Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
Chapter One: Countries, Towns and Courts
Scene One: Packing Up
mgrasso> As in, introduce by saying that I'm sure everyone's going to need a few days to prepare for our departure?
James> yeah, a few days would be great.
mgrasso> For some of you, it's tying up just a few loose ends. For others, there are jobs to be abandoned, houses to straighten away, travel plans to be made.
Ingrid> ...it will be dark soon....
mgrasso> Our main modes of transportation will be James' car and Ingrid's motocycle/unicorn.
mgrasso> By the way, the preparation for the trip recharges everyone's Glamour and Willpower, and rids you all of Banality.
James> whooo!
mgrasso> (Just to make things easy. :) )
mgrasso> What are some of the individual plans and preparations each of you will be making?
Ingrid> I'll have to say goodbye to my job and Danny, and make arrangements for my apartment to be taken care of.
James> I'll be putting a workshop in the trunk of my car and gathering some glam based materials, packing our night vision goggles and guns.
Chet> I've got a lot of stuff going on... more than you could possibly imagine.
mgrasso> (*smile*)
James> leaving the house stuff to Gemma, if we're going to do anything with it.
Roger> Putting my car into storage and purchasing some items... give me a minute to think.
Ingrid> I will, of course, need some leather riding gear.
Gemma> Yes, I'll be handling the house stuff, packing exciting underwear, suckering Andrew -- er, convincing Andrew into doing whatever caretaking's necessary, etc... HOw long are we supposed to be gone?
mgrasso> Let's see, a trip across the country? Maybe 10 days, round-trip. That's assuming it'll be as quick as possible. :)
Ingrid> Wow, I was thinking weeks, even months. :)
mgrasso> Well, of course, who knows what might happen along the way...
Gemma> I'm hoping sullying many, many, many dying roadside attractions.
mgrasso> (This is the week of April 15-21, 2001, by the way)
mgrasso> Okay, are there any other things that need to be done?
mgrasso> James, your portable workshop is in the trunk.
James> sweet
mgrasso> Ingrid, your unicorn is bound to Douglass' motorcycle.
Ingrid> Okay. I'll take some sugar cube treats along in my bag.
mgrasso> As we picture a montage of each of our heroes going through their last securing of people, places and things before their departure (James quitting his job and leaving before the 2 weeks notice, Ingrid also taking a sudden leave of absence... Roger placing several black duffel bags in the trunk of James' T-bird. Chet sitting in the common room of his house, smoking, looking around,thinking... Gemma quietly packing up clothes in the bedroom of her and James' house...
mgrasso> We eventually come to Friday morning, April 19.
mgrasso> It's still dark out as James makes the rounds to pick up everyone before rendezvousing at Ingrid's condo.
mgrasso> James and Gemma stop by Roger's motel first, pulling into the parking lot and making their way to his room.
mgrasso> (Can we RP this, quickly? Then go to Chet's and RP picking him up. Then, to Ingrid's.)
mgrasso> (It'll help me get back into things, too)
Gemma> (okay)
* James knocks his door, "hey, you ready?"
* Roger answers "I'm coming I'm coming"
* Roger walks out of the room with a large black duffle bag over his shoulder, another in his hand, and a briefcase in the other hand, a yellow sony sport walkman around his neck
James> Need a hand with any of your shit?
Gemma> About damn time. These kidneys aren't going to stay fresh forever.
Roger> nope, this is it.
Gemma> What's in the briefcase?
Roger> if we're very very lucky, you won't need to know.
James> Oh, fuckin' 007 over here.
* James leads him to the car.
Roger> i have a cooler watch than him.
mgrasso> We then drive to Chet's, at 144 Euclid.
James> sure you do slick, but I could build a better watch in minutes.
Roger> maybe at the 1st rest stop.
James> Nah, I have bigger and better plans for my free time on the road.
* Roger smiles
mgrasso> (How's Chet waiting? Is he out front, or waiting in the house?)
Roger> (are we lagged?) -> [Chet] PING
mgrasso> (Nope, I don't think so.)
Gemma> (Joe pees a lot...)
mgrasso> (Just like Chet.)
* Chet emerges from the front door when the car pulls up with a drab olive camping backpack strapped to his back. As he hits the front steps, a dark-haired woman chases him out carrying a laptop case, calling him. He turns around, accepts the case and hugs her. He turns and heads back to the car just in time to mis her crying as she returns to the house.
mgrasso> (*snf*)
Ingrid> (aw)
Chet> Hey fellas... and ladies.
* Chet opens that rear door and enters the car.
James> Hey.
Gemma> Aren't you going to bring your p of a?
Roger> Hiya Chet.
Chet> Hey, buddy. How's it going?
Roger> well I hope this is gonna be an exciting trip.
Chet> Yeah...
mgrasso> As James pulls out and the house is left behind, it almost seems like the house loses a little of the light within it, a little of what made it a home for so long.
* Chet looks out the window.
mgrasso> (perfect timing)
mgrasso> We drive north towards Oro Valley and Ingrid's desert-side condominium.
* Chet gives a little wave...
mgrasso> (go ahead, Julia)
mgrasso> (I figured we could meet inside.)
* Ingrid is outside as the others arrive, dressed in leather pants and a tank top, packing the last of her personal effects into the saddlebags of the big bike. She tosses her leather jacket over the seat and waves as she spots James's car.
Ingrid> (sorry, Mike. We'll go in one last moment though.)
mgrasso> (That's fine!)
James> I hope everyone packed some warmer clothes- the guy did say we were heading east.
mgrasso> (in fact, I have something special to present to you all.)
mgrasso> (Just lead everyone in, Ingrid.)
Scene Two: Toast
Roger> yeah, I heard they have something called snow up there, even in april.
Ingrid> Hey guys. Come on in while I make sure everything's off.
Roger> after you.
* Chet leaves his backpack in the car, but takes the laptop case in.
* Ingrid leads everyone into the condo.
mgrasso> As Ingrid checks through the kitchen, she spots something behind her toaster... it's the bottle of wine that Gemma brought for that birthday party so long ago!
Ingrid> Mmmm, perfect.
* Ingrid takes the wine and finds a bottle opener in a drawer.
Ingrid> (corkscrew, heh.)
Gemma> Should we be getting drunk before driving off into the sunrise?
* James laughs-- a toast?
Ingrid> I think between the five of us it won't do much damage.
* Ingrid smiles.
mgrasso> Inside Ingrid's apartment, the first rays of the sun are filling the place with warm, deep red-orange light.
James> allow me, you go get some glasses ingrid.
* Ingrid pulls out five small wine glasses and fills them one by one.
mgrasso> It covers the five questers, clad in their traveling clothes and not seemingly stopping in their journey, but for one last toast.
James> and what shall we toast to?
Ingrid> I'd like to toast to the Dreaming. The places it's taken me and the places it has yet to reveal.
Chet> Cheers.
James> Fuck yeah, I'll drink to that.
* Chet sips his wine.
Chet> And, if I could, I'd like to propose a toast...to second chances.
* Ingrid takes a sip and looks around her space, blinking rapidly a few times.
Gemma> To second chances.
Ingrid> Hear, hear.
* Gemma sort of raises her glass and takes a sip.
* Ingrid takes another sip.
Roger> Cheers! As roger quaffs his glass
* Chet polishes off his wine and sets the glass down.
* James takes a few slow sips before muttering-- to new beginnings, or the end of everything, and setting his glass down
Chet> Ok. We're done with the drinking. Now on to the driving.
* Gemma smiles
mgrasso> (*smirk*)
Gemma> Wait. I'm used to getting some after drinking. Can you give James and me a few minutes? And Chet, we'll need a cameraman...
Ingrid> Yes, I think we're starting off right.
Ingrid> Well, some of us.
mgrasso> The sun has peeked over the desert horizon now. The sunlight is bright and bold on this April morning.
* James laughs heartily
Chet> James, if you'd like, I can take the wheel and Roger can ride shotgun.
* James doubles over in laughter, putting a hand on chets shoulder to steady himself
James> thanks man, but I think I've got it.
Gemma> But...
Gemma> But think of all the moving violations we could have that way, James.
James> Mmm...
* James nuzzles Gemma on the neck briefly.
mgrasso> Does someone want to take this opportunity to spread out the road maps?
* Chet starts to say something, but stops and shrugs instea.
mgrasso> While we've got a surface to work with?
* Ingrid clears space on the kitchen countertop.
mgrasso> (Let me just look for a website here)
* Roger walks over to the window looking at the morning sun.
* Chet strolls over next to Roger and joins him looking out the window.
Chet> It's a new day, eh?
James> no need, there all in my GPS and laptop...
* Gemma nudges James and points to Roger and Chet. "Look. I sense a budding romance."
* James smirks
* Chet shakes his head...
mgrasso> In Arizona, the old route 66 pretty well follows the path of I-40.
mgrasso> http://www.cr.nps.gov/rt66/map/AZ&CA.htm
* Roger pulls out a small leather case and from that two steel shot glasses, filling each from a silver flask in his pocket.
Roger> we're not driving
Chet> Too true, friend...
* Roger says as he hands one to chet and toast the morning sun.
* Chet accepts a shot glass and raises it in toast.
Chet> New beginnings, eh?
Roger> (it's SoCo)
Roger> New beginnings, and a long road.
* Chet tips his glass to Roger and downs it in a single swig.
Chet> A long road... You can say that again.
mgrasso> But to follow the route precisely, if we are to follow the advice of the oracle at the Valley of the Moon, will require a lot of getting off and on the freeway.
mgrasso> http://www.historic66.com/arizona/detaz.html
mgrasso> So, there'll be lots of local color to see along the route.
mgrasso> Anything more to do before we head north to Flagstaff?
Roger> why alot of on and off?
mgrasso> Because Route 66 doesn't really exist anymore.
mgrasso> It's chopped up into little bits and pieces most of the way to Chicago.
Roger> oh, I see.
mgrasso> So it really is a dream road.
James> lol.
mgrasso> It was the main artery of America until it was supplanted by the Interstates.
James> yeah, we should just grab I-90.
* James smirks.
Roger> can we stop at a store 24? I want to grab some goobers.
Chet> Whatever gets us there.
mgrasso> But the importance isn't just whatever gets us there. It's the path as much as the destination itself.
* Ingrid looks over a few maps she has spread out on the counter top.
mgrasso> Excuse me for speaking for the oracle. :)
Ingrid> I'm really looking forward to this trip.
Ingrid> My dad said he visited some Route 66 attractions as a kid.
mgrasso> Shall we away now?
James> Oh Fun! The biggest ball of twine...
James> Yeah, definately.
* Chet walks out the door and to the car.
mgrasso> So first, it is to Flagstaff.
mgrasso> That is where the trip on Route 66 will commence.
James> Ingrid, do you have an easy headset for your cell?
* Ingrid rinses the glasses, turns off the lights, and says a silent goodbye as she heads for the bike.
James> I'd like for us to have free communication
Ingrid> Oh, I'm glad you said that, James. I bought a bike headset thingy, one for me and one for you in the car.
mgrasso> (heh)
Ingrid> Mine's already mounted in my helmet.
James> nice.
Ingrid> Here's yours.
mgrasso> By the way, Ingrid's got full fae mien weaponry and armor, no?
Ingrid> .me hands James a headset.
Ingrid> Yes. :)
James> Sweet. Alright, in my car- Roger, be my navigator?
Gemma> Wait. You want Roger sitting next to you?
Roger> hey I'm not the co pilot
Gemma> You want me sitting in the back, with Chet, tormenting him with my busy hands?
James> Nope- not next to, he can navigate in the back
Ingrid> I'd prefer to follow you guys, if you don't mind.
Gemma> Okay. So long as we're clear on that point.
James> but it would suck if I asked "left here?" and you said "No" and I went right, but it was really a fucking left-- you get the picture.
* Gemma shrugs
Gemma> I don't get the picture, but I understand the pen you used.
mgrasso> (heh cute)
Roger> allright, alright, give me the map.
mgrasso> Well, it's a pretty straight ride up to Flagstaff.
* James hands him his GPS and laptop w/ cell modem.
Gemma> I'll have you ALL know that the greatest navigator in the world was Jesusita "Pancho" Smith -- who was a pooka.
Roger> neat- do you have mario bros. on this thing?
* James just sortof looks at Roger.
mgrasso> The five adventurers pile in James' car and Ingrid mounts her steed.
mgrasso> (four, should be)
mgrasso> Who's leading?
* Roger smiles as he gets in the car, puts on his earphones and looks over the GPS.
James> I am.
Ingrid> James is. :)
James> I'll call you Pancho from now on hun.
Gemma> Please, by all means. I'd love that.
mgrasso> Of course, you guys hit the rush hour in Phoenix on your way through town. But it's soon avoided, as you are headed north through to Flagstaff.
mgrasso> Taking the off-ramp in downtown Flagstaff by about 10:30 or so a.m., you make your way to Santa Fe Avenue in Flagstaff... nicely labelled as Route 66 by the local Chamber of Commerce.
mgrasso> Do you guys want to eat lunch now or get on I-40 and find lunch at around noon or so?
James> thank you C.o.C.
James> Chet, any pbj's in your bag to tide us over till later?
Gemma> (wait)
Gemma> (for lunch, i mean)
mgrasso> Okay, great.
Chet> Uh, let me check.
James> because, you know, I could eat.
* Chet rummages through his bag.
* Ingrid relates via headset that she can wait, too.
Chet> I've got some jerked beef.
James> mind sharing?
* Gemma coughs
* Chet hands James a tiny ziploc bag filled with dried meat.
mgrasso> Headed east out of Flagstaff on I-40, you are about 10 miles or so out when you start to see the signs. METEOR CRATER! Exit 233! Just miles from the freeway!
James> What? I have breath mints.
Chet> Actually, that might be deer.
James> whatever.
* Ingrid pulls up alongside the Caddy on a clear straightaway and signals towrds the meteor crater exit.
* James nods and heads that way.
James> If we look at this now, we get to look at two headed fetuses in jars later.
* Ingrid grins hugely and settles back in behind the car.
Scene Three: Tourist Trap
mgrasso> As the Meteor Crater exit approaches, it's certainly looking more and more like it's a total tourist trap.
mgrasso> The Meteor Crater Center, the Meteor Crater RV Park...
* Ingrid zooms ahead at the exit, parking and approaching the entrance befor the rest arive.
mgrasso> There are restrooms at the RV site, five miles from the crater itself.
Ingrid> As the others are getting out of the car, Ingrid runs up to them waving something.
Chet> Meteor Crater...
James> you give the girl a motercycle and suddenly shes a fucking hells angel. She used to drive like my mom.
mgrasso> And some of you, after morning coffee, require a little bit of relief.
James> (likd chet)
mgrasso> (*snort* I didn't say it!)
mgrasso> (Meteor Crater from the air: http://www.meteorcrater.com/Craterm.jpg)
* Chet takes a look around.
Gemma> What's that, Ingrid? The first bug you got stuck in your teeth?
Ingrid> I bought us tickets! I always wanted to see the crater.
Ingrid> My dad used to talk about it like it was magical.
mgrasso> In fact, old Route 66 still exists, just behind the RV Park.
Gemma> Did you ever consider that maybe your father did a lot of drugs?
* Roger laughs rolling his eyes.
Chet> I'd love to have a look.
* Chet accepts a ticket from Ingrid.
Chet> Thanks!
mgrasso> So, we can check out the bathrooms and the Subway here, for lunch (*snort*), check out Old Route 66, and then head to the crater.
mgrasso> If that works for folks.
* Ingrid ignores Gemma and passes out tickets.
Gemma> (does that mean Gemma doesn't get a ticket? Since she's being ignored... :) )
Ingrid> (She gets one, with a snooty look. :)
Gemma> (hehe)
mgrasso> Dozens of RVs sit in the spacious parking spaces as the RV Park area melds away into the high prairie desert of Northern Arizona.
James> Are we going to stop at every gittchy tourist trap along the way? That's a lot gitch.
Ingrid> No, no, just this one. It means a lot to me.
Gemma> A gaping hole means a lot to you. Interesting.
Roger> ah the 7 wonders of middle america.
Chet> This could be fun... After all, it's the journey, not the destination - right?
Ingrid> Gaping holes can contain more than some see, Gemma.
* Roger looks around.
James> It's both, I believe, chet.
* Gemma gives Ingrid an enigmatic smile
mgrasso> You're in the parking lot of the RV Park right now. There's a side road that leads to Old Route 66, a Subway, a Mobil station, tons of RVs, and the road that leads to the crater.
mgrasso> Roger, give me a Per + Investigation roll.
mgrasso> Diff. 7
Roger> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell Roger rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 6 9 2 7 5 10
mgrasso> So? Where's everyone off to first?
James> is it a mobile on the run or just a mobile?
Ingrid> Bathroom and sammich.
* Chet tags along behind Ingrid.
James> I'd rather not eat at subway.
mgrasso> It's a full gas station, with a convenience store and Subway attached.
Gemma> But don't you want to eat the meal of fat-conscious kings? OF Jared?
* James plats his flat abdomen- nah, i need cheetos to bulk up.
Gemma> Jared is the sexiest loser ever to sell sandwiches. His wooden charm thrills me in places you've never even considered touching.
* Roger walks over to the old woman watching us. good morning!
mgrasso> Roger heads into the RV park where he walks over to an old Native woman sitting on a lawn chair outside an RV.
mgrasso> The portable radio next to her is playing talk radio from Flagstaff as she watches Roger approach.
mgrasso> Roger, wanna take this to msg?
Roger> sure.
mgrasso> Cool. Meanwhile, the rest of the heroes are inside the gas station.
* Chet walks around, crowd-watching and headed toward the crater.
Gemma> (I htink the crater's still 5 miles off)
mgrasso> Chet: the crater's miles from here, but Old Route 66 is right behind the RV Park.
Chet> (wherever...)
Gemma> (iirc ... this is like ... the pre-crater staging area)
mgrasso> (yeah! You've been there too?)
Gemma> (who, me? Hell no. :) )
mgrasso> (Julia's actually been there! I didn't even know! :D)
mgrasso> Chet, wanna wander off to Route 66? I have a picture to show you. :)
Ingrid> (hee hee :)
Chet> (I'm just people-watching and wandering)
* James buys some cheetos, a snapple, a giant pretzle and a hotdog.
mgrasso> Ingrid? I believe you were getting a sub?
* Gemma gets a sub just to spite James
mgrasso> What kinds of subs?
* Ingrid buys a footlong Italina.
Ingrid> Italina.
Ingrid> damn eet. You know. Italian.
Gemma> (hehehe)
mgrasso> Gemma?
Gemma> uh... the thing with the fungus patty, approved for mealy-mouthed vegetarians everywhere.
Ingrid> And a large Vanilla Coke.
Gemma> (that's exactly how she orders it, btw. just to vex the clerk because you can't spit in someone's food when you have to make it in front of them.)
mgrasso> The subway dude narrows his eyes at Gemma, but then and makes the Quorn (or whatever) sub. :)
Ingrid> (snort)
* Gemma gives him the sweetest of sweet smiles
mgrasso> Chet, you notice that Roger is still outside, in the RV park, talking to an old Native woman.
* Chet shoves his hands in his pockets and plods over to see what's up with Roger.
Scene Four: Guardian
mgrasso> "You travel with others. Speak of the devil." The Native woman looks at Chet, who's come over to the two of them.
mgrasso> She has a small portable radio which currently presents a tinny voice of Rush Limbaugh from its speakers.
mgrasso> She sits in a lawn chair with a blanket over her legs. She's stout and dark-skinned, her hair lightly bound into pigtails.
mgrasso> "So, you here to kill me now? Fancy assassins from out of town?"
Chet> Um. No?
mgrasso> "I can hold my own against you folk." She shakes a small leather bag in her left hand.
Chet> Wait...
Chet> Nope. Not here to kill anyone. I'd definitely remember that.
mgrasso> She still holds the medicine bag, but has stopped shaking it.
Chet> What's in the bag?
mgrasso> "You two are either brainwashed or incredibly naive and innocent." She looks closely at Chet.
mgrasso> "Medicine," she says. "Poison to you."
Chet> I'm really tough to brainwash... Incredibly naive is the most likely explanation...
Chet> Why would anyone be trying to kill you?
mgrasso> "You still haven't given me any reason to believe you're some other than those who've come and run rampant over this area."
mgrasso> "Because I know about them. I know what they've done. Your friends."
Roger> we don't have any friends.
Chet> They don't sound like friends of mine.
Chet> What did they do?
mgrasso> "I find it hard to believe there's any of you left who stand against the Wild Ones."
* Chet sits on the ground and gets some deer jerky out of his bag. He offers a piece to the woman.
mgrasso> "They took over. They spilled over the border months ago. They came searching..."
Chet> Who are the Wild Ones?
mgrasso> "No. I don't eat your food."
Roger> the border, from mexico?
Chet> But it's jerked, it's spiced, it's dried... It's delicious.
mgrasso> "In the Petrified Forest, the spirits sit under the trunk of every stone tree. They have sat there for thousands of years, waiting. And you raised them up."
Chet> What kind of spirits are these?
Roger> the spirits of the stone trees are raised up by people like us?
mgrasso> "And now, you cloud up the Evening World with your kind. All the paths are blocked.
mgrasso> "I can't Spirit Walk anymore."
Chet> I'm sorry...
mgrasso> "And when I do, there are iron gates. No way to rescue the spirits you captured."
Roger> we'll youre talking greek to me.
Roger> i'd love to help you-- or hell, even understand what you are talking aobut.
mgrasso> "You know you haven't captured the Thunderbird yet! It still flies!" She's starting to sound agitated.
mgrasso> "You'll never catch it! It's bigger than you!"
* Chet stands up and dusts himself off.
Chet> You're right. It can't be caught.
mgrasso> Gemma and James sit down with Ingrid at a plastic table.
Ingrid> I never thought I'd see a food you wouldn't eat, James.
James> i hate subway.
Ingrid> Bread, meat, goo... what's to hate? I figure this would be right up your alley.
James> my mom used to take me to subway when I was a kid, and everything tasted like plastic.
Ingrid> Ah, that's the goo.
Gemma> Try this. It tastes like dead trees and love.
* James takes a bite.
James> is the goo "love"?
Gemma> No, the goo is honey mustard.
Gemma> The "love" is this.
* Gemma gives James a peck on the cheek
Ingrid> No, it's more a physical embodiment of self-loathing. Or something.
Ingrid> The goo, not the love.
Gemma> Actually, I think you hit love on the head.
Ingrid> I think you were more right with "honey mustard."
James> their taking a long time with the old woman... I'm going over there.
Ingrid> I'm almost done. I'll go too.
Gemma> Yes, I'd love to join you.
mgrasso> As James and Ingrid make their way back out to the RV Park, they see Chet standing up from the woman and dusting himself off.
mgrasso> (back here Chet and Roger)
Gemma> (hey, don't forget gemma)
mgrasso> (Just making sure you were indeed leaving the luxury of Subway. :) )
James> You're talking about catching spirits, I have no intention to do so!
Chet> So do we ever get to see the crater?
Gemma> What?
mgrasso> (Was that Roger?)
* Gemma gives James a puzzled look
James> oops! yeah.
mgrasso> Chet asking the group that, or the woman?
Gemma> (oh.. d'oh. I was wondering if James suddenly had super hearing...)
Chet> (The group)
Roger> You're talking about catching spirits, I have no intention to do so!
James> what's going on here?
Chet> Nothing to see here.
mgrasso> To Roger, the old woman says, "You've already done it. They're an army. And if you really *aren't* with THEM, may God have mercy on your souls if you choose to travel on to the east."
Chet> She's got a warning that we've got neither the knowledge or the wisdom to understand.
James> That's where we're going.
Chet> Let's just have a look at the crater and be on our way.
Ingrid> Oh great. A cryptic old woman. Just what we needed.
Roger> who or what are they, just explain?
mgrasso> The old Native American woman, still sitting in her lawn chair, says, "If you don't hold the same beliefs as those folks over there, you'll be dead, I'm sure of it."
Ingrid> What beliefs are those, if you don't mind me asking?
James> You know our nature?
mgrasso> Roger: "They lived beyond the state line. Or at least they used to."
mgrasso> James: "I know your people, yes."
Gemma> Who are your people, grandmother?
James> We quest to the east to undo what has been done.
mgrasso> The old woman looks at Gemma with new-found calmness and respect.
mgrasso> "Legend says the Star People. The Anasazi."
Chet> Ingrid, do we actually get to see the crater or just eat and get gas?
James> keening or mythlore for anasazi info???
Gemma> What a beautiful name. I visited the stars once.
Ingrid> I'm up for the crater. Want a ride over on the back of my bike?
James> or fae lore?
Chet> That sounds fabulous.
mgrasso> "But I'm just a member of Navajo Nation." She says to Gemma.
mgrasso> James: Int + Myth, diff. 8
James> !dice 6 8
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 8 2 10 3 3 2
mgrasso> (James: the Anasazi vanished from the face of the Earth about a 1,000 years ago. They're big-time involved in ancient astronaut/UFO lore)
mgrasso> "You go to the crater? You must beware, then."
* Ingrid turns around and looks at the woman.
mgrasso> "It is one of the Gates. It's closed. They're bound to have guards there."
mgrasso> "And if you truly aren't their friends, then they'll be sure to take you prisoner, if you're lucky."
Ingrid> Well that doesn't sound good.
Gemma> Whose friends? Has someone been waging war here?
mgrasso> "Yes. War."
James> do you know a way to fight them?
mgrasso> "War in our world, war in the Higher World."
mgrasso> James: "I haven't been able to."
mgrasso> "If you are here to defeat them, then you might have a chance. See, they seek to tame and kill the thunderbird."
James> what is the thunderbird?
Roger> well we can't let them do that now can we?
mgrasso> "It is the bearer of souls to the next world. It is the totem spirit of this land. It brings the lightning from the heavens. It bears away and brings life."
mgrasso> "You know, all that shit." She grumbles noncomittally.
Ingrid> What happens if it's tamed? Or killed?
mgrasso> "By them? They'll harness its stones. You can be sure of that. If they want to kill their own kind, they'll use the thunderstones."
James> thunderstones?
Ingrid> Why wouldn't it be able to defend itself?
mgrasso> "If they can control the dwelling places of the thunderbird in our world, it will be trapped, right?"
mgrasso> "It won't be able to fly away. And it'll be theirs."
James> and where does it dwell?
mgrasso> She simply points, south, towards both Old Route 66 and the Meteor Crater.
mgrasso> (And that's all for tonight!)
Chet> Woohoo!
mgrasso> (heh heh heh)
mgrasso> Who says adventure wouldn't find you?
Chet> Action, adventure, and sammiches! What more could you ask for?
Ingrid> Yey for the meteor crater!