Story One- Lethe Anonymous Part Three

<HollyhockGod> Hm, when last we met, Ryan had left Vesper alone, claiming the need to deal with a Mysterious Beast.

<RyanSherbrig> Well, I would have suggested he come with, rather than leave him in the Obsidian Fortress by himself.

<HollyhockGod> Meanwhile, Katriana tells Ebba how change is bad.

<HollyhockGod> Wasn't the whole point to get away from him?

<RyanSherbrig> Well, more a change of topic, really.

<RyanSherbrig> "Yes, I'm sure the chicks love your 14-year-old oh hey look monsters!"

<RyanSherbrig> Not quite in that many words.

<HollyhockGod> All right, then, tell me your plan.

<HollyhockGod> I assume you'll have to actually make a monster, or he'll be disappointed.

<Ebba> (There are simpler ways to change the topic of conversation than kaiju summoning…)

<Fiona> (But none that are as fun!)

<RyanSherbrig> (Nah, it's fairly simple for me)

<RyanSherbrig> Yup! I make, oh, let's say, two of them. Big things, five times as tall as a man, like a cross between scorpion and jackal with diamond teeth and claws.

<RyanSherbrig> Not using any of our special pure human souls, just basic predatory animal intelligence.

<HollyhockGod> And Mysterious?

<HollyhockGod> Also, where are you planning to put it?

<RyanSherbrig> Sure. Somewhere a bit of a ways off, towards where the others were, on, say, a beach. Not too near any population centers, though.

<HollyhockGod> All right. Just start telling me how it all goes down, then.

<RyanSherbrig> Then I make us some mounts, like giant jumping spiders, but with antennae and whiskeys, with convenient saddles and harnesses. "Shall we?"

<RyanSherbrig> (Try and weird me out, will he?)

<Ebba> (Antennae and whiskey?)

<RyanSherbrig> Whiskers, sorry.

<RyanSherbrig> (The whiskey's in the saddlebags.)

<Ebba> (I liked the first version better :) )

<Fiona> (See, civilised mounts would come with whiskey, or maybe wine.)

<Alexa> (Firewater! :) )

  • Ebba sips tea and looks irritated.

<Ebba> "It seems the boys are now playing."

<HollyhockGod> "That, at least, never changes."

<Ebba> "Perhaps we should have simple forced them to compare their manhoods, with their esteemed sisters to do the judging."

<RyanSherbrig> Assuming he comes with, we arrive at the beach, where I dismount and assess the situation. "Hmmm. I deal with the one on the left, you deal with the one on the right, or would you prefer simply to spectate?"

<RyanSherbrig> (See, I'm trying to gather useful tactical information about how he deals with problems!)

<HollyhockGod> It's impossible to tell whether Katriana is shocked or not.

<RyanSherbrig> (Tsk. 'Playing.')

<HollyhockGod> "Gladly! Do you wish it subdued alive?"

<RyanSherbrig> "That would be most convenient, yes."

<HollyhockGod> Also, bad Ebba for wanting to see a fourteen-year-old's manhood.

<Pandora> (Of course, these being Nobles, that doesn't necessarily mean what we think it does. ;) )

<HollyhockGod> Vesper reaches into a jacket pocket and pulls out a stack of notebook-sized papers, and flicks them with his thumb, causing them to fan out like a hand of poker cards.

<HollyhockGod> All of a sudden, they look extremely… sharp.

<HollyhockGod> "This is perfectly doable. On your mark… get set… go!"

  • RyanSherbrig adopts a meditative pose, as a mass of vines burst forth from the soil, wrapping around the leftmost beast's claws, mouth, and stinger, before totally entangling it.

<RyanSherbrig> As a small flourish, the vines blossom with a few hundred small bioluminescent flowers.

<HollyhockGod> Vesper calmly begins walking toward his Mysterious Beast, his hand of cards held behind his back.

<HollyhockGod> Then he calmly tells the monster, "You do not wish to harm me. I am your friend."

<HollyhockGod> The Mysterious Beast appears to believe this, and is therefore quite surprise when the sheets of paper in Vesper's hand begin folding themselve into links in a long paper chain that winds around its legs and then pulls tight, dropping the creature flat.

<RyanSherbrig> "Well done. I'll send somebody to pick these two up. Shall we return to the others?"

<HollyhockGod> Vesper pats it on the head gently and tells it, "Your current condition is perfectly acceptable and even enjoyable."

<HollyhockGod> "Indeed."

<Pandora> (Did he… just give the Mysterious Beast a miraculous bondage kink?)

  • RyanSherbrig rides back to the pavilion, then, where there's suddenly convenient ministable for the spidermounts.

<RyanSherbrig> (Let's hope not for their new handlers' sakes.)

<HollyhockGod> (Miracles of Words are subject to interpretation.)

<RyanSherbrig> "Ladies."

<HollyhockGod> "Truly," says Vesper, as you return to Ebba and Katriana, "this Chancel has everything. But of course, you must visit us, as well, and give us the chance to show off our own humble home."

<Ebba> "Have fun?"

<HollyhockGod> "Lady, I would claim that fun was impossible while I lacked your company, but courtesy to your esteemed Sibling forbids it."

<RyanSherbrig> "It would be my honor, and I'm sure that of my Familia as well, the moment we have time."

<RyanSherbrig> (/me momentarily resists the urge to try to hook Vesper up with Monothaia.)

<Fiona> (Give in. You know you want to.)

<Ebba> "Of course, I'm sure that we are as interested as meeting your esteemed Brother as you are in meeting our Sisters."

  • RyanSherbrig wonders how they're doing.

<HollyhockGod> "Brother?" asks Katriana, permitting her eyebrows to rise up to a two degree angle. "Ah, yes; Marley does set herself up for that mistake. But I shall let you form your own opinion of her habits."

<Ebba> (Eh? I thought that was a guy.)

<RyanSherbrig> (Evidently that was intentional.)

  • HollyhockGod regrets nothing.

<HollyhockGod> (Except that one thing…)

<Fiona> (Well, we all regret that.)

<HollyhockGod> "In that case," says Vesper eagerly to Ryan, "we must arrange some sort of formal gathering at Locus Azrael. Of course, there are many of your new peers yet for you to be introduced to. And there are several-" (Vesper closes his eyes as if in fond imagining) "charming young people whom I would like you to know."

<Fiona> (Exactly how young?)

<RyanSherbrig> (Don't ask.)

<HollyhockGod> (Well, Vesper seems to find Ebba attractive, so you'll have to judge.)

<Pandora> (…okay, enough with the February-December romance here…)

<Ebba> "So what about our entries in your book?"

<Pandora> (I'd like to be getting back to the chancel, BTW)

<RyanSherbrig> (Teleporticide time!)

<HollyhockGod> "I shall proceed by intuition until we have had the chance to meet each of you in person."

<Fiona> (We have a person to unimprison, remember?)

<Pandora> (We also have a handy Cammorae. I'm inclined to outsource rather than play through that as a scene.)

<Fiona> (That should work.)

<HollyhockGod> Okay, so since we're finishing up, I'll just announce that Vesper and Katriana reassemble their boat and bid you farewell.

<HollyhockGod> Fiona, Pandora, Alexa; just let me know what you still want to do while you're in Tokyo.

<Ebba> To Ryan: "So what did you think?"

<Alexa> (Nothing important for me. Might just give my Anchors and family a quick call, say hi.)

  • Pandora cocks an eyebrow at the lady Cammora. "One other thing. What's the going rate for getting a man out jail with a minimum of fuss and bother?"

<RyanSherbrig> "Interesting. I'm unsure how much of Vesper's personality was genuine and how much was a deliberate attempt to provoke a reaction, though."

<RyanSherbrig> "Still. They seemed agreeable enough as guests."

  • RyanSherbrig skims through the Almanac.

<Alexa> (Oh, they left us a copy?)

<HollyhockGod> "Ah," says Rosa. "I am feeling pleased today, because I thought I was going to have to work and now I discover that I will not."

<RyanSherbrig> (Pretty sure Vesper said the copy he made was for our own private library)

<HollyhockGod> "I shall set the price at guaranteed reincarnation for myself upon death in a body of supreme beauty, health, and longevity."

<HollyhockGod> (That is correct. RANDOM ENTRY TIME:)

<Ebba> ("Supreme" might be asking for a bit too much…)

<Fiona> (Pfft. Just add flaws to the other parts. That's an excessive ask, and she's unpleasant.)

<RyanSherbrig> ("You will be the prettiest tortoise ever.")

<RyanSherbrig> (Or heck, you're a Regal; it's not like you can't give it to her with a wave of your hand.)

<HollyhockGod> ("Prince Baelor of the Deadly Gaze, Dominus Risus, Sovereign of Laughter and Servant of the Wild Magistrix Dera-debourah. Famous for his blindfold, which he removes only to utilize his hideously destructive sight, which destroys everything within his field of vision."

  • Pandora nods, and works a Miracle of Destruction/Creation to wipe out whatever she had coming for her next and do as she asks. The social station of said body is left to her karma.

<HollyhockGod> "A most joyful occasion for us all," says Rosa. "I shall respond by fulfilling your request with extreme haste." She pulls out her phone. "What was the name again?"

<RyanSherbrig> "Hmmmm." Ryan checks to see if his entry is in there yet.

  • Pandora gives her the name and description.

<RyanSherbrig> (It could magically update for all I know.)

<HollyhockGod> Rosa's thumbs begin to rapidly beat out a text message.

<HollyhockGod> Fifteen seconds later, she announces. "It is as you wish. Little Maebara shall be freed within a quarter of an hour."

<Ebba> "So exactly what topic of converstation did you feel the need to summon monsters to avoid?"

<HollyhockGod> (Exemplary powers of deduction!)

<Ebba> (Aspect 5 hearing.)

<HollyhockGod> (Deduction would have been fine, too. :) )

<HollyhockGod> (I also appreciate that Pandora is capable of being extremely nasty in her own subtle way.)

<RyanSherbrig> "Vesper discussing his exploits among women."

<Ebba> "And you did not share tales your own exploits with, ah, things from Beyond?"

<Pandora> "Excellent. Thank you, Signora d'Addio. It has been a pleasure dealing with you." Pandora takes her leave.

<Fiona> to Pandora and Alexa: "we're done here?"

  • Alexa looks at Pandora enquiringly.

<RyanSherbrig> "Ha. No; sadly, asymmetrical chitinous appendages have never really done it for me."

  • RyanSherbrig scritches a spidermount's head.

<Pandora> "I believe we are. For now, at least." *checking that they are out of the Cammoran's hearing* "Her employer is definitely going to be an enemy in the future. Envy, and she seemed to know me from Before."

<Pandora> "But, for now, the crisis is averted at the Incident stage. No declarations of war yet."

<Fiona> "To be fair, I knew who you were, and I spent most of my life as a flower."

<Alexa> "Did she mention what she was up to with this ghost stuff?"

<Pandora> "Hah!" She chuckles. "Fair point. Still, I think it may have been… A very old connection. Right back to the Box."

<Pandora> "Oh, that's only one point of it… 'Self help.' She's making people selfish and greedy by making them, ostensibly, better."

<Pandora> "Mostly to provoke envy, of course. It's not nice, but aside from this particular bit with the ghosts I don't see where it's our business."

<RyanSherbrig> (Besides the obvious violations of your Estate.)

<Alexa> "But you're okay, right? As Rebirth?"

<Pandora> "Yes. We should be done here in Tokyo, unless you wanted to go shopping while we're already right here in Shibuya." She winks playfully.

<Ebba> "If the mere mention of Vesper's exploits among women cause you to summon monsters, you should get out more, brother."

<RyanSherbrig> "I also thought it would be helpful to see how Vesper handles himself in a potentially dangerous situation."

<RyanSherbrig> "For example, I learned he seems to have a certain degree of power over paper, as well as words."

<Alexa> (Prayer to Ebba): "Sister dear, are our guests still there?"

<Ebba> "They have gone."

<Alexa> "Thanks." To Fiona and Pandora: "I was thinking we should shoot back home if our guests were still there, but Ebba says they've gone."

<Ebba> "While Katriana seems to have some sort of personal code that abjures change."

<Alexa> "So we might as well do some shopping, see the sights." She smiles.

<Fiona> "Well, I don't really have anything else to do here. I still don't really understand shopping."

<Alexa> "Oh! Let me teach you!"

  • RyanSherbrig conjures a glass of hot tea in a diamond chalice.

<RyanSherbrig> "So did they say how things went in Japan?"

<Pandora> Pandora chuckles evilly. "Yes, let us begin the initiation!" Then she frowns in thought for a moment. "Wait… Have any of us actually thought to set up a cash source?"

<Ebba> "They have sent very little, just an inquiry if our guests had departed."

<RyanSherbrig> "Aha. Well, presumably they wouldn't be asking if that wasn't over. Hmmm."

<Alexa> "I have my own savings, and a line of credit from my parents' company."

<HollyhockGod> I guess that means that the winner of this scenario is Visa.

<RyanSherbrig> "Anyone you care to look up in our new Almanac?"

<Alexa> "Perhaps we should think about something more substantial, though."

<RyanSherbrig> (Also, *did* I find if I had an entry yet?)

<Pandora> "Ah, good. That should do for today. Let's do remember to launder a couple of tons of gold boullion or something courtesy of Ryan, though."

<Alexa> "Hmm. I still think that's kind of cheating."

<Ebba> (Threaten to beat it out of him first, then it can be honorably won as a Danegeld.)

<Pandora> "Cheating, schmeating, it'd be real gold, wouldn't it? Who cares if it's freshly minted, it does the mortals as much good as if it were out of the ground.)

<RyanSherbrig> (Except when it vanishes in a day)

<Fiona> "Doesn't it disappear though, like fairy gold."

<Pandora> Pandora frowns. "Wait… It does?"

<Pandora> "Oh… That doesn't work then."

<HollyhockGod> (RYAN SHERBRIG, Dominus Nitorus, Power of Radiance and Sovereign Beyond. A new player and my esteemed cousin. His manifold virtues await the discovery of my perspicacious readers.)

<Alexa> "Yeah, unless we keep putting power into it."

<Pandora> "Oh, shoot. Um."

<Alexa> (Ryan's a player!)

<Fiona> (Well, he was making assumptions about his activities Beyond.)

  • Pandora thinks for a moment. "Maybe we could buy a couple of played out mines on the cheap and I could freshen them up?"

<RyanSherbrig> (Well, it would work, it would just screw over whoever you sold the gold to.)

<HollyhockGod> (Pandora can just sell people youth.)

<Fiona> (Unrelated note: Hitherby Dragons has just updated again (as of July 1).)

<HollyhockGod> (Harbinger!)

<Alexa> "I play the markets a bit, but I'm not very good at it. I usually ask my brothers for tips."

<Pandora> "Ah, whatever. Let's worry about the money later, we have credit for today."

  • You are now known as RandBrittain

<RandBrittain> I guess that concludes our first story, with clothes.

  • Alexa is now known as Uqbarian
  • Fiona is now known as borogove
  • RyanSherbrig is now known as Benhimself

<Ebba> Hmm, command for unnick?

<RandBrittain> So, what did everyone think of the story as a whole?

<borogove> Which Fíona doesn't really understand the need for. I mean, she has the whole person part, but she's also still kind of thinks of herself as a periwinkle vine.

<RandBrittain> Just nick again.

<borogove> Story = good.

<Ebba> nick

<RandBrittain> "/nick <name>"

  • Ebba is now known as crusher_bob

<Uqbarian> Story's good; I just worry we've missed something.

<Uqbarian> But I'm paranoid. :)

<RandBrittain> I was going to heh heh heh at one point, but if I had you'd have caught it and prevented it.

<Pandora> The story was quite good. :) A nice little bit to find our character voices on.

<RandBrittain> Now you'll just have to cope. :)

<Uqbarian> Darn!

<crusher_bob> for example, is Vesper's almanac a living spy-book?

<Uqbarian> What'd we do?

<crusher_bob> handy when everyone has a reason to keep them nearby :D

<borogove> (I assume when we moved away from the Camorrae we took into account her presumably heightened hearing?)

<Uqbarian> Yes, let's assume that!

<crusher_bob> You also left all those ghosts wandering around, didn't you?

<RandBrittain> In theory, all books are Vesper's spies.

<crusher_bob> Never bothered to chase them down.

<Benhimself> Yeah. Problem with Regals.

<RandBrittain> Bob: That would have taken forever.

<Benhimself> Spend a DMP to do the Creations of Rebirth at range, maybe?

<RandBrittain> It's difficult to know what powers Cammorae might have, but I assume you at least got some distance away.

<Benhimself> Or two to just bust out a Major one.

<Nentuaby> Depends. Are we refreshing MP next session? ;)

<borogove> I still think you should make a sentient reincarnation that wanders around eating ghosts.

<Nentuaby> o.0

<Benhimself> Oooh.

<borogove> Hey, it's only a lesser change or two.

<Benhimself> Rebirth elemental!

<RandBrittain> Yes, next session is a new story, so you refresh.

<RandBrittain> Also, have a character point!

<Nentuaby> Then I deghost Tokyo. ;)

<Benhimself> Whoo!

<borogove> Yay!

<Uqbarian> Yippee!

<Nentuaby> Yum.

<crusher_bob> You can pay the Camorran to round them up; after all she knows all of them already, that'll make it easy :D

<Uqbarian> So the agreement with Envy last session, that was just for her to stop messing with the process at her end?

<RandBrittain> You know, most of those people died of natural causes…. oh, well, it's their problem now.

<RandBrittain> I'd have to check on exactly what she agreed to do.

<Nentuaby> She agreed to shut down the ghost-empowerment operation.

<Nentuaby> Which would have the effect of stopping the bleed, and really be good enough for Pandora, but she may as well send the ghosts on to their next destination while she's handy. Though, hmm, let's hedge that Greater Creation against people's spirit guides and the like. Don't want to make accidental enemies.

<RandBrittain> Are you bringing every non-fettered ghost in Tokyo back to life?

<borogove> Just shuffle them back into the reincarnation lottery?

<Benhimself> Greasing the wheels of the celestial bureaucracy.

<Nentuaby> I'm not bringing them back; I'm sending them on to their next life.

<RandBrittain> Well… I guess you can do it now that you have a better idea of who they are.

<RandBrittain> Flush!

<Nentuaby> (Mini baby boom!)

<Benhimself> (Well, presumably spread across the world)

<Uqbarian> (And across species.)

<RandBrittain> I think the Cycle is sort of like a queue, anyway.

<Nentuaby> (Point.)

<RandBrittain> They won't pop out until a karmically-appropriate birth is ready.

<RandBrittain> It's Nen's call, though.

<Uqbarian> Is there an actual Celestial Bureaucracy?

<Benhimself> (Force someone to have Centuplets!)

<RandBrittain> No.

<Benhimself> (Man, ow.)

<Benhimself> We could make one!

<RandBrittain> Mythic spirits are doing radical anarchy combined with pockets of feudalism.

<crusher_bob> Ah, I love the overpowering solutions to things, there absolutely no way anything could possibly go wrong :D

<RandBrittain> Overpowering solutions are part of Nobilis, though, so I won't punish you for using them unless you've clearly left a factor out of your calculations.

<Uqbarian> So what do we do next?

<Nentuaby> Yeah, something along the lines of a queue… They go into a sort of Well of Souls thing in the heart of the World Tree, would be my notion.

<crusher_bob> Remember this when you have a diamond-tooth scorpion-jackal following you down the street saying, "Punish me!" :D

<RandBrittain> Decide where to spend your new character points, and wait for me to write your new story for next week.

<Uqbarian> Cool.

<RandBrittain> Incidentally, this story was "Lethe Anonymous" and the next one will be "Fires of Creation."

<Uqbarian> Oh. You won't be needing me, then. ;)

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