I had a dream last night, after meditating on item history: A gigantic cat's cradle was before me, and I knew that Tristain was somewhere inside it, safe but hidden. A big map of the world appeared to my left. As I turned to look at it, I noticed Tom, and we both noticed that we had darts in our hands. I put my dart over Boston, and as I moved it zoomed in, closer and closer, until I could put it right at the Somerville base. Tom put his on a corner of the Esplanade... As was looking, I noticed that there was also a map on the other side of the "hall" a map of the Netherworld. It has corruption spreading out through it--consuming it like a flameless fire. Then, I awoke, back in my room (just where I'd put my dart.)
Barton is dead, and Dana is lost in the Netherworld, but the voice says that she's also dead. I called MGH, in between signing with Trowa (who has become paranoid) and they claimed "Tom Matheson? We've not had a patient by that name..." Suddenly, as if one weird thing wasn't enough, Skylar appeared suddenly and then vanished (I think she was manifesting while Astrally Projecting). Lina went into meditation (I think to talk to Skylar) and then suggested that we go to the All-you-can-eat seafood restaurant. We talked a little about whether it was time to go talk to the BMP again. We determined that we needed more proof of Dana's death--a better theory about where her body might be--so I asked Lina to take me for a drive down I-95. She agreed, though she made me pay the dinner bill. As we drove, I tried reestablishing my link with Dana every time we passed an exit. I got vagueries and a headache for my trouble, but on the way back Lina and I talked about what would happen if someone projected their whole body into astral space.
"I'd guess a powerful spirit--but I don't imagine there's an easy way to project *back* once you're in that state... you might be stuck there"
"That may be what happened to Dana"
"Could be... very interesting"
We decided to talk to the BMP and try getting rid of the bracelets. We told Captain McClusky that:
"So, Miss Smith" "That's not my name" "What? If we have the wrong person after all this, I'll....do you have a credstick?"I handed him my Tir Taingire passport.
"Interesting... interesting. Looks like you have the same SIN as Miss Smith, Miss O'Shay" "I do?" "Yes. And what's even more interesting, Miss O'Shay never legally entered the United Canadian and American States" "Yes I did! " "No, no... <pushes a few keys on his computer > It certainly appears she did not." "Please don't do this to me"
"So, Miss O'Shay... You are very intelligent, and talented in ways that I will never understand. but I want to make sure that you understand that just because I am not a mage doesn't mean i'm stupid. I don't need to wiggle my fingers to know that you're leaving something out. I think either Mr. Matheson, Mr Blackspear, Miss Vossberg or "Alpha" have been in touch with you. Why don't you tell me the Real story?
So I did. (with a little sparkle of magic to make him more sympathetic) Highlights:"I see, Miss O'Shay. I think we'll keep you here for a few days, to draw out Mr, Blackspear. The rest of you can go." Lina offered me a lawyer, which was nice but unnecessary, but Trowa made some less-than-brilliant comments about wanting me back in one piece. I told them to leave, and yelled a little at Trowa, but they left (bracelets still on), and I was put in a cell all alone. They took my clothes and searched me, and put me in a sweatshirt and pants and locked me up. The officer wouldn't even give me a handwriting sample so I could practice graphology! I tried to tell a story to gather Karma, but nobody was listening, so I began to Shadowdance, practicing the judo moves that I learned in Oregon.
Over the next few days, I meditated and practiced and sang. Eventually a few guards came and listened to me tell a story or two. I tried to tell good ones, so they wouldn't get bored while they were helping me, and most of them were pretty nice. At one point, it seemed like someone was trying to offer me a "quick, easy path to power" -- I refused, but that makes me worry about the mana around here, especially with the recent events and the way the map of the Netherworld "burned" I learned conjury, so I could send a messenger to find Marlowe. This is harder than Lina makes it look... I fear I may have attracted something's attention. I decided that perhaps I should take a break from magical things for a while, so I practiced telling stories to the shadows on the walls.
I told the Ballad of Ronan in French, Shakespeare plays in English, some stories of Ehran the Scribe in Sperethial, and just went through my whole vocabulary in sign. Then, I decided that perhaps I could get whatever-it-is to stop watching by singing "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves" for an hour. I think it worked. Then, I spent the next 8 hours meditating on my Karma Ritual. It's boring in here--nothing to do but meditate, and this is a waste of my time. I have people I need to find!
I tried to summon a watcher again. This time it worked, but as I sent it out it there was a moment where I was on fire. My skin burnt, everywhere, just on the surface... and then I knew it was gone. A police-mage named Jameson came by the cell, and told me that what I felt was a fire elemental roasting my watcher. "The elemental spirit", he said, " is part of the magical defenses here. It is one of the less-painful wards around this cell. It's very difficult, as you may imagine, to keep a mage in custody. This is our best effort, and even it would not stop someone determined to leave."
"I understand. Nobody told me..."
He was very polite to me, but did not stay long. As he was leaving, he said, "Your case is particularly interesting to me. I'm glad to have had a chance to meet you. Good day".
I imagine he'd be much more talkative if I weren't on the wrong side of a jail cell...
---------------------- Quotes/reminders for players or GM Lina said "I'm helping the police with an investigation, and I think they'd appreciate if me and my jewlery stayed in the area" "And then Alpha finds out that Lina's helping the police with an investigation and thinks 'maybe we shouldn't tell her our plans'" "If you want to play fashionable Elven shamans with pretty horses, go for it, but expect to be occasionally mocked" -Brian to Lauren Lina, Abby and Trowa go to a bar: Lips start moving in the beer foam. "Aah!" (Abbie starts stirring her beer rapidly, and she knocked it over.) A little buzzing begins in Lina's ear. "Yzzo knzo, szuttlty izz a virrtuu" -the fly "But it isn't as much fun!" -Lina