Start of #Odal buffer: Mon Mar 08 22:40:57 2010 [17:21:52] * When last we left our heroes, they had defeated Wyrmgear's kobolds on the gears of Mechanus after falling out of a courtroom destroyed by dischord. We return with the majority of the kobolds fleeing, and their leader trapped and unconscious. [17:21:57] [Session start] [17:23:51] * Tarpaulin blinks back to consciousness. "Rebooting. . . . --Aware;; appropriate salutation: Greetings! Thank you for saving my life." The strange Modron regards the group. [17:23:54] * Eve_Kasnora shakes the cobwebs out of her head and touches her palm to her ear. [17:24:23] I suppose now we'll tie him up? Do take care that he doesn't farstep like last time. [17:24:40] * Eve_Kasnora looks at the palm afterward and sees a bit of blood on it, but not enough to be serious. She nods and walks over to the large, armored kobold. [17:28:29] Assuming the Modrons aren't sending someone to do that themselves... [17:28:35] * Eve_Kasnora nods to Elena. "Yes. We can never be too cautious." [17:29:11] Or, to, y'know, arrest US. [17:29:47] I am thinking they would have to admit fault. [17:30:13] I don't think they have anything on us this time. ... oh, I suppose there's the whole disrupting the harmony of the planes despite repeated warnings. [17:30:19] This Wyrmgear was being part of their court, and he was contributing no less dischord than I. [17:31:46] * Paera turns to Tarp. "Um, you're welcome. Why did you help us?" [17:32:55] * Tarpaulin eyes the group. They appear to be conferring amongst themselves. Tarpaulin carefully hauls himself to his feet. He is startled when Paera addresses him—his arms fly outwards comically, "W-wah, ah, ah, ah!" And he collapses in a heap again. The big eyes blink up at Paera. "You startled me!" [17:33:46] * Eilenia examines the cube carefully [17:34:58] * Eve_Kasnora looks over at the commotion. [17:35:34] "You were called 'malfunction' by the other ones... Are you being okay?" [17:39:29] * Tarpaulin pulls himself back to his feet. He salutes Eve loosely, "Indeed, Human Being! Malfunction is indeed accurate. But I am not okay—I am Tarpaulin!" [17:40:42] A curious name [17:40:44] * Eve_Kasnora blinks. "Tar pulling?" She looks to Paera. "What is being 'tar pulling'?" [17:41:12] Don't be silly Elena. That is not being his name. [17:41:47] * Tarpaulin mimics Eve's blink. "I do not know what is being tar pulling." [17:43:52] * Eve_Kasnora frowns at the creature. "But you were just saying you were pulling tar. I am not knowing what that is." [17:44:44] * Tarpaulin turns to Paera and Eilenia, and, in a sarcastic drawl, intones, "Is she alwaaays like this?" [17:45:09] * Paera blinks. "Well, not always." [17:45:41] On occasion. [17:45:43] * Eve_Kasnora frowns. [17:46:02] "He is damaged in his head." [17:47:30] * Paera shoots Eve a horrified look. "Eve!" [17:47:54] You can't say something like that. [17:48:01] I'm not sure it has a clearly-defined head. [17:48:57] * Eve_Kasnora looks at Paera, somewhat taken aback by her horror. "What? He is not talking right. That is probably why the others called him malfunction." [17:53:17] Oh, I think I know why. [17:53:43] The poor creature must have recieved conflicting orders. [17:54:07] "That can damage them that badly?" [17:54:30] You saw their adherence to law and order and structure. [17:54:38] * Eve_Kasnora blinks and looks around her, at the destruction caused by fighting. "Well I suppose that would follow..." [17:55:14] They couldn't even comprehend what the superiors of their immediate superiors must be like [17:56:59] * Eilenia prestidigitates some rope around Wyrmgear. [17:57:02] That makes sense. [17:58:09] The conflicting orders simply shatter their entire worldview and, by the standards of the modrons, their sanity. [17:58:38] * Tarpaulin blinks around. [17:58:40] "Forgive me." [17:58:49] * Tarpaulin sighs, "I seem to have upset you. One moment please." [17:59:04] Eh? [17:59:07] * Tarpaulin appears deep in thought. [17:59:15] N-no you haven't upset me. I am being worried for you. [18:00:03] * Tarpaulin blinks to Eve, "Stabilizing linguistic patterns::emotional baselines::vocabulary. Success." [18:00:30] * Tarpaulin coughs, "There we are. My apologies, I am still learning the intricacies of your language. My title is Tarpaulin. I do not know what it means. You are my friends." [18:02:24] Y-your name is "tar pulling"? [18:03:20] * Eve_Kasnora shakes her head. "Wait, friends?" [18:03:42] "You are just liking us because we upset your uptight family, yes?" [18:07:39] Don't mind Eve's dialect of human-talk. She is almost always to be talking in the present-perfect tense. [18:08:29] * Tarpaulin holds out a hand to each of the three. "Thank you. I was having trouble parsing her particular colloquial method. What are your names? — Oh, I did not answer your question. I will do that." [18:08:36] "Eventually." [18:08:46] "Now seems appropriate." [18:08:55] Eilenia Amastacia [18:15:16] I'm Paera Tress. [18:16:20] I am being Eve [18:18:40] * Xan nods. [18:19:15] * Tarpaulin rescinds the hands. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Eileniamastacia, Paeratress, and Eve." He turns to Eve, "To answer your question, I am liking you because we have fought together! We are heroes, bound by blood! Together, we shall free Mechanus!" [18:19:38] Y-you are having blood? [18:22:30] * As Eve is astounded, the gears begin to spin faster, and you hear the clacking of mechanical wings above you [18:22:42] * Paera looks up. [18:23:05] * Eilenia glances up [18:23:41] * Eve_Kasnora blinks and looks up. [18:24:04] "Do any of us have blood?" [18:24:09] * Tarpaulin follows their eyes. [18:25:41] "We generally do, yes." [18:25:57] * Eve_Kasnora squints, trying to see where the noise is coming from. [18:26:21] * You see, above you, an enormous flock of monodrones, carrying shortspear and held aloft on what appear to be dragonfly wings. Hidden among them are groups of other drones, all the way up to a quadrone leading the entire flight. His voice sounds amplified as he announces, "Criminals: Stop! Your escort: To a holding cell: Has arrived! Please assume: A limp position: So we may carry you more easily!" [18:27:35] * Eilenia tilts her head. "Who is designated as criminals?" [18:27:40] * Paera glares up at them. "Self defense is a crime now?" [18:29:47] * Tarpaulin waves his arms up at the flock of creatures. "Friends! Friends: Desist!" He rubs his brow with three hands. "The criminals: heroes!" [18:30:20] * Eve_Kasnora growls. [18:30:41] "WE HAVE CAPTURED THE LEADER OF A BANDIT CLAN OF KOBOLDS!" [18:30:49] * "Designate: Eve Kasnora. Designate: Eilenia Amastacia. Designate: Paera Tress. Designate: Xan. Designate: Karox Wyrmgear. Designate: List too long. Please request a full list from Central Processing." [18:30:59] * Eve_Kasnora looks to Elena. "Can you be getting us out of here?!" [18:31:46] * Eilenia thinks. And peeks over the edge of the gears. [18:31:48] * Eve_Kasnora mutters. "So now he's a criminal. If they admited that to begin with we would not be being in this mess!" [18:32:00] What are we charged with? [18:32:01] * Paera folds her arms. "I said, self defense is a crime now?" [18:33:23] Most likely for introducing "disharmony" [18:33:41] * Xan concentrates and forms his limbo into a Karach blade. "Run! I will hold them back!" The swarm circles in closer and the quadrone answers. "Response: Negative. All are wanted on: One count: Disrupting the peace of Mechanus. One count: Physical assault. One count: Aiding in the escape of a recovered offender." [18:34:59] Xan, no! They're just gonna come after us again anyway! [18:35:23] "There is maybe a way out of this!" [18:35:31] A legal way, I hope [18:35:39] This WON'T be the last time we go through a portal. [18:36:05] What are the penalties for these accusations? [18:36:11] "This way!" [18:36:17] * Tarpaulin trips over the edge of the gear and falls. [18:37:45] * Paera stares in horror as Tarp dissapears off the edge of the gear. [18:38:03] * Eve_Kasnora dives to catch one of Tarp's many limbs. [18:41:48] "Come on, frieeeennndddssss......." [18:45:16] * Eve_Kasnora lands short, shoulders and head over the edge of the gear but her outstretched arm too far away to catch the rogue modron. She watches the creature fall. [18:45:35] * Eve_Kasnora lays there stunned for a bit, her mouth open. [18:45:50] * Eve catches Tarp's hand! And then immediately gets dragged off the edge, spinning end over end as they fall through space. [18:46:46] [Nix last two entries!] [18:47:01] "AaaaAAAAAAAaaaaa....." [18:47:14] * Eve_Kasnora 's voice falls into the distance over the edge of the gear. [18:48:13] * Xan raises his voice as the buzzing drones descend. "GO! NOW!" A swing of his limbo-energy formed into a blade cuts a monodrone in twain, its internal fluids splashing across the gear [18:48:46] Ugh. We'll be back someday. [18:49:04] * Eilenia looks over the edge to make sure it's not an endless void, then jumps after them [18:53:55] * Paera is left on the platform with Xan, the unconscious body of Wyrmgear, and a rapidly-growing swarm of drones. [18:57:47] * Tarpaulin (MattonMac@75-147-52-61-NewEngland.hfc.comcastbusiness.net) Quit (Quit: Tarpaulin) [18:57:52] Dammit Xan! [18:57:58] * Paera leaps after Elena. [19:02:08] * The last of the group tumbles down below, landing roughly on a spinning cog. You find yourself deep in the guts of mechanus, hundreds of feet down from the courtroom you were taken to [19:02:25] Oof [19:02:49] * Eilenia looks around. [19:03:25] * Tarpaulin (mattyqwill@173-9-111-234-NewEngland.hfc.comcastbusiness.net) has joined #Odal [19:03:57] * Eve_Kasnora gets to her feet and helps Elena and Paera when they land. [19:04:01] * Eilenia glances up, thinking. "Astral Planes... disharmony..." [19:04:03] * Eve_Kasnora looks up. [19:04:11] "W-wait... that idiot!" [19:04:19] No time. [19:04:29] * Eve_Kasnora inhales and screams. "XAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" [19:05:22] * Eve_Kasnora clenches her right hand into a shaking fist and her eyes start to well up. "Sonovabitch.... being so... selfish..." [19:05:59] * Above you, the whining death shrieks of drones splits the air but slowly, surely, the sound of modron wings gets louder and the swarm approaches. [19:06:38] * Eve_Kasnora looks to the others and bites back her tears for the moment. "We are needing out. Paera, is there any known exits from Mechanus? In stories or holy texts maybe? Myths?" [19:08:01] * Paera stammers "I...let me think." [19:08:14] Chaos... to far, maybe... Order.. ... hestavar... ? [19:09:59] ... wait, this is the Source. [19:10:24] We can take that power. [19:11:50] If it brings power in, we can use it to get out. [19:12:42] Let's go! [19:13:15] "Th-that will work?" [19:13:40] * Eve_Kasnora nods and takes Elena's lead. She seems to know where she's going. [19:14:53] * Eilenia looks eager. Maybe a little TOO eager. [19:18:14] * Tarpaulin flexes and stretches. "We can make it through this! Follllow me!" He calls as he begins to jog off. [19:19:58] * Eilenia pulls out the Ioun stone and sets it into orbit. "Ioun stone, guide us to the Source of Mechanus" [19:21:58] * The stone hums and its rotation speed increases. "Acknowledged." Eve can feel a pull in the direction that Tarpaulin went. [19:25:13] * Eve_Kasnora follows the group until Tar leads them to a large mechanical vault door. [19:25:43] * Finally, you find your way to the Source at the core of mechanus. A crystal globe surrounding a pool of corruscating radiant energy, it's ringed with large vault doors that lead to catwalks surrounding it [19:27:20] * Eve_Kasnora steps up to one of the vault doors. She stares grimly at its intricate locks and mechanisms. [19:27:39] "There is nothing that can be stopping me from protecting my friends." [19:28:33] * Eve_Kasnora slowly, with purpose, Eve draws her grandfather's sword and holds it in two hands, then commands it to glow in holy radiant light. She settles back in a thrusting stance, then lunges forward and plunges the blade into the vault's lock with all her force. [19:28:38] * Eilenia runs up to it as close as she dares. She seems to stop for a moment, captivated. "Look at it..." [19:29:03] Eilenia, you...probably shouldn't touch that. [19:29:46] * Eve_Kasnora begins growling as she wrenches the blade. It doesn't budge. She sweat drips from her brow and her growl becomes a roar as she forces the blade to turn inside the lock. [19:30:59] * Eve_Kasnora forces it in a ninty-degree turn and then there's a deep metallic clunking noise and the mechanisms begin to ratchet apart, opening the door. [19:31:21] * As the door slides open, klaxons blare. Behind you, the sound of the swarm grows ever-louder, but the source is in sight [19:31:30] * Paera's turn [19:31:38] * Eve_Kasnora stands back and breaths deeper... for a moment before the klaxons start blaring that is. [19:37:54] "Let's go!" [19:38:01] * Eve_Kasnora rushes in to the Source. [19:38:28] * Eilenia nods, and rushes after. She looks at the Source, transfixed. [19:39:07] Um...we should probably get out of here before we cause any more damage. The Source is...having trouble replacing all these drones. [19:39:28] Or...oh no, could Xan be... [19:39:50] * Eve_Kasnora smiles grimly. "He is good friend." [19:45:58] * Tarpaulin uses his mighty modron strength to close the vault door behind the group. [19:47:29] * Eve_Kasnora nods at the 300-pound cube. [19:49:21] * Eilenia stands before the sSurce. She focuses and speaks arcane words. Softly at first, then louder as she starts to siphon power from it, and work to redirect it. [19:56:12] * Paera is now known as yongon [19:56:33] * Eilenia forcefully drags some of the energy into the floor, methodically but rapidly shaping it into a rough circular shape, then a perfect circle. Seven runes appear along the outer edge, one by one, then an image of Horbek's Glory appears. [19:57:44] * Eilenia works to try to refine the portal and make it stronger. She looks to the others. "Focus!" [19:58:04] * Eve_Kasnora latches on to that image, refining it to the temple where the kobold priest of Bahamut is praying. [19:58:23] * Eve_Kasnora begins chanting in draconic prayer along with the kobold in the image. [19:58:40] Perfect... everyone through. [19:58:44] * Eilenia runs in. [20:01:19] * Eve_Kasnora holds the image with her prayer until everyone is through, then jumps in herself. [20:01:44] [Session End] End of #Odal buffer Mon Mar 08 22:40:57 2010