here, too. Think I would be foolish enough to give those up and give you a chance at escape? Oh no...I am not stupid. Enjoy your gum...It will be your last piece. "Be proud, KnightShift, we are testing the field on you. If it works, we will put each of your friends in it, and then kill them, until your immortal companions give us what we want..." "And that is?" "Enough questions...time to die," the man grinned evilly. The guards took aim. Then the KnightShift made a sour face, and spit the gumball out. It arced through the air and landed behind the guards. "I hate grape." The blast came suddenly from behind, knocking the guards forward. The KnightShift, hands still bound and clutching the cat, dove off the dais and out of the Reality field. The cat leapt out of his arms and immediately leapt at the man in black. Tooth and claw bared, the feline God made sure the man in black remembered to NEVER throw a cat, especially the God of cats. The KnightShift slipped his bonds ("Thank you, Harry Houdini.") and, taking the white cane, began to reduce the number of opponents he had to deal with. A guard rose to his feet, but was immediately knocked out with the white cane. "You make a very satisfying 'Thump' when you hit the floor." The other guard lunged for the KnightShift, who grabbed his arm and slammed him into the first guard, just now getting up. The two collapsed in a heap. The KnightShift tied the two up quickly and turned to look for the man in black. Pyewackett the feline God sat under a scaffolding ladder, looking upwards and hissing. The KnightShift followed his companian's gaze up the scaffolding and found the man in black running across the second story of the machine. "You may have stopped your death for the moment, but when I throw the main switch, the Reality field will spread across Arcadia...and we will have won!!!" The scaffolding was not straight, it bent around the machine following the monitors. On this level, there was a large open area where the scaffolding turned left, following the edges of the platform on the first floor. Across the gap, the KnightShift saw the man in black. The KnightShift ran towards the edge of the scaffold and leapt. As he did, he felt the disorientation of the Reality field, but he had created enough momentum outside of it to land on the other side of the field. Had he been in the field as he was running, he would have been a pancake on the dais below. Shaking off the feeling, he continued after the man in black. The KnightShift reached the third story just as the man in black reached the main switch. "HA! I have won! Arcadia will be ours!" the man in black screamed. The KnightShift lunged for him, punching the man in the stomach. The man staggered away from the switch. Pulling a knife, the man charged the KnightShift, who used his white cane to parry the blade. A right cross made the man in black stagger towards the edge of the scafford that looked out over the target platform three stories below. Losing his balance, the man in black dropped his knife as his arms waved frantically. The KnightShift leapt for the man, catching him by his belt. "Hold on!" The KnightShift said, clinging to the belt, trying to pull the man in black back onto the scaffolding. "Better yet, KnightShift," the man replied, grasping the KnightShift's wrists and allowing his center of gravity to go over the edge, "Why don't you fall with me!" The KnightShift fell to the scaffolding floor and grabbed the grated floor to keep from being pulled over the edge. His other hand was the only thing keeping the man in black from a three story fall to the platform below. "With this belt, KnightShift, I can survive a three story fall. But you don't have one. I seriously doubt you would live to talk about it in Reality." The KnightShift felt his arm muscles straining against the weight. His arm that was holding the man in black was also in the Reality field. The man in black started clawing at the KnightShift, trying to pull him further over the edge. The KniteShift found half his body hanging over the edge. He managed to grab a support with his leg, while the leg hanging in the Reality field was being held by the man in black. The man in black began to bounce up and down, trying to use the added force to drag the KnightShift over the edge. The KnightShift felt his grip on the gratings loosen. "C'mon, KnightShift, quit hanging around. Let's have a fall!" "I'm not falling, and neither are you...I am going to take you back to the group. You have a lot of information about what is going on here...and I want it." "What? No dramatic and heroic 'I won't let you die!' speech? I am surprised!" "So call me an 'anti-hero'..." The man in black redoubled his efforts to pull the KnightShift over the edge. Suddenly, there was a snap! The belt buckle had broken! Lungeing for the KnightShift's arm, the man in black missed, as things happen in reality, and fell. Without the belt, the man in black was susceptable to the Reality field. And Reality decided that he couldn't survive a fall from that height. The KnightShift pulled himself up over the ledge and laid there a minute. He then climbed down the scaffolding. Looking over the controls, he found the switch to turn off the machine. He shut the Reality field down and walked up on the dais. But the man in black was still dead. "I guess death is acceptable in Arcadia, too..." The KnightShift gathered his belongings. He took the two guards out in the hall and found a small closet to lock them in. He then came back to the lab. "Well, Pyewackett, I am out of Nitro-Nine-A. That last gumball was it...I'll have to get some more from Ace the next time I see her. At any rate, we can't let this machine be used. We need to get rid of it somehow...A-HA! More presents from Auntie Ace!" The KnightShift pulled some aerosal cans from his backpack. Pulling the caps off, a loud hissing could be heard. The KnightShift lobbed the cans into the machine. "C'mon Pyewackett! We've got to go!" he shouted, scooping the cat up and bolting for the door. The machine exploded, sending fire out of the room and down the hallway. Tapestries burned, The stone work was blackened with soot. The closet where the guards were put was burnt, but intact. The KnightShift opened the closet door and looked into the hallway. Pyewackett and he had dove into the closet, hoping the door was thick enough to survive the blast. "Well, looks like we made it. Guys," the KnightShift said to the horror-stricken guards, "Thanks for sharing the closet. I am sure someone will find you eventually...C'mon, Pyewackett, time to go." The KnightShift and Pyewackett continued on their way back to the TARDIS. Neither noticed a small plaque on the ground. Though burnt, the plaque still clearly read: "Reality Field Generator Prototype #2" =========================== Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 21:35:29 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE - "Reality Check" At 07:51 PM 3/17/97 -0600, and at 09:55 PM 3/17/97 -0600, KnightShift wrote: >The Drow drug the KnightShift up onto a platform. As he passed >across, the platform, the KnightShift was suddenly disoriented. >Suddenly, everything looked (for lack of a better word) smaller. His >link to the Callahanians had been very strong a second ago, but was >now dead. Morgan, along with the rest of the Callahanians, felt the sudden blank spot. <*Knightshift? Oh, frak.*> >The blast came suddenly from behind, knocking the guards forward. The >KnightShift, hands still bound and clutching the cat, dove off the >dais and out of the Reality field. The cat leapt out of his arms and >immediately leapt at the man in black. Tooth and claw bared, the >feline God made sure the man in black remembered to NEVER throw a >cat, especially the God of cats. Tensions in the main Callahanian group eased as the Knightshift came back "on-line". Morgan shifts briefly into den-mother mode. <* OK, from now on _no one_ goes off by themselves without a _damn_ good reason! We don't want to spend _all_ our time in here rescueing each _other_! *> >The KnightShift and Pyewackett continued on their way back to the >TARDIS. Neither noticed a small plaque on the ground. Though burnt, >the plaque still clearly read: "Reality Field Generator Prototype #2" Morgan /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 16:15:36 -0500 Subject: Aae-Kerzaps. Xzerrion's spell englulfs the 6 figures in blue light and they seem to slow down for a moment, but then the light begins to flicker. This isn't an _anti_ magic zone, but it's a low magic one. Xzerrion tries to put some extra umph into the spell to make it hold, and as he does, he brushes up against Roscoe, who is now back in his Wolf form. The blue light turns blindingly bright for that moment, and when those little colored spots leave everyone's vision, they see 5 of the figures are frozen in place like statues, and only a single figure is continuing down the stairs. Roscoe lets out a gasp as the figure turns a corner back inot sight, about one story above hte group now. "The Rapier. Driss's Dwarven crafted mithril Rapier. No one could copy it, and it's in his hand. that must really be Driscoll." Squee follows Mischief into the Tardis and they quickly find the Kitchen. Mischeif shows him what a can of tuna looks like and sits on the floor waiting for him to open it. Squee turns the can over and over, looking for a way to open it, and mutters, "Why would anyone do something so foolish as to armor food??" Finally coming to a solution, he sets the can on the counter in front of him, steps back a couple steps and starts muttering and gesturing. "Helod Grik Mazza Breka Son..." Energy crackles around his tiny fingertips and then shoots out in a bright blast. Squee is knocked back by the blast, and his foot hits the edge of the sink. He flails in mid-air for a moment before falling into the dishwater. The can opens, quite explosively. Pieces of can and now fried tuna lay everywhere, stuck to walls, teh ceiling and all over the floor. Beyond the can, on the wall next to the fridge is now a large black burn spot. Squee climbes out of the sink and shakes himself off. Looking at the spot, he comes upon another idea and pushes the toaster in front of the spot. seeing it's not quite big enough, he ads a bread maker next to it, a blender on top of it, and some tuperware bowls on top of the breadmaker. Jumping down to the floor next to Mischief, Squee asks, "OK, they'll never notice it now. now what should we do?" =========================== Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 19:09:50 -0500 From: caprice Organization: Me, Myself, and I Subject: Re: Aae-Kerzaps, in the kitchen > Squee follows Mischief into the Tardis and they quickly find the > Kitchen. Mischeif shows him what a can of tuna looks like and sits > on the floor waiting for him to open it. Squee turns the can over > and over, looking for a way to open it, and mutters, "Why would > anyone do something so foolish as to armor food??" Mischief looks pitiful, * to make poor little kittens go hungry * > Jumping down to the floor next to Mischief, Squee asks, "OK, > they'll never notice it now. now what should we do?" * we get rid of the rest of the evidance * Mischief takes the direct approach, pouncing on helpless pieces of tuna, batting them around before devouring them. Soon she's purring from a full tummy, but has scattered bits of can and smeared tuna oil across the kitchen... for a method of cleaning, it probably leaves something to be desired. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE - "Reality Check" Date: Tue, 18 Mar 97 20:19:51 -0000 From: Roland X >Morgan, along with the rest of the Callahanians, felt the sudden >blank spot. <*Knightshift? Oh, frak.*> Roland stirs. >Tensions in the main Callahanian group eased as the Knightshift came >back "on-line". Morgan turn carrying the group thread along :-)> shifts briefly into >den-mother mode. The second sudden shift awakens Roland. He cringes for a moment, expecting intense pain, but feels none. /Huh? But poison doesn't _heal_ this fast-oh. Morgan./ Roland smiles and rises, quickly ridding himself of stiffness with a wave of biorhythmics and heading out. *Morgan-* "There you are!" Morgan says, appearing in the doorway of the TARDIS. "Hurry, the others need us." Roland blushes and begins to follow. ><* OK, from now on _no one_ goes off by themselves without a _damn_ >good reason! We don't want to spend _all_ our time in here rescueing >each _other_! *> Roland stops in alarm. *What the hell? Morgan?* 'Morgan' hisses and quickly changes shape, turning into a clawed monstrosity. "Oh bloody nass," Roland curses, slamming the false Morgan with a psychokinetic blast and turning on the superspeed. "Guys, we have a problem-!" Roland turns the corner, only to see himself-a doppelganger quickly drawing its sword! The air itself burns as Roland hits a speed that he has never before reached. The second impostor soon makes a good impression on the wall. "Huff-sorry-huff-to-huff-be-huff-late-" Roland sits heavily. "Man...that's the second 'me' I've had to take out. This is getting _way_ too Freudian." =========================== Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 23:05:11 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE - "Reality Check" At 08:19 PM 3/18/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > "There you are!" Morgan says, appearing in the doorway >of the TARDIS. "Hurry, the others need us." > Roland blushes and begins to follow. > "Huff-sorry-huff-to-huff-be-huff-late-" Roland >sits heavily. "Man...that's the second 'me' I've had >to take out. This is getting _way_ too Freudian." And it was also written that: > The blue light turns blindingly bright for that moment, and when >those little colored spots leave everyone's vision, they see 5 of the >figures are frozen in place like statues, and only a single figure is >continuing down the stairs. Roscoe lets out a gasp as the figure >turns a corner back into sight, about one story above the group now. >"The Rapier. Driss's Dwarven crafted mithril Rapier. No one could >copy it, and it's in his hand. that must really be Driscoll." <*Roscoe,*> Morgan's thought-voice sounds cautiously, <*Think. Would whoever created those doppels be letting a prisoner walk around _armed_?*> Claidheamh m¢r in her right hand, she moves to Roscoe's side and casually rests her left on the wolf's neck (and collar ;-) - just in case). Her mind shifts into truthsayer mode, but her voice is all concerned female as the apparent Driscoll rounds the last corner. "Dris?! Gods, sweetheart, is it really you? Are you all right?" /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 16:39:26 -0500 Subject: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? Driscoll barely even glances at Morgan or Roscoe, but seems intently staring at something behind them, "It's me Morgan, but no, I'm not fine. I won't be fine until _THAT_ is dead!" His outstreched finger points directly at Roland. "I was imprisoned with the _real_ Roland. I was there when he couldn't take the torture anymore and his mind snapped. And I was there when they sucked the last of his being out of that vegetable that once was a man and added it to the energy in that tank. Come monster, raise your blade and face me if you dare. My rapier will drink deeply of your blood tonight." He said slowly and emotionally as he tried to find a way past Morgan and Roscoe and her wolves. [His mind is there, but it's fuzzy. I think he's under a spell.] Roscoe sent to everyone, with an amount of concern only available through telepathy. Squee tries a bit of the tuna and twists his face into a horid expression. "Eww, I think I'll stick with macaroni and cheese." Shifting into the form of a snow white kitten, Squee swats Mischief's ear and runs into the control room. {Neah neah, can't catch me and you're it!} =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 18:49:39 -0500 From: caprice Organization: Me, Myself, and I Subject: Re: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Squee tries a bit of the tuna and twists his face into a horid > expression. "Eww, I think I'll stick with macaroni and cheese." Mischief gives a little kitten sneeze * leave it to a -rat- to go for the cheese * > Shifting into the form of a snow white kitten, Squee swats > Mischief's ear and runs into the control room. {Neah neah, can't > catch me and you're it!} Mischief spins, and bounds full tilt after Squee! * gonna -catch- you! gonna catch you and -bathe- you! * She persues the white kitten with no thought for what's in the way, or what buttons are pressed under her little grey paws. =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? Date: Wed, 19 Mar 97 21:18:48 -0000 From: Roland X >awakened you and that you were presumably with the rest of us.> >rest of us and the half-dozen Driscoll's? :-) Is everyone but >Knightshift (and the "kids" in the TARDIS) here now?> >Claidheamh m¢r in her right hand, she moves to Roscoe's side and >casually rests her left on the wolf's neck (and collar ;-) - just in >case). Her mind shifts into truthsayer mode, but her voice is all >concerned female as the apparent Driscoll rounds the last corner. > >"Dris?! Gods, sweetheart, is it really you? Are you all right?" *Finally, the group is back together. Now let's find the bad guy and get out of this twisted realm.* > [His mind is there, but it's fuzzy. I think he's under a spell.] >Roscoe sent to everyone, with an amount of concern only available >through telepathy. *Oh bloody nass.* "Look, um, Driscoll, you've obviously been under a lot of strain lately, and it will take a lot more than that to make me turn my blade on a fellow Callahanian-" =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 19:16:18 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? At 09:18 PM 3/19/97 -0000, Driscoll wrote: >>>awakened you and that you were presumably with the rest of us.> > > > *Oh bloody nass.* "Look, um, Driscoll, you've obviously been >under a lot of strain lately, and it will take a lot more than >that to make me turn my blade on a fellow Callahanian-" > <*Not if I have anything to say about it.*> Morgan lifts the claidheamh m¢r with both hands and steps between Roland and the approaching "Driscoll". <*Roland,*> Morgan sends on a narrow beam, hoping that Driscoll hasn't fully linked into the group yet. <*That may be Driscoll's body, and mostly his mind, but there's definately something wrong. If he's here to go after you, I strongly suggest that the rest of us run interference.*> She looks at Driscoll, her eyes a mixture of coldness and concern. "Driscoll of Braxton, you know me well enough to know that I won't let a comrad be harmed as long as I can still lift a blade. Do you want to discuss this, or shall we see how well your rapier matches up to a great sword?" Greywolf /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 20:25:17 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Aae-Kerzaps. On Tue, 18 Mar 1997 gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > The blue light turns blindingly bright for that moment, and when > those little colored spots leave everyone's vision, they see 5 of > the figures are frozen in place like statues, and only a single > figure is continuing down the stairs. Roscoe lets out a gasp as the > figure turns a corner back inot sight, about one story above the > group now. "The Rapier. Driss's Dwarven crafted mithril Rapier. No > one could copy it, and it's in his hand. that must really be > Driscoll." `Good. Now get him inside, fast! I ... can't ... hold ... them ... forever!' Even as Xzerrion speaks, the figures start to move, an inch at a time. Fingering his house emblem, which begins to glow bright blue as well, he stares at the Driscoll clones, his eyes beginning to flicker red. `I'm ... tapping ... dark magic ... to hold them ... off. Not sure ... how long ... I ... can ... keep ... control.' As the Callahanians rush Driscoll inside, Xzerrion staggers, sweat running down his face. Seeing the situation under control, he starts to loose his hand from the emblem, only to find himself in a contest of wills against the item itself. A centimeter at a time, he pries his fingers loose, releasing the spell. Seeing the clones moving, he turns to the others. `Uh, time to go, I think.' =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 20:35:19 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > She looks at Driscoll, her eyes a mixture of coldness and concern. > "Driscoll of Braxton, you know me well enough to know that I won't > let a comrad be harmed as long as I can still lift a blade. Do you > want to discuss this, or shall we see how well your rapier matches > up to a great sword?" Xzerrion pulls himself to his feet again. *I should still be able to pull off illusion, that takes less effort.* `Nobody is cutting anybody.' Xzerrion raises one finger, and traces the bounderies for a wall of fire between Driscoll and Morgan and Roland. Crackling, searling flames leap 20 feet into the air. `Now, can you calm down and explain what in the names of Leira, Mask, and Tymora is going on here?' =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 23:50:49 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Oops? (was Re: Aae-Kerzaps.) At 08:25 PM 3/19/97 -0800, Xzerrion wrote: >Even as Xzerrion speaks, the figures start to move, an inch at a >time. Fingering his house emblem, which begins to glow bright blue as >well, he stares at the Driscoll clones, his eyes beginning to flicker >red. > >`I'm ... tapping ... dark magic ... to hold them ... off. Not sure >... how long ... I ... can ... keep ... control.' >As the Callahanians rush Driscoll inside, Xzerrion staggers, sweat >running down his face. Seeing the situation under control, he starts >to loose his hand from the emblem, only to find himself in a contest >of wills against the item itself. A centimeter at a time, he pries >his fingers loose, releasing the spell. Seeing the clones moving, he >turns to the others. `Uh, time to go, I think.' =========================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 23:46:15 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-He's BACK! or is he? At 08:35 PM 3/19/97 -0800, Xzerrion wrote: >Xzerrion raises one finger, and traces the bounderies for a wall of >fire between Driscoll and Morgan and Roland. Crackling, searling >flames leap 20 feet into the air. > >`Now, can you calm down and explain what in the names of Leira, Mask, >and Tymora is going on here?' Morgan relaxes just slightly, keeping her sword at the ready. "Believe me, Xzerrion, I have no desire to see _either_ of these men hurt, immortals or not." She looks through the flames at Driscoll, whose blade is also still firmly in hand and whose eyes are locked on Roland. "Driscoll and I have known each other for a long time." She smiles. "Well, 'long' at least in mortal terms. Our encounters, though frequently - intense, have been relatively infrequent. So, as I've said before, my link with him is somewhat limited. I agree with Roscoe that that _is_ him, but there's definitely a - a wrongness. I can't quite define it, but it's there." She looks at Roland and the others. "On the other hand, the mental bonds that were formed on Oa are strong. Even stronger here in the realms of magic. Strong enough that we know instantly when one of us drops out of contact, or is in trouble." Her gaze returns to Driscoll, concern and confusion still battling it out in her eyes. "Dris, it pains me to say it, but I'm not buying your story. If Roland had been tortured to the breaking point, if that-which-makes-him-Roland had been removed from him, I'd know. We'd _all_ know." Slowly, she lowers her blade and walks toward Driscoll. <*Cover me, my friend*> she sends to Roscoe, then the Callahanians sense her tentatively reaching out, gently probing behind Driscoll's obsession with Roland. <*Dris? What _happened_? I _know_ you're still here. _Talk_ to me, luv.*> Morgan /|\ =========================== Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 13:24:27 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Oops? (was Re: Aae-Kerzaps.) On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, L.J. Wolfe wrote: > going after Roland. Should we just ignore this one, or are you going > to try to weave it back in somehow :-)?> Subject: Re: Aae-En Garde. > The air seems to shimmer for a moment and Driss re-appears in the > midst of the Calahanians, torn sleeve showing where Cutter's bite > landed, but all signs of it on the flesh, save some dried blood, are > gone. Mayhem slinks over to Cutter, merely the size of a normal panther for the moment. Her stance is definately defensive, and she snarls at Driscoll. ** I... am not amused... I suggest the rest of you deal with your -friend-. ** > Squee runs from Mischief leaping over a set of controls, only to > realize too late there's nothing but a 4 foot drop to the floor > beyond. Shifting in midair, he tries desperately to stop his > momentum, catching hold of a lever and pulling it as he falls. The > consol begins to hum and the cylinder in the center of it begins to > move up and down. "Um... Oops??" > Nearby KnightShift, a Port-o-John appears. Mischief conciders the consol. * it's not like it stopped moving, so I don't think you broke it... * She then pounces without warning at Squee, prepared to pin him and give him that most dreaded of all fates... feared by all kittens... a bath. =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-En Garde. Date: Thu, 20 Mar 97 19:55:05 -0000 From: Roland X (Morgan:) >Slowly, she lowers her blade and walks toward Driscoll. <*Cover me, >my friend*> she sends to Roscoe, then the Callahanians sense her >tentatively reaching out, gently probing behind Driscoll's obsession >with Roland. > ><*Dris? What _happened_? I _know_ you're still here. _Talk_ to me, >luv.*> "I hope you can reach him, Morgan." *Xzerrion? Cutter? Who is this guy?* (Driscoll:) >It can not kill me, nor can you, but I can kill you if you force my >hand." "Oh, for-" Roland slaps his forehead, truly exasperated at this point. "So you're willing to kill friends to avenge someone you really don't know that well, even _if_ that had been me? You don't see the-" >[Morgan, I have an idea of how to break through to Driscoll's mind, >but I need to use your link to Driss as well!] "Oh Light." Roland puls out a metal staff. "A little something I picked up on B-5." > A soft thunk and the rustle of cloth is heard from the midst of the >party. A Bola seems to appear from nowhere flying at Roland and >wrapping his legs in steel wire. Cutter gives a snarl and launches >himself at something, there is a yell and a yipe as Cutter is thrown >aside to hit the wall and lay silent. Blood is evident around his >mouth, his, or... "Nng-" Roland snarls, and the bola unentangles itself. A forcefield pops up around Roland briefly, as he begins to scan telepathically for his fellow immortal. "I never bought into that 'there can be only one' stuff, but you're really starting to convince me." > The air seems to shimmer for a moment and Driss re-appears in the >midst of the Calahanians, torn sleeve showing where Cutter's bite >landed, but all signs of it on the flesh, save some dried blood, are >gone. Roland's eyes blaze. "I won't kill you, but I'm ready to give you the thumping of your life if you don't stop this idiocy." He spins the staff around with considerably greater skill than he'd shown wielding his sword... =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 18:08:00 -0500 Subject: Aae-Lunge!!!! Driscoll cracks a smile smile as Roland moves to face him. "I only knew Roland breifly in that cell, but he seemed to me to be a very honorable and good man. His death deserves to be avenged at any cost. If Morgan is who she says she is, she knows that now that I have vowed this, I will do all in my power to avenge him. She has seen my skill with the Rapier, and lately, my ability to recover from any attack. A staff will do you no good against me. My bones mend as quickly as they break, a bruise will disappear at almost the same instant it is formed. But with my Rapier, I plan to give you as much pain as Roland suffered before I give you my leave to die." And with that, Driss Drops down into a kind of crouch with his weight on one leg, and the other crossing under him and stright out to the side. His rapier is a blur, moving as he drops. Moving towards the back of Roland's Knee. =========================== Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 19:19:48 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-En Garde and Lunge At 04:12 PM 3/20/97 -0500, Driscoll wrote: >[Morgan, I have an idea of how to break through to Driscoll's mind, >but I need to use your link to Driss as well!] Morgan, still seething slightly at Driscoll's comment about her ability to survive, shoots a thought back to Roscoe. "Whatever it takes, friend. We've got to stop him before he does someone real damage." > A soft thunk and the rustle of cloth is heard from the midst of the >party. A Bola seems to appear from nowhere flying at Roland and >wrapping his legs in steel wire. Cutter gives a snarl and launches >himself at something, there is a yell and a yipe as Cutter is thrown >aside to hit the wall and lay silent. Blood is evident around his >mouth, his, or... <*Cutter!*> Morgan reaches out to her companion, and is relieved to sense that he's mearly unconcious and not badly damaged. She looks around, searching for Driscoll. Then, at 06:08 PM 3/20/97 -0500, he wrote: > And with that, Driss Drops down into a kind of crouch with his >weight on one leg, and the other crossing under him and stright out >to the side. His rapier is a blur, moving as he drops. Moving towards >the back of Roland's Knee. Morgan, who's finally realized just how dangerous being between two warring immortals can be, edges toward Roscoe. <*Roscoe, I was thinking maybe...*> and she sends him a picture of her "welcome" to Driscoll the first time he showed up in Callahans. <*It might get through, but getting close enough to try it isn't going to be easy. What's your plan?*> Greywolf /|\ =========================== Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 21:14:50 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: Aae-Lunge!!!! On Thu, 20 Mar 1997 gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > But with my Rapier, I plan to give you as much pain as Roland > suffered before I give you my leave to die." `Don't we have enough on our hands without a *#%@!! war between immortals?! I swear by every major deity, if this is the kind of welcome you give rescue parties ... ' Xzerrion tries to intervene, drawing on more magic than is probably healthy for him right now. He draws on mage-sight, so that to his vision, Driscoll is not invisible. > And with that, Driss Drops down into a kind of crouch with his > weight on one leg, and the other crossing under him and stright out > to the side. His rapier is a blur, moving as he drops. Moving > towards the back of Roland's Knee. `We don't have *time* for this!' As his common sense screams that he is insane for intervening, he calls on a sudden burst of wind, spoiling Driscoll's strike. Next, he draws himself up to his full 5'3", his hands glowing with a blinding blue light once again. `Slow down, Driss. We may not be able to harm you, but you aren't immune to the more subtle effects. Now will you explain what the #%@* is going on, or is it time for you to have a little nap?' =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 18:15:18 -0500 Subject: Aae-Turn that noise down! Driscoll turns his attention to Xzerrion. "I don't have the slightest idea who you are, but having a Drow here only help prove my point. After I finish Roland I'll just have to kill you and see if that frees my friends from your evil spells. You've already seen that I'm sheilded by this powered armor captured from the Controller. Your spells can't affect me directly, but to make sure you don't think of any secondhand annoyances..." Driss touches a small stud near the neck of his armor, and a migrane raising screech starts being emitted by the armor. Roscoe handles it by making his ears disappear, but the other have to find more conventional methods. Distracted by the noise, no one notices the axe flying through the air from beyond the wall of fire, but Roland steps back away from the sound and luckilly the axe misses decapitating him by inches. Driscoll is not so lucky. The head and body fall to the ground, and screeching cuts in and out from a few moments, then dies altogether. Driss doesn't however. His hand reaches out, feeling for his head, and pulls it back onto his shoulders. Slowly he starts to get back on his feet, but seems to be disoriented. As he tries to shake his senses back into being, something shiny falls out from under his armor. Morgan never did receive a response to her question to Roscoe, but now she feels him in her head, moving through her head to Driscoll, and the image of a battering ram hitting a castle wall is the only picture she recieves. Squee sees the incoming kitten, and shifts his shape again, shrinking quickly and growing red purple and blue wings, he flutters away from Mischief as a butterfly. [Neah Neah you can't catch me _now_ and give me a bath!] He sends as he heads for the door to the hall and the rest of the Tardis beyond. Krazzan takes a tiny sip from his tea cup, then sets it down on the table and looks the Controller straight in the eyes. "I have served you for quite some time now, teaching your minions the ways of magic, plotting the invasion of Arcadia, and in general being a servent to you. That ends now. I am an ArchMage, and I serve no one's wishes except my own. Your armies will now follow me, and only me." A bemused smile crosses the Controller's face, "And why should they do that?" "Because I'm going to control your mind and make you tell them to. Then I will kill you with much joy." Krazzan replied coldly as he raised a hand that was already sparking with magic from his ring. =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-Lunge!!!! Date: Fri, 21 Mar 97 20:26:43 -0000 From: Roland X >`Don't we have enough on our hands without a *#%@!! war between >immortals?! I swear by every major deity, if this is the kind of >welcome you give rescue parties ... ' Xzerrion tries to intervene, >drawing on more magic than is probably healthy for him right now. He >draws on mage-sight, so that to his vision, Driscoll is not >invisible. "Excuse me, but I don't recall doing anything but defending myself," Roland says dryly. "I'd really like to end this without cutting off his head." >Now will you explain what the #%@* is going on, or is it time for you >to have a little nap?' "Thanks for the save, Xzerrion," Roland says, touching the circle-in-lightning, and suddenly Roland is dressed in blue and silver, otherwise a dead ringer for his superspeed mentor. "Now, unless you want to waste your time attacking someone you can't touch-" Roland proves his point by vibrating into the wall from the neck down, "-and who can be everywhere at once-" he leaves afterimages in several places around the room, then stops on the far end of the room from Driscoll, "-I suggest we try talking instead of fighting. I could, by the way, have carved you into a thousand pieces with my bare hands. That would slow down even an immortal. Not only did I _not_ do that, I'm risking you finding a way to neutralize my superspeed by showing it off to you." *Morgan,* Roland sends in a tight beam, *I think I should point out that in this form, while I regenerate like crazy, I'm just as mortal as any man. Dead is dead. Are you _sure_ this guy is your friend?* =========================== Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 20:42:54 -0500 From: caprice Subject: Re: Aae-Turn that noise down! gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Driss touches a small stud near the neck of his armor, and a > migrane raising screech starts being emitted by the armor. Mayhem snarls, and shifts... a panther shaped shadow now crouches over Cutter, so dark that it has the illusion of depth. (or is it an illusion?) **I have passed being annoyed... but thank you for the information!** > The head and body fall to the ground, and screeching cuts in and > out from a few moments, then dies altogether. Driss doesn't however. > His hand reaches out, feeling for his head, and pulls it back onto > his shoulders. Slowly he starts to get back on his feet, but seems > to be disoriented. As he tries to shake his senses back into being, > something shiny falls out from under his armor. Mayhem pounces, moving like black lightning. A paw sweeps out, knocking the shiny object away from Driss, and sends it skidding across the floor... and leaving claw-gouges in the stone floor. She then leaps, twisting midair, bringing her claws raking down across the armour, attacking it, not Driss. > Squee sees the incoming kitten, and shifts his shape again, > shrinking quickly and growing red purple and blue wings, he flutters > away from Mischief as a butterfly. [Neah Neah you can't catch me > _now_ and give me a bath!] He sends as he heads for the door to the > hall and the rest of the Tardis beyond. * ha! -catch- you butterfly! * Gauzy grey and silver butterfly wings spread out from Mischief's back. She bounds once, hitting some buttons on the Tardis's control panel, then is airborn, chasing after Squee, mental giggles echoing throughout the Tardis. =========================== Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 18:14:30 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Lunge!!!! At 08:26 PM 3/21/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > "Thanks for the save, Xzerrion," Roland says, touching the >circle-in-lightning, and suddenly Roland is dressed in blue >and silver, otherwise a dead ringer for his superspeed mentor. > *Morgan,* Roland sends in a tight beam, *I think I should >point out that in this form, while I regenerate like crazy, >I'm just as mortal as any man. Dead is dead. Are you _sure_ >this guy is your friend?* <*Driscoll is a very dear friend, and he's in there somewhere, but someone or something has _definitely_ tampered with his mind. Roscoe and I are working on it.*> Then at 08:42 PM 3/21/97 -0500, Mayhem wrote: >> The head and body fall to the ground, and screeching cuts in and >> out from a few moments, then dies altogether. Driss doesn't >> however. His hand reaches out, feeling for his head, and pulls it >> back onto his shoulders. [Morgan, stay with me!] Roscoe's voice sounds in her head, snapping her back from a major disorientation. Since she'd discovered her old friend was an immortal, she'd assumed he was of the Highlander sort. Obviously not the case! >Mayhem pounces, moving like black lightning. A paw sweeps out, >knocking the shiny object away from Driss, and sends it skidding >across the floor... and leaving claw-gouges in the stone floor. Without breaking into Roscoe's concentration, Morgan deftly retrieves the object. She recognizes it immediately, having _never_ seen Driscoll without it - under _any_ circumstances ;-). The medallion hummed faintly with magic. Warning Roscoe first, she shifted some of her consciousness into reading the object. Her eyes grew wide in surprise, and fear, and her lips moved silently, "Oh my Go...." "_STOP!_" Morgan's Voice, with every ounce of her Bene Gesserit training behind it, rings out across the room. Everyone freezes, some more reluctantly that others, and all eyes turn toward the source of the sudden and irresistable command. <*Cover me, _everyone_!*> "Driscoll?" Her voice has returned to normal. Almost _too_ normal. She holds the medallion up so he can clearly see what she has. "It would seem you've lost something rather important. _Now_ can we talk?" Greywolf /|\ ===========================