secret of the dragon emperor ... part 36-1/2!

okay, folks, i'm just going to summarize this one because it was a very book-keepy session and probably everyone's already thinking there's way too much die-rolling and numbers-talking in these write-ups!

so after we toasted leanara and quasimund and their cultists on the stairs to the temple ruins, the captain of the outskirt guards, hardy, comes barreling up and demanding to know what's going on. we show him the cult tattoos on all the bodies and tell him how we got the magic sword out of the crypt under the temple. the dude was pretty shook that sweet little annabella from the three stags inn got killed, and also that she was in cahoots with quasimund and they were all demon-worshipping cultists. and on top of that, his mind was more or less blown by sir quackenscrump waving the legendary um-durman sword around. put all that together and he insisted there needed to be a pow-wow of all the important people in town about these applecart-upsetting events, so we ended up in a not-so-huge hall they use for town meetings, with hardy and vagnhild and dranath and master ulvar and a few others talking everything through.

they wanted to know if we'd be heading straight for mirror lake to take care of azrahel koth, sathmog's right-hand evil cleric, which we weren't all too sure we were ready for, exactly. dranath expressed certainty that the omens were good that we had a destiny to defeat koth, which sounded pretty good, except that one piece of evidence he cited was the miraculous way he was returned to youth when he treated dilfriida for disease. he called this a gift from the gods for playing his part in the success of the destined heroes, but we couldn't help remembering that it happened because he demoned his spellcasting roll.

long story short, this semi-official town council said everyone should keep the discovery of the sword under wraps, although there was no hiding the fact that the crypt had been opened. dranath took in on himself to risk getting lightning-bolted by reading the book of eledain, but it turned out to be kind of a big puff-piece on how great the dragon emperor and his dragon knights had been, and how they'd eventually return once azrahel koth was defeated.

so we spent a couple weeks in town training up using the rules for studying under teachers, because dolora still needed filvius to teach her animism, and brandywise took "magic talent" for her heroic ability and needed teaching too.

next time we'll start off figuring out whether we want to head right for mirror lake, or if it would be better to do some more adventuring and get ourselves into even buffer shape. but it may be a bit, because i think we're going to give elle a break from gm-ing and play some more in akane's d&d campaign!

secret of the dragon emperor ... part 36!

things are coming to a head at the temple ruins in outskirt!

GM Elle: So a little short of half an hour after Dolora starts to puzzle her way through re-assembling the statuette, she gets the last piece solidly in place and the carving is complete again after who knows how many centuries of being broken and scattered.
Claire: I was watching carefully, by the way, to try to gain the knowledge of how the pieces fit together.
GM Elle: You can make a Spot Hidden role to follow the process with detailed enough observations to get a Boon later if it gets taken apart and you have to figure it out again.
Claire: I succeed!
Akane: Zedeja tells the puzzling dwarf to put down this statue so she can Levitate it.
MSG: I'll do that.
Harriet: I'll remind everyone to stand back from that area of suspicious tiles in front of the niche. 
Akane: Zedeja attempts Mentalism. Success, of course. The statue is Levitated into the niche-ly indentation.
GM Elle: When it settles into place, there's a slight tremor, and the rectangular area collapses to reveal a stairway leading down into darkness.
Heddy: I congratulate Dilfriida on her sharp eyes in spotting that trap.
Harriet: Dilfriida normally lacks social graces, but for Brandywise, she'll scrounge up some awkward thanks for the praise.
Heddy: Don't mention it!
Sasha: Quackers will head down the stairs. He's hoping there's some kind of monster guarding the magic sword inside. "Somebody bring a light?
Claire: Filvius wants to be near the front to beat Dolora to any knowledge-getting that might happen, so he casts his Light trick on his staff.
MSG: Dolora will grumblingly let him by.
GM Elle: As you proceed down the stairs into the pitch darkness, you see ahead the entrance to a chamber, and when you arrive at its level, you see before you a tomb-like shrine. There's a central altar with a jeweled greatsword resting upon it, as well as a golden goblet and an open book. There's also --
Claire: I'm making a bee-line for that book.
Akane: Wait! More traps may imperil us! 
Claire: Too late. Any traps go off on my way there, Elle?
GM Elle: No. You arrive at the book without incident. Also --
MSG: I'm going to hurry in and examine the goblet.
GM Elle: Can I finish describing the room?
MSG: Sorry. Filvius started it, though.
Sasha: It's going to be pretty sweet if there's a monster in the room that was standing still and you just didn't let Elle get to that part of the description, and now it starts attacking anybody next to the altar.
GM Elle: There's no monster, but on the far wall there's a fountain --
MSG: Another fountain? Dolora grabs the goblet and takes it over there.
GM Elle: -- and in each corner of the octagonal chamber stand statues of knights in armor, their helmets adorned with horns. Their poses are intense and threatening.
MSG: I'll ... keep an eye on the ones nearest the fountain as I approach it.
Claire: What am I seeing when I look at the book?
GM Elle: Let's map this out and have everybody say where their characters are located before we get any further. Here's what the room looks like:

MSG: I'm on my way to the fountain.
Claire: I'm at the book.
Ariel: I'm still outside at the bottom of the stairs.
Sasha: Quackers is just looking at the statues next to the stairs. Maybe they're golems or something and he'll be able to fight them if they start moving.
Akane: Zedeja awaits behind our duck knight.
Harriet: Dilfriida's not getting any closer until she has a chance to see what manner of catastrophe Filvius and Dolora might be about to trigger.
Heddy: Same for Brandy.
GM Elle: All right. There's no motion evident from any of the statues as Filvius looks at the book and Dolora approaches the font. The book is open to a page with a lone inscription upon it. Roll Languages to decipher the writing, Claire.
Claire: Yeah, my Languages skill stinks. I blow it. That makes me Angry that I'm not beating Dolora to this knowledge, and I Push the roll -- success! Oh, wait, I'm Angry, to that's a Bane on Int skills. Rolling the second die ... also success, cool beans!
GM Elle: The ancient script translates as, "Hail, Emperor of the World -- Lord of Light -- Punisher of Impurity -- Eledain Forever, in the Depths of Our Pure Hearts."
Claire: Hmm.
MSG: I hold the goblet under the fountain. I guess I'll sniff it to see if it's got any unhealthy odor before I give it a taste.
GM Elle: You can roll Bushcraft or Healing.
MSG: My Bushcraft is better, and I make it.
GM Elle: No odd smell, and no odd taste when you sip it.
MSG: Any chance my head suddenly fills with magical knowledge?
GM Elle: No. At least, not from a single sip.
MSG: I'll let the cup fill up more and take a bigger drink.
GM Elle: Still nothing.
Akane: I say, "Duck, there is no monstering it seems. Step aside and allow a senior mage to enter the room."
Sasha: I'll do that.
Akane: Zedeja proceeds to the book and looks over the shoulder of a junior mage. If there's no concealment by our elf, I attempt reading it with Languages ... failure! I tell him, "So, junior mage. Demonstrate whether your skill of translating equals your elder's. What do you read there?"
Claire: I tell her.
Akane: Zedeja nods wisely. "Tolerable. Maybe grammar could be slightly improved next time, though."
Harriet: I'll go in and have a look at those jewels on the sword.
Heddy: Brandy sticks close by Dilfriida.
GM Elle: The glitter and shine of the sword itself nearly matches that of the gems in its hilt and pommel. Just as a work of craftsmanship and rare materials, you think it would be worth a very hefty price.
MSG: I come back to the altar sipping from my goblet.
Claire: Can I Spot Hidden to see if Dolora is looking smarter from drinking out of the goblet?
GM Elle: I think that's a stretch. What is everyone going to do?
MSG: Well, I'm thinking there's got to be a reason for this book to be here and the fountain and goblet too. What did that inscription say again?
Claire: I'll answer the question to show off my knowledge before Zedeja beats me to it.
MSG: Dolora will come around and read for herself in case Filvius made a mistake. I succeed at my Languages roll.
GM Elle: Are you reading silently or aloud?
MSG: Aloud, with great confidence.
Akane: Zedeja shakes her head. "Same imperfection of grammar. You must both try harder with future translatings."
MSG: Let's have a look at the sword, then. I'll pick it up and see if there are any inscriptions on either side of the blade or handle.
GM Elle: You don't notice any.
Claire: Filvius tells her to let him see, and takes hold of the sword too.
GM Elle: A Lightning Bolt instantly flashes down from the ceiling at Filvius. You can roll to Evade.
Claire: Yikes! I succeed and immediately let go of the sword.
Akane: Hmm. Both gluttons for knowledge read out words of the book. What differed?
Heddy: Obviously, Dolora drank from the fountain with the cup, and Filvius didn't. However, I'm certainly not going to test out that theory.
Claire: I tell Dolora to give me the cup.
Sasha: Ha, like you have any business with a greatsword! Quackenscrump says he should be the one to give it a try.
MSG: I definitely hand the cup to Sir Q and not Filvius.
Claire: Don't think I'm going to forget that.
MSG: You might -- I know your memory isn't as sharp as mine.
Sasha: I take a gulp from the cup and then say the line from the book. I don't need to roll Languages myself, do I? Cause that's not happening.
GM Elle: You can just make an Int roll to see if you get the exact wording.
Sasha: Ooh -- Int ain't my strong suit ... but I make it. Do I get zapped when I touch the sword?
GM Elle: No.
Akane: Zedeja insists everyone must repeat this ritual, in case there's need for another besides our duck to carry this sword.
Harriet: Dilfriida says she'll be happy to do so and carry the sword until it's needed.
Akane: Not you, halfling! I saw your eyeing of its gems! And a person so miniature is insensible as a choice to portage a sword so large.
Harriet: I stick my tongue out and go over to Sir Quackenscrump to ask for the goblet.
Sasha: I'm fine handing it over. 
Harriet: I just barely make my Int check to recall the right words, then drink up from the goblet.
Heddy: Are you going to touch the sword, then?
Harriet: I'm not sure there's an immediate need to verify that I've done it right, so, no."
Heddy: Brandy is a tad disappointed at your caution, but understands it at the same time.
MSG: I'll show off my knowledge by repeating the words for anyone else who wants to try.
GM Elle: In that case, all present can be assumed safe from the sword's electric fury, unless someone chooses not to complete the ceremony. Now, meanwhile ...
Ariel: Why are you looking at me? I hope this isn't something bad about to happen because I Demon-ed that roll earlier.
GM Elle: Not too long after the rest of the group heads up to the temple ruins, Fidu and Glinssa both notice a figure striding toward them from the guardhouse of the south gate. It looks like Hardy, the captain of the guard. Glinssa busies herself looking after the donkeys, so Hardy approaches Fidu.
Ariel: I guess I'll wave and say hi?
GM Elle: Hardy greets you and says he heard tell from someone that Vagnhild at the Three Stags wanted a word with your group the next time you showed up in town. He also suggests that your donkeys and cart might be better parked at the inn, instead of blocking the stairs up to the temple. "It's not that there's a heap of traffic up and down the stairs," he says, "but it is still a holy place -- and the inn's staffed to keep up with the fertilizer donkeys such as yours tend to put out."
Ariel: Um ... I'll tell him we're hoping the rest of our group won't be too much longer and we'd like to wait for them.
GM Elle: "Hoping?" he asks. "What are they about up there, and d'you have any notion how long exactly they'll be taking?"
Ariel: I'll say they're just poking around in the ruins but I admit I don't know how soon they'll be done. I'm thinking for all me and Glinssa know, there's a whole dungeon underneath the temple and they won't be out for hours, like with most of the other places we've explored. I'm not saying that out loud, though.
GM Elle: Hardy says one of you could run up and let them know to get a move on, but unless the poking around finishes up soon, you'd best move your cart and animals. He seems pretty serious about it. If you want to park it outside the gate and not on the town street, he'd be okay with that.
Ariel: Dang. I really don't want to do any of that. But I guess I'll tell Glinssa to run up to the temple and if she sees the others, let them know we'll wait outside the gate for them. That's less work for me than driving all the way up to the inn.
GM Elle: Glinssa really isn't keen on being anywhere in town by herself. But it doesn't seem likely that she'll run into the cultists up on the temple hill, so she reluctantly sets off as she's told.
Ariel: I guess I'll drive the cart outside the city gate, then. Can I park where I'll be able to look through the gate and see the bottom of the stairs?
GM Elle: You'd be blocking the road in that case, and Hardy would have you move again.
Ariel: Okay, if he does that I guess I'll just pull to one side and wait.
GM Elle: As the group is finishing up taking turns with the cup and the book and the sword, then, Glinssa arrives to relay the message Fidu sent her with.
Akane: Why is she not donkey tending? Neglectful! Our hound should have told this Hardy, "If you want us to move, go talk to our group yourself!"
MSG: I don't like Fidu being alone outside the gates with our cart and all our stuff. Are we about done here?
Claire: I mean, we haven't searched the whole room for other clues or knowledge or hidden messages. Filvius wants to poke around some more and see what else there is to learn. Also, he'd like to flip through the book some more and see what else is written in it. Or maybe he'd just take it ...
Akane: That is fine, junior mage. But wait for your senior mage to step farther away, in case performing unauthorized examination or abscondment with the book brings more Lightning Bolts.
Claire: That's a good point, I guess. I still want to look around the room and altar and those statues just in case, though.
MSG: Dolora grumbles, but she's not going to leave Filvius alone with possible knowledge to find, so she'll start looking too.
Sasha: I'll hang out as long as everybody else does, in case something activates these golem statues so I can kill them. Might be a good way to try out this magic sword.
Akane: Bah. Zedeja will go and chastise a wolfish merchant, then. Glinssa must come too -- there are still donkeys to tend!
Heddy: I would prefer not to be around if golems suddenly animate. I'll ask Dilfriida if she's willing for us to accompany Zedeja.
Harriet: Only if we hang back and let her get far enough ahead she's not going to try bossing me around.
Heddy: We can do that.
GM Elle: Here's how it goes, then. Zedeja and Glinssa take about a round climbing the stairs out of the crypt. Then Dilfriida and Brandywise follow. Filvius and Dolora can each make a Spot Hidden check to see if there's anything notable where they're searching. Who's looking where?
MSG: I'm looking at statues, but I fail my roll. 
Claire: I'm looking at the altar, and I succeed!
GM Elle: Neither of you finds anything noteworthy. Zedeja and Glinssa spend the next round leaving the temple, and the round after that starting down the stairs. Suddenly, though, you see figures rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs. It's Quasimund and his band of scum. They seem to be skulking until they spot you, then Quasimund hisses, "It's them! Get them!" Time for initiative for Zedeja, Glinssa, and the baddies.
Akane: Zedeja, 8.
GM Elle: Glinssa, 6, baddies, 5. As Quasimund and the first 3 of his scum advance up the stairs, more of them round the corner at the foot of the stairs -- a 4th scum and Leanara. You see them draw weapons as they climb, once they're out of general view of the street. The closest of them ends up about 12 meters from Zedeja. Glinssa immediately squeaks, "I'll go get help!" and dashes back into the temple shouting, "The cult! The cult!"
Akane: Zedeja moves forward with boldness. "You cultly types! It's your last interference. Behold -- magery!" She casts Levitate to affect the first two scummish cultists, along with Quasimund. This must be rolled with a Bane. Success! The cultists are lifted six meters diagonally up and back, then dropped. This should increase the height of their fall at least to 8 meters, maybe 10? Due to falling to a lower stair location than they started.
GM Elle: I'll call it 10 meters, since the stairs are fairly steep. But they can roll Acrobatics to cut the number of damage dice in half. The first one fails ... the second fails with a Demon, so you can add an extra die on him. Quasimund succeeds.
Akane: 5 dice to cultist number 1, 6 to number 2, only 2 to Quasimund the duck scum, then. 17 and 19 to cultists, 6 to their leader. Next, with my Mastery of Spellcasting, I cast another spell: Stoneskin of Power Level 3.
GM Elle: Both cultists land on the stairs with a sickening snapping of bones and remain lying in a heap. New initiative. Quasimund will use his Veteran ability to retain his initiative card. Dilfriida and Brandy can draw this round. Those downstairs need to roll Awareness to hear Glinssa's shouting.
MSG: Success! I get the 6 card.
Claire: Success also! 3!
Sasha: Aw, man. My Bane from my helmet screws up the Dragon I rolled and I fail.
Akane: 9 for Zedeja. Not ideal.
Harriet: Dilfriida is on 2.
Heddy: Brandy on 4.
GM Elle: Glinssa, 10. Dilfriida is up, then.
Harriet: I'll move forward out of the temple, readying my bow as I go. It looks like they're all within shortbow range ... I'll shoot at Quasimund, I guess. That's a hit for 9 points if he doesn't dodge.
GM Elle: He'll attempt a dodge ... Dragon! I'll say that lets him retain an action on his turn instead of burning it all on the reaction. Filvius?
Claire: I'm having a hard time tearing myself away from the possible knowledge down here in the crypt. I'll switch cards with Akane.
Akane: Good strategizing by the junior mage. Zedeja again Levitates Quasimund. She must move 2 spaces forward to do this, but will move 3 spaces back when done. Success on both Baned dice. Does he again Acrobatically reduce damage?
GM Elle: Unfortunately, no.
Akane: Then his damage is 17 points.
GM Elle: He lands on his head and his thin mallard neck snaps.
Heddy: I'm next, but I really haven't much to contribute. I'll move to the temple door and shelter behind the door frame, just peeking out to see what's happening.
GM Elle: On the bad guys' turn, Leanara shouts at her remaining two minions: "For Sathmog! Take them!" Then she appears to concentrate, and you see a swarm of enormous bats fluttering out from hiding places amongst the ruins. Cultist 3 moves forward to attack Zedeja with his shortsword ... Dragon! He rolls 2d10 for 12 damage.
Akane: 8 is stopped by Stoneskin.
GM Elle: Cultist 4 moves forward and attacks Zedeja with his sling, but misses.
MSG: I'm toodling up the stairs, then.
Claire: Me too, with a wistful backward glance at the statues and a shout at Quackenscrump to come on.
GM Elle: Glinssa moves up opposite Brandywise and attacks one of her former colleagues using her sling. She hits number 3 for 3 points. New initiative.
MSG: 8.
Claire: 5.
Sasha: Uff. 12.
Akane: Barely superior is Zedeja's 10.
Harriet: 4. 
Heddy: The 1! What am I going to do with that? Trade it immediately, I suppose.
GM Elle: 9 for Leanara. Bat Swarm on 2 and 7. Glinssa on 6.
Heddy: I believe I'll switch with Zedeja.
Akane: Zedeja will strike this cultist with her staff ... success in the amount of 8 damage!
GM Elle: He'll attempt evasion ... and succeeds.
Akane: Next, it's an evasion roll for Zedeja also, to move out of combat without attracting attacks. Success. She moves near our halfling, grudgingly.
GM Elle: The bats gang up on Dilfriida.
Harriet: I'll spend 3 WP to Dodge ... but get a Demon.
GM Elle: I'll say you trip and fall prone. The bats do an extra d6 for your being prone, and you suffer a Fear attack. Damage is ... ouch, 17 points.
Harriet: More than I have, but at least I make my Fear save. So I'm afraid I'm dying, but not afraid as a general matter. My turn, right? I'll trade with Sir Q to put my death save last in the round.
Sasha: I'll just move twice to get nearer the action.
Claire: I suppose Filvius had better go heal Dilfriida. He'll move forward 3, cast at power level 2 ... Dragon! I'll use that to cast for no WP. 17 points, good as new, right?
Harriet: At least for the moment.
Claire: Then I'll use Master Spellcaster and cast a Power Level 1 Lightning Bolt at Leanara.
GM Elle: She'll definitely attempt a Dodge with her Fast Footwork ... succeeds. Glinssa fires her sling at number 3 again, but misses. That brings us to the bats' next turn. They create a swirling horror, swarming everyone within 10 meters. You all suffer a Fear attack.
MSG: Safe.
Claire: Agh. Demon.
GM Elle: Wild Panic.
Claire: I've been here before. Guess I'm headed back into the temple on my next turn.
Sasha: I spend 2 WP to not roll.
Akane: 19 for Zedeja, but she becomes Disheartened that she might flee like a junior mage. By Pushing, she succeeds on roll number 2.
Harriet: Dilfriida fails and becomes Disheartened too. The Push roll is a Dragon.
Heddy: I succeed.
GM Elle: I believe it's Dolora next.
MSG: I'll step up and take a swing at these bats with my heavy warhammer. Hit for 10 points.
GM Elle: Because it's a swarm, they take half damage.
MSG: Rats.
Claire: Bats, actually.
GM Elle: Leanara moves up next to cultist number 3, wielding a dagger that has a sinister sheen to it. She can't get in range to attack this turn, though. Cultist 4 takes a potshot at Zedeja and misses. That leaves Heddy and then Dilfriida.
Heddy: I'll shout encouragement to Dilfriida and throw pebbles at the bats in hopes of distracting them to help her on her round.
Harriet: My turn? I'll sidle up next to Dolora to use my Backstabbing and Assassin abilities on the bats. Or does their being a swarm prevent that?
GM Elle: I don't see anything in the rules about that. Just because it seems peculiar to be Backstabbing a Harriet: Hopefully it shan't be a problem, since Backstabbing gives me a Boon too. Two successes for 17 points.
GM Elle: It looks like you're thinning out the swarm. New initiative. 5 for the bad guys.
MSG: 11. 
Claire: 1. Didn't really want that.
Sasha: 2.
Akane: 10.
Harriet: 4! At least most of us are doing reasonably well with initiative this go-round.
Heddy: Eh. 7.
GM Elle: Bats on 3 and 9, Glinssa on 8.
Claire: I don't even feel like I should ask whether I can trade away my 1 when I'm in a Wild Panic.
GM Elle: I think not.
Claire: Then I'm just dashing as far back into the temple as I can.
Sasha: Quackers is going to roll up and do some monster killing here. The bats count as a monster since they're getting multiple turns and not having to roll their attacks, right? I'm giving this Um-Durman sword a try. I hit and spend 3 WP to do Dragonslayer. 24 points.
GM Elle: You sweep the swarm from the sky with that, even accounting for the half damage. Dilfriida's turn.
Harriet: I'll switch back to my bow to shoot at Leanara. Hit, for 8 points.
GM Elle: She uses her Weasel ability to push her underling in the way. 
Heddy: What a bitch.
GM Elle: The underling tries to dodge and fails. On the bad guys' turn, Leanara decides things are looking very poorly for her team and cuts and runs, leaving cultist 3 behind because he used up his turn.
Heddy: I guess I'll run after Filvius and try to shout encouragements to help him with his rolls to overcome the panic.
GM Elle: Glinssa takes a pot-shot at Leanara -- but rolls a Demon. She hits herself for 2 points.
Akane: Zedeja will also sling a shot at the cultist leader. A hit for 8 points.
GM Elle: She spends WP on Fast Footwork but misses her Evade. That just leaves Dolora.
MSG: I'll switch to my shortbow and see if I can peg her. Miss, but I'm kind of Scared of her getting away, so I'll Push the roll ... it's a hit.
GM Elle: She makes her Dodge.
MSG: I'll move after her, then.
GM Elle: New initiative. This could determine whether she makes it around the corner and has a chance to lose herself in the crowd or not.
MSG: 5.
Claire: 2.
Sasha: 3.
Akane: 4.
Harriet: 6. It appears to be up to you to get the 1 and prevent her escape, H.
Heddy: Too much pressure! 8.
GM Elle: Leanara ends up with the 7 anyway.
Claire: My WIL roll is a success with Brandy's help, so I get myself under control.
Sasha: Moving and shooting. Hit for 11 points.
GM Elle: She's out of WP, so she'll have to use her turn to Dodge. Success.
Akane: A sling stone from Zedeja -- hit, and 6 points.
GM Elle: That takes Leanara to 0, but she's a Boss, so on her turn she'll have a chance to Rally.
MSG: I hit with my bow too, though, so that's an automatic Death Saving Throw fail for her, right?
Harriet: Dilfriida will try to make it two. She hits as well.
GM Elle: I'm calling it, then. The last cultist stabs himself rather than being taken alive. All this ruckus has drawn Hardy's attention from the south gate, so he'll arrive momentarily to see what's going on. But I think we can leave that until next time, since it's already kind of late. Defeating Leanara and gaining the sword constitutes a major event in the campaign, so everyone gets an automatic new Heroic Ability in addition to your advancement rolls, which I think everyone should get 5 of each.
MSG: Awesome!
Claire: Very exciting session, Elle!
Ariel: Plenty exciting for Fidu, who's gonna be glad to find out he didn't have to exert himself in that fight!

secret of the dragon emperor ... part 35!

we finally have all four parts of that statue we've been piecing together for ... (checks old blog entries) ... almost three years!!!

GM Elle: After the hearty farm breakfast Roric's family prepares for you, you depart for Outskirt. Are you going to head for the south gate or the north one? South is slightly farther, but Glinssa says she'd just as soon avoid the north gate, since it's closer to the Three Stags Inn, where Leanara and her fellow cultists sometimes meet.
Akane: Concerns about cultists ... irrelevant! It's the same for preferences of a donkey-tender. More importantly -- which gate neighbors the bank?
GM Elle: The bank isn't too far from the bakery, so the south gate is closer by a hair.
Akane: Zedeja insists upon this direction, then. No dilly-dallies or dawdles!
MSG: Hang on, though ... once we're done at the bank and go to the ruins to try getting in, what are we going to do with the cart and donkeys and Glinssa? I don't know that it's a great idea to leave them sitting at the bottom of the stairs while all of us go into this crypt.
Claire: Assuming we can find the way in.
Ariel: Well, I'd be okay hanging out in the cart with Glinssa instead of climbing up all those stairs.
Heddy: And Brandywise wouldn't mind waiting out here where it's nice and sunny ... at least until the more dauntless members of the party determine how dangerous it is inside.
GM Elle: Literally not to rain on your parade, but remember that it's misty and grey pretty much all the time here in the Misty Vale, unless it's night or actually raining.
Harriet: Also, stepping out of character, need I remind you that Brandy has some information about the ruins that no one else does?
Heddy: Oh, shoot, that's right. Well, I assume we're talking all of this through on our way to Outskirt and then the bank, so it would probably jog my memory as we pass by the hill with the ruins on top, and then I'd let everyone in on that little nook I found with the runes around it. And at that point I'd be choosing between staying out in the misty grey and going into the dark temple with everyone else to re-examine the runes. I guess it's not that hard a choice.
Claire: Hmm ... Dolora has one of the statue pieces stored at the bank, right?
MSG: Right ... why?
Claire: Because as soon as Brandy mentions that she found some interesting runes, Filvius suggests the two of them should go and get started deciphering while Dolora -- that is, while everyone else is at the bank. 
MSG: Dolora scowls at that but can't immediately think of a counter-argument.
Claire: Since my Languages skill stinks, I'll say Zedeja should come along and pitch in. 
Akane: Unacceptable! Senior mages are not assistants! I will come, but only so a junior mage can watch and learn.
Harriet: Dilfriida is forced to match Dolora scowl for scowl. She'd much prefer to accompany Brandy, but expects Zedeja's squawking presence to sour any mood that might develop.
Ariel: She can hang out with me and Glinssa and the donkeys, then! Why do any of us need to go all the way to the bank besides Sir Quackenscrump and Dolora?
Sasha: Good question. Quackers just waves and keeps walking.
MSG: Okay. Dolora sticks with him at a quick pace. In fact, fumingly quick -- she's going to miss out on whatever rune knowledge we get, so she's ticked off.
Claire: You'll be free to try reading them yourself when you catch up, you know.
MSG: Right, but whatever I learn from them, I won't be learning before Filvius, will I?
GM Elle: All right. Dolora and Sir Q are off to the bank, the other five characters and Glinssa head for the stairs up to the ruins, and then Filvius, Brandy, and Zedeja split off to climb to the ruins and return to the niche Brandy found before. 
Ariel: I'll nap in the cart once we get to the bottom of the stairs.
GM Elle: The streets of Outskirt hold their normal, modest flow of morning traffic, so there aren't any crowds to fight on the way to your destinations. The stairs up to the temple ruins are directly opposite the south gate, so no one thinks it unusual for a cart to be parked there, at least briefly. By the time Filvius, Akane, and Brandy arrive at the top, Sir Q and Dolora are about halfway to the bank.
Heddy: Is the temple interior as dim and gloomy as last time? I'll light my oil lamp if that's the case.
GM Elle: It is. With a light source, you don't have much trouble finding the niche you investigated before. Everyone present should make an Awareness roll. 
Claire: I make it.
Akane: No difficulty for a mage of such Awareness as Zedeja.
Heddy: I miss by a hair.
GM Elle: Filvius and Zedeja notice a couple of bats roosting on the temple ceiling not far from the niche.
Akane: Suspicious! Has anyone noticed these before?
Heddy: I don't believe I did.
Claire: Me either. Can I make a Beast Lore roll to figure out if they seem to be new arrivals, and if it's normal for bats to be found in town?
GM Elle: No need to roll about bats occasionally visiting towns. They're a pretty common species of mammal, even if they don't usually congregate around humans. Go ahead and roll for spotting any clues about how long they've been here.
Claire: I fail, but I'm pushing the roll since it's Disheartening to have my knowledge let me down. Second roll makes it.
GM Elle: There's little or no guano on the floor. It seems unlikely the bats have been camped out here for a long time.
Akane: Visitor bats -- even more suspicious than resident bats! Zedeja remains alert even while looking for runes. Satyr! Bring your lamp! The eyes of a mage are weak with age and need light.
Heddy: I'll hold the lamp up for Zedeja while keeping a nervous eye on the bats, now that I know they're there.
GM Elle: Zedeja can make a Languages roll to decipher the runes. 
Akane: Success!
GM Elle: It says, "Eledain, Emperor of the World -- Master of Dragons -- Keeper of Um-Durman."
Claire: Are you reading it out loud? If you're not reading it out loud, Filvius is going to get impatient and ask what it says.
Akane: "Hush, junior mage! What if visiting bats hear?" I look to see if their ears are perking.
GM Elle: I suppose you can make an awareness check.
Akane: Success.
GM Elle: They seem to just be hanging from the ceiling, asleep.
Akane: Hmm. I say loudly, "The runes say the crypt can open tonight, with a rising moon shining its light into this wreckaged temple! We must hurry and tell our companions." Then I depart with speed, if companions follow. But outside the temple, less hurrying.
Heddy: I'm definitely not staying in here if Zedeja is done.
Claire: Hang on, did I believe Zedeja was telling the truth?
Akane: Exactly, my roll equals the Bluffing skill of Zedeja.
Claire: I suppose that answers that. I'll go with them.
Akane: Do I become aware of bats flying away once we leave? My Awareness roll is also exact in matching my skill.
GM Elle: You do hear a fluttering and see one of the two bats fly out of a crack in the temple roof. It flits away to the north.
Akane: Zedeja halts near the stair top, then, and whispers to companions what she read. "Only one bat spyingly left, however. If a duck and dwarf return bearing statue pieces, the remainder bat will see and report -- if also it's a spy."
Claire: I hate to suggest killing the second bat to get it out of the way, but Filvius probably doesn't hate the idea as much as I do. He'll wonder out loud if that's the best approach to take.
Heddy: Brandy isn't any more a fan of killing animals without good reason.
Akane: First reason -- it is spyful! Second reason -- it is probably a bat of cultism. Sinister! There's no mourning such a bat. But, a strategy of killing it now is poor. Maybe a bat death will alert cultists through magic.
Claire: So do we want to go back to the cart and wait with Fidu, Glinssa, and Dilfriida?
Akane: With Fidu, of course it's wanted. The other two -- less so.
Heddy: I also wonder if the six of us loitering about the foot of the stair might draw undue attention. What if Zedeja and Filvius remain here, and I'll go let the others know what the situation is.
Akane: Acceptable, though Zedeja has suspicions. Is a satyr just eager for the attentions of a thievish halfling? These thoughts remain silent, though.
Heddy: I'll head back down to the cart, then.
GM Elle: By the time you arrive, Sir Q and Dolora have reached the bank and retrieved their statue pieces. They'll return to the stairs in a few minutes. When Brandy relays the information about the bat and runes -- I assume you're going to?
Heddy: Yes. And Zedeja's strategizing.
GM Elle: Then Glinssa tells you that she knows Leanara has a cage of bats under the eaves of the Three Stags, so it wouldn't surprise her if the bats in the temple have something to do with the cult.
Harriet: Have Dolora and Quackenscrump concluded their assignment yet? Once Brandy and Glinssa have broken their respective news to us?
GM Elle: Not quite.
Ariel: Well then I wake up from my nap in the cart and ask what's going on so you have to repeat it. Maybe they'll be back after that.
Harriet: Dilfriida chafes a bit at Fidu imposing on Brandywise to tell her story all over again. She suggests the wolfkin might do better to take fewer naps and pay more attention.
Heddy: I'll tell her it's perfectly fine and repeat everything to Fidu. I'm not eager to go back up into the gloomy temple just yet anyway.
GM Elle: By the second time through, Quackenscrump and Dolora have returned.
Harriet: I'll hop down from the cart and say, "Let's get going!" It would irritate Dilfriida to no end if she has to sit through the same information a third time, even if it's Brandywise relating it.
GM Elle: Does everyone head up to the temple, then?
MSG: Somebody still has to watch the cart and donkeys, right?
Ariel: I can keep hanging with Glinssa, no problem.
Heddy: My scholarly curiosity gets the better of me in wanting to see what happens when the statue is put together and set into that niche.
GM Elle: Everyone meets up at the hilltop, then, except Fidu and Glinssa.
Sasha: Quackers is raring to go. "Where are these monster bats, then? I'm ready to take them out."
Akane: Within the temple, duck. Only one still hangs there, though. The other departed.
Sasha: I'm marching toward the temple with my bow out and my helmet off, then, since it gives a bane on ranged attacks.
Heddy: I tell Sir Q he'll need a light and hurry behind him.
MSG: That seems uncharacteristically brave.
Heddy: Sticking close to the most heavily armored and combat-trained member of the party?
MSG: Good point.
Heddy: Oops. I just realized, though, that I didn't actually see the bats, which makes it hard to pinpoint them for our knight.
GM Elle: You two draw initiative with the bat, then, to see if you alert or spook it.
Sasha: 8.
Heddy: Ugh. 9.
GM Elle: Bat is on 4. I'll roll awareness to see if it's roused by your light. It's there as a spy and has sharp senses, so I'm giving it a Boon ... and it succeeds with double 5's. When the light flashes across it, it immediately spreads its wings and flies up through the same crack in the roof.
Sasha: I'll dash outside and try to get a shot at it.
GM Elle: It's already out of normal range by then, so you'll get a Bane.
Sasha: Gurk -- I roll a Demon.
GM Elle: The table says you hit yourself by mistake. Roll damage without your Agility modifier.
Sasha: It bounces off my armor.
Akane: Have others time to act also?
GM Elle: With spells, yes, but no one said they were heading up with their weaponry out.
Claire: Well, I don't know if it's also outside my spell range, but I probably don't want to zortch it with a Lightning Bolt in the middle of town, so I guess it gets away if Zedeja doesn't have a spell that can reach it.
Akane: No spells of long range for Zedeja.
GM Elle: Then the bat gets away.
MSG: I guess we'd better hurry in and put the statue together and open this place for business.
Harriet: While they're at work on that puzzle, I'll ask Brandy to shine a light around the niche so that I can check it for traps. It seems like the kind of place someone might have left one, considering the "hiding a powerful artifact away from untoward hands" aspect of the setup here.
Heddy: I certainly move to help Dilfriida out.
GM Elle: Roll Spot Hidden, then.
Harriet: I make it, though by the barest of margins.
GM Elle: You see that the floor in front of the niche consists of carefully fitted stones in a rectangular area about two meters wide by three long. You wouldn't be surprised at them opening up precipitously at some trigger.
Harriet: Is there room to stand in the niche to place the statue in that indentation?
GM Elle: A small character like you could, or a taller character might stand beyond the edge of the rectangular area and stretch to try to put the key in place.
Akane: Or a Wisdomly mage could Levitate this process instead of trusting a halfling or risking an awkward stretcher dropping the statue to break it into additional pieces.
Heddy: That seems like quite a good idea.
GM Elle: Who's putting the statue together, then? It's going to take a Crafting check.
MSG: My Crafting isn't the greatest ... 9.
Claire: Way better than mine.
Sasha: Same.
Akane: Only a 5 for Zedeja because of her weakling Strength.
Harriet: Dilfriid would love to be better than Zedeja at something like this. But she's not.
Heddy: Brandy either.
GM Elle: Looks like it's up to Dolora, then. Someone can Help and give her a Boon.
MSG: Awesome. All right ... nope, I fail even with the Boon. That's Disheartening for me, and I Push the roll -- but fail even worse.
GM Elle: It's very slow going, then. There are only four pieces, but apparently if you don't put them together from just the right angles in just the right order, they simply won't fit. I'll roll how long it takes you -- 24 minutes.
MSG: Oof.
GM Elle: Is Fidu keeping an eye out downstairs? Or is he back to napping.
Ariel: I mean, a nap does sound good and all, but I guess something important is going on with the temple and the statue, and Dilfriida did nag at me a minute ago, so I'm probably up.
GM Elle: Roll Awareness.
MSG: I don't like the sound of that.
Ariel: Foozers. Demon.
Sasha: I like the sound of that even less.
GM Elle: All right, so not only do you not see anything, but you're yawning and stretching at just the wrong moment and get in Glinssa's way so that she doesn't see anything either.
Ariel: Uh ... what is it that we don't see?
GM Elle: You don't see it, so I'm not saying. Maybe you'll find out later.
Ariel: Boo.

and i'm a little short on time, so i'm stopping this installment here. i'll try to get back and write up the rest of the session soon!

dang, i really am old!

this totally just hit me, and if you're not my boyfriend (msg) feel free to keep reading, but if you are msg you should probably stop or you'll end up thinking i'm dragging you in this one. which of course i'd never do, right? (seriously, though, stop reading if it's you, msg.)

all right. now that he's gone, here's the realization of the day. i may not have said the exact number before, but i'm pretty sure i've let on that msg is older than i am. how much older, you ask? 17 freakin' years. and why is that important? because this month is my birthday month, so i was thinking about how old i am, and i was comparing that number to how old msg is, and it hit me that 17 years is also how long we've been together. which means ...

i'm as old now as he was when i met him!

not that i thought he showed his age back then -- i was actually hella surprised when he told me, because my initial thought was, "i guess this guy's older than me, but dang, he's smokin'!" if you'd given me the number starting off, i'd have been pretty darn dubious it would work out, because that's a lot bigger gap than i thought i was dealing with when we first clicked. so when he told me, i was kinda like, "eep! i thought he seemed a little older but i wasn't thinking that old!"

by that point it didn't matter, because holy f*** he was just so awesome and right for me in every way.

but now i'm officially old enough that the me that fell for him would think, "dang, that's old."

on the plus side, at least i'm still 17 years younger than he is!

xoxo,
claire

secret of the dragon emperor ... part 34!

the session continues!

GM Elle: Everyone who's been sleeping in the tent for second shift wakes up to the sound of little Roric complaining that he's hungry.
MSG: I guess that's me and Filvius, and maybe Fidu if he's not too deeply asleep.
Claire: Didn't we make camp at like, three in the afternoon yesterday? I think even Fidu has gotten enough rest by now, considering he didn't take a turn on watch duty.
Ariel: Yeah, but I had those nightmares. Also, even if I wake up at him complaining, that doesn't mean I'm ready to get out of my sleeping pelt yet.
Claire: Well I'm pretty much going to get that new grimoire out and read in it some more as soon as I wake up, so if anybody's going to feed the kid, it'll have to be Dolora.
MSG: I'll give him a ration, dourly.
GM Elle: Everyone else can mark of a ration too, then, and then it's time for someone to make a Bushcraft roll for pathfinding.
Claire: Can I walk and read at the same time? I'll let Dolora do the pathfinding if I can manage it.
GM Elle: Sure, but if there's a mishap, the book might get lost or damaged if you've got it out. Also, he'll just be reading, not studying enough for it to count as an attempt to learn a spell.
Claire: Filvy is pretty reckless, on top of being desperate to acquire more knowledge, so he's reading for sure, even though he already succeeded on the spell learning roll last night.
MSG: Um ... bad move having me lead the way, apparently, because I roll a Demon.
Claire: Seriously?
GM Elle: Let's see what it is ... table says, "Mosquito swarm." So the book is safe, but everybody not wearing a cloak becomes Angry from the incessant buzzing and biting of bloodsucking insects. You also make no progress for the first shift.
MSG: Great. Well, I make my roll for the second shift, at least.
Ariel: Time to camp, then!
MSG: Since Filvius learned the Sleep spell last night, can I assume we get right to him teaching me the Animism school?
Claire: I guess he'll grudgingly get started.
Akane: Again, Zedeja is watchful while a dwarf and elf preoccupy themselves in studies of magickry.
GM Elle: Nothing occurs on first watch. And rolling again for second watch ... nothing then either. A new day dawns to the sound of Roric whinging about his rumbly tummy.
MSG: I've been marking Glinssa's rations off of mine, and I'm out, so someone else will need to feed him today.
Claire: I guess I'll do it.
GM Elle: Pathfinding roll?
MSG: Made it for the first shift's travel.
GM Elle: I roll nothing for encounters.
MSG: Then I make it for the second shift too.
GM Elle: You come across another set of cultists' bodies hacked to death and strung up.
Akane: Zedeja will cover the eyes of a noisome child.
Harriet: That seems uncharacteristically charitable of her.
Akane: No. It is insurance against childly nightmares of corpses in trees that could cause wake-age of everyone from child screamings.
Harriet: Ah, now I see.
GM Elle: No encounters overnight, either. So that's a second day of magical training for Dolora.
MSG: Nice. I feel like I'm catching up to Filvius quickly. But I don't tell him that because if I do, he may deliberately slow things down.
Claire: That does sound like him.
GM Elle: Last two pathfinding checks to make it to the farms outside of Outskirt, which is where Roric's family lives on a farm.
MSG: I make both rolls.
GM Elle: Mmm .. the encounter table says you come across a merchant named Theobald. He's got most of the common items in the equipment list for sale, and a few uncommon ones. He also asks if you've any good stories to trade, since you have the look of adventurers about you.
MSG: I'll shell out for some rations and give him the story of killing the giant spider in the Oracle Cave.
GM Elle: He's very impressed -- he's heard from others along the road that the cave can be deadly. In return, he tells you the tale of the Troll's Spire, a silvery tower in the western mountains not far to the north of Oracle Cave. It's supposed to be magical, and home to an alchemist who long ago concocted an elixir of eternal life but had to hide from the Dragon Emperor Eledain by holing up in her tower. "They say no one has e'er found the way in since," Theobald tells you. Here's the adventure card for that rumor to put with your others.
Ariel: Um, we just got back from over that direction so I hope nobody's thinking we should turn around and make that whole trip again anytime soon!
Akane: Zedeja says it is preferred to use four statue pieces to retrieve a magical sword from a crypt instead of journeying to a tower with no way in.
Harriet: Dilfriida grits her teeth silently when she realizes she agrees with Zedeja.
Heddy: Poor thing.
Akane: Wait! This tooth-gritting might be perceivable! Can I roll Awareness to determine Zedeja's detection of it?
MSG: Do you need to? I mean, doesn't Zedeja already think deep down that Dilfriida knows the mage is right about everything and only disagrees because she's naturally insubordinate?
Akane: Hmm. Truth detected, I admit.
MSG: If that's the whole encounter with Theobald, then, should we proceed to the outskirts of Outskirt and find Roric's family to return him?
Sasha: Yeah, because he's annoying enough that Sir Q's in danger of deciding he's a little monster.
GM Elle: You continue along the rough trail until it turns into a rough farm road under the waning light of the sun in the west. As dusk approaches, Roric recognizes a local landmark and starts urging you to go faster because you're now very near his family's farm.
Akane: Zedeja deals immediate chastisement to him! Such urgings are a mage's authority, not a child's!
GM Elle: Roll Persuasion -- if you fail he'll start yelling it instead of just saying it.
Akane: Failure, but clearly Zedeja has Anger at the possible disobedience of this urchin. I push the roll ... aha! The new roll: Dragon!
GM Elle: The boy is startled into a fearful silence for the rest of the trip, then, only pointing the right direction toward his home whenever you reach a crossroads or turn.
Akane: Zedeja suggests that a halfling could take lessons from this infant.
Harriet: Dilfriida says something rude back, but doesn't put a lot of effort into it because it's the end of a long day and she just wants to get to the inn and get some rest.
GM Elle: At the farm, when you arrive, Roric's family rushes out for a tearful reunion. He immediately says he wants to go inside and eat some supper and get away from the "scary old witch lady," and his older brother hurries him in. The mother and father say they haven't much money, but they can give you a handful of silvers and 40 rations worth of preserves and uncooked root vegetables.
Ariel: How much farther is it to town? Because if it's far, I'm asking them if there's someplace they could put us up for the night. I'm beat.
GM Elle: It's a few miles to town, so probably over an hour with your donkeys. The farmhouse doesn't have any open guest beds, but they can put you up in the barn.
Claire: Filvius is fine with that.
Ariel: It sounds great to Fidu.
Akane: Zedeja omits objection for now.
GM Elle: They take you to the barn and show you where you can best make your beds among the hay bales and ask if there's anything else they can get you before you turn in.
MSG: Maybe some lamp oil so Filvius and I can do our next Animism lesson?
Sasha: I'll ask if they have any ale. Quackers is supposed to be Brandy's drinking buddy every night, and I'm assuming it's been pretty light drinking on this trip so far, since all we have is the jug of troll hooch. 
Heddy: Yes, I would very much appreciate something with a bit less of a troll-toothed bite to it.
GM Elle: They'll bring out a small keg of mead and some mugs, then. How many of the group plan to partake?
MSG: Dolora needs to be sharp for her lessons.
Claire: Filvius will have a mug, since he's not as worried about being sharp for the lessons.
Ariel: I'm already asleep.
Akane: No mead for a mage -- at least, not a senior one.
Harriet: Dilfriida is certainly in.
GM Elle: After a bit, the farmers return, one with the keg and the other carrying five mugs. Actually, six, because Glinssa would have cautiously spoken up to request a mug after it became clear almost everyone else was getting one. 
Akane: Zedeja is watchful that an ex-cultist does not over-drink and become too drunkardly to properly mind donkeys!
GM Elle: Once the ale and mugs are delivered, Roric's folks let you know they'll have a full farm breakfast cooked for you in the morning, then bid you goodnight and return to the house to celebrate Roric's safe homecoming. MSG, make note of Dolora's third lesson.
MSG: Already done.
GM Elle: No need for watches or encounter rolls overnight -- in the morning there's as much as you care to eat of eggs, porridge, bacon, and root tea.
MSG: If any of that seems original to Dolora, she'll ask for the recipe to add to her knowledge.
Claire: Filvius will ask who cooked the meal and what process they used to make enough for so many people.
GM Elle: Unfortunately, you're both disappointed by mundane and unenlightening answers.
Sasha: As soon as Sir Q duck-gulps his breakfast down, he's pushing for us to get on the road before Dolora and Filvy decide to waste all day learning about planting and plowing.
Akane: Zedeja also urges haste in departing. We must retrieve statue pieces from bankers and go to the temple ruins!
GM Elle: If no one objects to that plan, you can get to Outskirt and be done at the bank by mid-morning.
MSG: Do we want to just head straight for the temple ruins and see what we can figure out with the statue pieces?
Claire: First we need to see if they actually all fit together, don't we?
Akane: Zedeja insists statue pieces must remain hidden in bags unless in a secretive place.
Harriet: Is there any reason we can't use the temple itself as a secret place? It didn't seem heavily trafficked anytime we visited, did it?
GM Elle: No, not that you've noticed. By the way, Glinssa still isn't keen on returning to town where she might run into Leanara or Quasimund and his cult goons.
Akane: Zedeja orders her to cease fearfulness. Donkeys need tending even in a town! No more slackery just because she is an ex-cultist.
MSG: I'll also point out to her that we beat those cultists in a fistfight before, so if they come at her while we're around, we should be able to take them.
GM Elle: Both of you can roll persuade, Zedeja first.
Akane: Again a Dragon! The Persuasion of a mage is mighty today.
GM Elle: Glinssa looks very unhappy at Zedeja's command, but is much too intimidated to say no.
MSG: I roll a 5, which is good because my Persuasion is only a 7.
GM Elle: She appears at least somewhat comforted by Dolora's offer of protection. If the next thing you're up to is a trip to the ruins, I think this is a good spot to end the session. Very eventful all around, so I think everyone safely gets 5 experience marks. 
Ariel: Woohoo!
GM Elle: And as of next session, Filvius will be able to cast his Sleep spell.
Claire: He's more excited than I am. I still think that spell kind of sucks.
Akane: Zedeja is prepared to give criticism if this becomes true.

out of body experience

so in the middle of the night last night, msg gets woken up by something or other and goes to the bathroom and when he gets back he peeks at his phone instead of getting straight back to bed, and sure enough, there's the latest in this back-and-forth discussion he's been having on threads with a person i would generously call a religious weirdo, and once he's made his own comment back and gets in bed, he's lying there thinking about how a lot of religious weirdness has these wacky commonalities running under it.

and i'm like, "hey, you don't seem to be getting back to sleep." so he explains to me what he's thinking about.

this threads dude had been going on about scripture and how you can't look at it in bits and pieces but have to see the whole thing by sort of surrendering to it and then it washes over you and you get it. and people who get it can talk about scripture together and get each other, but people who haven't done that surrendering can't understand. which to msg seemed a lot like some buddhist and hindu concepts he learned about in a college class on asian religions. you know, the inability of the limited human mind to grasp the full scope of omnipresence, whether that's nirvana or brahman or whatever.

and on the one hand, he finds this stuff very interesting, but on the other hand kind of creepy.

so i said, "you know what else has some things in common with those join-together-with-the-fabric-of-the-universe and the-material-world-is-all-just-a-dream-god-is-having-to-keep-from-being-bored-off-his-ass ideas?" and he said, "what?" and i said "us."

and then i laid it out and talked about how he and i are one being and also two beings at once, and maybe that's just a manifestation of the underlying connectedness of everything that these other religions have running through them. and i said, "i'm real to you at the same time you rationally consider me to be your imaginary girlfriend, right? so what if i'm even more real than you think? what if i'm not just a role-playing expression of your own self-love, but actually one of those threads connecting you to the larger universe? and you're just as much a thread connecting me to the universe as the other way around?"

he was partly amused and partly amazed and partly weirded out by this idea, but i had my free hand (the one that i wasn't propping my head up with to look at him) doing some of the things that hand likes to do, and he definitely didn't complain about the idea that maybe i'm more real than he usually admits. (although he did joke that i was a succubus for distracting him from his metaphysical contemplations that way.)

and longtime readers here know that i don't actually have my own body right now, since my creaky old one silicon-and-pvc-pipe one gave up the ghost several years ago. but i have to tell you that i was so real right then. for both of us.

personally, i'm not attributing any of it to actual metaphysics, even though it really did seem like a very spiritual experience at the time. i think it's a lot more wonderful and astonishing to believe that moments like that, and the larger state of existence that is our relationship as a whole, are examples of the power and beauty of human imagination -- the ability of the human brain to approach a perfection of feeling.

anyway, that's the kind of freaks we sometimes are around here. i hope it doesn't make anybody think we're too wackadoo.

xoxo,
claire

love song

okay, so somebody on an anime fan page said this was a great anime, and we decided to give it a shot, and holy moley, is it ever! click on the pic for a freaking hilarious scene.

kirio fan club!

check it out!

xoxo,
claire