New chat room entered at 4/19/2007 8:52:29 PM.
You are now in chat room “sotsw04192007.”
Thematrian1 has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (8:54:47 PM): Ping
circlmastr is not online, and therefore cannot chat.

MilesMk1 has entered the chat room.

Thematrian1 (9:21:05 PM): do we know when Circl will arrive?
Umbrafer (9:21:25 PM): I'm not certain. Supposedly a few minutes ago.
Umbrafer (9:21:32 PM): He didn't show any signs that he knew he was going to be late.
Umbrafer (9:23:46 PM): Apparently now
circlmastr has entered the chat room.

circlmastr (9:23:59 PM): Ahoyness to all
Umbrafer (9:25:37 PM): j0
Umbrafer (9:25:41 PM): So when we last left our antiheroes…
circlmastr (9:26:01 PM): (My intention to make macaroni & cheese has been foiled)
Umbrafer (9:26:17 PM): (Whyfor?)
Thematrian1 (9:26:54 PM): It was about 1 am, and something was about to happen.
circlmastr (9:27:15 PM): (No butter)
Umbrafer (9:28:36 PM): It was about 1:00 AM.
Umbrafer (9:28:36 PM): (You can make it without butter, it just lacks)
circlmastr (9:29:05 PM): (We don't even have fake butter to substitute in)
Umbrafer (9:29:12 PM): The storm is positively raging out there. Wind's only moderate, but the rainfall is torrential and the lightning is frequent.
circlmastr (9:29:20 PM): (I'd go for takeout but I've already held up the game long enough)
Umbrafer (9:29:28 PM): (I meant without anything butterlike at all, but then it lacks even more)
Thematrian1 (9:29:39 PM): "Which Norse god are we supposed to meet again, tonight?"
circlmastr (9:30:28 PM): "You're the one with the dream."
Thematrian1 (9:31:38 PM): I stick my tongue out at him. "Joking, joking..." Anything interesting happening astrally?
Umbrafer (9:31:57 PM): The number of crows in the trees around you has increased. One lands on the van. They appear to be generally crowding closer to the bridge.
Umbrafer (9:32:01 PM): Are you in LOS of the bridge?
circlmastr (9:32:18 PM): I would imagine so
Umbrafer (9:33:04 PM): Well, you've had several hours to move into or out of it. That's a yes?
Thematrian1 (9:33:15 PM): Yes, definitely, if I get a vote.
circlmastr (9:33:35 PM): Yeah. It's why we're here, after all.
Umbrafer (9:33:37 PM): Perception.
circlmastr (9:33:56 PM): circlmastr rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 5 1 4 6 5
circlmastr (9:33:58 PM): circlmastr rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
circlmastr (9:34:04 PM): (8, trip 5's, 4)
Thematrian1 (9:34:18 PM): (one sec; I'm on gaim and need to re-enable slash commands)
Umbrafer (9:34:25 PM): Is Hound jacked in or out?
Umbrafer (9:34:27 PM): (Heh)
circlmastr (9:35:56 PM): Not at this very moment.
Thematrian1 (9:36:08 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 3 3 6 6 6
Thematrian1 (9:36:12 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 3 6-sided dice: 1 2 4
Thematrian1 (9:36:16 PM): 10 8 7 5 3 3
Umbrafer (9:36:31 PM): Ok. People see things. First off…
circlmastr (9:39:14 PM): "What's up with the plants?"
Thematrian1 (9:39:28 PM): "What do you mean?"
Thematrian1 (9:39:57 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 3 4 3 1 5
circlmastr (9:40:02 PM): "They look like they're glowing or something. And the air over the bridge looks weird."
Thematrian1 (9:40:26 PM): "You don't know the half of it." I turn off AstralVision! for a sec. Are the plants glowing for reals?
Thematrian1 (9:41:36 PM): "Oh. Ohhhhh"
Thematrian1 (9:41:45 PM): "Well, that isn't normal."
circlmastr (9:42:06 PM): "Please tell me you know what's going on."
Thematrian1 (9:42:08 PM): "That's...what I see when I look into the astral plane. Except, now I can see it even when I'm not looking."
Thematrian1 (9:42:41 PM): "And you can see it, which...is probably...hm. Do you see that tree?"
circlmastr (9:42:55 PM): "Which tree?" (and do I?)
Umbrafer (9:44:01 PM): You do. It's a small tree, but weird glowing things are easy to spot.
Umbrafer (9:44:10 PM): At least when compared to non-weird, non-glowing things.
Thematrian1 (9:45:05 PM): "Well, I'm the one who got us into this. I'm checking it out."
Umbrafer (9:45:17 PM): It is now 1:02.
Thematrian1 (9:45:19 PM): "If I run and scream, please come get me."
Thematrian1 (9:45:25 PM): six minutes until the Big Event?
circlmastr (9:45:35 PM): "Yeah, I can see it. I think I'd better jack in, just in case." *does so*
MilesMk1 (9:45:52 PM): *wakes up* "Wha...?"
Thematrian1 (9:46:01 PM): "Be sure to record everything."
MilesMk1 (9:46:11 PM): *blink*
Umbrafer (9:46:13 PM): (Just in time :) )
Thematrian1 (9:46:14 PM): "If nothing else, we can sell it to mundanes who want a slice of the astral."
Thematrian1 (9:46:27 PM): "Hey, Glitch. Look out the window."
MilesMk1 (9:46:32 PM): *looks*
Umbrafer (9:46:41 PM): (You see the glowy stuff)
Thematrian1 (9:47:42 PM): Meanwhile, I'm cutting holes in a garbage bag and putting it on over my long coat
Umbrafer (9:47:46 PM): (Also, it's actually 3 minutes until the Big Event)
circlmastr (9:47:53 PM): *record record*
MilesMk1 (9:47:54 PM): "The crows are having a rave? Uh, want me to come with?"
Thematrian1 (9:48:04 PM): (Check)
Thematrian1 (9:48:25 PM): "Please. Your balloon should help with whatever's happening."
Thematrian1 (9:48:33 PM): (Did Gem ever get a balloon?)
MilesMk1 (9:48:37 PM): "Right..."
MilesMk1 (9:48:48 PM): *follows Gem*
Umbrafer (9:48:53 PM): (Gem did not get a balloon.)
Thematrian1 (9:49:07 PM): (Oh well, I have a rock. And Glitch. And Hound.)
circlmastr (9:49:11 PM): (Hound didn't get a balloon either, as much as a rigger should have one)
Thematrian1 (9:49:13 PM): I set off into the rain.
Umbrafer (9:49:29 PM): *Trudge* *Trudge* *BOOOOOOM* *Trudge*
Umbrafer (9:50:39 PM): How close are you getting?
Thematrian1 (9:50:48 PM): Hmm. Is the tree growing at all?
Umbrafer (9:51:46 PM): Growing? Nope, just sitting there and showing its aura to every meatspace observer. Some more vegetation has started glowing, too.
Thematrian1 (9:52:30 PM): #I think that we're getting some kind of intrusion from a metaplane into our physical world.#
Thematrian1 (9:52:46 PM): #If I'm right, almost anything could happen.#
Thematrian1 (9:52:55 PM): Let's see. How close are the crows getting?
Umbrafer (9:53:36 PM): Right now the closest one is about fifteen meters away, but it's about five meters ahead of the next few. After that they get pretty thick.
Thematrian1 (9:54:04 PM): Do I see Old Wise One?
Umbrafer (9:54:36 PM): He's some distance back. About twenty-five meters.
Umbrafer (9:55:22 PM): 1:03
Thematrian1 (9:55:42 PM): 15 meters, then. How far does that put us from the edge of the astral effect
Thematrian1 (9:55:43 PM): ?
Thematrian1 (9:56:00 PM): #How close do you feel like getting to a rip in astral space, Glitch?#
Umbrafer (9:56:06 PM): About three meters away and shrinking, now.
circlmastr (9:56:15 PM): Hound turns on the engine if it isn't on already, so he can run over anything that needs it.
Umbrafer (9:56:25 PM): The engine is now on.
circlmastr (9:56:42 PM): I take it he can't see glowing shit through the van sensors.
Thematrian1 (9:57:12 PM): actually, that's an interesting question
Thematrian1 (9:57:14 PM): does he?
circlmastr (9:58:25 PM): Actually, if he wanted to record it, he'd have to.
Umbrafer (9:59:03 PM): Hound might not know enough about this to find it weird, but—he /can/.
Thematrian1 (9:59:21 PM): He might not, but I sure the frag do.
Thematrian1 (9:59:41 PM): I take some camera snapshots while I'm about it, just to prove to myself that it wasn't a dream.
Umbrafer (9:59:51 PM): *Click* *Click*
circlmastr (9:59:52 PM): #Recording everything. Freaky as hell, you said this was a rip in astral space or something?#
Umbrafer (9:59:57 PM): Two meters.
Thematrian1 (10:00:19 PM): So the astral phenomenon is 13m in diameter? And growing?
Umbrafer (10:00:41 PM): Radius, actually, measured from the edge of the bridge.
MilesMk1 (10:00:54 PM): #I don't know, considering all the other weird shit that's been happening lately... How bad can it be?#
Umbrafer (10:00:59 PM): Perception from those watching.
Thematrian1 (10:01:02 PM): #Famous last words.#
circlmastr (10:01:04 PM): #Fucking awful?#
Thematrian1 (10:01:05 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 1 6 3 2 2
Thematrian1 (10:01:08 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 3 6
Thematrian1 (10:01:10 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
MilesMk1 (10:01:13 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 6 2 2 1 5
circlmastr (10:01:14 PM): Do I get active/passive sensors?
Thematrian1 (10:01:15 PM): 17 9 3 2 2 1
MilesMk1 (10:01:16 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
MilesMk1 (10:01:23 PM): 8,5
Umbrafer (10:02:37 PM): Just passive, unless you're actively scanning.
circlmastr (10:02:40 PM): circlmastr rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 1 2 5 1 1
circlmastr (10:02:43 PM): circlmastr rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
circlmastr (10:02:45 PM): 10, 5
Umbrafer (10:03:43 PM): Ok, Gem notices movement under the bridge. Glitch thought he saw some movement but isn't sure. Hound sees some sort of thing at the edge of the underside of the bridge, but he can't see it clearly.
Umbrafer (10:03:54 PM): One meter and 1:04.
Thematrian1 (10:04:07 PM): #There's something under the bridge. Those spider things again, maybe.#
circlmastr (10:04:08 PM): *drives somewhat closer*
Umbrafer (10:04:38 PM): *Drive drive* The angle's tough, but you get a little better vantage point. Whatever it was, it must be keeping its head in now.
Thematrian1 (10:05:03 PM): #I'm going to try looking at it from the inside. If it's a metaplanar tear, that should be perfectly safe.#
circlmastr (10:05:48 PM): #Nothing you said sounds remotely safe.#
Umbrafer (10:06:05 PM): If you don't fall back, you're going to be inside the radius. Staying?
Thematrian1 (10:07:33 PM): Better. I step into it.
Thematrian1 (10:07:55 PM): #Pour out a jar, but I have to know.#
circlmastr (10:07:57 PM): ("And that was the last I ever saw of either of them.")
Umbrafer (10:07:57 PM): Perception.
Thematrian1 (10:08:04 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 6 2 1 1 4
Thematrian1 (10:08:07 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
Thematrian1 (10:08:10 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Thematrian1 (10:08:21 PM): well, I vaguely perceive something...
Umbrafer (10:08:22 PM): (Don't suppose either of you mundanes have Aura Reading, do you?)
circlmastr (10:08:30 PM): (Ahahahahahaha)
Thematrian1 (10:08:33 PM): (Can mundanes even take Aura Reading?)
Umbrafer (10:08:42 PM): (Yes, if they hang around things like this enough)
Thematrian1 (10:09:03 PM): (Yeah, ok)
Umbrafer (10:09:16 PM): (Not just my call, that's the canon take :) )
Umbrafer (10:09:46 PM): Anyway. You don't notice anything in particular, other than that it's wet. It's also colder than it was.
Umbrafer (10:10:07 PM): Are you just standing at the edge?
Thematrian1 (10:10:16 PM): No. I'm at least a meter inside.
Umbrafer (10:10:24 PM): Ok.
Thematrian1 (10:10:25 PM): #It's cold, but not that different.#
Umbrafer (10:10:42 PM): What about Glitch, is he moving away, into, or holding?
Thematrian1 (10:11:02 PM): #We need to quit buying these drek-shit Azzie garbage bags.#
Umbrafer (10:11:02 PM): The crow scout is now inside.
Thematrian1 (10:11:20 PM): #Part with a new one and buy Ares.#
MilesMk1 (10:11:30 PM): Glitch follows.
Umbrafer (10:11:45 PM): 1:05.
MilesMk1 (10:11:47 PM): He stays a step behind Gem, whatever that means.
Umbrafer (10:11:59 PM): :03
circlmastr (10:12:11 PM): 3 seconds?
Thematrian1 (10:12:14 PM): I set up my Math SPU and Imagelink to give me a running countdown in my field of view.
Thematrian1 (10:12:32 PM): Should have done that hours ago
Umbrafer (10:12:42 PM): I assumed you had.
circlmastr (10:12:56 PM): Hound has his van's dashboard clock, so there. :P
Thematrian1 (10:12:59 PM): Oh well, the SPU is exact anyway.
Umbrafer (10:13:19 PM): 1:05:07. It's not exactly /quiet/, what with the thunder and torrential rain and all, but it's relatively quiet.
Thematrian1 (10:13:34 PM): Can we see under the bridge any better?
Umbrafer (10:13:44 PM): A little. If you get closer you can see it better.
Umbrafer (10:13:55 PM): Seeing under is still difficult, more so than it was earlier in the day.
Thematrian1 (10:14:10 PM): makes sense. Oh well. I take a few more steps toward the tree.
Thematrian1 (10:14:11 PM): #Ideas?#
circlmastr (10:14:29 PM): How far is the radius from the van?
Umbrafer (10:14:51 PM): 1:05:12. About 40 meters.
MilesMk1 (10:14:57 PM): #Walk deeper into it?#
Thematrian1 (10:15:20 PM): #Yeah. You check the bridge, I'll check the tree?#
circlmastr (10:15:36 PM): What time is whatever it is happening again?
Umbrafer (10:15:46 PM): The tree in question, for reference, is on the other side of the bridge.
Umbrafer (10:15:52 PM): 1:05
MilesMk1 (10:16:01 PM): #Uh... Sure.#
Thematrian1 (10:16:20 PM): I cross over, then. Not checking underneath, not me.
Umbrafer (10:16:37 PM): You're walking?
MilesMk1 (10:16:53 PM): *checks under the bridge, wondering how shock gloves work in pouring rain*
Umbrafer (10:17:10 PM): What're your walking speeds?
MilesMk1 (10:17:21 PM): 6
Umbrafer (10:18:26 PM): (Gem? Also the standard 6?)
Thematrian1 (10:18:39 PM): (6)
Umbrafer (10:19:21 PM): You both reach the bridge at about 1:05:18. Gem's crossing?
Thematrian1 (10:19:51 PM): yep
Umbrafer (10:20:33 PM): How is Glitch accessing the underside of the bridge, and is he taking any special preparations?
Umbrafer (10:23:03 PM): Meanwhile, Gem crosses the bridge. She reaches the other side at 1:05:28 and rolls perception.
Thematrian1 (10:23:32 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 5 1 5 2 1
MilesMk1 (10:23:44 PM): For now, he'll just get close to the edge and crouch down.
Umbrafer (10:24:11 PM): There's a tree. It's kinda small, and young. Its aura is clearly visible. Glitch also rolls perception.
MilesMk1 (10:24:18 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 2 6 1 3 5
MilesMk1 (10:24:22 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
MilesMk1 (10:24:25 PM): 11,5
Thematrian1 (10:24:52 PM): nobody's speared to the tree, I take it?
Umbrafer (10:25:03 PM): There's /something/ down there just out of sight. It's giving off this sorta dim, murky glow.
Umbrafer (10:25:11 PM): The tree is rather small for a spearing.
Umbrafer (10:25:42 PM): And yes, that has apparently thus far stopped anyone from spearing someone on it.
Umbrafer (10:25:56 PM): Anyone/everyone, whatever.
circlmastr (10:26:31 PM): #Well? What's going on?#
Umbrafer (10:26:52 PM): 1:05:31. Perception from Gem again.
Thematrian1 (10:27:16 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 1 2 5 4 6
Thematrian1 (10:27:19 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Umbrafer (10:27:52 PM): You feel something. Maybe a slight tremor or rumble in the ground.
MilesMk1 (10:29:02 PM): #Eh. There's something there, I'd need to get closer...#
Thematrian1 (10:29:11 PM): #Can you? Without risking yourself, I mean?#
MilesMk1 (10:29:31 PM): I assume between my various agumentations, I probably could, yes?
Umbrafer (10:30:05 PM): It's pretty risky—a lot of the ground is soft mud that your claws will slide right through. That said, for you "pretty risky" is probably slightly more risky than a normal person walking along the side in good weather.
Umbrafer (10:30:07 PM): Just don't slip.
MilesMk1 (10:30:30 PM): #Well, that depends on what's under the bridge, but I don't think I'm going to fall...#
MilesMk1 (10:30:50 PM): I also have balance augmentation, it should help with the slipping.
circlmastr (10:30:54 PM): (You'd think all this talking would take more than a few seconds)
Thematrian1 (10:30:59 PM): #It's probably worth it, then. The spider things ran from me before...#
Thematrian1 (10:31:04 PM): (Transducer, baby!)
MilesMk1 (10:31:11 PM): Ok, I'll try going down.
Umbrafer (10:31:28 PM): 1:05:33
Umbrafer (10:31:34 PM): (It does.)
MilesMk1 (10:31:38 PM): Should have brought my climbing harness, but I don't want to waste time backtracking.
Umbrafer (10:31:49 PM): Er, :34
Umbrafer (10:32:09 PM): Roll to climb.
circlmastr (10:32:15 PM): (If whatever it is happens at 1:05:59 I'll be forced to lose all suspension of disbelief)
Thematrian1 (10:33:02 PM): (It'll have to happen at 1:05:58, anyway)
Thematrian1 (10:33:08 PM): (Or 1:06:04)
circlmastr (10:33:23 PM): (Why's that?)
MilesMk1 (10:33:43 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 6 5 4 2 5 2 1
MilesMk1 (10:33:47 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
MilesMk1 (10:33:52 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
MilesMk1 (10:33:55 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Thematrian1 (10:34:02 PM): (Or, ok, 1:06:01. Because we're progressing in 3-second combat rounds)
MilesMk1 (10:34:04 PM): 20, 5, 5.
Thematrian1 (10:34:10 PM): (Do you find that as ominous as I do?)
MilesMk1 (10:34:12 PM): Or 24, 9, 9 with my Tn mods, IIRC.
MilesMk1 (10:34:42 PM): (What the three 6s?)
circlmastr (10:34:44 PM): (I don't, but I'm outside the aura thing and in an armored vehicle with a rigger jacked in and the engine running)
Thematrian1 (10:35:08 PM): (No, the fact that we're apparently in combat time)
Thematrian1 (10:35:20 PM): I keep my eyes peeled. Oh, and I take another peek into the astral.
Thematrian1 (10:35:25 PM): well, I use some more astralvision
Thematrian1 (10:35:26 PM): you know
Umbrafer (10:35:46 PM): 1:05:37. Glitch clambers down deftly. Gem sees some auras outside of the radius, but nothing inside changes aside from that weird sensation of seeing the astral with both your physical and second sight.
Umbrafer (10:36:04 PM): Also, Gem now clearly feels a rumbling in the ground.
Umbrafer (10:36:12 PM): Glitch sees… Perception.
MilesMk1 (10:36:46 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 4 4 2 1 2
Thematrian1 (10:36:55 PM): #The earth is definitely shaking. That'd be the train coming, I guess?#
Thematrian1 (10:37:14 PM): #Too late to divert it now, I guess. Everyone keep your masks on.#
circlmastr (10:37:23 PM): Hound spares a glance at the train coming.
circlmastr (10:37:30 PM): With sensors, of course
Umbrafer (10:37:30 PM): A seething mass of /something/. It's dark and moving and appears to be /unglowing/.
Thematrian1 (10:37:36 PM): wait, seething?
Umbrafer (10:37:39 PM): It isn't visible yet, but you can scan for it. Active sensors.
Thematrian1 (10:37:40 PM): Trains don't usually seethe
circlmastr (10:37:46 PM): circlmastr rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (10:37:48 PM): That was what Glitch saw.
Thematrian1 (10:37:53 PM): oh
Thematrian1 (10:37:54 PM): ok
Umbrafer (10:37:57 PM): Trains also don't usually cling to the underside of bridges
circlmastr (10:38:05 PM): Well, I imagine a train has a Sig less than 4, but it's still only 1 success
Thematrian1 (10:38:07 PM): they could
Umbrafer (10:38:55 PM): Hm. Well, there's a lot of EMF in the air, too, but you manage to pick out something train-like. It's hard to get an exact position, let alone status, though.
circlmastr (10:39:10 PM): Can I lock onto it, or no?
MilesMk1 (10:39:25 PM): #Uh... You know those tentacle monsters in Japanese trid? Imagine how one would look like if you could barely see it because it radiated darkness...#
Umbrafer (10:39:30 PM): That's a separate test, go ahead and try.
circlmastr (10:39:40 PM): #....I'd suggest leaving. Quickly.#
circlmastr (10:39:46 PM): Rolling what again?
Umbrafer (10:39:54 PM): Same thing.
MilesMk1 (10:40:04 PM): #I'm not a schoolgirl, I ought to be safe.#
circlmastr (10:40:38 PM): #Do you trust a tentacle monster to be that discriminating?#
Umbrafer (10:40:42 PM): 1:05:40. The rumbling's getting stronger. The train will be here soon.
Umbrafer (10:41:18 PM): The seething mass begins to expand slightly. Some long, articulated legs wrap around the side of the bridge.
Umbrafer (10:42:13 PM): Actions?
Thematrian1 (10:42:20 PM): Hmm. I lost my watchers hours ago...
Thematrian1 (10:42:24 PM): I'll try and summon one now
Thematrian1 (10:42:34 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 1 3 2 5 1 3 4 2
Thematrian1 (10:42:38 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 4 3 1 5 3 1 4
circlmastr (10:42:41 PM): circlmastr rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
circlmastr (10:42:48 PM): Sorry, forgot to roll to try to lock
Umbrafer (10:43:15 PM): Whatever Force you just tried to summon at, you get one higher. That also counts for drain purposes, though.
Thematrian1 (10:43:45 PM): aw. I'm up to M stun, but I have an F4 watcher. Nifty.
Thematrian1 (10:43:53 PM): actually, no, just L; we rested
circlmastr (10:44:25 PM): ("And on the seventh box of stun, Gem rested.")
MilesMk1 (10:44:34 PM): #Gem, the thing's growing legs and wrapping around the bridge... You either need to get back, or get away from it on the other side.#
Umbrafer (10:44:49 PM): You're not sure what just happened. An unusually large Watcher pops out of a hole that's unpleasantly slow to close.
Thematrian1 (10:44:53 PM): #Roger wilco.#
Umbrafer (10:44:59 PM): The Watcher looks normal enough, though. Maybe a little smarter than usual.
Thematrian1 (10:45:11 PM): I put the tree between me and the bridge, beckoning my watcher to follow.
Thematrian1 (10:45:19 PM): "So, little one...where am I?"
Umbrafer (10:45:29 PM): It does so with unusual alacrity. It thinks a little bit.
Umbrafer (10:45:49 PM): "You're asking me? This is your place, not mine."
Thematrian1 (10:46:13 PM): "Is it?" I gesture around me.
Thematrian1 (10:46:17 PM): "I think we're sharing it."
Umbrafer (10:46:43 PM): "Yeah. I mean, what the heck's that?" It points at a rock.
Thematrian1 (10:47:19 PM): "We call it a 'rock'." (And that's probably 20 seconds of banter right there)
Umbrafer (10:47:40 PM): 1:05:43. A thing moves towards Glitch a little. It does look kinda like a large spider, but a little… /oozy/. It's still about two meters away. Any action?
Umbrafer (10:48:03 PM): The others advance a bit up the side of the bridge.
circlmastr (10:48:26 PM): (Maybe I should get dinner now while Hound is out of the picture)
Umbrafer (10:48:50 PM): (We're breaking soon, half-hour tops)
MilesMk1 (10:48:54 PM): I, uh, get back up so I'm not clining to rocks while it tries to eat me.
Umbrafer (10:49:01 PM): Roll it.
MilesMk1 (10:49:04 PM): (I actually should be going already, really.)
MilesMk1 (10:49:07 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 1 3 5 2 6 6 1
circlmastr (10:49:10 PM): (At this rate Hound will be off-camera for the half hour, heh)
MilesMk1 (10:49:11 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 1 3
MilesMk1 (10:49:23 PM): 13, 11, 9
Umbrafer (10:49:28 PM): (And as for the conversation, it's less than a combat turn if you count the crows as getting actions)
Umbrafer (10:49:42 PM): You clamber back up quickly.
Thematrian1 (10:49:54 PM): (Heh.)
Umbrafer (10:50:01 PM): Meanwhile, Gem hears the train. It's probably about three seconds away.
Thematrian1 (10:50:18 PM): "How about that thing there?" ::points to the tree::
Thematrian1 (10:50:21 PM): #Train coming.#
Umbrafer (10:50:40 PM): "Looks like a weird, deformed tree. It's got something stuck in it."
Thematrian1 (10:51:11 PM): ! "Show me."
Umbrafer (10:51:15 PM): It points up and down the trunk.
Thematrian1 (10:51:36 PM): I look where it points. Do I see anything stuck in it?
Thematrian1 (10:51:42 PM): Oh, and I'll take that pebble out and hold it.
Umbrafer (10:51:55 PM): Nope. In fact, you've got a nasty suspicion that it's talking about the physical tree.
Umbrafer (10:51:59 PM): Done.
Thematrian1 (10:52:20 PM): oh. Nuts.
Umbrafer (10:52:21 PM): *Rumblerumblerumble* Where is Glitch standing?
MilesMk1 (10:54:36 PM): Several meters from the tracks and from the edge of the cliff.
Umbrafer (10:54:44 PM): *Nods*
Umbrafer (10:54:57 PM): So the following happens:
Umbrafer (10:56:12 PM): The train races into view. It starts across the bridge. It's 1:05:47.
Umbrafer (10:56:56 PM): The spider-things begin to swarm onto the bridge, when all of a sudden a large section of the bridge simply gives way. It drops straight down.
Umbrafer (10:57:13 PM): The train launches itself into the void.
Thematrian1 (10:57:15 PM): Oh hell. Guess we should have gone ahead and diverted it.
Umbrafer (10:58:12 PM): The engine car slams into the far wall of the ravine, causing the entire adjacent area to shake and shift. Quickness from Glitch to not fall down.
MilesMk1 (10:59:49 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 3 5 2 3 2
circlmastr (10:59:50 PM): He fell before he could roll Quickness
Umbrafer (10:59:52 PM): The next few cars slam into the engine, sending a spray of background count firing outwards. To those of you who aren't familiar with the astral, it looks vaguely like a cross between soot, algae, and television static.
MilesMk1 (10:59:54 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Umbrafer (11:00:19 PM): Glitch surfs the shifting ground.
Umbrafer (11:01:31 PM): They telescope into each other, then drop. The succeeding cars are whipped into the far wall, with the last car actually smashing down on the tracks on the far side before tipping into the ravine. It looks like the linkage sheared
Thematrian1 (11:02:11 PM): To not look at the train, Gem instead studies the spot where the bridge underside used to be. Astrally.
Umbrafer (11:02:30 PM): The area around the former bridge now has a background count of 4, trailing down into the ravine.
Thematrian1 (11:02:53 PM): Eeeyikes. That's higher than Hiroshima, isn't it?
Umbrafer (11:02:54 PM): You may or may not have actually seen background count 4 before.
Umbrafer (11:03:07 PM): No, Hiroshima is 5.
Thematrian1 (11:03:09 PM): I take pictures.
Thematrian1 (11:03:18 PM): Oh, ok, it's a little better than Hiroshima. That's fine then.
circlmastr (11:03:26 PM): #What the fuck?#
Umbrafer (11:04:08 PM): Perception from Gem and anyone else watching.
Thematrian1 (11:04:15 PM): #S-seconded...#
Thematrian1 (11:04:18 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 5 2 3 6 5
circlmastr (11:04:19 PM): circlmastr rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 2 4 2 2 2
Thematrian1 (11:04:21 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
circlmastr (11:04:23 PM): (Ye gods)
Umbrafer (11:04:33 PM): Hound stares blankly.
MilesMk1 (11:04:37 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 6 4 4 6 4
MilesMk1 (11:04:45 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 3
Umbrafer (11:04:46 PM): Gem sees a few of the weird spider-things crawling down the wall.
MilesMk1 (11:05:14 PM): 10,9,5,4,4,4
Umbrafer (11:05:33 PM): Glitch, are you looking into the ravine or around the top?
Umbrafer (11:05:59 PM): I should note that you cannot unambiguously determine that the spider-things are what you saw before. They look very similar, but the two you saw weren't oozy the way these are.
Thematrian1 (11:06:00 PM): Are the spider things spirits?
Umbrafer (11:06:21 PM): You think so, but it's difficult to tell.
Thematrian1 (11:06:45 PM): easy enough to check; I try to Control one
MilesMk1 (11:06:48 PM): Uh... Into the ravine, I guess, with glances at the bridge?
Thematrian1 (11:06:50 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 1 6 3 1 3 1 3 5 2
Thematrian1 (11:06:58 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Thematrian1 (11:07:06 PM): that went poorly
Umbrafer (11:07:30 PM): Ok. For a few seconds, you see nothing. Then, movement. A piece of rubble is moving.
MilesMk1 (11:08:15 PM): I look at the moving rubble more closely.
Umbrafer (11:08:22 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 3 1 5 5 1 3 2 2 1 3 4 2 5 2 2
MilesMk1 (11:08:38 PM): As in, the piece of rubble is getting up and walking around, or something underneath seems to be shifting it?
Umbrafer (11:08:44 PM): You attempt to control the spirit, but nothing happens. No feeling of drain, no struggle, just… nothing.
Umbrafer (11:08:49 PM): Something underneath.
MilesMk1 (11:09:22 PM): #Something seems to be trying to dig its way out over by the <location>.#
Umbrafer (11:09:30 PM): It shifts again, then stops. You've got vision magnification, right? (Why am I asking)
MilesMk1 (11:09:36 PM): #Damn, you're on the wrong side of the bridge, aren't you?#
MilesMk1 (11:09:40 PM): Yes, I do.
Umbrafer (11:09:52 PM): (Yes, Gem is on the far side of the bridge)
Thematrian1 (11:09:56 PM): #I can whistle up the wind, if it comes to that.#
Thematrian1 (11:10:14 PM): Did that spidery thing notice my attempt to crush its will?
Umbrafer (11:10:25 PM): If it did, it didn't react. It's picking its way down.
Umbrafer (11:10:34 PM): It looks like there's an elbow sticking out from under the rubble.
MilesMk1 (11:11:01 PM): #Crap, it looks like someone's arm. Someone lived through that?#
MilesMk1 (11:11:11 PM): Are the spiders converging on it?
Thematrian1 (11:11:14 PM): #Oh for...#
Thematrian1 (11:11:28 PM): To my smart watcher, pointing to the oozy spiders: "What are those?"
MilesMk1 (11:11:39 PM): Actually, I'll experimentally shoot a spider, to examine my options.
Umbrafer (11:12:00 PM): It's hard to tell. Right now they're just crawling down the ravine wall.
Umbrafer (11:12:53 PM): The Watcher looks.
Umbrafer (11:12:56 PM): It looks again.
Umbrafer (11:13:11 PM): "I… I don't know! They aren't yours?"
Thematrian1 (11:13:14 PM): While it's looking, I call out to the wind.
Thematrian1 (11:13:22 PM): "Nope. I was hoping they were yours."
Thematrian1 (11:13:51 PM): Going for F6 raise to F7...
Thematrian1 (11:13:55 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 5 4 4 6 3 6 6 5
Thematrian1 (11:13:59 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 3 6-sided dice: 6 2 4
Thematrian1 (11:14:03 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 2 5 6 3 3 5 3
Thematrian1 (11:14:32 PM): got him. 3 services
Umbrafer (11:14:40 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
Umbrafer (11:14:50 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
Umbrafer (11:15:34 PM): Yep, you've got him. He shows up, looks over at where the bridge was, does a double take, and then looks at you uncertainly.
Thematrian1 (11:15:47 PM): "Yeah, yeah, I know, we've all had a rough evening."
Thematrian1 (11:15:54 PM): Hey, what are the crows doing?
MilesMk1 (11:16:11 PM): ...should I roll my shot?
Umbrafer (11:16:34 PM): Yes, yes you should. Picking the best shot, the closest to you, the closest to the bottom, what?
MilesMk1 (11:16:42 PM): The best shot.
MilesMk1 (11:17:04 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 5 1 3 2 3 2 4 4
Umbrafer (11:17:06 PM): That's a point. There's some serious squalking going on in the forest, with some birds on the near trees looking uncertainly from the ravine to behind them.
Umbrafer (11:17:33 PM): Is Hound doing anything?
circlmastr (11:17:51 PM): Hound doesn't really have anything to do.
Umbrafer (11:18:25 PM): Anyway, you're looking at +1 from visibility unless you ignore heavy fog/rain, but otherwise the TN is standard.
Umbrafer (11:20:12 PM): I believe that makes five successes?
MilesMk1 (11:20:32 PM): My thermal vision is at +1 in these conditions. It's one of the few things to give me mods...
MilesMk1 (11:20:40 PM): Yeah, that sounds right.
Umbrafer (11:20:50 PM): Base damage?
Umbrafer (11:20:51 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 4 3 6 2 6 4 2 3 4 1 2 3 3 5 5
Umbrafer (11:21:02 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 1 5
MilesMk1 (11:21:09 PM): 11M counting Ex-ex rounds.
Umbrafer (11:21:27 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 2 4 4 4 3 4 3 3 6 4 5 2 2 3 5
Umbrafer (11:21:32 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (11:21:44 PM): *Kashplat*
Umbrafer (11:22:01 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 3 6 4 6 2 6 3 2 1 6 4 6 4 5 4
Umbrafer (11:22:08 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 6 2 1 3 4
Umbrafer (11:22:19 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
MilesMk1 (11:22:41 PM): #Hey, Hound? Keep an eye out for stuff like police and rescue crew choppers, ok? We might not want to be here if the authorities arrive.#
MilesMk1 (11:22:55 PM): Does that sound indicate things went badly for the spider?
circlmastr (11:23:01 PM): #Alright.#
Umbrafer (11:23:06 PM): There's an indignant hiss-shriek, and the thing falls off the wall. Unfortunately, it catches an outcropping, but it's moving much slower than before and is missing at least one leg.
Umbrafer (11:23:07 PM): You've got another Simple?
MilesMk1 (11:23:15 PM): Yeah.
Thematrian1 (11:23:16 PM): (Kill it!)
MilesMk1 (11:23:23 PM): Ok, I'll shoot it again.
circlmastr (11:23:28 PM): (If something involving Hound doesn't happen soon, I'm bailing to get food either way)
MilesMk1 (11:23:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 5 1 4 3 6 5 4 3
MilesMk1 (11:24:01 PM): That's 7 successes, unless the TN changed.
Umbrafer (11:25:20 PM): It didn't.
Umbrafer (11:25:21 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 3 2 5 3 6 4 4 5 6 6 6 6 3 5 4
Umbrafer (11:25:23 PM): Final actions from Gem?
MilesMk1 (11:25:33 PM): (And I reeeely need to go, I'm barely conscious, here.)
Thematrian1 (11:26:07 PM): I ask my new blustery friend to "carry me, slow and careful"
Umbrafer (11:26:08 PM): Final actions from Hound?
Umbrafer (11:26:08 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 3 3 3 6 1
Umbrafer (11:26:09 PM): About 70% of it falls and does not catch onto anything.
Thematrian1 (11:26:18 PM): Then I direct him into the revine
Umbrafer (11:27:14 PM): Next week: Gem flies into the ravine, Glitch covers her, and Hound will think of something to do.
circlmastr (11:27:52 PM): Hound's player resolves to make a skillsoft monkey so he can actually participate, since he has this incredible knack for building useless characters no matter what.
MilesMk1 (11:27:55 PM): Ok... Goodnight, guys.
circlmastr (11:28:03 PM): Now I get food.
circlmastr has left the chat room.

MilesMk1 has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Chat room exited at 4/20/2007 12:18:08 AM.