GM Observations
- The narrative continues, this time continuing Grant’s story first. By the end of this episode, Grant is almost certainly 4-5 months in the future compared with where Ethan is. Grant’s plot line is moving at a far faster pace, and significant time is passing, whereas for Ethan the last 2 sessions haven’t taken more than a full day.
- This session makes a marked change for Grant as he decides to go ‘undercover’ and infiltrate the Dwimmerlaik Empire. This is something that the Lords of Gossamer have never attempted before. It allowed Grant to be proactive and not be overshadowed by the more experienced Lords.
- This writeup will be a little different - I normally detail every realm and every section of Stair that the PCs go through. I can’t do that in this narrative because Grant goes to many many places. This was actually a hard session to writeup. It took me quite a bit of time. Much longer than usual.
Part 1 - A New Strategy
- Grant and Bastiano spend a good evening at the Lambs Go Bar. Bastiano is quite ‘the life of the party’ as he attracts drinking buddies and dance partners easily. It is cold and snowing outside and no one really wants to go home, so after ‘lock-in’, the party gets more animated. Bastiano spends some of the time dancing and the rest of the time chilling at the bar with his new buddies. Meanwhile Grant is dominating a dart-throwing game with a complicated target structure, and he’s hit it off with a young woman whose hair is snow white. Grant learns that this valley is the home of the “Alpine Corps”, a military training academy. Most of the people here are locals, but there are some soldiers too who are off-duty. The girl seems to think that Grant is one of the officers.
- A few hours after midnight, Bastiano’s friends call it quits and Bastiano leaves with them as they’ve offered him a place to stay. Not long after, Grant mentions that he needs a place to stay, and one thing leads to another. The girl takes him home. Fade to black.
- The next morning, Bastiano is keen to move on. After a late breakfast, Bastiano and Grant head back to the Stair. This time it is a different section - the air here is cold and misty, and the steps which lead upwards appear to be made out of translucent crystal. Shutting the Door behind him, he again reconnects with another realm and steps through. This time, they step into a small modern study with a simple desk and chair. Bastiano severs the Door once more and goes downstairs to make a pot of coffee.
- After some strong coffee, Bastiano takes out a small metal rod and scans the data crystals which they acquired. He then transfers the information to two data pads (one is larger and clunkier than the other. He keeps the newer data pad for himself and gives Grant the clunky one to look over. They sit down to read. After a while, they compare notes, and eventually they return to the Athenaeum.- It is not obvious from the records where the stolen memories are being held. Lox did work on the ‘prismatic shielding’ for the storage array but there is no information as to where it is. The records confirm that Mowbray is responsible for the Breath of Eden.
- Red Hands has performed many experiments to create powerful and compliant soldiers for the ‘good of the Empire’. There are also mentions of biogenetic experimentation that sounds very much like the creatures that attacked Arcadia (GM’s note - way back in Session 34)
- The records confirm that Lydia was captured and experimented upon by Red Hands. She became unhinged and escaped captivity, and has since created other human-machine hybrids which the people from Coscarla Division call the ‘Snatchers’. Red Hands considers them a minor nuisance, though occasionally useful.
- There is a long list of Lox’s inventions, including a mass driver cannon that can ‘shoot across dimensions’. A lot of Lox’s research seems to be related to other mechanisms for transdimensional travel, including sorcery, portals. There are a number of references to Shadow, suggesting that the Dwimmerlaik consider it to be a real physical place.
- In the weeks that follow, Grant acquires true Mastery of the Stair. He sees Lords of Gossamer come and go at the Athenaeum - they are all very busy, whether it be on scouting missions, or disrupting the Dwimmerlaik’s plans, or tracking down the lost Lords of Gossamer who have forgotten who they are. Lucien continues to make progress on reversing the Breath of Eden’s effects, but he still needs to know where the memories are being held. There are powerful magics blocking him from simply Wayfinding to it.
- Grant decides to help the Lords of Gossamer cause by infiltrating the Enemy. It has the virtue of never having been tried, so Vala, Bastiano and Lucien are willing to support the idea. Over the course of the next two weeks, Grant and Bastiano scout out potential targets. They settle on House Sural, one of the noble houses famous for producing the Empire’s best artisans - and focus their attention on an industrial realm known to the locals as “655” (as the present year in this realm is 655).
- Bastiano leads an attack on “655”. Pathfinders are sent in first, and then Bastiano brings in a group of powered armour ‘mecha’ which function in this ‘steampunk era’. Two young Dwimmerlaik Lords are caught up in the pitched battle - a sister named Urla and a brother named Forst. Despite the House Guard’s best efforts, Lady Urla is hurt when one of the structures collapses on her, and many of the House Guard are killed. As the battle rages on, much of the city crumbles or is set on fire. Using the confusion as cover, Grant manages to pick off one of the House Guards and he spends fifteen minutes absorbing as much of the Dwimmerlaik’s mind, memory and personality as he can. At last when he feels there is no more time, Grant tranquillises the Dwimmerlaik and passes the body to one of Bastiano’s companions. Grant shape shifts into ‘Trell’ and rejoins the battle on the Dwimmerlaik side. The House Guard has been decimated and only Trell remains to defend Lord Forst and his sister.
- After another half hour of fighting, additional reinforcements arrive - some more Dwimmerlaik from the House Guard and some of the native “665” armoured airships. Driven back under heavy fire, Bastiano ‘retreats’ from the realm and the young Lord Forst swears vengeance against Bastiano for injuring his sister.
- Grant as Trell helps Lord Forst retrieve his sister from the rubble. She needs medical attention and Trell advises that Lord Forst should summon aid in case the Lords should strike again and then withdraw to safety with his sister. Lord Forst agrees to this and uses an Icon. Grant finds it interesting that the Dwimmerlaik are still using Icons - he decides to remember this.
Part 2 - I am Trell. I am Trell. I am Trell
- Lord Forst brings through a skeletal-looking Dwimmerlaik Witch named Belligar who is wearing an amulet that marks him as a member of House Suril. Forst quickly explains the situation and the Witch starts ‘sniffing’ to find out how the Lords got here. When it is mentioned that Lady Urla is wounded, Belligar immediately goes to her aid. Deciding that her wounds can be healed and that she is not gravely injured, Belligar counsels Trell to take Urla and Forst to a place of safety. Belligar produces a Icon of a massively horned Dwimmerlaik, and suddenly Krovaliss is there.
- Krovaliss is truly massive. The Grant in Trell is buried deep as he tells himself that he is Trell, only Trell. Krovaliss surveys the scene quickly but chooses not to ask any questions of Urla, Forst or Trell. He himself summons ten members of his Sable Guard, the black-clad warrior elite, and then sets off to re-fortify the city in case of a second attack. Each of the Sable Guard summon other Dwimmerlaik and Krovaliss’ army quickly grows.
- Lord Forst does not linger. With Trell carrying his wounded sister, the three of them travel via Icon to a place that Grant has never seen before, but Trell knows that this is Chammont. The palace here seems to be made of glistening metals. Looking over the city below, everything seems to be made of the same materials. The metalwork here is gorgeous - carefully crafted by master artisans. Everything here is so bright in the sunlight.
- Lord Forst and Lady Urla are taken to healing chambers and Trell is allowed to rest. Troll’s chambers are simple but functional. Two human slaves with tanned skin and black eyes (with no whites in them) see to his needs. They appear to be well fed servants. They offer him wine and different types of fruit.
- Grant sends the servants away and he rests. It was hard to maintain himself as Trell. He hopes it will get easier. Still, he peruses Trell’s memories and tries to assimilate what he has learnt. He knows he needs to be a Dwimmerlaik, to be Trell. He thinks hard about what he has observed of the Dwimmerlaik, and what he has learnt of Trell. He thinks hard and wills himself to be Trell, with all of Trell’s mannerisms.
- Trell himself is a relatively interesting character. Going through Trell’s memories, Grant is astonished to find that Trell has faced Mordecai before in battle and survived. Trell is not especially proud or arrogant, and is somewhat bemused at his fortune at surviving the encounter. The Dwimmerlaik do not have the concept of ‘fate’ or ‘destiny’ - they would say it was ‘By Design’. This is how Trell thinks of it. It was simply meant to happen that way.
- Trell has no living siblings that he knows of, and no offspring. He has no mate, nor any living parents. He has no close friends. Trell is loyal to House Suril and to the Empire and he has no particular ambitions beyond wanting to serve both to the best of his ability. He is a capable commander and warrior, but he is not a warlord. His masters are craftsmen, artisans, charm-makers and master builders and he is content to serve and protect their way of life. Grant finds this all astonishing - he has been extremely fortunate in picking Trell. (GM’s note - yes, lucky Good Stuff, plus good planning - i.e.: leveraging 1st Rank Warfare plus X+1 Rank Warfare) Also, Lady Urla and Lord Forst are said to be ‘special’ - rumour has it that they are descended from Mowbray himself. Trell does not necessarily believe that, but he knows that they have powerful patrons and they have the potential for greatness.
- Grant hides who he is, suppressing his Warden abilities and Umbra abilities as well as he can. He knows that Wardens can sense other Wardens but he knows that he can hide this with concentration. In this place, he doesn’t feel that anyone is looking for spies but he has no wish to tempt fate. When he is ‘listening’, he can feel the presence of Doors here but he does not go looking for them.
- Two days later, Lucien contacts him via Icon. They speak briefly and then Lucien cuts the contact. This routine continues, but Grant as Trell is free to reject the contact if it is not convenient. As this continues, Grant finds this a useful anchor to remind him of who he is, as he spends a great deal of the time suppressing Grant and being Trell.
- Trell returns to the court as Lady Urla’s personal bodyguard. Lady Urla has kind words for him in his defence of “655” (though the Dwimmerlaik refer to it by another name). Trell has survived again. She encourages him to choose others who will serve in the House Guard and protect her and her brother, and he does this. As the weeks pass, Trell is asked to give a formal oration of the battle to the court. This is enormously difficult for Grant as the oration is a form of formal poetry which is unfamiliar to Grant, but which is familiar to Trell. Nevertheless he succeeds.
- But not all of it is hard. Some of House Suril’s best musicians play forked pipes and delicate stringed instruments to the court, and Grant finds the performance very moving. Even though Trell would not be moved, Grant is a musician at heart.
Part 3 - Conquest. Deeper and Deeper
- After nearly a month on Chammont, Grant is starting to feel restless as Trell. He doesn’t feel that he is gathering useful intelligence that could help the Lords of Gossamer win the war, even though he is learning a lot about the way the Dwimmerlaik live and they relate to others. His conversations with Lucien, Bastiano and occasionally Vala herself are helping him to remember who he really is, but they don’t tell him very much about what is going on in the war. They tell him that they are making progress, but they are careful not to give him any specifics lest he be captured and reveal what he knows.
- Grant doesn’t hate the Dwimmerlaik - they have a different outlook on life, and their perceived rightful place in the universe. They are not cruel, but they are ordered. Where they are not dominant, they strive to be dominant, whether it be in war or in craftsmanship.
- Then, quite abruptly things change. Lady Urla and Lord Forst have been given an assignment to convert a world to the Dwimmerlaik and they need Trell to accompany them. Together they journey to an Earth-like world where they appear to the indigenous people as divine beings like angels. Those who see them quickly ‘believe’ and their number of followers grow. But there are many ‘unbelievers’ who see their sudden appearance as something other than the divine. Even though the unbelievers are in the minority, they attempt to reason with the majority, and then when that fails, they defy the growing regime.
- Over the course of the next five months, the Dwimmerlaik Lords conquer the planet, with only Trell needing to get his hands dirty by dealing with some pockets of unbelievers who continued to resist Dwimmerlaik rule. Trell does not question why this world is important - Grant knows that it will be revealed at some point. He’s not sure if it is the people itself or some natural resource.
- Grant studies how the Dwimmerlaik work, marvelling at how quickly only two Dwimmerlaik can subjugate an entire world. He wonders if this is a test for Lady Urla and Lord Forst - he hopes that this is the case but before the conquest is completed, Lady Urla summons Trell and tells him that she has been summoned. She instructs Trell to come with her. Again, an Icon is used and Trell finds himself in a machine world with large corridors and monolithic machine structures which stand like skyscrapers and are dotted by blinking lights. Trell follows Lady Urla and keeps an eye out for trouble. He sees mechanoids but no threats. There are stars high overhead but it does not appear to be nighttime. It is a strange place. He spots a large containment vessel that looks like it carries an organic fluid. Risking a use of Umbral sight, Grant is surprised to find that it looks like the same plague virus that was used in an attack on Arcadia. (GM’s note - way back in Session 34) At last Lady Urla reaches a control complex and meets with a stern-looking Dwimmerlaik commander dressed in a black and red uniform. They speak privately and Trell cannot overhear them, but Grant is able to observe enough from the monitors to realise that this machine realm is a weapon. He realises that this place is Lox’s mass driver. Grant decides to do nothing, but he will remember this place.
Part 4 - From Farm to Fortress
- Meanwhile, Ethan is introduced to the Host as ‘Appleplum’. The Host greets him with a deep bass voice and speaks to him in the native tongue (which Ethan can understand). The Host is very interested in Ethan and they sit down to discuss. Ethan repeats his story that he doesn’t know who he is or where he came from. The Host theorises that he may have lost his memories by travelling through the Glimmerwoods (the woods which are close to the farm) - it is largely unexplored so it is possible that there is something there (a Sleeper) that had done this. Ethan asks whether the Host knows where he came from. The Host does not know but he offers to help Ethan find out. Ethan finds the Host difficult to read, but he thinks that the Host is genuinely interested in helping him. He seems sincere and he appears to care for the people of the farm.
- Ethan agrees to go with the Host. A great metal sphere, intricately decorated and enamelled is waiting for them outside, hovering a short distance above the ground. One quarter of the exterior is open with stairs leading inside. Ethan asks if he needs to take any food or water and the Host tells him that these will be provided. Before he agrees to leave, Ethan goes back into the house to get his things as he hopes that these might provide clues as to where he has come from. He says goodbye to the scholarly gentlemen, and finally asks his name. His name is Jeremy Crabapple. Ethan asks if he can bring anything back for him and Jeremy asks for some more books if Ethan can find any.
- Getting into the capsule, it closes up and a plasma-orb like device in the centre crackles to life. Ethan feels himself pressed back into the wall as it rotates a little, and then suddenly there is acceleration. The flight is over in 15-20 seconds and then the feeling of movement is gone. The door opens and the they step out into a very different place.
- Here it is rocky, and there is a lot of shale on the ground. There is a path built on top of the ground, and it leads to a fortress made of marble-like stone with very high walls. At each corner stands a massive tower. The huge door opens as the Host and Ethan approach. Ethan asks if the Host built this, and the Host says that his people did, but not here.
- Inside the fortress perimeter there are fortified structures and there are many people here - both Hosts and humans, but mostly Hosts. They are all busy and working together, carrying loads and transporting goods. There are no beasts of burden here. Everything is being done by hand. As the Host leads Ethan deeper into the complex, Ethan asks the Host’s name and the Host tells him that it is Marcavius.
- The people here are very busy - but they are all adults. Ethan can’t see any children. It is only when he gets closer to the centre of the complex that he finds a wider courtyard space where there are some children - Host children, not human children. then there is an inner keep which has even stronger fortifications but the door is (for the moment), open.
- Inside there are screens and glowing lights. There are many beds here. It is well lit in here. It is some sort of hospital. A female Host asks Marcavius about Ethan and Marcavius explains that Ethan survived the Glimmerwood but has lost his memories. At that moment, a siren goes off and the Hosts quickly gather the humans and shield them with simple charms and with their bodies. The ground shakes and everyone holds their breath. The seconds tick by and within two minutes there is another siren. Everyone relaxes and Marcavius explains that this is the ‘all clear’.
Part 5 - Collateral Damage
- Marcavius and the female Host show Ethan over to a stone bed and ask him to lie down. There is a disc-like machine nearby. Ethan refuses to lie on the bed until he is shown what the machine will do. Once convinced, he lies down and the machine looks over him. The female Host is astonished and says that “Appleplum” is showing no sign of injury or trauma - he’s in perfect health. So perfect that it’s impossible.
- Ethan is then asked to hold two crystal orbs - one in each hand. One glows in his hand, the other does not. They have many more questions for him but they still cannot tell him what he wants to know. Opening up the sack he has been carrying, Ethan produces his many possessions and the Hosts look through them. They have not seen anything like these things, or people with the same hair colour as Ethan has. One of the orderlies is able to identify the weapons for Ethan and offers to show Ethan how to use them. Then a female Host is introduced to him as Doctor Marta, and she offers to help him figure out where he came from. She produces a stethoscope-like device with two pads and puts one to her own head and the other to Ethan’s. Then she concentrates….…. and passes out. Other staff members rush over but she cannot be roused.
- After a few minutes of confusion, the other doctors look at Ethan with a mix of pity, fear and bewilderment. They assure him that it’s not his fault and they will probably be able to help Marta. One of the older doctors with grey shaggy hair and a broken antler tells Ethan gently that it was not the Glimmerwood that caused him to lose his memories. Ethan has been damaged by a device called an Icon, and it’s something that they may not be able to help with because they don’t really know how it works - but contact with Ethan can cause the effect to be transferred. The Hosts explains that they are doctors, and they don’t have knowledge of such things. He says that they could call in a specialist who might know, but that might end badly for Ethan. He says that he is sorry he can’t do more.
- Ethan sits down to think. After a few minutes he decides that he should return to the farm and he asks Marcavius to take him there. Marcavius agrees to help but asks why he would go back. Ethan explains that he must have come through the woods, so perhaps he can backtrack as to where he came from. Marcavius offers to go with Ethan, especially if he is thinking of going into the Glimmerwoods.
And that’s where we left Session 81. Session 82 was run on Thursday 26th and it wasn’t a long session so I should be able to get it written up and posted more quickly than this one.
And finally, yes some LEGO Lords of Gossamer. Long overdue, I took some photos last week and am finally posting some up.
The LEGO Lords of Gossamer 01
Here are all of my current Lords of Gossamer (in LEGO format) with their names.
The LEGO Lords of Gossamer 02
And a close-up of Lady Vala with Drake and Grant in the background. I’ve posted Lady Vala shots before, but this is with her ‘angry face’
The LEGO Dwimmerlaik Lords - Work In Progress
And finally a work in progress shot as I build the some Dwimmerlaik Lords (and some of their Mechanoid minions)
Session 82 was run last Thursday. This session was an Ethan-only session so I think it’ll be easier to writeup. Hopefully only a few days and I’ll get that one posted too.
Session 81 will be run tomorrow night (19th) and be posted on Sunday (22nd).
And there will be more LEGO Lords of Gossamer very soon. I have new bits, and have been painting some of the figures a bit, and even adding some mechanoids (painted up to look a bit cooler). I have a prototype Dwimmerlaik in LEGO, but am waiting for a few new parts before I put a squad of The Enemy up here.
Stay tuned....
Will post up some more LEGO Lords of Gossamer very soon. Unfortunately I've been quite busy. 
GM Observations
- This session concludes the first ‘episode’ of the Dwimmerlaik War sessions. As mentioned in the previous session writeup, we’re aiming for the sessions with Grant to be complete self-contained episodes.
- We flipped a coin as to whether Ethan or Grant would be ‘on screen’ for the commencement of this ‘episode’. Lurker37 was the one who flipped the coin - and Ethan won the toss so we started with Lurker37 as the GM, and Ethan ‘on camera’.
Part 1 - A Man Without a Past
Realm ?? - ??? (???)
- Ethan looks through the book that has somehow taught him the language of this place. It is a recent book, produced perhaps in the last ten years. The pages are not yet yellowed with age. After looking carefully through it again, Ethan explores the room again, looking for any other clues but there are none. He decides to take the tray downstairs to return it, and he finds the clips on either side of the metal device which enable it to be moved from its place. Outside the bedroom door is a short hallway and then a narrow stairway which has been carved into the wall curves down. There is no banister.
- Ethan finds the lady who brought him the food - she is using a tub of washing water to clean up after preparing the food. She asks whether he can understand her now. Ethan is surprised to hear words that he can understand, and he nods. The lady tells him that he was very disoriented when they (the kids) found him, so they’re not expecting him to work in the fields for the time being. She asks his name, and Ethan doesn’t know what to say.
- Looking around the room, he spies a bowl of fruit which is the same reddish colour as his hair. He asks the name of the fruit (his first words in the native tongue) and the lady says it is an “Appleplum”. Ethan says that this is his name, and the lady doesn’t seem surprised.
- Suddenly there is a siren in the distance. The lady groans and says that a ‘Sleeper’ must have woken up. The house gives a shudder. Ethan asks if they are in danger, and she tells him that the ‘Hosts’ will deal with it.
- Ethan asks where he came from, and the lady says that they found him by the toolshed at the back of the property (which is at the edge of the fields).
- Ethan asks whether he was dressed in these clothes and the lady says that they took his clothes and washed them as they were ‘all bloody’. Ethan asked if he had anything with him, and the lady says that his things are safe. He asks to see them in case he might remember more about where he came from. She dries her hands and then they head out the back of the house to a cellar with slanted doors. She opens them up and they head down into a cool, dark room filled with barrels, crates and boxes. It’s clear that they are full of foodstuffs for the community. At the very back of the room is a storeroom with a lot of old things - antiques, coins and other knick knacks. She takes out a wooden box and offers it to him. In it there is a silver cylinder (his lightsaber which he does not recognise as a weapon), a locket, some rings, two pistols and two large, ornate keys.
- Ethan asks if this is everything, and she smiles. She opens a cupboard and gives him a large shield with a dragon emblem on it, and a fine curved sword with strange writing on it that he cannot read. Ethan asks if all of these things were truly his - none of them seems familiar. She confirms that they are his. He asks about the guns and the shield as they look very strange - where might they have come from? The lady shakes her head and says that only the Hosts have similar devices but they look nothing like the ones that he has. (GM’s note - Ethan does not recognise the things as guns - I’m just describing these as ‘guns’ for the purposes of the writeup)
- They head outside and Ethan looks around with the lady escorting him. He asks about his shoes - what was he wearing on his feet when they found him. The lady says that the boots that he is wearing are his - they didn’t have anything suitable for him and it seemed silly to put them away when he would probably need them. Inspecting his boots, Ethan finds that they are worn as if he has walked a long way in them.
- Ethan sees a set of odd brown clothes that look different from the rest and figures that they are his. He remembers that the lady said that he was bloody when found but he knows that he is unhurt. He asks if she knows how he could have lost his memories, and ended up covered in someone’s (or something’s) blood. The lady says that there are wolves and bears in the forest nearby - and it’s possible that he was attacked. Regarding Ethan’s lost memories, she can only speculate that the ‘Sleepers’ could have done this as they are very dangerous and no two are alike.
- At that point there is a strange gust of wind and a noise like rumbling thunder. The air is suddenly much colder. Ethan and the lady see a strange cloud forming on the horizon, slowing pluming upwards. Ethan stares as the lady explains that the Hosts must have just dealt with one of the Sleepers.
- Ethan asks if he was carrying any food with him when they found him and the lady says that he was not. Ethan asks how close the nearest settlement is and she looks blankly at him for a moment before saying that it’s a long way away and it’s not safe to travel because of the Sleepers. Ethan is puzzled. He was clearly travelling a long distance but he carried no food or water. He asks if it’s possible that he could have been ‘living off the land’. The lady chuckles and says that it reminds her of the old stories about the time before the Sleepers, when brave adventurers set out to explore far and wide. She tells him that there are wolves and bears and even dragons ‘out there’, but they are nothing compared to the Sleepers. She explains that the Sleepers came from ‘somewhere else’, but the Hosts protect them.
- Ethan notes that the community here keeps livestock in the barn rather than in the fields - the lady explains that it’s the only safe place for them. Generations ago there were vast herds of livestock that lived in the fields, but it isn’t safe with the Sleepers. Ethan realises that this farming community is small, but it isn’t an extension of some greater whole - this is all there is.
Part 2 - Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
- In the late afternoon the workers come in from the fields and the community gathers to eat together at large outdoor tables. There is no overhead cover from rain or wind - Ethan wonders if it ever rains here. Ethan is still wearing the clothes that the lady gave him so he fits in better - but his pale skin, red hair and blue eyes mark him as different from the locals. Food consists of roasted meat (small game, plus one big animal) and a large quantity of fresh vegetables (mostly root vegetables). There is freshly baked bread and a thick brewed ale which is weakly alcoholic. Even the kids have a mug of ale to eat with their meal.
- Ethan says little. He listens to the conversation and asks a few questions from time to time. No one seems to know where he came from. He concludes that he must have come across the fields but no one saw him. He must have come through the forest and been attacked by animals. But no one seems to know where he might have been going, or why. Ethan assumes that he must have been passing through this location to reach somewhere else but no one at the table seems to know much beyond a few miles outside the farming community. No one seems to be suspicious of him - they simply accept that he has come from somewhere else and that he has lost his memories of where he came from.
- As the sun goes down, one of the locals at his table tells them that they have a scholar in the community who produces books. The “man who can write” is a revered member of the community who talks to the Hosts. Ethan asks whether the Hosts look like the people here and there is laughter at the table. No, the Hosts are tall, dark and they have horns on their heads. (GM’s note - oh dear) Of course the description means nothing to Ethan.
- At the end of the meal, the children bring out trays of fruit, honeyed bread and cheese. The scholar sits down at Ethan’s table. He is dressed in a three-piece suit which looks to be handmade, possibly one of a kind. He has half-moon glasses which appear to be always ‘lit’ and he carries a huge tome with him. The man is middle aged with wispy grey hair, and his face is weathered but friendly. The scholar talks to Ethan and seems a little concerned for him. He asks if Ethan’s name really is Appleplum and Ethan confirms that it is (this is not a lie, it’s just the name he has chosen for the time being). He asks if he really can’t remember where he came from and Ethan says that he cannot. Ethan outlines his theory as to where he must have come from - from the forest, through the fields. He must have been living off the land. The scholar suggests that perhaps he was carrying supplies in a backpack but lost them. Ethan thinks on this and acknowledges that this had not occurred to him.
- They talk further, and the scholar invites Ethan to see more of his books. Ethan is interested in this and the scholar is very pleased. After dinner he takes Ethan back into the farmhouse and up to a small room which is filled with books. The room is illuminated by lanterns that do not smell of burning. The scholar asks what Ethan would like to see first and Ethan says he would like to look at more of the geography of the area in case they can figure out where he has come from. The scholar is delighted by this and he produces a huge map with a mandala and silvery tracery around it. Running his fingers around it, the map comes alive and he is able to move the picture on the page, zooming in and out as he pleases. The two study the map, trying to answer where he has come from.
- The scholar has never heard of people that match Ethan’s description. There is no race of red-haired fair-skinned people that he knows of, so the scholar assumes that he has come from very far away. On the other side of the forest it is a long way to anywhere else - and Ethan may not have been travelling in a straight line. They then turn their attention to where Ethan might have been going to. If Ethan had continued he would have eventually reached the mountains, and there is supposedly a settlement on the other side but Ethan was not headed to the nearest pass. He was certainly well armed but the scholar finds it odd that he was travelling alone. Ethan wonders if he could have been travelling with others, and possibly even been separated from them. The scholar says that he was definitely alone and that Ethan is the first stranger that they have ever seen - the scholar is quite intrigued by the ‘mystery’ and looks forward to finding out more as to where Ethan came from.
- Ethan looks at the map for some time, and he notes that the centre of the nearby forest has not been mapped. He asks the scholar about this. The scholar pushes his glasses slightly up his nose and says that there have been rumours of a Sleeper in the forest, but he then says that if there really was one the Hosts would surely have already dealt with it.
- Ethan asks if he thinks the Hosts can help him remember who he is and where he came from. The scholar gently says that he’s sure that they will try and if they cannot help him then perhaps no one can. At that point a little bell chimes and the scholar says that the Hosts have arrived, sooner than expected. Ethan feels suddenly quite uncomfortable but he doesn’t know why. He takes a deep breath and follows the scholar downstairs. He is dressed just as he has been since he first woke up, and he carries none of his unfamiliar belongings with him.
- As he descends the stairs, he see a tall gentleman with an elongated face, odd pitch-black eyes and curled horns regarding him from the living room floor. The man wears odd metallic armour that is not mediaeval. Ethan senses that the Host is most curious about him ….
Part 3 - Bastiano and Dee-Dee
Realm 82 - Coscarla Division (Improvised Hatchway)
- Heading downstairs, Bastiano shifts form into one of the nobles that the goat-girl was mingling with previously. Grant ducks away, shifts into the form of a black cricket and returns to the balcony to watch. He can hear Bastiano’s conversation with the goat-girl even across a noisy room. Bastiano offers to get her a replacement drink and moves in close enough to touch her. Almost immediately, she calms (GM’s note - Psyche) and Bastiano starts seducing her. He changes the Umbral effect on her and removes her sickness but makes her a little pliable. (GM’s note - yeah, Bastiano is a bastard…. he’s a nasty guy to be using Umbra in this way, but it’s in character) They resume gaming at one of the tables. The crowd relaxes. Shazir, still floating overhead seems a bit disappointed and he flies off. Bastiano can tell that the goat-girl is interested in him and he goes with it. They talk about going somewhere private, and the goat-girl decides that she doesn’t want to wait long enough to get back to more comfortable lodgings. They head away from the gaming area and enter a lift. It’s pretty obvious to Grant that they’re both looking for some privacy and he decides to wait it out. Grant keeps an eye on the lift but for some reason the display doesn’t tell him which floor they are on. Grant keeps a watchful eye out in case Shazir returns but he doesn’t. However a group of young men wearing red-purple capes enter the establishment and begin looking for someone. Grant keeps an eye on them. At last the leader of the group asks one of the bartenders a question (Grant cannot hear the question this time) and the bartender thumbs in the direction of the lift. The group share information and then they blend into the crowd.
- It is a long fifteen minutes. At last the goat girl comes into sight on the ground floor of the casino, but Grant can tell that this is Bastiano. ‘She’ goes back to playing a game (and Bastiano is lucky and he wins chips). One of the red cloaks comes up to ‘her’ and Bastiano tells him that she’s fine (and tells him to ‘take a hike’), much to Grant’s amusement. Meanwhile Grant hops over and takes a flying leap from the balcony to the light fitting above the table where ‘she’ is playing. When no one is looking, Grant hops down and hides in ‘her’ hair (on her head). Bastiano is not surprised by this. ‘She’ plays a little bit longer then decides to call it quits.
- Bastiano as the ‘goat girl’ leaves the establishment and enters the waiting aircar. The driver tells ‘her’ that the boss wants to see ‘her. Meanwhile, Bastiano tells Grant (via psychic contact) what he has learned from ‘Dee Dee’. Firstly, Lox hasn’t been seen in two years. Red Hands runs things. Secondly, they have a precog working for them, which means that they’ll probably know that something is up - but Umbra Masters are very good at invalidating a precog’s predictions because they are by their very nature unpredictable. Besides, adds Bastiano, they would be expecting him and not Grant. Lastly, Dee Dee doesn’t seem to know anything about where the Gossamer Lords’ memories are held, but she does know that Lox had many ‘special projects’ and was a ‘really clever guy’. One of the projects that she does know about is called a ‘Black Box’ but apart from it doing something really bad to reality (and hence being really uber-scary), she doesn’t know much about it.
- Grant suggests that he split off and see what else he can learn, and Bastiano agrees with this. He says that he’ll be ‘Dee Dee’ for a bit, but he warns that she’ll probably wake up in a few hours. She’ll be very disoriented but they can’t have two Dee Dees walking around. Grant agrees that he’ll work fast. He asks for a mental image of Lydia and Bastiano shares a very vague image of someone he guesses ‘might’ be Lydia (GM’s note - Bastiano only has partial memories at the moment and he actually doesn’t remember who Lydia is, but he doesn’t admit this to Grant)
Part 4 - Grant and Johnny
- As the aircar docks with one of the monolithic buildings and Bastiano (as Dee Dee) leaves the vehicle to see the boss, Grant decides to climb onto the vehicle’s exterior and hide himself. Dee Dee’s powered armour is waiting for her and she gets into the armoured suit. The aircar takes off, flies for about five minutes and lands at a platform with a number of other aircars. This is a waiting area for drivers while they wait to be summoned by their powerful masters. In the meantime they talk and smoke deathsticks. Grant listens to the conversation - they talk about the Snatchers and where they have hit recently. The Snatchers seem to be cybernetic monsters that take people - the drivers seem to know quite a bit about them but they don’t seem to be working for the Boss (at least not directly). It is mentioned that Dee Dee was sick and shot up an establishment.
- Grant decides that he needs to learn more so he takes his time working out who the ‘best connected’ driver is, and then he weakens him using Umbra. The driver affected begins to feel tired and decides to have a sleep in his car. Grant hops over, makes physical contact and starts rifling through his mind. (GM’s note - this is not something that Grant is very practiced in, unlike Ethan, but he understands the basic principle and he knows that Umbra can be used to crudely scramble someone) The man’s name is Johnny and he is Red Hands’ preferred driver despite being only nineteen standard years old. Johnny confirms that Red Hands is the boss and Johnny believes Lox to be dead. Johnny doesn’t know Lydia by name but he does know that a female spy was found about 18 months ago and she became one of Red Hands’ experiments. The Snatchers appeared shortly after so there could be a connection.
- Shazir used to be one of Lox’s men but he’s now loyal to Red Hands. The goat girls and boys are clearly ‘muscle’ and they have also adjusted to working for Red Hands rather than Lox. Johnny describes the goat girls and boys as ‘rampant’ - they are very promiscuous. Johnny is scared of pretty much all of them. Johnny knows that Red Hands has taken over Lox’s abode at Stratos (in the penthouse).
- Grant delves deeper, looking for Johnny’s secrets (what he would be afraid to reveal). Grant finds that Johnny has a girl and a child who are ‘unsanctioned’ - so far he’s managed to keep them a secret. He also takes money on the side (more than the Boss thinks) and most damning, Johnny has been withholding some information about the Rainvilles from the Boss as he fears that the Boss would kill him if he shared what he knows. (the Rainvilles have been leaning on Johnny to get more information about the Boss, but Johnny hasn’t told the Boss that they have been trying to do this).
- Deciding that there is nothing further to learn here, Grant shifts into Johnny’s form and he dumps the real Johnny in one of the cargo compartments. He then decides to take the aircar and go and find the real Dee Dee. He uses Wayfinding, returns to the building with the casino in it and lands the aircar on a landing used for maintenance vehicles. The landing looks like it has not been used in decades - it is caked in filth and grime. Grant makes his way inside the building and finds Dee Dee shut in a large locker. He carries her back to the car, makes sure that she will also stay asleep and puts her in a second cargo compartment.
Part 5 - Making Plans
- Grant returns his aircar to the platform and he waits. After another 2 hours, the small TV monitor in the cabin snaps into life and a bald man with a handlebar moustache appears. Giving his name as ‘Bors’, he tells Johnny that he can go ‘off shift’ for eight hours. He tells Johnny to get some sleep.
- At this point Grant decides that he has waited long enough. Whilst in the air, he uses the crude onboard computer to call Dee Dee. (He has already worked out that all communications are logged by the onboard computer and he can make calls himself). After a long pause, Dee Dee answers the phone. She calls him an idiot and proceeds to abuse Johnny for calling her when she didn’t need a transport. (GM’s note - Bastiano doesn’t know that Grant is impersonating Johnny, so Bastiano is acting as Dee Dee would) Grant answers in a subtle way that lets Bastiano know who he is, and Dee Dee lets him come to her residence.
- Dee Dee’s home is a large apartment in just another monolithic building. Dee Dee invites Johnny in, and then Bastiano tells Grant that he’s using Umbra to generate ‘white noise’ which should be an effective dampening field. Grant shares that the real Johnny and the real Dee Dee are in the back of the aircar. He goes on to explain what he learnt from Johnny. Bastiano tells him that, as Dee Dee, he briefly met Red Hands. Red Hands is a sorcerer, but doesn’t appear to be an Umbra Master as well. They talk about Lox’ special projects and Bastiano confirms that Lox is a talented inventor. Grant shares that Johnny thinks that Lox is dead, but Bastiano does not believe that. He is sure that Lox is alive. (GM’s note - Bastiano is a Master of the Stair, so he is very very good at Wayfinding - he would be able to tell)
- They discuss their next move. Grant reminds Bastiano that the Enemy has a precog and the longer they stay here, the more likely it is that they will be found. Bastiano agrees and he suggests that Grant infiltrate Stratos and try to find Lox. He believes that Grant is more likely to succeed because the Enemy is not expecting him. Meanwhile Bastiano will attempt to ‘fix’ Dee Dee and Johnny sufficiently so that they don’t realise that they’ve been bushwhacked. Grant agrees to this. They discuss communication but it is decided that they cannot use Icons. Bastiano explains some tricks with Umbra that can be used to communicate between Umbra Masters but it would not be wise to use it too often lest someone else pick up on this. They also discuss how Stratos may be protected and Bastiano talks about using Umbra to become an abstract form such as a shadow (which is something that never occurred to Grant before). Grant tries this and is able to achieve it. Bastiano then mentions phasing using Umbra, but even though Grant is interested, he is unwilling to try such a thing for the first time when stealth and secrecy are required.
Part 6 - Stratos and Lox
- Grant slips into the megastructure in the form of a small black bird, entering via one of the ventilation shafts on the side of the building. He then he moves from cricket to shadow through the various levels, avoiding the guards and using Umbra to evade traps and sorcerous wards at key points.
- At last he reaches the penthouse level undetected. It is the night cycle - Red Hands should not be here and Grant detects no presence. He scopes the place out, assesses the defences, alarms and traps and then looks to find Lox. His Wayfinding leads him to a hatch in the floor which has been sealed shut (i.e.: sealed = welded shut = not a functioning door). This area is heavily warded and trapped but there are small slits around the side of the hatch - perhaps they are air holes. Grant thinks this over - given Lox is an Umbra Master then he should be able to escape through such a hole. He listens carefully and can hear something breathing within the pit beneath the sealed hatch. Grant assumes that this is Lox - his Wayfinding is leading him to this spot.
- Grant thinks carefully. If Lox is in the pit there is something preventing him as an Umbra Master from getting out. Therefore it would be very dangerous for him to attempt entry. He guesses that there is something Eidolon-enhanced or enchanted in the pit but he cannot easily confirm this. After a while. Grant contacts Bastiano. It takes time using Umbra to complete the communication but Bastiano agrees to come to the penthouse to take a look.
- It is a long two hours for Grant while he waits for Bastiano to navigate through the levels, bypass the same alarms and traps and join him. Bastiano surveys the area carefully and decides that he has no choice - he has to go into the pit to see if Lox is there - but he may need to be extracted if something goes wrong.
- A few minutes pass, then Bastiano returns. Bastiano explains that it is Lox imprisoned but he thinks that Lox has been subjected to the Breath of Eden (like the Lords of Gossamer) and has been stripped of his memories. The Dwimmerlaik in the pit is definitely Lox, but he doesn’t appear to know how to use Umbra. If Bastiano had touched him the effect would have been transferred and Bastiano would have been caught. Bastiano is angry because he was sure that Lox would know where the memories are kept, but what he didn’t guess is that Lox himself had been captured and used as bait.
- Grant and Bastiano talk about what to do next. They decide that they have to slip away without tipping off Red Hands that they have been here. Grant suggests that there may be other items of value here, and Bastiano agrees that they should search the place. They do and they find another vault with data crystals stored safely inside. Together they steal the data crystals, copy the information to other crystals on another floor (on a less secure floor), and then return the original data crystals to the vault so they will not be missed.
- Then, before the day cycle commences, the pair slip back to the Door without being detected.
Part 7 - The Return
Grand Stairway Section 41 - Junkyard Corridor
- Back on the Grand Stair, Bastiano confesses that he doesn’t like sneaking around or leaving Lox where he is (he deserves better), but he quickly brightens up and suggests that they go find ‘some girls’. (GM’s note - yes, this is Bastiano we’re talking about) However, he is distracted by the Door returning to the Shadow King. He asks Grant to wait a few minutes and then he steps through the Door.
- It does not take Bastiano long - he returns to the Stair and he breaks the Door’s connection to Asanni. Then he concentrates, reconnects the same Door to a new location and opens it.
Realm 83 - Lambs Go Bar (Green Wooden Door]
- Grant and Bastiano step into a comfortable bar. There is a line of coats hanging from pegs on the wall, and Grant notes that it is snowing outside. Grant notes the sign on the door and chuckles at the pun. Bastiano orders a drink for each of them, and Bastiano takes a long draught. Wiping the foam from his upper lip, he tells Grant that he did well. Grant thanks Bastiano, and he points out there is a padded table nearby that looks like some sort of game. Bastiano asks if he has ever played ‘marker’, and then he offers to teach him when Grant admits that he doesn’t remember such a game. ‘Marker’ is played very much like snooker except that there are two cue balls - Grant picks it up very quickly, and Bastiano enjoys playing against him. At first Bastiano wins (GM’s note - this is a Warfare contest and Bastiano is one rank higher, however Grant is learning to play and Bastiano is very familiar with the venue), but on the second try it is a much closer game and Bastiano enjoys the challenge. Even when Bastiano ‘marks’ Grant’s cue ball, preventing him from getting a direct shot, Grant is able to use Umbra to pull off the unusual and stay in the game.
- After a few games, Bastiano goes to play darts (which he is exceptionally good at), whilst Grant dominates the marker table, drawing a small crowd as people try to knock him off the table. After about three hours, the lighting in the bar changes and some beat-music starts….
…. and I’ll detail what happened next (as the club gets rockin’) and what they uncovered from those data chips at the beginning of next session’s writeup. (I’m a bit tired tonight).
PS: Lambs Go Bar was a Melbourne pub which I remember favourably - I just transplanted the concept into an alpine location. Doing a Google search, it looks like the bar no longer exists but there are websites still with pictures of it.
Session 80 was run this evening. More Grant and Bastiano in Coscarla Division hunting for Lox (the episode was completed) and some more Ethan too. I should be able to do the writeup on Friday evening on the flight back home. So will hopefully post on Saturday 14th.
GM Observations
- Ok, this is the first of the ‘Dwimmerlaik War’ sessions. We’re designing the sessions to be episodic wherever possible, starting and ending in a single session.
- The session was relatively short so we didn’t conclude the episode on this occasion. But this is what we are aiming for so that we can move the plot forward at a rapid pace. We don’t need to go blow by blow.
- Both Ethan and Grant had some ‘on screen time’ in this session.
Part 1 - A Job To Do
Realm 80 - The Athenaeum, Heart of the Labyrinth (Iron Door)
- With a job in mind, Bastiano sits down with Grant to learn more about him. His line of inquiry suggests to Grant that he thinks that Grant might be useful but he wants to know just how useful. Bastiano knows that Grant is an Umbra Master (like himself), but he is particularly interested in how experienced is in shapeshifting. He asks Grant to copy Greywalker’s form, which he does - Bastiano is reasonably impressed by this. Grant shows that he can become a small bird (a swallow) - Bastiano wants to know if he can become even smaller. Grant says that he can (although it is hard for him, and quite tiring to become smaller).
* Image by Jason Rainville
- Bastiano tells him that he wants to find a Dwimmerlaik Lord named Tarloxaricus (“Lox” for short). Lox is well connected and he’s an Umbra Master himself. Bastiano has had a long relationship with Lox - sometimes it’s been a hostile relationship but they haven’t killed each other yet. Based on the information recovered from the severed head and what Bastiano knows of “Lox”, “Lox” will almost certainly know where the vault of stolen Gossamer Lord memories is, or at least who has them. Grant agrees to come but Bastiano doesn’t share a plan with him. He keeps the plan to himself. Grant goes along with this for the time being.
Grand Stairway Section 40 - The Maelstrom
- Leaving the Athenaeum, Bastiano walks for a while. Grant asks where they are going and Bastiano shushes him. (Grant gets the distinct impression that Bastiano likes being in charge) After a time, Bastiano finds a blank Door and he connects it.
Realm 81 - Asanni (Weathered Door)
- They step through a flimsy wooden Door. Beyond it is hot and desolate. They have stepped into an arid desert where the white-stoned buildings have been partially consumed by sand. Bastiano takes a moment to sever the Door from the Stair, and then he shape shifts and takes to the air in the form of a desert eagle.
- Grant matches him and takes to the air as a golden eagle. Below them, Grant realises that the settlement below is completely deserted and that Bastiano chose to enter this realm via one of the few intact doors that remained.
- It is cooler in the air, high above the desert sands. They fly on, soaring high over dunes and low hills. Then in the distance there is a solitary mountain.
Part 2 - The Shadow King
- The pair fly on until they are a little closer, and then Bastiano lands and returns to his human form. Grant does the same. Before they continue on, Bastiano tells Grant more about their destination. He tells Grant that the mountain ahead is controlled by the Shadow King and it would be dangerous to approach any further by air. He explains that the Shadow King has many assassins in his employ and there will many eyes on the approach to his mountain. They will kill anyone who isn’t Bastiano - hence Grant is persuaded to become a cricket and sit under the fold of Bastiano’s collar.
- Continuing on foot, Bastiano tells Grant that no technology works in this place and that it is a useful place to return through as any pursuit would be engaged by the Shadow King’s assassins. Grant talks to Bastiano as they go, speaking as a cricket. Bastiano is very confident of himself. He has a very strong ego. Grant gets the impression that he’s still evaluating Grant, and drip-feeding information to him. Grant hopes that Bastiano has a coherent plan and that he isn’t just making things up as he goes.
- At last Bastiano enters the mountain itself. There are many carved passageways within but Bastiano seems to know the way (courtesy of Wayfinding). Grant can also sense that there many parties watching him as they approach but none engage. The passageways are dark and unlit but Bastiano and Grant can see clearly in the darkness (thanks to Umbral sight). After some time navigating the labyrinth (and using some secret doors to cut down the time it takes to get through), Bastiano and Grant enter a chamber lit by torches. There are four masked assassins in this room, clad in robes which are the same colour as the sandy stone blocks. A single figure in black, also masked, sits on a throne made of stone blocks. The figure in black welcomes Bastiano to the mountain, and Bastiano greets the Shadow King. Grant notices that they both speak with a similar accent. Bastiano asks to speak with the Shadow King in private and the Shadow King agrees with this, dismissing his guards and sealing the chamber.
- When the chamber is sealed, the Shadow King removes his face-plate, revealing that he has the same face as Bastiano. The two talk amicably. Grant notes that there is a door behind the throne. Bastiano asks to use the door, and warns the Shadow King that when he returns that there may be others with him - who should be killed. The Shadow King agrees to this and asks for more information about where Bastiano is going. Bastiano explains that he is going to Coscarla to find “Lox”. The Shadow King seems surprised that Bastiano is expecting trouble, to which Bastiano says that it always pays to be prepared. As they are about to leave, Bastiano asks if he has been to Coscarla recently (GM’s note - Bastiano is working from ‘backup memories’ and hence he still has a gap in his memory.) The Shadow King says that he hasn’t been there, but reminds him that he sent Lydia to Coscarla two years ago. The name means nothing to Bastiano but Grant gets the distinct impression based on the Shadow King’s phrasing that Lydia may have been one of Bastiano’s lovers.
- Bastiano opens the Door and they step onto the Stair.
Grand Stairway Section 41 - Junkyard Corridor
- The next section of Stair is ramshackle. The walls seem to be made of piles of debris and the few Doors along its length look little more than improvised hatchways. Even the Stair flooring is uneven and unstable in places. Bastiano leaves the connection to Asanni Door intact.
- Bastiano tells Grant that he can return to normal form. He hops down and becomes himself again. Bastiano becomes talkative once more, telling Grant that “Lox” won’t be expecting Bastiano to bring anyone else with him. Grant asks about Bastiano’s plan and Bastiano candidly says that he’s not sure “Lox” will tell him anything willingly. The ’New War’ has changed things. Also, given the prize is the memories of the Lords of Gossamer, Bastiano worries that even if “Lox” has this information as they were they are kept and gives it to them, the risk is that “Lox” will tell his own people that Bastiano knows and they will be destroyed. He says he is considering having to kill “Lox” this time but it would have to be blamed on someone else.
- They spend less than 5 minutes on the Stair before reaching the Door to Coscarla Division.
Part 3 - Initial Investigations
Realm 82 - Coscarla Division (Improvised Hatchway)
- The other side of the Door is filled with acrid smog. The sounds of machinery can be heard. Stepping through, Bastiano and Grant are confronted with a mass of tall buildings and machinery on all sides. They have stepped out onto a low walkway only a few levels above the street. The street is filled with drab-clothed people, none of whom look particularly happy. There is no sky here - just smog. It looks like the dregs of humanity are here.
- Bastiano and Grant descend to street level. Their clothes don’t stand out, and Bastiano starts looking for Lydia with Grant following on, watching to see if anyone is following them. Over the next hour Bastiano goes from street to street - Grant starts to think that Bastiano is lost - but after a long while, Bastiano confesses that he can’t find Lydia (which Grant assumes is because he doesn’t know Lydia well enough). Grant shares what he has observed since arriving - the people here are downtrodden, there are some bullish thugs who seem to be the local law enforcement group. There are some ground vehicles here and the occasional air-car so they do have some antigravity. Grant notes that he has also seen a flying person - just one.
- At this point, Bastiano decides that it is time to hunt for more information about Lox. He works his magic, venturing into a seedy saloon and talking shop with some of the locals, then checking out a different type of bar where the air smells of perfume (but Grant can tell it is a narcotic), before ending up at a casino owned by Lox. They learn a great deal as they mingle with the locals. Lox lives in a place called ‘Stratos’ which is at the peak of one of the tallest structures. He is the law in this place, ‘untouchable’ to anyone who lives here. The word on the street is that he deals in narcotics and that even the water and food dispensed to the masses contain drugs to keep the population docile and pliable. There are gladiatorial fights in a local arena which he sponsors. No one really knows much about Lox, except that he is a ‘horn head’ - an alien.
- There is one other ‘horn head’ mentioned - an alien known as “Red Hands” after a particular incident where a lot of people were butchered. There is also a flying man - one of the Sons of Saul called Shazir. Bastiano is able to explain to Grant that the Sons of Saul are super-strong, capable of flight, and impervious to most things (though probably not Gorgorin). Lox also has a company of ‘goat-boys’ and ‘goat-girls’ who are his inner circle of enforcers. They have curled goat-like horns on their heads and their legs are faun-like, but they can be pretty aggressive and they are very strong (having come from a high-G world).
- Bastiano and Grant survey the casino goings on from the first floor when, out of the blue, one of the goat-girls arrives - she’s pretty (for a goat-girl anyway) and behaves like she owns the place. Most of the patrons get out of her way. Grant decides to put a hastily concocted plan into motion.
Part 4 - Spiking the Drink
- Grant lets the girl play the tables for a little while before he organises to spike her drink with Umbra - just enough to make her very sick, but it will take a little while to kick in. This works, she drinks the drink provided by one of the casino servants and she keeps playing. By this time she has a handful of minor nobles with her - she’s clearly out for a good time, and she likes being the centre of attention. Unfortunately after about ten minutes, she starts to feel very sick indeed. She quickly surmises that it is the drink that has made her ill and she excuses herself from the table, heads over to the bar herself (staggering as she goes), and then very publicly executes the bartender with a bolt-round to the head, splattering the poor fellow’s brains all over the bar. This gets a lot of attention.
- At this point she demands to the crowd that the servant who brought her the drink be brought forward, or she threatens to torch the entire place. Bastiano watches the scene with interest. Grant wants to intercede but he finds it hard given that Bastiano is simply content to watch how this plays out. The goat-girl finds the servant and summarily executes him as well. At this point, Shazir floats into the casino, hovering a few metres above the clientele’s heads. (It is not clear how he has become aware of the disturbance, but he has arrived very quickly) At this point some in the crowd start to panic and head for the exits, while others try hard to carry on and behave like nothing has happened.
- Grant is astonished that his plan could have had this result but Bastiano says simply that he can work with this and he heads downstairs to try and take advantage of the situation.
Part 5 - Who am I?
Realm ?? - ??? (???)
- Ethan wakes up. He doesn’t know who he is or where he is. He’s lying in a simple bed and it is daytime. Sunlight is streaming in through a window. He rubs his head - he isn’t hurt but he doesn’t know how he got here. Getting out of bed, he finds that he’s dressed in a singlet and shorts - there are some clothes lying on a chair nearby. The wooden floorboards creak beneath his feet as he walks over to the window. There are fields outside - a crop of some kind. There is also an orchard of fruit trees.
- Ethan hears children’s voices downstairs - they sound cheerful. He puts on the clothes and looks about the room. Suddenly he is aware of a presence drawing closer. He hears children asking questions through the door - questions that he does not understand. The latch is lifted and three, four, then five children come in. The have tanned skin, wear simple clothing and their feet are barefoot. They have mauve-coloured eyes and bright golden hair. The children are very happy. They are clearly excited to see him. They talk to him but Ethan cannot understand any of it. He finds it a little confronting and he keeps his distance from these people.
- A lady comes into the chamber and ushers the children out of the room. She asks him a question but he can’t understand. She mimes eating and Ethan realises that he is very hungry. Somehow she seems to understand and she brings in a tray which ‘floats’ as she pushes it in. When the table is close to the chair, she extends the legs and takes the cover off. Ethan can’t identify what is on the tray but it smells good. She smiles and withdraws, letting him eat in peace. Ethan notes that she has left a slim book behind.
- Ethan eats everything on the plate, then he looks around the room looking for any clues. There is a painting on the wall but it is a crude landscape painting which doesn’t tell him very much. Looking through the window again, he can see many people working in the fields with hand tools. There are no machines here.
- Confused and uncertain about who he is, where he is and where he has come from, Ethan fingers the book. It is only 30-odd pages in length but the book is old. There is a map which folds out, and there are some pictures. There isn’t much text - it almost seems like a children’s book. Ethan flicks through page after page but he can make little of it. On the inside of the back cover is a mandala. As he looks at the design, there is a sudden flash of light and the words on the page seem to move for him. He is able to read the words and understand them. He is able to speak the words. It is a basic book, meant for children to teach them a little about history and the geography of the region - but the book could easily be a hundred years out of date. Ethan is even more confused by this. He remembers something that one of the children said which he could not understand before but he can now. The child asked innocently whether they could ‘keep him’, and the mother told them not to be silly.
And that’s where we left Session 79…..
(Sessions 80 and 81 will be run on Tuesday and Thursday this week, so will hopefully be able to post the writeup on Saturday 14th)
