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Can we ask Iskander what one thing he desires more than any other? A>B Y
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Apr 26, 2020 22:59
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A X B C Z Y X X W    "Payment? Well, what is it that you most desire? What one thing above all else?" Iskandar scowls and Seizhi sees his heart twist and shake. "I will not tolerate such impudence!" "I'm serious. What is it that you want?" "...What I WANT is a way out of this diseased travesty of a life that I have. I want my family to be worthy of respect, and I want them to receive that respect. Can you provide me with that?" Seizhi can see Iskander's heart swimming with longing and desperation. (Seizhi Schwan gains 1 Quest XP for 'The Wishes of Birds and Beasts'!) "If that's the case, then you don't require any payment, for fulfilling my request will give you what you desire! Who could doubt the value of a family that helped to vanquish the Outside?" Iskandar's heart hardens once more. "I have no faith in your belief that you can accomplish this act." "Isn't that faithlessness the thing that has led your family to this?" Iskandar hesitates. Their hearts are starting to become entangled. "I, myself have suffered from a lack of faith. Once, I-" Seizhi pauses. He's only just remembering this. "-I could only see everything as either being 'me' or 'not-me'. I had to learn to-" Wait, I'm digressing. "-anyway, you have to try and believe that's there more to the universe than you can imagine. I understand if you don't believe me, and perhaps it's going to be more difficult than I think, but if you can show other people- In fact, if you can simply show yourself that you're willing to try and make the world a better place, that's worth something." Hey, that's true about me as well! (Seizhi Schwan gains 1 Quest XP for 'Atonement'!) Iskandar spends a little time turning it over in his head. His heart starts to show a little hope. "All right, but I'll expect you to pay us for our time if you can't achieve even a little success." "Ah, that reminds me. Can I have some sort of bill to that effect? In physical form?" Iskander gives Seizhi a baffled look. "Yes?" Yessss, a paper trail! (Seizhi Schwan gains 1 Quest XP for 'Hide the Evidence'!)             Natalia has returned to Fortitude. She's had time to clear her mind, and she's found herself compelled to renew her friendships. I do seem to have changed a lot over the last few months. (Natalia Koutolika gains 4 Bonus XP for resolving her 'Isolation' issue!) Natalia finds Rinley outside her house, rubbing a branch with her fingers. Her eyes drop to a small pile of twigs lying at Rinley's feet. They gleam brightly. Frowning, she moves to examine them more closely, and realises that they've been changed into gold. "Nice, eh?" says Rinley. She winces slightly. "But I wish my skin was less tender!" (Rinley Yatskaya gains 5 Quest XP for 'Burn Treatments' for suffering from her injuries!) "That's... impressive. I suppose you're concerned about your families' finances?" "What? No! I was hoping I could take a load of junk and turn it into Sessily. I was starting with something simple see, turning wood into gold (after turning wood into copper), and then I'd start turning stuff into bones and blood, then I'd put them all together." (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Groaning'!) Natalia gives this notion consideration. "While I am an adherent of materialism myself, based on my observations of phenomena in vicinity, I can't think that this view can be completely valid. You're going to have to do something more elaborate to get a copy of Sessily." "I don't want a copy, I want to build the original." "...Well, in any case, perhaps you should start with something that's similar in behaviour rather than constituents. You could get Leonardo De Montreal to assemble a robot version of her and begin with that." "EDUCATION ENDURES!" Rinley and Natalia both jump at the Principal's sudden appearance. (Entropy II gains 1 Quest XP for 'Surreal Environments'!) *** In Jasper's room Leonardo is using the completed scope to scry into Jasper's nightmares. He's become aware of some sort of alien element present, and he's trying to bring it into focus. He carefully tunes the dials, holding them tightly and completely concentrating all the powers of his inscrutable intellect- The door slams open. "HEY LEONARDO WE NEED YOU TO BUILD A ROBOT REALLY FAST AND WE KNOW YOU'RE GOOD AT THAT-" "AAGH!" He spins around. "You cretinous filth! How dare you-" He stops as he becomes aware of the Principal's presence. "Hello sir." "Hello De Montreal, are you attending to Jasper's concerns?" "Ah... yes?" "I see." The Principal turns to Rinley and Natalia. "I'm afraid that Jasper's difficulties, whatever they are, must take precedence over your own feeble little problems." "Aw!" complains Rinley. "Hello Natalia!" says Miramie. Natalia raises her hand in greeting. "Hello. What's wrong with Miss Irinka?" "Nightmares, but not normal ones." Leonardo nods. "Yes, I was reading prophecies from them, but proved a little less helpful than I hoped. I thought that her father was coming for her, but it turned out to be one of those metaphorical things where it was the 'idea' of her father instead. Now, it seems that it's a matter of an intruder. I cannot see how what I have observed can be a consequence of the normal currents of her psyche." (Leonardo De Montreal gains 1 Quest XP for 'Natural Scientist'!) Natalia looks at Jasper. Odd, I don't feel as nervous around her as before. "Now shush, please." Leonardo returns to his work. After a couple of minutes he manages to tune the scope properly. The shape of Ill-Made, their old enemy from the Nightmare Realm, becomes visible. "Aha! The enemy shows its face." says Leonardo triumphantly. A: Natalia reaches into the screen and plucks out Ill-Made. (Anime Moment, spend 4 MP) B: Leonardo summons Ill-Made out of Jasper. (Supreme Invocation, one free use per book) C: Rinley asserts that this doesn't make sense and forces Ill-Made out of Jasper. (The World Doesn't Work Like That, spend 2 MP) D: Leonardo works out what Ill-Made is planning. (Flash of Insight, one free use per chapter) E: Miramie starts unmaking Ill-Made. (The World-Breaker's Hand, one free use per chapter) F: Rinley enters Jasper's dream. (Spend 4 Will with Superior Dreamer 2) G: Leonardo keeps watching the scope and makes notes.
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Apr 28, 2020 17:48
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C>D>B
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Apr 28, 2020 18:26
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Toughy posted:C>D>B
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Apr 29, 2020 02:25
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A B C X D E F G  Rinley looks at the scope and shakes her head. "Someone inside someone else's nightmares? That doesn't make sense! I mean, if I started dreaming about someone, and then they crawled into my head, that would mean that there'd be two of them! Completely crazy!" Leonardo scowls. "Are you doubting the efficacy of my technology?" "Of course! What it's showing us is ridiculous, right?" Rinley gives the scope a thwack, and dark smoke suddenly starts pouring out of it. Rinley takes a step back. The smoke rapidly coalesces into a hooded figure, with yellow eyes glaring out from a cowl. "You dare interrupt-" Ill-Made notices Leonardo's presence and stops mid-exclamation. Jasper abruptly jumps awake. "AAH!" She looks about herself in confusion. "What-" She looks at Ill-Made. "AAH!" "You seem to have been bothering one of my pupils." pronounces Entropy. "Indeed, probably the pupil who is most dear to me. Can you provide me with a reason to restrain myself from arranging a series of lectures where I demonstrate the mechanical faults within your internal organs?" (Entropy II gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Shivers'!) Ill-Made snarls. "I am acting on the basis of severe concerns. Our monarch-" She indicates Leonardo. "-is failing to reside in our homeland, the Nightmare Realm, preferring to waste his time fooling around with this petty goddess. His duties are not being observed." "How would you expect this to help?" Natalia asks. "He spends his time with her because she's bright and cheerful, so I decided to make her as twisted and bleak as he!" Another warped outlook. Miramie thinks to herself. "YOU DARE TO CALL ME TWISTED AND BLEAK? I am well known for my rational nature and my optimism! I am a symbol of progress! A role model for the younger generation! What foolishness you speak!" (Leonardo De Montreal gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Speechlessness'!) A: Miramie awakens Leonardo's power to command the things of the Nightmare Realm. (The Dream-Witch's Blessing, spend 1 MP) B: Leonardo persuades her that he'll go to the Nightmare Realm as soon as he's ready. (Spend 2 Will with Love for the Wicked 1) C: Entropy intimidates Ill-Made into leaving. (Spend 4 Will with Superior Magister 1) D: Rinley accidentally provokes Ill-Made into attacking. (Frantic, regain 1 MP) E: Natalia punches Ill-Made back into the Nightmare Realm. (Spend 1 Will with Spatial Martial Arts 2) F: Jasper sucks Ill-Made up into her Misery-Eating Arm and removes her concerns.
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Apr 30, 2020 17:44
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A
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Apr 30, 2020 19:07
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A B C D E F  Miramie moves closer to Leonardo and whispers in his ear. He thinks for a moments, and then nods. He points at Ill-Made. "As you yourself have said, I am your monarch. As such, I command you to leave this place, to return to the Nightmare Realm, and not to return here unless I give you permission." Ill-Made seethes. "You-" Abruptly, her body starts to move, starting to walk towards the door. Rinley starts to laugh uncontrollably at the baffled look on Ill-Made's face. Her arm flails in front of her until her hand finds the handle. She flings open the door, and then she's gone. "Now!" says Rinley. She points her own finger at Leonardo. "I am not your monarch or anything, but I command y-" There's a flash of light- *** Rinley finds herself elsewhere. "Huh? Who are you?" "We require your aid. Or rather, our employer does. We believe you to be a repository of great power, a power that may change the world." "Oh, really?" Rinley looks around, trying to get her bearings. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Discovery'!) (Rinley Yatskaya gains a point of 'Something to Deal With'!) Chapter 17 Scene 2 Natalia and Miramie are shocked by Rinley's inexplicable disappearance (as is Entropy, but he conceals his feelings). Leonardo just shrugs and starts quizzing Jasper about her current state-of-being. Still confused, Jasper tries to answer his questions as best she can. (Jasper Irinka gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Shared Action'!) "Leonardo-" says Miramie. "-don't you feel at least a little concerned?" Leonardo twitches irritably. "If she came back right now, she'd just bother me again. Look, maybe I'd go and look for her if I wasn't busy, but I am. It makes more sense for me to apply my expertise here, while you two and the principal deal with this other thing." Entropy shrugs. "I have to admit that I agree." Natalia waves her hands around the place that Rinley was standing when she vanished. She can sense a weak point in the fabric of space, where some crude force has been applied. A: Entropy constructs a Trouble-Maker Tracker from the earth of Fortitude. (Guide, one free use per chapter) B: Miramie paints a mural of Rinley in the hope that it will reveal a clue about her location. (Spend 2 Will with Crafts 1, Living Murals) C: Natalia slips through the weakened area of space left behind by Rinley's departure, following her to her destination. (Spend 2 Will with Spatial Martial Arts 2) D: They start questioning people in the vicinity to see if anyone's seen Rinley.
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May 2, 2020 17:03
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C>A
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May 3, 2020 03:28
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Toughy posted:C>A
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May 4, 2020 05:22
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A B C XX D  Natalia takes hold of the edges of the anomaly and stretches it open. Fortunate that I've become more adept in the field of suspending my disbelief. Entropy raises an eyebrow. Natalia clambers through the aperture. After a couple of moments she pokes her head back out. "This appears to lead to the Titov Family Shrine. Miramie, do you know where that- Wait." She pulls on the edges of the rift. "Can the rest of you follow me?" Miramie flails around the edge of the opening, but she can't grasp what Natalia's holding onto. "Never mind, you do what you can, I'll guide the others." She gestures at the door. "Sir, friends, this way." Leonardo waves vaguely. "I'm busy here, let me know how it turns out." Entropy stares at him, then flicks his eyes to Jasper. "Take care of her." *** A little later, Miramie and Entropy are ushered into a room where Iskandar is watching Rinley and Seizhi talk, wearing an expression of exasparation. Natalia sits quietly, listening intently to their conversation. "So, it's like I need to open a box with a whole universe inside and you're the box?" Rinley asks. "Maybe, I'm not sure, I don't really know. We need to find that out." "But I don't really know how it is you want me to do something which you don't know how to do!" "I know what the result should be, but I don't know the steps you need to follow- Ah, hello!" Seizhi turns to greet the others. "Sorry, but I think we might need some help." "Think nothing of it dear boy!" Entropy exclaims. "What seems to be the trouble?" "Well, I was hoping that I could negate the Outside by summoning- Well, I've learnt how to do this trick where I call up some things from my- Well, I've made this sort of special universe that's mine, and I can call things out of it, so I thought if I called the whole thing at once I could dump it into the Outside and then it would cancel it out. But I can't do that on my own, so I asked the Titovs to help, and they think that Rinley can help me do it. But I don't know how." Natalia raises her head. "I think we need some sort of method of visualisation of the phenomenon, or a tutor to clarify the points involved." A: Natalia triggers a training montage in which she takes Rinley to every person they've met who could educate her on the whole summoning process. (Anime Moment, spend 4 MP) B: Entropy uses the earth of Fortitude to make a Summoning Instructor to explain everything. (Guide, one free use per chapter) C: Miramie paints a mural of Rinley summoning a whole universe that they can scrutinize. (Spend 2 Will with Craft 1, Living Murals) D: Rinley accidentally triggers a disaster trying to perform a summoning. (Frantic, regain 1 MP) E: Seizhi continues trying to explain it all to Rinley.
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May 5, 2020 01:53
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C > B
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May 6, 2020 12:21
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Antivehicular posted:C > B
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May 6, 2020 14:56
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A B C XX D E   Chapter 17 Scene 3 On a section of bare wall in Fortitude, Miramie finishes painting her mural. At the centre is depicted Rinley Yatskaya tearing something open in her hands. From what she tears, waves of multi-coloured light burst into the sky and then drift down around her. In the area around her, there are star systems taking shape. The scene has little touches of animation, brought forth by Miramie's power. Natalia watches and smiles. Entropy stares silently. Seizhi moves closely, trying to see every detail. "I don't get it." says Rinley. "What am I supposed to see in this?" (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Groaning'!) "I believe that it's supposed to help you understand the process by which you can aspire to accomplish our objective." explains Natalia. "Huh. I've got a better idea." Rinley taps on the surface of the painting. "Hey! Me in there, can you explain what you're doing? Because if you can't, it's impossible, and I shouldn't have to bother with it!" The Rinley inside the image turns. "Hey, I've done all this work already, can't you give me a break?" "No! I still need to get started! Come on!" Entropy snaps his fingers to get the other Rinley's attention. "I must insist that you give aid to my pupil." "Oh, all right. Seizhi's got the universe inside him, he's like a wish, you can shape wishes. You just shape him into the thing." "Huh? How?" "You do it with your hands." "...Oh forget it." Without any warning, Rinley grabs Seizhi and pushes him into the mural. "You've done it once, you can do it twice, right?" "All right, all right." The Rinley in the mural grabs the confused looking Seizhi, sticks her hands into his chest and twists something inside him. Baffled, he jumps back out. "I wasn't finished! Well, never mind, that's gotten it started." Natalia groans to herself. Getting hypothetical versions of yourself to do your work for you? Oh Rinley... (Natalia Koutolika gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Wincing'!) Yes, I think I get it now! Rinley thinks. It's all about what I can imagine! That's what I have from Chuubo! It's not a matter of how hard I try, or what I know, it's about what I can just make up! (Rinley Yatskaya gains 4 Bonus XP and 1 MP for resolving her 'Something to Deal With' issue!) Seizhi clutches at his abdomen. He can feel a bubbling sensation inside him. His summoning talent is starting to go out of control. Now what- Wait- "I can't complete the summoning here! I'm inside Fortitude! I need to be in the Outside!" Smoke starts to spill out of Seizhi's mouth. "AAGH!" (Seizhi Schwan gains 5 Quest XP for 'Atonement' for being thrown off a metaphorical mountain!) Miramie freezes. What's going to happen? An explosion? Here? Even if Natalia can rush us to safety, what's going to happen to Fortitude? (Miramie Mesmer gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Comfort'!) Seizhi clutches himself anxiously. Entropy clears his throat. "All right my pupils, it looks as though we might currently be standing at the centre of what is often known as a 'Big Bang', but I have the utmost confidence in the ability of the youth of today to improvise solutions. EDUCATION ENDURES!" (Entropy II gains 1 Quest XP for 'Surreal Environments'!) A: Rinley calls on something to help Seizhi complete his plan. (There's No Turning Back Now, one free use per chapter) B: Natalia tears a hole in space and knocks Seizhi through it, pushing him into the Outside. (Spend 2 Will with Spatial Martial Arts 2) C: Seizhi prevents the explosion. (Exist 3) D: Rinley pushes Seizhi back into the mural.
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May 6, 2020 23:27
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B>C
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May 6, 2020 23:45
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Toughy posted:B>C
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May 7, 2020 03:48
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A B XX C D All right, Town is essentially an 'island' of reality floating in the Outside, which means that at any point, the Outside is 'down'- Natalia pulls open the surface of space in the floor, forming an aperture through to the Outside. "Seizhi! Here!" Seizhi staggers a little closer, and Natalia grabs him by the collar and tosses him through. With a quick motion of her hand, she closes the opening. Rinley looks confused. "Hey, doesn't that just mean he's going to blow up under this spot?" "No-" Natalia begins. *** Seizhi detonates in mid-air. Energy and matter stream out from him. (Seizhi Schwan gains 1 Bonus XP for 'Suffering Trauma'!) (Natalia's Miraculous Will refreshes!) *** "-he's where he needs to be now." Miramie looks at the sky. A couple of minutes pass. "Surely he should have gone up by now?" she asks. "Yeah- HEY! That's horrible! He's our friend!" exclaims Rinley. Entropy wags his finger. "Don't underestimate your peer! I rather doubt that this would merit less than a minor inconvenience for him." "Merit more." says Miramie. "What?" "'I rather doubt that this would merit more than a minor inconvenience for him.'" Entropy stares at her. (Entropy II gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Shivers'!) Natalia stares at the horizon. "Surely we should have seen some sort of result by now?" "He's in the Outside." Entropy explains. "It's greater than any universe. It even contained the World Ash that fell at the end of the Third Age, and that held many universes within its branches. I wouldn't expect all we know to be turned on its head. I would, however, expect some sort of change within its fabric. Shall we go look?" "Hey, maybe the sky will be a different colour!" Rinley cheers. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Quest XP for 'The World is Changing'!) "Possibly." agrees Entropy. "But I am more hopeful that the Bleak Academy has suffered a hilarious disaster of some type." Hayden... "Ah, perhaps we should check that first?" Natalia suggests. "What about finding Seizhi?" Miramie asks. "He might be needing help after that!" Blast, she's right! (Natalia Koutolika gains 5 Quest XP for 'Your Social Burdens' for being torn between two commitments!) "Hey, shouldn't you have told Seizhi his plan wouldn't work?" Rinley asks Entropy. "I hesitate to admit this, so keep it quiet- I don't know everything. He might have been right, indeed, he might be right. Besides, failure is but another step on the road to success!" A: Entropy uses the earth of Fortitude to make a New Universe Seeking Hound. (Guide, one free use per chapter) B: Rinley calls up a Wish Spirit and asks them to trace Seizhi via their mysterious connection. (Wish Spirit, spend 1 MP) C: Rinley puts a pinhole in a leaf and uses it as a telescope to spy on the events in the Outside. (Work of Fable, spend 1 MP) D: Rinley leads everyone through the Outside to find the new universe. (Spend 4 Will with Superior Dreamer 2) E: They decide to do something else for a while and see what happens. Z: Natalia sticks with the others. Y: Natalia slips away to the Archive and walks through a door to the Bleak Academy.
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May 8, 2020 20:49
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C Y Toughy fucked around with this message at 13:20 on May 9, 2020 |
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May 8, 2020 21:02
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(There's actually two choices to make here.)
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May 9, 2020 11:55
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Twiler posted:(There's actually two choices to make here.) Natalia is a separate vote?
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May 9, 2020 13:19
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Toughy posted:Natalia is a separate vote? Yes, that's right.
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May 9, 2020 15:42
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A B C X D E Z Y X Rinley pulls a leaf from a nearby tree. "Hey sir, do you have a pin or something?" Entropy gives her a quizzical look, and fumbles in his pocket until he locates a snall box of thumb-tacks. "Try using one of these." Rinley manages to make a tiny hole in the leaf, and peers through it, out towards the horizon. She has to stare for around twenty seconds before she can grasp what she's seeing. The universe that Seizhi has released is in conflict with the fabric of the Outside. Although only a fraction of the expanse of the Outside is involved, the struggle between them is intense, and the areas in its vicinity are in a state that defies description. Rinley can feel her mind expanding as she tries to understand what she's seeing. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Quest XP for 'Climbing the Sacred Mountain'!) "Can you see Seizhi anywhere?" Miramie asks. "Er. No. But I think I know whereabouts to look for him." Entropy nods. "Excellent! Then let us-" He pauses. "Where has Miss Koutolika gone?" "Ah-" says Miramie. "-she had something urgent to deal with, so she had to leave quickly. She apologised, and assured me that she'll be back as soon as possible." Entropy tuts. "I hope that she'll be able to present me with a good reason for her absence at this interval! But never mind, let us proceed into the Outside!" (Entropy II gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Shared Action'!) Chapter 17 Scene 4 Natalia steps out a door in the Outside and pauses. Thanks to what she learned from Hayden, she can see that the fabric of space around her is in a state of flux. While the nature of Outside space is distinctly different from regular space, the abnormalities are still obvious to her eyes. The drab appearance of the area keeps being sporadically illuminated by flashes of wild colours, emanating from some unknown source. She looks around, and realises that she's only on the outskirts of the phenomenon. In the distance, she can detect much more powerful events taking place. She hurries towards the Bleak Academy. As she arrives, she realise that the inhabitants have taken notice of what is happening. They're having frantic conversations in small groups, or are examining their surroundings in confusion. A: Natalia moves the whole of the Bleak Academy to another spot, away from the storm. (Anime Moment, spend 4 MP) B: Natalia searches through the turmoil to locate Hayden. (The Prodigy) C: Natalia decides to wait for the situation to quiet down.
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May 10, 2020 18:59
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A
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May 10, 2020 20:46
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A X B C Natalia gets a grip on the ground, and carefully lifts up the entirety of the Bleak Academy buildings, carrying all of the students with them. She instantly shifts into a run, moving the Bleak Academy an enormous distance in a mere moment. Before anyone has time to be affected by the change in velocity, it ceases, and Natalia puts the academy down again. I believe that the Principal considers this to be a rival institution, possibly I should stay quiet about this action... She pauses as she realises that there's a great crowd of students rushing towards her and cheering. Ah. Someone saw me. This may present a problem. (Natalia Koutolika gains 1 Quest XP for 'Your Social Burdens'!) She's rapidly surrounded by people eager to speak with her. "-who-" "-how-" "-are you-" "-will you-" "-I really think that-" "Please stand aside." The Headmaster of the Bleak Academy appears behind them, wearing an immaculately tailored black suit. The students hurriedly step back. "It seems that we have you to thank for averting a potential crisis. Have you considered spending some time attending our classes so that you might learn to understand the opportunities we offer?" A: Natalia hits the Headmaster with her special move. (Outside-Neutralising Punch, spend 1 MP) B: Natalia does the wrong thing. (Frantic, regain 1 MP) C: Natalia pulls herself up into Town. (Spend 2 Will with Spatial Martial Arts 2) D: Natalia agrees to stay at the Bleak Academy for a while. E: Natalia refuses to attend any classes.
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May 12, 2020 22:19
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Just visiting a friend, I'll be on my way.
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May 12, 2020 22:36
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A B C D E Just visiting a friend, I'll be on my way. X "No, I'm simply here to visit a friend. Once that visit is completed, I will be on my way." The Headmaster stares at her. "Do you have any idea of what you're refusing? Here, all laws may be overthrown and anything is possible. Whatever state of being you wish to occupy, it can be achieved." Natalia shakes her head. "I have other concerns. My decision has been made." The Headmaster gestures towards the buildings. "As long as you're failing to attend class here, you're failing to realise the potential you hold. That is irresponsible behaviour and I cannot recommend it." "I've heard enough. My decision has been made." The Headmaster stares at her silently for a while, and then turns and walks away. A hubbub of noise rises up from the watching students. (Natalia Koutolika gains 5 Quest XP for 'Your Social Burdens' for ignoring advice!) "-wow-" "-she-" "-can't believe that-" "-do you think-" "Hey, Natalia!" Hayden manages to make himself known. "Thanks for sorting that out for us!" "-you know her?" "-whoa, Hayden knows her!" "-hey Hayden, can you-" Natalia manages to get some quiet by clapping loudly. "Hayden, perhaps you and your friends can direct me inside and you can tell me a little about what you've been up to?" (Natalia Koutolika gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Slice of Life'!) As they walk towards the affected area, Entropy perceives a gradual change in their surroundings. He can see the muck polluting the Outside being thrown into disarray. As they continue, the unrest becomes more apparent and his perception of his surroundings starts to include a greater number of anomalies. At one moment he seems to be drifting through space, and at another he's standing on an unknown planet, looking up at an alien sky. The only constant is that he periodically seems to return to the Outside as he'd recognise it. His surroundings shift into what appears to be a green field, and stay that way for a whole ten minutes. He looks left and right and discovers that he can see himself, Miramie and Rinley standing a short distance in one direction, and the same three figures in another direction, impossible as this may seem. He halts. "I believe that this might be a good moment to consider our position." (Entropy II gains 1 Quest XP for 'Mentor Syndrome'!) "What's the problem?" asks Rinley. "This is fun! I've never seen a place get this wacky!" (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Quest XP for 'The World is Changing'!) "Rinley, can you see Seizhi anywhere?" asks Miramie. Rinley peers through her leaf again. "Nope, I can't spot anything that small!" "I can see what close we are to the epicentre of this phenomenon, but that's all." states Entropy. Miramie pauses. Wait- "Seizhi Schwan!" she calls. There's a distortion effect in the air in front of them. A blob of light takes form, and then twists itself into a black-and-white version of Seizhi. Colours gradually creep into it. Gravity resumes, and he falls to the ground, unconscious. "Hey! Seizhi!" Rinley rushes forward. "Seizhi? Seizhi? Seizhi?" She starts shaking him. "Seizhi? Seizhi? Seizhi?" A: Rinley does something stupid while trying to help Seizhi. (Frantic, regain 1 MP) B: They wait for Seizhi to wake. C: They take Seizhi back to Fortitude to recover.
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May 14, 2020 23:20
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B
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May 15, 2020 02:43
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A B X C Miramie and Entropy make Seizhi as comfortable as they can. Entropy checks their surroundings, but the state of the area doesn't seem to be deteriorating especially quickly. Rinley sits down and stares at the strange colours of the Outside, and lets her mind drift. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 5 Quest XP for 'Climbing the Sacred Mountain' for reaching a place to rest from her journey!) Entropy taps his fingers together. "Hopefully our friend here will have some means of turning the abnormal aspects of this situation to our advantage, or at least be able to explain more details about these events." "Ah... Sir, don't you have a responsibility to be concerned for his welfare?" Miramie asks. "Oh, good point. 'I certainly hope that he wakes up in a state of profound health.'" After a few minutes, Seizhi stirs and pulls himself up to a sitting position. "Ah! Dear pupil, how do you feel?" Seizhi looks about himself in a daze, and starts to shudder. "I can feel everything. All the awful things." He wraps his arms around himself. "What's wrong?" Miramie asks. "He's connected to the Outside! Like, deeply connected!" exclaims Rinley. With her special sight, she can see weird tendrils flowing out from Seizhi, and spreading out, extending into the distance. They look like oily fluids smeared across glass. Seizhi lowers his head and starts to sob. A: Miramie unmakes the connections between Seizhi and his surroundings after Rinley points them out. (The World-Breakers' Hand, one free use per chapter) B: Entropy starts to gesture, compels Seizhi to follow the motion of his hands and calms him down. (Obsession, one free use per chapter) C: They take Seizhi to Leonardo and Jasper in the hope that one of them can find a way to help him. D: They take Seizhi to Chuubo in the hope that one of them can find a way to help him.
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May 16, 2020 19:57
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B>A
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May 16, 2020 22:13
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A B X C D Entropy starts to move his hands an intricate pattern, as if he's weaving the air into something. Seizhi raises his head and stares. Gradually his body relaxes. He seems to think for a moment. "Iskandar! The Titovs!" he says suddenly. "I need to tell them what's happened!" Chapter 17 Scene 5 "...so that's what's happened. I'm connected to the Outside now, and it's causing me great pain. I don't think my atonement is yet complete." Iskandar scowls at Seizhi. "And what can you do to complete it?" "I- ah-" Seizhi winces. He's still being troubled by unpleasant sensations. The room appears to be swaying around him. He has a brief vision of a line of Riders sweeping down across a silvery plain below a colourless sky. "I'm not sure." "Who do you need to punch?" Rinley asks. "...I don't think I need to punch anyone." "Huh?" Rinley says, baffled. "Doesn't everyone need to punch someone sometimes? Isn't this a time to punch someone?" (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Groaning'!) "Anyway." interjects Miramie. "From my own experiences Seizhi, I'd say that the way forward is not to try and reject-" "Reject! That's it! I can reject- Ah, no, I can't expel something that large from myself. And I think that breaking the connection completely would defeat the point." Seizhi pauses. "Sorry, go on?" "...rather than rejecting the Outside, you should try and protect yourself from its influence by strengthening your connection to your surroundings." "Hmmm." A: Seizhi binds himself to Fortitude and takes strength from it. (Touchstone, spend 4 MP) B: Entropy induces the recollection of memories that induce happy thoughts in Seizhi. (Open the Vault, one free use per chapter) C: Seizhi travels to Nowhere to talk to the Guardian Bird. (Road to Nowhere, one free use per chapter) D: Seizhi asks Iskandar to call upon his family to summon more help.
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May 18, 2020 22:19
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A
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May 18, 2020 22:44
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A X B C D  "All right-" says Seizhi. "I think I know what I have to do." Outside, Seizhi finds a street corner which strikes him as the right sort of place. As the others watch in confusion, he releases his essence and lets it seep into the stones beneath his feet. And then, rather than just leave it, he calls it back to him, twisting it into cords that pull Fortitude and him towards each other. Anchored in place, he feels the call of the Outside become more faint. Not only that, he can now dimly feel the matter connected to him in that place start to calm. I need to focus. Seizhi sits down and closes his eyes. His image starts to waver. At one moment he appears to be there, and at another he seems to be part of the masonry behind him. (Seizhi Schwan gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Decisive Action'!) Chapter 17 Scene 6 "So, he's been like this since then?" Chuubo asks Rinley. "Yep! Can't decide if he's really here or not!" "You can't decide that, or he can't decide that?" "Either!" They're peering at Seizhi as he sits motionless against the wall. "Well. Thanks for coming and getting me." Chuubo moves closer. "Seizhi? Can you hear me?" There's no response, but he suddenly has a sense of Fortitude existing all around him, filled with life. He can feel the sun smiling down on him. (Chuubo gains 1 Quest XP for 'Learning the Ways of Fortitude'!) "Seizhi?" There's no response, but he's not concerned any more. He steps back. "...I think I understand." "Understand what? We can't get him to answer. We-" Miramie steps closer- She remembers the first few days living in the Archive, feeling herself turning the place into her home, and the times when she walked the streets, memorising the routes. (Miramie Mesmer is now Suspicious and Calm. Miramie Mesmer gains 1 Quest XP for 'Under Siege'!) Inside himself, Seizhi has escaped from his perpetual feeling of anxiety. At this moment, he belongs to Fortitude and Fortitude belongs to him. In the Outside, something is happening, and he just needs to wait for it to finish. (Seizhi Schwan gains 5 Quest XP for 'Atonement' for having a holy experience!) "Sorry to interrupt whatever this is, but I believe that someone is here to deliver news." Entropy indicates the figure of Natalia running down the street towards them. "Miramie!" Natalia calls as she approaches. "Someone's making a new Glass Dragon! At the Bleak Academy!" Miramie jumps in shock. "Are you sure?" (Miramie Mesmer gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Comfort'!) "I cannot be entirely sure, but I have heard testimonies about materials being collected, and machines being set up. It seems like a reasonable conclusion to draw." "What about Melanie Malakh? Is she there?" "Again, I cannot be sure, but it seems like another reasonable conclusion." A: Miramie paints a mural of the Glass Dragon to see what might be revealed. (Spend 2 Will with Craft 1, Living Murals) B: They return to Chuubo's temple, and he opens a doorway to the Bleak Academy. C: They decide to forget about it for the moment and concentrate on more pressing issues.
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May 20, 2020 22:51
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A > B
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May 22, 2020 14:02
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Antivehicular posted:A > B
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May 22, 2020 14:20
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A XX B C Miramie starts to paint another mural next to the last. This time, the life starts to awake in it much more quickly than before. The Glass Dragon inside it takes form much more rapidly than Miramie had anticipated. Entropy frowns. "Possibly you should not-" The dragon starts to pull itself free from the image. The rest of the mural deteriorates into a mess of colour. The dragon struggles to throw it off and emerge into Fortitude completely. Chuubo and Rinley gasp. Natalia tenses. (Natalia Koutolika gains 1 Bonus XP for invoking 'Wincing'!) A: Chuubo triggers a Peace-Splosion and forces the Glass Dragon into dormancy. (Peace-Splosion, one free use per book) B: Entropy forces the Glass Dragon to stop. (Transfix, one free use per book) C: Miramie unmakes the mural. (The World-Breaker's Hand, one free use per chapter) D: Rinley launches her yo-yo at its head. (Spend 2 Will, Deadly Yo-Yo) E: They decide to watch the dragon emerge and see what happens.
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May 22, 2020 22:33
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A>B
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May 22, 2020 23:25
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Toughy posted:A>B
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May 23, 2020 02:26
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A XX B C D E Chuubo opens up his hands, and peace falls upon the area. Silence spreads outwards from the point where he stands. The dragon's movements slow, and it retracts back inside the picture. The rest of the mural takes form once more. Seizhi shifts slightly as the effect touches him. Natalia feels herself fall into a state of ease, and a smile steals its way onto her face. (Natalia Koutolika gains 1 Quest XP for 'Peaceful Moments'!) Miramie straightens up and the light of the sun seems to fall on her more strongly. (Miramie Mesmer is now Innocent and Calm. Miramie Mesmer gains 1 Quest XP for 'Art Shop and Garden'!) Rinley points at the Glass Dragon. "Not coming out to get us?" --Not at this time. But you will not have forever to look down on me thus.-- "Oh yeah? Miramie here can just wipe away the paint, and you're gone!" --I have more than one place in space and time to occupy. Even if I cease to exist here, I will still exist elsewhere.-- "Huh?" "I think-" says Miramie. "-that the Glass Dragon may be a unique entity. I think that each individual version of it is just another 'face' of the whole. This one here is, in a way, the original, and the second one that we met those few weeks back." "Oh? So we deal with this one, we deal with all of them?" "...Maybe?" Entropy nods. "An excellent notion! EDUCATION ENDURES! See, oh doubters, what brilliant minds the school system produces?" (Entropy II gains 1 Quest XP for 'Surreal Environments'!) The dragon looks at Chuubo. --Your mistakes will inevitably be repeated, Dragon of Dreams. You will never be able to fill the gap in reality that cries out for me. I shall grant the wishes of the needy, and their hubris shall bring the sky crashing down.-- "I don't think so." says Chuubo. "I've seen things that I needed to see, and I know things that I needed to know. I'm going to catch up to where I should be, and then there'll be no place for you." --But what about her?-- The dragon turns its eyes towards Rinley. Rinley blinks. --She will not rise to fulfil her role.-- "...Yeah, well, I'm busy looking for Sessily." She pauses. "But, er, what would I have to do?" --You would learn how to achieve a miracle. Your own miracle, starting with you, and ending with you.-- Well how am I supposed to do that when I'm busy looking for Sessily, it's really diffi- Hm. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 5 Quest XP for 'Climbing the Sacred Mountain' for being struck with a revelation!) Natalia stares at the dragon. It does resemble Typhon somewhat... A: Rinley changes the Glass Dragon into a more normal type of dragon. (Spend 4 Will with Transmutative Hands 3) B: Entropy compels the Glass Dragon to cease its evil ways. (Spend 4 Will with Superior Land-Rule 2) C: Natalia accidentally lets the Glass Dragon inside her. (Frantic, regain 1 MP) D: Entropy removes the mural and sinks it deep within the earth. (The World, Like Clay)
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May 24, 2020 20:16
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A
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May 25, 2020 01:21
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A X B C D Rinley presses her hands to the mural and starts to exert her talent. The colours start to swirl. The dragon shifts within the image, confused. Hmm! Haven't done anything like this before, but no time to learn like the present! Chuubo moves closer, pressing his face up against the wall. He can see tiny details, microscopic structures dismantling themselves and reassembling themselves in different orientations. I don't get it... But I think... This is something amazing! (Chuubo gains 1 Quest XP for 'Precious Memories'!) Miramie looks at Chuubo, and then moves to stand next to him. Rinley concentrates as hard as she can. This is normally very difficult for her, but the moment is swallowing her up, and the passing of time is becoming irrelevant. (Rinley Yatskaya gains 1 Bonus XP for a 'Decisive Action'!) (Rinley Yatskaya gains a point of 'Becoming a Hero'!) Entropy considers saying something, but ultimately decides to watch in silence. As time passes, Natalia finds herself growing impatient. She throws a glance at Seizhi, who remains unmoving. Entropy is waiting quietly. Both Miramie and Chuubo are staring at the mural intently. A: Natalia tries to study the process of the dragon's transmutation. (The Prodigy) B: Natalia decides to return to the Bleak Academy to investigate the matter of the Glass Dragon further. C: Natalia goes home to rest.
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May 26, 2020 21:46
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A
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May 26, 2020 21:51
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