Sense of Slight of Hand Man Interludes

[Jabdah]

[If Rufus' there; 59 on Spot Hidden (pass), 41 on Listen (pass), 40 on Idea (pass). As I mentioned in my latest mail, I won't be able to join this Saturday. ]

[Whenever there is a moment when we all can have a chat in privacy:] I believe the only way we can *safely* get back to earth, is to physcially go there, through the Underworld if that is the only option. See, I don't like to come back like *this* [Rufus shudders when he points to himself] but, getting back to the room with Mr. Lao and his thugs... I'm not sure I want that. I think if we just wake up, we will be back there. Taking gold with us? Well, as I see it the only way would be to make the trip physcially, not just "waking up". I say we should spend the money and resources we got to prepare us for a trip through the Underworld.

[Rufus will try to get some more information on the Dreamlands if there is time, mainly from the "drugdealer" who seem to be well versed in magic and "dreaming". He will try to keep himself occupied, focusing on the goal of getting back to earth to stop himself from going (more) insane. At least he try . Where to enter the Underworld from here? What to expect? Can you get a guide?]

[KeeperMurph]

[If you guys passed the Spot or Listen rolls then you notice far more Men of Leng in the crowds outside than normal, which is actually starting to become somewhat heated. There is a tension in the air that you have felt before, something close to when you arrived on the Black Galley.

Passing the Idea roll means that hiring a Spymaster is not going to be possible because you have shit for contacts in this world and have not been able to figure out friend from foe as of yet. Especially not for a highly trustworthy position as a spymaster must entail.

Rufus you get to make an immediate SAN roll. ]

It takes three times as long as normal to get back to your castle. And during the entire journey you guards beat off more of the townsfolk than you would have liked. The market area broke into chaos again, and on each street, at every turn there were groups of the Men of Leng watching your progress. As you finally make it to the castle gates, the city behind you is in chaos. The city guard is seen running everywhere trying to curtail the violence and apprehend looters. Smoke is seen rising from somewhere across the city, you could make a guess that it is from the Docks district. That night, the city of Lhosk burns and glows orange by the moonlight.

When dawn breaks, the violence seems to have subsided, the Lhoskians are going about their business as if nothing had occurred. But even so, you can see that the city is on the brink.

[For those of you that are veterans, the people of Lhosk now remind you of soldiers crammed into a foxhole waiting for the shell to drop that would kill them all. You are familiar with the feeling, you had lived it long enough.]

[Jabdah]

[80 on SAN (fail)]

[BoscoBoy]

[This session has me stunned. The 1st death, the destruction of a city, more than I can process]

I'm having dreams, strange dreams, where I'm a man! I don't know why this is happening, but I am disturbed my them. It may be because of the death of the colonel, the way he was brutalized, eviscerated, and crucified by the mob. I don't know where to turn, what to do, other than I want to return to the waking world, escaping this dream land, which has become more of a nightmare.

What shall we do?

[KeeperMurph]

[I'm glad you liked it man. More to come here soon.]

[Citysliker]

I am more worried that the scene of Col. Grant we stumbled onto has not really effected me. It didn't look like the real Grant. It probably wasn't him was it? Anyway this is all a dream and we will wake up soon. Though..........I am beginning to forget for long periods my old job on the ships. The smells and sights seem distant and vague. Sometimes like they are the dream and this is real. The buzz from the fighting is very real. I am really beginning to enjoy slicing and gutting the bastards that get in my way. Its a buzz. Like a buzz I used to get in other ways a while ago. And I starting to think I may be immortal. I can heal any would. My body is strong. My mind though.......

Roderica seems to be drifting between highs and lows as well. Not sure what she thought of seeing Grant. Woman usually feel these things deeper than men. Wait. Its Roderick. He's not a woman. Is he?

And Rufus? Where the hell did he go? Is he OK? we need to find him and get out of this crazy city quick.

[Have we found Rufus yet?]

[KeeperMurph]

For the second time you return to the castle to see Lhosk burning. You know that the tension here was significant before your arrival, but you can't help but think that all of this was your fault. The Colonel is dead and gone, you can just make out the Black temple from your highest turret, and the chaos that surrounds it. On one of those walls your friend is hanging on the walls eviscerated, crucified in a body that wasn't his own. It has been weeks since your arrival here, but up until now reality of the situation was only a dream.

Many of your guard has abandoned the keep. Upon returning the remaining guard had you look into the room that the Collector had taken. At first you had assumed he was asleep, but as you got closer you noticed the dark blankets were darker than they should have been. Teddy pulls back the blanket to see that the skin has been flayed from his body beneath the neck. You can't say that he was a friend, but he was an ally, something you seem to have to few of.

[Everyone roll SAN]

[BoscoBoy]

[51 on the san, yikes. I'm insane in the brain.]

Theodore I share your concerns, but not your feelings of power. The death of the colonel and the collector make a lie of your immortality. The Colonel I understand, he could be impetuous, but the collector?
He was an innocent we brought into this. His blood is on our hands.

And Rufus! Where is he? To loose another would be more than I can bear! Oh Rufus, please make yourself known.

Thank the gods for Maris! He will save us, and I will reward him when he does.

[Citysliker]

[34 on the SAN roll - phew]

The Collector as well? I agree this is harsh. He did not wrong but we led him to his end. I feel revenge brewing. He did not deserve this. As for Maris....I hope we can protect him better than we did the other 2. We must find Rufus and head for the Oracle!!

[Magnus Nordlander]

[I hope you don't mind me retconning a little. Before seeing the Collector:]

I'm truly grateful for your help, sires and my lady, without it I may not have lived through the night [he might have had a better chance if *some* people hadn't killed his personal guard though ]. I owe you... How do you say it? I owe you a debt of gratitude, and that's not even considering my father's sword that you've brought me! If there's anything I can do for you to help you, I will.

My sincerest condolences for your friend, the Colonel. I did not know him, of course, but I'm sure he was a good man. A military man, I take it? I do not understand who or what might have caused our fine city to descend into such pandemonium, but we must make it stop.

Tell me, who are you, and how come I've never heard of you before? You're obviously a group of some means, you would not be able to afford this keep otherwise. Whence do you hail and how long have you lived here in Lhosk?

[... And then we enter the Collector's room, before anyone has time to answer.]
[SAN roll: 60, fail]

[*Some words of shock in a language you don't understand*]