Session Start: Fri Mar 12 23:36:19 2004

<ST> You do not have the bottle, the Lady does.  She smiles teasingly 
at you over it.

* Garland is grinning. He really can't stop. "Mind if I try some?"

<ST> The Lady's hair, which is shining softly in the dim light, falls 
over one eye.  The other eye looks a bit strange, kind of reddish.

<ST> "Oh, of course, dear Satyr," says the Lady.

<ST> And the Lady gives you the bottle.

<Garland> His grin falters slightly, just for a moment, though he 
does take the bottle.  "... thanks you, my lady."

<ST> So, are you feeling worried, Garland?  This is ST speaking.

<Garland> [well, slightly.  Her eyes seemed to shift colour there. 
... she's still pretty though. :)]

<ST> Slightly.  Hmm.  Well, I think we can let you roll on that.  
Roll wits+enigmas difficulty 7

<Garland> [... there's no way I got a success on that.  Didn't botch 
it though.  All 2's and 3's.]

<ST> Okay.  You think that the Lady is not as pretty with her hair 
over one eye.  Remember your legacy?

<Garland> Bottle forgotten for the moment, he walks a little closer 
to the Lady and lifts one hand, brushing her hair back behind an ear 
again.  "It's a shame to hide a face like yours, Lady." He smiles.

<ST> [If I remember correctly, if you miss an opportunity to improve 
something you can improve, you lose willpower.]

<ST> So, Garland, you don't lose willpower.  Unfortunately, you don't 
gain it, either, because this isn't going to be lasting beauty, but 
still, good job.

<ST> Okay, now Garland, as soon as your hand touches the Lady's hair, 
you feel a shiver run over you.  An image flashes into your mind.  It 
is of the were-dragon you killed, and something red.

<Garland> [She could pose for .. artistic photographs.  Those would 
last. ... *innocent whistling*]

* Garland ... blinks. He takes his hand back, likely a bit too 
quickly.

<ST> "Dear Satyr, what is wrong?" says the Lady, in the sweetest 
voice.  She brushes her hand through her hair, as if to tidy it, but 
her eyes look briefly furious.

<ST> "Do have a drink, dear boy."  Ever so sweet.  

<Garland> He clears his throat briefly, glancing up at her.  "Your 
beauty, my Lady... it's nearly made me forget myself. ... There are 
people likely wondering where I am." A slightly apologetic smile.

<ST> "More people?  Ahh..."  

<ST> She pauses.  "Perhaps we should get some glasses after all."

<ST> "What are you looking for, by the way."  She is taking the 
bottle back from you.  Do you resist?

<Garland> He stops, lifts an eyebrow.  "... they wouldn't be able to 
appreciate the wine, I'm sure." He'd try to hold onto it.

<ST> Briefly she looks stymied.  THen she smiles.  "You will be the 
wine steward, then.  I shall get the glasses."

<ST> Garland, roll wits + alertness, difficulty 7 minus any pips you 
have in etiquette.

<Garland> [... botch.]

<ST> You find yourself more than half in love with this beauty.  You 
want to help her more than anything.

<Garland> [*laughs* Oh maaaan...]

<Garland> "Please, let me find them for you, Lady.   Simply point the 
way." Smiling easily again.

<ST> Roll your etiquette, difficulty four.

<Garland> [No successes. ... I'm on a ROLL TODAY!]

<ST> [laughs]

<ST> "No, no, you mustn't do a SERVANT's job!"

<Garland> "But I mustn't let the lady do it herself, either.  ... I'm 
very skilled with finding glasses, I'll be fine." Grins.

<ST> <Lady> "Dear me, it's not that important.  We don't know if your 
people are even going to show up.  Perhaps there will be servant 
types with them."  Her eyes have a reddish glow as she says "servant 
types".  

<Garland> [... am I still too smitten to find that creepy?]

<ST> [no.  I think you find it creepy.  Roll your charisma + 
leadership difficulty 5]

<Garland> [I better get this or I hate all dice... *rolls*]

<Garland> [BARELY! ... one success.]

<ST> [you don't like it at all that this lady talks about "servant 
types", because what she means is people like you, Changelings 
without a title.]

<Garland> He frowns.  "Huh.  More's the pity then that you don't have 
a trough available, we 'servant types' typically go for that sorta 
thing."

<ST> The lady's lips thin.  "Have a drink, Garland."

<Garland> "Are you sure one bottle's enough?"

<ST> The Lady laughs.  It somehow doesn't sound as sweet as before.  
"Oh, plenty.  HAVE a DRINK, Garland."

<ST> Garland, you're going to have to roll.  Give me some idea of 
your mindset here.

<Garland> [Oh my.  Very distrustful.  He does not, NOT, intend on 
drinking that wine.]

<ST> Okay.  Roll your willpower + wits difficulty 8 modified by your 
determination (half your stamina, remember that the next time you 
want to be determined about anything, okay?  Wits + willpower, 
difficulty reduced by half your stamina.]

<Garland> [I HATE 1'S!]

<Garland> [... one success.]

<ST> Which gives you the opportunity to use your intelligence to 
figure out some way to NOT drink that wine.  Roll intelligence + 
enigmas difficulty 6.

<ST> The Lady is reaching for the bottle.  Her hand suddenly looks 
very strong and not at all ladylike.

<Garland> [3 successes.]

<Garland> [May I drop the bottle now? *G*]

<ST> [So you think of a way.  Yes, of course!  Grins back.]

<Garland> He moves his arm to the side, away from the Lady, and drops 
it.

<Garland> "... dang.  Sorry."

<ST> The Lady is furious, as the smash of breaking glass fills the 
air.  "CLEAN THAT UP!" she bellows.  There is a sickly odor to the 
wine.  "I said, CLEAN IT.  ON YOUR KNEES, FELLOW!"  You will feel a 
huge tug at your willpower to do what she says.  This will be a 
contest of wills, you poor sod.

<Garland> [Gaaaah! I roll willpower then?]

<Garland> [Or spend it?]

<ST> On a willpower roll which this will be you cannot spend 
willpower to get one success.  However, remember what I said for you 
to remember, above.

<Garland> [Determination!]

<Garland> [So my difficulty is... what?]

<ST> So, you're determined.  She will roll her willpower against a 
difficulty equal to the number of successes you get on your roll.  
You will roll willpower + wits difficulty 10 modified by half your 
stamina.

<ST> So Garland tell me the number of successes you get.

<Garland> [Well, that should be easy for her 'cos I got NO SUCCESSES.  
AGAIN.]

<ST> [LAUGHS OUT LOUD.  Good heavens!]

<Garland> [It's a good day to be a goat.]

<ST> Well, any roll cannot have a difficulty less than four, so here 
goes.

<Garland> [Soon to be a goat butler.]

<Kelschuu> [/leaves hugs for Haru, then Uh oh... things not looking 
good for Garland?]

<Garland> [Welll... actually, no.  No, not at all. ... I blame the 
dice.]

<ST> [Garland, you are SO on your knees.  You are ineffectually 
wiping at the spilt wine with your clothing.]

<ST> "LICK IT UP, SATYR.  LICK IT."

<Garland> [Did she actually say that to him?]

<ST> Yes she did.  Okay, one more chance.  You can either roll or 
scream.  Which?

* Garland wiping at wine with his cuffs. And skirt thing.

<Garland> [damnit, I'm gonna ROLL!]

<ST> [advice: change dice.]

<ST> Same roll as before.  Only difficulty is one higher.  (sorry.  
It's in the rules.)

<Garland> [Ah, it's alright... I've got a goooood feeling about this 
time. ... *pets dice*]

<Garland> [Okay, well.  Alright.  I just botched that.]

<ST> And Garland begins to lick the floor.

<Kelschuu> [* The Dice LAUGH and LAAAAUGH]

<Garland> [You know, Garland, some people pay good money for this 
type of thing...]

<ST> How's your stamina?

* Garland is licking the floor, yes. And whatever that horrible stuff 
is...

<ST> And your intelligence?

<Garland> [I have a four in Stamina, three in Intelligence.]

<ST> Then perhaps you can, while licking, review carefully her 
instructions which she has willed on you.  Want to?

<Garland> [Yes.  Yes, I do.]

<ST> [Okay, Garland, you want to review her instructions.  What 
exactly did she say?]

<Garland> [To lick it up? ... I can just lick the floor, not the 
wine? .... *hopeful*]

<ST> [That's a good idea, but she really meant the wine, and you are 
forced to do that.]

<Garland> [I... got nothing.]

<ST> [You've got time.  You can still think.  You hate the taste of 
this stuff.  You really do.  Her spit is in it.  EEEEWWW.]

<Garland> [Spitting it out wouldn't really be clean, I guess. .... or 
would it? Ehhh?]

<ST> [I think so, if you spit it on your clothes, or hers.]

<ST> [If you dare!]

<Flora> [Am I old enough fo rthis scene??]

* Garland spits out some of the wine/floor-ness, out in her 
direction.

<ST> Roll dexterity + brawl, difficulty 5

<Kelschuu> [* Bunny is NOT old enough for this scene!]

<ST> [You really are.  Honest.  It's just wine and spit.]

<Garland> [Seven! I got Seven! I GOT MORE THAN ONE SUCCESS!]

<ST> Your entire mouthful of spit, wine, and her spit, ends up on her 
pretty bodice.

<ST> I did dodge for her, she botched.

<Flora> [Are we dead now?]

<Garland> [Woo! *does a dance, before Garland is smote*]

<ST> Roll your stamina + primal pips, Garland, difficulty 6

<Garland> [3 successes.]

<ST> [And yes, I know people don't usually use spell pips, but a roll 
must be made here, and it's the closest I can think of.]

<ST> Okay, you feel vaguely sick, and oddly, that seems to improve 
your wishes to get up off the floor.  Her attention is briefly on her 
dress.  And thank you, Flora.

<ST> You can now roll same as before only difficulty is back to 
normal (situation changed).

<Garland> [The willpower + wits one?]

<Garland> [To get up?]

<ST> Yup, modified by half stamina, difficulty original one, which I 
forget temporarily.

<Garland> [I think it was 8, so my difficulty is 6.]

<Garland> [1 success.]

<ST> You stagger, half on your feet, reaching for something to steady 
you.  The closest thing is her.  Roll dex + brawl difficulty 5.

<ST> [now, maybe, you don't want successes?  LOL]

<Garland> [.... that said... four successes.]

<Flora> [Now, WHERE would a Satyr grab her???]

<Garland> [I dunno, this chick's a bit on the sketchy side... she had 
man hands!]

<Flora> [Ahhh..... surgery....]

<ST> [OK Garland, you are going to grab her/him/it, if your successes 
are more than hers at dodging.  Here goes.]

<ST> [You got her, pinning her arms to her sides.  You are now 
standing chest to chest.  You are, in fact, in brawl position.]

<ST> [She tries to knee you in the groin.]

<Garland> [... yes.  Brawl position.]

<Garland> [damnit! I can't dodge that like this, can I?]

<ST> Not really.  But then, she might fail.  She rolls dex + brawl, 
diff 4.

<ST> Roll your stamina to soak the one box of damage she succeeds in.

<Garland> [... is it possible to botch that?]

<ST> Difficulty 6, and no you can't botch it.

<Garland> [GOOD.  Then I just fail.]

<ST> (Did you put oakenshield on yourself ever, Garland?

<Flora> [We have the two pips from the food at hte cave]

<ST> YAY, Flora, for remembering.  

<ST> So you just cross off one of those chimerical boxes.  Now, dear 
Satyr, it's your turn.  What are you going to do with this Lady.

<ST> She screams in outrage.  It sounds like an animal screaming.  Or 
a bull bellowing.  Or a very outraged sorceress?  Or a very outraged 
sorcerer?

<Garland> [Well... I can't hit a girl. ... I'll try to keep holding 
her, and start shouting for other folk.  Loudly.]

<Flora> [Punch her lights out, big fella!!]

<Garland> [I can't! I can't hurt a girl... even a man-girl who kneed 
me in the junk.]

* Garland really hopes people are within loud screaming distance so 
they can hear her and him.

<ST> You others, who are together, hear the scream and the shouting 
in the distance.

<Garland> [Do I need to roll anything to keep a hold of her?]

<ST> Now, something is happening, Garland.  You don't know exactly 
what it is.  It isn't a spell.  It's something else.  Something 
horrible is invading your mind.  

* Flora with her cat-like reflexes springs into action, running 
towards the sound of her friend's distress.

<ST> You do still have hold of her, because of what she is doing now 
which requires her concentration.  Give me a minute to see how much 
it works.

<Garland> [brb, getting food.  And lighting a candle for Garland.]

<ST> [She never seems to roll a 1.]

<ST> So, Garland, you find yourself totally burned out in your mind.  
This is way too much trouble.  You really can't be expected to deal 
with this.  What you really need is to go home and give up the quest 
and just sleep or eat or make love or something very satyrish.  You 
will drop your arms from around her.  Meanwhile is anyone else 
running to help?

<Kelschuu> [Are we allowed to, now?]

<ST> YUP.

* Bunny runs to help! If she can!

* Flora is still running to help

* Kenken runs to help too!

<ST> Flora, you are very fast and determined.  Also, you are good at 
moving unnoticed.  Your perception is acute, so you go the right way 
and you enter to see poor Garland standing there, slumped, and a 
furious woman, or something like it, with her hair on end pulling a 
dagger out from a leg sheath.

* Flora engages this... thing... in combat immediately

<ST> The dagger looks to you like the thing you saw in your Arobryn's 
neck when he died.

<Flora> [cool]

<Garland> [Yeah, that's rad.]

<ST> What kind of combat?  You get the initiative.

* Flora is even more determined to get in between Garland and that 
weapon

<ST> Please explain your moves, Flora.  Three seconds to get to them, 
three seconds worth of activity.

<Flora> [brawl has most pips... so rush to melee range, ....]

<ST> Okay, you're in melee range.

<ST> She's kind of bent with the knife in her hand.

<Flora> [... set aside two dice from my pool for dodge]

<ST> Okay.  

<ST> Roll dex + brawl, diff of kick is 7.

<Flora> [I ... botched!]

<Kenken> [no prob. ...AHAHAHAH]

<Garland> [Maybe it's not just me today.]

<Garland> [I'm still... out of it, I assume?]

<ST> Flora, you miss completely.  Roll dex + brawl difficulty 6 to 
see if you kick Garland.  Need only one success.  He isn't moving.

<Garland> [I see. ... don't hit me please.]

<Flora> [do I use the same number of dice, minus those set aside for 
dodge?]

<ST> KenKen and Bunny arrive at the door of the throne room, KenKen 
first.  

<ST> Yes,  Flora.

<Kenken> "Garland!"

<Flora> [ 2 successes]

<Garland> [... boo.]

<Kenken> [My role for today: Screaming the hero's name helplessly!]

* Bunny tries to peer around Kenken's legs to see inside! o.o

<Flora> [Yeah, but does my kick hurl him out of harm's way!??]

<ST> Garland, you roll stamina plus any armour you have to soak.

<ST> Diff 6.

<Garland> [5 successes! huzzah.]

<ST> The Lady, meanwhile, has got her dagger up and ready.  Garland 
is uninjured by the kick but it's the Lady's turn.  She hates you, 
Flora.  You aren't even kithain.  She turns to stab you.  Garland 
won't try to interfere.

<Flora> [yeah, been there]

<ST> She will roll dex + melee, diff 5

<Flora> "Give it your best shot, bitch!"

<ST> KK and Bunny have free moves here.

<Garland> [Don't tempt fate, Flora. *nodnod*]

* Kenken exhales, then dashes in. "HEY! OVER HERE!"

<ST> She gets three successes on her stab with the cold iron blade, 
Flora.  

<ST> Roll stamina plus any armour you have to soak.  You are of 
course immune to cold iron effects.

<Flora> [Ok, so I use the two remaining dice to dodge, and stamina to 
soak, right?]

<ST> KenKen, where do you run?

* Kenken runs off to the side away from Flora, as if to flank her! 
Mostly trying to divide her attention.

<ST> Oh, sorry, Flora, I didn't remember you had dodge dice.  Roll 
dex + dodge, diff 6.

<ST> Good, KK.  Have you any weapons out?

<Flora> [ok, but I only had two dice saved for dodge, so that's all I 
get, no?]

<ST> You get dex + dodge.  You don't just get 2.

* Bunny runs in to try and help Garland, who looks the most helpless 
right now! ... Not sure HOW she'll help, but can figure that out when 
she gets there!

<ST> So is Bunny behind Garland?

* Kenken has NO weapons out!

<Garland> ["Jeez, I get my mind burned out and the whole operation 
falls apart..."]

<Flora> I have dex 4, Dodge 4, Brawl 4, so I had 8 dice to split in 
combat.  I took six for attack, so I have two for dodge, yes?]

<ST> OK, KK, so act accordingly.  She's got a whopper of a one and I 
think you will recognize its nature.

<Bunny> [Yeah, she's behind him, I think?]

* Kenken 's eyes widen and he yelps. Time for his hammer, yeah. More 
distance between him and her, the better.

<ST> You always get to use dodge during an attack if you saved dice 
for it and you still get your dex.

<Flora> [Yuk.. one success]

<ST> Okay, Bunny, you can pretty much do anything to poor Garland.  
He's very lethargic right now.

<Flora> [so I have to soak for the remaining two pips, right?]

<ST> One success at dodging is all you need.  You didn't get hit.  
Too bad for the others.

<Garland> [You might want to kick him.  Everyone else has.]

<ST> [poor Garland.]

<ST> Bunny, your action?

<ST> KK, yours?

* Kenken draws his weapon and continues to try to distract the lady.

* Bunny tries to pull Garland AWAY from the action and to the safety 
of the doorway!

* Flora continues to try to punch her lights out

<ST> Bunny roll your strength + your willpower, difficulty 5.

<ST> KK do you want to throw your hammer?

<ST> Flora, are you now in front of the lady, as Bunny tries to pull 
Garland away.

<Flora> [eep at the hurled hammer coming at us.. I kicked Garland, so 
....eep]

<Kenken> [My hammer isn't a hurlable hammer, I don't think.]

<Kenken> [Plus the point of drawing it was to have something between 
me and her, so nah. *g*]

<Flora> [Well, I thwack her a good one!  Tell me when to roll 
initiative.]

<ST> OK.  How do you distract her, then?

<Bunny> [One success, then.]

* Kenken is shouting and yelling and waving a weapon, and attempting 
to flank her.

<ST> One success, Bunny, will easily move Garland out of striking 
distance.  Now, KK, she/he/it is fully concentrating on her enemy who 
is kicking her.  Or trying to.  Or punching.  So you are not noticed.

<ST> Right, now Flora, I think it is her initiative, not yours.  
Correct me if I'm wrong, everyone.

<Flora> [didn't she already strike at me?]

<Kenken> [/me is going out of his way TO distract her from her enemy, 
which includes *flanking* - ie, moving out of her attack range but 
into mine by circling her.]

<Kenken> [Just if you didn't know the phrase. :) So I'm setting 
myself up as a deliberate threat, even if I'm not hitting her yet.]

<ST> OK, I didn't know KK.  Thanks.  OK, Flora, I'll let you go now.  
Your plans?

<ST> I'm not following normal battle initiative stuff because too 
much is happening all at once.  I'm just letting people do what seems 
natural.

<ST> Does anybody mind that?

<Kenken> [No problems here.]

<Flora> [I plan to karate whirl and swirl and strike like a ton of 
bricks.  That's my plan!]

<ST> Is this a kick?

<Flora> [Does it matter?]

<ST> Yes.

<Flora> [Do I know HOW it matters?]

<ST> It does different damage and it's difficulty is different.  

<Flora> [Ah.  Ok, I punch this time.]

<ST> Difficulty of a punch is 6, of a kick is 7.

<ST> Do you reserve any dice for a dodge?

* Bunny continues to try and drag Garland to the door. After taking a 
breather cuz he's HEAVY and she's TINY.

<Flora> [I set aside 2 dice for dodge]

<ST> Good work Bunny.  Okay Flora.  

<Flora> [NO!  I get dex anyway for dodge, don't I ?]

<ST> Nope.  Not unless you reserve dodge dice.  That's why I told 
everyone to take dodge.

<Flora> [OK, then it is as I said.]

<ST> Okay.  Dex + Brawl, diff 6.

<ST> Using two less dice.

<Flora> [3 successes]

<ST> Flora add your 3 to your strength.  Roll diff 6.  This will be 
the damage you cause.

<ST> KK you can get in a hit now if you want.

<ST> on the back or side or whatever.

<Flora> [FOUR '1's and a '7'!!!]

* Kenken snaps out his hammer, hopefully! [And Haru hasn't rolled 
attack since the very second game of DoN...]

<ST> Wow.  OK, roll dex + melee diff 5, Haru.  Try to remember for me 
that diff of hammer hit is 5, ok?  It's not in the book.

<ST> Flora, are you dodging?

<Flora> [AS a matter of interest, ST, what is the diff for striking 
with a bo staff?]

<Kenken> [4 successes!]

<Flora> [Uh... do I need to dodge?]

<ST> Whooops, I forgot.  You botched, right?  You slip on wine and 
fall.

<Flora> [Arrgghhhhhh]

<Garland> [Sorry... tried to lick up as much as I could.]

<Flora> [o_O]

<ST> [I'd call a bo a staff, difficulty is 5 and causes lots of 
damage.]

<Flora> [I getcha]

<ST> Because you fell, you are temporarily unable to dodge the attack 
of the lady.  Back to KK.  KK rolled four successes, now for damage, 
remember KK since the book doesn't list hammer I've decided it does 3 
+ strength of hitter.  You actually got five successes because you 
hit from an unseen position.  However, in melee, you only need one 
success to hit.  So now, roll damage.  It is 3 + your strength, diff 
6.

<Kenken> [2 successes!]

<ST> Actually, Bunny, you see tears in the satyr's eyes.  What are 
you going to do?

<ST> Okay, that's 2 damage boxes, unless her back soaks.  She rolls 3 
dice vs 6, and gets 3 successes, so she soaks your damage.

* Bunny blinks and pauses. "Sir Garland?? Sir Garland are you okay?!"

<ST> [Garland, you are so unhappy, tired, fed up.  You want 
something, you don't know what.  You feel useless.  You hate your 
dice.  Just a joke, the last bit.

<Garland> [*G* So I'm... awake again? ... just... useless and 
wallowing in that?]

<ST> Actually, you weren't really asleep.  Just... burned out.

<ST> Bunny, you know you can help Sir Garland.  What can you do?  

(<Bunny> Private box!
<ST> Good.  You just know you can help Sir Garland if you can just hug him enough.  Nothing sexual here, just your own pure love.)

* Bunny hugs him! Then searches her apron frantically for a lemon 
drop! She know she has at least ONE left...

* Garland doesn't really respond to Bunny. Just puts his head in his 
hands and mutters.

(<ST> KK, roll intelligence + alertness diff 7
<Kenken> [winces] Oooh, my bad points! [rolls]
<Kenken> 1 success!
<ST> You find yourself thinking, gosh that dagger's scary.  Except for Flora, of course.  Daggers don't really do that much damage.)

* Bunny gives up on the lemon drop after not finding it immidietly, 
and just goes back to hugging! Hugs help you when you're sad, so hugs 
will make Garland feel better!

<ST> okay, everybody, now it's the Lady's initiative.  She knows KK 
is there, but how to resist the easy target on the ground first?  She 
leans down to stab Flora.

<Flora> [/me skitters out of the way of the stab with her 2 remaining 
dodge dice]

* Garland blinks a little, looking at Bunny hugging him. He 
straightens a bit, puts an arm around her. "... Bunny? ... you 
okay?" Frowns.

* Bunny looks up to Garland. "Are YOU okay?! You looked sad!!"

<ST> She rolls dex  + melee diff 5, gets three hits.  Only needs one.  
She rolls damage.  strength + successes diff 6, two successes, the 
knife is in you, Flora, what do you do?

(<ST> Okay, Flora, roll intelligence + alertness difficulty 8
<Flora> [2 successes]
<ST> You remember that a knife wound doesn't really cause that much damage.  )

* Bunny continues to hug!

<ST> Flora I told you you cannot dodge in this position.

<Flora> [can I soak this damage?]

<Garland> "No... I... uh..." Rubs his head.  "... I don't know what 
that was."

<Flora> [1 success]

<Garland> Glances around a bit.  "... what's going on??"

<ST> Okay, you take one box of damage.  Now what do you do?  She's 
got her hand on the hilt and she's just about to pull it out.

<ST> That you was Flora.

<Bunny> "I don't know but there's fighting and you were like in the 
middle of it and you could have been hurt so I tried to get you to 
the door but you're heavy and I'm not strong enough and I'm scared."

* Kenken tries to smack her again, on the shoulder, hopefully to get 
her to let go of the knife.]

<Garland> [Am I well enough now to start gettin' in on the action, 
ST?]

* Flora holds the dagger in with both hands

<ST> Flora, gain a point of willpower.  Excellent.

<Kenken> [5 successes to hit...]

<ST> We STs are allowed to give willpower points even for non-legacy 
actions if they're good.

* Bunny HUGS Garland! "I'm just so happ you're better, though!"

* Garland looks towards the fighting... but doubts he'd be able to 
help. He frowns, staying with Bunny instead.

<Kenken> [4 successes to damage]

<Garland> "Thank you, sweetheart." Hugs Bunny back with one arm.  

<ST> Wow, KK.  That's 4 damage?

<Kenken> [er, yep!]

<ST> She will roll to soak.  

<ST> She shakes off your damage, though you know there was blood.

<ST> She takes her hand off the dagger in Flora. This is your 
initiative, Flora.

* Flora dexterously gets away from the 'Lady', rises, stashes the 
dagger in a safe place in her clothing, and gets the bo ready for 
action... don't know how long all this takes

<ST> Hmm.  Two initiatives, I think.  Maybe three.

<Flora> [Ok.. getting the dagger away from her is #1]

<ST> OK.  Roll strength + brawl difficulty 7 minus half your dex 
rounded down.

<Flora> [4 successes]

<ST> She will do the same.  It's a contested battle.  

<ST> She only got 1 success so you win, Flora.  Unfortunately, 
because she did have some success, you will take some more damage 
from the dagger as it moves in your wound.  I will roll for it, you 
take one more box.  

<Flora> [OK]

<Flora> [These are chimerical damage, no?]

* Garland starts getting teary again, swallowing a bit.

<ST> Yes, Flora.

* Bunny hugs Garland a lot! "I'm so glad you're okay, I was so 
worried! And then what would we do without you?!"

<Flora> [Muchas gracias, senorita!]

<ST> Wait a minute, Flora.  Lemme think.  No.  REAL.

<Flora> [Ay, caramba!]

<ST> Sorry.  I forgot whose knife this is.

* Flora looks a bit hurt from the dagger

* Garland glances at Bunny. "I dunno... what would you do?" Frowns.

* Bunny pauses. Thinks very hard. "I dunno! Probably not much! You do 
so much, I can't imagine us getting farther then a few feet without 
needing you."

<Bunny> "And if you're not there when we need you, well, that's very 
bad, you know."

<Kenken> "LEAVE HER ALONE!"

* Kenken tries to hit the woman again!

* Garland pauses, still frowning a bit. "... I really make a 
difference around here?" Snorts a bit.

<ST> The Lady backs off from Flora, and in the process turns to face 
KK.

* Bunny NODNODNODS. "YEAH! How can you even ask that? You're really 
important to all of us and help so much!"

<ST> Flora, remember what you said you'd do?  Only one and maybe a 
half an initiative is past.

* Garland furrows his brow and looks at Bunny, shifting a bit. "... 
You... wouldn't just say that, right?"

<Bunny> "Of course not! Lying is bad." [she nods, very seriously.]

<Flora> "Darn right it is, Bunny!!"

<ST> Flora, your stamina is down by two.  KK, your stamina is down by 
one.

* Kenken hisses, "Agenda?!"

<Flora> [Stamina?]

* Kenken aims the hammer at the woman's head, hitting with all his 
pathetically meager strength!

<ST> The Lady hisses back at KK.  "So you're not as stupid as you 
look!"  Suddenly, KK, you feel as if she is actually not such a bad 
old thing.

<ST> Oh, ok.

* Garland blinks, then looks at Bunny. "... yeah. ... -Yeah-." He 
smiles a bit to her, then gets to his feet.

<Kenken> [Can I start to swing, first? Or which? XD I can stop in mid 
swing, if you want!]

<ST> KK rolls his dex + melee, diff whatever for hammer.  You now 
have stamina one less.  

<Kenken> [3 successes to hit...]

<ST> Okay Garland you can go now.  Bunny, you can do whatever makes 
sense to you.  

<Kenken> [1 success for damage only. Oops.]

<ST> She'll roll her soak.  She laughs in your face.

* Bunny beams! "Yay! Garland to the rescue!!"

<Kenken> "Oh my - I'm so sorry!'

* Garland gets crossbow readied.

<Kenken> "Is there anything I can.... I can *do*...?"

<ST> "Yes, indeed, dear pooka.  You can change for me."

* Garland shouts over to KK. "What the hell's going on over there??"

<Kenken> "Oh, I could change here, lady, if you had no eyes-"

<ST> "But I do.  CHange, pooka.  I will turn my back."  And she does, 
but of course other people are looking. 

* Kenken turns and flees for the hall!

<ST> Okay, now she's separated from you all.  She stamps her feet 
quickly.  An aura of brilliant scarlet surrounds her.  Anybody with 
Wayfare and Gremayre?

<Flora> [That would be Eshu, right?]

* Bunny roots through her pockets, pulling out a few little marbles. 
Kneels down and rolls them, aiming under her feet!

* Garland goes ahead and shoots.

* Flora gets her bo and tries to swat the 'Lady' before she does 
whatever nasty she is preparing

<ST> Yes, I think you all three can do all these things.  The Lady is 
thinking hard.

<Flora> [set aside 1 die for dodge]

<Garland> [3 successes]

<Flora> [4 successes]

<ST> Her body attempts to absorb 3 successes and then 4.  Not 7.  Ok? 

<Flora> [sorry that was to hit, haven't rolled damage yet]

<ST> Also she has some interior kind of armour.

<Bunny> [1 Success. Well, 2 successes, one of them a ten, but also 
one botch.]

<Flora> [what are the damage dice for bo?]

<ST> Damage dice for bo is 2+strength.  Damage dice for crossbow is 6 
dice (3 + 3 successes)

<Garland> [Or cross-bo? ... Ah, I see.]

<ST> Bunny, you mean one one, don't you?

<Flora> [rolled 4, 5, 6, 10]

<Garland> [What's the difficulty?]

<ST> Difficulty for damage is always 6.

<Flora> [2 successes]

<Garland> [Ah, thought so.  3 successes.]

<Bunny> [Sorry. x_x;; Was momentarally dealing with ferret.]

<Flora> [OH, ST, I am 'Hurt' on the Real Health chart, so do my 
targets go up by one, or lose a die?]

<ST> Okay.  Yes, I'm afraid so, Flora.  But it doesn't matter.  The 
lady has absorbed your hits and taken no damage.

<Flora> [just so I know, which is it?]

<ST> HOWEVER, BUNNY, our sweet little boggan, has just succeeded in 
getting a marble under the stamped foot.  The Lady's foot slips.  Her 
bunk is ruined.  She is beside herself with rage.  The spell fails.

<ST> Which is what, Flora?

<Flora> [lose a die or one more on the diff?]

* Bunny feels kind of bad, but is pretty sure this lady did deserve 
it!

<ST> Flora being hurt will have to take one off EVERY dice pool.

<ST> Suddenly, an otter appears at the doorway to the throne room.  

* Otter_Ken poses!

<Flora> [Da dahhh!]

<Garland> [*laughs*]

<ST> The Lady moves in a kind of wiggly way you've never seen before.  
It's so fast, she's blurring.  You don't know if your eyes are 
deceiving you or what.  You just don't know!!!

<ST> She's blurring out.  She's almost invisible.  She's not there.  
OH!

* Garland attempts to focus... bah!

* Otter_Ken wobbles!

<Otter_Ken> [Kenken wobbles but he don't fall down!]

* Bunny looks over to the otter! "Otter?"

* Flora strikes where the 'Lady' was

<ST> OK, its up to you Otter.  Your vision is not human.  Not kithain 
exactly either.  Good try Flora.  Not successful.  Your bo is even 
blurring.

<Garland> "Where'd she go??"

<Flora> [withdraw the bo!]

<ST> You can't see anyone very clearly.  The whole room looks blurry.

* Otter_Ken skitters over to the woman!

<ST> She tries to leap over you.

<Flora> "She disappeared.  There seems to be some kind of ... what is 
KenKen doing?"

* Otter_Ken tries to follow, reaching up to nab onto her leg with his 
cute little paws!

<ST> Okay, we have a battle between an otter and a Lady.  Equal 
initiative.

* Bunny thinks the otter is so cute.

<ST> Flora, you can't see KK well enough to know he's doing anything 
unusual.  Have you ever seen him as an otter?

* Garland is just trying to keep track of where people seem to be.

<Flora> [Yes, I saw him do exactly this kind of thing in the Duke's 
quarters.]

<ST> I'll do you first, KK.  You are going for a brawl attack with 
your claws, right?

<ST> Ok, Flora.

<Otter_Ken> [Yeah, I was thinking claw-claw would count for 'grapple 
onto leg'. I have that written down as dex+brawl, diff 6.]

<Flora> "Hey, KenKen sees her!  Let's attack where he attacks!"

<ST> KK, roll dex + brawl diff 6.

<ST> Remember to use your otter tables.

<Bunny> "Be careful not to hit Sir Kenken!"

<ST> Flora, you cannot see well enough to know what KK is doing.  

<ST> This is between OtterKen and the Lady. 

<Otter_Ken> [5 successful hits on right paw. Should I do another for 
left paw, or...?

<Otter_Ken> [2 hits on left paw. Should I roll damage now? (strength 
+1 difficulty 6.)]

<ST> Unlike an attack done by two people, the two claws are one 
attack.  So she has to resist the total damage of the two clawws.  
Roll your damage as you said, KK.

<ST> That is, roll twice.

<Otter_Ken> [2 successes, 2 sucecsses, so four successes total.]

<ST> Good.  Okay, before I check on the success of her leap, I will 
check what she takes in damage.

<ST> She is clearly injured.  However, she jumped at the same time, 
so her leeap dice pool will not be affected.

<Flora> [Ahh.. but will her LANDING pool work?]

<ST> She successfully leaps over your body, KK, stumbles a bit on the 
landing.  You might turn now, but it will take one initiative.

* Otter_Ken turns, taking one initiative!

<ST> Because she's running like a horse.

<ST> What do you want to do?

<Otter_Ken> [I was thinking of darting between her legs to trip her 
up, but if she's running as HEAVILY as a horse, maybe not.]

<ST> No, it wouldn't work.  She landed with a bit of a stumble, then 
took off, running.  By the time you turn around, you will not be able 
to catch up to her, I don't think.  What's your speed as an otter?

<ST> She's running like an injured horse.  Will that beat you out?

<Otter_Ken> ["Walk 3 yards, run 30 yards, jog 7 yards." I dunno what 
that means. ]

<ST> In six seconds.

<ST> ST decision, 5 yards/second is faster than injured horse.

<ST> Do you really want to attack her?

<Otter_Ken> [Cool. So I'll jog, mostly showing peopel where she's 
going...! I really don't know what's going on, see!]

* Otter_Ken sets off at a JOG!

* Flora tries to follow KenKen

* Flora is hurt, so is probably a touch slow

* Garland tries to keep track of where KK is running.

<ST> The Lady disappears around a corner.

* Otter_Ken rounds said corner-!

<ST> There are five corridors she could have gone to.

* Flora Festus-shuffles to the corner

* Bunny runs after! Can't help, but wants to make sure sir Kenken 
will be okay!

<ST> Good work you guys.

* Garland follows along too!

* Otter_Ken looks around and sniffs the air!

<Garland> [Are things still all fuzzy?]

<ST> You smell a disgusting and overwhelming rose smell, KK.  That is 
scary to you, for some reason.  Garland, you are seeing much better 
now.  So are the rest of you.

* Otter_Ken 's hackles rise!

<Garland> "Which way did she go??"

* Otter_Ken shrugs and washes his shoulder.

<ST> The smell is all around the area.

<Flora> "What is is KenKen?  IS Billy in the well... again?"

* Garland looks down each of the corridors, frowning.

* Otter_Ken lies down and covers his nose with his tail.

<ST> Anybody got tracking?

<Garland> [That is too cute.]

<Flora> "Holy Wow.  What do we do now?"

* Bunny tries to pet Kenken?

<Flora> [Flora has Stealth?]

<Garland> [Tracking? No.]

<ST> Revert to survival?

<Flora> [nope... none of that.]

<Otter_Ken> [I've got no Survival either.]

<ST> Okay, then I'm going to say none of you but KK can track, and 
KenKenCan't because his sniffer is out of whack.

<Garland> [I've got nothin'.]

<Otter_Ken> [Oh wait! I do, in otter form!]

<ST> Oh, well then.

<ST> Can you bear the smell enough to look for tracks?

<Flora> [yes, but does that depend on your sniffer, Otter_Ken?]

<Otter_Ken> [Well, I can try to bear the smell!]

* Otter_Ken shivers, ears pinned back, fur puffy, and attempts to 
find the trail.

<ST> Roll willpower as otter, difficulty 9

<Flora> [Go..otter..go!]

<Otter_Ken> [two tens. XD]

<Flora> [woohooo!]

<ST> (It's a really nauseating smell to the otter.  The rest of you 
don't like it much but not like poor otter.

<ST> Wow.

<ST> OK.  Go otter go!

<Otter_Ken> [So should I roll Survival now?]

<Flora> [The nose that knows, knows where we goes!]

<ST> BTW, you have all played your roles so well, I reward you all 
with a point in WP now (if you need it to get back to full) or an XP 
later.  Remind me.

<ST> You have Survival or Tracking, KK?

<Otter_Ken> [Survival only.]

<ST> Okay, diff is two higher.  Roll perception + survival, new 
difficulty 9 (rose smell really screws you up.)

<Otter_Ken> [...1 success on 8 dice. *G*]

<ST> Holy WOW!  (sorry, Flora)

<Flora> [quite alright, givne the circumstances!]

<Otter_Ken> [So, if one success isn't enough... *wry grin*]

<ST> It is.  Hold on a minute.  Must consult map.

<Flora> [Haru, how did the installation of the video camera in ST's 
office go?]

<Otter_Ken> [All systems are go.]

<Flora> [Great! Zoom in on that map!]

<Otter_Ken> [What's this sign? 'Ha ha, fooled you?' CURSES! FOILED 
AGAIN!]

<Otter_Ken> [I'll get you next time, ST! And your little cat, too!]

<Flora> [D'oohhh!]

<ST> OK, OKK, you can track her as follows.  Go down the corridor she 
took after the turn, ignoring the first door on the right and the 
second on the right.  There is a corridor turning left just opposite 
the second door on the right.  She went that way.  Now roll again to 
see if you can track her further.  Difficulty is one higher.

* Otter_Ken follows, stops, then sniffs, shudderng at the scent.

* Garland follows.

<Otter_Ken> [fail. I got 3 9s, but no 10s.]

<ST> However, the corridor does go for a long way without any 
doorways or bends.  You could go ahead and try again later.  The 
difficulty can't get worse.

<ST> What do you want to do, OKK

* Otter_Ken continues on, sniffing at 20 foot intervals.

<ST> First sniff: roll.

<Otter_Ken> [....I got a 10, and a 1. So I fail but don't botch, 
thankfully.]

<ST> You get to roll the 10 again.

<ST> Otter skill.

<Otter_Ken> [7.]

<ST> Like a specialty.

<Otter_Ken> [/me is a fully-trained hunting otter!]

<ST> No good though.  Another twenty feet, still no bend, no door.  
Roll, OKK

<Otter_Ken> [one 10!]

<ST> Right.  You are sure she went this way.

* Otter_Ken flounces for the next few steps,d oing an otter victory 
dance, then follows the scent!

* Garland takes that as a good sign.

<Flora> [Yay, otter-senses!]

<ST> So you're all together.   All five companions.  Isn't that 
sweet?

<Otter_Ken> [Ahem. AWWWWWW~]

<Garland> [Awwwwwwwwww.]

<Garland> [Just remarking on the sweetness. :)]

<Garland> [Or "Awww shucks"ing over the fact that the girl he liked 
ended up being a crazy sorceror who kneed him in the groin.]

* Bunny is generally following. A little behind everyone else, 
because she's got shorter legs!

<Flora> "Hey!  Where's Eshu??"

* Otter_Ken shrugs otterly, following the fold. Er, trail.

* Garland looks back at Flora briefly. "... what?"

<Flora> "You know, Eshu...our friend and companion?"

<Garland> "Oh... OH! Jeez, that's right. ... What'd... where'd you 
guys leave him?" Frowns.

<ST> Leaving that aside, you have gone another 20 feet.  OKKCan sniff 
again.

<Otter_Ken> [finally botched.]

<Flora> "Oh well, can't worry about him, now."

<ST> Whoa!

<Garland> "You don't even remember where he was?" Blinks at Flora. 
"Where'd he go? ... there's -lunatics- in this place!"

<ST> Otter-Ken does his victory dance and ends up with his nose 
pointing toward the right.  You are in a straight corridor.  There is 
nothing to the right, that you can SEE.

* Garland keeps going on ahead. He trusts Otter KK.

<Flora> [no place else to go, anyway, huh?]

<ST> But OKK is absolutely certain that there is something to the 
right that the Lady went through.

<ST> You trust OKK, don't you?

* Otter_Ken veers towards the right!

<ST> Is Bunny caught up with you?

* Bunny is trying! ;.; Doesn't run as fast as the others.

<ST> It's okay, there's a lot of stopping and sniffing.  They are all 
looking at a blank wall now anyway.  Well, not exactly blank.  
There's a picture on the wall.

<Garland> [*is intrigued*]

<Flora> [What is the picture of, we wonder.]

* Otter_Ken jumps up and down excitedly!

<ST> "ESsss, we wonders, esss, Precious."

* Bunny pauses to catch her breath. Blinks at the picture. "...What's 
going on?"

<ST> Okay, so I'll tell you.  It's a picture of a beautiful woman and 
a gorgeous man.  They are wearing wedding finery.  The man looks a 
lot like the Lady you just tangled with.  The woman doesn't look like 
anyone you've see before."

(<ST> Garland, the guy in the picture really looks like the Lady.  Does this make you think anything, considering the  Lady had man's hands and red eyes.
<Garland> [... does the guy in the picture have red eyes?]
<ST> Excellent, thought, Garland.
<ST> Nope.  
<ST> You can have an intelligent thought here, if you want to roll for it.  Up to you.
<Garland> [I do, I do! What do I roll?]
<ST> intelligence + alertness, difficulty 6
<Garland> [2 successes]
<ST> Well, it does occur to you that this Lady was not exactly as she tried to appear, and that maybe she can take the appearance of anyone she meets.)

* Garland looks down at Bunny. ".... do you know where Eshu is, 
Bunny?"

<Bunny> "He was with us before when we were on our way. Maybe he got 
seperated?"

* Garland frowns at that... he was sure taking poor care of everyone, 
including himself, lately.

<ST> The two in the picture are both wearing crowns.

<Garland> He looks at the picture to take his mind off that.

<ST> Good, see your box, Garland.

<Garland> "... he looks a lot like Morwen. ... or y'know, whoever 
that was..." Frowns.

<Flora> "hmm... so this man was posing as a woman?"

* Otter_Ken walks around in circles at the spot he's SURE was right!

<Garland> "I... guess that's possible.  She... he, sure seemed like a 
man."

* Flora checks the wall where Otter_Ken indicates

<ST> [you guys had better do something quick.  OKK might pee on the 
spot, if you don't.]

<Flora> [not my house... I don't care]

<Garland> "... what? Maybe there's something behind the painting?" 
Looks at OKK.

* Otter_Ken bounces up and down!

* Garland goes about trying to get the thing down off the wall.

<ST> It's fairly easy to remove.

* Garland removes!

* Flora suspiciously looks around the area

<ST> There is a screw on the wall.

* Garland furrows at it. He checks the back of the painting.

<Flora> [A screw?  What era is this castle?]

<ST> [the screw looks about as modern as the real hunting lodge that 
underlies the palace.]

<ST> [you can all see the boring real-life stuff underneath the 
chimerical beauty.]

<ST> [On the other hand, the screw is made of gold, apparently.]

* Otter_Ken prances around in circles around people's legs!

* Bunny pets Kenken?

<Garland> "Y'know... maybe... maybe she's just been taking on the 
appearances of people she knows.  ... the real Morwen might be around 
somewhere. ... she might've at least met her..."

<Flora> "Uh guys.  Bunny was out of sight for a while, huh?  No 
offense, kid, but tell us something that lets us know you aren't this 
guy disguised as our friend Bunny."

<Garland> "... what if she could disguise herself as one of us? ... I 
do NOT like how Eshu is missing. ... what?" Looks over at Flora, then 
Bunny.

* Otter_Ken sniffs at Bunny's fingers.

<ST> [a ST's favourite thing: a party scared of itself.  Hehehe]

* Bunny gasps! "He could be me?! Oh no! How can I know if I'm me?!"

* Bunny is very distressed! ;.;

* Flora *laughs* That's good enough for me, Bunny!"

<Garland> "... I think that's Bunny."

* Otter_Ken butts his head into Bunny's hand.

* Bunny pets Kenken's head and scrichies behind his ears.

<Flora> "OK, guys, I've looked at the wall her, and I don't see 
anything like a hidden door.  Maybe KenKen lost the trail?"

<Garland> "Alright, so Bunny's Bunny, I'm me, we're probably all each 
other since we haven't been out of our own sight."

* Garland looks at OKK. "He seemed so sure, though. ... but he is a 
pooka."

<Flora> "Why don't we go just a little further and try again?"

* Garland thumps the wall. Sees if he can pull out the screw. 
Anything just to make sure.

* Otter_Ken droops.

<ST> [that gold screw is probably worth something to all of you.  The 
screw itself would be of value to the boggan.  But if you take it you 
wouldn't be able to hang the picture up again.  Oh, Garland is 
pulling out the screw.  Fine.  He turns it in the unscrew direction 
of course.  It makes a screetching sound, and a door appears in the 
wall.

<Garland> [Yeah!]

<Flora> "Holy Wow!  I won't ever doubt you again, KenKen!!!"

* Garland blinks... then grins broadly. "I knew KenKen was right."

* Otter_Ken POINGS!

<ST> [a genuinely devoted party.]

<ST> There is no handle on the door.

<Bunny> "Wow! Sir Kenken is so smart!"

<Garland> "You know... I WAS the one to remove the screw..."

<Bunny> "So is Sir Garland!"

<ST> There are also no visible hinges on the door.  And Garland gets 
1 XP for this one.

<Bunny> "I would have never thought of that."

<ST> Remind me.

<Flora> "-I- think you are really smart, Garland."

* Garland hands it to Bunny, for safekeeping. "You can hold onto this 
then... it's pretty."

<Garland> "Alright, alright... so... suggestions on how to open it?" 
Is pleased.

* Otter_Ken BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE!

<ST> [He wants you to bounce him against it.]

<Flora> "If we turned away, KenKen the lockpick could come back to 
us?"

<Garland> [Is there even a lock on the door?]

<Flora> "OK, KenKen the wayfarer-magic guy?"

<Flora> "Who talks to doors?"

<Garland> "... How about I just kick it really hard?"

<ST> There is no obvious lock on the door.

<Flora> "Oooohhh...what a man!"

* Garland is scanning that comment for sarcasm.

* Otter_Ken bounces more. Jumps against the door, bounces off.

<ST> Okay, you want to kick, Garland?

<Bunny> "But isn't it rude to break things that don't belong to 
you...?"

<ST> Okay.  Let's roll...  hummmm... strength plus your choice of 
athletics or brawl.

<Garland> [Brawl it is then.  What diff?]

<ST> Difficulty... hmm, I'll let you know.  Tell me what you get.

<Flora> "You have a point, Bunny, but it's also rude to stick cold 
iron into Kithain."

<Garland> [8, 3, 7, 2, 1, 10]

<ST> [which reminds me, Flora, where is the dagger?]

<ST> Roll the 10 again, Garland.

<Flora> [stuffed and wrapped safely in my posession.]

<Garland> [6]

<ST> Where, Flora?

<ST> The door doesn't budge.

* Garland frowns.

* Otter_Ken bounce! Bounce!

<Flora> [under my belt and gi top, in the small of my back.]

* Otter_Ken ...gets tired, and lies down.

<ST> Who is standing right behind you?

<Garland> "... anyone else want to try? ... Flora?"

<Flora> [If you mean me, I think noone at the moment.. KK is at the 
door, etc.]

<ST> [she's got a good kick on her...]

<Bunny> "Sir Kenken?"

<ST> Is anyone standing right behind Flora?

<Garland> [Nope.]

* Bunny tries to pick up the tired otter.

<Flora> "stand back and let me try a new technique I just learned."

* Garland moves out of Flora's way... likely behind her now.

<ST> [how far back?]

* Otter_Ken clambers up bunny and sprawls on her shoulders.

* Bunny moves back, carrying Kenken.

<ST> [how far back, guys?]

<Garland> [fairly far... five feet or so?]

<Garland> [To give her kickin' room.]

<Flora> "Uh... by the way, do any of you guys have a way to heal the 
damage I took from that dagger?"

* Garland lifts eyebrows, as he wouldn't have seen that happen. 
"Dagger?"

<ST> [Flora, have you remembered your Spearman's Shield Fae Gift all 
this time?]

<Garland> [Does heather balm work on those kinds of wounds?]

<Flora> [Yes, but that is for Chimerical damage, only]

<ST> Unless she calls on the Wyrd.

<Flora> [that was for ST's question.  I don't know about Heather 
Balm]

<ST> Okay, was all your damage real?

<Flora> [The only damage I have taken is form the dagger]

<Flora> "The dagger, Garland, is a cold iron wepaon the 'Lady' wanted 
to use on you, and then us."

<Flora> "I have it tucked in the small of my back, so she can't get 
it back."

<Garland> "... oh." Takes a step or two back.

<ST> Okay, it is all real.  The only way to heal this in a kithain 
would be time in a freehold or the Dreaming.  But since she is 
Kinain, she only takes real damage, not the terrible aggravated real 
damage of the dagger plus its other horrid qualities.  So, only 
Heather Balm will cure it quickly, and that only if the wielder of 
the spell calls on the wyrd.

<Garland> [I have Heather Balm! So I can call... on the wyrd... I've 
never done this before.]

<ST> I'll take you through it, if you like.

<Flora> "Well, if it isn't a great deal of trouble, I would 
appreciate being healed.  It would also make me stronger for kicking 
this door in."

<Garland> "I'll see what I can do for you, Flora."

<Flora> "thanks."

<ST> Okay, here we go.

<ST> First we'll have you spend one point of temp willpower and one 
point of glamour.  Have you done that now?

<ST> It's Garland who has to do this.

<Garland> [Okay.]

<ST> Okay, now, roll your willpower (what it is now) vs your 
permanent Glamour.  

<ST> You need only one success.

<Garland> [Alright, so... four dice, difficulty 4... three 
successes.]

<ST> Okay, you have successfully called on the wyrd.  Until I tell 
you, all your weapons will inflict REAL damage, all your cantrips are 
WYRD and so cost one Glamour point to cast, and YOU will take REAL 
damage instead of chimerical from any kind of weapon.

<ST> This is true whether your cantrip Heather Balm works or not.

<ST> Okay.  So probably you want to make it work, right?

<ST> Kay, so back to Garland's cantrip.  You will probably want a 
long bunk, right?  The longer, the less difficult it is to cast the 
cantrip.

<ST> Okay, so let's work out your dice pool and see how long a bunk 
you will need.  First you need all your pips in stamina.  Add that to 
the lower of your pips in Fae or Actor, since you're doing the 
cantrip on Flora

<ST> (won't matter about your bunk.  Just say you're doing it.)

<ST> What is your dice pool?

<Garland> [Okay, so... stamina + Fae is... seven pips.]

<Garland> [I don't have actor.]

<ST> Is everyone watching this?  

<ST> If you don't have actor you can add NO pips to your stamina.  
Sorry.

<ST> Okay, so Garland, what's your dice pool now?

<Garland> [four.]

<Garland> [I have lots of stamina, you see.]

<ST> Okay, isn't it nice you're a goat?  Now, we'll look at the 
difficulty.

<ST> The difficulty is the higher of your own or the target's 
banality, plus 4, minus the bunk level.

<ST> What is your banality, Flora?

<Flora> [my banality is 3]

* Bunny pets Kenken.

<Flora> [A rabbit stroking an otter while a goat heals my wounds.  
Where AM I?]

<ST> That is good, you must have received that due to a fae gift.

* Otter_Ken squeaks!

<ST> Okay, and Garland, what is your banality?

<Garland> [Mine's 3, too.]

<ST> Okay, so the difficulty so far is 3 + 4 - bunk level.  The 
lowest difficulty allowed is 4.  So you can do a level three bunk, 
and that will take about 18 seconds.

<ST> Flora, put it on your sheet.  It is assumed you are more fae 
than human if your banality is only 3.

* Bunny blinks at the squeak! "...Are you okay?"

<Garland> [I'll do level 3 then.]

* Otter_Ken nods. It was a happy squeak. He does a little dance on 
her shoulders, and watches Garland bunk.

<ST> Okay, so if you bunk for 18 seconds, the difficulty will be only 
4.  You will be rolling 4 dice vs a difficulty of 4.  Now, we need to 
know the glamour cost.

* Bunny giggles at otterdance! And ooohs, watching Garland!

<ST> It costs you one temp glamour point to cast this "wyrd" spell.  
You are casting it only at one person, so you don't have to pay more 
glamour than that.

<ST> Do you have the temp glamour?

<Flora> [HE can have one of my candies!]

<Garland> [Okay... temp glamour, is that the same as the full circle? 
.... either way, I have lots of glamour on me.  I think.]

<ST> Cross off one of your candies or tickets or whatever.

<Flora> [OK, I'll cross off one of the lemon drops]

<ST> Now, cast the spell.  Roll 4 dice against difficulty of 4.

<Garland> [2 successes]

<ST> So you heal FLora of 2 real boxes of damage, unless Flora 
resists?

<Flora> [Resist!?!?!  Ahhy fell mooch bettah!]

<ST> Well done.  Are you guys beginning to get this spell-casting 
stuff now? 

<ST> It only gets more complicated than this if you're aiming at more 
than one target.

<ST> Or trying to put a time delay on a cantrip.

<Flora> [So I will kick the damn door in, now!]

<ST> Okay, so Garland, I'll let you know when you stop being "in the 
wyrd", and Flora will roll strength + brawl and let me know her 
results.

<Flora> [In fact, I WILL kick the door in, now.  I want to use a 
point of willpower for a success.]

<ST> Carry on.

<Garland> [Kick it good, Flora.]

<ST> The rest of you, please remember this.  A point of willpower 
spent gives you one automatic success on whatever you are trying to 
do, unless it is to use your willpower.

<Flora> [9,3,3,3,3,1]

<Ishu> [... Thank goodness for the willpower :S ]

<ST> The door remains completely immoveable.

<Garland> "Alright.  How about... both of us at once?"

<ST> Garland, add one point of WP, unless you don't need it.

<Flora> "Right, Batman.  Let's do it!"

<Garland> [Ooo, thank you.]

<ST> (This is kind of cumulative, a reward for this plus earlier 
stuff).

* Garland sets up beside Flora.

<ST> Now, the difficulty is higher.  Any time you try a second or 
third time it gets harder.

<ST> You have to do it at exactly the same time or the results won't 
be additive.

<Flora> [I really want to get through this door.  Another Willpower 
point.]

<Garland> [what was it, strength + brawl?]

<ST> Yep.

<Garland> [Yes, I'm spending a willpower point too.]

<ST> Okay.  Go.

<ST> When you're ready.

<Flora> "together.. 3...2...1.."

<Flora> "GO!"

<ST> Okay, both of you roll and tell me what you got.

<Garland> [4, 3, 2, 7, 9, 9]

<Flora> [2,4,7,9,10,10]

<ST> Flora roll the two tens again.

<Flora> [5,9]

<ST> so that's seven successes?  three nines, two tens, two WP 
points?

<ST> That's enough.

<Garland> [IT BETTER BE!]

<ST> The door smashes open.

* Otter_Ken poings! On Bunny's shoulders.

<ST> Six were required.  

* Garland heads into the doorway... after clapping Flora on the back 
happily.

<Bunny> "Yay!!" 

* Bunny claps!

<Flora> [bruised and shaken, but we are through!]

* Otter_Ken squeaks and does a war dance!

* Bunny has an otter dance on her shoulders! o.o

<ST> You see a room.  It is rather small.  It is, in fact, yuckky 
because there is no fresh air here.  There seems to be nothing in it.

<Flora> [Hah! Do we believe that?]

<ST> {Do you?]

<Flora> [No!]

<ST> [So what are you going to do?]

* Otter_Ken sniffs! Sniffs!

* Garland starts into the room fully, checking out the walls.

* Flora checks out the room carefully

<ST> OKK, roll your sniffer.

<ST> Garland, roll perception + alertness + 1 for determined and 
concentration difficulty 9

<ST> Same target for you OKK as last time -3 because there is no rose 
scent in here.

<Garland> [Damn.  No successes.]

<Otter_Ken> [So 7? Then I have 3 successes.]

<ST> You can try again, difficulty ten, and spend wp.

<ST> So you know, OKK that the Lady is not here and has not been 
here, but you are very interested in another scent you seem to know.

<Otter_Ken> [What scent is that?]

<ST> Your box.

<Garland> [Spending a WP point, and no successes.]

<ST> I mean, KK, go to your private window.  Sorry.  LOL.

(<ST> Okay, OKK, you smell Ishu, only he's not in the room, and the strongest part of his BO is under your feet.
<ST> It's too far away, up there.  Ishu's smell is down there, though.)

<ST> Garland, you get one success due to WP.  

<Garland> [Yaay, one success!]

<ST> I assume, Garland, you were checking floors and ceiling?

<Garland> [... sure.]

* Otter_Ken sniffs right at the floor and thumps his tail! Begins 
bouncing! Points to all the party members! Bounce!

* Garland notices that area of floor... right as KK starts bouncing 
all around it. "... I think there's something there."

* Garland bends down to get a closer look.

* Otter_Ken BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE... pantpant... bounce!

<ST> I won't make you roll.  There is indeed a trap door here where 
OKK is panting and bouncing.

<Garland> [Yaay to no rolling! *laughs*]

<Garland> If no one else was going to... he'd open that sucker up.  
If possible.

<Otter_Ken> [Yeah, with our luck... XD]

* Otter_Ken clambers off the area.

<Flora> [I'll help]

<ST> It'll take something to pry with.

<Flora> [I have a knife!:o)]

<ST> Flora, which knife?

<Flora> [humorous allusion to THE knife.]

<ST> You were joking then?

<Flora> [for now, but if we can't get through, then yes]

<ST> Does anybody have anything that is very sharp?

<ST> And won't break?

<Garland> [ONLY MY WIT, MADAM.]

<Ishu> [XD That is AWESOME!]

<ST> LOL.  Your arrows are actually crossbow bolts, and might not 
break....

<Garland> [I'll go ahead and use one of the bolts then.  Or try to.]

<ST> Okay.  But just in case, does ANYbody have anything sharp that 
won't break?

<Garland> [I was just about to suggest KK's teeth! *L*]

<ST> ANYbody ELSE?

<ST> [All you have to do is look at it.  Or ask the boggan to.  It's 
like crumbly old cast iron.]

<ST> High, high, high overhead you hear the sound of wings flapping.

* Bunny looks uuuuuup?

<ST> Okay.  Roll huummmm, let me think....

<ST> Bunny?

<ST> Okay, roll two dice with a diff of 9

<ST> That's you, Garland.

<ST> Anybody else got anything to say, think, ask, wonderabout?

* Otter_Ken poing! Sits.

<Flora> [can we actually see up?]

<Garland> "... Did I hear something just now?"

<ST> No, but you can hear.

<ST> It is way up.

<ST> By the way, Garland, you have one less crossbow bolt. 

<Flora> [can I try to lever the hatch with my bo?]

<ST> No.  Too narrow a gap.

* Otter_Ken ponders, then jumps up and down on the hatch, trying to 
make it make a noise and alert anyone below that it's there.

<ST> Hey, does anyone have Crafts?

<Otter_Ken> [...so they could shove up at the same time, with luck!]

<Garland> [Shove up and send KK flying.]

* Garland just thinks KK's trying to bash it in.

<Bunny> [I might? I think it's just for cooking and sewing, though?]

<Flora> [are there any hinges?]

<ST> Crafts are crafts.  Have a look at the tiny, narrow, blade-sized 
edge.  Hinges on other side.

<ST> Or magically hidden.

<ST> I was suggesting that Bunny look at the edge.

* Bunny peers!

<ST> Bunny, roll Crafts + Wits difficulty 5.

<Bunny> [Woo! Two sucesses.]

<ST> Great.  You think immediately of the supersharp scissors that 
the dragon made out of your ordinary ones.

<ST> Did I say then that they are also unbreakable?

<Flora> [!!!!!]

<ST> I should have, if I didn't.

<ST> Dragons are good at magicking things.

<Garland> [*weeps for the lost crossbow bolt*]

<ST> You hear a distant, very distant shriek, way above.  And down 
below, you hear something, something like gasping, or crying?

* Bunny OHS! And digs through her apron for the scissors!

* Bunny totally forgot about those!

* Otter_Ken 's hackles rise again and he sniffs the air, carefully.

* Bunny takes them out of her apron. "Um! How about, those...?"

<Garland> "... is someone down there?" blinks, shouting down towards 
the door.

<Flora> "Holy wow, Bunny!"

(<ST> Ishu: You have happened upon a cellar in your wanderings, there is a girl there, tied to a post, bleeding badly.  She seems to have very little life force left.
<ST> Well, maybe, you couldn't really know who was up there, though.
<Ishu> Great, thanks. :)
<ST> You got there in the nick of time, OF COURSE, to administer some first aid, and untied her, before the others came.)

<Ishu> "... He.... Hello?"

* Otter_Ken BOUNCE!

* Otter_Ken wins at life!

<Garland> "... Ishu??"

* Garland remains skeptical about all this. After all, KK said the 
Lady went down this way...

<Ishu> "Uh - yeah - hey guys! I could use some help down here....!"

<Ishu> "There's a girl...."

<Ishu> "Um. o_O"

<Ishu> "And we could definately use a light."

<Garland> [A girl, eh?]

<Ishu> "She's seriously injured here... guys?" he calls out, as if 
wondering if something may have happened

<Flora> [I just remembered my flashlight, if that helps digging 
here.]

<Garland> "Yes, we're here! ... we're trying to open this door!" 
*thumps on it*

* Bunny gasps! Someone is hurt! ;.;

<Ishu> "Try a knife? Or maybe those scissors?"

* Bunny holds out the scissors for someone to try to open it?

* Garland asks Bunny for the scissors.

<Garland> ... or just takes them, that's good too.

<Flora> "go for it, big guy!"

<Garland> [What do I roll?]

<Ishu> "It's okay, my friends are coming..." you all hear Ishu say 
quietly below.

* Garland wishes he heard that more often.

<ST> Bunny is the best at kidness I've ever met.

* Flora readies her bo to jam it into a gap when it appears

<Ishu> [*luvs at Garland*]

<Bunny> [We love you, Garland!]

<Bunny> [We love you goat man!]

<ST> Okay, roll 10 dice vs 9.

<Garland> [The goat is warmed.]

<Flora> [o_O]

<Garland> [by their kind words!]

<Garland> [And one success.]

<Otter_Ken> [Nahnahnahnah GOAT MAN! GOAT MAN! Bif! Pow!]

<ST> Is all it takes.

<ST> You can ram in the rod, now Flora.

* Garland hopes said girl is the real Morwen and not another sham-
girl.

* Ishu moves to make sure nothing falls and hits the girl when the 
door opens above

* Flora rams her rod in for all she's worth

<Otter_Ken> [...this is so not romantic.]

<Garland> [We should've taken the trap door out for dinner first.]

<Bunny> [Maybe a movie.]

* Flora jimmies it around now, to open it wider

<ST> It finally rises enough to grasp with your hands.

<ST> Light floods down into the cellar room.

* Ishu shields his eyes for a moment... it's been dark!

<Ishu> "HEY! :D "

<Garland> "Where'd you go?!"

<Flora> "Ishu...what are you doing in there?"

<ST> You see someone who looks a lot like Ishu and someone else who 
looks very hurt and in the corner about three dead bodies.

<Ishu> "Uuuuh...."

<ST> All maids and boggans to boot.

* Garland hurriedly moves Bunny back.

* Ishu remains oblivious to the bodies, having not looked that way 
yet,.

<Ishu> "Well, I, uhh...."

* Otter_Ken does an unhappy otter skitter!

<Ishu> "You always wonder that, you know? You always wonder."

* Ishu blinks and looks around to see -

<Ishu> "AAAAACK!"

* Ishu takes off his hate.

<Ishu> hat.

<Ishu> [Duh, typo.]

<Otter_Ken> [For great justice.]

<Flora> "Well, let's get you out of there."

* Bunny blinks, but is moved back! "What? What's in there? Is it sir 
Ishu?"

<Ishu> "I don't know how safe this girl is to move..."

* Ishu looks around for an exit on this floor (?)

<Ishu> "Uh, yeah, it's me, Bunny... you just stay back there for a 
few minutes, okay?"

<ST> Garland, you can't really see for sure, but you've got a feeling 
you might know this girl.

<Garland> "He'll be right here in a moment, Bunny."

<Flora> "I'll help Ishu out so Garland the healer can get in."

<ST> Ishu, there is only one entrance, which you took, and which 
disappeared behind you.

<ST> Magic.

<Garland> [How far down are they?]

<ST> Nine feet or so.  

<Ishu> "Well... could anyone safely jump up with her?"

<Ishu> "I'm not strong enough to."

<Garland> "I... could."

<Ishu> "I have some rope, but it would be awkward."

<Garland> [I've got hopscotch!]

<Ishu> "Or you could just come down and heal her. ^^;; "

<Flora> "Here, let me use the rope to pull someone up."

* Ishu looks like he just had a "duh!" moment.

* Ishu tosses the rope to Flora

<Ishu> "We can use that to get Garland down here - I'm going to stay 
for another minute, just till we can get her up safely. You guys 
alright?"

<Ishu> "What did I miss? ^^;; "

* Bunny pouts, but she stays back.

* Flora anchors the rope...to herself and sits, bracing against the 
edges of the hole so she can keep from falling in.

<Garland> "Alright... think you can hold that? I should get down 
there.." To Flora.

<Flora> "yes.  Go ahead."

* Ishu boggles at Flora holding up Garland's weight. (Strong girl!)

<Flora> [leverage is everything]

<Garland> [I'm not FAT.]

* Garland heads down the rope carefully.

<ST> For time's sake, we will let you get down safely.

<ST> Sometimes I'm nice.

<Garland> "Where did you find her?" To Ishu, moving over towards the 
girl.  Caaaarefully.

<Ishu> "Can you help her, Garland?"

<Ishu> "Right down here - she was tied up when I got here. I managed 
to get the rope off her and do some field dressing, but..."

<Garland> [What kind of wounds are they?]

* Garland moves over to inspect the girl.

<ST> (bad.  Wyrded holly strike.  It is by this that you know this 
girl is not that other one, because no Changeling of any sort would 
hurt any other Changeling of any sort with real wounds like this.

<Garland> [But she looks like the other one?]

<ST> There is a code, that even Unseelie follow for the most part.  
Real death is terrible.  It removes the Glamour from the Dreaming 
forever.

<Garland> [And I'm in real-healin' mode, aren't I?]

<ST> Yes, she looks just like the other one.

<ST> Yes, you're in real healing mode.

* Otter_Ken peers down, bouncing around.

<Garland> [I have at least a point or two of glamour left, since I've 
only done that one spell and whatnot... I'll try to Heather Balm her 
again.]

<Flora> "Do you need some candy?"

<Garland> "That would be great, actually, Flora." Looking up. "Drop 
it down if you have any."

<Flora> "I have four left.  How many do you need?"

* Ishu looks surprised at Garland

<Ishu> "You can do healing with Glamour?"

<Garland> "With a cantrip, yeah.  Just toss me one, Flora."

<ST> I think we're going to have to skip over spell details for the 
sake of timing.  You will spend 1 GP, and up to one WP point for a 
guaranteed success.  A long bunk.  

<Ishu> "... wow."

<Flora> "Here it is." *one lemon drop drops.*

<ST> It's almost time to say goodbye.  Darn.  

<Garland> [So... skip to the rolling? Stamina + points in Fae? That'd 
be seven.]

<ST> We won't roll.  I'll tell you later how well she is healed.  You 
will succeed somewhat, but she will be very hurt still.  Needs to 
spend time in the Dreaming.

<Garland> [I have the healing touch.  No need to thank me ladies.]

<Flora> [So to make a long story short, everyone gets out of the 
hole, right?]

<Ishu> [A little dusty and worse for wear, but yeah! :D ]

* Otter_Ken bounces up and over to Ishu, and jumps up into his arms! 
He may not get CAUGHT, though.

<Garland> [I shall carry the fair maiden to safety.]

<Ishu> "Hey! :D "

* Ishu fluffs Otter-ken's head a bit. :)

<ST> He's got you OKK.  You look pretty happy.

* Otter_Ken winds about Ishu's shoulders and touches his nose to 
Ishu's!

<Ishu> "How's it going, Professor? ;) "

* Ishu pokes nose with nose in reply :)

* Otter_Ken says, seriously, "Kiyiiiii!"

* Ishu blinks, as he does not speak otter.

<Ishu> "Uuuuh...." he cringes, "Is that not-well?"

* Otter_Ken headbutts Ishu gently!

* Ishu chuckles

<ST> I think all is well.  Am I right gang?

<Garland> [Except for the dead hole-people, sure!]

<ST> Right.  But of course Morwen wouldn't have been left without any 
servants.  Her dragon guards should have been enough, but I suppose 
they were fooled by the foul one.

<ST> So, now, can we call time happily?

<Ishu> [Yeah! :D With one last ruffle of KK's fur. ^.^]

[Game Off]