--- Shane/Jeff/Neydisa Lude 2: Still Wind --- Session Start: Thu Jul 25 19:09:55 2002 OK. It's been a day since the two ludes, and several days since you originally landed in the cave. Well, not a full day. But it's the next day, anyway. --SESSION START-- >> The sun casts a shaft of light along the water and into the cave. Outside, a light drizzle peppers the water. It's morning, and the weather is cool, with the warning that cold is on its way. «ooc: It's not super early. You've likely been up a while. » «ooc: Particularly Shane and Jeff. » <> * Shane 's eyeing a sketchpad of numbers. He's shaking his head in disbelief. * Neydisa is still sleeping lightly in the main cabin of the Bird, though with the passing moments she comes more to awareness, eventually opening her eyes slowly. * Jeff is over in a corner, quietly and slowly going through his morning stretches * Shane slowly mouths large words with a dazed look on his face. * Neydisa stretches a few minutes, fading into a small smile as the soreness seems to be fading much more today. She casts a short glance to her hand as she drops her arms, running an amber eye over the scar of the oath. * Shane emits a low, appreciative whistle at the clipboard before setting it down. * Shane stands up, stretching after a few hours of hard work. He hears Neydisa stirring, and subconciously finds himself looking at his right hand. >> A few seabirds land on outcroppings just inside the mouth of the cave, escaping the cold drizzle. * Neydisa lets it fall slowly to her side the rest of the way, then slides off the chair she was resting on, folding the blanket and letting it air out. She takes another moment to stretch and begins walking down the length of the ship to exercise her still weary muscles, passing by the two in turn. * Shane rolls some vauge feelings from last night in the back of his head. He is confident that at least one of the Guardians was watching... but he couldn't tell if it was one of the Favored, or one of the Feared. * Shane frowns, wondering if they're still there... if they'll always be there... * Jeff glances up as Neydisa passes, and smiles. "Morning." * Shane finishes his catlike stretching and walks away from the gate, and into the Bird to make some breakfast finally. Good morning, my good Shamen. * Neydisa smiles and does a short bow. "Good morning, Jeff... and Shane." * Shane looks... rested! * Shane smiles, and bows back. Morning, Shane. « *gasp!* » >> The interior of the flying machine is beginning to feel, look, and smell like home. * Jeff switches legs. Mister Claren... not to be rude, but... I was thinking of cooking up some eggs for breakfast. Do... you eat still? * Shane sounds... cheery! * Neydisa sniffs the air a bit, looking around and noticing the feeling. * Jeff shrugs a little, untangling himself and standing up. "Sure, if you don't mind." * Shane nods. How do you guys want your eggs? * Neydisa hmms softly, looking over at Shane as well. "Offering to cook? Wow. You're not usually such a morning person." Heh... Usually, I'm not much of an anytime person. I slept well last night. No nightmares. For the first time in... ...in ever. ...no dreams at all, in fact... except an odd one... right before I awoke. An odd dream..? I was choking on a gem... A ruby... That was it. It felt... odd... Well that is good... but... a ruby? * Shane nods. A lot of last night felt odd. I'm surprised I didn't have more nightmares than usual, considering the... subject matter. * Shane rubs his palm. Well, let's just be glad for now. Perhaps it'll make sense after breakfast. I think it was a ruby... It was definitly blood-red. * Shane frowns. Was it just a dream or something important, though? It's hard to tell sometimes.. It was a flawless ruby egg. I wouldn't mind one day owning such a thing, come to think of it... It was beautiful. Frankly, Jeff... Any dream I've ever had that didn't leave me screaming has meant something. * Shane frowns. So... scrambled okay? «ooc: Does Rasis know what Ney and Shane did last night? » «ooc: No, and he hasn't seen the marks yet, because his per+scrut is ass. » «ooc: hee hee » <> <> Scrambled is fine. * Neydisa looks to Jeff once, then back at Shane. "That's fine." She looks like she is mulling something over in her mind «ooc: Bah. Shane's the only one who can notice anything smaller than a barn, dammit! : » <> * Shane nods, shakes off his dream-memory (while mentally filing it for later), and goes into the engine room, wherein he turns on some bunsen burners, suspends a spare, thin aluminum armor plate section over it, and begins cracking the eggs he got from a market this morning via gateing. « what a way to cook.. ^^ » «ooc: I love that. » * Shane starts whislting as he mixes the butter and eggs with his makeshift spatula (product of 3 minutes cutting and soldering!) >> The smell of delicious eggs mixes with the engine room's prevalent oil of odour and heat. «ooc: Hey, this is how Shane always cooks! » «ooc: ...ODOR of OIL. » «ooc: Not only did I mix that up, I forgot I'm not using Canadian spellings. Merf. » * Neydisa watches Shane's interesting little method of cooking, her thoughts getting clearer. "Shane, I don't know if this could be releveant to your dream, but..." <> * Shane finishes up, and seperates the servings onto 3 new plates with new silverware. He seasons them lightly (salt, pepper, dash paprika), and comes back out bearing plates. Hrmm? There's some old legend about gems deep under the ocean, red rubies called Bloodstones, I think. It's really never been proved, just a superstition, but they might have very great powers over water and blood in living things. Maybe a little like Elw magic, come to think of it. «ooc: The gate makes 24-hour shopping easy. Just gate to some backwater town wher eit's presently noonish, put the pack on, materialize a mile outside town in some bushes, walk in like you're a traveller, purchase, walk back. » * Shane nods. Just some Lucadian folklore though, I've never heard of one being found, unfortunately. I'm fairly learned in the ways of the Elw. Undoubtedly second only to Ellena. * Shane frowns slightly at her name, but he quickly shakes it from his face. * Shane offers Ney and Jeff each a plate. I've never heard of anything like those, anyway. Maybe is is just a Lucadian thing. * Shane nods. * Jeff smiles and takes the plate. "Thanks." Yeah... I've never heard the legend of a Bloodstone, though. Lucadian... eh? * Neydisa notices the frown, but doesn't say anything, accepting the plate with thanks. "Probably. There's innumerable legends about the ocean passed down... that's just one of them." What kind of powers? Anything about bonding? * Jeff shrugs again, and takes a bite or two of the eggs * Shane reaches into his pack's billous top, and pulls out 3 somewhat pretty, if definitly amaruer, blown glass cups, passing one to each companion. >> The eggs are surprisingly good. For most of its trip, the group has been teetering between sumptuous royal feasts and dry rations. These fall somewhere in the middle. * Shane then removes a large, bulging black oilcloth sack from the top as well, and removes the drawstrings to reveal two large flasks embedded in fresh snow. * Neydisa says a little silent prayer to herself as she's passed the cup, then tests Shane's eggs out. "You're not a bad cook, Shane." * Shane removes the flasks. "Milk? Orange Juice?" Thank you, Ney... It's easier when you have fresh ingredients. «ooc: Shane should start a taxi service with the gate. » That Gate has hundreds of uses. Grocery shopping somehow put itself on the list when I was hungry this morning. They're quite good... * Jeff blinks You used it to go shopping? Heh. I went to Alexandria for the eggs, Artica for the Ice, the Adlehydian countryside for the milk, and a little cove I knew of for the oranges... * Shane shrugs. I was tired of hardtack. I only went to small villages, and incognito, at that. * Neydisa finds herself supressing a very small giggle. "I find that so... cute. First to space, then down the block for eggs." * Shane smiles. * Jeff pauses, then sets his fork down, looking a little worried. "Isn't that.. a little reckless?" Maybe... when I know more about the gate, travelling home quickly will always be possible, no matter the distance. I have reason to believe that distance may not be linear when other dime... reckless? I know it's unlikely, but if people stumbled on the gateway when you're off shopping and Neydisa's asleep.. * Jeff shrugs. "I could see someone blundering through and toying with the gate easily enough." I took precautions. The gates were always well hidden... and the open end was always in sight of you, Jeff. I never keep the openings near the gate controls. ...not enless I'm skimming. Actually, I think I'm getting pretty good at hiding the gateway in... unusual places. And I've never opened it within town limits on casual trips. * Jeff nods slowly. "I suppose you're right, it wasn't that risky. You're the one who knows about the thing." Today was the first time I've done this. I've been living with the machine for the last few days, though... * Shane looks positivly giddy thinking about it. * Jeff takes another bite, looking a little puzzled. * Shane eats some eggs, and pours himself some juice before setting down the untaken decanters. There's so many places we can explore still! So many secrets to find and absorb! That book we found two days ago, Jeff? The sealed one? * Neydisa listens quietly to this banter, enjoying the meal and requesting some juice. "It certainly opens up a lot to you." Yes.. you didn't open it, did you? * Shane passes her the orange juice with a smile. No, no... I don't want to damage it. I fear that it's warded to destroy itself if opened incorrectly. But... I have reason to believe the author was... not a mage. I'm still wondering what that.. thing.. inside is. Oh? Just what do you think is inside? I certainly feel uneasy just holidng it. « er holding » I believe it's a book of notes fromthe legendary Zepet Roughknight. Kema seemed to think the possibility very likly. Meaning it's more pertinant to my work than I'd dared hope. Who's Kema? <> * Shane blinks at Jeff. «ooc: I thought it had. » <> «ooc: I know it's been explained to some people. » «ooc: I dunno if it had in front of Jeff. » «ooc: I think it was. » <> «ooc: all of the Kema-exposition (Who/What) was done in Seim. » <> «ooc: I've definitly mentioned her since Jeff arrived, but... » <> «ooc: ...uhm. Can we assume he has at least a vague idea, just to be safe? And wasn't there some explanation in adlehyde? I thought there was. » «ooc: I'd dig through logs if they weren't all sorted by date. » «ooc: I'll do so later, but it's a bit inconvenient to now. » « hmm. ^^ » «ooc: can't recall. Too many long breaks in gameplay hurts memory. » <> «ooc: I definitely think he went over it at least a little. Hmm. » «ooc: should I skip that, or answer and edit if dumb later? » « I know it has been mentioned in front of jeff. maybe not fully explained, but he'd know the name. » <> « aka kema = mysterious thing talking to Shane somehow. ^^ » Kema? Oh, that's an old name for Luceid. She lives in my head! Pass the salt? «ooc: Done. I'll fish around for logs for you later, Ras. See if I can find the relevant segment. » « LOL » <> «ooc: I mean... "OOC: " » That's possible.. didn't you say that was his.. workshop? * Shane nods. Zepet... he was the legendary inventor and ARMs Meister wasn't he? Which means he had access to the ruins below. * Shane nods. But that still doesn't answer the question of whether something is sealing the book, or if something is sealed IN the book. He was even grandfather to Rudy, of the same name. «ooc: I'm assuming everyone knows of the three heros, at least the public story? » «ooc: Yeah. » Oh, well.. I think the deal with the seal is the same as what I'm planning to get done to the vital components of the gate. * Shane shuffles his eggs around before locating his next victim-forkfull. At any rate... Neydisa, are you feeling up to light travel today? Yes. To be honest, I'd appreciate the exertion. I can only get better by laying around so much. * Shane smiles. Well, as much as I'd love to explore more ruins today, it looks like we need to do some reconaissance. * Shane frowns, slipping back into "buisness mode". What do you have in mind? * Neydisa sips the juice, feeling like she has an idea about what he's going to mention. Well... we're going to need to split up today. I need to check on Allen, and take care of the magical wards for the Gate's hiding in Adlehyde. Seeing as that's the lion's den right now, I'd prefer to go alone. Especially as I have quite a few disguises that look nothing like "humble Shane Arturis". But that's mundane compared to the task I present before you two. It's become obvious to me that the... Guardians had a large hand in our doings latly. I think we need to contact them again... see if there's anythng more they wish from our broken company before I take apart the gate. Find out if they have anything more in plan for... us. As you kids are the trained professionals in this department... I'm prepared to send you to Baskar. My... kin are supposedly the most in touch with your... * Shane looks down at his hand, clenched lightly. ...our Masters. * Neydisa puts down the cup, running a soft glance over him. "Yes, and so we all deserve our own answers..." * Shane smiles. The Baskar.. * Shane nods, looking almost proud of someone else saying the name. + «ooc: Doh. » Does this plan sound to your approval, Mister Claren? Some direction might be welcome, yes? Perhaps, but who knows if they'll give it.. or if there's any to give. * Jeff smiles. "But it might be nice to know why I'm still here." * Neydisa tilts her head slightly. "We can only gain by going there. I'd think especially yourself..." * Shane smiles at them. It's certainly been a while since I was there. I don't know how long it'll take me to find Allen... so I could be leaving you there for a few days. As long as I have the Gate, and as long as I have Kema, I can locate you anywhere that has recognizable landmarks. Inns, I think, would be easiest on me. If I'm gone for more than a week without word, you must consider me lost. If anything does happen, and I'm left without travel, I'll try to send mail to your family, Neydisa. * Shane smiles oddly when he said "your family". How... much money do you have between you? * Neydisa nods slowly. "I understand. That would probably be the best way." <> «ooc: Together, you have around 12000 gella I think. A fair bit, anyhow. That's enough to live in a place for some time if you don't splurge. » «ooc: Of course, you could clean that out in one day at the casino. » <> «ooc: together them, or all three of us? » <> «ooc: Them. » «ooc: and me? » «ooc: You have...let me check. » «ooc: 6275. » I have a fair bit. Enough to live for quite a wh... * Jeff chuckles. * Shane smiles. «ooc: You had 4275, but I gave everyone 2000 more to account for the significant asset depreciation brought about by the equipment change. » Gallows humor is even funnier when the dead amn walking keeps walking. Well, I want to make sure you both are set... just in case. * Shane pulls out a large moneybag from his pack's side, and sets it in between them. * Neydisa smiles. "Still, I think we'll both be fine. You might want to worry about yourself just as much." * Shane smiles. «ooc: Is that everything, Grue, or a portion? » I have many resources in Adlehyde. If I need this much money, I can work for a day. So, everyone will need to wear these to go through the gate this time. It makes the transfer more efficient. * Shane pulls several large starp-ons out of his bag. «ooc: *strap » «ooc: ...isuck. » «ooc: ...infidel! » << *snicker*>> « epp. ^^ » «ooc: Jeff can wear the strap-on on his forehead since he's already got equipment. Then he'll be an FFT summoner. » Believe me. You'll need the money more. Adlehyde's my town. What're these? «ooc: ....er. » A bad joke that was OOC. Ignore them. Ah, ok. * Shane shuffles the dildo-devices away embarassedly. « aheh. ^^; » * Jeff looks around, pretending nothing happened «ooc: I KILL ALL OF YOU » >>>back to the game!<<< Believe me. You'll need the money more. Adlehyde's my town. There's only four thousand Gella in there. It's not much, but I want you both to have an easy time. I shouldn't need much at all.. if anything. You never know when money can come in handy. I'll agree there, I guess. I was always an outsider to Adlehyde, you know it better than I do. «ooc: Hmm. Neydisa has 8888 gella. » « oh, that's vaguely lucky. ^^ » <> «ooc: that's 13.(345 repeating) times evil! » « well I mean 8 is an aquarian lucky number. *grin* » «ooc: Baskar's almost on the exact other side from Timney, right? » «ooc: And Adlehyde's a quarter-globe away? » * Neydisa looks at the money sack, accepting it with thanks. « well elt's see.. baskar is southwest corner of world.. » * Shane nods to Neydisa. « timney's rather dead center ^^ » « adlehyde is sorta northwestish. ^^ » « currently we are east of Timney proper. :) » «ooc: Bah, let me get my map. » «ooc: Bwahahhahahaha!!! » «ooc: http://icomix.com/maze/comicpage/browse.php?index=167 » «ooc: About that, yeah. » «ooc: It'll be late night in Adlehyde and evening in Baskar. » <> « to be exactly specific, we are near that river/depression southwest of new seim. ^^ » If you leave shortly after the meal, it should be evening in Baskar. «ooc: How long do you guys have? » «ooc: I can speed up the baskar thing. » « I have very long more or less. » «ooc: The Baskar portion can be done seperatly. I don't know how long I'll be solo. » <> <> «ooc: I can probably cut in 20 mins if we speed through some things. I just want to get a start on the baskar bit. » Righto. <> <> Then, is everything settled? Well, I'm sure it's enough time to look around and get settled there, just incase there's a problem... * Shane nods. * Jeff nods. "I suppose so. Be careful though, Shane. If you're right about Adlehyde.." I'll be fine in Adlehyde. Much safer than if you went with me. Neydisa told me last night that the Guardians call me The Pretender. * Shane smiles. They do? * Jeff blinks. "That's interesting." It's nice to be recognized for talent... when you're assuming an identity, if someone recognizes, you've failed. * Neydisa pauses a moment, then nods affirmative. "That is my belief, at least." It would... make sense, Neydisa. Huh.. "the one who calls himself Shane Arturis". Neydisa might be right. In light of everything, it's appropriate. If it were only as easy to understand the others. «ooc: Joseph's spirit name is "The Reticent Cockgobbler" » <> * Shane nods. « man With No Face :o » <> Oh... If there's no letter, and I've disappeared, and you're ever in Adlehyde... ask around the Black Light District for "Dr. Grays". If I'm alive, I'll be hiding there. * Neydisa swallows something she was going to say, hearing the word 'gray'. "I'll remember that well, then." Grays.. we'll remember * Shane looks at Neydisa questioningly fo a second, but his bubbling giddiness beneath the surface wipes it away and he puts his game face back on. * Shane nods. And if Allen is truly in danger... I'm counting on you to help him if I can't be there to. I will. My plans may not come to fruition without the boy wonder. And... recent developments around the boy are... intriguing? «ooc: Can we pick it up? » Well then... if I can take the plates, and you all gather your belongings, I can have you several thousands miles from here in five minutes. * Shane smiles, pride gleaming. Arturis Travel: The only way to go. Certainly convenient. * Jeff hands over his still mostly full plate, looking a little apologetic * Neydisa sighs faintly at the previous comment then shrugs a bit. "And they say steamships were revolutionary." Heh... Steam! * Shane grins. Seaships are romantic and traditional. Airships I shall make my fortune creating. And then I will have my lone Starship. Steam... is amusing. * Shane gives the impression that there was a professional argument with a missing side echoed just them/ «ooc: then. » * Shane scuttles the dishes into the back, and comes back to help Ney pack up. * Neydisa takes her plate over to Shane, and proceeds to work on checking her things. "One frontier at a time, Shane." Neydisa... after working with the gate... I think all frontiers may actually be the same! * Neydisa seems like she wants to make a rebuttal of some type, but instead gets the look of one who's just forgot something vital. She quickly dashes into the cockpit and takes the picture Allen drew off of it and folds it neatly into a pocket of hers. * Shane looks around. Shall we? «ooc: I think I will have to end with them going through the gate. Ah well. » «ooc: Oooh, wait for Shane to laugh maniacally when the gate closes! >:D » * Neydisa also grabs her windbreaker off the pilot's chair -- it obvious she has been working on sewing the rips in it made by Caliban. Throwing it on, she returns. "I'm ready when you are." I'm ready as well.. * Shane frowns at the rends, and nods to both of them. Shane? Be careful. If Adlehyde's like you think it might be.. I'll be careful. You wouldn't recognize me after I'm done changing. Even your secret-revealing Guardian cannot see through me. What chance do strangers with wanted posters have? * Shane looks quite smug, actually. If.. you're sure, * Shane nods. Have no worries. * Shane stops in front of the gate generator, picking up his number-filled clipboard, and starts to fiddle with knobs. Oh dear! One last thing... * Neydisa shoulders her travelbag's strap, taking a moment to find the best spot to shoulder her familiar burden. "What's that?" << *Shane shoots Jeff in the head*>> Neydisa. About the 'deal'... Am I... Should I...? Err... * Jeff looks a little lost, but doesn't say anything ...Should I act as one of her Shamen? Or must I just endeavor to do ask she asks? «ooc: http://icomix.com/maze/comicpage/browse.php?index=276 Hee. » * Shane looks lost towards Neydisa. «ooc: You can head out if you need to, Jeff. It's pretty much just "walk through the gate" now. » I mean not to break my vow... but I must admit, I do not know how complete it is. Perhaps if you could ask what she desires of me? <> *** Jeff (Rasis@acs-24-154-15-83.zoominternet.net) Quit (Quit: ) * Neydisa stares at him a long moment. "I'll try.. but you need to learn to feel her prences for yourself... then the rest seems to follow." Is... she there now, then? ~Hello? Prett... Mistress Lucadia, Ruler of the Seas? Are... you there?~ >> Shane receives no reply. If Lucadia is watching, she is doing so in silence. ~Kema, are you there? Kema?~ * Neydisa smiles. "Shane, this grove is a holy place... if you could feel it anywhere, it would be here. but don't be so forceful, you need to learn how to be open to listen." * Shane nods. Is... there a Lucadian Protocol that I could read, just in case? I don't want to accidently destroy myself by displeasing her. « oh gee. scared Shane :) » «ooc: It's a wise fear. » I... don't think I'd want to displease her even without the promise. Lucadia is always changing, and always moving. There is no set rules except to preserve the sanctity of the oceans... I could explain more, but it would take some time. * Shane smiles and nods. And, I think there are other answers that you need more importantly now. * Shane nods again, as he his a switch, opening a portal into a town at night. * Shane extends his right hand to her. * Neydisa bows her head once to Jeff, then extends hers to Shane. She whispers quietly, "Allow me be your ears, now, as we have sworn." * Shane takes the hand, now wide-eyed. * Jeff steps through the portal, and his robes cease to blow in the still, warm air of the Baskar night. He looks back. * Shane listens raptly, but notices how their scarred hands now fit together as if gloves for each other. * Neydisa nods. "Lucadia watch over your steps, wherever the winds and sea take you. Till we meet once more." She smiles once, then steps back, and heads into the opening. * Shane stands stiffly for a second, then smiles warmly as he sorted out his feelings. He waves to them for a moment before closing the gateway. «ooc: "MWAHAHAHAHAHAAHA" » «ooc: Should I end here, or wait a sec? » «ooc: shall we continue with me, or end the whole thing? » «ooc: I'd like to end. » * Neydisa steps across the great distance, appearing by Jeff in the night Baskar air, and looking back to watch the gate's inevitable close. « I guess we're done on that end then. :) » «ooc: Right. » --SESSION END-- Session Close: Thu Jul 25 23:04:21 2002