Chapter Three: Legacy

Scene One: Dinner
mgrasso> And, when we left off, we were about to go to dinner.
Gemma> How far "about"? Like dressed and heading out the door?
mgrasso> Well, Gemma had to put some clothes on... :)
Gemma> Well, yes...
James> "shwing"
mgrasso> But yeah, basically, you were on your way out.
mgrasso> James, did you have a place in mind?
James> It's a cute little semi fancy but still capeesque lobster place- I forget the name
James> it's in Dennis i think
mgrasso> Fair enough! Off to Dennis!
mgrasso> (Which is about... 10 minutes or so?)
James> (yeah- maybe 15)
mgrasso> All righty.
Gemma> (brb -- describe it for me?)
mgrasso> (heh, that's what I just said)
Gemma> (back)
Gemma> (no dicey tonight?)
James> Their is a painted wooden sign outfront with the picture of a big red ugly old lobster- the interior has low lighting and is all wooden.
James> red soft woods. the host takes us past the bar area to a cozy little table in the back, the chairs are leather armchair style and he seats us next to eachother like they do in fancy resturaunts and on tv.
mgrasso> (very cool. Are you near a window, or the fireplace, or what?)
James> we're in the right hand rear corner, there is a window a few tables up and a few tables over, but nothing right here. There is a candle on the table
mgrasso> (Excellent, thank you)
* Gemma takes a seat, carefully tucking her little, suspiciously Cupid-sized purse next to her in the chair
mgrasso> The maitre d' takes you to your table and you are seated. Within about a minute, the waiter comes over.
mgrasso> He's young, probably around 20, with dyed blond hair and two upper-lobe earrings. "Good evening! My name is Justin, and I'll be your waiter this evening." He hands you two menus and puts the wine list in front of James.
James> great- any wine preferances Gemma?
Gemma> I could go for a white ziffendale.
mgrasso> "Tonight's catch of the day is a lean, Maine salmon, which we're offering grilled. We also have Gulf marlin and an excellent swordfish flown in from Florida."
mgrasso> "I'll let you peruse the menu and I'll be back in a bit to take your wine order."
* Gemma glances over the menu
mgrasso> The waiter walks away, leaving you two alone.
James> !dice 6 6
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 5 7 10 2 4 1
James> The lobster here is the best.
Gemma> I heard a good date never orders the lobster...
* Gemma smiles a little
Gemma> Unless she plans on... you know.
* James grins "The lobsters *really* great here..."
mgrasso> Just at that moment, the waiter comes back.
mgrasso> He overhears this, and says, "Yes, indeed, we do specialize in lobster. Have you decided?"
James> I'm all set, Gemma?
Gemma> Ah, sure.
mgrasso> He turns to Gemma. "Ma'am?" he says with a smile.
Gemma> I'll have the lobster.
* Gemma gives James a small grin
* James raises and eyebrow and smiles
mgrasso> "Excellent," says Justin. "And for you, sir?"
mgrasso> (btw, what are y'all wearing?) :)
mgrasso> (femmy RPG! yey!)
* Gemma bites her lip to keep from laughing
James> (there has to be more synonms for smile and grin...)
mgrasso> (I've always liked smirk, myself. :) )
James> (I'm wearing black slacks and a black button down "bowling shirt" with two large white stripes and a logo above the pocket that says "GLW")
James> (smirk has a negative connotation)
mgrasso> (not for me, actually, but that's ok. *smirk*)
Gemma> (Well, for tonight's ensemble, Gemma is wearing a daringly safe "sleevelss little black dress" with a square neckline, strappy black sandals. Her hair is swept up and kept in place with a jewelled pin. As far as jewelry goes,s he's wearing diamond earrings and nothing else.)
mgrasso> (James ordered the white zinfandel?)
James> I'll have the lobster stuffed with lobster, an order of mushroom caps, and we'll have a bottle of ziffendale
mgrasso> Well, guys, it's over to the big lobster tank, to pick out your victims. :)
Gemma> Gah!
mgrasso> (what?)
Gemma> (That's so morbid)
James> it's one of those crude practices- they always have like the 40 lb lobster that people are afraid to kill too.
Gemma> (You wouldn't go pick out a cow for dinner, would you?)
mgrasso> (oh, okay, so all of a sudden two Unseelie fae are going to get iffy over picking out lobsters? :) )
James> they let you pick your steak some places
Gemma> But is the steak still a cow?
Gemma> I think I want to see that. Or a place to pick out your chicken...
James> I stayed at a farm bed and breakfast- you could do that there... it was totally creepy
Gemma> I hope you picked the one in the blue bonnet.
mgrasso> (I like this as a real Gemma/James convo) :)
James> of course- but only after she did a song and dance routine and baked me bread with out any help.
Gemma> She gave you the bread? I'm shocked. Most chickens are so stingy with it.
mgrasso> You guys are over at the tank. I'd make you make Perception + animal Ken rolls, but that's a little morbid. :)
mgrasso> Just pick out what you think the size is you'd like.
* Gemma eyes the lobsters
Gemma> Which one looks the most suicidal?
James> the one trying to fuck with the forty pounder
mgrasso> (ha!)
Gemma> !dice 6 6
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 6d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 10 4 10 8 10 4
mgrasso> James is peeking at the lobsters and finally picks one.
* Gemma gently squeezes James' arm
Gemma> Look out the window.
* James looks out the window
mgrasso> There's nothing there but the Cape Cod sunset.
Gemma> Isn't it.. um, nice?
Gemma> And I'll take that lobster over there.
* James stares straight at Gemma- "beautiful, absolutly beautiful"
* Gemma points to a medium-sized lobster that's managed to escape one of his rubber band bonds
* Gemma blushes and looks back out the window
mgrasso> Very well. They're taken care of and when you get back to the table, the waiter has your wine opened and has poured a sips-worth for James to taste.
mgrasso> He's standing there waiting for the two of you to approve it.
Gemma> Excuse me.... Justin?
mgrasso> "Yes?" The waiter grins with uncertainty.
Gemma> I was wondering... Did ... Can I have some water?
mgrasso> "Most certainly. Sir, would you like some as well?"
James> sure
* James takes the wine, and swishes it around in his mouth- looking very suave. at the last moment he can't remember weather he's suposed to spit it out or swallow
James> he gulps it down uncertainly
Gemma> How is it?
mgrasso> The waiter silently nods, asking if it's okay to pour some for Gemma and you.
James> good
Gemma> Good.
* Gemma glances around
James> yeah, pour away
mgrasso> He pours, and leaves.
James> This Justin kid is so attentive that I think I might have to have him surgically removed from my butt after this.
* Gemma chuckles
Gemma> It's better than disappearing waiters.
Gemma> Those I hate... There to seat you, gone the rest of the night.
Gemma> Hey, when you're here, do you see people like us much?
James> what, the resturaunt or the cape?
Gemma> Both, actually.
James> I've never really noticed any. Why?
Gemma> I thought I saw someone earlier, but he kind of ran off. I guess.
Gemma> He didn't look like the most cheerful fellow... I thought maybe you might have known him.
James> Nah- only fae I know are from the desert
mgrasso> Lobsters!
Gemma> Ah.
Gemma> (Eek1 Where? do they have guns?)
mgrasso> (heh!)
James> (ha!)
mgrasso> Justin and another waiter bring out the lobsters, and they are the brightest red you've seen outside the Dreaming.
mgrasso> They also produce two plastic bibs featuring a cartoon lobster sitting down to eat at a table with a smile on his face and a bib on his own chest. :)
James> (and wet naps!)
Gemma> I hope the cartoon lobster isn't planning on eating himself...
Gemma> Well, James, dearest one with a tongue as sweet as honey, I don't know about you, but I'm not wearing a bib.
* James does not don the bib.
* Gemma eyes the thing suspiciously
mgrasso> Anyway, the lobsters are there. Plenty of lemon, and a couple of big-ass nutcrackers.
Gemma> Before I begin, is there a "correct" way to attack this thing?
James> well, I like to treat it like a surgery- removing the innards, cleaning it, putting aside the best parts...
* Gemma nods
Gemma> Mm-hmm. I see...
* Gemma drinks some more wine, then eyes her lobster
James> or, you can attack it like a rabid animal
James> that's why they have the bib
James> So you've never had one?
Gemma> I haven't had much American seafood, no.
James> let me help you then.
Gemma> I've had lobster, but just... you know. Not like this.
Gemma> Thanks.
* Gemma happily lets James do the dirty work
* James guts Gemmas lobster, and chooses one of the more suculent parts to crack open and offer to her
Gemma> Thank you!
James> you should probably dip it in lemon or butter
James> it's best that way
Gemma> I do love that lemon...
mgrasso> (Guys, let me know if it's okay to zip through the rest of the dinner at this point)
* James digs enthusiastically and methodically into his lobster
James> (sure)
* Gemma happily eats hers soaked with lemon
Gemma> (sure!)
mgrasso> (mellie, ok?)
mgrasso> Excellent. One last thing, James, are you picking up the tab?
James> (absolutely... and i'll offer to buy desert and coffee if she can find room)
mgrasso> (Damn, I want James to take *me
* out. :D)
Gemma> (Hey! Hands off! :) )
James> (ha!)
mgrasso> Coffee and dessert, Gemma?
Gemma> Kind of full.. How about a nice walk around the area first?
Gemma> We're near a pier? Right?
James> cha.
mgrasso> It's nighttime now.
James> There's this icecream place called the little red school house up the beach a little
mgrasso> (Hey, I've been there!)
James> :)
Gemma> Is it walking distance? Let's go there.
James> great.

Scene Two: Dessert
mgrasso> So, off to the beach for some ice cream.
mgrasso> There's a long line of vacationers here angling for some ice cream.
* Gemma looks around, savoring the atmosphere
James> (hey, you *have* been there!)
* James slips his hand into gemmas and steals a little kiss
mgrasso> (Heh, it's August on the Cape, it's whiny rich kids and their parents)
James> are you having fun?
Gemma> (is that the place where jackie kennedy used to get her doll spoonful of vanilla ice cream once a year?)
Gemma> I am.
* Gemma gives James a brief kiss
Gemma> Thank you for bringing me here.
James> It's my pleasure.
mgrasso> The couple in front of you is talking rather animatedly about something. Not arguing, just very fervently discussing something.
mgrasso> "Barry, that *wasn't* a UFO."
mgrasso> "I'm telling you, Dina, it *was*. I swear, it changed color three times and zoomed off into the sky!"
* James interjects- "lady, do you know what it was?"
mgrasso> (uh oh) :)
Gemma> !dice 4 5
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 4d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 4 9 9 2
mgrasso> She turns around to face James. "Well, I didn't see it. But there's no such thing as UFOs." This couple is in their early 30s and are dressed in trendy J. Crew-type clothes.
James> if you don't know what it is, then it's a ufo. You *do* know what it stands for, don't you?
* Gemma smiles at Barry
mgrasso> "Well, sure. But *he* thinks it was aliens or something."
Gemma> When did you see that UFO?
James> what makes that so far-fetched? It it because *you've* never seen one?
mgrasso> Barry looks excited that he gets to tell the story again to someone new.
Gemma> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 7 10 5 8 3
* Gemma brushes a stray wisp of hair out of her eyes
mgrasso> Barry says, "It was last night. I was up late reading on the porch, and over the water skimmed this blue ball of light. It had to be going at least 200 miles an hour."
mgrasso> "Then it turned green, then red, then it shot straight up into the sky. There was a buzzing sound, too."
* Gemma looks completely engrossed
Gemma> amazing! How loud was the buzzing noise?
mgrasso> Dina rolls her eyes.
mgrasso> "It got louder as it got closer. It sounded a bit like one of those fly zappers."
Gemma> How close was it to you?
mgrasso> "It was out over the water, so... I'd say about a quater-mile?"
mgrasso> Now Dina and Barry are up to the ice cream window.
James> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell James rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 8 9 5 9
mgrasso> Dina orders for them, ignoring Barry's story.
mgrasso> (by the way, one cumulative point of Banality from Dina's disbelief)
Gemma> Where about were you when you saw it? I mean, I know at home and at your porch, bu where is home?
mgrasso> "We're staying down in Hyannisport."
Gemma> Ohh..
mgrasso> "Come on, Barry, let's go." Dina glares at the two of you as they grab their ice creams and head back to the parking lot.
Gemma> Bye, Barry!
* Gemma waves at Barry and winks at him
mgrasso> He waves bye as he is led away by his wife.
James> careful barry, the aliens might steal that *catch* of yours
* Gemma shudders once they're out of sight
Gemma> What a horrible woman.
James> poor barry...
mgrasso> So, after a treat of ice cream, it's back to the house?
Gemma> Really.
Gemma> What do you think that ball of light *really* was? Something chimerical he managed to see?
Gemma> (sure?)
James> I think so.
mgrasso> (I'll let you talk on the way home, though.)
mgrasso> (or not. :) )
* Gemma sucks on the bottom of her (strawberry-and-cream) cone to catch a dribble
mgrasso> You get back to the house around 9:30. It's cooling off, and you both rush back into the house.
mgrasso> (btw, can we go till 11 pm ET?)
James> (I'm good)
Gemma> (I'm good)
mgrasso> (thanks)

Scene Three: Discovery
mgrasso> Okay, so, back in the house.
James> I'll start a fire- do you want to go get some wine?
Gemma> Sure... how about a merlot?
James> great
* Gemma fetches the wine and a couple of glasses
Gemma> The bottle's uncorked and ready for pouring when she brings it out.
* Gemma pours a glass and hands it to James, then gets one for herself
* James gets a fire going and grabs a blanket out of the closet
James> a toast?
* Gemma frees Cupid from her purse so that he can run around the living room
Gemma> Hmm? Sure. To...?
mgrasso> Cupid inches out of the purse and goes to lay by the window, snoring softly.
Gemma> (he is *so* lazy! :) )
mgrasso> (heh)
James> A bottle of wine and you?
Gemma> And to you?
James> to a bottle of wine and us
Gemma> Perfect.
* Gemma clinks her glass with James' and takes a sip
* James puts his arm around you and drinks his wine...
James> "oh, I just remembered something I promised the house"
Gemma> Oh?
James> yeah, it said that something made a mess in the basement- where my grandads workshop is- and I said I'd check it out.
* James kisses Gemma
James> come with me beautiful?
Gemma> Sure.
* James heads for the basement door.
mgrasso> You descend the stairs to the house's basement, and immediately you both can feel the change as you enter a workshop that exists in both the mundane world and in the Dreaming. Downstairs, a normal, mundane workshop with dusty power tools and table saws is supplanted by a chimerical wondershop.
mgrasso> Unfortunately, both the mortal workshop and the chimerical lab seem to have been smashed to bits.
mgrasso> James, give me a Perception + Crafts roll, diff. 5
James> !dice 4 5
* DiceWell James rolls 4d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 10 2 10 7
* Gemma looks saddened by the mess
mgrasso> Gemma, give me a Perception + Enigmas roll, diff. 7
Gemma> !dice 5 7
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 4 4 2 9 2
mgrasso> Okay, first of all:
* James sits down on the dirty stairs and begins muttering swears to himself
mgrasso> James, you notice one particular piece of chimerical equipment you do not remember from years ago. It's a small wooden box, suspended at the corners by silvery wires in a cubical frame. Of course, a couple of the wires are broken, and it dangles loosely on the frame.
* Gemma smooths his hair as though to soothe him
mgrasso> Gemma, you notice more of those burn marks you saw out at the shower. Circular burn marks mar the surface of the workbench at irregular spots.
Gemma> Did the house say that something or some*one* did this?
James> It wasn't sure
* James looks up at her with the sad eyes of a little boy- "welcome to what used to be my grandads workshop"
* Gemma caresses his cheek
Gemma> I'm so sorry this happened.
James> It's all he had left- er, I had left of him...
James> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell James rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 2 4 2 4
mgrasso> James, there's another big difference: you notice a secret chimerical door slightly ajar in the corner of the room. It seems to lead into a chimerical tunnel carved from the rock.
* James shakes of the sadness
James> let's get to the bottom of this- I'll figure out what I can repair and what I can't later- if anything.
mgrasso> So, what are you doing folks?
James> do you want to change into sensible shoes?
Gemma> I do.
* Gemma heads upstairs and comes back a few minutes later dressed in khaki pants, a baggy grey sweatshirt, and sneakers
mgrasso> Hold on one moment.
James> while she's doing that, I want to look around some more
mgrasso> Great, one moment. Mellie, you can go get yourself something to eat or something.
mgrasso> :)
Gemma> (Whoo! I can scoop up dinner)
mgrasso> Scoop away.
James> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 9 3 10 9 2
James> !dice 7 4
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 5 successes.
* DiceWell 6 7 10 1 9 9 5
* Gemma tromps down the stairs
Gemma> I'm ready. How are you doing?
James> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 10 1 9 3 2 1
mgrasso> James is fiddling with the box that was suspended in the frame.
* Gemma goes over to watch
James> I'm trying to fix this whatever the furk it is- check it out, it's weird
mgrasso> The box has been fixed, and is suspended in the metal frame by silvery wires.
mgrasso> The top is open, and when Gemma looks inside, all she sees is blackness: no bottom, no sides.
Gemma> Huh. Weird.
James> yeah, but I can play with it later- you ready to go?
Gemma> Sure.
mgrasso> Into the tunnel?
James> yeah- but I want to fassion a chimerical torch before we go
mgrasso> Ah, excellent, give me a Intelligence + Crafts, diff. 5.
Gemma> (A torch! Like D&D! Mike, can Duva come?
mgrasso> Heh!
James> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 5 successes.
* DiceWell 5 6 9 9 5
mgrasso> Jeez!
James> :)
James> (he be good at what he do)
mgrasso> Gemma, it's the first time you've ever seen James at work, at least with chimerical materials. He whips together a torch from spare wood and chimerical cloth and oil in about a minute.
* Gemma watches in unabashed fascination
mgrasso> It's lit, and you make your way through the tunnel.
mgrasso> It's only about 5 foot high, so James especially is crouching.
James> damn
* Gemma barely has to stoop
Gemma> (::smug:: :) )
mgrasso> The walls are chimerical rock and stone, and you can see that the tunnel ends at about 30 feet down. It opens into a chamber.
mgrasso> Will you both enter?
Gemma> Do you think this was your grandfathers?
James> (lets check for traps first!)
mgrasso> (hah!)
James> who knows. I hope so.
mgrasso> Into the room, then?
Gemma> After you, James.
James> but of course- stay close though
Gemma> I will.
mgrasso> Inside the room, pushed up against its earthen walls, are numerous wardrobe-shaped wooden cabinets. Some of their doors are open, and inside you can see a multitude of wooden cogs and wheels. On the surface of the doors of many of these cabinets are knobs, dials, and slots.
mgrasso> There's a small side table where there seems to be a stack of thin metal plates.
* James es mouth hangs open in awe- "what the furk..."
Gemma> Wow.
mgrasso> There are about 10 cabinets in all.
James> nothing looks broken here?
mgrasso> Nope. Although the fact that a few of these cabinets are open is a little strange.
James> button button who's got the button.
Gemma> I wonder...
* Gemma looks around
mgrasso> Both of you, Perception + Crafts, diff. 7
Gemma> !dice 4 7
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 4d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 4 10 6 8
James> !dice 5 7
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 9 9 7 1 10
mgrasso> Gemma walks over near the side table and sees a sheet of chimerical paper folded between two of the metal plates. The metal plates themselves have holes punched in them at irregular spots.
mgrasso> James, you notice that there are metal wires leading into the walls from each of the cabinets.
* Gemma picks up the paper and gingerly unfolds it
Gemma> (Any writing on it?)
mgrasso> Yes.
Gemma> I'll read it aloud. What's it say?
James> !dice 5 6
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 8 3 9 6 9
* James looks around him and falls to the floor
Gemma> James?
James> it's a- a-a!
Gemma> James?!
mgrasso> James was standing at one of the open cabinets when he spazzed. :)
* James bounces back up and hoists gemma gingerly into the air
Gemma> What? What?
James> it's a computer!
* Gemma laughs
Gemma> Oh my--
* Gemma laughs harder
mgrasso> Both of you: get three points of temp Glamour.
Gemma> (hoody hoo!)
mgrasso> You can use it to zap Banality or store it up.
James> tzap!
mgrasso> James is just glowing with Glamour right now.
Gemma> Listen to this...
* Gemma begins to read from the paper, "James, if you're reading this, it means you've found the secret lab..."
* Gemma stops and hands the paper to him
* James looks simply euphoric as he takes it and reads
mgrasso> James reads, stuttering with excitement occasionally:
mgrasso> "I'm glad you've made it here, since this machine, designed in 1944, built a year later, and perfected back in the sixties, is my crowning achievement."
mgrasso> "Initially, I used it to break some of the nastiest Nazi codes during the war. Bet you didn't know your old granpa was a spy, eh?"
mgrasso> "But when I brought it home in '45 (along with your granma) I decided it could be a little better."
mgrasso> "Furking thing ran on steam back then, so it was a little loud. And hot."
mgrasso> "Then, in '66, I was out fishing with your dad on the water, and I saw what some fairies call a 'will o' the wisp.'"
mgrasso> "I knew it for what it was; a massive free energy source."
mgrasso> "I went out onto the swamp, void cube in hand (that's the weird box in my workshop) and caught the little pisher. And so he powered my computer."
mgrasso> "James, my boy, I'm sick now. Dying. I want you to know how proud I've always been of you. I bequeath this all to you. Computers, programming cards, void box, FUBAR and all. It's all yours."
mgrasso> "Use it in good health, my boy."
mgrasso> "Aaron Goldstein, December, 1990"
* James looks so happy he's going to cry
* Gemma hugs James
Gemma> This is incredible!
James> Brillant- that Knocker was furking brilliant.
* James squeezes her excitedly
Gemma> He must have been a genius!
James> runs in the family.
mgrasso> There's only one thing to mar your celebration: the FUBAR. It's missing.
* Gemma laughs
James> damn, Granpas fubar busted out.
Gemma> That's where the burns came from, then?
Gemma> And! And that ball of light -- was that it?
Gemma> The UFO?
James> ah!

Scene Four: A Knight Errant
mgrasso> You both can hear footsteps echoing on the stairway from the ground floor. *clump thunk* *clump thunk*
* Gemma whispers, "Expecting company?"
James> no- what the furk?
* Gemma pulls Cupid from her pocket and sets him on the floor. "Go look for me. And so help me, if you nap...."
mgrasso> Cupid hops off into the darkness.
* James fingers his crossbow nervously
mgrasso> Cupid comes back... on the shoulder of a large redcap.
Gemma> (d'oh! That little traitor!)
* James seeethes
mgrasso> He's wearing rusty plate mail in his fae mien. He has a great axe at his side. In his mortal seeming, he's a man wearing hip-waders, overalls, and carrying a bucket over his shoulder.
James> "what are you doing in *my* house?"
mgrasso> "Greetings. I am Sir Francis of Yarmouth, servant and vassal of Queen Mab, Monarch of the Kingdom of Apples."
mgrasso> He speaks through a mouth full of tusks.
mgrasso> "I am charged on a quest to find and slay the beast of the swamps."
mgrasso> "I have finally tracked it back to this location."
James> the FUBAR?
mgrasso> "I'm sorry, what?"
mgrasso> Cupid leaps off and jumps, shivering, into Gemma's arms.
James> The fucked up beyond all reality, sir.
* Gemma nuzzles Cupid
mgrasso> "I know not of this. I do know that the beast is a will o' the wisp, who has been harassing mortals of this region and threatening to reveal our presence to mortals."
James> isn't it furking *bad* to kill creatures, especially dwemers, of galmor?
mgrasso> Again, I know nothing of that. I only know my quest, charged by Queen Mab herself.
Gemma> So, this queen of yours, he -- um, *she* wants you to kill it? Or just stop it?
Gemma> Contain it. If you will.
James> yeah, well- first of all, it's not here, second of all it's ours- and it will be contained.
mgrasso> "Contain it?" The redcap considers. "She only wants the swamp rid of it."
mgrasso> (Hey, Mandy, Mark's back from Australia!)
Gemma> Okay, so you don't want it, we want it and have a means of harnassing it... I don't see a problem. James, you see a problem? No problem. Great! So, we'll see you later, Frank.
James> (yeay!!! did he have a marvelous time?)
mgrasso> (He's calling at 11)
Gemma> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 6 2 3 6 9
mgrasso> Gemma, Manipulation + Subterfuge, diff. 7. James, Manipulation + Kenning, diff. 6.
mgrasso> Add your successes together.
mgrasso> :)
Gemma> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 6 successes.
* DiceWell 7 9 8 8 9 8
mgrasso> Holy. Fucking. Crap.
Gemma> (Rah!)
mgrasso> It's one of those Gemma moments.
James> !dice 9 6
* DiceWell James rolls 9d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 6 successes.
* DiceWell 3 7 2 3 9 9 7 6 8
mgrasso> Jesus.
James> (ROCK)
mgrasso> The two of you say virtually nothing, and the redcap breaks down and says, "Oh Christ. I've been on this quest for 8 years. EIGHT YEARS!" His voice rattles the cabinets around you.
mgrasso> "Just help me, for goodness sakes, so I can go back to that bitch queen and say I took care of it. Please."
* Gemma shrugs
Gemma> Eh.
Gemma> I don't know. Maybe you'd have been done by now if you stopped watching couples through windows..
Gemma> And rooting around for sea shells probably didn't speed things up any... HOw do we know you'll pay attention if we help you?
mgrasso> "You were fae unknown to me! I had to." He drops his bucket in disappointment, grabs a handful of soil squirming with worms, and eats it.
mgrasso> "I always eat when I'm upset," he says through mouthfuls of wormy mud.
Gemma> Ohhh, you *had* to watch us fool around.
mgrasso> "I'll pay attention. What did you need me to do, to help you capture it?"
James> aw- you know, pitty eating merely starts the vicious cycle of weight gain and depression
mgrasso> "The wisp only comes out at night, so if we are to do it, tonight is possibly the best time. It was spotted only a mile from here, last night, by mortals. It's going Wyrd on a more regular basis now."
James> let's go get the furker
mgrasso> "All right."
Gemma> Great!
* Gemma scritches Cupid, gives him a little peck on the nose, and slips him back into her pocket
Gemma> Thanks for not eating my pet ... um, Fran, was it?
mgrasso> Francis takes you out onto the swamps that border the ocean. Tall reeds and soft mud mean that it's definitely rough footing. James, I take it you're taking the void cube with you?
James> yup!
mgrasso> On the ride over there, please, James, roll either Intelligence + Enigmas, diff. 9, or Intelligence + Gematria, diff. 7.
mgrasso> Your choice.
James> (hmmm... tough one... :)
James> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 10 1 10 5 1 7
mgrasso> (Well, that's why specializing is so good.)
James> wp
mgrasso> (Jeez, he hasn't used Gematria too much, so he's kinda unsure. :) )
mgrasso> Okay, two successes allows you to realize this much: the box needs to contact whatever it's going to hold.
mgrasso> Once inside, the object or energy field is held in place.
mgrasso> So, you're either going to have to throw this thing at it or try and touch it.
James> aiit
James> (damn, I can't find my knocker book)

Scene Five: Will o' the Wisp
mgrasso> All right. Out on the swamp, you follow Francis, who seems a natural at navigating out here at night. He wades through the muck with an eagerness and joy that was missing before.
mgrasso> Then, all of a sudden, the three of you spot the wisp.
mgrasso> It's floating above a stagnant pool choked with algae. It forms an unnatural second moon in the sky, illuminating the swamp with a cold, blue glow.
mgrasso> wits + alert, diff. 4 guys
Gemma> !dice 6 4
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 6d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 3 3 7 10 3 7
James> !dice 5 4
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 10 10 2 2 4
James> !dice 3 8
* DiceWell James rolls 3d10 at difficulty 8. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 2 3 7
mgrasso> James? Gemma? Whatcha doing?
James> I'm going to try to harden it.
mgrasso> Gimme a Bunk.
mgrasso> Gemma?
* James flutters his hands around quickly, obviously going through his repituar- which consists of about twenty or twnety five, hand-shadow puppets
mgrasso> It pulses with what you seem to somehow know is anger, and speeds toward Sir Francis, who is defending himself with his axe.
mgrasso> The wisp strikes Frank square in the chest and he sizzles inside his armor, an electrical field surrounding him and rendering him unconscious.
mgrasso> Okay, James, Intelligence + Fae, diff. 7
James> !dice 7 7
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 2 8 5 5 4 10 4
mgrasso> All right. It's still floating, but it seems to be less insubstantial, and more material.
mgrasso> It almost appears solid.
mgrasso> Next round!
mgrasso> Francis is down and out.
mgrasso> Wits + alertness d. 4
Gemma> !dice 6 4
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 6d10 at difficulty 4. S/He botches the roll.
* DiceWell 1 1 1 4 1 2
James> !dice 5 4
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 9 10 6 3 1
mgrasso> Gemma? What are you doing?
Gemma> Checking on Francis.
mgrasso> James?
James> how heavy is my box?
mgrasso> Not that heavy.
mgrasso> Probably a pound, if that.
James> thanks- Do I know if I can get cummulative affects with harden?
mgrasso> Nope. All it does is make stuff harder and easier to forge.
mgrasso> In the FUBARs case, it's making it material.
Gemma> How's Frankie?
mgrasso> He's chimerically wounded.
mgrasso> So he's reverted to his mortal seeming.
Gemma> Is he just knocked out or is it the kind of knocked out that makes him ortal again?
Gemma> So he's in that coma thing, eh? Poor dude.
mgrasso> Yeah, this will o' the wisp is not Wyrd.
mgrasso> Hmm, I have a feeling she's not coming back.
Gemma> Is that the kind of hurt that can be cured with a bit of glamour? Or am I thinking of something else?
mgrasso> I don't think so, since the chimerical wounds have to heal.
mgrasso> there she is.
James> Do I know if the affects of harden can be cumulative?
mgrasso> Oh. No, they cannot be cumulative.
mgrasso> They just make chimera forge-able.
James> alright.
mgrasso> But it's definitely affecting the FUBAR.
James> is it moving much slower?
mgrasso> Not much, but some, yeah.
James> I'll rush it with my box and try to make contact
mgrasso> Awesome.
mgrasso> Okay, James, you and the FUBAR are rushing towards each other.
mgrasso> I need a Dex + Gematria roll, diff. 6.
James> !dice 8 6
* DiceWell James rolls 8d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 2 6 9 2 5 4 7 1
mgrasso> Much better! Here's what happens:
mgrasso> Gemma is crouching by the redcap knight. As she looks up to see the will o' the wisp swoop towards James, James in turn opens the void cube and rushes towards the glowing ball of light. As they meet, Gemma screams, "NO!" and there is an incredible flash of light. When the smoke clears, you are standing under the moonlight, James clutching the now-closed box to his chest.
mgrasso> His hair's standing on end even more than usual. :)
mgrasso> He's fine. :)
Gemma> James! Are you NUTS? I can't believe you did that!
* Gemma slaps the redcap's chest as she talks
* James beams
James> is sir who's his face okay?
* Gemma glances down
Gemma> Oh. Um. No.
mgrasso> He's mortal.
mgrasso> He took a major chimerical hit.
* James looks down at the box in his hands- from? oh furking shit.
Gemma> I don't know what to do to help him...
mgrasso> Well, at this point, getting him out of the swamp is best.
James> I'd like to try giving him a bit of glamor, I heard somewhere that sometimes that can help.
Gemma> (Combined we have like, what? 2 dots in strength? He's not going anywhere. :) )
James> :)
Gemma> Well, let me tell you, poking him *didn't* help. Can you help him like you helped John in Nogales?
mgrasso> You can't just give him Glamour. He needs to be at a freehold.
mgrasso> And it's too late for Infusion, James. :)
Gemma> Is there a freehold around here?
mgrasso> (You could just call 911 :D)
mgrasso> Not that you know of.
Gemma> "Yeah, 911? We found this guy in the swamp..."
mgrasso> (There's a guy passed out in the swamp!)
mgrasso> Regardless, we need to end this now, so...
Gemma> James? Do you want to just 911 him or try to take him to your house?
mgrasso> Here's the deal, though, guys, I'm going to send you an email tomorrow regarding the rest of your trip and your trip back to Tucson.
James> WAIT! does James get laid?
mgrasso> Hah!
Gemma> lol!
Gemma> Um. Hm. Does he, O GM?
mgrasso> Goodness. Who needs sex when you've got a chimerical computer?
Gemma> Ha! Yeah, is he going to spend all nigth holed up with that thing? Because if he is, then I can definitely say, "no, Gemma will not put out."
mgrasso> Well, perhaps we'd actually better meet tomorrow night to finish this up.
mgrasso> :)
Gemma> She gets a little bit jealous -- gah! Mike! We're not here to perform for your sick joys!
James> ha!
mgrasso> Oh right, Mellie. Like I'm not totally aghast at the idea.
mgrasso> You know I am. :)
Gemma> You *totally* want to see us go at it.
Gemma> I say we do it in the swamp on the redcap.
mgrasso> No comment, Mellie. Just absolutely none.
mgrasso> :P
Gemma> :p is not a valid comment, mgrasso. (/dicey)
mgrasso> Okay, here's what we'll do.
mgrasso> Tomorrow night, around 8:30 or so, we'll finish this up.
mgrasso> There's a couple of important things we need to figure out, including how to get all this stuff out of the basement and back to James' place.
mgrasso> (And yes, Mandy, binding this thing in the void box will allow you to learn that fifth dot of Fae, finally)
mgrasso> (I mean, you have to pay for it, but it's good experience.)
James> hello... UPS, I have some crates full of nothing that i need to ship x country?
mgrasso> (And speaking of experience)
James> :)
mgrasso> I really enjoyed this tonight.
Gemma> Me too!
mgrasso> And I think tomorrow we can finish this to everyone's satisfaction.
James> *VERY* cool
mgrasso> Including mine (evil laughter)
Gemma> And especially James'. ::leer::
James> she did get the lobster...
mgrasso> (oh lord)
Gemma> and she *is* nice and buzzing from.. what? at least two glasses of wine?
mgrasso> Half a bottle of zinfandel, there, kitty.
Gemma> Oh yeah. He's gonna score. (/butt-head)
mgrasso> Oh jeez.
James> and a nice bottle of merlot waiting at home...
Gemma> Mm-hmm. Time to put on that Time Life Collection of Soul Music.
mgrasso> And on that note. :)