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Post by Idris on Apr 28, 2018 19:30:17 GMT
Session 15 - 27/4/18 IdGM: The wooden door led into a large rectangular room, with a dais to one side. The floor was covered in tiles, reminiscent of Moorish work, and there were further paintings on the walls. Maddie: Maddie stepped in, muttering to herself. She glanced at a painting, then headed towards the dais. Hannah: Hannah moved forward with Maddie while drifting a bit to the right, glancing at the paintings to see if there was any hint about the purpose of the room. IdGM: The dais was of stone about ten feet square and a foot high, and decorated with a mosaic depicting leaves and flowers. There seemed to be some remains of organic material - broken pieces of wood and what might have been cloth. The paintings on the walls were of winged beings - some dancing, some raising silver goblets, others flying through clouds and sunlight. Stephen: Stephen slowly walked in, his gaze slowly wandering all across the room with obvious curiosity Hannah: Meandering over by where Maddie was looking at the dais, Hannah looked at the remains of wood and cloth. "Seems like there must have been curtains hung up around it. Perhaps keeping some sacred thing hidden except for when it was supposed to be revealed?" Maddie: "So the curtains have disintegrated but the wooden door is still fine after four thousand years?" IdGM: Emily was examining the wood more closely. "This seems to have been broken, not disintegrated with age." Stephen: "The style of this room is a melange of cultures, but I'm almost sure these are seraphim. or seraphs, if you prefer."said Stephen pointing at the paintings. He turned to the dias where Maddie and Hannah were standing . "Curtains to keep a sacred thing hidden? Interesting idea. Reminds me of the Ark of the Covenant - it would certainly fit with the seraphims on the walls..."he trailed off Maddie: Maddie gazed around. "What do you make of this Magorian?" she asked. IdGM: The Professor had been gazing entranced at the room, his head light flashing all around. He shook his head. "This is... the most remarkable thing I have ever seen. The skills of whoever created this part of the city exceed anything we know of the time. And what is represented... it seems to draw on all cultures and myths." "Interestingly, there is no writing at all," he added thoughtfully. Maddie: "Well not quite all myths, I don't see anything up here about changing things by voting," Maddie said. "Well it doesn't seem like we can get out this way. Shall we try the other staircase, or should we check this place in case there's some hidden way out?" IdGM: Ben was checking out the far end of the room and gave a shout. "Look at this!" Maddie: Maddie went to check what Ben had found Stephen: Stephen turned quickly, wondering what Ben could have found IdGM: By their head lights they could now see that what had appeared a carved wall was not solid but a filigree of finely carved stone. Beyond it a large sunken area was covered with green tiles, so highly reflective they looked liked glass. The walls in this area were decorated with representations of sea creatures - both natural and mythological. Hannah: Hannah approached slowly, trying to look more closely at the green tiles in case the reflections might reveal something of interest. Maddie: Maddie stepped into the sunken area. "So...they have a makeshift undersea cave then?" IdGM: "Not exactly makeshift, look at these amazing tiles," Ben said, running his hand over them. Stephen: "A very luxurious pool, perhaps."commented Stephen, trying to get a look at the floor Maddie: Maddie glanced around to see if there was any obvious place water might have flowed in from into this room. Stephen: "I was wondering if we might find animal remains, but I can't see anything from here." commented Stephen Maddie: "Well whatever those creatures were couldn't have got in here unless they worked out some way to knock on the door." IdGM: At the end of the sunken area, a dolphin carving protruded over the edge. Looking into it, Maddie could see that it had been most likely fashioned to carry water into the pool. "I wonder how they warmed it?" Ben murmured. Hannah: Hannah probed about the pool and its carvings with her fingers, hoping perhaps to discover a hidden switch. IdGM: There seemed to be no hidden mechanisms. "Shouldn't we be trying to find the way out?" James said suddenly. "We don't have unlimited supplies of food and water." Maddie: "Considering this area was hidden and we only noticed it with some effort, there might be some other way out of here," Maddie said. Stephen: "More than one, perhaps - multiple escape tunnels would be hardly surprising in a place so...unusual" Maddie: Maddie began to prowl the chamber, checking every nook and cranny that might reveal some hidden tunnel or exit. They searched for a while but couldn't find anything, so Maddie began to head back towards the stairs. "Should check the other stairway." Hannah: "Let's give a quick look at the other doors first," suggested Hannah as they exited into the corridor. Maddie: Maddie nodded and knocked on the second door. IdGM: The next door was still extant but three long deep scars ran accross it, marring any suggestion of an expression it might have had, and Maddie's knocking brought no response. Stephen: Stephen looked at the scars intently, perhaps fearing they had been made by some gigantic beast IdGM: Emily also examined them carefully. Stephen: "So...."said Stephen, worried "These really look like claw marks. And whathever thing made it was significantly larger than the dog-beasts whose remains we found above." Maddie: "Well that's fucking fantastic. They didn't get in though." Maddie tried to push the door open IdGM: The door resisted every effort to open it. Maddie: "Magorian, Ben, shall we all try to get this thing open?" Maddie asked IdGM: "It didn't work last time," Magorian said with a sigh, but he put his shoulder to the door. Stephen: Stephen offered to push with the others, but he did not look hopeful at all "It can't be so easy." IdGM: Magorian's muscles stood out as he pushed at the door, but even with four of them together it did not budge. "I think it's dead," Ben said, looking at the deep claw marks. Hannah: Hannah sighed. "Alright, I recommend we quickly check the other doors for any signs of an easier way through,then if we don't find it we take the other staircase." Maddie: Maddie walked down the rest of the corridor, checking the doors quickly IdGM: The next door along had not been attacked, and opened to Maddie's knock. The room revealed was similar to the first, with the same kind of dais, although the decoration here was of night skies and stars, and the paintings of moonlit groves and creatures of darkness. There was also another pool, but this was surrounded by far stranger images. It felt like stepping into an underwater cave. Maddie: Maddie stepped into the pool and squinted at the images IdGM: There was something quite disturbing about the chitonous and tentacled world portrayed here. Maddie: "So some Hittite 4channer was here with his collection of tentacle porn or something?" Maddie said. "I guess we move on." IdGM: Magorian laughed, breaking the strange spell of the images. "Not Hittite, that is for sure." Stephen: Stephen touched the walls, though lightly, as if he was afraid to damage them - most likely he hoped to find some sort of secret passage IdGM: There were no secret passages that any of them could find. There were another three doorways. Two led into similar rooms - all with a dais and adjoining pool. The decoration in the first suggested wild mountain places. Wolves and bears and hawks prowled and pounced, with shaggy beings half glimpsed behind trees or through falling snow. The second could not have presented more of a contrast - a red desert world, and among the brilliant fiery colours, the grinning figure of a coyote. The final door had been completely smashed in. Maddie: "Do these rooms relate to the people or gods or whatever in the paintings?" Maddie wondered, glancing at Magorian. "The underwater room for Poseidon maybe?" Hannah: "It's interesting that they would even have knowledge of all these different ecosystems," said Hannah. "Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this point." IdGM: "I think these must be personal spaces - bedrooms, with their own pools," Magorian said. "The painting may be purely decorative, with no more significance than those in a modern hotel which names its rooms for colours or flowers or whatever. The pools seem to be linked to the theme of the room of course - the desert oasis and so on." Maddie: "Hotels name their rooms for colours and flowers? What's the point of naming a fucking room?" Maddie shook her head - having spent her adult life in squats, she'd never needed to stay in a hotel. "We should check through the door that's been broken in." Stephen: Stephen crouched down the examine the broken door, perhaps hoping he might make out something about the decoration, but it was of no use. IdGM: If the door had ever had a 'face' it was completely destroyed now, reduced to a collection of ragged spars of wood. The room beyond looked very dark and forbidding. Hannah: Hannah steeled herself and entered the dark room, sweeping her headlight about. Maddie: Maddie stepped in without a second thought IdGM: Something terrible seemed to have happened in that room. Instead of the vivid colours and the beauty of the paintings - even the strangest, the walls and floor were dark, as if covered by a grey mould. IdGM: Emily examined the remains of the door. "There are more claw marks here, and it was hit by something like an axe blade." Maddie: "An axe?" Maddie shook her head. "If they can chop down one of these doors, why didn't they chop them all down? Doesn't make sense." Stephen: "Claw and axe marks on the same door?"said Stephen "The implications are especially worrying." Hannah: "Some people were targeted, perhaps. By men leading animals." whispered Hannah. IdGM: Emily had moved into the room and was looking closely at the wall. "Go!" she said suddenly. "Get out! There are spores coming off this." Maddie: Maddie quickly darted out of the room. "This doesn't make any fucking sense," she said. "Spores? After this long? How have they not taken over the whole area?" Stephen: Stephen grabbed the person closest to him and ran out. "Wouldn't surprise me if it was some sort of trap or biological weapon, considering how weird this place is." IdGM: The rest of them shot out of the door. Emily's ranger experience kicked in, and holding her breath she ran for the door. Hannah and Ben were not so lucky, and started coughing and wheezing. Hannah: Hannah staggered over to a wall to lean against it as she coughed uncontrollably. "Sh... shit!" IdGM: Ben leaned over and tried to catch his breath. "What... the... fuck..." Emily had some first aid supplies in her pack and was able to help Hannah and Ben to recover somewhat. "We'll have to keep an eye on you, just in case." Maddie: after helping Emily with Hannah and Ben, Maddie strode over to the stairs. "I guess we try the other staircase." Hannah: Hannah followed, breathing deeply and seeming even warier than before. IdGM: This set of stairs were decorated with abstract spirals and swirls which somehow suggested movement. At the top of the stairs an archway led from a wide landing into another pillared hall, similar to the first they entered. And beyond it to another and another. These were massive spaces, with splendid vaulted ceilings supported by forests of pillars. The workmanship was extraordinary - mosaics and tiles and intricate filigree stone work. And everywhere the wall paintings in glowing colours, of what might be gods or angels or demons, monsters and mythological beings, beautifully executed and inlaid with precious materials. Stephen: "More wonders!"said Stephen, with genuine appreciation "It's almost enough to make one forget we're trapped, isn't it?" IdGM: Poking around the final hall, Ben and Hannah made a discovery - a narrow passage hidden behind one of the filigree walls. Hannah: "Here! Here!" called Hannah excitedly. She gestured the others over to the passage. Maddie: Maddie darted over to where Hannah and Ben had found the passage IdGM: They filed into the passage which was lined with smooth undecorated stone. Eventually it decanted into a large high ceilinged room dominated by what was obviously a vast fireplace on one wall. Maddie: Maddie glanced up towards the ceiling, then moved towards the fireplace. IdGM: It was an enormous stone hearth, with a conical chimney rising above it, all finished in clay to withstand the heat. Looking up inside the chimney, Maddie thought it might connec with the open air, but the entryway would be far too narrow for a human to climb. Stone benches ran down the centre of the room, probably for food preparation. Maddie: "Well that might lead up there but there's no way we get into there," Maddie said. She glanced around the room, looking for doors IdGM: There were two solid wooden doors either side of the room. Stephen: "At least we won't suffocate."said Stephen Hannah: Hannah moved quickly to open the door on the left, eager to continue looking for ways out. IdGM: The door was only latched and opened easily into a shelved space the size of a small bedroom. This one was lined with stone shelves. Bits of broken pot littered the floor. Hannah: Hannah quickly checked the space in case there was a hidden exit. IdGM: There was nothing - the room must have been a larder when the city was inhabited. Hannah: "Alright, nothing in there," said Hannah, hurrying over to the opposite door. IdGM: The other door opened into a similar room but this one had probably stored drink. Again, potsherds and even fragments of glass had scattered all over the floor. Stephen noticed there was something different in here. A grille, made of some metal alloy, was affixed to the ceiling over what might be an air vent. Hannah: "It looks like it'd be easy to get stuck," said Hannah, looking up at the grille. "We should probably check out the archway first." IdGM: They returned to the last pillared hall and went through the archway. Beyond was a long passage, comfortably wide and decorated with tiles and a mosaic floor reminiscent of Persian carpet. As they moved along it, their head lights began to pick out something strange in the distance, and when they neared it they could see it was a massive pile of rocks. At some time the ceiling of the passage had fallen, and it was now completely blocked. Stephen: "I don't think we're getting through that anytime soon."said Stephen IdGM: Emily yawned and looked at her watch. "It's after midnight! We should find somewhere to sleep and eat." Fortunately they had brought some rations - dried fruit and nuts - with them along with bottles of water. Maddie: "So what hope do we have here? Do we try that grille or what?" Hannah: Hannah looked deflated, but spoke with as much determination as she could muster. "We're not getting through anywhere immediately, so yeah, best to rest. Then we try clearing some rubble, or try the grille. Or with fresh eyes we might see another option." Maddie: Maddie glanced uselessly at her phone, then put it away. "We should take watches. I hope those fucking arseholes don't find that chimney," she pointed, "the last thing we need is for one of them to throw a grenade or something down it."
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Post by Idris on May 11, 2018 11:08:30 GMT
Session 16 - 4/5/18
IdGM: Deflated after the discovery of the rock fall blocking their hoped-for way out, the group trooped back along the passage and congregated in the room with the enormous chimney. Maddie: Maddie sat underneath the grille, periodically glancing at her phone as though some text message would magically appear and save them despite being deep beneath Turkish soil. "Seems like this is our only way out," she said. Hannah: "Maybe," said Hannah. "But we were searching quickly. We might have missed something. And there's a chance someone from the TV crew or the dig team might have gotten away and called for a rescue party." Maddie: "A rescue party that can fight off heavily armed attackers while also bringing the kind of special machinery we needed to get through the Great Door? I doubt it, I can't imagine Erdogan's lackeys are that interested in putting themselves in the line of fire to rescue some random archaeologists. I'll climb up there in the morning." Emily: Emily glanced up at the grille, thinking over as what Maddie and Hannah was saying, "I hope so." Emily breathed out looking tired. She eyed over Ben and Hannah, "Are you doing okay?" commenting on their incident with that strange grey spores before going to sleep. IdGM: "Better, though my throat feels sore," Ben said. Hannah: Hannah nodded. "Yeah. We'll manage." Emily: Emily smiled with a hint of relief hearing that Ben and Hannah seems to be doing okay and ready to volunteer for the first watch. Maddie: Maddie suggested she take the last watch - she could then begin preparing for climbing up into the grille while the others began to stir. As there were seven of them, they divided the task of watching into seven hour long slots. Hannah: Emily, Hannah, and Stephen took the first three watches, followed by Ben, James, and Magorian. Emily: Emily settles down, keeping a careful eyes and ears for anything out of ordinary, well more so than in their dire current situation, she reflected on it. Stephen: When his turn came Stephen sat down patiently and watched and listened for any signs of danger. IdGM: The night, if it was indeed night, passed. For each of them, their hour's watch seemed to last an age, without conversation and having to conserve light. Ben grinned at Stephen and waved his notebook when he took over. At least he had his drawing. Sadik lay, nose on paws, next to Magorian's snoring bulk, seeming quite relaxed. You whisper to Maddie: Maddie found herself in a dark and horrible dream. There was something hideous but unseen that seized her with a cold sense of menace. Her body was frozen rigid, while long slimy tentacles roamed over her body, becoming ever more intimate, squeezing tighter until suddenly she woke gasping for breath.
You whisper to Hannah: Hannah slept after her watch and began to dream. She was wading in dark water, her limbs cold and slowed. As she looked into the water, faces appeared, floating just below the surface, then disappearing into its depths. The most horrible thing was that some of them looked familiar - family, friends, colleagues - and they all looked very dead. She screamed, and woke still screaming.
You whisper to Emily: Once her watch was over Emily slept, and found herself deep in a dark forest. In the distance she heard the belling of hounds, coming nearer as if carried on the wind. And then the sound of some kind of animal, something big and fast breaking its way through the undergrowth. She knew she was the prey and turned to run, seeing the horned rider behind her, his pack of slavering hounds at her heels. Gasping for breath she fought her way through branches and briars, until her lungs were bursting, and suddenly she was awake, sweat covering her body as if she had indeed been hunted through a forest by the Wild Hunt.
You whisper to Stephen: After his watch, Stephen quickly fell asleep despite the hard floor, and as he slept he dreamed. He was in a tunnel, which became narrower and lower and darker the further he went. He would have stopped, but something was breathing in the darkness behind him, heavy breaths which became louder as he first crawled on hands and knees, and then on his stomach, wriggling like a worm through the pitch dark hole in the stone, and feeling hot breath on his heels. He woke gasping and wimpering.IdGM: They woke to find Magorian on his feet, his eyes wild. "What the fuck is happening!" he shouted. The dog was running up and down, whining as if afraid. Hannah: Hannah woke with a scream, bolting upright and looking around wildly as if not fully convinced she wasn't still dreaming. Maddie: Maddie came awake, gasping for breath. Magorian's shout cut through her sleepy haze and she was jolted fully awake, her body acting in recollection of comrades shouting about police raids or fascist attacks. "What is it?" IdGM: Magorian sat down heavily on the floor and hugged the great dog to him like a puppy. "I was on watch, it was all quiet, and then suddenly you were all shaking and making such a noise, like some kind of collective nightmare." "Everything was burning," James whispered, his face white and set. Emily: Emily woke up wide awake with her eyes looking afraid, as if she has been running in her sleep. She calmed herself. When she hears from Magorian about what just happened, "Just had a nightmare, in that dream, Cernunnos and his massive hounds chasing after me in some big forest during the Wild Hunt." She shivered. IdGM: Ben was pacing up and down on the other side of the room, tears were streaming down his face but he wouldn't speak about his dream. Maddie: "There were tentacles grabbing me in my dream," Maddie said. Hannah: "Mine was... drowning." Hannah looked to the others, seeing the disturbedness in their faces. "We've been through a lot. It makes sense we'd have nightmares. Though all so suddenly together..." Emily: With no desire to go to sleep, Emily stood up and took a swig from her water bottle to settle her nerves although she would hope for something stronger than plain water, "Yes, Hannah. Everything about this place is so strange." Emily agreed, "From what Magorian was saying, it make absolutely no sense." She confirmed her goal, "The sooner we get out of here, the better!" Stephen: Stephen spoke, uneasily "I was crawling though a tunnel, and the further I crawled the narrower it became, and I knew I couldn't stop as something was lurking behind me. I could feel its hot breath on my back. It was horrible, although nightmares are hardly surprising considering our current predicament." IdGM: "Six people having nightmares at the same moment?" Magorian said, his eyebrows raised. "There is something very weird happening here. Well I'm going to have my last bit of sleep. Maybe I'll have my own - let me know if I start jumping around." Magorian rolled over and fell asleep curled around the dog. Stephen: Stephen spoke again, this time with even more uneasiness. "Don't you notice a pattern in our nightmares? the Wild Hunt, tentacles, drowning...obviously we dreamt of things we have seen here, but it's odd each of us would dream of something different." Maddie: "It's pretty weird," Maddie said. "Some fuckery is afoot here. Well, I'm going back to sleep." IdGM: James checked his watch. "Magorian, you're still on watch for another forty minutes." he said, shaking the Professor by the shoulder. Magorian sighed and sat up. "Just when I was getting into the mood for a good dream." Hannah: Hannah bit her lip and lay back down, though for some time her eyes remained open. Emily: Emily look rather unenthusiastic to the idea of going back to sleep just yet and opted for staying awake for the rest of the sleeping hours especially it is almost a start to the day anyway. Before settling down, Emily agreed with a whisper, "I think you are right there, Stephen." Stephen: "And it does seem fitting you would dream of the Wild Hunt." Stephen added, obviously referring to the woman's outdoor background "As for my dream, I must have been thinking of Mari, the fiery goddess of the underground..." IdGM: Magorian hummed gently to himself as he finished his watch and then woke Maddie for her watch. Maddie: Maddie stood looking up at the grille, gazing at it with the hostility she normally reserved for cops, as she waited for the time to pass IdGM: Despite their intentions to remain awake, both Emily and Stephen found their eyes drooping, slipping gently into a dreamless sleep. Even Ben seemed to be sleeping now, and Magorian was snoring again. You whisper to Maddie: Suddenly the dog jumped up and came over to nose at Maddie, then run to the door, whining.Maddie: Maddie gave Magorian a nudge with her foot. "Sadik seems restless," she said. The dog had run over to the door, and she went over to join the canine. IdGM: Magorian grunted and sat up. "Now that was a strange dream. A white figure on a hill beckoning to me. Somehow gave me a feeling of joy and safety... strange in this place." He jumped up and strode to the door. "Maybe needs to relieve himself." Magorian opened the door and the dog shot out. The Professor followed more slowly. "Maddie, listen to this!" Maddie: Maddie listened carefully. She followed Magorian and the dog into the kitchen You whisper to Maddie: Maddie listened hard but she heard nothing. Magorian shook his head at her. But the dog was barking now, making little runs at the chimney.Maddie: "What am I meant to be hearing Magorian?" IdGM: "There must be something up there, Sadik can hear it but I can't," Magorian said. "Let's get the others in here." He strode to the door and started to shake the heavy sleepers. Maddie: Maddie knelt down and looked up the chimney, wondering if she might be able to make something out. Hannah: Hannah groggily got to her feet and followed Magorian into the kitchen. Emily: Emily woke up as well, her eyes looks more alert now thanks to her too short dreamless sleep, "What's up?" She asked as Emily followed them in Stephen: Stephen had been sleeping quite deeply, but the burly Magorian managed to shake him out of his slumber IdGM: As Maddie stared up into the dark hollow of the chimney, she heard - right at the limits of her hearing - a tiny scrabbling noise. And then the thin light of her phone picked out movement. Something... or things... were moving about in the darkness. Suddenly she saw two mad red eyes staring down at her. Maddie: "There's a rat or something up here, but it has red eyes," Maddie told the others, not sounding particularly frightened IdGM: Now everyone could hear scrabbling and scraping and a high pitched squealing. The red eyes rapidly dropped towards Maddie, and there were others behind it. Maddie: "Fuck there's more of them!" Maddie shouted, scrabbling away. Hannah: Hannah took a few quick steps back, looking around for something heavy to swing at the rats if they got too close. Emily: Emily backed away carefully, looking at these creatures with calm eyes once they get out of whatever they came out from. Stephen: "Whatever it is, don't get bitten" said Stephen "The last thing we need is risking infection." IdGM: Magorian returned. "Do we have anything to use against them? A rat bite can be pretty nasty." Hannah: Hannah hurried back into the sleeping space, where they'd left the lamp stands they'd brought along. Emily: Emily went back with Hannah to help get the lamp stands to use against something that sound like big rats. IdGM: A long snout appeared in the opening of the chimney, followed by the rest of the creature. It looked like a rat, but for the blazing red eyes, mouthfull of long teeth and the size of the thing - larger than a housecat. It hissed at them but stood in place, as if waiting for reinforcements. Sadik seemed taken aback for a moment, then he dashed forward, snarling. Emily: Emily widened in shock as she eyed massive rodents while carrying some rod, "That is not normal! It is too big" She yelled out in shock. Hannah: Hannah grimaced looking at the thing. She held up her stand instinctively, waiting to see how the creature reacted to the dog. Stephen: "In this place not much is."commented Stephen, dryly, gripping the knife he had taken from the dead terrorist earlier Maddie: Maddie knew how to fight other humans, but she was at somewhat of a loss of how to combat a rat, and didn't have a weapon. Her eyes darted around for something to use IdGM: As Sadik attacked, the rat leaped into the air and attempted to sink its teeth into the dog's flank, but he twisted away at the last moment. Sadik grabbed at the brute and managed to get a grip on its neck. There was more scrabbling and squealing and three more monster rats landed in the hearth. Maddie: seeing several scraps of broken wood in one corner, Maddie quickly strode over. She wrapped the cord of her headphones around her palm to provide basic protection against splinters and picked up a length of it IdGM: The rats were quick and speeded towards the group. Two more rats dropped down the chimney. Hannah: Hannah lunged forward, sweeping her post in front of her, hoping to keep the rats back and give one of the others - or the dog - a chance to strike them. Emily: Emily doesn't look too worried about dealing with rats as she swinged her light rod as a weapon in an attempt to keep them away. IdGM: The dog managed to sink his teeth into his enemy's neck, and shook it hard. The rat shrieked. Two of the rats scrambled to attack the dog, climbing on his back and biting. The other three dashed into the room and made for Hannah and Maddie. Three more rats came out of the chimney. "Sadik!" Magorian roared as he rushed through the doorway. The dog whirled around, flinging the first rat from his jaws as he grabbed for one of his attackers. He managed to get its tail in his mouth. Maddie: Maddie might not be all that certain of how to fight giant rats, but she could at least get their attention so they didn't all swarm Sadik. She acrobatically flipped over one of the rats near her, leaping right into their midst. She kept shifting her weight, leaping this way and that, trying to make herself as obvious a target for the things as possible so the others could home in on the rats IdGM: The rats seemed confused by Maddie's action. They must have never seen anything behave in such a strange way before. Ben ran forward, sweeping a piece of wood in front of him, trying to hit one of the rats but it managed to slip under it. The rats attacked. Two flew at Hannah, two at Maddie, one at Ben and two at Stephen. Stephen: Stephen tried to take advantage of the distraction provided by Maddie and stab one of the rodents, but his lack of real combat experience and the awkardness of trying to use a knife against a foe so low to the ground meant the rat easily avoided his attack IdGM: One of the rats got through and landed a nasty bite on Stephen's leg. Maddie: Maddie dodged one, which left her slightly off balance. As a second leapt at her, she got a burst of energy and leapt aside, suddenly remembering a time her and her boyfriend in Munich had broken into an abandoned factory and had to rapidly flee a room, leaving behind a large stash of mushrooms, when rats had come bursting out of a hole in the wall. Hannah: One of the rats came at Hannah snarling, but it lurched aside from the aggressive Maddie, giving Hannah just enough time to scramble backwards and away from it. IdGM: One rat threw itself at Ben, who tried to hit it with the piece of wood but he missed and it landed on his arm and bit deep. Magorian rushed forward to his dog, shouting some kind of Irish war-cry. He swept the piece of wood wide and hit the rat full in the back, snapping it in one blow. That rat dropped to the ground and Sadik took a better grip of the other rat's tail. IdGM: James leaped into the fray, smashing the spine of the rat attacking Ben. Emily: Emily eyed these massive rats as she thought over the possible weaknesses of the rats. Her eyes brightened with some ideas. Emily came closer to challenge some of the rats attacking the group and shouted out, "Hit them on their weak backs, that may kill them flat out and of course their noses would be sensitive as well!" Hannah: Hearing Emily's mention of the rats' sensitive noses, Hannah remembered that she'd accidentally packed her makeup kit in with her gear to take down for the dig - and that she had a bottle of perfume stashed away there, for half-planned excursions after the archaeology trip ended. She rummaged through her bag quickly and pulled out the bottle. "Alright, let's see how you like Vera Wang's Macy's line!" she growled, before stepping forward and spraying into the face of the nearest rat, then turning to douse the whole area as much as possible. IdGM: Her action caught the two rats off guard, and the spray hit them full in their faces. Both dropped back, clawing at their noses. Sadik let go of his rat but only for an instant to grab it by the neck. A shake of his massive head and the rat hung limp and inert from his jaws. The great dog dropped it disdainfully on the floor and prepared to dispatch more giant rats. Stephen: Acting quickly Stephen stabbed one of the rats trying to clean their snouts. The knife easily penetrated through the rodent's flesh and killed it instantly, and as Stephen pulled the weapon out the corpse landed on the other rat nearby, unbalancing it. Maddie: Maddie swung her piece of wood and landed a dazing blow on one of the rats, though it was only knocked down and not taken out completely IdGM: Grabbing his piece of wood, Ben laid about him and more by luck than judgement managed to land a heavy blow on another rat, breaking its spine. The only remaining uninjured rat suddenly let out a string of piercing squeals and raced for the chimney, followed slightly more slowly by the other two. Sadik managed to grab the tail of one of the slower rats, but just bit through it and the rat scampered away. Hannah: Hannah sprayed a bit more perfume at the fleeing rats just as a further disincentive for them to return. Emily: Emily made her effort to stop one of the rats fleeing from them but it evaded her attack with ease Maddie: Maddie swung at the fleeing rats but managed only to strike the side of the chimney and make her hand sore IdGM: Magorian leapt forward to try to stop the lead rat but it just avoided him. However his action slowed it down. James almost caught it but his wooden stave slammed against one of the stone benches. Stephen: Stephen too tried to kill another of the retreating rats but the creature desperately dodged the attack IdGM: The three rats reached the chimney, and shot up it. It was doubtful they would attack again in a hurry, but there might be others, and the creatures seemed intelligent.
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Post by Idris on May 13, 2018 21:46:12 GMT
Session 17 - 11/5/18 IdGM: As the last rat tail disappeared up the chimney, an unnatural silence descended on the room. The humans looked at each other - they were all filthy, covered in rat blood and dust off the old chunks of wood some of them had used as weapons. Ben suddenly slumped down against the wall, very pale and holding his wounded arm. IdGM: Emily quickly took charge, with Stephen and Maddie helping her. Firstly they made a fire in the massive opening, while Emily carefully cleaned the wounds. Then she heated the knife and used it to cauterise the broken flesh. Ben screamed with the pain, but at least he had only one bite. The dog had several on his back, and Magorian and James had to hold him down as Emily treated him. Luckily there were strong painkillers and some antibiotic powder in the medical kit Kirsty had passed her before they left the camp. Stephen: "At least they were only giant rats - can you imagine if they were giant dogs, like those we found before?" Maddie: Maddie was more used to helping people who had been injured by pigs than rats, but she helped out as best as she could. The rats at least didn't have pepper spray, but their bites were obviously bad enough. "We need to get out of here now," Maddie said, though that would truthfully only lead them into more danger, if what had happened earlier was any guide. Hannah: While the others worked on Ben, Hannah kneeled down beside him, speaking soothingly and trying to keep him distracted from the pain. When Stephen and Maddie spoke, she responded: "Yeah, that was a... close call. We should probably try out the grille, and if that doesn't work double check the passages for other exits." Maddie: "I'll try climbing up the grille," Maddie said. IdGM: "First we need to get clean," Emily said. "At least get rid of the blood and any saliva, in case of infection. Stephen you should wash that leg." They had all brought bottled water with them, but most of them were nearly empty, althought there was a pack of antiseptic wipes. They also only had some fruit and nuts to eat.. Maddie: "I'm going to stretch and get ready. Also I hope you don't mind but..." Maddie took her top off. "If I'm squeezing somewhere tight, the last thing I want is for some bit of my clothes to get stuck." IdGM: "Go right ahead," Magorian said with a wave of his hand. Hannah: Hannah looked away respectfully. "Just don't put yourself in danger. If it's getting too tight, don't push on." Stephen: Stephen said nothing, but obviously understood that this was not a situation where modesty was a priority IdGM: They moved into the store room again and stood beneath the grille looking up. The room was nowhere near as high as the main rooms but it was still several feet above their heads. Maddie: Maddie spent about a half hour performing a variety of exercises to stretch her muscles and make sure she was absolutely prepared for the task ahead. Once she had managed to loosen her legs up enough that she could stretch them out comfortably behind her neck, she was ready. "How are we getting that grille off?" she wondered, standing. Hannah: Hannah had been looking up at the grille and considering the problem for a while now. "If you're boosted up I bet you could pry it open with a knife. Magorian, you think you could hold her up with some support?" Stephen: Stephen offered the knife he had been using "You should be able to remove it using this." IdGM: Magorian cracked his knuckles. "If someone can keep her steady." Maddie: "People have been trying that unsuccessfully since I was old enough to talk." IdGM: Ben was still out of it, so James stepped forward to assist. Hannah: "Jeez, you're flexible" said Hannah wryly to Maddie as they prepared. "It hurts me to try to touch my toes." Maddie: Maddie smiled. "I thought lawyers learned to be flexible with the truth instead of their legs," she said. "Ok, let's do this. Lift me up and I'll take the knife once I'm steady, don't want to accidentally slice one of you if I slip." IdGM: James leaned down so Maddie could use him as a step to reach Magorian's shoulders. . Maddie: Maddie stepped up and slowly put one foot on one of Magorian's shoulders, then, once she'd found her balance, went across with the other. Squatting down nearly atop Magorian's head, she leaned down and took the knife from Stephen, then gradually and carefully stood up. IdGM: Holding up the knife, Maddie could reach the grille but she needed to get into a stable position to put any force into levering it off. Magorian grunted as Maddie stepped up onto his shoulders but he held steady. Stephen: "Be careful. This is our chance at freedom". said Stephen, offering some words of caution Maddie: "It might be an idea to get a rope or something around this," Maddie said. "If I lever this loose it might fall on me or Magorian." IdGM: "Stephen, can you get the rope from my pack?" James said, unable to move as he was helping support Maddie. Stephen: Stephen moved away from the base of the human pyramid to rummage in James' pack, searching for the rope. When he found it he held it up for Maddie to grab Maddie: Maddie held the knife in her mouth, then knelt down and took the rope, reaching up to tie it round the grille. She was able to tie a half-decent knot, then took the knife out of her mouth. "Alright..." she set to work trying to lever the knife in where Stephen and Hannah directed IdGM: Emily grabbed the end of the rope. "We'll need to pull so if it comes free it doesn't land on them." Hannah: Hannah moved over to help Emily pull. IdGM: The two of them heaved on the rope, and even Sadik came over and took the end in his mouth, tugging it backwards. Maddie: meanwhile, Maddie worked away at the grille. At one point, she nearly managed to get the knife jammed and stuck, and when she tried to pull on it she felt it flex and nearly break. Letting go of it for a moment, she managed to slowly prise it free, then set back to work IdGM: The combined efforts eventually succeeded. Maddie felt the stone edging give, and then the grille moved, giving her a little warning that it was going to fly open. Suddenly it wrenched free of the stone and shot towards Emily and Hannah. Emily was able to jump out of the way, though she slipped and fell quite hard on the littered stone. Hannah was not so fortunate. As she sprang sideways, the metal of the grille clipped her foot. Hannah: Hannah gave a bit of a yelp, though it was more out of shock than pain. She hopped up and began testing her weight on the foot. "Okay, not so bad, better than hitting one of your heads. See anything up there Maddie?" IdGM: The foot was really quite painful and Hannah found it hard to put weight on it. She could feel it swelling inside her shoe. Emily got up and brushed herself down. "Are you alright Hannah?" she asked. Stephen: Stephen helped Hannah brace herself on her unhurt foot Maddie: "Ok down there Hannah?" IdGM: Emily quickly removed Hannah's boot, and applied a cool pack from her bag. IdGM: After a short time Hannah could feel the pain lessen. "Mind what else you take." Emily warned her. "These release painkillers as well as chilling the area." Maddie: Maddie squinted up at the hole where the grille had been, but it was too dark to see anything much. She adjusted her headlamp. "Can you pass me the rope? Might be able to tie it to something depending on what I find." IdGM: Emily untied the end of the rope from the grille and passed it to Stephen as he was taller. Stephen: Stephen lifted the rope as high as he could for Maddie to take. Maddie: Maddie coiled the rope around one arm. She stretched her arms over her head, rolling her shoulders forward and back, then she grabbed the edge of the dark vent and pulled herself upwards. IdGM: It took some effort but Maddie was able to pull herself up into the vent. It was narrow but could be navigated by bracing shoulders and knees against the walls. There was no telling how far up it ran, Maddie's headlight did not reach the end. As she squirmed and braced, Maddie reached up and felt something sharp scrape her hand. It was a ring made out of some kind of metal, perhaps installed so that the vent could be cleaned, Maddie "Fuck!" Maddie said as her hand scraped the ring. "There's some kind of metal ring here, I'm going to attach the rope to it and continue on." She squinted up, hoping that now she had climbed a way perhaps her headlight would now show the end of the vent IdGM: The others settled down to wait, and made themselves as comfortable as possible. Magorian put his jacket around Ben who was still very pale and looked sweaty. Maddie searched the darkness above as she moved higher, and as she did, a perceptible difference appeared - a square of even deeper darkness, the end of the vent. Maddie: "I think I might have spotted the end, there must be something else covering it," Maddie called back, continuing on. She wished she could mop the sweat from her brow, but there was hardly space for that. IdGM: The dark square resolved itself into something - not a covering at all, but empty space. When Maddie reached the top of the vent, her light showed her the stone walls and floor of another room. This one was strangely cold and dank. Maddie: "It's another room!" Maddie called back excitedly. She wished she had her phone with her, and signal - being able to send texts or pictures to those below would be very useful. There wasn't much point thinking about that, however, so Maddie got up to the end of the vent and hauled herself up. IdGM: The room was not large, though bigger than the store below. In one corner there seemed to be a large tank or pool, edged with stone, and there was the shine of water reflecting her light. Directly above the vent a large hook hung down from the ceiling of the room, as if made for a rope. Maddie: Thinking there might be just enough room for it, Maddie clambered back down into the narrow passage and squeezed her way along to the metal ring. She called back to the others, describing the room above. "I'm going to attach this rope to the hook, you can then probably squeeze your way up. And uh...someone bring my clothes." IdGM: Magorian gazed up at the hole above his head. "I don't think I'll fit up there." Hannah: "We wouldn't be able to get Sadik up either, of course," said Hannah. "You stay with him, and we'll look around for passages or other vents. There might be a route down that we couldn't find from down there." IdGM: Magorian nodded. "Ben had better stay here too, he doesn't look too good." Stephen: "Just be careful - maybe give us a shout if anything weird happens."said Stephen IdGM: Magorian smiled. "You think I can be heard through stone walls?" Hannah: "Hopefully we won't have to go far from the chamber above, but we'll see," said Hannah, gathering up Maddie's clothes. IdGM: James said he would remain below. "Ben isn't up to fighting rats if they come back." Stephen: "I'm sure you can be very loud."Stephen smiled back to Magorian IdGM: "When Ben is back on his feet we'll carry on searching down here," James said. Stephen: Stephen climbed unexpectedly well and then gestured for Hannah to follow "Be careful with your foot." he added Maddie: while the others were climbing, Maddie went to examine the tank of water IdGM: James helped Hannah to tie the rope around herself and waited until Stephen was at the top. "Can you and Maddie pull her up?" Hannah: Hannah tried to climb up, but found she was having difficulty when she couldn't use both feet effectively. With James' help she tied the rope around herself. Once the others lifted her to the vent and she had surfaces to push against, she found the rest of the climb easier. IdGM: Emily followed her, slowly but surely working her way up the vent. The water in the pool was dark and rather forbidding. Every so often a drop fell from the uneven rocks above and landed with a soft dripping sound, causing ripples which spread slowly, as if it were some substance more viscous than water should be. Maddie: "I don't know what's in there but I'm not sure we'd want to drink it," Maddie said, pulling her clothes back on. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at it uselessly. Hannah: Hannah handed Maddie her clothes while keeping her eyes on the pool. "Well, the one part of this whole thing that's gone right is I'm being forced to get more in shape," she said, wiping sweat from her brow. Stephen: "I'd avoid any contact with that unless we get desperate."said Stephen, staring at the pool IdGM: "We might do that if we don't find clean water soon," Emily said, sounding quite concerned. Maddie: "We have no food, are trapped underground in an ancient ruin filled with hungry giant rats and are having synchronised nightmares, and there's a group of wankers running around with automatic rifles and explosives that want to kill us. The fuck does desperate look like?" Stephen: "Well, desperate-er."said Stephen, admitting Maddie had a point "I was thinking of the earlier experience with the spores, mostly." IdGM: As Hannah and Maddie stood by the pool, they saw more ripples forming, although no drops had fallen. Maddie: "That's...not very good," Maddie said, pointing to the new ripples forming
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Post by Idris on May 30, 2018 17:55:06 GMT
Session 18 - 18/5/2018 IdGM: The black water of the pool settled back down. Maddie: "I still don't like that," Maddie said. "We should find a way out of here." Stephen: Stephen wiped some sweat off his brow "That water really had me worried for a moment." he said IdGM: As they stood gazing at the dark water, Hannah noticed there was something below the surface. A tiny glow of light which they hadn't noticed before. Hannah: "What's that?" murmured Hannah, leaning in closer to see if she could make out the source of the glow. IdGM: Emily joined her, staring into the water. "It looks like a tiny torch" Maddie: Maddie hadn't seen whatever it was, but looked to where Hannah was pointing Stephen: "Don't lean too forward" said Stephen as he tried to get a better look at the glow without standing too close to the dark waters IdGM: This was good advice as without warning the light suddenly shot to the surface and a wide open set of jaws set with several rows of needle sharp teeth appeared, snapping sharply just in front of Maddie. The teeth were attached to a snakelike neck. Hannah: Hannah jumped back at the sudden appearance of the creature. Maddie: Maddie swore and leapt back. IdGM: Emily took a step back, but she gazed at the thing with interest. "It has no eyes, like most cave animals. It's probably sensitive to vibrations." Stephen: "What in the hell is that?" swore Stephen stepping backwards and trying to drag the others with him, safe from danger "It doesn't look like anything natural!" IdGM: The head swung about, as if confused by the sounds of voices coming from different places. There was a bulb shaped protrusion above the gaping mouth, and this suddenly lit as if a switch had been turned on.
Hannah's eye was caught by something happening in the pool behind the creature. A roiling of the water, and the neck was pulled back as quickly as it had appeared. Hannah: "I think... we should look for a way out," said Hannah, continuing to step away from the pool and glance around at the walls. IdGM: As they stood staring, the water churned like a boiling pot. The head appeared briefly, then was enveloped in some kind of off-white blubber, a mass that surged and swelled. A tentacle rose above the surface of the water and began to feel its way along the edge of the pool. Maddie: Maddie stepped back carefully and slowly, looking around for a way out. Stephen: Stephen's gaze dartes back and forth between the pool and the rest of the room, looking for some way out there that wasn't simply the tunnel they had used to arrive here IdGM: As they searched around, they found a set of damp, worn steps leading up and away. Maddie: Maddie moved towards the steps, taking out her phone and flicking towards her camera Hannah: Hannah signaled those who hadn't yet seen the stairs and started to hurry out. IdGM: A palid blue eye had appeared on the white blubber, and as Maddie's camera flashed. there was a shriek from below. The light must have blinded the horror which sunk away, spraying black ink accross the surface of the pool. Maddie: "Now that's a useful thing to know," Maddie said, laughing. "Let's get out of here!" She darted up the steps Hannah: Hannah shuddered as they moved away from the... thing. "I expect I'll have nightmares again." Stephen: "This is the most fucked up thing we have seen since we came here."said Stephen as rushed along the stairs with the others IdGM: The steps led into another room, a bare place with three dark passageways leading out of it. They stood panting, deciding which way to go. Maddie: Maddie took a brief glance, then decisively stepped towards the leftmost of the three passages Hannah: "Wait," said Hannah, "don't move too quickly. After what happened with the spores, and the pool... Well, I want to make sure we're not missing any signs of danger." She moved to the edge of the middle passage, which seemed better made than the others, peering down it with her headlamp. IdGM: The passage seemed better made than the side branches and more likely to lead upwards. Maddie: "We're almost out of food, that's the danger. If we're not quick about it, it won't matter how safe we are otherwise," Maddie replied. Still, it seemed like perhaps that passage was more likely to lead up, so Maddie went over to check the passage with Hannah IdGM: "We have no food left," Emily said, searching through her backpack. "And no water." This area of the city seemed very unlike the wonders they had seen since coming through the Great Door. Narrow passages, dank and cheerless, with rough ceilings and floors. They began to slow down, the lack of sleep and stresses they had undergone, not to mention the horrors they had been exposed to, were beginning to take their toll. Stephen: "But at least we are not food for something in the water." Stephen commented Emily's words trying to make a bad joke out of a desperate situation "If we do make it out of here this will be quite a tale, though I suspect most won't believe us." You whisper to Stephen: As they travelled, people started to stumble, and Stephen noticed that the air was becoming very stale, as if there was not enough oxygen.Stephen: Stephen breathed deeply, as if trying to draw in as much air as possible "Air is running out. Try to preserve breath."he said, fear evident in his eyes Maddie: "We'll get out," Maddie said with absolute conviction. "I need to survive long enough to punch Muhammed in the face. And then again. Then maybe thirty more times." IdGM: They had been stumbling more, finding it hard to put one foot in front of the other, and now they could all tell that the air had become foul. Hannah started coughing, as if the spores were making their effect felt once more. Maddie: Maddie pulled out her balaclava and wrapped it round her face. Hannah: Hannah said nothing, preserving what breath she could between coughs, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. IdGM: They were all beginning to be affected by exhaustion and lack of sleep, hunger and thirst, and now the effects of the bad air, but they managed to pull themselves together and keep going. However after all they had gone through, these physical pressures on top of the horrors they had faced, the strangeness of the place, the constant claustrophobic darkness of the tunnels, and their underlying fear of being trapped began to seriously affect them. Emily, Maddie and Stephen were badly affected, and Hannah felt low and constantly worried. They came to another room with two tunnels leading off ahead. Hannah: Seeing that the others were faring particularly poorly, Hannah took the lead, moving into the room and glancing around, then looking at the tunnels. IdGM: There was little difference but she reckoned the one on the left was the most likely. Hannah: Hannah gestured to the others, moving on into the left passage with a steely look in her eye. Maddie: Maddie was starting to flag noticeably, but she grimly trudged on after Hannah Stephen: Stephen seemed shaken and hopeless by the recent events, but he followed Hannah's lead as best as he could IdGM: Emily followed on with her head down, like a worn-out horse. The passage went on and on, long and straight. As they trudged along with their heads down and feet dragging, Maddie noticed something odd. Marks on the wall at their side, marks that she realised made pictures. Maddie: Maddie had nearly been dropping off until she noticed the pictures, her eyes perhaps drawn by a lifetime of eyeing walls for radical slogans, or flyers for obscure anarchist bands, or swastikas in need of obliteration. "There are pictures there," she said, examining them. IdGM: When they examined the picture, they could see it depicted a line of men kneeling with their heads on the floor in front of an exceptionally tall, commanding figure. Maddie: Maddie felt a surge of stubborn will try to light up inside her. "There's no way I'm dying with my last sight being some ancient picture of people surrendering to some fucking king or god or whatever that thing is." Stephen: "A ruler or deity, obviously."said Stephen, trying to make some sense of the image even in his fatigued state "Or both, perhaps." Hannah: Hannah took a deep breath. "No, none of us are dying here. No ancient gods deserve to make us bow. We're going to keep walking." IdGM: A little further on there were other pictures. One showed the apparent rape of a woman by what might be a dwarf, another some imp-like creatures turning a child on a spit. All were crude respresentations of human beings in abject positions. Hannah: Hannah pointedly averted her eyes from the images as much as she could and walked on doggedly. Maddie: Maddie found herself wishing for a chisel to chip the foulness out, but lacking anything suitable she forced herself to continue on Stephen: Stephen said nothing, but it was obvious that something was on his mind and that he believed the images had obvious - and terrifying - significance. IdGM: As they passed on, they discovered another picture, in which a tall, dark-shrouded figure was handing something like a black stone to a man. Hannah: Hannah didn't avert her eyes from this one like she had the others, but she passed by the picture without stopping - it felt like if she stopped, it would be hard to start walking again. IdGM: Further on, they found a picture depicting a circle of men with their hands in the air surrounding what might be the black stone, which has strange lines coming from it. Hannah: Hannah glanced at the others meaningfully upon seeing this, her serious expression suggesting she thought this was important, likely tied to the origins of some of the strange things they had encountered. She did not speak however, saving her breath. Maddie: Maddie gazed at it in tired incomprehension IdGM: They trudged on. One final picture presented itself to them - giant dogs tearing a winged being to pieces surrounded by what were clearly men waving spears and axes in the air Hannah: Hannah let her gaze linger on this one a little longer, trying to think of some connection to the previous pictures, but kept on trudging forward. They would need to discuss all this later - if they made it out. IdGM: The passage ended at last, entering yet another of the inconsequential rooms. Another tunnel led away on the other side, but in one corner a spiral staircase led upward. Hannah: Hannah's heart beat faster at sight of the staircase. She was tempted to rush toward it, but out of caution she went to glance down the other tunnel first. IdGM: It seemed very roughly made and led downhill. Hannah: Satisfied that there was no immediate threat to worry about and the stairway was their best bet, Hannah went to move upwards. Stephen: Stephen had been walking in the back of the group and had stopped for a few minutes to get a better look at the pictures, as if looking for clues of something in particular. It was obviously not the most prudent thing to do and gave the others reason to worry, considering the stale air and their poor mental conditions, but he resisted attempts to drag him away as best as he could, though it was clear he did not mean to tarry too long. IdGM: It was notable that these were the first images of human beings in any of the art they had seen since entering the Great Door. As far as Stephen could tell all the others had depicted mythical beings and mythic environments. These were also crude drawings, not works of art - more like cartoons or caricatures. They appeared to show men bowing to such beings, then somehow finding a way to destroy them, using something given to them by a dark figure who himself was clearly not intended to be a human being. Maddie: "Come on Steve, we need to get out of here," Maddie said as she headed for the stairs. Stephen: Stephen said nothing in reply, but turning away silently from the images made haste to reach the others, as if not wanting to be alone with them. IdGM: They climbed the stairs, each step more of an effort. At the top there was another of the inevitable empty rooms. A passage ran off from one end, and at the other a dark opening led down a short set of steps to another room. A sense of dread fell over them as they contemplated the dark space below. "There's something really strange in there." Emily said, her voice rather shakey. Hannah: Hannah grimaced, moving over to the passage to see if it looked like it would take them upward, eager to avoid whatever it was down the stairs. Maddie: Heedless of danger, Maddie headed straight for the steps down. "We don't have time to be looking around," she said, and started to climb down without waiting for any comment from the others Hannah: "Maddie!" exclaimed Hannah, glancing over quickly when she heard the other woman's words. She was already worried about the others in their current state of exhaustion, and with the dread that seemed to linger around the stairs... Hannah rushed over, hurrying down after Maddie. IdGM: They entered a room even darker and more awful than the rest. The walls were blackened by fire, and twisted as though the very stones had burned and run. Marks on the floor suggested a most violent explosion, radiating out in a circle. The centre of the circle drew their eyes, and they could see that what had appeared to be an intense burn mark on the ground, was in fact a hole where something had literally burned its way through the solid rock. Maddie: Maddie clenched her fist. "You'd need a potent Molotov for this," she said. IdGM: Emily crept down after them, her eyes enormous. "What could have happened here?" Stephen: "Perhaps something was...."Stephen paused uneasily, and they could not tell if it was the lack of air or the need to find the best word "summoned from the depths of the earth.?" Hannah: Bending down to look at the floor, Hannah spoke in a whisper. "The way the stone is melted... It does seem to have come upward." IdGM: Emily was looking around the edges of the circle. Suddenly she drew in a sharp breath. "Look!" she pointed downwards. There were dark shapes around the circumference of the circle, and on closer examination these proved to be the warped and twisted silhouettes of men - their bodies must have been burned away to leave only shadows of human beings, as had happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Maddie: "The...fuck?" Maddie pulled out her phone and took a picture. Hannah: "Something powerful was released here," said Hannah, stating the obvious. "Perhaps whatever those people used to free themselves from domination by the... gods, or whatever they were." Stephen: "Someone or something gave them power."said Stephen, obviously having come to that realization in his time spent gazing at the drawings IdGM: As he spoke, they were looking down the hole. They saw only a pitch darkness their lights could not penetrate. Suddenly dread hit them like a tidal wave, threatening to wash their sanity away completely. The wave rolled over them. Stephen was first to break, running from the room like a madman despite the shortness of his breath. He raced accross to the passage and darted into it. You whisper to Stephen: As the walls narrowed, Steohen's nightmare returned to him. He could sense the hot breath of something chasing him and gasped in despair.IdGM: Emily rushed after him, whimpering like a child. She felt the hunters closing in as she ran. Maddie followed, gasping for breath. You whisper to Maddie: Her memory of the dream mixed with the memory of the thing in the pool and she could feel the horrible tentacles reaching out for her.Hannah: Hannah felt the fear clutching her, tightening her chest that was already lacking for air, but she closed her eyes and wrested control of her racing thoughts. Noticing that her companions were running, mad with fear, she turned and hurried after them. "Wait!" she called with as much strength as she could muster. "We're alright! We're alright! We need to collect ourselves!" IdGM: Hannah's calm voice, so used to settling agitated clients, penetrated the fog of terror filling the minds of her companions. There was a small room at the end of the tunnel and here the three of them stopped, trembling and sweating like spooked horses. As Hannah entered the room, she noticed something strange about the wall on her right. The sharp angle of their lights illuminated what might well be a door, almost flush with the wall. Maddie: Maddie returned to her senses and began swearing at herself. IdGM: Emily looked shamefacedly at her companions. "Why did we react like that? There wasn't actually anything there." Stephen: Stephen came to himself. "I'm sorry" he said, trying to catch his breath, something that proved far harder than it would have been on the surface "I couldn't help myself, I could fell its hot breath down my neck as it chased me like in my nightmare..." Hannah: "It had to be something supernatural," said Hannah, approaching the others and wiping cold sweat from her brow. She had been highly skeptical of such things when the expedition began, but by now it seemed impossible to dismiss. "Whatever caused our dreams, it's down there through the hole, or its presence is just strong in that room. We should keep moving away from it, just... cautiously." After speaking, Hannah turned and looked up at the door on the wall.
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Post by Idris on Jun 1, 2018 23:14:33 GMT
Session 19 - 1/6/18 IdGM: Maddie, Stephen and Emily were still getting their breath back, as much as they could in this airless place. The shape of the door on the wall shifted and wavered as their lights moved. Suddenly Emily's light flickered and went out. Maddie: "God fucking dammit," Maddie said, fiddling with her own headlamp. Emily: Emily gasped for a moment as she quickly for her hard hat and took a look at it under other peopl's light. "It could be a battery..." She muttered as Emily took a closer look at it Hannah: Hannah turned off her own headlamp. "We'll want to make sure at least one of these has battery," she said. As she spoke, she moved up closer to look at the door. Stephen: "It could be a coincidence."said Stephen, sullenly "But considering everything else, what are the odds?" IdGM: The door was almost flush with the stone, and only the angle of their lights had enabled Hannah to spot it. Emily: Emily shivered recalling what made her flee from a simple hole as she eyed the door, "Right now... I can't believe in a "coincidence". Emily moved closer to help out to see the door. Maddie: Maddie reached out to see if she could open the door Emily: Emily eyed the door and suggested, "Maybe we should knock on it..." based on Hannah's experience with the wooden door. IdGM: There were no handles, hinges, locks or any other features on the door. It was a single rectangular slab of stone inserted into the wall. Maddie: Maddie was too angry to waste time knocking on a door in an ancient ruin. Instead she put her shoulder to it and pushed hard, with the others joining in IdGM: They exerted tremendous effort but the door never shifted a millimetre. Maddie: "Oh for fuck's sake!" Maddie tried knocking on it hard enough to scrape the skin from her knuckles IdGM: There was no response from the door. Maddie: Maddie turned in annoyance and glanced reflexively at her phone. "It's after midnight," she said. "I've slept in some fucking miserable squats but this would be the worst of the lot. At least when the Golden Dawn are lurking you have the potential to punch a Nazi that keeps your blood pumping." Maddie paced up and down, idly noticing that her phone was running low on charge. She stuffed it in her pocket. "So how do we open that stupid thing?" IdGM: The bad air, the lack of food and drink, and a long day's walking, climbing and in some cases, running, had taken a physical toll on them. Emily in particular looked drained. Hannah: Hannah sighed as they moved away from the door. "Why don't you all sit down and get a little rest? I'm gonna look around the room a little more, to see if there's a switch or something for the door. They must have designed a way out." Emily: Emily looked at Hannah wearily and sat down, leaning against the walls of this dark ruins, taking a breather. Maddie: Maddie had no intention of taking any kind of rest and went to help Hannah IdGM: The flickering of Maddie's light as she tried to assist made it impossible to see anything. Hannah: Hannah moved up to Maddie and put a hand on her shoulder. "Maddie... You really should just take a breather. I can handle this. I need you at your best if we run into more of those rats or other threats - you're the only one of us prepared for those kinds of situations." Stephen: Stephen had tried to soldier on and push through the fatigue to find an exit as soon as possible - with little success - but he could see the wisdom in Hannah's words and decided to take a break Maddie: Maddie stared at Hannah for a while, trying to make her tired mind work out if she was being patronised. "Just...fine," Maddie flung herself down, pulled her phone out for a moment, then forced herself to put it away and sat in a glowering, twitching cloud of futility. IdGM: As Maddie sat down she felt something spike into her hand. A little sliver of sharp metal - a silvery pin - which had been lying on the ground. A bead of blood appeared on her finger. Left with only her own light, Hannah spotted a small depression to the right of the doorway they had entered. Maddie: "Oww!" Maddie shook her finger. "There's something sharp there." Hannah: Hannah, her brain in something of a fog, kept focused on her search, assuming Maddie would be okay or would alert her if it were really something serious. She felt around in the depression, looking for a switch. IdGM: There didn't seem to be anything inside the depression, it was just a circular hollow in the stone about an inch accross. Emily: Emily eyed Maddie in the face, "Better to have a look, you don't wanted to get infected." She said wearily as she reached over to have a look at the Maddie's cut on the finger. Maddie: Maddie let Emily take her injured hand, while reaching out to pick up the pin with the other. Hannah: "There's... something here," murmured Hannah, not sure if anyone could really hear her. "A depression in the stone. Not sure if it's anything important." Emily: In spite of her weary condition, Emily's hands felt confident and proficient as she used one of the first aid kits so thoughtfully given by Kristy. "It is quite deep." She mused over it as she cleaned up the blood and the wound itself before sticking a plaster over it. "There." Emily's eyes lightened with a job well done. IdGM: Meanwhile Hannah had continued examining the hollow in the stone. It seemed quite smooth inside but shining her light carefully she picked out a circular mark inside, like old rust. Hannah: Hannah turned back to the others. "I think there might have been a lever or something that went into the depression. There's rust residue..." She noticed Emily tending to Maddie and saw that the wound had been more serious than she'd thought. "We're so lucky to have you with us, Emily," she said, seeing her first aid handiwork. Stephen: "This is the second pin you find, isn't it?" Stephen asked Maddie, eyeing the find Maddie: "That seems to be what I'm on this expedition for, finding pins, killing rats, and failing to open doors," Maddie said. "So there was a lever and it's gone now? Fucking great. I should have stayed behind and got arrested." Emily: Emily eyed Hannah and nodded her thanks, "I think we are luckly that we are all here to deal with the problems as they come along. Thank you for calming us down Hannah..." She refers to their recent awful experience with the dark hole. Stephen: Stephen thougt briefly about Hannah's words "Perhaps we could stick something there to use as a replacement lever?" IdGM: Hannah found no place where a lever could have been used within the depression. Hannah: "I don't know, maybe not a lever," said Hannah. "But there was something that went in there." IdGM: Maddie saw that the silver pin was about two inches long and very sharp with a circular head. There was a design on the top but it was very small and indistinct. Stephen: "Perhaps your experience with...mechanisms might come in handy there."suggested Stephen, though it was clear he likely understood Maddie had thought of that already Maddie: Maddie offered the pin to Stephen. "Steve, as the only actual historian here you should take this." Stephen: Stephen seemed somewhat taken aback by the woman's words, but took the pin - careful, so as not to hurt himself too - and stored it safely in a pocket. Emily: After taking a breather, she stood up and took a look at the depression and suggested, "Maybe, we can press it or twist it?" IdGM: As he took it, he could see that the end of the pin was stained, as if with rust.... or old blood. Maddie: Maddie went to look at the little stone hollow, kneeling and examining the circular mark. Stephen: Stephen paused for a few seconds as he noticed the detail, but was barely impressed considering everything else they had seen in this place Hannah: "Pressing didn't work..." said Hannah. But then as Stephen moved closer and she noticed the blood on the tip of the needle, she thought of something. "Wait. I thought this was rust in the depression... but it might be blood." IdGM: As Maddie directed her light at the mark, she thought it had the look of a fingerprint. Maddie: thinking it was perhaps a fingerprint, Maddie reached out with her injured finger and put it into the depression IdGM: The wound had continued to bleed and stained the plaster. As she pressed her finger into the hollow, she felt something strange, almost a vibration in the stone itself. Then with a groaning sound, the stone door moved back and slid to one side. Maddie: "Great, these ancient fuckers had finger print scanners. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a socket I can charge my goddamn phone with through there." Hannah: "Thankfully I doubt their database is very well-maintained," said Hannah, before peering through the door. Emily: Emily shivered as she watched the scene before her, "Is there no end to how strangeness of this place?" She told herself. Stephen: "At this point I would not be surprised if we discovered some form of electrical technology."said Stephen, taking Maddie's outburst literally. Maddie: Maddie stood up and directly walked through the door without stopping for much more than a glance. Emily: Emily reached out to Maddie, "Want me to check it out later on?" She called after her as Maddie went into the door, "You might be a risk of blood poisoning from touching old bloods." She followed the rest of the group afterward. Maddie: "Yes, yes, later," Maddie waved Emily off. Stephen: "It is interesting that Maddie's blood worked"commented Stephen as they walked "You would expect such a system to require blood from a specific line or person, wouldn't you?" Maddie: Maddie looked at Stephen and shook her head in disgust. "After thousands of years of interbreeding we're probably all of us descended from almost everyone who was fucking here." IdGM: The door opened into a passageway which ran straight on for some way. Beyond that they found themselves in square room with another doorway in one corner with the base of a spiral stair leading upwards. Maddie: Maddie headed straight for the stairs. "Maybe there's some way out." IdGM: It was now about 2am, and they were yawning and stumbling, although the air felt slightly fresher here. Hannah: "We'll need to rest at some point," said Hannah as she watched Maddie move up the stairs. "But I suppose we can try these first. Fingers crossed." Emily: Emily nodded wearily but doing her best to pay attention to her surrounding, especially she no longer got any working headlight IdGM: The stairs stretched far beyond the reach of their lights. As they were looking up, Stephen's lamp flickered but remained on. Maddie: Maddie looked up. "Well...this isn't going to be quick. Should we rest here?" Hannah: Hannah moved up behind her and gazed up as well, disappointed by the continuing darkness. "Yeah, that's probably best. But this is good. This could be our way out." Stephen: Stephen said nothing, but seemed like he would favor rest at this point Emily: Emily nodded, "Sound like a fine idea now!" She paused for a moment, "I hope the others are doing okay as well." Hannah: Hannah pursed her lips and nodded along. "They're resourceful." Stephen: "When - if - we find our way out, we should do our best to ensure they are safe too. And if not...that they are properly remembered, at least."said Stephen, bitterly Maddie: "I'm going to do my best to make sure Muhammed is safely being punched in the face and then remembered as a piece of trash," Maddie replied, preparing for sleep. Emily: Emily finally took the chance and went to sleep. Hannah: Hannah, feeling drained but thinking the others seemed worse off, volunteered to take the first watch. IdGM: Despite the circumstances and the cold hard floor, the others dropped off with sheer exhaustion. Hannah's watch passed peacefully. Maddie woke stiff and cold but somewhat rested. Hannah: Hannah nodded wordlessly and wearily to Maddie and quickly went to sleep. You whisper to Maddie: Near the end of her watch, Maddie thought she could hear something. A faint distant sound that reminded her of times when she had gone out with the hunt sabs. You whisper to Maddie: The sound of hounds baying, back from the way they had come, somewhere beyond the secret door, which had been left open behind them.Maddie: "Wake up," Maddie hissed towards the end of her watch. "I swear I heard hounds, that way," she pointed back through the secret door. Stephen: Stephen woke up quickly, as it would soon have been his turn anyway. Emily: Emily woke up quickly, ready to act if needed. IdGM: The sounds grew louder and now everyone could hear them. Emily: Emily looked alarmed at hearing such noises, "Do we move on or find a way to close the door?" She asked others? Hannah: Hannah staggered to her feet, rubbing her eyes. "We've got to go!" Maddie: "Up the stairs," Maddie said, quickly grabbing her things Emily: Emily followed the group up the stairs. Stephen: Stephen made sure to take the knife as he ran with the others as fast as his tired legs would take him Maddie: Maddie took a rearguard position, gazing back towards the door, vibrating with anger and tension IdGM: The stairs seemed to go on forever, and the tight spiral made them all feel dizzy. Emily stumbled suddenly and Stephen had to support her. Emily: Emily muttered a thank as she tried to do her best to keep up IdGM: Eventually they reached the end of the stair and staggered out into an unexpectedly broad space. A large square room, with a tall arched doorway leading out of it. As they gazed around, they heard the sound of the hounds somewhere below. Maddie: Maddie immediately headed for the doorway. Emily: Emily quickly looked around, trying to understand the function of this room as they followed Maddie, Stephen: Stephen seemed tempted to stay in the room to better investigate its function, but he realized soon time was of the essence and resumed walking with the others IdGM: The archway led into a broad corridor. This was a very different area from the narrow passages and bad air they had been experiencing. As they hastened along, they could see that lthough not decorated with paintings or mosaic, the corridor gave onto a series of rooms which had clearly been living areas - these had plastered walls and tiled floors, with smaller rooms leading off. Suddenly they all heard the baying of hounds behind them, deep and wild. Maddie: Maddie kept moving - there was little good stopping until they reached a point where they might be able to put some kind of obstacle between them and their pursuers IdGM: The corridor ended in another archway and a long corridor beyond. A howl came from behind. It seemed no nearer nor further. Maddie: Maddie stopped. "Do you know, fuck this," she said, and turned around, waiting in a relaxed stance on the balls of her feet. "You guys can keep going if you want. Either this is a hallucination, or this is one of those 'gods' and I'm going to give them a piece of my mind and a piece of my boot." Hannah: Hannah stumbled to a halt and spun around. "Maddie..." she began to plead, but she was too out of breath to say much more, and come to think of it it was strange that the hounds hadn't gotten closer. She cocked her head, trying to listen more closely. IdGM: An outbreak of baying broke out, and this time it was definitely louder. Emily: Emily looked at Maddie if she is crazy for risking such a fate. When she looked along the new corridor, "There seems to be a door at the end of the new corridor..." Stephen: "It might me both, you know." said Stephen "Gods playing tricks on mortals - in which case I don't know if showing some bravery or playing along would be the best course of action." Maddie: Maddie had been mentally preparing what song she should play on her phone in last defiance - her mind had strayed towards A Las Barricadas, but then had there been any barricadas here she could simply have hidden behind it - but with Emily having noticed a door, she forced down the desire to make a stand here and damn the consequences. "Someday we're going to find out, and I'm going to sabotage another hunt." She turned and made towards the door Emily: Emily quickened the pace toward to door, "This door better be just a simple door!" She muttered to herself IdGM: They saw more doorways either side as they hurried along. The door at the end was very like those they had seen before - heavy and solid despite it being ancient wood. Hannah: Hannah pushed herself to make the last heavy steps to reach the door, immediately checking for a way to open it. IdGM: There were no handles or locks visible on the door. Emily: Emily gave a go with knocking on the door. IdGM: Emily almost fell in as the door swung open immediately. Maddie: Maddie headed through the door, then immediately began looking around for things she could wedge underneath to keep it shut. Emily: Emily also went in and have a quick look around at the surroundings, "I honestly didn't expect that to work." She told others in wonder. Stephen: "Too obvious, isnt it?"said Stephen worried IdGM: The tiled corridor continued beyond the door, but did not seem in such good condition. There were some broken pieces of tile on the ground. Maddie: Maddie started grabbing pieces of tile and wedging them under the door as well as she could Hannah: Hannah joined Maddie in her work, trying to strategically place the tile so that the pieces would lock together in ways that would be hard to break apart. Emily: Emily also joined them, suggesting even better places for broken tiles to be most useful in jamming the door. Maddie: "You must be good at Carcassone," Maddie said to Hannah as they frantically jammed the tiles in place. IdGM: As they raced to jam the door, they heard the blood curdling sound of hounds baying for blood, and they were very close. Hannah: "Just played it once, but I think I won," said Hannah with a weary chuckle. "Let's make a plan to play when we're out of here." She went quiet when she heard the baying, and focused on helping Emily, who seemed the most adept at this work. IdGM: Once the door was held as fast as they could make it, they moved away up the corridor. Suddenly something smashed into the door and they heard claws scraping down the wood.
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Post by Idris on Jun 15, 2018 16:06:45 GMT
Session 20 - 8/6/18 IdGM: Crashes and howls continued as the hounds - if that was indeed what they were - tried to break through the door, but it held. Another heavy door lay ahead at the end of the corridor. Maddie: Maddie immediately darted to the next door. "We should grab up more bits of tile, then we can jam this too," she said, knocking on the door. Hannah: Hannah immediately followed Maddie's suggestion, gathering more tile. IdGM: The door flew open at Maddie's first knock almost as though it had been expecting her. Stephen: Stephen hesitated for a moment but then started gathering tiles with Hannah & Maddie Maddie: Maddie stepped through, taking a quick look around IdGM: Beyond the door lay a long hall, mostly shrouded in darkness. Maddie: Gathering up pieces of tile, Maddie and the others jammed them in under this second door frame. Perhaps it was her experience - it was hardly the first time she'd barred a door against intruders with dogs, though unlike these hounds, Maddie always felt sorry for police dogs - or maybe it was just doing it for the second time, but they managed it with professional speed and Maddie felt certain their pursuers wouldn't get through for a long while. IdGM: Beyond the door, they found themselves in a broad corridor, and even in their sorry state they were aware that it must once have been splendid, floored with finely glazed tiles, with brilliant mosaics adorning the walls and a vaulted roof rising high above. Ony the last remained - all else had been savagely attacked. Great claws had gouged into the walls, ripping away large swathes of the mosaics. Hammer or axe blows had smashed the tiles. Niches at intervals along the walls had plainly held statues, but now only their plinths remained - every one had been dragged off and broken to pieces. Chunks of stone littered the floor and although an eye could be discerned here, or a hand there, it was not possible to recognise who or what any of the statues originally depicted. Stephen: "So much ruined." said Stephen, pausing for a moment to admire what beauty remained in this place Hannah: Hannah took a few deep breaths now that they didn't seem to be in immediate danger. She walked forward, her gaze sweeping across the ruined room. "This place must have been very special once. And loathed as well, it seems." Maddie: "Well it's loathed again now, so that's a kind of rebirth I guess. Hannah: Nodding, Hannah moved forward, glancing about for exits or further signs of what had happened here. Stephen: "Such desecration suggests the invaders' culture was very different from the defenders." commented Stephen "Otherwise they might have had more respect for what likely were sacred works." IdGM: As this moment Stephen's head lamp went out. Maddie: "They don't seem to have had much interest in loot either, they could have popped out those mosaic tiles I'd have thought," Maddie said. Stephen: Stephen swore and sighed as his lights went out. "And that is unusual even for a holy war," he commented dryly, trying to get a better look at what was left using the light of his companions' still working head-lamps. IdGM: With only two working headlamps, the way ahead was shadowy, filled with broken masonry. They stumbled along almost blind to the wonders on each side - heads down, muscles aching as they navigated around and sometimes over the chunks of smashed stone, each step costing more effort. The last of the water had run out, and although hunger was gnawing at their guts, the thirst was far harder to bear. Despondency gripped them all, even Hannah, as their hopes of escape lessened. The city seemed to go on forever, and it was filled with dangers. Yet as they moved slowly down the broad avenue of broken statues and savaged images, something - although none of them could have said exactly what - caused them all to raise their eyes. You whisper to Hannah: In the distance Hannah thought she could see light.Hannah: Hannah suddenly stopped, sharply drawing a breath. Then she started to move again, her pace quickening from a walk to a jog. "I think I see light!" Maddie: "Don't rush on too fast," Maddie said. "If that light really is above ground, remember there are still people with automatic weapons and explosives around." Hannah: Maddie's words caused Hannah to reevaluate her pace, and she reminded herself at the difficulty of the rubble-strewn terrain here, especially with only a headlamp. She slowed down, but continued to peer forward eagerly as she moved. IdGM: After so long in the dark bowels of the earth, it was almost unbearable to move slowly. As they came nearer, they saw that the light emanated from a great arched doorway. But the light was not shining through it. Rather, a shimmering curtain of light seemed to fill the space, concealing what lay beyond. Hannah: Hannah stopped and evaluated the archway. "I'm not easily surprised by this place anymore. The light doesn't look as threatening as some things we've seen, but that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous..." Stephen: "The light at the end of tunnel..." mused Stephen "Is sometimes a train. Still, we don't exactly have many other choices, do we?" Maddie: "I'd welcome a train, we could go and rush the snack tray," Maddie said, heading towards the archway. Hannah: "Maddie..." said Hannah as she watched her move into the lighted archway. Her instincts cried out at her to stop Maddie, to evaluate the situation more carefully. But then, what was there to evaluate? She moved after Maddie and into the light, reaching out a hand as if she might be able to grab Maddie's shoulder and drag her back if necessary. IdGM: Stephen and Emily saw Maddie vanish into the light, and Hannah a second after her. Stephen: "Can you hear me?" asked Stephen IdGM: Emily looked shocked but she boldly moved up to the light and put her arm into the shimmering curtain. As Stephen watched, she vanished from sight. Stephen: "Maddie? Hannah? Emily? Can you hear me? " asked Stephen, this time a little louder. "I don't think this is the time for this kind of prank!" he added, frustrated. After about a minute - though it felt far, far longer to him - staring at the light and hearing no reply, Stephen gave up and stepped into the light.... You whisper to Maddie: As you take a step into the light, you are held, transfixed by its radiance. You feel the light filling every part of you, inspecting your thoughts and examining your memories. A series of moments from your life, the most important and meaningful moments, plays through your mind. Moments of bravery, of passion, of rage, of compassion, of fear, of shame, of deceit, of cowardice, of failure, of joy… You feel yourself reliving each incident in detail, with all the reactions and emotions you experienced at the time.Maddie whispers: The policeman had just about given up on the diatribe he aimed at a seven year old, and gave a malevolent smile. "I've had enough of this anyway, go, and tell your idiot n*gger parents to teach you not to trespass on private property again. God, who am I kidding, you fuckers never learn anyway. Go, you stupid black bitch!" Maddie fled home, tears pouring down her face, shivering and wracked with sobs. What parents was she going to tell to do anything? Her father was gone now to some whole other continent. When they'd still been together, her parents had told her there were people who would say things because of the colour of her skin, but she'd never expected to encounter it so flagrantly, and from one of the police at that. "I'm not a n*gger," she managed to mumble as her tears began to subside. "Mom is white, and she's the one who stayed with me," she began to cry again. "I'm not a n*gger, I'm white!"
Maddie whispers: She floated through a haze of weed and hash cakes as some of their comrades played Propagandhi or Anti-Flag covers. They were making more of a hash of it than their dealers, but that could hardly have bothered her mood. The arms factory was kept under close guard most days, but this little outbuilding, they'd learned, was only used for training, and was indeed due to be used as such when the weekend was over. Except when they came, they'd do so to find it scrawled with anti-imperialist slogans and the walls daubed with shit. Maddie gave a lazy, stoned smile and looked at her phone.
A noise that seemed out of place intruded. Crunch.
Maddie whispers: Dio's lips and tongue spread fire over every inch of Maddie's body as ecstasy and relief filled her brain in equal measure. It had been the better part of a year since Dio had started her hormone therapy, and every time Maddie had been back in Athens since, she'd had no desire to speak of. Maddie wanted to be supportive, but she'd begun to fear that the estrogen now in Dio's body had changed things and that the spark of attraction had gone out. Maddie screamed as she climaxed again and slid into bliss.
Maddie whispers: "Oh fucking shut it," Scot said with a dismissive wave. "You're a girl, to start with, and besides haven't you been expelled twice before? Your mom will probably get fired if you get thrown out of another school, she can't control a class if she can't even control you. Now run along." Maddie stayed right where she was and leaned in close to Scot's face. "Leave Ali alone. Don't text her, don't talk to her, don't talk about her, don't go near her. I'm not going to give you another warning. And she didn't. It was only two days later when Ali told her Scot had escalated from comments and unwelcome texts to actually grabbing her on the way out of class. Maddie didn't give a shit about what trouble it caused, no one was going to fuck with her and her friends that way. She stood at the water fountain having a very long drink and watching Scot at his locker out of the corner of his eye. When he locked up and turned his back for a moment, she pounced. Scot was athletic and big, but no doubt he'd been expecting Maddie to fight fair. She'd managed to drop him with three heavy blows to the head and then stomp on his groin twice before four other students pulled her off him.
The feel of a human skull beneath her foot. She felt as thought she ought to rebound or recoil in some way, but her boot still descended.
Maddie whispers: She'd made contact with the squatters' network in Paris two days after she arrived and her father embraced her. She'd promised him and Mom that she'd at least try to go back to school or to work a bit and help out, but she'd never meant a word of it. It was very helpful to have a European passport though. There were quite a few places she wanted to see, and now, for the low price of lying to her parents, she was going to. It took about two weeks before her father started making pointed comments, and maybe another week before Maddie exploded in rage. Oh, it had been a cost to him to get her French citizenship, one he couldn't easily bear, but he didn't need to get dramatic about it. After two more weeks she reached the end of her tether, took her things, and went to find somewhere to sleep. She probably ought to leave him a note or send him a text so he knew where she'd be, but she was too angry to bother with that. Let him stew about it for a few days.
Maddie whispers: Maddie had never been stabbed before, but that wound was healing quickly. As a comrade from elsewhere on Lesbos arrived to drive them away surreptitiously, however, the real wound was the sound of neo-Nazis singing out in the streets about how they'd chased off the reds and illegals. All night, the fash would be out getting pissed and harassing anyone brown or queer or just in their way, and there was nothing they could do to stop them. It was a fucking miracle they'd not come and attacked them again already. She heard the car pull up outside. She stood up, pain lanced through her shoulder, and she forced herself to bear it and keep going. This is what happens if we lose. Never again. NEVER AGAIN.
The reverberation up her leg was immense, and the sound of cracking bone resounded in her ears, and her heart froze. Oh sure, in front and bravado, she'd more than once said that the only good Nazi was a dead Nazi, but she'd never thought she was going to actually kill someone herself. It was harder and easier than she'd dared to imagine.You whisper to Hannah: As you take a step into the light, you are held, transfixed by its radiance. You feel the light filling every part of you, inspecting your thoughts and examining your memories. A series of moments from your life, the most important and meaningful moments, plays through your mind. Moments of bravery, of passion, of rage, of compassion, of fear, of shame, of deceit, of cowardice, of failure, of joy… You feel yourself reliving each incident in detail, with all the reactions and emotions you experienced at the time.
Hannah whispers: She sees a small hand reaching up through dark water. Her little sister is drowning in the lake. She looks around, frantic, realizing that her parents have gone off to retrieve something from the car. She hesitates for only a moment before diving in. Her sister is far out there, farther than she’s used to swimming, having never liked the water much. Her hand has disappeared under the water. But Hannah is gripped with new strength born of courage. She pushes forward and dives under, grabbing her sister and dragging her up and toward the shore, barely keeping her own head above water. The both splutter and cough as she drags her sister onto the shore, her frantic parents rushing up to them.
Hannah whispers: She’s walking into a bar, still wearing her work clothes, makeup removed as quickly as she could. It has been a series of long days working for a shitty company trying to squeeze an extra tax writeoff out of charity done only for its public image. She plops down at the bar and orders a Long Island Iced Tea. “You look like shit,” says a voice nearby, but with good natured humor. She turns and sees a woman with tattoos on her arms, blue-frosted hair, and a lopsided grin with some crooked teeth. She isn’t anything like the people Hannah had been spending her days with, and she is beautiful. The night is full of vivid memories standing out from a haze of alcohol and laughter, as she gets to know Zadie. Walking the energetic streets of Capitol Hill where they would later live together, Zadie looking awkwardly around at the fancy accoutrements of Hannah’s apartment as if afraid she would break something, lying together out on the balcony and looking up at the stars, talking about everything and nothing.
Hannah whispers: “Ching chong! Ching chong!” calls one of the boys. Hannah clutches her fists, flushed with rage and embarrassment, looking around at the other students who are studiously avoiding getting involved. She’s the quiet girl without many friends and who doesn’t fight back, while the boys make other kids afraid. “Me ruv you rong time!” says another boy, laughing. Hannah suddenly flies forward, vision clouded with tears, punching and scratching at him. His friends are so shocked that it takes them a while to drag her off, and he’s already got a black eye and a bloody lip. She remembers most vividly the fear in his eyes, and enjoys it.
Hannah whispers: She sits opposite a crying young man, deflated in his seat, telling her about how his mother is going to be sent away since an angry employer reported her to ICE. She’s barely able to respond to him, all of her words feeling like platitudes, but she knows deep in her heart that she’s going to do everything she can to keep them together.
Hannah whispers: The clicks of the roller coaster grow slower, and there is a strange grinding that doesn’t sound right. Their carriage comes to a slow stop. Before she can stop herself, she’s looked over the edge, and can see they’re stuck at least fifty feet up, angled slightly upward so it feels like they could slide back at any moment. Her dad whispers comforting words, saying they’ll be bringing a ladder and getting them out soon, but the panic is welling up in her. She clutches his hand tightly like a life raft, the ground below swimming before her even as she keeps her eyes clenched shut.
Hannah whispers: She’s sitting at the foot of her bed, hands together in prayer. Usually the words come easily, but this time they’re very hard, because the sin feels real to her, imparted from hundreds of sermons and unthinking comments from her parents. “Dear God,” she whispers, “please cleanse my mind of impure thoughts.”
Hannah whispers: Her hands are shaking as she holds the phone. Her mother asks her how she’s doing. She’s behind on credit card payments, compulsively cleaning to get over the guilt of not studying enough even as she studies too much, lonely and isolated. “I’m fine!” she says. “How’s everyone at home?”
Hannah whispers: She’s holding a pen and a piece of scratch paper, standing at the kitchen counter in her and Zadie’s home. She’s about to depart on her trip to Turkey. They’d been fighting, and Zadie suggested some time away from work – and, unstated, herself – would do Hannah some good. She’s supposed to arrive in an hour to take Hannah to the airport. Hannah thinks about all the things she could say, the honest feelings she could express if she weren’t too afraid to let even this person she loves know those parts of herself, the angers she’s harbored that might be cleansed if they confronted them together. Instead she writes a brief note, saying she had to leave early because traffic to the airport was supposed to be rough.
Hannah whispers: She’s holding the phone pressed against her cheek, the sobs coming unbidden. She’d failed the bar exam, having stayed up all night with anxious insomnia. She knows dad will be mad. Why had she worked so hard for this if she didn’t have the brains to do it? Her mother’s soothing voice emanates from the phone’s speaker, telling her it’s alright, she can take it again. It doesn’t make her feel okay, but it eases the tightness in her chest a little.
Hannah whispers: The sounds of laughter and love fill her ears. Zadie smiles over from the seat next to her at the dinner table, and she looks around at Zadie’s family, all welcoming and funny and thoughtful. Hannah’s dad hadn’t taken it well when she told her parents she was getting married, and her mother had worked more to appease him than to show her happiness to Hannah, even if it was there. But here she was embraced, and stuffed full of tahdig and lamb kebabs, and regaled with endless family stories. Here love overwhelmed all guilt.You whisper to Emily: As you take a step into the light, you are held, transfixed by its radiance. You feel the light filling every part of you, inspecting your thoughts and examining your memories. A series of moments from your life, the most important and meaningful moments, plays through your mind. Moments of bravery, of passion, of rage, of compassion, of fear, of shame, of deceit, of cowardice, of failure, of joy… You feel yourself reliving each incident in detail, with all the reactions and emotions you experienced at the time.Ever since Emily was little, she always loved horses. Having a little cuddly toy horse and playing on the rocking horse at her Granny's home during the weekends and attending the shows with her family. Emily was bought to a local horse riding centre by her Granny when she was six and spent a time around horses, caring for them and observing them as even the gentlest horse in the stable can be dangerous. Eventually, she finally had a chance to ride a pony under a careful supervision, as a pony trotted around the field, she truly enjoys horse riding, which made it her moment of joy which remains with her since then.
Emily never like to see pets or beasts suffers. She was struck by an incident while out on her patrol in the estate. Emily stumbled across a red deer, clearly suffering from a malady which the deer have no hope to recover from. Out of sympathetic pity and concern for this dying creature, she took out a very sharp knife from her belt and stuck it into the neck, cutting so it severs main arteries. She grimaced, watching the deer bleeding out. Better to die sooner than to prolong unneeded suffering. Emily told herself thoughtfully as she stared across the landscape of her home.
Outside, among the glens, hills and mountains of the Highlands, she always prefers to be on her own, away from her parents whose relationship is on the rocks. Increasingly fed up on whose sides she have to pick among between them, Emily prefers the peace and a certain reliability of the outdoors. On a winter weekend when she went out on a short hike, Emily managed to get lost and as the night fall, she managed to stumble onto a bothy. Against her expectation, she managed to get the fire in the fireplace started out of bare minimum, slowly warming up the cold stone floor. As Emily looked at the flicker of the small fire, she smiled with barely controllable emotion as she reflected on serene landscape against the harsh words at home.
Back when Emily was twelve, she had an accident playing which sprained her right ankle to the point that she couldn't perform the dance. The doctors told her to take a bed rest. She was wondering how her best friend Jessica was doing in the competition which she couldn't attend and was wondering why she didn't get back to her during the day. At first, she was annoyed about it, increasingly impatient about not getting any text messages back, but her Granny came in later in the day who then became her guardian came in pale. Sitting down with her on the bed, she was told that Jessica had a terrible accident and died in a car crash. As the tears fell down on Emily's face, a sense of shame filled her for doubting Jessica.
It wasn't too long before her parents' arguments became too physical to be around at home. Mum and Dad starts to believe that her refusal to pick a side is a personal affront to them. Worse still, they see something of each other in her and only in her. Her silence in ignoring their argument eventually burst into anger as she was slapped on the face. Emily fled from the kitchen in fear with her cheek still stinging as she was told to come back sternly. As she locked the bedroom door, she slid down the door and stared down, afraid of what else it could happened to her. She was already being ignored, having to look after herself at home with one or both of them away from home increasingly often.You whisper to Stephen: As you take a step into the light, you are held, transfixed by its radiance. You feel the light filling every part of you, inspecting your thoughts and examining your memories. A series of moments from your life, the most important and meaningful moments, plays through your mind. Moments of bravery, of passion, of rage, of compassion, of fear, of shame, of deceit, of cowardice, of failure, of joy… You feel yourself reliving each incident in detail, with all the reactions and emotions you experienced at the time.Stephen bisbiglia: Stephen could hear the sounds echo in his head - the gunfire, the explosion, the shouting and loudest of all, the closing of the Great Door. in his head. It had happened so suddenly and so fast that in the moment he simply didn't believe it, as if it had been a wild hallucination or unpleasant daydream. Yet there had been signs before, as the expedition, for all the wonderous discoveries they had made, had seemed cursed from the start. But it was one thing to face a wild bear up close or fall from a horse or see people fall ill and another to feel truly and completely trapped here, deep below the earth, by and with a fanatic who only wished his death. Fear gripped him - as beautiful as the city was, he would rather live and die peacefully in his bed in his old age than be killed here only to rot to one more skeleton for some future archeologist to find. But he knew he could neither flee nor hide - at least not for long - and there were others with him. As he took one of the light stands he knew had to be brave, or at least try and stand up the aggressors - surely if so many had done so in thousands of years of human history he too could do it, or had all these books taught him nothing in the end?
Stephen bisbiglia: It was Stephen's first day teaching as a full professor, and he didn't bother to hide that he was positively joyful and excited - and only slightly nervous - as he waved to another teacher just before entering the classroom. Being an assistant had been gratifying enough, but this was something else entirely - he had far more freedom to write his own course curriculum and decide on extracurricular activities. His fellow professors were all quite competent - this was Cambridge, after all - but Stephen thought their teaching methods and focus on dry, technical details left something to be desidered when it came to catching their students' attention. As he sized the assembled students he thought that it was a good sized class - slightly larger than the previous year's - and that this was a good sign. He would soon show them that history was far more than kings and wars and politics and how this country fought this other one. Of course, these were all important things, but alone they would never tell the full picture - what about the actual day-to of the people, their wishes and fears? What did they do when they weren't fighting, working or praying? And did they too think about these things, when thinking about their remote ancestors? It was his passion to find out more about these things, and he had always felt that by finding out more about the people of the past, he could find more about those of the present and perhaps even the future, or at least himself. As he picked up the chalk, smiling, he thought that he would do his best to share this passion with his students...
Stephen bisbiglia: Stephen had never been the type to get angry easily, but as he read the news he grew so furious he had to take a break and put his smartphone and teacup back on the desk and take a very deep breath. Shaking with rage, he wondered how could so many people be so stupid as to vote to leave the European Union. It would be a disaster. The EU was far from perfect, as even its most ardent supporters would admit - and Stephen, being a lukewarm one, had more than a few doubts about the bureaucrats in Bruxelles - but leaving was idiocy. The consequences for the economy and freedom of movement would be bad enough, but more than that Stephen couldn't accept what it meant culturally - once again people had believed lies, slander and exaggerations meant to put them against others and became convinced that the problems with their country were caused by immigrants and wicked foreign conspiracies and that nationalism would solve everything. It was so common as to be a clichè - Stephen thought history had truly taught them nothing.
Stephen bisbiglia: Stephen never liked lying, but he knew sometimes it was kindest option - the truth could be a terrible, dreadful thing and not everyone could live with it. And sometimes, he found it hard to blame them, even if he believed he had very good reasons not to share their assessment of the situation. Stephen was initially charmed by Karen, a girl met her during his brief trip to the United States, but his infatuation didn't last long, and she seemed oblivious to the fact, despite this being obvious to both Stephen and his friends. They simply weren't made for each other as her glamourous lifestyle and carefree personality meshed poorly with Stephen's more academic interests; however he did care enough for her feelings enough to come up with some excuses for why they should just be friends when she kept contacting him after he had gone back to the UK rather than telling her he was simply not interested anymore - so he told her that his family simply couldn't accept him having a relationship with an American woman (a big lie, for his parents were anything but old fashioned), and that he didn't have the heart to see her behind their back.
"Is anyone there? James? Tom?" Stephen asked nervously thinking he'd noticed some rustling coming from the bushes. No reply came. It was late autumn and though the days were not yet especially cold they were starting to grow shorter. In about half an hour it would truly dark and even if he was not that far from home Stephen dreaded the thought of being lost in the woods at night. He was fifteen and some friends from school had invited him for a walk there. He had not been especially interested, but his parents had insisted he should go, telling him that that the fresh air would do some good and that he shouldn't spend so much time on his books, and in the end he decided to go along. Initially, he did not regret this - the woods were truly beautiful this time of the year, and they even saw a couple of foxes in the distance, though they quickly ran away when they tried to approach them - but at some point ten minutes ago he'd gotten distracted looking at an especially majestic tree and his friends had simply vanished as if into thin air, leaving him alone. He could not remember the way back home as he'd never been here before, unlike the others, and as the light gradually grew dim the woods seemed to slowly but inexorably turn from beautiful to menacing, as if every rustling and sound might hide a dangerous wild predator. This was England, of course, so at least he wouldn't have to worry about bears or wolves - but what if he met a boar or venomous snake before he could find his friends again? What if his attempts to find his way back backfired and he ended up getting lost further in the forest? The woods weren't small and people rarely came here, despite their beauty. Of course he had already tried to use his phone to call his friends - it had been his first thought - but the signal had been terrible, as it often was in the countryside. Stephen took a deep breath and called out again "Can you hear me?" he shouted. Again, he heard no reply - until he could make out poorly restrained laugh a good ten yards behind him, mocking him. Recognizing that laugh he quickly turned around to see James and Tom had been hiding behind some shrubs and were coming out just now, still laughing. Stephen's cheeks blushed red with shame as he realized he'd never been in any real danger and had simply fallen for a prank. "You should have seen your face! Looked like you thought something was going to eat you." said Tom, still barely holding in his laugh "We're like three miles from town, Steve." added James "Let's get back before it's dark. And come on, don't be angry, it was just a silly joke!"IdGM: They had no idea how long they spent in the light - it could have been five minutes or five hours, or have taken no time at all. All they knew was they had experienced something that was out of this world. One by one they fell out of the doorway, hardly keeping their footing as they stumbled forward. Somehow their minds and hearts had been read and their souls tested, but whether by a machine, or an alien intelligence, or something else entirely they really couldn’t have said. They only knew that at the end of the testing, they had been allowed to step forward - this much knowledge had been vouchsaved to them. What might have happened to them if they had failed, they didn’t like to imagine. Maddie: "I really should have just gone to prison," Maddie said, groaning. "If you're going to be so fucking rude as to read my mind, then let me read yours!" She sat down heavily and was silent for a while. "I...I fucking killed someone. I...crushed his face beneath my foot. Jesus Christ," she finally said, pulling her hood up. Her face was grey. Hannah: Hannah's body was shaking as she stumbled out of the light, and yet there was a glow of joy about her too, all the emotions she had just experienced warring within her but the best ones seemingly winning out. When she found herself back in physical reality, she seemed to deflate. She didn't even notice as tears began rolling down her face, all those memories that she'd locked away carefully suddenly exposed. She staggered over and sat next to Maddie, and reached out one arm to embrace her, feeling an intense need for real human contact. With what Maddie had said she knew how horrifying the reliving of those memories must have been for her, but she didn't have any words worth saying. IdGM: Emily came out of the light, as pale and shaky as themselves, and sat next to them in silence. Maddie: Maddie gave Hannah a hug. "It's ok," she said quietly. "We're going to get out of this." Hannah: Hannah looked at Maddie and found a faint smile coming to her face even as she tasted the salt of her tears. That was the most... tender thing she'd ever heard from Maddie. "I hope you're right. I think you're right" She wiped her eyes and put her other arm around Emily's shoulders, looking behind her to watch for Stephen. Stephen: Stephen's reaction was something between pure shock and wonder - as if he would not speak because what had just happened was beyond the spoken or written word and could not be described in terms such as 'good', 'bad', 'happy' or 'sad', but after some time spent he seemed to recover - or perhaps come down from an exalted state, no one could tell - enough to recognize the others. IdGM: Once they had come back to themselves enough to take in their surroundings, they found themselves just inside a massive room. A huge rectangular pool lined with gleaming sea-green tiles occupied virtually the entire floor space, lit by a soft light that seemed to come from somewhere high above. A short distance in front of them marble steps led down into the pool, where fragrant steam rose from the crystal clear water.
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Post by Idris on Jun 22, 2018 9:48:24 GMT
Session 21 - 15/6/2018 IdGM: Now they were able to look about them, they found themselves in a massive room, in the centre of which a huge rectangular pool lined with gleaming sea-green tiles occupied virtually the entire floor space. Marble steps led down into the pool, where fragrant steam rose from the crystal clear water, which glowed in a soft light that seemed to come from somewhere high above. There was no way up or out, apart from through the water. Maddie: Maddie looked around. "Well, if we have to go through the water anyway, I'll have a quick bath. Shouldn't fuck about for too long though, we might have something to drink here but still no food. We should fill our bottles." Maddie rummaged in her pack. She cupped her hands and took a small drink of the water in the pool, wanting to test it before filling their bottles - though truthfully, they probably didn't have much choice. IdGM: The water was sweet although rather too warm and scented for a drink. Stephen: Stephen looked slightly perplexed to see Maddie drink so casually from the pool, but said nothing and seemed relieved when there seemed to be no adverse reaction, at least for the moment Maddie: Maddie spat it out. "Figures. Well..." she ran her fingers through her hair, then began to peel her clothes off. Emily: Emily took some time to recover from a cold stare, reflecting upon her experiences. Eventually, she looked around, taking stock of the surroundings. She dipped a finger into the pool and tasted the liquid, she looked surprised at how sweet it is. "Sweet." She commented. IdGM: It tasted as though scented with some sweet herb. Maddie: Maddie walked down the stone steps and into the pool, soaking in the water and letting the encrusted sweat and grime wash away. Hannah: "I suppose I could use a quick bath too," said Hannah, looking away from Maddie. "My whole body aches." She moved some distance away and stripped down to her underwear, deciding that if they were going to have to swim through the water to exit anyway she might as well keep some modesty. Then she dipped herself slowly into the water and sat on one of the steps, briefly dunking her head under the surface and then letting herself relax for a few moments. Maddie: a few times while she soaked, Maddie took a deep breath and let herself dive under the water for a short period, having a glance around towards the bottom of the pool to see if she could spot anything that would indicate a way out. Emily: Emily slowly and wearily took off her dirty clothings leaving them piled on one side. Once she finished washing herself efficiently and with lots of practice as if she is used to washing herself in outdoors in cold lochs. Eventually, she reached for her clothings and gave them a scrubbing quickly to remove much dirt and sweets as possible to at least to make it clear. IdGM: Maddie could see that the sides of the pool were decorated to form an underwater scene. Images of fish, dolphins and other sea creatures surrounded them, appearing and disappearing behind bright corals and waving weeds which almost seemed to move as she swam past. Maddie: Maddie popped back above water and told the others what she'd seen. "So whatever fucking genius brought us here can have scented baths with pretty decor and mind-reading teleportation devices, but no fucking food. Wherever we are, there's still a bourgeoisie here." Stephen: Stephen put some distance between himself and the women to preserve some modesty - or at least, the appareance of it - and washed himself, at first nervously, as if he was worried he water might hurt him, but eventually calmly and deliberately, as if wanting to fully immerge himself in the essence of this place, whathever it was. IdGM: Gradually they all entered the pool, walking slowly and carefully down the steps. The water came to their knees but deepened until they could swim. The water’s gentle scented warmth surrounded them, washing away blood and grime, easing aches and pains, and soothing their spirits. Emily found that the dirt seemed to float off the clothes with very little hard work. Maddie: She decided Emily had the right idea and started to wash her own clothes, taking care not to accidentally scrub the patches off her jacket Hannah: "I could do with some damn Dr. Bronner's," muttered Hannah to herself as she scrubbed her skin with her hands, trying to remove the sweat and grime. She suddenly grimaced, having been reminded of Zadie by something as simple as a soap she'd introduced her to. She dunked her head underwater one more time, rubbing her face. Then she surfaced again and emulated the others in quickly washing her clothes. "We'd better move on soon." Maddie: "Moving on would be a great idea if there was somewhere to move on to," said Maddie. "I didn't see anything below." Stephen: "This is obviously no ordinary pool."said Stephen, speaking more loudly so that they could hear him "It must have been built as a place of both spiritual and physical cleansing." Emily: Emily moved forward, taking a practised stroke despite her mental and physical exhaustion. Hannah: "It seems like it was built with going through that light in mind," said Hannah weakly. She glanced around. "I suggest we swim forward keeping to one side, so we have the wall to orient us, just in case." Maddie: Maddie's lip curled. "What, some kind of ritual cleansing or something? Fucking priests...fine, I'll go first." IdGM: Once they started swimming up the pool, they were all aware of the water scene around them. The water creatures were soon joined by other beings - a group of Mer-people, a darkly handsome young man with a horse’s tail and hooves, and seals with human eyes. Hannah: Hannah kept her eyes focused forward and concentrated on taking deep breaths above water, her recent vision of her sister's near-drowning still vivid in her mind. Emily: Emily looked closely at these figures, "Look like that the seals are Selkies." She muttered as she paused for a moment, paddling the waters Maddie: "Knew a family of Selkies back home, but they didn't have anything to do with seals," said Maddie. Stephen: "Selkies...and kelpies" said Stephen "Shapechanging spirits of the waters." IdGM: In the soft light, they could now see that the walls above the pool were also decorated - a painted landscape of hills and meadows, trees and a rippling brook running through it all, and again peopled with creatures including deer and hares and birds flying in the sky. Again gradually they were joined by beings of legend - pale slender women holding their long fingers to the sky, dark and bearded men with the horns and legs of goats, winged horses and unicorns and others more mysterious flitting through the backgrounds. There was even what was decidedly intended to be a human man and woman, brown skinned and perfectly proportioned, running along with the rest. All were naked and all moving in the same direction, as they were. Stephen: "Both from celtic folklore, too - just like the hounds. Interesting, isn't it?" Emily: "Very" Emily said in wonder. "What is this place?!" Maddie: Maddie squinted up at the picture. "I wish I could show this to some Nazis and they could start crying about political correctness sticking people of colour into ancient artwork," she groused. "I can't imagine my Twitter will work down here though." Stephen: "Fauns and nymphs," said Stephen admiring the wall decorations as they swam "But do look at the humans - it's almost as if they were leading the way..." IdGM: As they moved forward, openings appeared on each side, arches leading into small rooms. They could see steps leading up through the water to each of them. Emily: Emily paused, "Let's take the first right or left and see what is inside?" She suggested. Hannah: Hannah listened to Stephen describe what they were seeing silently, holding her clothes and other gear above water as best she could. When they came upon the rooms, she immediately moved toward the closer steps on the right. Emily: Emily followed Hannah to the right, preferring safety in numbers. IdGM: The pool was slightly shallower here, about shoulder deep. Maddie: Maddie followed the others IdGM: The room was square and simple, with plain tiles and a stone bench along one wall, reminiscent of a changing room but with a hole in one corner. Emily: Emily winced, finally seeing a place to do a business. "I am going to take a shit." She said bluntly as she went up the steps, rummaging for some tissues in the pack as the waters dropping from her rather worn body with scars crossing over her back. Eventually, she managed to did her business, cleaning herself before heading back into the pool. Maddie: Maddie shrugged and went to check another chamber while Emily did her business Hannah: Hannah followed Maddie. Stephen: Stephen did likewise, wishing to give Emily as much privacy as possible but realizing separating himself from the others would not be safe IdGM: Emily managed without trouble, although it was rather tense having to use the dark hole in the floor, knowing there were rats and other things living in the city. Hannah: Hannah caught a quick glance at Emily's scars as she turned away, but didn't say anything. It seemed like something that might have already been made fresh for Emily, having passed through the light. IdGM: The other chambers were similar, each with its bench and toilet hole. Emily: Emily looked satisfied sorting out her business and she kept continuing, following the group further on Stephen: "Surprisingly clean."commented Stephen "But otherwise weirdly ordinary for a place like this." IdGM: As they passed the last of the small chambers, they could see the glow of lights ahead. At the end of the pool, steps led up to a stone platform in front of a massive archway in finely carved stone. Hannah: Hannah dragged herself out of the water and and shook herself to get as dry as possible before putting her clothes back on, looking through the archway as she did so. Emily: Emily finally reached the steps and once she emerged from the water, she decided to get dressed with cleaner clothes she washed earlier on IdGM: Coming out onto the platform, Hannah felt a warm dry wind coming from somewhere above her. Maddie: Maddie quickened her pace. She had long since lost patience with mystery and where there was light there might be answers - if anyone was there, she doubted they'd be able to come on them unawares anyhow Stephen: Stephen came up and shook himself to throw some water off before dressing himself , looking more comfortable after having done so despite still being far from dry. Maddie: Maddie pulled her clothes back on, not bothering to wait to dry beyond a quick shake. At her side, her fingers clenched and flexed into a fist repeatedly. Stephen: "This warm air is weirdly convenient after such a swim."commented Stephen "I wonder if this too is something they designed." IdGM: Standing on the platform for a few minutes made an appreciable difference, and they felt far less damp. Hannah: "Or we're close," said Hannah, though she only half-dared to hope. "Either way, we should keep moving." Emily: Emily closed her eyes, glad to enjoy warm dry wind drying herself and the clothes she is wearing Maddie: Maddie stretched, plucked at her badges for a moment, and then strode on ahead. IdGM: They moved forward together. The archway was the largest they had seen by far, and made them feel small as they walked through it. What lay beyond took their breath away. An enormous cathedral-like space, but not plain stone like a cathedral. Here the pillars were carved to look like trees, reaching to a great dome of cerulean blue, like the arc of heaven itself. The floor green as grass with bright flowers between. They felt they had walked into a sacred grove. Maddie: Some irrational part of her wanted to find something to chalk 'MADDIE WUZ HERE' into the pillars, but instead she suppressed the urge and looked around Stephen: Stephen's gaze followed one of the tree-pillars from the base to the dome. Despite all the things he had seen before, he still seemed impressed. Emily: "Amazing." Emily breathed as she looked around the sights IdGM: Moving into the space, they could see an area of light to one side. It came from above to illuminate something resembling a side chapel, if this had actually been a cathedral. Maddie: Maddie headed towards this space Emily: Noting when Maddie is heading off toward a site of interest, Emily followed her IdGM: Within the curved space, a statue stood upon a wide pedestal. A extraordinarily detailed and perfectly carved statue of a most beautiful mature woman, tall, full breasted and wide hipped. On her arm she carried a woven basket filled with fruit of some kind. Gold and green light spilled down around her, illuminating her face, which seemed to look at them with calm, kindly eyes. Maddie: Maddie glanced up, wondering if the light came from the sun or some other source. "Emily, could you tell what direction the sun is looking up at that? Assuming we're even looking at sunlight." Stephen: "We should stick together as closely as possible."said Stephen as they all followed Maddie towards the light. He recognized the statue "Idunn. Keeper of the golden apples of immortality and wife of Bragi, god of poetry. Once tricked by Loki so that a giant could turn into an eagle and kidnap her." Emily: Emily narrowed her eyes, "Well, as far as I can see, it is sunlight that is most likely directed by mirror but through some coloured glasses. The good news is that it is actual daylight sunlight getting used." She smiled confidently. IdGM: Despite the emotional rigours of the testing and their enfeebled state, a feeling of complete peace and tranquility descended over them as they gazed on the statue. Somehow the pain and horror weighing down their souls became a little less unbearable as they gazed at her. Emily: Emily closed her eyes, basking in the warm glow of a most beautiful goddess. Her faith in God has been shaken by her past, lonely as it is but maybe, there is a glimmer of faith after all in this ugly yet beautiful world. Hannah: "This place hasn't been so bad since we passed through the light," said Hannah. "If we had food, it would even feel safe. Maybe that means we're close to the end." Maddie: Maddie gazed at the statue in annoyance. "Some real apples would be nice, not ones made of stone." Stephen: "It must be as I said. We went through a path of ritual purification. Ordinarily I would not believe that such rituals have power beyond the psychological - though that can certainly be a powerful influence - but considering our situation and all we've seen and experienced before..." said Stephen, oddly serene Maddie: "Purification from what, have we fucking done something wrong?" Maddie snapped. "Jesus Christ, I swear, the last king with the entrails of the last priest." Stephen: "I didn't imply we were atoning for something we did." said Stephen, slowly, as if choosing every word carefully "Look at it like metaphorically washing away the burdens and worries we brought with us in this place. " Maddie: Maddie looked at Steve as if he were an idiot. "The main burden I brought with me is that I'm really hungry, and if you could eat a metaphor then politicians talking about the invisible hand of the market and rising tides lifting all boats could solve world hunger. Unfortunately I prefer potatoes to poetry." Maddie turned and looked for some way they could continue on. Hannah: Hannah rubbed her temples, finding Maddie's frustration intruding into her brief tranquility. Still, she couldn't argue that food wasn't more important, and she too began looking for an exit. IdGM: They saw no sign of an exit, apart from the archway they had entered by. Another statue stood in a curved space further along. Emily: Emily wanders over to another statue, wondering what it is this time. IdGM: The next is of a man, a powerful, muscular figure clad in some kind of armour, his hair flowing behind him as he leans on the haft of a massive hammer. The statue stands firm, bathed in violet and gold light. His face is fierce and strong but he wears a smile - it is the face of a hero who would lead from the front and be a true friend. As they gaze at him they feel something of his great strength enter their bodies Hannah: "Chris Hemsworth?" said Hannah wryly. Maddie: Maddie snorted. "If this ends with me destroying Asgard I can be satisfied with that." Emily: Emily looked surprised as if her exhaustion has been washed away. "This is really strange. Why do I feel I just had a good night sleep..." She smiled at the two statues and made sure to thank them. "Thank you." even though she feel silly for thanking to all intents and purposes, just stone statues. Stephen: "I think this one needs no introductions, so I'll spare you the details for once. No need to...hammer the point home." Stephen said chuckling at his own joke IdGM: The statues may have been stone but they seemed as though they had been carved from life. They continued round the vast space, examining further statues while looking for a way out. There was a tall and slender young woman in a cloak of feathers and an extraordinary necklace, holding a spear. Next a tall and stately woman with a lion beside her and a diadem on her head. Beyond her a man of extraordinary beauty leaning on a spear, and then a massive man with wild hair and beard all tangled with weeds and holding a trident. Stephen: Stephen paused for a short while before speaking, needing a few seconds to gather his thoughts. He pointed at the statues in an oddly respectful matter - one by one as he introduced them: "Freyjia, goddess of sex, fertility, love and war, adorned with her magical feather cloak she would use to turn into an eagle and dwarf-forged necklace Brisingamen, which she paid for dearly... Next, Inanna, Queen of Heaven, with roughly the same spheres of influence - I hope you remember both of them from earlier. Now, this one ..." he pointed to the preeternaturally handsome man "I'm not so sure about - could be Baldr, the god of light, slain by a mistletoe arrow through Loki's treachery or Aengus, one of the Tuatha de Dannan and a god of love, youth and poetry. Last but not least, you might think we have Poseidon and that is certainly a reasonable guess, but if the other one is Aengus I'd lean towards Mannann mac Lir instead, the Son of the Sea and a trickster and psychopomp." Maddie: Maddie sat tapping her foot and when Steve had finished, simply turned and went to look for a path out Emily: Emily took a closer look at these figures, admiring the so lifelike figures. "Very intresting Stephen." IdGM: There were other statues, making a dozen in all. The final pair were the most interesting. The first was of a young girl, hardly in her teens from the look of her, astride a rearing horse. She wore trousers and rode bareback without even a halter to control the animal. When they looked closely, a bow hung over her shoulders and a quiver of arrows at her side. Hannah: Hannah showed somewhat more interest in Stephen's knowledge than she had before being refreshed. "We've seen such a mix of cultures, though not from across the world. We'd probably be able to work out the geographic scope if we took the time." Still, like Maddie her first priority was getting out, so she too went to look for an exit. Emily: Emily can't but help admire the young girl one the most, "Who is she?" She asked Stephen. Stephen: Stephen smiled, obviously understanding Emily's interest "Epona, goddess of horses and other equines - ponies might be named after her. One of the few celtic goddesses who was eventually worshipped in Rome too." "You do well to think about this Hannah, but people travelled and shared their myths and culture even thousands of years ago, but natural barriers and distance would still be an issue. I'm not surprised to not see any deities from East Asia, Africa or the Americas - though, considering how unusual this place is, I would not be too shocked if we later found some of them too!" Maddie: "You'd expect to see some gods from Africa, it's closer to Turkey than Scandinavia," Maddie replied. Hannah: "Perhaps these are the gods contained by some empire we didn't know about," suggested Hannah while she looked around. Emily: Emily nodded as she watched at Epona upon the rearing horse and sighed wistfully before turning her attention back to the topic at hand.. IdGM: They moved on to the last statue. This was of a mature and majestic powerfully built man leaning on a staff. His other hand was held out in a gesture of generosity towards a large cauldron. A black bird perched on his shoulder. Maddie: Maddie wandered over and walked up onto the plinth, wanting to take a glance into the cauldron. "Maybe this fucker has something cooking." IdGM: As Maddie touched the cauldron she felt something pass through her, something almost like an electric shock. Stephen: "He has something of Odin to him."said Stephen "But the cauldron makes me think of Dadga, a god of fertility, masculinity, magic and wisdom - the last two things fit Odin too, of course." You whisper to Maddie: Maddie found that she could not remove her hand from the cauldron, and she had to stay frozen in place. Yet she felt no pain or ill effect, in fact she felt a wave of well-being flood over her. It was as if she had eaten the finest meal of her life.IdGM: Maddie stood like a statue herself, frozen in place with her hand on the cauldron. Maddie: "Umm...guys I...can't move," Maddie said, trying to pull her hand away from the cauldron. "On the positive side, I feel like I've just eaten the fucking best food you'd ever tasted, but you know...can't move..." Stephen: Stephen seemed to disbelieve's Maddie words at first, as if believing she was making fun at their fears and expectations - but then he remembered that would hardly be her style. "Should we....try to pull you away?" he asked, worried Maddie: she found after a moment that she was able to move the hand that wasn't touching the cauldron. "Oh come on, I like Cauldron food as much as any vegan but I can't just stand here!" "Steve, does the Dadga or whatever often entrap people in legends about him? Do we have to pay him for his food or something?" You whisper to Emily: Emily thought of how angry and insulting Maddie had been about the gods or whatever they were. Even now, when she had received the Dagda's generosity, she had not considered giving thanks.Stephen: "As far as I know, his cauldron is always full and can satiate everyone - I don't remember anything about trapping anyone. The statue looked like it was offering food after all, would hardly be fair to do that and then trick those who take him up on the offer!" Emily: Emily eyed Dagda, "Maybe if you thank him for his generosity..." She told Maddie quietly. Maddie: "Umm...ok, I guess. Thanks for...well not food, really, but it filled my belly," Maddie mumbled. "This isn't gonna be like Chrono Trigger and I'm gonna be still hungry or something, is it? Don't do that Dadga, that would suck." IdGM: Suddenly Maddie's hand came unstuck and she staggered back. Maddie: Maddie easily kept her balance and shook her hand a few times, checking to make sure she actually had it under control. "Well, I guess that sorts our food problems for a bit." Hannah: After seeing that Maddie was okay, Hannah eagerly moved up to the cauldron. She knelt down beside it to make sure she wouldn't stumble back herself, and then placed a hand on it. Stephen: "Are you ok now? I thought you were joking for a moment - I had almost forgotten how...unusual this place can be." said Stephen You whisper to Hannah: Hannah felt a wave of well-being flood over her, as if she had eaten the finest meal of her life.Maddie: "Well I'm full now, so that's something," Maddie said. "If we can all fill up here we might want to actually consider resting, then we can continue when we've actually rested properly." Hannah: Hannah closed her eyes and gave her first genuine smile in some time. "Thank you... thank you..." she murmured, before withdrawing her hand. IdGM: Hannah's hand came away easily. Stephen: "We thank you for your generosity, Good God." said Stephen before touching the cauldron. You whisper to Stephen: Stephen felt a wave of well-being flood over him, as if he had eaten the finest meal of his life.Hannah: Slowly, Hannah drew herself back up. "This does seem like a good place to rest." Emily: After looking Hannah and Stephen, she was slightly taken aback that something is really tangible here. Emily also leaned toward the cauldron and felt that she was full again. "Thank you." she said simply. As she looks at her hand, she eyed Epona and the rearing horse, tempted to pet the horse. Stephen: "Marvellous!" said Stephen, and thanked the god again as he took his hand off the cauldron. "Now if only we could find a god with a magic tea-pot..." Maddie: Maddie sat watching the others 'eat' in silence, a grimace on her face. She winced, and when Emily turned she let out a breath. "Umm...I think I should apologise to you guys, I was being a real prick earlier, especially to you Steve," she said, working her mouth. "I've been tired and worried and all and..." Maddie suddenly remembered a flaming argument an old boyfriend and her had had while stoned, in which he had told her her apologies never meant anything because if she was giving reasons for why she'd behaved badly she was trying to excuse herself rather than actually apologise. "Ah fuck, it doesn't matter why, I was still being an arsehole. If I do it again, tell me to fuck off." Stephen: "It's alright, Maddie." said Stephen kindly "The last days have been quite stressful for all of us. " You whisper to Emily: Emily felt a wave of well-being flood over her, as if she had eaten the finest meal of her life.Hannah: Hannah gave Maddie a smile. "I didn't want to say anything. We're all figuring out how to deal with this. But I'll keep 'fuck off' in my toolkit. For now let's just be happy we've made it this far." Emily: Emily nodded, "It has been rather hard on everyone. I am sure we will be fine in the end." Maddie: "Thanks," Maddie said, giving an uncertain smile. "If we're going to rest, do you mind if I take last watch? The last time I was on guard we were rudely interrupted by a pack of dogs." You whisper to Emily: Emily noticed a small sound on the edge of hearing. A babbling of water.Emily: Emily frowned as she looks around, "I can hear something. A sound of flowing water." Hannah: Hannah perked up. "Let's check that out first then." Maddie: Maddie nodded and headed towards where Emily had indicated IdGM: They traced the sound to where a statue of a young woman in flowing robes held a jar of water over a stone bowl. The water was cold and fresh, as if it had just been brought from a mountain stream. Maddie: "Thanks, whoever you are," Maddie said, kneeling and taking a drink. IdGM: It tasted like water but ran through the veins like spirit, warming and cheering. Hannah: Hannah eagerly drank, and said a genuine thank you. "I'll take first watch," she said. This place felt peaceful enough that she actually enjoyed the thought of staying up a little longer despite her weariness. Emily: Emily also drunk from the water, taking careful care to thank her. Stephen: Stephen knelt and said thanks before drinking deep of the fresh water. IdGM: They settled down and were almost instantly asleep. It grew somewhat darker but Hannah didn't feel threatened here in this place.
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Post by Idris on Jun 23, 2018 9:52:27 GMT
Session 22 - 22/6/18 IdGM: They settled down and were almost instantly asleep. It grew somewhat darker but Hannah didn't feel threatened here in this place. She leaned her back against a pillar and thought about all that had happened in such a short time. All was silent, apart from the trickling of the water, and the quiet breathing of her companions. It became darker, though for a while a faint glow seemed to remain in the air, but eventually even this disappeared. IdGM: Without meaning to, Hannah curled up on the floor and fell asleep, her face cushioned on her hand. IdGM whispers: Without warning Maddie found herself walking down a long corridor, similar to those they had seen on their way here, but this one was undamaged and illuminated by globes of light suspended from metal brackets all along its length. At the far end, she passed through an arch and entered one of the great pillared halls. Above her, the vaulted ceiling shone as if it soared into daylight rather than being hundreds of feet below ground. The floor tiles gleamed with colour, and on the walls the paintings glittered with precious metals and gems.Maddie whispers: Maddie looked up towards the daylight for a time and then started to search for a way out.IdGM whispers: Without warning Emily found herself walking down a long corridor, similar to those they had seen on their way here, but this one was undamaged and illuminated by globes of light suspended from metal brackets all along its length. At the far end, she passed through an arch and entered one of the great pillared halls. Above her, the vaulted ceiling shone as if it soared into daylight rather than being hundreds of feet below ground. The floor tiles gleamed with colour, and on the walls the paintings glittered with precious metals and gems.Emily whispers: Emily looked around, thinking she must be imagining what it must look like in the past. Still, it seems strange. Emily called out to the others, "Hannah... Maddie... Stephen... Is anyone there?" She moved closely to the paintings, wondering what it was. IdGM whispers: Without warning Stephen found himself walking down a long corridor, similar to those they had seen on their way here, but this one was undamaged and illuminated by globes of light suspended from metal brackets all along its length. At the far end, he passed through an arch and entered one of the great pillared halls. Above him, the vaulted ceiling shone as if it soared into daylight rather than being hundreds of feet below ground. The floor tiles gleamed with colour, and on the walls the paintings glittered with precious metals and gems. Stephen whispers: Stephen's gaze had travelled all over the corridor as he kept walking, from the walls to the globes to the ceiling. When he reached the hall he was as if mesmerized by the paintings - not out of greed, obviously, but out of interest for what they might mean.IdGM: Hannah also found herself in the great hall, and on moving forward realised that her companions were there with her - entering from different passageways. "Emily, I'm over... " she started to say, but the sight before took her breath away, because the hall was not empty as she had seen it last. Long oak tables ran the length of the hall, groaning with food and drink of all kinds, some of which Hannah did not recognise. Vast dishes piled high with meats and vegetables and fruits were interspersed with slender glass decanters filled with liquid of every hue from what could be red wine (or - unpleasant thought - blood) to the gold of cider and the warm red-brown of mead. And around the tables sat people, although perhaps that term had to be used loosely to describe those gathered together at this feast. Some were too tall and spindly, others too short and stocky, and yet others had wings or horns or goat legs, or some other alien feature. Some of the guests were more animal than human, although they were sitting comfortably on the long benches, feeding themselves using some variety of hands. A cheerful cacophone of sound filled the air, almost drowning out the wondrous sound of a harp. In addition, large dogs, with something of the Irish Wolfhound about them, roamed the room and begged for scraps, and at the far end of the room, two massive cats the size of Shetland ponies were stretched out on a pile of furs before the great hearth, where logs the size of small trees blazed merrily. Maddie: Maddie glanced at the others. "Ok, well this all makes sense I guess," she said. She thought for a moment, then casually strode towards the table IdGM: Hannah joined her, walking between the long tables. Emily: Emily stared at the scenery laid out before her for a moment, doubting her sanity for a moment. Upon noticing the others, she sighed with relief that she is not alone in this fantastical settings. She strolled quickly toward the group, safety in number Maddie: Maddie seated herself next to a spindly man and calmly reached out for a jug full of cider. IdGM: The man looked startled, his strange eyes popping. A short beared person on her other side put his hand accross to stop her, and pointed up the room, plainly telling her to move on. Stephen: Stephen suddenly realized he could hear the voices of the others despite the sounds of the feast and turned quickly to find his companions. Emily: Emily stared at the back of Maddie with a look of slight horror if she might offend them or something. IdGM: The noise of the diners subsided, and even the dogs fell silent. Only the sweet voice of the harp continued, played, they could see now, by a man. At least he looked like a man, lean and handsome. He stood to one side of a table laid widthways to the rest, the top table, where a group of people sat facing the room. Maddie: Maddie had principally been interested in whether these diners even realised they were there, so she happily stood up and moved on as the spindly man directed. She strode over to the others. "Do you suppose this is where you go when you 'eat' out of that cauldron of Dadga's? Or is this completely unrelated." Stephen: "An interesting idea, and one I had not considered." replied Stephen "It could be we are guests in his hall - or the hall of some other deity, perhaps. In any case, we should do our best to behave." he added with a touch of worry to his voice Maddie: "Of course we should," Maddie said, deciding to pull out her phone to take a selfie as one would typically do at a party IdGM: Her phone did not seem to be working. Emily: Emily considered it over in her mind and glanced at the best person to ask in the group about this. She smiled upon hearing the wise words from Stephen. "I think that is a best suggestion I heard so far. I would hate to offend the host." IdGM: As they looked at the top table they recognised those sitting there. There were twelve of them, just like the statues. The Dagda - even more awesome than his likeness - sat on his high chair in the centre, the ravens flying above him, with the steely power of the Queen of Heaven on one side, and the calm warmth of the Life-giver on his other. Beside her the Warrior swigged a goblet of mead before nodding welcome to the newcomers, and the Lady’s smile at them rivalled the brilliance of her magnificent necklace, although this was nearly outshone by the Og’s stunning beauty. Between him and the Ruler of the Oceans, who appeared to be eating an entire fish, the slight form of Epona could have been eclipsed, where it not for the intensity of her blue eyes. At the end of the line sat the Healer, his eyes filled with compassion. At the other end of the table, the massive figure of the Smith sat, muscles rippling as he tore apart a joint of meat with his hands. Between him and the Green Man sat the Teacher in his pointed hat and long robes, reading a book even at the table., picking at his food now and then. Maddie: Maddie sighed and put her phone away. Recognising the creatures sitting at the top table, Maddie faded away and watched, waiting to see where the food came from, what happened to plates that had been cleared or mugs that had been spilled. When the high and mighty dined, someone else was always doing all the work. IdGM: Almost without realising it, all of them, even Maddie, found themselves drawn towards the group at the table. The Harper fell silent as they approached, and the Green Man stepped down from his place and came over to them. He was dressed in dark clothes the colour of ivy leaves, and his eyes were a striking grass green. A circlet of Hawthorn rested on his dark hair. He smiled, his ageless face lighting the room as if the sun had come out from behind a cloud. “You are welcome in this place. Sit, eat, drink. We have it in our power to bestow gifts upon those the Light has chosen. Choose one to approach, but think well what manner of gift might be theirs to grant.” Emily: Emily looked surprised to see such characters whose statues they seen earlier breathing and living before the group. Stephen: Stephen seemed almost embarassed to have been noticed , but he quickly suited himself and tried to look suitably appreciative, understanding that it would do them no favors to look awkard or out of place. Maddie: "So which Celtic figure do I approach to ask for fully automated luxury communism?" Maddie wondered aloud. "Christ, I need a drink." IdGM: They realised now that the words they heard were not English, or maybe not even words, but the Green Man's message was instantly known and understood by each of them. Maddie: Maddie went to grab some cider and try to work out how to get through the evening - was it evening? the sunlight seemed to imply otherwise - without saying or doing anything stupid IdGM: "There is plenty to drink here," the Green Man said with a laugh. "You must make your own mind up which of us can give you what you want though..." Emily: Emily considered the statement made by the Green and nodded, "Thank you." She replied politely to the Green Man's offers as she thought whom to choose. Stephen: Awed by such generosity, Stephen thanked the Green Man and stood in thought for a while, his gaze carefully but respectfully going from deity to deity. He knew these were all mighty gods and goddesses, and each must have had great gifts to offer, but what would suit him best? It was not a choice to be made lightly, but he did seem especially drawn to the Teacher - hardly surprising, all things considered. IdGM: Stephen found himself seated opposite the Teacher, and listening in awe as great knowledge seemed to pour out of him. Maddie: Maddie plucked up a few pieces of fruit, then glanced around hoping that maybe one of these poxy gods came from a culture that had known about hummus. IdGM: The Warrior grinned at Maddie as if he understood something about her. Maddie: Maddie gave him a disgusted look and turned away, patting a badge on her right shoulder. No Gods, No Masters it said. IdGM: Throwing his head back, the Warrior roared with laughter. "You have spirit, but sometimes you need to know when a gift is offered freely, with no strings. No gods, I like it!" Emily: Emily bitten her lips as she considered the choices before her, eyeing Epona, the Green Man and the Healer, figuring out what she really wants. IdGM: The Lady shook her head but she was smiling at Maddie as she did so. "You are like a spitting wild cat, but I like cats." Maddie: "Well I've been involved in some wildcat action before," Maddie shrugged. "What's the Light, why has it chosen us, what does it mean that it's chosen us, can we refuse, and where the actual fuck are we?" IdGM: The Lady chuckled wickedly. "The Light is what you would call a screening process. You would be surprised at some of the nasty things that try to get through. It let you in, so you aren't that nasty. So of course you can't refuse to have been chosen, it's done already. As for 'where', there isn't really an answer to that. Sorry," but she didn't look sorry in the slightest. IdGM: The Green Man leaned accross and spoke quietly to Maddie. "Don't mind her. But you really should choose. You have an awfully long way to go." Maddie: Maddie gave the Green Man a hostile glare. "Really? If there's no answer to where we are, how can I have a long way to go?" IdGM: The Green Man must have had an extraordinary supply of patience. "There is no answer to 'where' because this is not a place you can define in space and time. But when you have finished in this 'nowhere' you have a long road ahead of you." Maddie: "Really? A long road to a bunch of nowheres, or maybe you can provide some information that's actually useful? When we're finished in this 'nowhere', where will we be?" Hannah: Hannah looked momentarily at the Green Man and Maddie, then looked to the great table. She had a curiously blank expression - after all her skepticism had been worn away, she seemed accepting of whatever was to come. Slowly she walked up and seated herself near the Queen of Heaven, and reached out for a cup of golden cider from which she took a long draught. IdGM: The Queen of Heaven talked to Hannah - the details seemed hazy later but she knew it was of power and the use of weaknesses which could be exploited. The rest of the company had resumed their eating, drinking, talking and in some cases singing. A group of what looked remarkably like dwarves were roaring out a song about gold, and some of the winged beings were singing sweetly, their voices harmonising perfectly. The Warrior leaned forward. "You ask questions to avoid choosing. Come Maddie - I can give you gifts for war. The Lady is rather less direct..." Emily: Emily closed her eyes for a moment as Maddie and the Green Man discussed or rather arguing over the matter. She moved away from them slightly, trying to give herself some time to think the matters through. Eventually, her eyes looked determined as she strolled over to Epona and sat opposite her, reaching for some sweet cider as well. IdGM: The Lady laughed, narrowing her eyes at the Warrior. "Because I apply intelligence to the business of war." Maddie: "You know my name do you? Ok, maybe let's see if you do understand me then, Warrior," Maddie said. "Finish this sentence. No war but..." IdGM: The Warrior held up his hand as if listening then Maddie heard it clear in her head. "Class War!" and he roared with laughter. Maddie: Maddie laughed. "Fine. Show me how to fuck things up then." IdGM: "You want to know how to fuck things up?" the Lady said, her voice silk over steel. "He can only show you how to hit them, but if you want to plan your war, then come to me." The Warrior sighed. "That is true." Maddie: "If one person tries to plan the class war, then that's the person you should be aiming your class war at," Maddie told the Lady, looking at the Warrior. IdGM: Meanwhile Epona and Emily were talking horses, sharing the best sweet cider Emily had ever tasted. It felt perfect. The Lady shrugged. "Sometimes you need planning, but I can see you prefer the hitting." She laughed and helped herself to mead. The Warrior grinned happily at Maddie as they began to talk. It was amazing how much they could find to say about hitting things. Later none of them could recall much detail of their conversations but they felt they had learned much. Just talking to these legendary beings seemed more than extraordinary. Eventually the Dagda rose and thumped his fist on the table for silence. All the singing and dancing, and in some cases fighting, which was going on in the rest of the hall, came to a sudden stop. Even the cats put their heads up for a moment, looking slightly affronted. "It is time to say farewell," he said in a deep and powerful voice which echoed from every corner of the hall. "Go you to your rest. The way is long before you." Maddie: Maddie had drunk a few more ciders and was vaguely aware that she had asked the Warrior if he'd ever punched a Nazi, but couldn't remember his answer. "Oh, you!" she said, remembering the Dagda. "I was going to tell you a story." IdGM: The Dagda looked down at her, his eyes warm. "Next time, and you may sup from the coire ansic again." Emily: Emily's smiles widened as she truely enjoyed chatting with Epona, thanks Epona and the rest for their hospitality. Stephen: Stephen did not look like he had regretted his choice, as he had spent most of the time - if time was even a thing here - since they had arrived listening to the wisdom of the Teacher while his companions took their time deciding whose gift they would ask. Hannah: Though Hannah had grown red-cheeked from the alcohol and rich food, as she spoke to Inanna her eyes had darted back and forth as if along the lines of a notebook, mentally absorbing everything the goddess had to say. When it was announced that their time was done, she looked to the Queen of Heaven and raised her glass again. "To strong women, and justice," she said, before draining it. IdGM: The Queen of Heaven gave a rare smile and raised her goblet. Maddie: "Oh fine, it wasn't that good a story anyway. As apparently there will be a next time, well, the next of you to stare at me like some endearing pet is getting punched in the face. You're just people, and really condescending people at that." IdGM: The Green Man rose and escorted them towards the passage. As they walked away they heard an argument of some kind break out behind them. He shook his head and sighed. "This is not condescension. You really do not know what you are heading into. This is not the world you are used to, and if you do not learn quickly you will die. Farewell." And then they were flying down the passage, and the next moment it seemed they were waking and shielding their eyes, as the sun speared down into the water bowl and splintered into a thousand shards of light Maddie: "Well I tried to ask you what world we were heading into and you didn't answ....' Hannah: Hannah blinked and sighed, as if her alarm had just woken her early for work. Slowly she pushed herself up. "I wasn't the only one who just feasted with the gods there, was I?" Maddie: "They're not gods, they're just fucking boring wankers. The next time I see them I want a Molotov cocktail and maybe they'll try answering a question." Emily: Emily woke up as well, her eyes full of wonder, "Epona's eyes are so blue." She whispered to herself before paying attention to her surroundings. IdGM: They were unable to recall exact details but a general awareness of their conversations with their chosen beings. Hannah: "Plenty of boring wankers can be useful," replied Hannah. "I didn't find Inanna boring, anyway." Stephen: Stephen knew immediately what Hannah meant - and many more things besides he didn't know before he had gone to sleep, though he couldn't really give details. But he definetely knew he knew. "I hope I will eventually remember more of this." he stated simply Emily: Emily smiled, "I basically spent the whole time talking with her about horses, my favourite subject." Maddie: "'Lo and behold, you have a long journey ahead of you! We have an idea as to where that journey is heading to and where you are, but rather than giving you useful information we're going to make ominous pronouncements!' Seriously, we need to find someone who's normal to talk to and maybe we can find out where the fuck we are. Apparently we're not in the world we're used to, whatever that means." Emily: Emily looked concerned slightly, "Well, once we leave this place, we should be very suspicious about the dangers." Stephen: "Maddie, even if these were not real gods - and at this point, I really think you should take seriously the idea they are - and it was all a bizarre shared hallucination, there could still be insight in it." said Stephen as he got up. "I think I will go to Tir's statue - that's the Armenian god of knowledge and wisdom I dreamt listening to - and thank him for this. As we have seen before, it is best to be respectful." Hannah: "It might be that they just can't communicate some things to us, rather than intransigence," said Hannah. "They obviously weren't speaking English - could be they were just expressing ideas our minds were already capable of understanding. Even if not, they might be limited, with their statues trapped here. Anyway, I think Steve's right. I'm going to go to Inanna's statue. I think she provided me with something of value." Maddie: "I doubt it, the Green Man told us we weren't in the world we were used to, so they obviously are capable of expressing actual useful information, they just like to toy with you first. But if you got something useful out of that, fine, I'm not going to take it away from you. Just don't trust those things." Emily: Emily nodded agreeing with Stephen and Hannah, "Good idea." She went over to see Epona, went on the plinth and touched it and smiled, "Thank you so much Epona, I really like conversing with you about the horses." She told the statue friendly. Maddie: Maddie glared at the others for a while. "Ok, fine." She strode over to Thor's statue. "Right, you fucker, I already asked you this but I don't remember your answer. Have you ever punched a Nazi?" She reluctantly made a fist and reached out to touch Thor's statue, nearly pulling back at the last moment before deciding that this wasn't actually asking for a favour, but taking something from authority as a concession Stephen: Stephen bowed respectfully before Tir's statue as a pupil may have done in ancient times towards a respected teacher, lightly touching his carved robe Hannah: Hannah smiled softly at Inanna's statue and lightly brushed a hand on her arm. "I'll put what you've taught me to good use," she murmured. After the little ritual, Hannah moved back toward the center of the room. "I don't know about you all, but I feel a lot stronger than I did. Regardless of what just happened... Well, I hope we're still going to get out of here and find things are back to normal. But either way, I'm ready to move." Emily: Emily smiled as she learnt something new and thanks Epona once more. Maddie: Maddie stretched. "Yes, let's go. We're obviously never going to get to sleep in this place, wherever this place is." Emily: She head back to meet the rest of the group, "That was a very productive sleep!" She commented. "Let get our bottles filled up with water as well." Emily pointed out IdGM: The pure water refreshed them again, and whether the food in the night had been a dream or not, they felt no need for more. Stephen: Stephen arose and joined the others, sharing his feelings on what had just happened "I feel I have been blessed with some sort of 'gift of tongues'. Don't worry, I'm not going to start babbling anytime soon." he said smiling "But I believe I'd have an easier time recognizing foreign languages than before our...dream, or whatever it was. It might prove useful should we find inscriptions." Maddie: "You should have listened to my story, it was about feeding people," Maddie told the Dagda's statue. "Bloody bastard." IdGM: They started the search for a way out, other than through the water. There had clearly been another giant archway opposite the one they came in through, but it had been completely filled with massive blocks of stone, fitted together with no gaps. IdGM whispers: There was an empty alcove at the end of the hall nearest the blocked archway, and a line ran around some of the paving suggestive of a trapdoor.Maddie: "I think there's a trapdoor there," Maddie said, pointing to an empty alcove near to the blocked archway. She headed towards it, thinking that she'd seen a line suggesting a hidden entrance IdGM: It was faintly visible, but there was no obvious handle. Maddie: "Steve, can I borrow your knife?" Maddie asked. Stephen: "Sure." said Stephen handing over the weapon. Maddie: Maddie stuck the tip of the knife into the faintly visible line and ran it along it, trying to see if there was some point at which it would be possible to lever the door out IdGM: It semed unlikely the knife would be strong enough to lever the trapdoor, but the blade must have caught some kind of lever because there was a click and the door sprang open. Maddie: Maddie leapt back to avoid getting struck by the door as it opened. She handed the knife back to Stephen hilt-first. IdGM: When the trapdoor was open fully, they could see it covered a square shaft which went down about ten feet before their remaining torch revealed dark water,
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Post by Idris on Jul 6, 2018 16:35:08 GMT
Session 23 - 30/6/18 IdGM: When the trapdoor was open fully, they could see it covered a square shaft which went down about ten feet before their remaining torch revealed dark water. The shaft was about three feet accross, and at least eight feet long. As they moved the light about, Stephen and Emily both realised the shaft itself was not flooded, it ended some feet above the water. Stephen: "This might be our way out." suggested Stephen, tentatively "We'd need to use some rope, though, to avoid being trapped there." Maddie: "It had better be our way out, or else we're going to end up living in the dark here," Maddie said. "More importantly, we need to cover that light, and any phones that still have charge, so the water doesn't fry them. If we run out of light before we get outside we're fucked." IdGM: The walls of the shaft looked smooth, and it was too wide to worm along as Maddie had before. Maddie: "If you tie a rope to something I can go and have a look around. At least so far as I actually can look around down there, I'm a bit worried that once I'm underwater I won't be able to see much." Emily: Emily checked her rugged looking phone which has been switched off to conserve the battery before checking the shaft out, handing it over to Maddie. "It is waterproof, so we should be able to use it as a torch," She looked at the water closely and commented, "It look like water is cold so be careful when dropping into it. Also, we don't know how deep it is either." Stephen: Stephen found a pillar they could tie the rope to. Maddie: "I'm Canadian, I've gone polar bear dipping off Herring Cove on New Year's Day," Maddie said with a laugh. Emily: Emily smiled in response. Maddie: Maddie sealed her phone up carefully in a plastic bag and stuck it in an inner pocket. "As there's not really any way for us to communicate, if I'm not back in five minutes, assume something's gone wrong," Maddie said, climbing down the rope. Reaching the end, she steeled herself for a moment and then dropped down into the water. IdGM: The water was very cold and a shock to drop into. Maddie felt nothing under her feet so it must have been fairly deep. When she surfaced she saw nothing around her, yet in the far distance, the Stygian gloom seemed very slightly less. Maddie: Maddie came up under the shaft and called up what she'd seen to the others. "Fuck me, this water is cold. I'm going to look around with my phone," she said, reaching under her jacket and carefully pulling it out from the plastic bag. She was suddenly very glad Emily had a waterproof phone, though she held it up above the water as much as she could while still being able to look around IdGM: The sound and slight echo as she spoke gave Maddie the impression she was in a large space of some kind. The light from the phone could hardly pick out more than the nearest features but she could see that it was a kind of flooded undercroft, with a vaulted ceiling held up by sturdy pillars, perfectly reflected on the black water once the ripples caused by her descent had died away. On all sides archways led into darkness. With the torch shining, the very slight difference in the darkness was invisible. Maddie: the place where the darkness had seemed less was off to her right, though now she couldn't see it. She turned Emily's phone off and tucked it away again, waiting for a moment for her eyes to adjust again. Once she'd done this, she swam off to her right. There was enough room overhead for her to swim without having to completely submerge herself underwater, which she was very grateful for IdGM: The water seemed yet colder and she made slow progress. Despite aiming towards the slightly less dark spot, it didn't seem to get any nearer. Maddie: Maddie swam back to under the shaft. "This is a pretty large area, but you can swim with your head above water for most of it," she called. "You should all come down and then we can look." Hannah: Hannah climbed down the rope with surprising alacrity, and dropped into the water to follow Maddie. Maddie: "Split into two groups of two? Me and Hannah can take one direction, Steve and Emily a different one. Can cover more ground," Maddie suggested. Stephen: Stephen managed to climb down the rope, even if he slightly bruised his hands and arms in the process Emily: Emily managed to climb down but the rope was unstable so she get some bruise on the way down. IdGM: As each of them dropped the few feet into the water, they gasped with shock at the cold. Maddie: "I hope the way out isn't down," Maddie said. "Shall we take left?" she suggested to Hannah. "Oh, Emily," Maddie took the Scottish woman's phone out of her pocket and handed it over to her, once she'd adjusted to the water Hannah: Hannah gave a thumbs up and began moving leftward. Emily: Emily took it back with a nod and start using it as a light with Stephen. "Let's head off in the right." Stephen: "Let's go, and be careful - there might be things in the water." said Stephen moving the direction opposite Hannah & Maddie with Emily IdGM: Each pair found themselves swimming in near darkness, barely able to see the pillars and archways as they passed them. There was no sound apart from their own splashing strokes. The cold began to eat into their limbs and slow them down. Maddie: Maddie swam along confidently, stopping at one point to aid Hannah, who was floundering, and give her a few tips. "We should get the torch out and have a look around," she said. Stephen: Stephen managed to keep his head above the water, though barely. "Maybe we should have asked for the sea-god's gift instead..." he commented when he saw that Emily was doing only slightly better Hannah: Hannah paused and turned off her phone's light briefly, straining her eyes to see if there were any other light sources. Emily: Emily manage to keep on swimming, used to cold and wet in Scotland especially when the weather turns to worse too many time. "Maybe not, we are not in the sea." Emily replied as she turns off the light, "Let see if we can find anything in the dark." As she looks around hopefuilly IdGM: Emily and Stephen found themselves in pitch blackness. Hannah strained her eyes staring, but it was Maddie who again noticed the very slight lessening of the dark. Maddie: "Emily, Steve!" Maddie called out. "The darkness seems to be lessening a bit over here." Emily: Glad to hear that someone have noticed something, switched on the phone's light and start swimming back in the direction of the shout. "Sound like they noticed something!" Stephen: Stephen turned around to swim towards Maddie and Hannah as fast as he could Emily: Emily managed to catch up with Stephen in the end. Maddie: once Emiliy and Stephen had caught them up, Maddie continued to swim towards the area where there might be light IdGM: The rest of them were beginning to flag as the cold water affected them. Stephen and Hannah were having trouble moving forward. However when they turned off the torches again, it was clear that there was light in the distance ahead of them.
While they were quietly looking ahead, there was a splash from the same direction. Maddie: "Well I don't like that," Maddie muttered. She glanced back, seeing that Hannah was having trouble keeping up. Maddie put a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, we're going to get through this. Seriously, I swore at Thor yesterday, a bit of water isn't going to stop us." Hannah: Hannah squeezed Maddie's hand gratefully. "Yeah, this has all been too weird to end here," she said between labored breaths. Suddenly she perked up. "What's that?" Maddie: Maddie gave a wild smile. "Let's find out." She swam ahead. Hannah: Hannah took a deep breath, collecting herself with Maddie's encouragement, and swam after her. Emily: Emily frowned at the sound of spash, finding it ominous, "We will." She muttered to herself as she went after Maddie and Hannah. IdGM: There was more splashing, and then suddenly they heard a scream. A woman's voice cried out, "Help! Please help!" Stephen: "Someone else is here!" said Stephen, trying to swim more vigorously towards the direction of the scream Maddie: this might be a trap, but Maddie didn't care - whether this was someone needing help or trying to trap them, it was someone who could speak, and perhaps would actually be able to give better answers than the supposed gods IdGM: With a burst of renewed energy Stephen surged ahead. Hannah followed close on his splashing heels. Hannah: "We'll help, but be cautious," said Hannah, swimming along with the others but trying to keep an eye out for danger. Emily: Emily went after the group despite the numbing effects of the cold water, she managed to keep going, "I hope we will get there in tme." IdGM: They moved towards where the scream had come from. Within an archway on the left, a pale streak of light illuminated an extraordinary scene in front of them. A set of stone steps rose from the corner of the room, and where these entered the water, a young woman was struggling to escape the clutch of two long tentacles which had wrapped around her. As Stephen came into sight, she reached out a hand imploringly. "Please help me!" IdGM whispers: Despite the desperate situation, Stephen noticed that the young woman was incredibly beautiful, with long chestnut hair and wide hazel eyes. IdGM: The woman was dressed in a ripped and ragged dress, and she seemed very distraught. Maddie: Maddie looked at the scene for a moment, and her instinct told her this was no trap. She immediately arrowed towards her. Stephen: Stephen swam towards the woman as fast as the water and his limbs let him Emily: Emily kept on swimming, eyeing the situation before her, IdGM: As each one neared the woman she looked into their eyes. IdGM whispers to Stephen: As he looked up into the woman's hazel eyes, Stephen felt a rush of desire, and the urgent need to rescue this beautiful person from a hideous end.
IdGM whispers to Hannah: As she looked up into the woman's dark and desperate eyes, Hannah felt a rush of desire, and the urgent need to rescue this beautiful person from a hideous end. IdGM whispers to Maddie: As she looked up into the woman's brilliant dark eyes, Maddie felt a sudden stab of desire, and the urgent need to rescue this beautiful person from a hideous end.
IdGM whispers to Emily: The woman gazed at Emily. She was very beautiful, that was clear. Emily noticed her three companions were all gazing at the woman as if dumbstruck and lovesick. They were rushing towards her with no concern for their own safety. Emily: Emily looked at her three companions with astonishment, "Hey! This starting to looks like a trap to me! You are acting like a bunch of besotted fools!" She shouted out. IdGM whispers to Hannah: Emily's words seem to come from a long way off, but somehow they got through to her brain. What was she thinking of?
Hannah: Spluttering, Hannah reached out to grab at Maddie and Stephen, trying to keep them from swimming headlong into danger. "Stop! Listen to Emily!" IdGM: Stephen and Maddie were getting closer to the steps and the woman now. Stephen: Stephen dismissed Emily's and Hannah's warnings, obviously quite taken by the beautiful woman Maddie: Maddie just continued on, not wanting to be distracted at a critical moment Emily: Emily swam after them, trying to stop both Stephen and Maddie, IdGM: The young woman reached out to them again. "Oh please hurry. I can't hold out much longer." Emily: She came to a stop and remembering what Maddie did to other strange tentacles, Emily lifted her phone and took a picture with the flash on through the phone, hoping it might work. IdGM: The tentacles let go of the woman and thrashed wildly before withdrawing into the water. The woman gasped in relief, her arms held out to her rescuers. IdGM whispers to Emily: Emily gazed at the screen of her phone and nearly dropped it in shock. Instead of the beautiful young woman with her long chestnut hair and hazel eyes, the image showed a hag, with pale eyes like a fish, a mouthful of pointed teeth and long nails like claws.
IdGM: Stephen was at the steps now, Maddie just behind him. Emily: Emily looked at the phone with shock in her eyes, "She is a monster! She is hideously ugly! " She cried out in shock. She went after them in a hurry either to stop them or to fight the monster
IdGM whispers to Maddie: As Emily's words penetrated her brain, Maddie saw that Instead of the beautiful young woman with her long chestnut hair and hazel eyes, the figure in front of her was some species of hag, with pale eyes like a fish, a mouthful of pointed teeth and long nails like claws.
Maddie: as Maddie snapped back into the world, she saw Stephen right ahead of her, just about to reach the woman who just put most of them under some kind of mental control. She was no good at trying to persuade people to snap out of a reverie, but there was one thing at least she was good at in this kind of situation. She leapt towards the woman, snapping a kick up towards her face. IdGM: The woman lurched back but not in time to avoid Maddie's Doc Marten as it thudded into her. With a hiss she lurched back, clutching her cheek, and Stephen saw her clearly now. Haglike, with long grey hair, pale eyes like a fish, a mouthful of pointed teeth and long nails like claws. With extraordinary speed she dived from the steps into the water. Stephen: Stephen screamed in shock when he saw the true form of the creature - monstrous and terrifying, rather than beautiful and alluring Maddie: "Let's go!" Maddie shouted, running up the steps. Emily: Noticing that she went into the water, Emily made an extra effort in reaching the steps as fast as possible. "Good kicking!" Emily praised Maddie IdGM: Suddenly tentacles rose from the water behind them and reached out to grab at Emily and Hannah. Emily managed to reach the steps and stagger up them, but two of the tentacles grabbed Hannah and began to haul her back into the water. Emily: Emily glanced up at Maddie, "They got hold of Hannah!" She shouted up the stairs Stephen: Shock turned to anger and Stephen stabbed wildly with the knife in his hand, but he missed widely Maddie: Maddie whirled and immediately flung herself back down into the water. "The last person who grabbed one of my friends from behind got my boot in his groin repeatedly, I might have to improvise with you!"
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Post by Idris on Jul 7, 2018 12:19:20 GMT
Session 24 - 6/7/18 IdGM: Hannah was being pulled back from the steps. As Maddie threw herself forward to save her friend, the water in front of her churned, becoming a seething mass of tentacles. Hannah: Hannah gasped as she was dragged back through the water. Between sputtering and trying to pull free of the tentacles' clutches, she called out "Try... light! Or pull it out... of the water!" IdGM: A small but vicious face thrust towards her, bulging cold eyes above a wide mouth full of pointed teeth. Another of the creatures swam up to try to grasp her with its tentacles. Maddie: Maddie had leapt down into the water. She considered trying to kick the thing from below to try to knock it out of the water, but she abandoned the idea - her legs were underwater and Hannah would be in danger while she messed around. Instead, she turned, ran a few paces towards the steps, then kicked off the steps and launched herself into the air. Her sudden move sent her careening towards the tentacles faster than they were expecting, and she reached out and grabbed hold of Hannah. This was hardly the first time Maddie had needed to snatch a comrade away from someone who'd grabbed them in a melee, and she was able to wrest the lawyer free of the tentacles, landing with a splash. Emily: Emily upon hearing Hannah's shout about using light, knew that there is one very potent source of light and it is flash on her phone. She went for her phone and moved closely to see if she can aim the flash where it can be most effective. "Cheese!" Emily asked nicely as she snapped a photo trigger the flash. IdGM: As the flash cut through the dim light and struck the water, the tentacles thrashed and pulled away from it. At the same time, all of them were struck by a shriek which echoed through their heads like fingernails down a blackboard. It was beyond the range of normal hearing, but had a powerful affect on them. Somehow, Maddie managed to escape the worst of the effects, but the other three found themselves doubled up and vomitting. Emily: Emily coughed up a mixture of stomach bile and water as she struggled with the hideous noise, she slowly stepped back. Stephen: Stephen, still standing on the steps and gripping his knife in anger, tried to keep himself from vomiting in the water, but failed Hannah: Hannah did her best to keep herself from retching, staggering up the steps and then turning back to wave her headlamp about where she thought the creature was, hopefully dissuading it from coming back toward them. IdGM: Thankfully the ultrasonic shriek died away quickly. The tentacles stayed below the surface as they played their lights over it. IdGM whispers to Maddie: Almost beyond the reach of their lights, Maddie becomes aware of movement in the water. Something is swimming their way, fast.Maddie: "Something's coming, move, move!" Maddie pointed to the water, where she saw something swimming rapidly towards them. She had been less affected by the scream than the others - she had not spent her life listening to screamo and grindcore so a sudden screech would leave her stunned. She grabbed Hannah and pulled her up the stairs IdGM: The thing was coming fast, streaking towards the steps. Tentacles began to thrash outside the circle of their lights. Hannah's light was begining to flicker. Stephen: Stephen tried to help pull the others who were left behind out of the waters Emily: Once Emily finished dry heaving. she went forward to help out Hannah out of the cursed waters. IdGM: They managed to get onto the dry steps, but looking back they could see whatever the thing was streaking through the water with frightening speed. A crest like a sail broke the surface. Whatever it was must be very large. Emily: Emily stared at this approaching monster before turning away, "Time to move on!" she glanced around for the way and run toward it Hannah: Hannah hurried after Emily, still coughing out a little water and shaking off the effects of the horrible scream. Stephen: Stephen ran with the others, only concerned with putting as much distance between the water and themselves Maddie: Maddie turned and looked at the thing coming after them. "Go on ahead," she said to the others. "I'll catch you up." She pulled her phone out and started fiddling with her camera. Maddie whispers: Maddie rapidly set her camera to panoramic mode, then set it so the picture would be taken 10 seconds after she pressed the button.Stephen: "Maddie, what are you doing?" asked Stephen, turning back for a moment. Obviously he believed that as interesting as these things were, their own safety was of greater importance than recording them. Maddie: "I'm making a diversion because none of you run very fast and I do. MOVE!" IdGM: As the others struggled up the steps, which seemed taller than a normal flight, the thing reached the lower steps and began to rise, higher and higher, its long neck with a tall crest curving down to glare at Maddie with reddened eyes. It hissed violently. Hannah: Hannah thought about going back but decided she needed to trust Maddie's judgment of her own abilities here, and kept running. IdGM: The higher they climbed the brighter the light from above became. Maddie: Maddie finished fiddling with her phone and took a darting step towards the monster, then abruptly reversed and turned away, intending to lead it on a chase. Whenever it came close, which she let it do, she would suddenly tumble away, climbing up as she went. As she went, she pressed the button on her camera, which did...nothing, for the moment, as she'd set it to a ten second delay. IdGM: The creature's head shot forward with shocking speed but it was still not enough to catch Maddie. It hissed and moved further up the steps. Emily: Emily paid a close attention seeing how effective Maddie was against the monster and cheered her on Hannah: Once she'd gained some distance Hannah turned back to watch Maddie's plan unfold and prepared to do what she could to help her if necessary. Stephen: "Don't encourage her!" said Stephen, shooting daggers at Emily. "There's trying to record things for posterity, and then there's just risking your life recklessly" Maddie: Maddie had no time to be distracted by the others. She darted away from the creature, and then her phone started going off repeatedly. As she'd waited, she'd set it to panoramic mode, and once the delay was gone, it snapped again and again. Maddie ran as she went, sending the flash skittering wildly around, trying to aim it at the creature's face and eyes as best as she could. IdGM: Maddie's plan worked every bit as well as she could have wished. The creature gave a horrendous roar which made all their eardrums rattle, and threw its head around violently as though trying to rid itself of something. Its thrashings caused a wave which soaked Maddie's feet. However more worryingly, she could feel the steps vibrating as the creature's massive body crashed into them, and the stones started to crumble. Emily: Emily noticed the stones crumbling decide to turn around and run even faster. Maddie: Maddie had had enough of being trapped in this ruin by falling rocks, and took the opportunity to run as fast as she could up the stairs IdGM: The stairs began to shake. Stephen and Emily managed to scramble up, but Hannah lost her footing and fell onto the step. The creature continued crashing into the stone and causing more damage. Maddie sprang up the steps behind the other, skipping nimbly as the stones shook beneath her. Maddie: Maddie made for Hannah, quickly pulling her up so they could continue up the steps. IdGM: The light from above had grown stronger as they dashed up the stair. Emily, at the front, could see that the steps ended with a square opening, and this seemed to be partially blocked leaving a narrow space through which a cold light, as if from the moon, shone down. Meanwhile the bottom of the stair was beginning to collapse in earnest and the steps were shaking as if an earthquake had hit them. Stephen: Stephen's balance suddenly faltered and he clumsily slipped down the collapsing stairs Maddie: Maddie continued to skip up the stairs with alacrity. She suddenly changed direction, springing into Stephen's way, and stopped his fall, quickly righting him. Emily: Emily glad of her experiences in walking on treacherous paths was able to settle down at the top, She sighed with a relief when Emily saw that Stephen was kept safe by Maddie Stephen: "Thanks."said Stephen to Maddie after a few seconds catching his breath "You just saved me from what would almost certainly have been an unpleasant death." he added turning back to glance down at what was left of the stairs Emily: Emily told the others, "We will need to push the stone out of the way. There is some light through the opening." IdGM: They clustered on the flat area at the top of the stair, and reached up their arms to the stone hatch. With some sweating and straining they got it open, with Hannah giving it the final push. The platform shook below their feet. Emily: Recognising Maddie is the best person to get up there, she knelt to give Maddie a lift up to the stone hatch quickly Maddie: Emily had knelt and put a hand out, and Maddie used it as a springboard, flinging herself up. She had hoped to see stars above her, but she was in some kind of cavern - nonetheless, she thought it was like the entrance to the city from their camp, which they had entered several days and a thousand years ago. She knelt down and reached out to the others to help pull them up. Stephen: Stephen climbed up, with Maddie's help Emily: Emily followed up quickly, glad of something solid underneath her body. IdGM: The cavern was wide and deep, but it was clear that the opening led out into fresh air. It was night time, with faintly blue moonlight streaming through the cavern entrance. Maddie: Maddie reached out to pull Hannah up last of all IdGM: Just as she grasped Hannah's hands, the last of the stairs collapsed and fell away below Hannah's feet, leaving her dangling in mid-air fifty feet above the water. Maddie: "Fuck, guys, help!" she shouted to the others Emily: Emily rushed forward to help out with pulling her up Stephen: Stephen grabbed Hannah by her hands and helped quickly put her on solid ground Maddie: Maddie gave a wild laugh and hugged Hannah. "Fucking hell, we made it." Hannah: Hannah squeezed Maddie back, then wiped her face of sweat and tears. "We made it," she repeated weakly but with a note of exhilaration. She turned and looked at the line of moonlight. "The outdoors!" Emily: Emily shook her head warily as she looked around, "I am glad these monsters are behind us." Stephen: Stephen's reaction came late, almost as if he couldn't quite believe it. "We're not underground anymore, at least." he said "But...where the hell are we, anyway? I' don't think we're safe yet." Maddie: "Well eventually that stupid wanker who calls himself a god said some shit about this not being the world we're used to so..." Maddie shrugged and stood up. "Let's go find out where we are." Emily: Emily brushed the dirts away on her clothings and listens carefully for anything strange IdGM whispers to Emily: Emily thought she could hear something - a faint sound, but it reminded her of horses' hooves on rock.Emily: Emily frowned for a moment, "I can hear something, it sound likes some horses clattering on rock." Maddie: "Should I go look ahead?" Emily: She starts to head toward the source of sound before pausing for a moment. "I think that might be good idea." She agreed Maddie: Maddie crept up towards the moonlight. Periodically she signalled for the others to follow her - there was no point leaving them too far behind. IdGM: As Maddie moved up to the cavern opening she could see rocks outside, and beyond them what looked like trees on a hillside. Above in the dark sky hung a moon. It was definitely blue. Emily: Emily muttered in shock as she eyed the very blue moon, "We're not in Kansas anymore" Maddie: Maddie didn't care about this confirmation that they were definitely no longer on Earth - she could feel fresh air on her face, and that was all she wanted. She glanced around, seeing if she could spot or hear the source of the horses Emily had heard Stephen: "Once in a blue moon..."said Stephen, fascinated Maddie: Maddie headed on up, hoping to rapidly duck behind cover as soon as she got outside Emily: Emily became quiet as she considered her options IdGM whispers to Stephen: Stephen heard what sounded like a small pebble rolling outside.Stephen: Stephen gestured towards the cave entrance to tell the others he had heard the sound of movement IdGM: There was nothing visible in the dim light of the moon, and no more sounds could be heard. Maddie: Maddie continued on towards the outside, as cautiously as she could manage Emily: Emily followed her out, her senses paying a close attention IdGM: As they exited the cavern, the moon went behind a cloud. There was a sudden blur of motion. It was hard to be sure what was happening, but they could hear horses all around them. Suddenly nets were thrown over them, heavy and entangling. Before they knew what was happening, they were being flung over broad backs and galloped away with, jouncing painfully as they went.
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Post by Idris on Jul 22, 2018 8:32:27 GMT
Session 25 - 21/7/18 IdGM: As they exited the cavern, the moon went behind a cloud. There was a sudden blur of motion. It was hard to be sure what was happening, but they could hear horses all around them. Suddenly nets were thrown over them, heavy and entangling. Before they knew what was happening, they were being flung over broad backs and galloped away with, jouncing painfully as they went…
The thud of hooves on rock filled their ears, but strain as they might, the heavy nets and the darkness and their situation combined to make it impossible to see anything meaningful. Hannah: Hannah thought about trying to resist, but her weariness and the unlikelihood that she could do much of anything effective against their captors kept her from doing so. Instead she tried to focus on hearing anything that might be useful and watching for better opportunities to escape. Maddie: "Hey, hey, you fucker!" Maddie tried to shove her arm out blindly through a hole in the net towards where she thought her captor was - she might at least be able to discover if they shared a language Stephen: Everything happened so fast - Stephen realized any attempt at resistance would be futile right now and tried to do his best at catching any word or information that might give a clue as to their kidnapper's identity without drawing too much attention IdGM: Whoever - or whatever - their captors were, they were not communicating as they travelled very fast over uneven rocky ground. IdGM whispers to Maddie: As soon as she started struggling, Maddie felt heavy hands grab her more strongly, making it impossible to get anything through the net. Maddie: Maddie felt something grab her as soon as she started struggling. "You fucking prick, let me out of this net and see if you can get a hand on me!" IdGM whispers to Maddie: As she felt the hands grasping her, it struck Maddie that there was something strange about them. They were not in the position she would expect if a rider had her thrown over the horse's back.
Maddie: "Are you a contortionist or something, prick?" Maddie was shouting very loudly, hoping her companions could hear although she had no idea where they were relative to her. "Don't worry, I'll twist your arms to new angles once you take this fucking net off me!" IdGM: Of the others, only Stephen was close enough to hear Maddie's shouts. Stephen: "Save your strength for later, Maddie." Stephen called out to her Maddie: Maddie couldn't hear Stephen's advice in order to ignore it, so instead she simply continued to struggle, uselessly, and poured out more invective into her captor's ear as they went IdGM: Suddenly they entered a very different environment. What little light they had been aware of disappeared. The sound changed too, the hooves thudding on earth or leaf litter. The person gripping Maddie shook her. Deep voices shouted something and there was a roar of rough laughter. Even through the heavy nets, they could smell pine resin. Plainly they were racing through trees, their path rising. The air was cold and clear. Maddie: "Prick!" Maddie took a while to notice the change in their environment, too busy recovering her sense of balance. The cold didn't bother her - though she'd spent much of the last few years around the Mediterranean, she was still Canadian and used to snow and cold. IdGM: They rode on for what seemed like hours, aching and disorientated. The path passed over more rock and then started to descend. Once more they entered what seemed like forest, but this time there was no smell of pine. Somewhere below them they could hear the splashing of a waterfall. And then they were slowing, and voices shouted once more. It was like no language any of them had ever heard. More laughter and they were slowly ascending. At last they stopped, hearing the crackle of a massive fire somewhere at hand. They were dropped unceremoniously on the ground, though the nets were still wrapped tight, and heavy hands held them down. Maddie: Maddie swore and spat dirt out of her mouth. "Alright, show yourselves then you fucking cowards!" Stephen: Stephen did not bother to struggle against his captors' heavy grip, but tried to get a better look at their surroundings IdGM: A deep, gutteral but commanding voice spoke. IdGM whispers to Stephen: It was hard to credit it, but Stephen could have sworn the voice spoke in Ancient Greek. It seemed to say “Well then, show us what you caught!"
IdGM whispers to Stephen: It also struck him that it might be best not to let on he understood, until the nature and intentions of their captors was made clear!
Stephen: Stephen seemed puzzled by something for a few moments and looked like he was about to say something, but then held his tongue. IdGM: Hard hands grabbed the nets and unrolled them, shaking their captives out like so many trapped fish upon the ground. They saw that they were on a wide plateau jutting out from a rock face. Narrow steps, cut from the stone, led up to it from somewhere dark below. In the centre of the space a massive bonfire sent sparks up into the night, the heat reaching them where they lay. All around the plateau a crowd was standing in silence, the firelight illuminating fierce faces and brawny muscles. But most extraordinary, their bodies changed below the waist, becoming that of a horse. Maddie: Maddie didn't look particularly startled at the sight of the centaurs, though she hadn't considered that possibility when she'd been on the creature's back. She took a quick look at the crowd, trying to estimate its size, then glanced at the others. "So...does anyone know what they just said?" IdGM: The voice spoke again, giving orders. Emily: Emily has been struggling while they journeyed, as she doesn't like be tied up. Eventually, once their captors are in full view, her eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and shock. "Centaurs?" She
shook her head at Maddie's question. IdGM whispers to Stephen: The voice ordered them to stand up.
Stephen: Stephen also did not look too surprised, though given his knowledge of myth and legends it was likely because he had already been considering their kidnappers might have been creatures like this. "I think they're speaking greek." he tried to whisper to the others while they were still on the ground, hoping the centaurs wouldn't think much of it. Stephen: "Want us to stand. Not sure it's a good idea to let them know I understand." he added IdGM: The speaker was large, with a harsh face that had not one sympathetic line on it. His muscles gleamed in the firelight, and he exuded raw power. He gestured to the centaurs who had unloaded them and they moved forward., prodding their captives with the ends of spears until they were standing. Stephen: Stephen staggered and had to be helped up by Emily - the long forced 'ride' must have tired his body even if his mind was still sharp Emily: Emily, perhaps used to lying on the ground didn't have any trouble getting up to her feet. Her eyes glances around noticing the horses part and humans part of their captors with interests. Maddie: Maddie sprang up to her feet. "Who the fuck are you and why did you attack us?" she asked in Greek, wishing she had paid more attention when Dionisia had tried to teach her. Maddie had never had much of a gift for languages, and had learned only the basics from her girlfriend and the time spent in Greece. She at least knew most curse words and how to give warnings about police or fascists. Stephen: Stephen bit his lip at Maddie's rashness, hoping it wouldn't get them killed. Hannah: Hannah pushed herself up, watching the centaurs with wide eyes and a grim expression. She was past disbelief at such things, but was immediately looking for escape routes or other advantages. Stephen: "Try not to anger them. And be very careful about...anything, really." slowly said Stephen in English to Hannah and Emily, ignoring Maddie for the moment as he likely didn't expect her to care anyway. IdGM: The powerful centaur, plainly the chief, glared at Maddie, apparently not understanding the words. The guards prodded them all, gesturing to be quiet. The leader stepped forward and looked down at them. His harsh voice echoed around the space, as his mouth curled in a sneer. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "What little rats are these? Have men become such runts?"
IdGM: One of the guard came over and whispered in the ear of one of the centaurs accompanying the chief, who came forward with an oily bow and spoke to his master. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "My lord, there is but one man among these four. The others, contrary to all appearances, are women..."
IdGM: He raised his sharp brows in a gesture that was clearly meant to convey some meaning to the chief. Maddie: "Fucking prick." Maddie said. She considered kneeling and trying to write something in Greek in the dirt, but the last time she'd sat down they'd poked her with a spear and her written Greek was even worse than her spoken Stephen: "They think..."Stephen paused, uneasily - not that the situation was a pleasant one by any means anyway - "that you're not very feminine" he said to the others "And that we're not very impressive." IdGM: The chief exhibited just the slightest hint of surprise before he turned back to the group with a fierce smile which held more than a hint of a leer. He said something, his eyes lighting up with lust, and his followers licked their lips in anticipation. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "Females...!" he chuckled. "Well let's see the goods then, Strip them!" Stephen: Stephen grimaced and spoke again "Centaurs are...not very considerate to women. I'm sorry. " he said even more uneasily Maddie: "I've had plenty of girlfriends who told me the same thing." Maddie fought the urge to immediately shift into a fighting stance at Stephen's last words, as she didn't want the creature to know they understood what was being said IdGM: Four or five eager guards came forward, only too keen to do the Chief's bidding, but his adviser, for that is what the obsequious centaur seemed to be, held up his hand and muttered in his master's ear. The chief glared at Emily and shouted something at her. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "You understand our tongue?" he asked fiercely.Stephen: "She doesn't." said Stephen, addressing the centaurs directly for the first time, replying to the question asked Emily's. "But I do, some of it." he admitted IdGM: The chief looked surprised and then suspicious. He spoke back to Stephen. Stephen: "I told them I can understand what they say. At this point, I don't think playing dumb will help us anymore" he said, this time in English, to the others IdGM whispers to Stephen: "You will be sent to the Courts. Your worthless females will be of no interest to them." IdGM: The chief shouted to his followers. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "Take him to the cave and bind him. These others will provide for our pleasures tonight!"Stephen bisbiglia: "Wait! I do not know of these Courts you speak of. But neither I nor the women should be harmed in any way. We are travellers from distant lands who mean no harm and were blessed by powerful gods. Harming us would do no good to you." Stephen replied, obviously extremely worried by how the situation was evolving Stephen: Stephen replied to the chief in Greek - it was obvious that whatever he had said would not be pleasant for them. Then he spoke the others "I told them we are travellers from a distant place , mean no harm and are blessed by gods - nothing false in that." Maddie: "Speak for yourself, I mean these fuckers all kinds of harm." IdGM: The chief's face purpled in rage at Stephen's words, and even his adviser - plainly worried - was ignored as he tried to speak in his ear. But a mature female centaur who stepped out in front of him did cause him to pause. You whisper to Stephen: "My lord. May I speak?"
IdGM: She spoke in a carrying voice, deep and melifluous. The chief's face openly betrayed his hatred of this female, but he waved an arm in assent. Maddie: "Steve, what did she say?" Stephen: "She asked if she might speak."said Stephen, sounding relieved - even if only slightly IdGM whispers to Stephen: " “It seems to me that all of these interlopers may be of profit to us, over and above the sating of immediate passions. There are those who would no doubt find even the females..." (this in a scathing tone) "of great interest, and would reward you for handing them over, but it is likely that they would prefer them to be… undamaged. They might even be angered… ”
Emily: Emily replied softly, "Hopefully, she will be able able to help us." IdGM: The Centauress spoke with great passion and urgency, her eyes fixed on the Chief's, except when she gestured towards the captives, and then they saw compassion in her dark eyes. Stephen: "She is suggesting they hand us over to someone." Stephen translated, in a lower tone of voice - perhaps not to risk interrupting the centauress. "Unharmed." he added with a sigh of relief IdGM: The chief bestowed on her a look of absolute fury and he cut her off with a sharp gesture of his hand, but the speaker plainly had power on her side too, and the adviser was also speaking softly into his ear. Maddie: Maddie continued to glare at the Chief in open loathing. "I hope it's not someone far away, I'm going to kick the sneer off his face one of these days." IdGM: Finally the chief snarled a reply. IdGM whispers to Stephen: "“Very well! Take them to the cave and bind them. We will send word to the Court immediately. But if we do not hear by next day dawn, we will use them as we please. I for one do not believe they will be interested in these scrawny specimens.” He turned to his guard. “Send to all the people of the mountains, call them here to the heart of the Chlorosoi. Tell them, in two nights time the Kentauroi will once again pleasure themselves with human bodies, and then we will feast on human flesh!” Stephen: Stephen took a deep breath before addressing Emily, Hannah and Maddie "We are to be taken to a cave while they contact some sort of "Court". Hopefully they will arrive here soon, because if they don't, the chief says they will eat us, eventually. He also called on the "people of the mountains", and apparently they call themselves the Chlorosoi, green ones." IdGM: They had no time to discuss further as the guards hustled them at spear point towards a low cave entrance at the back of the plateau. Maddie: "The next time we meet I'll be kicking your fucking head in!" Maddie called to the Chief as they left IdGM: As they were forced into the cave, they had a last view of the crowd of centaurs opposite the chief and his guards. It was hard to see their expressions but Emily was sure she could see looks of concern and disapproval of the chief. The female who had spoken stood at the front of them, and gazed after the captives as they disappeared into the dark. Emily: Emily thanked the Centauress with a nod of gratitude before disappearing. IdGM: Once in the cave, they were tied hand and foot, with much groping and uncouth remarks (which fortunately only Stephen could appreciate). The guards, who had galloped in moonlight over the mountains, still needed a lantern to light their work, but this they took away with them, leaving their captives on the hard, but relatively dry ground. Maddie: Maddie immediately began worming on the ground, slowly working her hands free. the centaurs' knots were good, but natural ability and years of sifting through dumpsters and squatting had left her very flexible Hannah: Hannah glared after the centaurs through the darkness, also trying to remove her bonds, though she did not have Maddie's skill. IdGM: It was a hard struggle but eventually the ropes loosened and Maddie was able to move her hands. Maddie: Maddie rubbed feeling back into her arms. "Steve, do you still have that knife?" Emily: Emily commented on the events so far, "Centaurs, Centaurs acutally exist in this world. What else exist in this world I wonder?" Wariness coloured her tone, "We will need to learn their language quickly as possible." as she struggled against the ropes Maddie: "If we're here long enough we might even find people who aren't raging fucking arseholes in this world." Stephen: "I do, they didn't notice or take it." said Stephen, who had been spared the groping for obvious reasons "It's somewhere in my pant-leg, just be careful you don't cut me. We'll want to be in the best possible shape for whathever happens next." Maddie: Maddie pulled herself across to Steve and carefuly pulled the knife out Stephen: "I feel that at this point there is little that should surprise us, Emily." said Stephen "I'm actually more surprised we did not see any portrayals of centaurs back there - though there were fauns and nymphs..." Stephen: "Perhaps we will see them too - they might be part of the people of the mountains the chief mentioned. As for the Court, I have no idea what they are or what they might do with us, but it definetely sounds like an improvement, at least in the short term..." Maddie: once Maddie had the knife out, she cut her legs loose, then started freeing the others, starting with Steve and then cutting Hannah and finally Emily free IdGM: Maddie was able to free them all. Now they were used to the dark they could see flickering of the light from the fire. They also could hear increasingly loud noise from outside - the roars and cries and out-of-tune singing of the roughest of parties. Seemingly the chief and his associates were celebrating ahead of the promised feast. Stephen: "He doesn't expect the Court to care about us, apparently." said Stephen, commenting on the party "Hopefully he is wrong." Maddie: "Who cares if he's wrong? Whoever these Court people are, we should just sneak out. Let them get drunk and then creep past - or did they seem to think they were going to arrive tonight?" Hannah: "I'm with Maddie on this," said Hannah. "We shouldn't risk being around them any longer than necessary - especially now that we've removed the ropes, which they might frown upon. We should look for an opening and get out." Stephen: "He implied he would only wait until the dawn of the next day." said Stephen, sullenly Emily: Emily looked alarmed at that, "In that case, let's get out of here" Emily replied as she looks around to get a sens eof their surroundings Stephen: "Would you ever put prisoners - even bound - in a cave with secondary openings they could use to get out, though?" said Stephen "These centaurs are...crude, but don't seem that stupid. Still, it can't hurt to try." Maddie: Maddie laughed suddenly. "Of course if I'd seen the last court I was supposed to end up in front of I'd be in France instead of wherever the fuck this is. But that's all in the past I guess." Stephen: "Well, if we can't find a way out and we have to face this Court, we do at least have a lawyer with us."said Stephen, trying to make a joke out of their current poor, but not hopeless situation Maddie: Maddie quickly examined the cave, but didn't find any other entrances. "Ok, well, I guess the plan will be wait until everyone's drunk and asleep, overpower the guards, then run like hell?" IdGM: The time wore on, and gradually the noise died down and the light from the fire died with it. Maddie: "We should find out how many guards they've posted at the cave mouth," Maddie said. IdGM: As they whispered together, Emily heard a sound from the mouth of the cave, very soft as of muffled footfalls. A small lamp was coming towards them, and by its light they saw it was carried by the mature Centauress who had spoken in their defence. She looked very surprised to see them unbound, but surprisingly gave a relieved smile. Maddie: Maddie stood up, looked at the centauress for a moment, then extended a hand to her IdGM: The Centauress looked taken aback, then she grasped Maddie's hand in her own powerful grip. Emily: Emily smiled slightly as she pointed to herself and said, "Emily." Stephen: "Thank you for speaking up for us." said Stephen simply, staring at the centauress IdGM: She bowed. "We are not all savages, despite what your ancestors believed." Hannah: After Emily introduced herself, Hannah decided to do the same and gestured toward herself with a weary smile. "Hannah." Stephen: "Ancestors?" Stephen seemed taken aback "I wish there was time for your to explain some of these things... I'm Stephen, by the way." Maddie: Maddie was unused to giving her name out to people she didn't trust, but she supposed there wasn't any harm in it here. "Maddie. Who are the Court that are coming for us?" IdGM: The Centauress smiled at both of them. "I am Mima." She turned to Maddie when Stephen had translated for her, and frowned. "The Courts," she corrected. "The Courts of Chaos. You must not go to them. I am here to help you leave, before you are passed to them, or Medon has his way." Maddie: "Well we were going to help ourselves leave but..." Maddie spread her hands. "Steve, ask her to draw us a map of the local area, it's no good leaving if we don't know where we're leaving to." Emily: Emily frowned with concern, "I see, is there anywhere we can head to in this lands that potentially shelter us. A map would be very useful or descriptions of land features instead?" She asked Stephen: "Courts of Chaos - not quite what I expected. I thought they might be some sort of relatively benevolent ruling council, considering the chief said they might not like to see us harmed. Thank you again. We deeply appreciate your help, but if we are to leave, we would also need a map - otherwise we wouldn't know where to go." IdGM: Mima shook her head. "You will not get away on foot, even with Medon and his savages oblivious. They will catch up with you. But with our help, you can outpace them. And there are things we must talk about. Let us leave now, before any of these (she used a word even Stephen was not familiar with but left no doubt it was an insult) wakes for a piss." Emily: Emily's eyes became alert as she guessed the implication of their helps and nodded, "Okay, let's go!" She looked ready to go ahead IdGM: Mima held up her hand, to show they should be cautious, before peering out of the rocky doorway. In the faint light of the dying fire they could see the bodies of snoring centaurs lying about as they had dropped. Even their guards seemed to have drunk themselves into a stupor. She beckoned them forward, and as she did so, a shape loomed in the entrance to the cave. IdGM: "Leaving so soon? Is our hospitality not to your taste?" the sly voice of the adviser hissed.
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Post by Idris on Aug 3, 2018 14:35:25 GMT
Session 26 - 27/7/18 IdGM: Mima stepped forward to stand in front of the adviser - whom they could now see had a short sword in his hand - and gesturing to the humans to keep back. Mima spoke firmly. “Krenaios, please move aside. This is foolishness.” Edivad: Stephen translated for the others. He was now gripping the hilt of his knife, and though he made no threatening moves against the adviser it was obvious he expected there would be violence of some sort. Emily: Emily looked at the advisier called Krenaios with an equal measure of suspicion ready herself for the possible fight although she is clearly hopeful for a better outcome. Maddie: Maddie clenched a fist at her side, though she hoped no violence broke out - even if they killed Krenaios he could wake the whole camp before they did the deed. IdGM: Krenaios ignored the humans and shook his head. “You are the fool Mima, thinking you still have enough influence among the Chlorosoi to do as you like. Where are you going with the prisoners?” Mima held her head high. “These persons should not have been prisoners. If they are truly blessed, they deserve respect and to be treated with courtesy. Not to do so is to risk terrible punishment. This is why I am taking them to the Courts myself.” Mima kept her eyes on the adviser but plainly did not want the others to get in the way. “You?” Krenaios was scathing in his disbelief. “You have always made clear that you have no love for the Courts of Chaos.” Mima frowned. “That is true but this is simple self interest. Word has already been sent to the Courts about the visitors. The Courts will punish the Chlorosoi if they learn that we have misused and eaten persons of interest! Surely even Medon will not risk their anger?” Krenaios made a sick snickering sound that they realised was a species of laughter. “These worms… ‘persons of interest’? I think not. Anyway the Courts will not know. No message has been sent.” Mima tried to hide her surprise at this and made a quick recovery. “Ah. You were quite convincing as the voice of reason trying to prevent Medon’s excesses… But the Courts will find out. You know their powers, and they have eyes and ears everywhere.. If I take them they will be grateful and reward the Chlorosoi. Of course I will say that I representing Medon, so that he and his followers gain the credit.” Maddie: The germ of an idea was forming in Maddie's head. While Krenaios was arguing with Mima, she pulled out her phone, turned her camera to video mode, and pressed record. Edivad: Stephen, though still busy translating, glanced at Maddie with an odd look on his face Emily: Emily watched the scene before her with interest, clearly wondering what the heck the Courts is. IdGM: Krenaios did not take a look in their direction, but he continued to fix his cold eyes on Mima. “I don’t think so.” Krenaios smirked as he took a step forward and raised the sword, blocking the doorway. “Who knows what lies you might tell the Courts about Medon, and about me if I let you go. No, I think that I should rouse the guard. Perhaps you and your friends will be joining these specimens at the feast. It is about time we culled the herd.” Krenaios drew in a deep breath preparatory to shouting for help. Maddie: Stephen barely even needed to translate - Maddie knew what someone about to call for help looked like. "Tell him to wait!" Maddie hissed to Stephen. IdGM whispers to Maddie: Mima seemed frozen, plainly she had not expected Krenaios to act so aggressively and found attacking another Centaur deeply disturbing.IdGM whispers to Emily: Mima seemed frozen, plainly she had not expected Krenaios to act so aggressively and found attacking another Centaur deeply disturbing.
Edivad: "Wait!" said Stephen, gesturing for emphasis while trying not to make it look like a threat, despite the knife "We have something to say."
IdGM: Krenaios looked past Mima with an expression of surprise, as if he was seeing a beetle that could sing and dance. "Well?"
Maddie: Maddie stepped forward. "You think a message hasn't been sent? You're very wrong." She held her phone up. "This is an enchanted item which was given to me by the gods, which we can use to communicate with them. I've just sent them something. This, in particular." Once Stephen had finished translating, she turned the screen towards Krenaios and hit play, holding it up so could hear his own words. Edivad: As he translated Maddie's words, Stephen smiled at her cunning. IdGM: Krenaios became still, frozen in place, as the phone played his words back to him. His face grew dark with fury, and when it had finished he stepped towards Maddie with murder in his eyes. "Do you know how long it has taken me to get where I am? Years of planning, of working, of bowing and scraping to that great fool Medon. There is nothing I have not done. I have killed without a qualm, and do you think a magic trinket will stop me killing again? There are no gods you fool!" He surged forward, the sword raised in his hand.
Krenaios swung hard at Maddie, the sword, though short, glinting wickedly in the shaft of moonlight as it slashed through the air.
Maddie: Maddie stood perfectly still as Krenaios charged at her, pretending to be frozen with shock. When he pulled his sword back to swing, she suddenly darted forward, ducking beneath the blade. The instant she was past it, she sprang up and landed a hard karate chop across Krenaios' exposed throat. The blow wasn't hard enough to cause him any real damage, but it would certainly stun him for a moment, and, she hoped, hurt his voice for just long enough that they could stop him raising the alarm.
Maddie: Maddie came up and quickly followed up with a hard punch that landed just where the centaur's human torso began. She heard him grunt, but one punch wasn't going to hold him up for long.
Emily: Emily's eyes gleamed with an idea as Maddie fought Krenaios. Taking advantage of Epona's gifts and her own riding experience, she quickly rushed toward the bad Krenaios and leaped on the horse part with ease. Krenaios attempted to counter her with a kick from hooves but unable to land a hit on her. Emily smiled slightly at the dangerous thrill of astride a centaur and focusing on distracting him from focusing on her peers.
Stephen: Stephen lunged forward with his knife towards Krenaois, hoping to take advantage of Emily's distraction to quickly disable or at least wound the centaur, but despite the weight of the woman on his back the creature managed to sidestep and nearly throw Stephen to the ground IdGM: Krenaios blocked Stephen's attack with his sword and nearly slashed his arm.
Hannah: As Krenaios swung, Hannah lunged forward. He was defending his sword-arm side with dangerous swings, but she realized he had unbalanced himself and left his other side open. She slammed her body against that side, striking part of both his horse and human torsos, before stumbling back.
IdGM: Krenaios roared with fury and pain. Mima had been taken aback at the speed and ferocity of the fight. She relied on intelligence and logic to overcome obstacles, rather than fists and knives. But the situation had gone way past the point of reason. Mima rushed at Krenaios and tried to knock him off balance. Krenaios reared and kicked out at Mima, but she managed to charge into his side and cause him to stagger.
Emily: As Krenaios staggered, Emily managed to shift her position so she managed to stay on with ease, still providing distraction.
Maddie: Maddie smoothly flowed away to make sure Mima didn't run into her in her wild charge. With the two centaurs crashing into each other, she knew she'd have no better opportunity. Mima's charge had caused Krenaios to slump forward, and Emily, riding on his back, pulled at his hair, leaving his neck completely exposed. Maddie jumped forward and delivered a thunderous kick straight into Krenaios' windpipe.
IdGM: Krenaios's head snapped back, his eyes rolling wildly as he fought for breath. With a horrible gurgle he sank to his knees and fell to one side, his legs thrashing in a wild manner.
Maddie: Maddie watched the centaur fall. Her eyes were hard, but the leg that had delivered the blow quivered almost imperceptibly where she stood.
Emily: Emily knew she will be in a serious trouble as she might get crushed. With a practised move, Emily managed to dismount from it in time.
IdGM: Mima stood over Krenaios's twitching body, an unreadable expression on her handsome face. Then she crouched down and held out her hand to Stephen for the knife.
Stephen: Stephen seemed surprised, but handed over the knife without asking anything
IdGM: Mima felt for the pulse at Krenaios's throat, then she dug the dagger deep in and drew it accross. The gasping and twitching slowly stopped. In the silence, Mima cleaned the dagger on Krenaios's flank, and rose, handing it back to Stephen. Without a backward glance she gestured them forwards to the mouth of the cave. Stephen: Again Stephen said nothing, but he seemed somewhat impressed by the centauress' ruthlessness - though he could hardly deny that it was more than warranted by the situation. For a few long seconds he stared at the now dead centaur, almost as if could not fully believe these creatures were real despite their previous, unpleasant interactions with them. Then he turned to leave with the others, but not before taking the centaur's sword and handing over the knife to someone else.
Maddie: Maddie put her phone away. "I...umm..." she shook her head. "Come on an archaeological dig, see the fantastic sights of antiquity, and kick a centaur in the neck. I should have gone to gaol with my comrades."
Emily: Emily also stared at the slain centaur, "We did what we have to do." Emily sighed as she was thinking about something. She accepted the offer of the knife from Stephen with a nod.
Hannah: "Tell me about it," Hannah replied to Maddie. "And my options were better than jail. I could be on an Alaskan cruise right now."
Stephen: "I still have a hard time believing centaurs can be real. "said Stephen, this time in English so that Mima could not, presumably, understand his words. "I wonder what Lucretius would say, considering how vehemently he argued against they could not exist because men and horses develop so differently... we didn't see any children, though." he added, though with a trace of uneasiness rather than mere curiosity, as if he was trying to distract himself from the implications of the centaur's death.
IdGM: Mima looked back at them, her face softening as if she understood what they felt. "Do not let yourselves be troubled," she said quietly. "There is a time when death is the only way, and you must grasp it without hesitation. I knew Krenaios when he was just a youth running with the others. He was a friend of my son Eurytion. But there was always something wrong, some lust for what he believed was his due, over and above reason. Well he has paid for that. If he had lived, my life and the lives of many others among the Chlorosoi would have been forfeit. So do not mourn, you have saved numerous lives this night." She turned back and walked carefully out into the blue moonlight. "We must tread warily now."
IdGM: Medon and his followers still lay where they had fallen, around the embers of the nearly dead fire.
Maddie: Maddie nodded, not especially comforted, and readied to sneak out past the drunken centaurs
Emily: Emily did her best to walk silently among the creatures.
IdGM: Their feet kicked against small pebbles but none of the centaurs stirred, They hastened as quickly as they were able to get out of the moonlight and onto the dark stair carved into the rock and leading down to the bottom of the valley.
IdGM: Once they were safely on the steps, Mima spoke quietly as she indicated the features of the valley. Most of the Chlorosoi lived in caves cut into the base of the cliff opposite.
Maddie: "As soon as we get somewhere we aren't running for our lives, you're going to need to teach us this language," Maddie said quietly to Steve
Stephen: "Hopefully we'll get there soon. So far, barring her" Stephen obviously referred to Mima "The people of this land have not been very hospitable"
Emily: "I noticed that!" Emily commented, "I wonder what else we will run into." She shivered at the thought. She added afterward, "Whatever happens, I am sure we will get through this." She looked up the alien blue moon.
IdGM: They moved slowly and carefully down the stair and along a dirt track which lead through wide meadows of tall waving grasses. Their dried heads suggested it was late in the year, past summer. The track ended at a stream which ran the length of the valley, from its source at the base of a sheer cliff-face below their route from the pass, to a cave at the other end where Mima explained the water vanished down a swallow hole. "We call it the Giant's Gullet." she added.
Maddie: "Is that where we were captured? We didn't have much time to get our bearings."
IdGM: Mima shook her head. "No, that was up the mountain. You came from the cursed city, yes?"
Maddie: "Probably. Certainly we all cursed at it a few times."
Emily: Emily frowned for a moment and asked, "I did wonder, how comes there were some ready to capture us?"
Stephen: Stephen added some comments of his own after translating the others' "There were legends and tales in our...world, claiming that the city was indeed cursed in some way. Perhaps we should have listened."
IdGM: "Ah that is easily answered," Mima replied to Emily. "Since he has made contact with the Courts of Chaos, Medon keeps small parties up there to watch for anyone coming through. He is supposed to notify the Courts, which makes it all the stranger that he was willing to defy them now. Krenaios must have decided he had no further use for Medon, and used his influence, and a good deal of drink, to sway him."
Maddie: "Do people come through often?"
IdGM: Mima answered both Stephen and Maddie once their questions had been translated for her. "Very rarely from the city, since it was closed up, and most of the things that came through were not people... Most of your kind come through other Ways I believe, although not as many as used to back in the days before the Courts went to war."
Hannah: "War?" said Hannah. "Can you tell us more of the Courts, who belongs to them, and what set them fighting?"
IdGM: Mima laughed softly and then sighed. "That is a tall order, for those who make up the Courts are those who make this world what it is." They had reached the stream and here Mima indicated they should sit down. "We are awaiting friends." she explained. "So, the Courts..." Taking a long moment to gather her thoughts, Mima began to speak.
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Post by Idris on Aug 6, 2018 13:53:33 GMT
Session 27 - 3/8/18 IdGM: Mima frowned as she considered her words carefully. “It is hard to describe something that is as fundamental to our world as the sun is to yours. But I have studied our history and I think I can give you some idea. This is the world of the Tuath, and it reflects their will. How to describe the Tuath? They are beautiful beyond imagining, and terrible beyond belief. They shape and rule all the lands, the oceans, the skies and the underlands, the people and the creatures in their domains. Yet they walk in the world and touch the lives of every inhabitant. Maddie: Maddie sighed. "Reality is fucking disappointing. There can be worlds with magic and centaurs but not one with no ruling class?" IdGM: Mima frowned. "What is a ruling class? People like kings and lords?" Maddie: "Yes." Maddie suddenly wished she'd paid attention when her more analytical comrades had tried to explain theory, now that she was stuck somewhere where she couldn't regularly access people who seemed to have committed the entirety of Marxist and anarchist literature to memory Stephen: "There are legends of beings known as the Tuath in our world. Although not in the same countries where people also believed in centaurs." commented Stephen "Although the way we got here seemed to imply something different..." IdGM: Mima smiled at this. "The Tuath walk in your world also. But this is their world. They are not kings or lords as men know them. They are... something else." Emily: Emily mulled the concept of Tuath over and asked about the sun. "Does this world have a sun?" She asked curiously. "I never seen the moon so blue, it is grey back in our world."
IdGM: Mima looked surprised. "I have heard your moon is silver... is that not the case?"
Stephen: "Are the Tuatha the Courts? Their enemies? Or do they have a more complicated relationship?" inquired Stephen
Mima turned to Stephen when he asked this. "The Tuath draw many into their orbit, and their Courts include many mortal beings, and they gift their followers with many powers. The Tuath have always had their differences, and some of them are dedicated to causing… trouble." Maddie: "What do you know about our planet? Do people cross from here to there, or just the other way around? You said something about our ancestors, what did you mean?" IdGM: Mima nodded to Maddie when this was translated. "These are good questions. Yes, people cross both ways. There are places and times where they can cross, not always deliberately. And they have been doing so for longer than men have existed. The Tuath travel to the Mundane, and have had many dealings with your world over that time. You know them under other names I believe, but I have no great knowledge of that." She smiled at Emily. "Yes we have a sun, you will see it when the dawn comes." Maddie: "How many Courts are there? You mentioned the Courts of Chaos." IdGM: "Ah, I must tell you of the war." Mima's expression became serious. "As I said, each of the Tuath draws many into their orbit, and this is their Court. I believe that maybe long in the past the Tuath settled their differences individually, although they have had alliances and enmities. But more recently there has been a great rift between certain of the Tuath. The Courts have split apart. The Courts of Chaos are those who wish to change the world in strange ways. I don't believe they have the interests of the races of the world at heart. " This last she almost whispered, as if it was dangerous to say out loud. Maddie: "So there are other Courts yes? Who are they?" IdGM: Mima nodded. "The Courts of Light. These are dedicated to retaining the nature of our world, and their relationship to its inhabitants." Maddie: "When we were in the cursed city, we somehow ended up at a feast with some rather powerful beings - Epona, the Green Man, the Dagda, others. Are they the Court of Light?" Stephen: "This is not about the courts but earlier both Medon and yourself called your own people the Chlorosoi, the green ones. Does that only refer to centaurs, or are there other people of the forest? Being with two legs, but who are not humans perhaps? And outside the Chlorosoi, are there other people we should expect to meet?"
After translating Maddie's question, Stephen commented on it "I wonder if telling Medon earlier that we were 'blessed by powerful gods' could have been a terrible mistake. He seemed more furious than afraid." IdGM: Mima smiled at Stephen's question. "Our tribe is the Chlorosoi for we live here in the Green Mountains. They are called that for the forests which climb their slopes. Of course there are other Kentauroi in other places, and there are other beings who inhabit the mountains, and it is lucky for you that you did not meet some of them. The Kentauroi are not usually so unhospitable..." She looked apologetic. "I am sure you will meet many other peoples. There are men of course, although they may well be among the beings you will have to be most careful of." At Stephen's next words, she looked amazed. "You said you had been blessed by gods. Those are the Tuath - they are not gods, at least that is not what we would call them. I believe in the Mundane they are viewed as such. The Courts of Light have truly blessed you?" Maddie: Maddie laughed. "Supposedly. If I'm honest, you're more useful and able to actually answer a question than all of them put together." IdGM: At this Mima smiled. "That is what many find who have met with the Tuath." Stephen: "Well, we had some sort of shared dream or vision where we were at a magnificent banquet and were asked to choose one of them so that we would receive a gift - I choose one who resembled the god known as Tir in our world, and was granted wisdom in the ways of language - I don't think I would be able to speak your tongue so well otherwise."
Emily: Emily nodded with agreement with Stephen and commented, "I chose a gift from Epona and that is why I was able to get on the back of Krenaios much easier than I expected."
IdGM: Mima looked awed. "You have been chosen by the Courts of Light. We need to get you to them, and out of this area as soon as possible. The Courts of Chaos have too much influence here." Maddie: "Why would we want to go to the Courts of Light? Are they going to not be useless and condescending this time?" IdGM: Mima frowned when this was translated. "You would rather be taken by the Courts of Chaos, and not even know in what form you will wake up as the next day?" Maddie: "I'd rather not be taken to or by either." IdGM: "You are not in the Mundane any more," Mima said starkly. "If you want to survive you must learn, and quickly. And death is not the worst that can happen to you, by a long way." Stephen: "I'm sorry to ask you so much, but are are all Tuath parts of these courts, or are there other, lesser ones? Are some Tuath not part of a court at all?" Emily: Emily nodded, "I was wondering about the same thing. How far away is the Courts of Light?" She asked curiously. Maddie: "So I need to accept hierarchy to survive? I think you misunderstand the Mundane, people have been telling me that since I was a kid there and I never paid any attention to them either," Maddie replied with a laugh. IdGM: Mima sighed. "As time has gone by the Courts have drawn the Tuath apart. But I do not know all that is happening. You must travel to one of the Courts of Light and then you can ask them. We will need to find a way for you to travel." Mima sighed again when Maddie's words were translated to her. "I think you misunderstand the nature of the Tuath's power. It is not stolen from others as is the way of men. The powers of the Tuath are part of them, part of the nature of the world." Maddie: "Our ruling class don't think their power is stolen from others either, they think it comes from their risk-taking and innovation. They're wrong, but they like to lie. But who cares? I don't want rulers who think they're kind or good or wonderful, I want no rulers." IdGM: Mima laughed. "The Tuath are not rulers. We have chiefs and men have lords and kings, and others have their own kind of leaders. That is not what the Tuath do. But you will find out, if you live." You whisper to Maddie: Maddie heard the faintest sound, a hoof on hard earth.Maddie: Maddie stopped. "I just heard a hoof, quite faint. We need to move." IdGM: Mima held up her hand. "Fear not, these are friends." As she spoke two young Centaurs moved cautiously into view along the path on the other side of the stream. Emily: Emily raised her hand in welcome to two young Centaurs. Stephen: Stephen looked at the newly arrived centaurs with interest IdGM: Mima introduced them. "This is my son Dryatos, and our musician Lykabas." Dryatos was a dark and handsome centaur with a solemn face, his companion was the opposite - cheerful and lively. A lute hung accross his shoulders. Maddie: "How many sons do you have, MIma?" Maddie seemed to remember one being mentioned, but with a different name than Dryatos IdGM: "I have two, but Erytion is not here..." Mima suddenly looked sad and worried. "I will tell you about him, but not here. We need to start moving." Maddie: "Let's move then." IdGM: "We must walk in the stream," Dryakos explained. "That will prevent us being tracked." The stream ran over rocks and reached their waists, and in some places up to their chests. It was cold as well. The sound of the water was too much to hear anyone speaking. Suddenly Dryatos, who had been ahead of the rest, gave a shout. "Down!" A moment later an arrow flew over their heads and tore into the grass beside the stream. Maddie: Maddie ducked down and faced towards where the arrow had come from Stephen: Stephen tried to submerge himself in the water to be safer Emily: Emily's eyes widened slightly to see the arrow coming over her head and attempts to avoid the arrows by lowering herself in the water. IdGM: The centaurs had far more trouble getting lower. Mima shouted. "Don't shoot!" Another arrow flew over and this time it found a mark, hitting Dryatos a glancing blow on the flank. "Stop! Please let us talk!" Mima called desperately as her son winced and bled into the water. Emily: Emily attempted to move closer to the banks of the stream, eager to find whoever attacking them. Maddie: Maddie tried to get closer and spot whoever or whatever was shooting at them Stephen: Stephen moved sidewaways to one of the stream's flanks, trying to get a look at where the arrow was coming from IdGM: Mima muttered to Stephen. "Tell your women to call out. I believe it's Amyka and she hates all males, Kentauroi and Human alike. She may hold her hand if she knows there are females here, aside from me." Stephen: "Call out to them!" Stephen translated for Emily, Hannah and Maddie "Our attacker apparently prefers to spare women." Emily: Emily called out to whomever Ayka is, "Please stop attacking us." Maddie: Maddie jumped up and stood in front of the centaurs, waving her hands. "Hands up, don't shoot!" she called, not sure why she bothered as whoever Amyka was was unlikely to speak English IdGM: Mima stood up next to them. "Please Amyka, let us talk now." Maddie: Hannah stood up as well IdGM: "Stay where you are. You, Dryakos, don't you move or the next shot will be on target!" A young female centaur appeared from the shadow of the trees, a bow ready in her hands. She moved slowly towards them, and another female followed her, looking very cautious. IdGM: Mima let out a long breath they didn't realise she had been holding. Stephen: Stephen obviously did not appreciate how the situation was unfolding, but tried to look unconspicous considering their attackers' obvious hate of men. However, he realized, he'd still have to translate the attacker's threats for his three companions "She wants all of us to stay still." Emily: Emily shivered in the stream and stood still, looking at the two new centaurs IdGM: "What are you doing with these prisoners?" the centaur who was obviously Amyka asked. "Saving our community from the wrath of the Courts of Chaos," Mima replied. "And saving these women from Medon. Would you see them abused by him, knowing what he is like?"
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Post by Idris on Aug 18, 2018 11:34:07 GMT
Session 28 - 11/8/18 IdGM: Amyka stood very still, presumably considering Mima’s last words. Then she gestured with her hand. “Get out of the water and let me look you over. No tricks!” Emily: Emily listened as Stephen translated Amyka's words and stood up, slowly making her way toward the edge of the river Maddie: Maddie followed along, meeting Amyka's gaze Stephen: Stephen went along with Amyka's commands, trying to look as unthreatening as possible, as the centauress obviously had a strong hate of men Hannah: Hannah went along with the others, wishing she could speak directly to Amyka. IdGM: They waded to the bank, through some sharp rushes, and then crawled out onto the short turf where Amyka stood, Mima coming with them protectively, while Dryatos and Lykabas hung back, careful not to make any sudden moves. The air was cold and they were unable to help shivering. They lined up before the young centaur who stood before them with her bow. The blue light illuminated her, revealing smooth pale skin over hard muscle, and a beautiful but unsmiling face. Amyka surveyed them as they stood dripping in front of her, then spoke sharply to them. IdGM whispers to Stephen: “You are all women?”Stephen: "She is asking if you are all women." said Stephen, obviously uncomfortable with having to speak but knowing someone needed to translate IdGM: As soon as Stephen spoke, Amyka pointed her bow at him. IdGM whispers to Stephen: “Silence man!”IdGM: Amyka spoke sharply, directly to Stephen. Hannah: Hannah stepped in front of Stephen, raising her arms in a peaceful gesture. "We're women, except for Stephen. And he is our friend." IdGM: Mima came forward and said something to Amyka, clearly explaining that Stephen was the one who spoke the language. She gestured to the women to come forward. Maddie: Maddie stepped forward. Hannah: Hannah stepped forward as well, keeping herself in between Amyka and Stephen. IdGM: Amyka glared at Stephen and spoke to Mima. "He may translate for them, but if he puts a foot wrong..." Emily: Emily also stepped forward, carefully noting Amyka's dislike for Stephen IdGM: "Why have you come here?" Amyka asked of them. Maddie: "Oh I thought it would make a pleasant fucking holiday," Maddie said in annoyance when this was translated. "Umm, don't translate that Steve. We came because we had no choice." Stephen: Stephen breathed a tentative sigh of relief and did his best to translate the centaur-woman's and his friends' words as inconspicously as possible Hannah: "We stumbled here accidentally from danger in our world," added Hannah. "Mima has rescued us, and we wish only to go along with her to safety." Emily: Emily explained further softly, "We were trapped in our world and during our attempt to get out, we got here." IdGM: Amyka frowned as she thought about this. "Most humans I have come accross are brutes and deserve no better, but it seems Mima trusts you, and I would not wish any female to suffer the attentions of Medon and his thugs. He is an even worse brute than they. What will you do now?" she looked from one to another, and then to Mima. Hannah: Hannah looked to Mima before saying anything, not certain what Amyka thought of the Courts of Light. IdGM: Mima nodded gently to Amyka, pleased by her reaction. "I am taking them to the Giant's Gullet." Emily: Emily frowned with guarded concern upon hearing the standard of the humanity in this world and nodded, looking hopeful at Amyka's reaction IdGM: "What then?" Amyka asked. "How will they be safe there?" "I have a plan," Mima said. "Medon will never catch them." IdGM whispers to Hannah: Although she didn't think Mima was lying, Hannah felt that the centaur was holding something back IdGM whispers to Maddie: Maddie felt that the centauress was holding something back, without necessarily telling an untruthHannah: Hannah looked a bit troubled as Mima spoke, but said nothing. Maddie: Maddie said something quietly to Hannah Maddie whispers: "Maybe this Amyka doesn't think much of the Courts of Light?"Hannah: Hannah murmured back to Maddie. Hannah whispers: "Perhaps. Or maybe Mima's plan for getting there would be something she wouldn't approve of."IdGM: "We should move then, before Medon and his guards wake from their drunken stupor!" Amyka said, suiting her actions to the words. "Come Ev," she called to the other female centaur who had stood quietly listening. Mima indicated to the group that they should follow. Maddie: "Did you think Mima was holding something back there?" Maddie said to Stephen and Emily. "When she said that about having a plan, she seemed tense." Stephen: "Don't know. Was never that good at reading humans, so I'm even worse with centaurs..."replied Stephen, worried and speaking quietly as to not be overheard. Emily: Emily looked surprised for a moment, "Maybe she is not confident that we cannot be found or maybe there is something at Giant' Gullet. I am bad as Stephen to be honest." she replied quietly. Maddie: "I think maybe Amyka doesn't much like the Courts of Light. Mima said something to her about protecting them from the wrath of the Courts of Chaos, remember?" IdGM: Mima suddenly came up beside them, perhaps having heard them mention her name. "Amyka has accepted you, and now she will protect you, this is very good." Emily: Emily sighed with a relief, "Glad to hear it." upon hearing about more help for them. Stephen: "I hope this won't turn to be one huge mistake."said Stephen, still trying to be quiet "Although for now it does seem a reasonable improvement over Medon's plans..." Maddie: "Would she still protect us if you told her you were taking us to the Courts of Light?" Maddie asked IdGM: Mima smiled at Emily, but when Stephen translated what Maddie had said, she became serious. "Amyka has had little time for the Courts, but she has reasons to hate the Courts of Chaos. I cannot tell you the details but she had a very bad time, until Ev." Maddie: "Until what?" IdGM: "I am sorry, I should have introduced you. This is Ev." She indicated the silent young centauress who responded with a shy smile. "She and Amyka are ...," and she used a word Stephen did not recognise. Hannah: "They enjoy the work of Sappho?" suggested Hannah. Maddie: "Oh, that's a name, so she's Amyka's girlfriend? Cool. I'm glad there are no MRAs in this world, they'd never stop screaming about the misandry if they met a lesbian centaur who doesn't like men." Stephen: Stephen seemed to agree this was the most reasonable interpretation, given the context "Doesn't surprise me they wouldn't have a word we'd recognize for this, given the historical differences with our world and the fact they almost certainly never heard of Sappho and Lesbos at all" he said to his companions without translating for Mima. Hannah: "It does make me wonder about how so much of the rest of the language could be the same," said Hannah. "But I suppose we should just count our blessings there." Stephen: "I suspect the Tuath are responsible, owing to their cultural influence on both this and our world "mused Stephen IdGM: Mima was watching them as they spoke and seemed to understand some of the intention. "You have the same kind of love in your world?" Maddie: Maddie burst out laughing. "I have three girlfriends, so yes." Hannah: Hannah smiled thinly. "I don't know how you do it Maddie - I found one wife to be enough of a challenge. Although at least we didn't have to figure out how to work with horse anatomy." IdGM: When Maddie's comment was translated for her Mima looked puzzled. "Three friends?" Maddie: "Umm, you know, romantic partners of the female gender. Never mind." Maddie decided to hold off on trying to explain pansexuality or polyamory until she and Mima could at least speak the same language. Stephen: Stephen did his best to explain to Mima "Even in our world there are women who are more than friends with other women." he said, hoping she would understand what he meant. "Sometimes, with more than one at the same time". IdGM: "Ah," MIma nodded in understanding. "Here too, but we Kentauroi usually have one more-than-friend, and form a... a tie? Often this is only broken at death." Maddie: "That's how most people in the Mundane do it. Most people in the Mundane are very mundane." Hannah: Hannah's jaw clenched when Mima mentioned bonds lasting until death, but she didn't say anything. IdGM: Amyka must have heard the last few comments and she turned around now. "The women of your world are strong I think. They need to be with the brutes of men they have to deal with." Maddie: "How much do you know about our world?" Maddie could have talked about the brutality of men until she expired, but it was probably more useful to ask questions. IdGM: Mima sighed. "It is hard to remember that once I was a scholar, and I learned much about your world and the relationship between the two. But then I came to the Green Mountains to Erytion's father and learning is not seen the same way among the Chlorosoi. I have taught Dryakos to read the heavens, but since Medon took over even that is forbidden to us. Yes, I know much about your world." Maddie: "Do you know where Greece - Hellas - is?" IdGM: Amyka frowned. "I am no scholar and I know far less. But I have met some of the men who have come here. I wish I had not." Hannah: Hannah perked up. "You've met men from our world? There were some that drove us here. Did they have weapons?" IdGM: Mima smiled when Maddie mentioned Greece. "Oh yes, I have seen maps and read accounts of the meeting of our people with the people of Hellas." The word for weapons changed the mood very quickly. "Armed men?" Amyka asked, her hand tensing on her bow. Maddie: "Did they look like this?" Maddie pulled out her phone and flipped to the picture she'd taken of Mohammed, or whoever it had been, and the bandits she had sneaked up on the day they had gone out to scout near the camp. Stephen: Stephen seemed especially interested as he translated, and added some words of his own for Mima "Have you heard of Anatolia? That is where we were before all of this." IdGM: Mima, who had seen the phone in use before, shook her head, but Amyka leaned forward, fascinated. "Is this the magic communication device?" "Anatolia?" Mima repeated. "It is many years since I was a scholar, and I have forgotten more than I remember." IdGM: They entered the trees now, and the moonlight was lost. "I think I should tell you of the plan," Mima said quietly. Maddie: "Umm, well it's not really magic, these are pretty cheap back home. Or in some parts of the world anyway. It's also going to run out of charge sometime soon so unless you have electricity in this world, don't get too attached to it." IdGM: Amyka plainly did not understand most of this. Stephen: "Anatolia is what the people of Hellas called the land to the east. " said Stephen quietly to Mima, still trying not to draw too much attention from Amyka "We were investigating an ancient underground city there." IdGM: "That is where the city you came from is situated in your world?" Mima looked amazed. "Well it may be that one day you will be able to return. But you may have a long road to follow to get there. Now before we get to the Giant's Gullet I need to explain the plan." Maddie: Maddie still wanted to ask questions about the maps Mima had seen, as she was very curious about how old they were, but she stilled her tongue and let the centauress explain the plan. Emily: Emily listened to the plan and looked hopeful at hearing about the possible route to home. IdGM: "As you know the stream enters our valley at the other end where the path comes down from the mountains - the way the guards brought you. It would be far too easy for them to recapture you if you escaped that way. And you cannot climb the rocky sides of the valley. However, the stream ends in a cave, dropping into the Giant's Gullet. The hole that the water flows into is just large enough for a human to go through, but not Kentauroi. What I propose is that you escape through the Gaint's Gullet itself!" Mima looked at them with expectation. Stephen: "A cunning plan!" Stephen commented in Greek before translating for the others Hannah: Hannah looked to the others. "It seems reasonable enough," she said. "Without knowing the valley we don't have many other options." Maddie: "And...then what? We go where, in a world we don't know anything about and where most of us can't talk to anyone?" Emily: Emily nodded with agreement with Maddie, "Is the language in this area are widely spoken or is there a language which is better lingua franca?" She asked curiously. Hannah: "We get as much information as we can from Mima and Amyka, and then search for a way out of this realm," said Hannah. "We should at least have the benefit of time if we're away from Medon. I don't see another choice." Maddie: Maddie rubbed her chin. "We could just stay here. At least there's no fucking runaway climate change here. Well...actually I have no idea if there is. But I suppose people would wonder where I was and they probably shouldn't think I'm dead." Stephen: "Mima said earlier we shold go to one of the Courts of Light. Do you think that is not a good idea?" Stephen asked Hannah: "Maybe," said Hannah. "But I think we should learn more about them from others in this realm before committing." She looked to Maddie. "Personally I'd rather deal with the issues of home over threats like Medon." IdGM: Mima was watching the interplay of conversation, her eyes sharp. When Stephen had translated Emily's question she looked thoughtful. "No, most of the people's of this world do not speak the same language as the Kentauroi. They have their own languages but there is a speech many use for trade. " Maddie: "What is it?" Emily: Emily looked interested, "That would be very useful to learn." IdGM: "It's called trade tongue." Mima said. "You will not be able to have intellectual conversations with it, but if you can learn it quickly it will be very useful to you." Maddie: "I think I can survive without intellectual conversations. I don't suppose you have enough time to teach it to us do you?" IdGM: As they were talking they arrived at a rocky outcrop and above they could see a high cliff behind it. Amyka indicated they should be quiet, while she moved forward to check it was safe. "I can give you a few words and phrases to help you. But I also have a proposal for you. Let us get into the cave and then I will explain," Mima said, as they stood for a moment. Amyka reappeared and indicated they should come forward. Maddie: Maddie came forward Hannah: Hannah followed, looking about warily. Emily: Emily followed as well, looking around closely IdGM: They came around the rocks and there before them was a tall dark opening. As they entered it, Ev struck a flint and lit a small oil lamp which stood on a shelf of rock. It was clean and dry, although the stream ran fast and noisy through a narrow channel into the darkness beyond. Stephen: Stephen followed carefully. IdGM: Everyone came inside, Dryatos and Lykabas stepping carefully and keeping well away from Amyka. Lykabas pulled a small flask from a bag he wore slung around him and passed it to Ev with a bow. She cautiously took a sip and gasped a little, but smiled and passed it to Amyka. Plainly it was some kind of alcohol. "It will warm you." Lykabas explained as Amyka held the flask out to Maddie. Maddie: Maddie took a sip IdGM whispers to Maddie: The drink was some kind of spirit which smelled like rotting plums mixed with paint stripper but ran through the veins like fire. A feeling of intense well being rolled over Maddie as the drink warmed her.Maddie: Maddie passed it across to Hannah. "It's got kind of a kick." Hannah: "I could use it. Cheers," said Hannah as she raised the flask, before taking a quick sip and passing it along to Emily. IdGM: Each of them took a swig of the mystery drink and it did indeed have a kick. It was some kind of spirit which smelled like rotting plums mixed with paint stripper but ran through the veins like fire. A feeling of intense well being rolled over them and they felt instantly warmer. Emily: Emily smiled at the feelings, "Much better." Maddie: "What was your proposal?" Maddie asked Mima IdGM: Mima indicated they should sit on the floor. "I said that you should head for one of the Courts of Light, and of course that is where you need to go, but I would like to propose that you do something for us first, if you are willing." She took a breath and carried on, her face strained. "First I must explain what happened in our community. For many many years the tribe was led by Kairon, Eurytion's father. He was a good chief, welcomed strangers, prized knowledge and we were always sympathetic to the Courts of Light. But not long ago he was injured while out in the mountains, and he is not improving. He should have recovered by now, but the wife of Medon, who is his nephew, insists on nursing him herself... Eurytion had set off on a mission for the Courts of Light just before Kairon was injured, and he and his companions have not returned. This is how Medon was able to take over, with the help of his guards. He would not be able to do any of this if Eurytion was here." "This is my proposal, that before you go to the Courts of Light, you do this for us. Find Eurytion and his companions, and ensure he returns to end the suffering of his people." Maddie: "You should try not having a chief and deciding on things by direct vote instead," Maddie said. "But whatever. I owe Medon several kicks in the face so why not?" Hannah: "You saved us from a bad fate," said Hannah. "After what we saw, I'd much rather Medon not be in charge of anything. I don't know if we'll be able to find Eurytion as newcomers here, but we can do our best." Emily: Emily nodded with agreement, "I am sure we will be able to help out with your proposal." Stephen: "We owe you this."said Stephen, after having translated for the others "And we'd rather not see Medon have any power considering his poor hospitality to. But as Hannah says, I wonder how we might find him when you, who know this place, can't." IdGM: Mima was clearly very moved by their words. "We are not able to leave, there are guards posted to keep watch on us. But I will give you a map and explain how to find the place Eurytion was heading for. Thank you for agreeing to help us!" And she embraced each of them.
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Post by Idris on Aug 23, 2018 15:33:27 GMT
Session 29 - 18/8/18 IdGM: Mima explained it was still dark and they should wait until dawn to set off, so Ev dragged out some wood, plainly hidden for that purpose in a corner, and built a small fire. There must have been a hole in the roof of the cave as the smoke went straight up. Dryatos drew something wrapped in leaves from his bag and opened it up to reveal dried friut which he passed round. "What do you need to know?" Mima asked. Maddie: "Where did Eurytion go exactly? Which Court of Light, where is it, how far away? A map would be pretty useful." Emily: Emily looked at the fruit closely before start chewing it
Maddie: Maddie only checked long enough to make sure the dried fruit wasn't contaminated with any animal products before taking a bite.
Stephen: Stephen did not look too closely at the fruit before eating it with relish - he was obviously too grateful to inquire
Hannah: Hannah too ate quickly, having to work to keep focus on what the centaurs were saying as she relished the nourishment.
IdGM: Mima held her hands up. "Please, those are too many questions at once. I had better start from the beginning. Eurytion received a message that the Courts needed him to travel to meet a person at the Tower. He said little about this mission but I believe the Tower is home to a Seer. Amyka might know more of them. He took two companions, brothers Dawaeus and Gunos of our tribe,"
Maddie: "How long ago was that?"
IdGM: Mima frowned. "Eurytion left but a twelve-night before Kairon was injured. That is a little over four twelve-nights since."
Hannah: "Hm, he could have traveled pretty far, then," said Hannah. "How long would it normally take to reach the Tower and return?"
Stephen: "Do you have any idea why the Courts might want him to visit a Seer?"
IdGM: Mima looked to Amyka. "We cannot drop down the Gullet, so any Kentauroi must travel over the mountains and then come down to the river. There is a very old track along the edge of the forest, and the forest grows all the way down to the river banks. It would take time, but we can travel faster than you. It would take maybe half a twelve night to reach the river and then some days to travel down to the clearing where the Tower lies," the young centauress answered.
Maddie: "What is there in between here and the Tower? Any cities or towns?"
IdGM: Mima looked first to Dryatos to answer Stephen's question. "The Tuath have many powers, but only a True Seer can follow all the threads leading to the all the futures," Amyka answered Maddie. "There is nothing, only forest and the river running through. The nearest settlement is where two rivers meet, far to the west." As she spoke of the it, Amyka wore a tense expression.
Maddie: "Does anyone live in the forest?"
Stephen: "What of the settlement? Centaurs, humans, or someone else?" inquired Stephan
IdGM: Again Mima looked to Amyka, who sighed. "There are many creatures, some of which are dangerous. But the most dangerous thing you will meet in the forest is men, and they do not live there. They come to hunt and look for trouble." She frowned then sighed again as though making a hard decision. "When I was young and foolish I ran away from the valley, and wandered the world. I saw many stange things, and met many beings of all kinds, but it was in the forest that I met evil men. I was captured and taken in chains to the coast, where they intended to take me on a ship." Her face was set in hard lines as she recounted her story. "I escaped. And I killed the men before I left." Ev put her arm around Amyka.
Emily: Emily looked appalled at the mention of slavery, "They deserves such fates!"
Maddie: "I hope it hurt when they died," Maddie said. "In our world, my ancestors were taken in chains to ships like you were supposed to be. They didn't escape, but they fought hard."
Hannah: "I've worked with people who've gone through similar things," said Hannah somberly. "Hopefully we can show that human beings are capable of better."
Stephen: Stephen was respectfully silent, though it was obvious he believed Amyka's actions were more than justified
IdGM: Amyka did not smile when these comments were translated for her, but her expression lightened somewhat. "Slavery is not permitted by the Courts of Light but these kind of men hide in islands or in the forest." Mima said.
Amyka continued. "I will make a map for you." She bent and took a burnt piece of twig from the fire.
IdGM: "While Amyka works on the map, I will teach you some words in trade tongue." Mima said.
Maddie: "Are there any creatures in the forest that are friendly that might be willing to talk to us? We'll have a very hard time finding Eurytion otherwise, I'd have thought."
IdGM: Dryatos answered this. "There are many creatures in the forest, but few of them are capable of communication, and those that are should not be trusted. Wolves and ravens and rats have their own plans, and may lead you to disaster. Some of the birds can be helpful."
Emily: Emily asked later on, "I was wondering about how you measure the days and years. How many twelve-night in a year?" She asked curiously
Maddie: "If there's no settlements on the way then what are we going to do about food?"
IdGM: "It takes the sun twice twelve twelve-nights to return to his same place in the sky," Dryatos answered Emiy, plainly enthused by being able to talk about such matters. "And the stars wheel around their centre in that time."
Stephen: After translating, Stephen asked Dryatos a question "Are you implying the animals of the forest can speak here? I know it might sound silly to ask, but remember this is such a strange place for us and we don't really know what to expect..."
IdGM: Dryatos was momentarily taken aback. "Many creatures can communicate, some speak in our languages, others can make themselves understood in other ways."
Emily: Emily worked it out in her mind before answering, "So 288 days in a year, a bit shorter than our 365 days." Emily thought it over, "Are there any planets or stars that is much brighter than other stars that wanders?"
IdGM: Dryatos opened his mouth to answer, but Mima interrupted. "You need to learn these words and then prepare for your journey. Dryatos will teach you more of our skies when you return. "
Stephen: "Actually. " Stephen commented on Emily's words, speaking English "We don't know if the days here are the exact same length as back home. They might be longer enough that, overall, a year is the same length. Or shorter, course."
Emily: Emily opened her mouth for a moment before closing it, "That is a good point! We will find out soon enough." She replied shortly. Upon hearing Mima's answer, "Right, I will look forward to hearing more about it once we returns!" She paid her full attention to understanding the words
IdGM: Mima taught them some words and phrases that they could use in their journey.
Hannah: Hannah studiously wrote down Mima's words as they practiced.
Emily: Emily used some tricks she learnt while learning Scottish Gaelic to learn new words as well writing them down
IdGM: Lyakbos looked over Hannah's shoulder in fascination as she wrote.
Stephen: Stephen's notebook & pens had survived the trip through the city and the underground waters thanks to the plastic bag they were put in - he eagerly took them out and wrote the words down phonetically
IdGM: "That is a strange pen, and is that paper?" Lykabos asked.
Maddie: Maddie had never been better than an indifferent student, and although they were in a strange world it was hard to put much focus on learning a language now they'd learned that there was almost no one to speak to on the way to their destination. She had no idea how they were supposed to actually find this centaur but supposed they would have time to figure it out as they went.
Stephen: "Correct."said Stephen, letting the centaur get a closer look at the tools "Such things are common in our world, and nearly all can read and write."
IdGM: All the Centaurs looked surprised at this. "Mima taught us all to read and write, but paper is rare and special, we use special leaves and some use velum." Dryatos explained.
Emily: Emily struggled with Trade Tongue for a moment and sighed, "Typical, I knows two languages. A third one should be easier."
IdGM: Once they had learned to say and recall a few phrases, Amyka asked them to look at the map she had scribbled on the wall of the cave. "Here is where the Giant's Gullet comes out," Amyka said, pointing to the spot where the stream clearly exited the valley.
Hannah: "So we should be able to follow the water and get quite close to the Tower," said Hannah, copying down the map into her notebook.
IdGM: Mima leaned forward. "You will need to travel ON the water."
Emily: Emily looked at Mima with interest, "So we need a raft? Hmm..."
IdGM: At this Mima turned to Dryatos who drew two hand axes from his bag and held them up. "These are for you," she said with a smile. "To cut the trees for the raft."
Stephen: "These two courts on the map, Wolf and Owl...."inquired Stephen "What of them?"
IdGM: "The Wolf is the nearest of the Courts of Chaos. The Owl is of the Courts of Light, and that is where we will send you once you return."
Emily: Emily's eyes suddenly turns bright at this offer of the axes, her smile suddenly broaden into more confident smile, "Brilliant. We can work with that."
Maddie: Maddie had no intention of being sent anywhere by anyone, but there was little point in arguing that now. "And Rivers Meet is the town you mentioned? Who lives there?"
Hannah: Hannah smiled at Emily. "Glad someone knows the blade of an axe from the... wood part. Handle?"
IdGM: "All kinds of people live in River's Meet," Amyka said. "Even some of your kind."
Maddie: "How many are there? Thousands, tens of thousands, millions?"
IdGM: The Centaurs laughed when Stephen translated this. "Millions? There are not that many beings in any town or even city in this world! There are maybe a few thousand in Rivers Meet. What kind of towns do you have where you come from?" MIma asked.
Hannah: "I live in a city of close to a million, with nearly four million in the area around," said Hannah with a half smile. "And there are bigger places in my nation."
Maddie: "My father lives near a city called Paris, the area around that has around ten million people," said Maddie. "There are a lot of people in the Mundane."
Stephen: "The most important city where I come from has eight million, maybe more."said Stephen, obviously referring to London
Hannah: "Making me feel like a small town girl," said Hannah, smiling.
Maddie: "Well there's only four hundred thousand in Halifax, if that's any consolation," Maddie said. "But it's been years since I was back there."
IdGM: The Centaurs looked amazed and not a little concerned by what they must have considered the swarming masses of humanity. "How do they live? How do they feed themselves?" Mima asked.
Maddie: "I'm guessing that the records you studied about Hellas are pretty old. My girlfr...partner Dionisia lives near to a city called Athens, do you know about it?"
IdGM: "I know of Athena," Mima said. "They named a city after her?"
Maddie: "Yes, it's the capital of Hellas, there are about three million people there. Do you know about Dionysus? My partner is named after - well, named herself after, in feminised fashion - him."
Emily: Emily thought on Mima's question. "The society is very different in the Mundane. Only few people relatively are actually involved in agriculture which uses technology and other means to maximise the yield from the lands and transport foods from the lands to the cities."
IdGM: Mima smiled. "I have heard of Dionysius too. He taught the people how to make wine."
Dryatos looked fascinated by Emily's explanation. "We must talk more of the life of your world when you return."
Maddie: "If only one of your Tuath could get us an Internet connection we could show you all kinds of things."
Emily: Emily beamed at Dryatos, "My pleasure! I will look forward to it."
Stephen: Stephen did his best to translate Maddie's words, but of course there was no Ancient Greek equivalent for the Internet, and he couldn't think of a metaphor that fit well enough right now
IdGM: Dryatos blushed.
Maddie: "Oh, I'll show you this before my phone dies," Maddie pulled it out and flipped through her pictures. She'd had a wing seat and had taken several pictures as they descended towards Istanbul. "This city is the capital of the country we were in when we were brought here."
IdGM: All of the Centaurs leaned forward, and at that moment the picture faded as the phone turned itself off. The battery had finally died.
Mima stepped forward quickly. "You should also take this," she said, removing a ring from her finger. "It will identify you to Eurytion." The ring was of twisted gold, holding a black stone carved with a spray of oak leaves.
Maddie: "Goddammit," Maddie sighed.
IdGM: "This was the symbol of my clan, in the north," Mima said, somewhat whistfully.
Maddie: "So, to return to my question earlier - what are we supposed to do about food on this journey?"
IdGM: Dryakos drew more packages of leaves from his bag, and gave them out. Then he drew out the bottle they had passed around, and gave it to Emily. "For when you come out of the water, to warm you," he said.
Emily: Emily accepted the bottle with a smile, "Thanks Dryakos." She paused for a moment and looked at the Centaurs, "We can also hunt for food if needed later on. I never learnt how to use bow and arrow properly so I would love to learn."
Maddie: "If you want to learn to hunt Emily then you'd better be ready to use that bow on me. The animals here can fucking talk for Christ's sake."
IdGM: "We will gladly teach you when you return," Amyka said. "Now it is getting towards dawn and you must leave soon."
"But first there is one more thing to learn," Lyakbos spoke up now. He also wore a bag and now he took from it a small bone flute. "This song will identify you to those allied to the Courts of Light, and them to you." The song had a very simple tune which seemed somehow familiar, and the words consisted of a phrase which Stephen translated as "Oh the it sun rises high, and the darkness flees before it. The light it fills the world, and all will dance for joy."
Emily: Emily glanced at Maddie upon the objection by her about hunting the animals, "Well, if push comes to shove, we might have to. It is still useful to learn how to shoot anyway."
IdGM: Lyakbos played and then made them sing the song over and over until they were word perfect.
Emily: Emily listened to the tune, "That sound so familiar. Reminds me of Wild Mountain Thyme, my local folk music."
Maddie: "No, they're not a hierarchy at all, it's just that everyone has to learn a song praising them and you get told you're an idiot if you don't want to align with them," Maddie said, rolling her eyes. "Don't translate that."
Stephen: "Reminds me of the Ode to Joy."commented Stephen on the lyrics
Hannah: "Reminds me of adults with no rhythm awkwardly singing hymns and nudging the kids to keep up," said Hannah.
IdGM: "Do not forget, this may save your lives." Lyakbos said. "But when you return I will make you song of friendship, and a song of triumph!"
Emily: Thanking them for their help, she looked ready to get into action, "We will look forward to listening to them."
IdGM: Once they were able to repeat the song perfectly, Mima came forward. "Now is the time to leave."
Maddie: Maddie leapt to her feet.
IdGM: Mima had saved their packs from the corner of the cave where they were held captive. "You will get very wet," she said, looking doubtfully at their clothes.
Maddie: Maddie shrugged and pulled her clothes off
Hannah: Hannah sighed. "I guess I'm just gonna have to get used to sporadic communal nakedness being part of my new job description."
Maddie: "Sporadic Communal Nakedness would be a good name for a garage band."
Stephen: "I don't think modesty should be our highest priority considering our current situation."said Stephen as he began to pull off his shirt
Emily: Emily nodded with agreement with Stephen, she stood up and starts pulling off her clothings. As she did so, it became apparent that her back was crossed over by scars. Eventually, she managed to pack them into the plastic bag. "Right!" She looked determined.
Maddie: Maddie was very heavily tattooed - along with innumerable slogans, she had two large, stylized panther eyes between her shoulder blades.
Hannah: Hannah had one tattoo on her shoulder - what looked to be a small recreation of a painting. For those who knew the story and the cultural influences, they might guess that it was Scheherezade telling stories to the Sultan, from One Thousand and One Nights.
IdGM: Amyka and Ev came over and examined Maddie's tattoos with great interest, running their fingers over the lines of them. "This is beautiful," the usually silent Ev said with a smile.
Maddie: Maddie tensed. "Generally when you touch people it's best to ask their fucking permission first."
IdGM: Mima was examining Hannah's tattoo. "Beautiful." she echoed.
Hannah: "It's from one of my favorite stories from our world," said Hannah with a slightly sad smile. "I'll tell it when we return."
IdGM: Amyka and Ev jumped back when Maddie spoke harshly to them. Mima turned around after thanking Hannah. "Please do not be angry with them. It is very unusual for Amyka to want to be close to anyone but Ev."
Maddie: Maddie unclenched her fist. "It's ok, it's just, you know, touching people when they're not wearing anything isn't something you can just assume you're allowed to do."
IdGM: Mima listened carefully as Stephen translated this. "Of course, we forget for we do not have this as clothing is not something we use. On special occasions we do decorate ourselves, but covering our bodies seems... unnecessary. And now you must go,"
Stephen: "Thank you for everything."stated Stephen simply
IdGM: This brought beaming smiles from the centaurs, and even a small one from Amyka. Mima hugged all of them one last time. "You are now friends of the Chlorosoi. We look forward to meeting again."
They moved further into the cave where the stream dashed noisily into the hole. It looked narrow, and cold. There was only room for one of them to drop down the vertical tube of the swallow hole at a time.
Maddie: "I'll go first." Stephen: "Just be careful."said Stephen
IdGM: The only way down was to sit on the edge and let go, dropping straight down.
Maddie: "Aren't I always careful?" Maddie said, dropping down into the Gullet
IdGM: Each of them came to the edge of the hole and dropped down into the noisy darkness. The stream splashed and splattered them with freezing cold water, and they had to bend and twist to avoid being banged against the sides. The tube of smooth rock curved until it was no longer vertical, but the stream bore them on. Emily had twisted so much she was now being carried down along head first with water spraying up into her face and fearful of rocks in the way, but the passage was smooth as if sanded, from centuries of water wearing it away. It was like a terrifying theme park ride, but quite quickly came to an end. The water spat them out as it fell from the exit hole high above the deep rocky pool they had been warned about. They plunged into the depths - Maddie managing to turn her fall into some kind of dive. Emily came out head first and only just managed to gain any control, but Stephen and Hannah flailed in midair and landed with a splash, inhaling water as they struck the surface..
Maddie: "Shit, Hannah!" Maddie turned and knifed through the water like a fish, reaching her friend with several powerful strokes and pulling her out. As Emily went to work on her, Maddie dove back out and pulled Stephen along as well, though he didn't seem to be suffering as badly as Hannah
Emily: Despite feeling sore from her swim, she was focusing entirely on Hannah. After performing a basic lifesaving technique drilled into her from a young age, Hannah coughed and spat out the water. Emily sighed with relief, "You should be okay now Hannah."
Stephen: Stephen spent some time coughing up water and catching his breath, but eventually fully recovered and thanked Maddie for her help
Hannah: Hannah was almost doubled over from the discomfort of expelling water from her lungs, rubbing tears from her eyes, but finally she pushed herself back up to a sitting position. "Th-thank you both."
Emily: Emily nodded as she checked Hannah over, "No problem." She looked around to see their new surrounding.
IdGM: Now they were able to look around. The stream splashed out of the side of a sheer face of light coloured rock, down into the pool, then wandered away to the west. Above them the sky was lightening with the rising sun, although the air was still very chill. On each side of the stream, virgin forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Leaves were already changing colour on the trees
Emily: "So beautiful." Emily sighed wistfully as she got dressed, "I am so itching to start that raft."
Maddie: Maddie shivered. "Where's that booze Dryakos gave us?"
Hannah: Hannah shivered and shook herself as dry as possible before dressing. She looked out at the great forest before them. "It's beautiful."
Stephen: Stephen quickly took the clothes from his plastic back and put them back on "A beautiful place - a shame we do not have the time for leisure and sightseeing."
IdGM: They all took a swig from the flask, and the liquid once again ran like fire through their veins, warming them.
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