WNwSd55e

1DiscoDude: **---BEGIN SESSION---**
2DiscoDude: **Session logging commenced**
3Ryusui: So, last time, the gang put together the map hidden in the church and found it pointed to...somewhere far outside East Pomodoro, in undeveloped country a few miles off the nearest freeway or any other kind of road!
4Ryusui: What's the team's next course of action?
5Reality Glitch: "I don't having anything better to do at the moment; who's up for following the map now?"
6Kingfisher: "The moment any of us showed up at the church, word likely got back to the Enemy, which is why thugs showed up almost immediately. We need to make our next step less noticeable. Make the Enemy think we haven't made a move yet. Does anyone else have experience with concealing movements?"
7Reality Glitch: "Most people tend not to look up, but not all of us can fly."
8Kingfisher: He's aware that it might also be that Vladimir tipped off the Enemy, but he's dead now.
9Sanchez: "I'm pretty good at sneaking around."
10Sanchez: ( +3 Stealth >w> )
11Kingfisher: "I know from experience that 'using your wings' wouldn't work for evading notice on the way out of a heavily populated city. Someone is bound to notice that. We'll likely need to make a leg of the trip in a vehicle," he points at <@!Sanchez>'s car, "such as this one."
12Selene: "Hm, Concealing movement is not my specialty...but I can fake a death scene if you want? Them thinking we are dead is as good as not knowing our moves, need I not tell you why."
13Sanchez: He stops and looks, "If something happens to my car somebody is gonna have to pay for the damages." He points at the bird. "If my car gets damaged I swear..."
14Reality Glitch: "I like the car idea, since the vehicle is news that has yet to spread."
15Kingfisher: "That was only an example. The spider was working for what is likely the Enemy until recently, and his car is very distinctive. One of us should *discreetly* acquire a quote 'rental' unquote."
16Kingfisher: (Can I suggest a montage for prepping to leave the city under the radar?)
17Ryusui: (I was going to suggest the exact same thing :3)
18Ryusui: (bear in mind)
19Kingfisher: (As long as everyone else agrees, that is.)
20Ryusui: (all of you have decent Stealth rolls *except* Eli)
21Reality Glitch: "Even better."
22Ryusui: (Eli is probably better suited to either picking up the car, if you're not going with <@!Sanchez>'s)
23Ryusui: (the rest of you can all do things related to getting out of town undetected)
24Kingfisher: (His job will likely involve Casting Magic Or Something(tm).)
25Ryusui: (which i guess might not all be Stealth rolls depending on what you pick, but XD)
26Ryusui: (ah, true that)
27Selene: "I can work with this." (Yes, let the montage begin, i can use the face/contacts to *secure* a car!)
28Reality Glitch: ((Casting Magic or Somethingâ„¢))
29Kingfisher: (Come to think of it, <@!Sanchez>'s Drive skill could apply here.)
30Sanchez: ( I have +4 drive :3c )
31Kingfisher: (I know. :3c)
32Ryusui: *righto, montage time*
33Ryusui: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBwS66EBUcY
34Ryusui: (So to be clear: Selene will be grifting the car, Eli will be producing magical stealth, Sanchez will be Dominic Turretto'ing the group out of town...)
35Reality Glitch: ((That song?  For a car purchasing montage?))
36Ryusui: (...what will Agent Kingfisher be contributing?)
37Ryusui: (you're doing more than purchasing the car, dude!)
38Sanchez: ( `Gearhead: When repairing or modifying a vehicle, you can use Drive instead of Gadgetry` )
39Sanchez: ( :3c )
40Ryusui: (you're prepping stuff to get out of town without Ms. Farthing's agents detecting you)
41Ryusui: (or following you)
42Ryusui: ( <@!Kingfisher>, what's your part in this? Selene: car, Eli: magic, Sanchez: driving, you: ???)
43Kingfisher: (Hm... Stealth to...)
44Kingfisher: (Any ideas, guys?)
45Reality Glitch: ((Create Advantages to boost Sanchez's Drive?))
46Ryusui: (plan the driving route?)
47Kingfisher: (Securing an obscure, inconspicuous route? Or would that be Knowledge?)
48Ryusui: (i'm gonna rule it's Stealth here)
49Kingfisher: (Basically avoiding all the more obvious watch points on the city limits.)
50Ryusui: (also everyone's gonna be rolling against +2)
51Ryusui: (should be simple <3)
52Kingfisher: (<@!Selene> first?)
53Selene: (Rolling contacts then!)
54Selene: !f 3
55DiscoDude: <@Selene> rolled 4dF+3 for 2 [4dF = [+][-][-][ ]]
56Kingfisher: (What happens in a tie?)
57Sanchez: !f4
58Sanchez: !f 4
59DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 4dF+4 for 5 [4dF = [+][ ][+][-]]
60Ryusui: (succeed at a cost, or fail?)
61Kingfisher: (Whoa slow down, we haven't resolved <@!Selene>'s roll yet.)
62Sanchez: ( oh, right, sorry )
63Ryusui: (anyway Sanchez's roll works great)
64Ryusui: (but Selene, you can either succeed at a minor cost or fail your part)
65Selene: (Succeed at a cost, hopefully, don't think i can boost it anyways)
66Ryusui: (okiedoke <3)
67Kingfisher: (So Selene is not as inconspicuous as she thinks she's being, while Sanchez modifies the car to look different from when Selene obtained it, obscure the interior, not make any particularly eye-drawing noises, etc?)
68Ryusui: (yeah, let's go with that)
69Ryusui: ( <@Reality Glitch>, <@!Kingfisher>, still waiting on your rolls!)
70Reality Glitch: !f 4
71DiscoDude: <@Reality Glitch> rolled 4dF+4 for 5 [4dF = [ ][ ][ ][+]]
72Reality Glitch: ((That's actually a 6 total.))
73Kingfisher: (Describe it!)
74Ryusui: (yeah, what kind of spell are you weaving?)
75Reality Glitch: ((Give me a moment; I'm not having the best brain day.))
76Reality Glitch: Thinking about how to help without my magic itself drawing attention, the idea eventually strikes me to draw isnpriation from british media.  "Alright, one perception filter coming right up."
77Kingfisher: (Like a spell that makes it hard to recall details about something?)
78Reality Glitch: The exact terminollogy is Doctor Who, but the spell exists in the Harry Potter series as well.
79Ryusui: (basically, you look at something and you either don't see it, or see something else)
80Kingfisher: (Well I was thinking Sanchez already modified the looks of the car itself.)
81Kingfisher: (And now RG is making it hard for people to remember even that.)
82Reality Glitch: ((More like your conscious perception is deflected to the point where you simply don't see it as important enough to encode it into long-term memory.))
83Kingfisher: (A Somebody Else's Problem field.)
84Ryusui: (exactly what i was thinking of XD)
85Reality Glitch: ((^))
86Ryusui: (now for your roll)
87Kingfisher: (*That's* from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I think.)
88Kingfisher: !f 3
89DiscoDude: <@Kingfisher> rolled 4dF+3 for 7 [4dF = [+][+][+][+]]
90Kingfisher: (TOOOOOOOOOOOOT)
91Rira: 👀
92Ryusui: (righto, so)
93Kingfisher: (Ey, I even managed to get a reaction from someone not even in the game. XD)
94Reality Glitch: ((Critical Hit.))
95Kingfisher: (Can one of our SWSs cancel out Selene's cost?)
96Ryusui: (gimme a sec and i'll tell you how this works out)
97Selene: (That would be MOST useful~~)
98Ryusui: Selene: Your contacts point you in the direction of a nice black van, the kind the Family used for...well, doing things they officially had no knowledge of, but needed to be done now and then regardless. 😉 Of course, what your contacts *didn't* tell you is that its owners, a quartet of shady-looking customers, were less than a block away, and chased you for like a mile before you managed to shake 'em.
99Ryusui: Sanchez: Once the vehicle is in your capable hands, you waste no time customizing it to the party's needs: the engine runs quieter, and twice as fast.
100Ryusui: Eli: Anyone who looks at the van (other than your group) will get the immediate impression it's a tie-dyed VW bus and then forget about it as soon as it's out of visual contact.
101Ryusui: Finally, Kingfisher: You plot a course through tunnels and back alleys leading to an old, disused road which exits the city not far from the nearest freeway off ramp.
102Reality Glitch: ((That's still not exactly what I was describing; it's more the magical equivalent of a T.A.R.D.I.S. key.))
103Ryusui: (a what?)
104Ryusui: (ahhhhh)
105Ryusui: (so like...tell me what exactly you mean it does)
106Reality Glitch: ((Basically what you described, but without the illusion.))
107Ryusui: (okay, fair enough)
108Ryusui: The prep is done; now comes the fun part: actually putting the plan into action.
109Ryusui: All told, I have a boost: *-Knows Your General Location-* thanks to Selene...
110Ryusui: and you have three boosts:
111Ryusui: *-Fastest Ride in East Pomodoro-*, *-Somebody Else's Problem-*, and *-Secret Shortcuts-*.
112Kingfisher: (So it's a stealth contest?)
113Ryusui: It's going to be a Drive contest to start with. <@!Sanchez> will take the wheel to begin with, though if he fails at any point, obstacles may present themselves which need to be dealt with 😉
114Ryusui: also
115Reality Glitch: ((What species were the "shady customers" selene encounter?))
116Ryusui: you will be rolling against +5, Penny Farthing's Mastermind roll
117Ryusui: representing her ability to muster her agents in a city-wide manhunt for the four of you
118Kingfisher: (Passive or Active?)
119Sanchez: !f 4
120DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 4dF+4 for 5 [4dF = [+][ ][-][+]]
121Sanchez: (a tie :o )
122Ryusui: ((hell i don't know RG; she basically just jacked the A-Team's van))
123Ryusui: (active)
124Ryusui: !f 5
125DiscoDude: <@Ryusui> rolled 4dF+5 for 7 [4dF = [+][-][+][+]]
126Sanchez: ((UH O H ))
127Ryusui: (oh shit, wanna pop a couple of those boosts?)
128Ryusui: (and if so, which ones?)
129Sanchez: ( Well Renowned Dragster and...if Right Hand Man applies that one too. )
130Kingfisher: (I mean, SWS boosts first is my rule of thumb, but you wanna pop your personal FATE right here and now, sure.)
131Sanchez: ( Only one that applies. )
132Ryusui: (RIght Hand Man?)
133Sanchez: ( "Other: Right-Hand Man" )
134Sanchez: ( But, eh, probably doesn't work. )
135Kingfisher: (None of the SWS boosts we just got apply?)
136Kingfisher: (Pretty sure this is *exactly* what they apply to.)
137Reality Glitch: ((^))
138Ryusui: (yeah like)
139Ryusui: (i only gave you relevant boosts)
140Kingfisher: (And yes, you do have my permission to use -Secret Shortcuts-.)
141Reality Glitch: ((This is the exact thing we created them for.))
142Ryusui: (all three bosts are relevant)
143Sanchez: ( Oh. )
144Sanchez: ( I'll use the the sws's then, it's been forever. )
145Sanchez: ( I'll use 2 of the boosts :o )
146Ryusui: (forever?)
147Ryusui: (and again, which ones?)
148Reality Glitch: (("Forever since they played Fate." is my guess.))
149Ryusui: ( <@!Sanchez> )
150Sanchez: ( yea, uh...I...I don't know there's three I just want to use 2. )
151Ryusui: (i'll just do yours and Kingfisher's for now)
152Ryusui: (which still leaves Eli's)
153Reality Glitch: ((***Fastest Ride in East Pomodoro***, ***Somebody Else's Problem Field***, and ***Secret Shortcuts*** are the boost in play right now.))
154Sanchez: ( Oh, yea, 1st and 3rd. )
155Ryusui: I'm gonna be honest with you, <@!Sanchez>: there's more than one time the <@&543250225570119681> are *certain* you're going to plow your freshly-customized ride straight into a wall.
156Sanchez: ( oof )
157Ryusui: But you're the kind of driver who will inspire the frickin' Fast and the Furious movies.
158Reality Glitch: ((????))
159Ryusui: You take those corners like they were *nothing.*
160Reality Glitch: ((Ah.))
161Ryusui: Even as the rest of the group is just about ready to piss their pants. XD
162Kingfisher: (One victory out of... standard 3 again?)
163Reality Glitch: "Too Fast!  Too Furious!"
164Ryusui: Any of Ms. Farthing's agents watching catch a glimpse of something black, then something multicolored, and then...nothing.
165Kingfisher: (Also, is Casper a joke to you, Ryusui? XD)
166Ryusui: (Okay, let's exclude Casper from the pants-pissing. XD)
167Ryusui: Next phase, <@!Sanchez>!
168Sanchez: "Everybody okay back there?"
169Sanchez: !f 4
170DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 4dF+4 for 1 [4dF = [-][ ][-][-]]
171Sanchez: (...oh no. )
172Ryusui: !f 5
173DiscoDude: <@Ryusui> rolled 4dF+5 for 8 [4dF = [ ][+][+][+]]
174Sanchez: (( OOOOH NOOO ))
175Rira: 👀
176Kingfisher: (Can't stack more than 2 victories in one roll... right?)
177Reality Glitch: "I'm gonna hurl!"
178Ryusui: (an SWS is two victories, remember?)
179Sanchez: ( 1 v 8... )
180Kingfisher: (That *is* the rule, right; 2 victories is the most brutal it can get, RIGHT?)
181Ryusui: (right)
182Kingfisher: (*phew* Might want to let this one go, then.)
183Ryusui: Okay, <@&543250225570119681>, here's a surprise: a '30s-model automobile like something out of an old gangster movie pulls out of a side alley and is in hot pursuit! The occupants, all dressed in styles that went out of fashion not long after the turn of the century, open fire on you with a mix of tommyguns and rifles!
184Kingfisher: Kingfisher gets down, popping up to return fire on the driver!
185Ryusui: ( anyone else got a Shoot skill for the teamwork bonus? )
186Kingfisher: (Do I have to defend first?)
187Ryusui: (and no, this is part of the contest)
188Kingfisher: (So would this be Creating an Advantage for me?)
189Ryusui: (nah, this'll be overcome)
190Ryusui: (if you win you shake 'em)
191Kingfisher: (And therefore their victories don't count?)
192Reality Glitch: I try to telekinetically pop one of their tires.  ((Create an Advantage to help Kingfisher.))
193Ryusui: (the victories count; they're what's allowed things to escalate to "the enemy is in hot pursuit")
194Kingfisher: (I thought complications like that only come from ties?)
195Ryusui: (...fair enough. I just wanted something interesting to happen from that outcome)
196Kingfisher: (So Create Advantage on my part after all?)
197Kingfisher: (<@Ryusui>?)
198Ryusui: (no, this is an overcome; if you fail they will catch up and force you to stop and engage with them directly)
199Ryusui: (that will be the final victory for the contest for Ms. Farthing)
200Kingfisher: (Oh, this is still part of the contest?)
201Kingfisher: (As in, the contest roll?)
202Ryusui: (I JUST SAID)
203Ryusui: (YES)
204Kingfisher: (Oh!)
205Kingfisher: (I thought you were pausing the contest for this. Sorry...)
206Kingfisher: !f 4 (Shoot)
207DiscoDude: <@Kingfisher> rolled 4dF+4 for 3 [4dF = [-][-][ ][+]]
208Ryusui: !f 5 (Mastermind)
209DiscoDude: <@Ryusui> rolled 4dF+5 for 6 [4dF = [+][+][-][ ]]
210Kingfisher: (Aw what? How does that apply?)
211Ryusui: (...true)
212Ryusui: (let's make it her Criminal roll instead XD)
213Ryusui: (that's what i was gonna do and brainfarted, whoop)
214Ryusui: !f 3
215DiscoDude: <@Ryusui> rolled 4dF+3 for 5 [4dF = [+][+][ ][ ]]
216Ryusui: (and if we both spend our available boosts...that still comes out to a win)
217Kingfisher: (I mean... It shouldn't even be her rolling for this, unless she's here in person...)
218Ryusui: (so are you okay with that? remaining boosts spent, you get the win?)
219Ryusui: (also i realize we never addressed Eli's roll, whoop)
220Ryusui: (but it looks like it won't be necessary anyway?)
221Kingfisher: (I do? It's 3 vs. 5 at the moment.)
222Reality Glitch: ((I hadn't rolled for the flat tire yet anyway.))
223Ryusui: (oh, OH)
224Ryusui: (fudge)
225Ryusui: (i misread the rolls, whoops)
226Ryusui: (3 vs. 5, okay, <@Reality Glitch>, you'll be rolling against a passive defense of +2 for this)
227Kingfisher: (Dude, we are competent roleplayers this session. :P)
228Sanchez: ( My brain is fried oops )
229Ryusui: ( <@Reality Glitch> )
230Reality Glitch: !f 5
231DiscoDude: <@Reality Glitch> rolled 4dF+5 for 2 [4dF = [ ][-][-][-]]
232Kingfisher: (Boost obtained, yay.)
233Reality Glitch: ((Yeah.))
234Ryusui: (SWS, no less)
235Reality Glitch: ((No; it's a tie.))
236Ryusui: (oh, OH)
237Ryusui: (FUDGE)
238Ryusui: (righto so)
239Kingfisher: (Yeah, uh... really dropping the ball on reading rolls, huh?)
240Reality Glitch: ((Tie is Boost.))
241Ryusui: (right, so add up all the boosts in play and you *tie.*)
242Kingfisher: (FATE Point!)
243Ryusui: (what do you invoke?)
244Kingfisher: ([Combat Pragmatist]: He gets the driver, one-and-done.)
245Ryusui: ***POP POP POP POP.*** The car suffers a catastrophic blowout thanks to Eli's magic. While the gun-toting passengers are panicking, ceasing their fire for one crucial moment, you nail the driver between the eyes. The whole thing spins out of control and crashes into a nearby dumpster, much to the despair of classic car enthusiasts everywhere.
246Ryusui: (The contest is tied 2 to 2 so far! <@!Sanchez>, you're behind the wheel again, unless someone else has an idea how to finish this!)
247Reality Glitch: ((Magic speed boost?))
248Sanchez: ( I'm going to try and do another Drive roll )
249Sanchez: ( Hopefully it's not a hot pile of garbage like last time. )
250Ryusui: (go ahead and roll, <@Reality Glitch>!)
251Reality Glitch: !f 5
252DiscoDude: <@Reality Glitch> rolled 4dF+5 for 5 [4dF = [+][+][-][-]]
253Kingfisher: (Is that another Create Advantage?)
254Reality Glitch: "Time to be three fast, three furious."
255Reality Glitch: ((Overcome for the contest, i thought.))
256Ryusui: (i was gonna make it a Create Advantage roll but if you wanna do like that)
257Ryusui: (like, a Create Advantage to support Sanchez XD)
258Reality Glitch: ((Probably better as a Create an Advantage action.))
259Kingfisher: (Yeah, it's a SWS then.)
260Reality Glitch: ((S.w.S.))
261Ryusui: (righto, so <@!Sanchez>, gimme your Drive!)
262Sanchez: !f 4
263DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 4dF+4 for 2 [4dF = [-][+][-][-]]
264Sanchez: (OH COME ON )
265Ryusui: !f 5
266DiscoDude: <@Ryusui> rolled 4dF+5 for 6 [4dF = [+][ ][+][-]]
267Ryusui: (okay so)
268Ryusui: (if you spend both those invokes)
269Ryusui: (and toss in a FATE Point)
270Ryusui: (that is a clean win)
271Sanchez: ( YES PLEASE )
272Ryusui: (what specifically do you invoke? i mean...i guess you can invoke [Magical Speed Boost] with a FATE Point XD)
273Sanchez: ( Well Renowned Dragster? )
274Reality Glitch: ((I thought it was obvious I named the aspect ***Three Fast, Three Furious.***))
275Ryusui: (ha ha XD)
276Ryusui: (sorry then XD)
277Ryusui: The next thing you know, the gang is zooming out of town under cover of night, Ms. Farthing's metaphorical myriad eyes scanning furiously for where you've gone.
278Ryusui: BTW, <@!Sanchez>, how good are you driving on dirt? 'Cause like...90% of the remainder of your trip, however undetected you are, is going to be offroad
279Kingfisher: (So worth it, still.)
280Kingfisher: (No goons this time!)
281Sanchez: ( I said he's great at it, he is a well renowned dragster. I just been getting horrible rolls. )
282Ryusui: Well, then, it's settled!
283Ryusui: <@&543250225570119681>: "Joey" (forgot to call him that earlier) drives as skillfully offroad as he does on-road. That is to say, it's still a harrowing experience between his own engine tune-ups and Eli's further magical enhancements, but you make good time!
284Ryusui: At an average speed of 120mph, you end up ~~with enough speeding tickets to bankrupt a third-world country~~ at the mystery spot on the map in a little over an hour!
285Ryusui: Anything you do along the way? 😉
286Reality Glitch: Dry heave.
287Kingfisher: Trying to think of how to make the reentry into the city, assuming that will ever be necessary.
288Sanchez: "...That was wild." He said, looking back occasionally.
289Ryusui: Yeah, <@Reality Glitch>, you're pretty sure you've gone to plaid at least twice, a reference no one else in the van will get for another few years.
290Ryusui: So, finally, you arrive. There's no sign of goons anywhere.
291Ryusui: There's also no *immediate* sign of anything of interest.
292Kingfisher: Kingfisher gets out, knowing what they're looking for probably won't just be visible from the back seat window.
293Reality Glitch: ((It's a reference I don't get either.))
294Ryusui: ( i've never watched Spaceballs but it's a reference to Spaceballs )
295Reality Glitch: ((I have, but it's been awhile.))
296Ryusui: Righto, so how do peeps wanna roll this search? :3
297Kingfisher: (I probably won't be leading it; I have +2 Awareness, and no Insight.)
298Sanchez: ( I have +3 Awareness )
299Sanchez: ( So I'll go ahead. )
300Sanchez: !r 3
301DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 3 for 3 []
302Sanchez: !f 3
303DiscoDude: <@Sanchez> rolled 4dF+3 for 2 [4dF = [-][ ][ ][ ]]
304Kingfisher: (What about Selene?)
305Sanchez: (These dice are cursed. )
306Reality Glitch: !f 4 (Awareness)
307DiscoDude: <@Reality Glitch> rolled 4dF+4 for 2 [4dF = [-][ ][ ][-]]
308Sanchez: (( CURSED ))
309Kingfisher: !f 2 (Awareness)
310DiscoDude: <@Kingfisher> rolled 4dF+2 for 0 [4dF = [ ][ ][-][-]]
311Kingfisher: (*fart*)
312Sanchez: (( Dear lord. )
313Selene: ((IM BACK, GOT ISNIGHT +2))
314Sanchez: (( ROLL AAAAAAAAAAAA ))
315Sanchez: (( We got 2 2s and 1 0..."
316Selene: !f 2
317DiscoDude: <@Selene> rolled 4dF+2 for 5 [4dF = [+][+][+][ ]]
318Selene: (*\👏*)
319Kingfisher: (*party kazoo*)
320Ryusui: <@!Selene>, you're the one to find the rusted hatch almost completely covered in dirt.
321Ryusui: (also you get a boost; i'll let you name it 😉 )
322Sanchez: (( 👏 ))
323Reality Glitch: ((I though Insight was a purely social skill?))
324Ryusui: (it is; it's Awareness for social situations)
325Ryusui: (but fuck it, let's say it's a Burglary roll instead)
326Ryusui: (that's the same +2)
327Reality Glitch: ((Sure.))
328Selene: (Good thing i have both at +2))
329"Hmm, Might *this* Be what we are searching for?" She points down at the hatch, in fact, she feels like this is a *[Particularly Lucky Day]* and goes to try and open it.
330Sanchez: (( I also have +2 Burglary skill ))
331Sanchez: ((... oh wait. )
332Sanchez: ( never mind... ))
333Ryusui: <@!Selene>: It's rusty, but one thing it's *not* is *locked.*
334Ryusui: It screeches up a storm, but it's not hard to open.
335Reality Glitch: I slam my hands over my ears as the door is opened.  "Ow!  What are you trying to do?  Wake the dead?"
336Selene: *Selene shudders all the way as the door opens, she still shivers after the door has been open.* "Agh, This is older than *me* ! and that is saying something!"
337Kingfisher: Casper wastes no time climbing down (except a compulsory listen after the opening to make sure there's no immediate hostiles).
338Sanchez: "Bird boy really likes crawling into holes." He says, looking down before crawling in after them.
339Reality Glitch: "Ladies first. :)"  I look at Selene while gesturing at the hole with both hands.  I *really* don't want to be adjacent to Joey while ion a dark, enclosed space.
340Selene: "Uh huh, Yeah no, I'm the first to tail it if there turns out to be something down there." Selene repeats the same gesture Eli did.
341Reality Glitch: "Please don't do this to me;" panic entering my voice, "you do not want a mage to flip their lid in fright when avoidable."
342Ryusui: (this is hilarious XD)
343Ryusui: Anyways, while the kids are up top debating who's going to go down first!
344Reality Glitch: ((If only I had an aspect for this, so I could reap the fate points for it.))
345Reality Glitch: ((Wouuld ***Used to a Sedentary Life Style*** count?))
346Ryusui: <@!Kingfisher>, <@!Sanchez>, the walls of the shaft are made of concrete. The floor below, more of the same. When you reach the bottom, there's a corridor leading off an unknown distance, lit dimly with rows of electrical lamps.
347Ryusui: ((sure, i'll let you call this a self-compel on that))
348Reality Glitch: ((Cool.))
349Selene: "No, I go last, and its *final.*" She sounds a bit more dominant this time, proper of a Mafia boss.
350Sanchez: "YOU TWO CHILDREN CUT THE BICKERING!!" He yells back up at them.
351Reality Glitch: I turn to loopk down the hatch.  "Well, at least there's distance between us."  I use a cantrip to replace my breath-weapon with a spot light and begin to head down.  "Don't say I didn't warn you."
352Selene: "Whatever, Magic boy." And then Selene climbs down.
353Kingfisher: Casper heads along the corridor. "Were these always on?"
354Sanchez: "Probably not?" He says, "Maybe? I have no idea."
355Reality Glitch: I stop a Good (+3) 15 feet from Joey before saying, "Are we going to keep moving?"
356Reality Glitch: The light in my mouth extending well past them.
357Ryusui: <@Reality Glitch>, you feel a familiar sensation run down your spine.
358Ryusui: Powerful magic is somewhere up ahead.
359Kingfisher: (Am I at the other end of the hallway now?)
360Reality Glitch: "I can definitely sense something here powerful enough to be Merlin's Notes."
361Ryusui: (The hallway is long enough that the whole party can gather back together en route.)
362Ryusui: (When everybody's said what they want and is ready to move on, we shall. :3)
363Selene: "Hm, So there *is* a chance to find the notes here..." She can't wait. "...Or it might be traps, whichever it is....let's thread with care."
364Reality Glitch: "At least I get to live out a game of D&D."
365Reality Glitch: ((How wide is the corridor?))
366Ryusui: About three feet wide.
367Ryusui: It's meant to be traveled single-file.
368Reality Glitch: ((Which means Selene is stuck behind me at all time. 😉))
369Kingfisher: (So are we actually moving forward, or just running in place, <@Ryusui>?)
370Selene: ((TO quote her "Uh huh, Yeah no, I'm the first to tail it if there turns out to be something down there."))
371Reality Glitch: ((I'm waiting for Kingfisher and Joey to move forward.))
372Ryusui: So you all come out into a large chamber.
373Ryusui: The feeling of raw magic has long since *spiked* by the time you see it, Eli. I mean, none of the other muggles detected a thing.
374Ryusui: All the same...you're surprised by what you see.
375Ryusui: First of all, what everyone else can tell:
376Ryusui: This is the maintenance shaft to a *disused missile silo.*
377Ryusui: There is still, in fact, a missile here, intact. Quite possibly launch-capable.
378Ryusui: The warhead, however, is missing. The top of the missile has been replaced with a small podium, and atop it...
379Ryusui: Well, to everyone else, it looks like a strange pale pink crystalline energy field, but Eli, you recognize it as a Time Prism. It's magic way beyond your own capabilities - as far as you knew, it was purely theoretical.
380Ryusui: Theoretical...except to one wielding the power of Merlin's Notes.
381Ryusui: And speaking of which. There's a white-furred cat sitting in a chair in the middle of the prism, reading a book - one of dozens out of a stack nearby. There is, incongruously, a coffee maker on a small table inside the prism as well.
382Reality Glitch: "Shoot."
383Ryusui: <@!Sanchez>, for a brief second, you think it's Ms. Farthing, but...no. There's what you can imagine might be a familial resemblance, but it's not the same person. For one thing, she doesn't radiate Ms. Farthing's sense of overbearing self-righteousness.
384Ryusui: You, <@!Kingfisher>, also get a vague sense of a familial resemblance with your client, though obviously a more tenuous one.
385Kingfisher: He does have his gun out. Is this the Enemy? He's not sure, but he's taking some precautions.
386Reality Glitch: Given that I'm looking straight at the Time Prism, my light-breath is currently lighing it up like a search-light.
387Selene: "...Huh, talk about fancy effects." She probably has no idea about any of the situation, except that the missile is launch capable.
388Sanchez: "That's fucking neato...I mean, yea I tell you what that's some guud effects I tell you what."
389Ryusui: The mystery woman in the prism chuckles good-naturedly. "Do get that out of my eyes; it's rude." She seems more amused than anything.
390Kingfisher: (Goddangit I tell you hwut. XD)
391Reality Glitch: I pull the light orb out of my craw and toss it to the ceiling, lighting the whole room in a more modest night-time apartment feel.  "Let me guess: you were expecting us?"
392Sanchez: "That's fuckin creepy I tell you. Like two aligators in a pond watching a duck float and just waiting, creepy."
393Ryusui: "After a fashion, yes. Forgive me if I don't give the entire Wizard of Oz spiel; looking into the timestream rather gives me a headache." She chuckles again. "Hence the coffee. Would you like some, by any chance? It never runs out."
394Reality Glitch: I cringe at the implications of the implied panty shot, then regain composure.
395Kingfisher: "Forgive me for being apprehensive of this... *field* around you."
396Reality Glitch: "Always disliked coffee; my culinary tastes lean towards the sweeter end."
397Reality Glitch: "Yeah; what's up with the time prism?"
398Reality Glitch: ">implying merlins notes arent involved"
399Sanchez: "I like coffee, yes ma'am. Gimme a cup of Joe please."
400Reality Glitch: "Heh."  I chuckle at the pun.
401Selene: "Hm, So what are you waiting us here for? Fight us and stop us from getting the notes?"
402Ryusui: "Fight you? No. Stop you from getting the Notes? That remains to be seen." <@!Sanchez>: She preps a cup from a stack of paper ones (apparently she'd prepared in case of guests) and pours a cup. She *carefully* hands it to you, sticking out of the Time Prism, not reaching out of the field herself.
403Ryusui: "So let me finish putting the puzzle together. Good evening; my name is Hazel Halliday, and I stole Merlin's Notes from my mother, the woman you know as Penny Farthing."
404Reality Glitch: I quirk an eyebrow at the caution.  "Something stopping you from leaving the time prism?"
405Sanchez: He grabs it and sips, smacking his mouth and saying: "Noice."
406Ryusui: It's not great coffee, but it's coffee you could survive off of for a while.
407Sanchez: He smacks his mouth again for a while, "Eh, like moms." He continues drinking it.
408Ryusui: "Mmm, yes. Think of it as something of an emergency release switch." She pulls one item out of the stack of books: a thick sheaf of old parchment inscribed with arcane sigils. "Obviously I can't let these fall into the hands of the wrong people. If I could destroy them myself, I would have already. So this was Plan B, for what it's worth." She gestures around herself. "I sit and wait here, guarding the Notes, until someone *other* than my mother *or* my son - different ambitions, but still unpleasant ones - found my trail of clues and followed it here. Someone, hopefully, I can trust *not* to use the Notes in their worst capacity."
409Reality Glitch: "I just want to go home."
410Ryusui: "But if that's not an option either...then I can exit the Time Prism and shatter it, and its contents - the Notes - will be scattered across time itself. They'll resurface in this world; make no mistake. But scattered as they will be, they will be less of a threat."
411Ryusui: "Mmm-hmm. You wish to return to the future you came from. I do remember that. What of the rest of you?"
412Reality Glitch: I look away, as if into an unseen video camera.  "The fact you believe my is comforting, but why is an uncomfortable invasion of privacy."
413Ryusui: "I told you, looking into the timestream is an...iffy proposition. Mortal minds aren't equipped to process the whole of potentiality. I don't have much control over what I learn, or...don't learn."
414Kingfisher: "Your son? I was contracted by one who I suspect to be related to Penny Farthing calling himself Septimius Fourthus. Seemed to be an enemy to her. Are they the same person? If his motives are unsavory, however, know that I am loyal to the creed of the Golden Seeds first and my clients second."
415Ryusui: "Septimius? He plays the dutiful grandson, yes, but he has his own ambitions for the Notes." She crosses her arms. "And that's all well and good, but it doesn't tell me what *you* would do with them."
416Reality Glitch: "I'm still iffy about your Golden Seed spiel." I give a quick aside to Kingfisher.
417Kingfisher: "Once I secured the notes, I was hoping to obtain my client's permission to destroy them, or failing that, seal them away somehow so that no human being could ever recover them."
418Reality Glitch: "Humans?  You mean those weird hairless apes that show up in cartoons?"
419Kingfisher: (I meant as a catch-all for any anthro.)
420Selene: She only gave a glance to Kingfisher before giving her explanation: "...hmm, if you can look into the time stream, then you might be aware of my plight and what I hope to do to fix it, don't you?"
421Ryusui: ( <@!Sanchez>? )
422Sanchez: ( ye )
423Sanchez: "So...magic is real, cool. Time-Space mumbo jumbo is real. Coffee is bitter. Water is wet. This is pretty neat."
424Ryusui: Hazel gives you an odd, mirthful look. "You're...more or less along for the ride here, aren't you?"
425Sanchez: "Pretty much." He says, swirling the cup of coffee.
426Sanchez: "It'll make a good story to my friends." He says, finishing the cup. "...Can I have more?"
427Kingfisher: (Are Selene and I going to get a response?)
428Ryusui: (1 sec.)
429Ryusui: Hazel shrugs, still smiling oddly, and hands you another cup of coffee.
430Ryusui: "So one of you wants to destroy them. And another one wants to use them to save their family." She sighs. "You do all seem to be working at cross-purposes, you know that? One of you wishes to alter history, which *will* change the present *and* the future; one of you wishes to return to a future that will be thus annihilated, and one of you wants to keep the Notes from being used *at all*. How do you all intend to resolve this?"
431Ryusui: It's the first time she's shown anything besides the charm of a good hostess; if anything, she seems slightly *exasperated* by your conflicting ambitions. Not upset by any one of them, but certainly a little frustrated that this isn't going to be a simple matter of handing you the Notes and calling it a job well done.
432Sanchez: He takes the cup and takes some more sips.
433Kingfisher: Kingfisher keeps a tight grip on his rifle. "This does appear to be a difficult situation. One I would resolve *quickly* were it not for the implication that my own goal is not so simple. If you're privy to all of time, do *you* have a solution?"
434Reality Glitch: "I could take the long way around and just put in the work myself to ensure that future comes to be, but the Notes are the only gaurantee."
435Ryusui: "Oh, I could *certainly* stick my head into the timestream again and analyze the whole of probability to find out which outcomes don't result in a temporal overlord conquering the whole of existence," Hazel mutters, glaring at your rifle, "but I am reasonably certain that would leave me a *vegetable.* And bear in mind, any *person* crossing the Time Prism *will* shatter it, so the only way these Notes are coming out is if I bring them out myself."
436Selene: "... You said you had to judge one of us worthy of being given the notes..." *she gives a look to the rest of the team, as if saying 'forgive me, but.'* "Then I beg you choose me."
437Reality Glitch: A look of disintrested annoyance take hold of my face.  "As long as it's one of us, we all win; *technically*."
438Kingfisher: The muzzle of a gun presses against Selene's cheek. "I would beg you to reconsider. Eli, she was just finished explaining why we are not necessarily allies at this point; if one of us wins, the others will have failed." He turns to Hazel. "Tell me, if the notes are scattered; would their destruction become more feasible?"
439Selene: "Heh, I would beg *you* reconsider, my dear friend."
440Selene: (and wait for it, I'm pulling a stunt.)
441Reality Glitch: "I did say 'technically'."
442Kingfisher: "How is that even technical?"
443Ryusui: "The simple answer is, they *can't* be destroyed. The more complicated answer is, they can be destroyed, but not by any means we have available, and I'm not sure it would be wise to even try. They're enmeshed in the timestream itself; you could destroy them if you had the means to *damage the space-time continuum,* but I'm not certain you would appreciate the outcome."
444Ryusui: (Methuselah Fragments, remember?)
445Ryusui: (i'm not saying it'd be impossible to destroy them, nor that it'd be impossible to destroy them without ripping time a new one, but it would definitely be tricky!)
446Kingfisher: "I have to try; my personal goal is to further the total erasure of Methuselah's influence upon the timestream."
447Selene: (I'm wondering over using [it's taken care off, to have Kingfisher's gun be disabled, although it's a bit of a stretch, or use [We can talk a out this])
448Kingfisher: "And you must realize at this point that this includes living fragments, such as I suspect your family can be categorized as."
449Ryusui: She laughs the laugh of one consigned to the gallows. "Oh, trust me. I'd see these Notes neutralized or destroyed if it costs me my life. But I don't intend to die before I can be sure the deed is done."
450Selene: "Well, We all have different objectives, but i doubt they all can't be accomplished, should the proper steps be taken... if you are willing to hear me out, that is."
451Selene: (Shall I use [We Can Talk About This] so Kingfisher *doesn't*blow my cheek out?)
452Reality Glitch: "I think you minced your words there.  You're saying it's easier to give everyone what they want than not."
453Kingfisher: "Incompatible; the act of going back to the past will destroy the current timeline, regardless of how similar it is to the new timeline."
454Reality Glitch: "That's assuming the current timeline doesn't exist solely due to us eventually going back in time to make it the way it is now."
455Kingfisher: "Then any action to disrupt that from happening means it's not integral to begin with; rather the opposite. The version I describe has a lot more on the line, and therefore that is the version by which I would wager."
456Reality Glitch: "Weeeell, there is *one* way to find out."
457Reality Glitch: I gesture to the Notes.
458Reality Glitch: "And we don't even have to time-travel to do it."
459Kingfisher: "I do not play Russian roulette with the universe; it is this very reason that I meticulously eliminate such shards when I can before any other living being can even begin to approach them."
460Reality Glitch: I throw my arms up.  "I just said we *do not* have to time-travel to know which of us is right.  If it's you," I move them to point in Selene's direction, "we know not to let Mini Mouse have them."
461Selene: "I don't believe it will be easy...and it may be a longshot, but what if I can alter the timeline to save those who I care about, send Eli on his merry way *and* give you the eternal time to figure a proper way to destroy this power? I only ever cared about saving my family, And if it means appeasing everyone, then I will attempt to do so, or fall with my family name. Even if it means having single shot at it..."
462Kingfisher: "Did I not make my goal clear? The first objective is to ensure that *no one* uses it. Permanent destruction is the secondary objective."
463Selene: "Then I ask that you take the next best thing, my guarantee to assure *no one else but us* shall ever use them again."
464Kingfisher: "Unacceptable. What's preventing me from stepping through the barrier right now?"
465Kingfisher: "You must realize; I do not give a single damn about your goals."
466Reality Glitch: While the others are arguing I walk up to the time prism to talk with Holiday with a low enough voice to not be over heard.  "I know you won't give it to us, yet, but could help me with my suggestion?  We just need to go through the notes together to find the bit about whether the time-travel it permits fufils the predestination paradox or not."
467Kingfisher: (Can we wrap this up soon? Don't care if there's no conclusion; that can be next week.)
468Ryusui: (sure, hang on)
469Ryusui: "In other words, you want to know if everything that's going to happen has already happened and you're merely fulfilling destiny by using the Notes?" She smirks. "Time is neither a river nor a tree. Time is a *cascade.* A churning, bubbling chaos of past, present, and future. The outcome of your mouse friend changing history is *unpredictable.* It might collapse every single possibility that leads to your future. It might leave both present and future untouched. It might leave a gaping hole in the space-time continuum. It might give rise to an *alternate* future inhabited by hostile space-time conquerors who are even *more* ruthless than your *bird* friend about pursuing their goals." She wrinkles her nose at this last part, making her distaste for Kingfisher's methods all too clear. "Of course I'm only a mere mortal rising briefly above her station in the cosmos. It's *possible* someone with the right knowledge could master the Notes and control time without risking catastrophic collateral damage." She raises a meaningful eyebrow at you, as if curious how you'll respond.
470Ryusui: ( <@Reality Glitch>? )
471Reality Glitch: ((Give me a moment; I just finished reading that.))
472Reality Glitch: I sigh, then continue, "I'm willing to in the kind of effort only neurotypicals can pull off if it means doing all this safely.  Failing that, I've already made it clear my back-up plan to work in this time to ensure my time."
473Reality Glitch: ((<@Ryusui>?))
474Kingfisher: "Answer me this; saving the life of a loved one... is that worth destabilizing the space time continuum?"
475Ryusui: (I think he's asking you a question, <@!Selene>)
476Ryusui: (also)
477Ryusui: She peers into your eyes, as if gazing into your soul, Eli. Then, finally, she speaks in a whisper:
478Ryusui: *"Resolve those two and we'll see."*
479Kingfisher: (I guess that's the cue for last lines?)
480Ryusui: (i think so <3)
481Selene: "... Yes, I believe so."
482Reality Glitch: I turn on my digitigrade pades and walk over talking to the other, projecting my voice; "Well!" I clap my hands and rub them together, "Looks like Secret Agent Birb is right.  It's too unpredictable to try backwards travel.  My advice: Make your family raise from the ashes like a phenix."
483Selene: "...Are...Are you mocking me?“
484Selene: She gives Eli the dagger eyes.
485Kingfisher: "Then a conflict of interest shall be inevitable and unreconcilable between us. I would strangle the life out of everyone in my tribe *and* my squad with my bare hands if it would ensure the total repair of space-time. I would despise every moment of it; but it would be right."
486Reality Glitch: "Not in the slightest.  I don't know the whole story, but rebuilding is better than risking time itself, which need I remind you *they need in order to live*, just to save them retroactively."
487Reality Glitch: "As for you." I turn to Kingfisher, "I can give you my word that I will not use the temporal-warping properties of the Notes, but require that you relent on their overal disuse, so that I can continue my magical training.  It'll be required if I am to assist you in safe-gaurding them."
488Selene: "But what can I Rebuild? Nothing!! I'm as good as a fish with no water, this is my best chance as far as my brain can think!"
489Reality Glitch: "Then you have a very narrow definition of 'family'.  I'm not without empathy for your situation, there are one's I've lost that only time travel can bring back, but its unhealthy to let your life become an obsession over them."
490Reality Glitch: "Even if you can't get the old members back, you can always add new ones to your family; they don't have to replace the old ones either."
491Reality Glitch: "You *can* heal from this.  Turning back time is only running away from the problem."
492Ryusui: (anything else to say, <@!Kingfisher>? That'll be our last statement of the sesh)
493Kingfisher: "You say that, but from where I stand, you are very likely a shard of Methuselah yourself." He levels the gun at Eli. "What assurance do I have that your very birth and continued existence is not destabilizing space-time as we speak?"
494Kingfisher: (Meanwhile, <@!Sanchez> is sitting on the sidelines and eating popcorn.)
495Ryusui: (everyone good? <@&543250225570119681>?)
496Sanchez: ( basically aha )
497Ryusui: ( replace "eating popcorn" with "sipping coffee" XD )
498Reality Glitch: "I've never even heard of Methuselah until I arrived here in the '80's, so I'm just as in the dark as you about how the shards work.  As for my very existence: I was brought here against my will, killing me won't stop any destabilizing properties I possess, but rather, you'd be replacing me (who can and wants to leave this time, which would remove my influence, of which you are so worried) with a corpse that possesses the same destabalizing properties, but with out the animacy require to remove them.  So even if my mere presence is as you fear, helping me get home will the best solution to it."
499Ryusui: (and i think it's time to !end? <@&543250225570119681>?)
500Kingfisher: (Sure.)
501Selene: (yes please XD)
502Ryusui: !end
503