What Has Gone Before, Book II, Chapter 4: "A Pantheon is Born"

Sunday June 28, 1998

Somewhere around 7pm.
The group is in a Duke dorm lounge with bunks and lanterns on the second floor. Satin dances time away. Actually she dances and subjective time is speeding up. (Several in the group need R&R, and we don't lose much time this way.) Time is double speed inside our room. Stepping outside feels like stepping into molasses. Alex expands his awareness, searching for the small creatures that were growing scarce when the Shadowlands were merged. He encompasses the building, and does find some insects. David tries the light switch, nothing happens. He unscrews a bulb and forces electricity, but the bulb doesn't light. The base grows very hot, and the bulb shatters, but the electricity never made it to the filament. David spends some time trying to think of reasons why electricity is having a problem, while mechanical things are not, like Alex's wind up watch.

9pm
David and Rachel begin casting spells to enchant some of their gear. Alex and Glen start up a card game. Reuben is still sleeping. Amethyst is silently fuming, surrounded once more by "that magical shit."

10pm
Enchantments and card games are still under way. Amethyst slips out of the room, unnoticed. There are two guards outside the door. One follows Amethyst, while the other guard stays at the door. The guard following Amethyst spoke to another guard as he passed, telling him that he'd left his post to follow. Amethyst of course gives the guard a hard time. Has he checked to be sure his gun can fire. Does he actually know how to use the gun. Hasn't he heard the expression "The Gods help those who help themselves." The guard doesn't look up at Amethyst, but replies briefly to her questions and follows her. Amethyst insists she is not a God. However, unbeknownst to her, there is still a Paradox effect continuing, as she speaks blue lines of force flow out along with the words. While walking around outside Amethyst passes a young guard on a wall. The guard notices her and spins to point his gun at her. She tells the guard not to shoot her, and the guard falls off the wall in surprise. He lands badly, curling up in pain. Amethyst's guard goes for help. Amethyst stays and speaks with the guard 'to get his mind off it'. The fallen guard is named Greg, he's 14, and he's been with the group over the weekend because they have purpose and strength. Greg doesn't want to be here, but his parents were shot, although 'not exactly' in the riots. Amethyst's guard returns with Gabriel and more litter bearers. Amethyst and Gabriel give each other a hard time, Amethyst not explaining herself, and Gabriel demanding she return to the room for the safety of his men and refusing to divulge information as 'Classified'. Greg yells in pain as he is loaded onto the stretcher. Amethyst turns and walks back toward the dorm, flanked by her guard. However, she has no intention of heading back there yet, Gabriel or not. Amethyst enters another building. Sleeping people are everywhere, filling the halls. Amethyst leaves the boring building, and gives her guard another hard time about people sleeping in the halls when there is plenty of room in the building where the group is.

12am Monday 6/29/98
Satin finishes her dance with extra OOMPH. Subjective time inside the room is now five times faster than time outside the field. Satin collapses asleep. Rachel and David are still casting. Alex and Glen are still playing cards.

12:15am
Amethyst returns to the room, still ranting. Stepping from the hall into the room is like stepping into coffee. She continues her rant at anyone who slows down long enough to listen. Alex and Glen get their card game interrupted, and a lively discussion ensues about guns and dorm space. Amethyst doesn't believe the group are Gods, the proof of being a God is being a God, and she's not defining herself as a God.

12:30am
The discussion winds down and Amethyst, Alex, and Glen go to sleep.

1:00am
David and Rachel go to sleep.

1:45am
Satin wakes up after a subjective 8 hours of sleep.

2:00am
Amethyst, Glen, and Alex wake up. Amethyst is very disgusted that it's dark out, and it's more magical shit. Satin reassures her that it will be light out in 'a few days.' Glen's arm now looks very discolored and bruised around the fluid filled membrane sac. Alex looks at Glen's arm. It is directly malicious Death Magic, proto-sentient and proto-conscious. It's like a land mine, or Mister Grenade without the pin. Definitely not your friend. It will kill Glen and may kill everyone around him. It's gelatinous big nasty Death mojo.

2:30am
Rachel and David wake up. Glen decides to grow the sac out, but draws his sword 'just in case.' Glen grows a protective cartilaginous shell around the membranous sac, doing acupressure on himself to lessen the discomfort. Satin begins dancing and trying through Correspondence to get a satin shirt. Amethyst checks the fuel level on the lanterns and blows one out to preserve it. Alex prepares himself to do emergency sanitization if needed. David sees everyone busy and continues his enchantment of bullets for his gun.

Glen's arm grows swollen and gradually less discolored as the protective cartilage grows. His hand grows numb and tingly due to pressure on nerves and decreased blood circulation. When the shell is complete Glen can no longer close his hand, and he risks gangrene if his circulation stays this low for 12+ hours.

Glen numbs his arm further so that Alex can cut out the shell and the sac it contains. Before beginning, Alex looks at the shell for weak spots, places to avoid. He notices that the sac itself is very irregular in thickness, and severely shaking it could set it off anyway. There are several blood vessels that go through the shell, so the shell itself is not completely sealed.

Alex pulls out his butterfly knife and fire sterilizes it in a lantern. Alex begins cutting, being conservative to lessen risk of puncturing the shell and sac, cutting deeply and right to the bone in places. You know, if they weren't both mages, Glen would at least lose the arm. The surgery lasts a half hour subjectively, and a 'white gelatinous foot long hotdog' is placed on the table very gingerly as Glen begins to deal with the new hole in his arm.

The sac is, however, still actively getting more aware. Alex takes his butterfly knife and cuts his palms, spreading blood up his arms, and all around the sac on the table. Next he takes some oil in his hands from the unlit lantern, and as he chants in ancient tongues sets himself ablaze, cupping and growing the fire in his hands. The room grows darker and colder. Alex grabs the sac and rips it in half. Green mucous erupts from the sac, catching fire. The entire sac blazes into ash. Where the sac had lain on the table are symbols scorched into the table.

3:00am
Satin ends her casting just in time to see the grand finale destroying the sac. She takes in the bloodstained scene in horror. Alex and Rachel recognize the nature of the symbols. Alex doesn't want to talk about it, and sets the top of the table on fire to destroy the sigils. Rachel is thinking a bit more permanent, and casts Flames of Purification. Flame engulfs the table, running down its legs, sinking into the table. When the flames go out, the table is gone.

Satin screams and backs into a corner.

The sprinkler system and alarms go off. A rush of water floods from the sprinkler in the ceiling, and slows to a trickle. (Time is still five times faster in the room than outside. The water in external pipes can't keep up the pace. However, it will all keep coming.) Rachel removes the alarm from the wall. Other alarms can be heard as dim slow clangs. David ignores all the fun and continues his enchantments. Reuben sleeps the deep sleep of a wounded creature, or an absent player.

The door opens and the two guards look in concerned. Rachel goes to the door "Don't worry" and closes it. (The guards see Rachel fly to the door, chirp at them, and slam the door in their faces.)

3:30am
Satin is screaming in the corner, hysterical. "Oh My God! Please don't kill me! Please don't kill me like you killed her! Please! Don't kill me! Why did you kill her? I saw it! I was late but I saw it!" (Satin is having a flashback to her grandmother's death. She thinks she sees nasty people with knives. It doesn't help that Alex is still bloodstained and clutching a knife.) Satin babbles and screams.

Glen tries to enter her mind, to see what she sees. Satin feels someone knocking on her mind "Get Out Of My Head!" Glen sits down, mentally whacked. Satin is scared and pissed and broadcasts PAIN to the occupants of the room. Rachel feels screaming banshees ripping through her brain. Everyone else experiences a fleeting headache, and is unfazed. Satin crouches in the corner "Stay away from me!"

End of game session

This week was a variety of beverages, including Woodchuck Cider Dark & Dry, Guiness Stout, and Amity Vineyards 1995 Riesling.

Sunday night 6/28/98 / Monday morning 6/29/98

3:30 am
Satin is screaming backed into a corner, hysterically sobbing "Don't kill me! Don't kill me like you killed her!" Most of the people in the room are wondering what is going on in her head, and how to snap her out of it. Reuben is sleeping soundly, healing his aggravated damage. David is blithely continuing to enchant more bullets for his gun, having already enchanted his gun and jacket. Sarah projects calming, happy things at Satin, who eventually sobs quieter and quieter, falling asleep.

4:00 am
David finishes his enchantments, reloads the bullets into the clip, thoroughly checks out his gun again, and falls asleep. Most people also sleep.

5:30 am
Most of the group wakes up. Alex remains asleep. David experiments with how the forces of the Universe work now since electricity has already been proven not to work.

5:45 am
Satin wakes up. She stalks over to Alex and grabs his shirt. Alex opens his eyes but does not rise. Satin is very agitated, "Don't ever do Death Magic in my presence again. Prove to me that you weren't one of the ones who killed her." Alex calmly replies "I don't know who 'her' is, and I know the names of all people I've killed." "Were you ever in Arizona?" "No." "Good. Warn me next time."

Time passes as the group waits for Reuben to finish healing. David slowly discovers that radio, like electricity, does not work, EM fields do not work, sound works normally, and light is odd, behaving like water. David also releases the last of his Paradox, causing the shadows in his vicinity to do very odd things.

7:00 pm Monday 6/29/98
When Reuben is fully recovered (with the exception of still having the head of an Irish Wolfhound), Rachel tells the guards she'd like to see Michael, and the group tags along. Reuben "Woof"s at the guards. Sarah stays shyly in the center of the mage gaggle.

Outside the building is a quad, with a field in the middle. There is a small bonfire with people gathered around, and a man silhouetted against the blaze speaking to them. The man is Michael, sermonizing, referring to Rachel, speaking of the acceptance of others and understanding. A student comes up "Did not the Death God say that Vengeance is the most important of our duties?" Michael does not answer as he notices the mages clustering around him. Alex comes forward to face the student "No, vengeance is not the most important of duties. I said Corruption would be punished. That is not the duty of all men." Rachel bids Michael continue his sermon. Michael turns back around "As a prophet, what more can I say? The Gods have spoken."

Satin begins dancing, seeking another glimpse of the future.

Glen wanders off, looking for the injured people, including the young man with a broken leg from Amethyst. Asking someone at the edge of the crowd, he heads for the Cafeteria basement where they have a temporary infirmary.

Rachel begins speaking to the crowd "While we were in seclusion, we realized that you all were not coming into the building, many were sleeping outside and in hallways. This is unacceptable. Our needs should not be given precedence over anyone else's." David jumps in "Do not narrow your minds. As Michael says, broaden them. We are proof that things you think are impossible are possible. All men have a gift. You may not be able to do something, but your neighbor might, or we might. Believe in yourself. Believe in your neighbor. Believe in us."

Satin sits down hard, puts her hands over her eyes "Oh, fuck." Reuben goes over to her "Are you OK?"

Rachel says to Michael "Any further questions they might have, you may answer them, or turn them over to us."

Satin "I've seen better."

Reuben "What have you seen?"

Satin "The future doesn't look very good right now. But we can change it, for that is the way of the future."

Glen finds the infirmary in the Cafeteria basement. It doesn't look too bad, most people are pale and seem to have stomach or intestinal problems. Glen finds the young man with the broken leg. The leg is splinted with boards. Taking a peek with Life Glen sees that the leg is not set very well. "This might hurt a little bit." Glen pokes the boy rapidly in several spots, numbing his leg (the good side of Dim Mak). He sets the leg and heals it. Glen goes down the rows, healing the remaining people, muttering something about "Do I have to teach them to boil water?"

Satin looks up at Reuben "We must find the machine."

Rachel "What machine?"

Satin "From The Prophecy."

Rachel "From the vortex?"

Satin "We have found the Prophet, we are the God, we must find the machine or it will kill us. We must help the machine."

David "Do we? What kind of machine is this? Do we discuss this here?"

Satin "We should discuss this privately."

The crowd swivels, watching the conversation. The sketch artist we had seen in the ballfield is here, sketching frantically. Rachel steals Michael. Satin hangs back, tells the crowd to enjoy the evening, and sends them mental waves of happiness. Everyone feels really happy.

8:00 pm
The mages and Michael wander away from the fire, and settle down. Satin describes her vision. Alex listens with Entropy-Destiny, and Michael looks more and more disturbed as the story unfolds.

Satin is staring at the bonfire. It shoots flame into the air, sending sparks everywhere. Fire rains down upon the quad. Coming over the walls is a huge machine, gleaming metal. Striding on four legs it looks like it has a lion's head, and looks vaguely leonine. It breathes fire. Another wave of fire rains down upon the quad. The flames everywhere came from the Lion. The quad is burning, the buildings are burning. Michael is there, and he is burning. The Lion comes from the front gate, stepping over the front wall. There is a naked woman on its back, with long dark hair. She is crying. The Lion leaps over the wall and devours Michael. The Lion's head explodes. The dark haired woman stands before her, tears streaming down her face, "All you had to do was help." "Help who?" "The machine." The vision ends.

Satin begins to dance, a frantic spinning searching dance, searching for the Lion machine she saw. Alex ties a bandanna around his head as a blindfold and begins wandering towards 'the machine most influencing the immediate future, the machine involved in destruction' because he believes the vision is metaphorical. David turns to Michael and begins asking about defenses. Michael refers him to Gabriel, and leads him to Gabriel in the Library. Sarah tags along to see if her opinion of Gabriel will match Amethyst's opinion. Reuben and Rachel stay to watch Satin and Alex. Satin dances and reaches and peers and spins.

Alex wanders over toward some trees, pauses, and wanders back, sitting down very near where he began.

After a while Rachel gets bored, and begins flipping her baton around, singing Pirates of Penzance.

In the Cafeteria basement the newly healed people love Glen, they worship him. Glen walks calmly and quietly out the door. Glen wanders by, sees this little group of Alex, Rachel, Reuben and Satin, and wanders right on past.

In the Library Gabriel is staring at a scale model of campus, with two other people discussing token placement. David walks over behind Gabriel, who turns. The tokens on the model have obviously been arranged for defensive positions, against a siege, and they are very understaffed. There are some very clever improvisations, like some tunneling. David comments on the model, and asks what Gabriel needs a hand with, prompting a long list. David may be able to help with a better perimeter guard, and asks if there are any good instructors who can learn the things he can teach. Gabriel calls for Azrael. A short (5'4") whip thin black man comes out. "Had any background before you came here?" "In Gabriel's army we have no past." David tries to prompt Azrael for information about past experience or training, but only gets that Azrael "gets things done", is second in Gabriel's army, and "sometimes makes people go away". Comforted that he has found a military man of some experience David has Azrael give him a tour of the armory and shooting range.

Sarah wanders out of the Library.

9:00 pm
Alex, seated near where he began, sees a darkness fall before his eyes, even when his eyes are open.

Sarah wanders past the bonfire. People are still sitting around the fire. Glen pauses at the edges to listen to what people say. They don't say very much. Sarah scans the surface thoughts of people, but gets no results. Glen and Sarah link minds to converse, noting that these people don't seem to have many thoughts except when Michael is around.

Rachel, still watching over Satin and Alex, is very bored. She flips her baton back and forth, pacing and singing Pirates of Penzance. Satin keeps dancing.

12:00 pm midnight Monday/Tuesday
Alex sees darkness fall. He sees the Lion creature, in his head.

Satin sees darkness fall across her vision. She sees a veil parting, to reveal a beautiful city, made entirely of metal. Domes of silver and gold are everywhere, so beautiful. It is lit by starlight, glimmering brightly off the domes. It feels like you are there, but a barrier keeps you from stepping forward. The Lion is there, watching over the city, staring down at the dark haired woman seen in the earlier vision. The woman is in front of the Lion, tears streaming down her face, looking up at the Lion. The Lion turns its head and looks right at Satin.

End of Session

We expect to game again 8/2, and then a large gap until 8/23.

Midnight Mon 6/29/98 - Tue 6/30/98
Azrael dropped David off after a tour of the compound by the gaggle of mages. Sarah and Glen arrived shortly after, following along after David's tour.

Satin is deep in her vision.

In sunset, by the beautiful city of gold and silver domes, the woman (wearing a natural muslin colored sari) looks at the Lion and cries. The Lion turns his head and stares right at Satin. The Lion does not appear hostile. Satin says "Hello" and the surrounding mages wonder who she is talking to. Satin looks closer, reading their auras. The Lion has no aura. The woman is white, rose, silver, and gold (spiritual, grieving, sympathetic, innocence). Since she cannot speak mind to mind Satin emotes "friendship" and "there is a friend here". The woman stops crying, and smiles at the Lion. She reaches down, picks up an amulet, and places it around her neck. Satin cannot see clearly enough for details of the amulet. The Lion crouches down so the woman may climb onto its shoulders (15' standing).

While Alex is still deep in his search for answers, Rachel, Reuben, Glen, David, and Sarah are awake to hear her tale. David is reassured that sunset means another night of rest and another breakfast. Satin adds that she could go there, unless it was in a realm. She'd hate to find out halfway there that there was a problem. The location isn't in the Umbra. Satin has doubts that she could get there, there did seem to be a barrier. The discussion of how to get to the location in Satin's vision winds down quickly and the mages troup over to their dorm, leaving Rachel and Reuben to guard Alex in his search.

At the dorm there are again guards, and again the dorm is empty. Satin asks a guard where everyone is sleeping. In their barracks of course. Satin demands to know if they're sleeping on the floor, and the guard runs off to get Michael. Glen wanders off when Michael arrives. Satin asks Michael if everyone has beds now. Michael replies that as requested all the beds were removed, except the ones for the Gods. David asks when breakfast is. Michael asks when it would be desired. Sarah establishes mental contact and asks again when breakfast is served. Michael falls to his knees, crying "Seven a.m.! Seven a.m.!" Sarah tells him that the bedding is acceptable tonight, but tomorrow anyone who wishes may move the beds back into the dorm and have their own room. Michael agrees to everything the God in his head asks of him, shaking in terror, but he does not realize the voice is Sarah/Amethyst. Michael is permitted to depart again.

Glen sneaks over to another dorm and saunters in past the guard. There are people on beds in the hall. The beds are standard dorm beds, with plenty of room for a person to sleep under one. Glen slides under a bed and curls up into sleep.

1:00 am Tuesday
Satin dances in the dorm room, searching to get some street clothes.

3:00 am
Alex gets a slightly clearer vision of the Lion. He sees it stoop down, stand up, and walk. In the background metallic buildings come into focus. It seems like staring at the Lion in a spotlight, and he sees no woman. The Lion is a machine, but it is smooth, not jagged. The seams are visible, as are moving parts at the joints, but there are some moving parts where there are no pieces as if the metal is flexible. It seems like walking next to the Lion, like in Dream travel.

5:00 am
Satin has acquired jeans, sneakers, and a baggy sweatshirt, and goes to sleep hiding the clothes in bed with her.
Alex has collapsed asleep.
Finally everyone is asleep.

6:00 am
Glen wakes to an empty floor. Actually, it's an empty dorm, although there is still a guard outside the building. Glen asks why the building was emptied out. The guard says he doesn't know, and looks very uncomfortable. Glen establishes a mind link to check if the guard is lying. He's not exactly lying, he just isn't exactly sure of the question. Glen asks again, when he went to sleep there were people, where are the people. 'In their beds, Sir.' "But I was under his bed," Glen glowers. 'He was in your bed, Sir.' Glen stalks off in a peeved mood to the quad. He wants to kill something, so he warms up with Do practice forms, and then smites imaginary attackers.

Sarah gets up and wanders outside. Seeing Glen she stays to watch. He's so good, he's frightening, and there must be 3 of him.

David gets up and cleans himself off before wandering over to the Cafeteria. He notices Glen in passing, approving of the extra practice. At the cafeteria the cooks are there already preparing gruel. (Water and flour, makes a great paper mache but a lousy breakfast.) David asks for the largest empty bowl available. Filling it with kitchen trash and acquiring some flour for symbols and sigils David turns the trash into hot oatmeal. Getting a bowlful and acquiring a spoon he tells the cooks the rest is breakfast for everyone and retires to a corner to eat and watch the level of oatmeal. David aquires the bowl again when it is empty, but has noticed that nobody is eating the gruel, so he turns that into hot oatmeal also. The breakfast bowls coming into the kitchen come back very empty and very clean.

9:00 am
Glen finishes his Do workout and wanders by the cafeteria. Seeing that breakfast is done he goes to a copse of trees and turns a branch into a banana. Still hungry he turns another branch into a bunch of bananas, which he shares with Sarah as a small crowd watches. Sarah and Glen have a discussion with telepathy about sleeping in an empty dorm. Sarah suggests using telepathy on Michael, it frightens him. Sarah wanders off to mentally eavesdrop on people, to find out what they're really thinking about the whole situation. Most people are very busy with chores now, building and tilling on the quad like a medieval fortress. Some people work slower and more carefully and others work frantically as she watches.

David finds Gabriel at the front gate, demonstrating spear techniques with fire hardened stakes, thrusting at a stick dummy. Some kids are standing around outside the gate. Gabriel swears at them and they run off; Gabriel has interesting notions on how they were conceived. David simply watches carefully, walking to lunch with Gabriel.

12:00 pm
David makes hot mashed potato for lunch and eats with Gabriel. Gabriel has no rotating training schedule, so David suggests an hour before or after meals. Gabriel regrets that they don't have enough time for everything, and those who need to know things know nothing. David asks if Gabriel would need any explosives, he's great with them. However he might like to, Gabriel has no safe storage place and requests bullets. David mentions that if Gabriel could spare someone to put them together something might be worked out. David spends the afternoon in a spare room of the mostly empty dorm doing gunpowder, and thinking he needs Satin to find a bullet mold later.

Alex wakes up outside under the trees very sore, and goes for food.

Alex and Glen rapidly become bored after lunch and sneak over the wall to scout around town.

2:00 pm
Satin wakes up in the dorm room alone. She changes into her 'new' street clothes, puts her hair up into an untidy braid, and teleports past the wall to outside of the compound. She finds a very nice dirty/oily area to roll in to put some wear and tear on her disguise, and begins rolling in it.

"Hey, pretty."

Satin almost ignores the voice, but it's very close. Standing, she faces a guy who's been on his own far too long, he's been in some fights, his shirt is ripped and cut, and there's a shoulder wound which is probably an infected stab wound.

'Would you like to watch me dance?' she asks.

"If that's what you like." he replies, looking her up and down.

A hand falls on Satin from behind. She squirms and fills their heads with pain, running away back toward the campus compound. She hears one set of feet running after her. Running at the wall, she overshoots the gate into the compound, and doubles back towards it. As she crosses the gate pleading "Help me!" a gun cocks and aims at her head. She falls to her knees, clasping her hands, and pleading for help.

The feet stop running after her. "Cindy, what're you doing outside home? Stop bothering these nice people. You're coming on home now." He grabs her braid and begins to pull her bodily away with him.

Satin yells "Help me! I don't know him! I'm looking for the Prophet! I've traveled a long way!"

'What do you know about The Prophet?' the guard asks her as he switches aim from her head to the man's.

Satin says she had a vision, and came to see him. Gabriel walks up as Satin is describing Michael to the guards, claiming not to know The Prophet's name.

"Sir, maybe we should let go of the girl," Gabriel says to the man. The man ignores him and continues dragging Satin by her braid. Gabriel swiftly punches the man, breaking his nose, and repeating the request to let go of the girl. Shocked and bleeding the man releases Satin and staggers back a step. Gabriel directs the guards to 'lead her off for the trial' and tells the man to come back tomorrow. Face contorted with pain and rage the man tries to grab Satin before she's gone. Gabriel calmly grabs the man and dislocates his arm "Come back tomorrow." Gabriel walks off as the man howls and staggers away.

Alex and Glen walk over to Brightleaf Square. There is nobody out and about, and there are many broken windows. Stores have been looted, but many have some stuff left. They decide to try for a residential area, there will be more people to question there. Walking west they pass campus again, and hear steps behind them. Turning around Alex and Glen see 7 toughs; 3 with baseball bats, 1 with a military knife, 1 with a small blade, and 2 with 9mm pistols in hand but not aimed at them. They are in a rough phalanx, guns then knives then clubs.

Glen "Darn, not enough guys."

Alex "Not very friendly of these folks."

Glen "We should at least see what they want. Can I help you gentlemen?"

'What'cha got there? Look, if you just hand over the pistol and the very nice sword you can be on your way. We can't have troublemakers in this nice neighborhood.'

Glen "I agree." to Alex "You want the first two?"

Alex "With the guns? Okay."

Both dodge as the guns fire at them, missing. Glen attacks the right gunman (#1) and ends up in the middle of the other goons. Glen rolls back toward the rear of the phalanx. Alex gets shot in the left shoulder, but he's right handed. Returning fire he grazes the gunman (#2). Glen punches a guy with a bat, not doing much. The first gunman yells "Put down the gun! Put down the gun!" at Alex as the goons circle Alex and Glen. Alex raises his hands, which collect a dark black/purple glow, throwing it at the second gunman. The gunman's chest is ruptured by the icky nasty purple black death magic thrown by Alex, and he goes down bleeding profusely. Glen rolls out of the circle and hits the goon with the bat again, breaking his face and dropping him. Gunman #1 shoots Alex with a full burst in terror, hitting Alex in a leg/abdomen/shoulder arc with crippling damage. Alex goes down hard. Glen, seeing Alex go down, does a flying leap kick at the gunman, spinning him around. The gunman tries to shoot Glen at close range, but the gun jams. Alex is still conscious and throws more icky nasty death magic at the gunman, doing minor damage. The goons circle warily, not quite certain what to do now. Glen mentions to them that they could surrender now, as he tries to throw the gunman. Not thrown, the gunman punches at Glen's face with his jammed gun. Glen punches the gunman, dropping him.

A goon with a knife darts in to pick up the gun of the ruptured gunman. As Glen kicks him he runs off with the gun. The other guys back away and leave. Alex retrieves his gun and shoots after the running knife goon, grazing his ear.

With a determined look on his face Alex gets to his knees and begins working his way toward the ruptured gunman. Glen looks down on Alex and asks what he's doing. Alex wants to finish off the ruptured gunman, he wants to see what will happen when a man dies with the shroud gone. Alex tells him not to, curiosity is a poor reason to kill. The gunman in question is conscious enough to hear this. Not wanting to be finished off, he staggers to his feet and flicks open a switchblade.

Glen "Drop the knife." The goon is not about to die tamely and tries to stab Glen, who promptly disarms him as he dislocates the guy's shoulder. Alex shoots past Glen at the ruptured goon, narrowly missing both goon and Glen.

Glen "Will you put that thing away? And none of that Death Magic" to Alex. The ruptured goon slinks behind Glen to hide from Alex, who slowly lowers the gun. "Stay right there and I'll put it back in" to the goon and "We are all peaceable now, right?" to Alex, who nods. "And you're not actively dying on me, right?" "No."

Glen puts the goon's shoulder back in its socket, healing things up so well with his healing touch that alot of the chest damage is also healed. "I want to talk to you" he says to the newly healed gunman as he kneels to examine the fallen club goon. Glen heals the unconscious goon, who wakes up sputtering and coughing. The gunman stares at Glen with wide eyes "Who are you?!?"

End of gaming session My aren't we having fun now! Tune in after our next game (hopefully 8/23) to see :

• Just what is the "Trial" that the disguised Satin is now being held under guard for? (not that they'd recognize her with her clothes on anyway)
• What are Glen and Alex going to do with their own believers?
• Is tonight the night that the mechanical lion shows up to flame down campus and eat Michael?
• Will David accidentally blow up campus before the lion ever gets there? (mmm... explosives)
• What have Rachel and Reuben been up to? (their players were absent again)
• When will Amethyst break loose from Sarah again? (everyone except Beth and Rob hope it'll be awhile)

The party is separated. Reuben transforms into a dog, cleverly disguising his paradox flaw of a dog's head. He then trots out of the compound on errands of his own.

Sara wants to see what Michael is thinking, so she peeks inside his head. Very odd - he says exactly what he thinks, no more, no less. She follows Michael around for a while, collecting a following and another surprise. One brave soul asks Michael what the Rainbow Goddess (Sara/Amethyst) represents. Michael looks at Sara and, without making a sound, asks her if she would like to answer. Michael and Sara then proceed to a trial in the basement of the library. The candidate on trial is none other than Satin! Sara recognizes her, but Michael doesn't. After a few questions, Michael accepts her into the community and leaves. Sara stays behind for a minute to ask Satin (telepathically) what is going on. After offering to help Satin when needed, Sara leaves. The guards relax and give Satin a tour of the camp. They end up at the gardens, where Satin is put to work under the supervision of Jonathan.

Meanwhile, out in the streets, Glen heals Alex, then proceeds to question the thugs. He probes the first one telepathically, gaining little information except that the Crow was in charge of this area, and would kill these two thugs for failing. The thug runs, but is quickly caught by Glen and knocked unconscious. As he returns to Alex and the remaining thug, Glen asks Alex how likely the thug was to betray them. Alex pulls out a coin and tosses it. The thug grabs it in the air and says, "I will kill you." Thug two is knocked out. On the walk back to camp, Glen and Alex debate on whether it would have been better to let the thugs die instead of healing them and leaving them unconscious on the street.

Back at the camp Rachel starts a question and answer session in the auditorium. It is open to anyone who wished to come, in other words, mandatory. Satin gets a break from gardening to attend. Rachel finds that no one wants to volunteer questions, so she starts picking people out of the crowd. Finally, a man stands up and asks, "How do we know you're a god?" She calls the man, Thomas, up to the stage and has a short conversation, in which she indicates that all of the party are but aspects of the One. Rachel then vaporizes the podium to demonstrate her power and dismisses Thomas. When no more questions are put forth, she sermonizes for a while. In closing, she says that she will hold services every Sunday, with confession beforehand.

Alex and Glen arrive at the camp in time to see people leaving the auditorium. Shortly thereafter, David decided to ask Gabriel for help in finding Satin. Gabriel has guards stopping and questioning everyone. When Sara notices the commotion, she informs David that Satin is busy. The two of them then have Gabriel to call off the search.

Glen and Alex decide that the camp is too quiet. A Quest for the lion sounds like fun. They find David in the cafeteria making meat and invite him. David, thinking out loud that they will need help, agrees to go. Sara, when found, is not to keen on the idea and declines. Before they can finalize plans, Reuben, in the form of a hawk, flies into camp, lands in the center field and transforms, in a rather spectacular manner, back to human form. The rest of the party, except Satin, gathers around and he tells them that there is something going on at the site of the Technocracy base in the LaRoux building. To get away from listening ears, the party moves back to their room and continues the conversation. Reuben fills people in on what he found - the LaRoux building locked, sealed and emanating Prime and Life energy, while surrounding buildings are open and looted. David is filled in on previous happenings at the LaRoux building.

Reuben, in search of more information, tries to look into the Umbra to see what is there. He easily pierces the gauntlet. In the matter of fact, he pops it. Everyone can see what looked like a soap film over reality being pulled aside. Reuben doesn't have any good answers for the questions that follow. David experiments and finds that Forces had changed again - an unknown, variable fudge factor seems to be in effect. Rachel finds that Prime seemed more "free". Alex watches entropy flowing around, not sinking into the ground as normal and informs the party that the Wheel of Life might have just stopped. Sara's personality is pushed aside by Amethyst, who holds a conversation with Crystal. The party listens to Amethyst's side. At the end, a cup of tea appears in Amethyst's hands.

The people outside also see the soap film dissolve. It is now twilight and they hear more things rustling in the woods. The moon appears in the sky, rising from the west. At least one person near Satin decides that its the end of the world. Satin uses this as a good excuse to start a party, reinforced, as usual, with mental impulses.

End of Session

Tuesday 6/30/98

Satin's work group has seen what looks like a soap bubble dissolving over everything, and everything getting very weird. People grow frightened and talk of the End of the World. Satin says that if the world is ending they might as well party, and she dances. An orgy begins, but they may not recognize Satin, she still has most of her clothing on. While they are distracted Satin begins to dance again, seeking to know if things have changed since she had the Prophecy, since last time she saw the Lion Lady she was no longer crying.

The gaggle of mages are all assembled (except the incognito Satin) in the dorm study lounge watching Amethyst have a conversation with herself. A cup of hot tea has just appeared in her hands. Glen asks where the tea came from and where the other half of the conversation went to. Crystal. We won't die, it's all in stasis for 2 millenium. Everything.

This leads to questions about Crystal and Reuben gives a synopsis of Crystal being one of four who have the form of eight year old girls but are embodiments of the powers of the Universe. It's all a game. A brief story of the Universe according to the four is given. The Four are Mind (Lilly), Creation (Merrie), Order (Crystal), Entropy (Morgan).

Reuben calls out to Billy, and feels the tattoo on his wrist grow warm. "There is a Fifth." Alex pops in "fifth little girl?" "No, a little boy. I don't know what he is, but the impression I always got was he was what comes next. We have a representation. This tattoo isn't just for looks. You need to contact him by Mind." Glen tries to contact the entity in the tattoo again. He sees crystal, opening like a door, paths to the left or right like a labyrinth. Glen enters "Anybody here?"

As Glen enters a stupor David leaves to assemble explosives and Rachel leaves to wander. As Rachel wanders past Satin's work area the orgy is beginning to break up (lucky her, remember last time?) Walking on, she calls out to Merrie, but receives no response.

12:30 am Wednesday 7/1/98

Glen has wandered through the labyrinth, coming face to face with a little boy. "Hi. Are you Billy?" Shy nod. "Nice place. Do you ever go out?" A shrug. "Do you want to come out now?" Shy nod and a smile. The crystalline walls fall out like a flower opening. Glen collapses. (Billy's specialty is Will)

Reuben and Alex peer at Glen worriedly. Physically he's fine. Reuben's tattoo is no longer warm, and is visibly fading. Reuben asks "What the hell happened?!? Billy?" Alex asks if Reuben could wake Glen up, and would adrenaline help? Reuben doesn't want to force things. Alex asks if Billy's leaving when he notices the tattoo fading. Reuben admits he has no idea. Alex sits and ponders; he doesn't feel powerful enough to do anything big if everything is in stasis. He wonders, now that Destruction has had its turn, now it's Order and Stasis, what will happen when Mind and Creation get their turn? Reuben doesn't want to know. Amethyst and Reuben get pissy at each other.

Eventually everyone wanders back in and falls asleep.

Satin still dances and glows with mystic light. Sometime during her dance she removed her sweatshirt and sneakers as too hot. Her gardening companions recognized her as she danced and glowed, and although she had quite a gathering for a while (there's a Goddess doing Goddess stuff!) only the diehards remain this late into the night. As she dances she follows time out, running along the strings past what she saw before, until the strings fray and end. She falls off the timeline and sees concepts and symbols, for everything else has stopped, very painful on the brain and hard to understand. As she dances she burns the symbols into the grass of the quad, and into her brain. Satin collapses exhausted around 4 am where she falls on the quad.

7/1/98 Probably the morning, but nobody knows for sure because it's still Twilight outside.

Amethyst goes looking for Gabriel Alex talks with Glen, making sure he's okay. Glen explains that Billy decided to leave his maze, after he was asked by Glen. Alex asks him where it came from and pokes Glen's forehead. Glen is confused, so Alex obligingly draws a shape for him. Glen realizes he's now got a bullseye tattoo there. Reuben's wrist is now bare.

Folks troup out to breakfast, which is in progress, and is gruel until David makes more oatmeal, and some military grade coffee. Rachel chats with Reuben about ways to normalize things again, but nobody gets any bright ideas. David discovers that the supply run did not find a bullet mold, but did get flour, shovels, and garden hoes.

Amethyst goes to see Gabriel, standing by the doorway eating. She asks to speak with him after breakfast, but he'd rather speak now. After making sure nobody is close enough to hear well Amethyst asks Gabriel if he's investigated the changes which occurred last night. Nope. Has he checked that things still work? Nope, should they? He should probably check things out, like the guns, there was another major rules change like when the black hole disappeared. Amethyst finally finds out that she has colored lines spewing out of her mouth as she speaks. She's very embarassed and chagrined. As Gabriel and Amethyst walk and talk she tells him once more they're not Gods, merely mortal Mages. Gabriel discovers that guns do not work anymore, but Amethyst points out that now they can't get shot either. Gabriel takes two spears from Azrael as they pass his guard station while continuing to talk. At another guard station he grabs two men, hands them the spears, and tells Amethyst they have some investigating to do.

Back in the room Glen wakes up and asks for Billy, and sees him playing marbles in his head. The marbles have symbols on them, glowing slightly. Glen asks what game Billy is playing. Billy hands Glen an aggie with an upside down triangle on it. As Billy takes a shot Glen notices that the glowing symbols stay the same orientation as the marbles roll, always pointing the same way on the top. The marble handed to Glen is very heavy; Glen tries a shot like Billy made but it hurts to shoot, it's so heavy. The marble rolls into the circle and doesn't hit anything. Billy shakes his head. Glen comments that the marble is very heavy. Billy nods and waves goodbye to Glen. Glen wakes up again. Alex asks what happened. Glen says he was playing marbles in his head and the marbles had symbols, drawing the symbols he saw as he speaks. There were symbols for Venus, Mars, Earth, Pluto, and three more they can't figure out that he remembers clearly. They take a short meal break.

Alex, Glen, Reuben, and Rachel wander back to the room.

A short boy appears in the room as Glen goes back into his mind. Reuben greets Billy, who smiles and hands him a marble marked with an upside down triangle with a bar through it - the element of Earth.

Amethyst wanders into the room after Gabriel left her. Seeing everyone clustered around a small boy, "You must be Billy." Billy waves and hands her a marble marked with the element of Fire. Alex beams a grin at Billy and is handed a marble marked with the element of Air. Rachel greets Billy, but gets no marble, "I'm out." he shrugs. She says she was just kidding, and makes sure that Billy came out willingly. Rachel asks whose turn it is. Billy plays eenie meenie miney moe, and ends up pointing at Reuben. Reuben asks what to do. "Whatever you want." Reuben tries to remember how to play marbles, and Billy laughs at the silly grownup asking what happens if a marble is hit out of the circle., "You get to keep it." Reuben looks for the Spirit marking, but doesn't see it. Amethyst tells him not to aim for the Earth or the Sun. Reuben aims for a marble at the perimeter and shoots, knocking it out of the circle.

Alex asks Billy how long he has been playing. A while. How many marbles did he win? Oh, they're all Billy's marbles, and he's being nice and not making everyone ante up. Reuben picks up the marble and his shooter; for his second shot he deliberately misses knocking anything out. Glen shoots next, and loses his shooter. Alex wants to use a Chance shooter, but only succeeds in making Billy wary of him changing the marble Billy handed him. Alex goes scrounging in his pockets and pulls out a marble. Billy is delighted when Alex asks if he can use his own marble. Alex calls it his lucky shooter, and puts the symbol of Entropy on it. Alex's shot bounces off marbles and back out of the circle. Alex retrieves his marble and hands the shooter that he had gotten from Billy back to Billy, who hands it to Rachel. Rachel thanks Billy very politely.

Amethyst looks at the circle for a symbol she recognizes and sees the planet Saturn at the edge. Believing that these are nothing but marbles she shoots for Saturn, flubbing the shot and losing her marble. Rachel also aims for Saturn, hitting it and a marble marked with an asterix out of the circle.

Billy asks if anyone has an ante. Alex digs a small gizmo out of his pocket (which he had acquired from a computer workshop of the technocracy agent who drugged and kidnapped Kasee so they could remove her bionic arm and lobotomize her) and asks if Billy wants it for the ante. Bills asks what he'd do with an imaginary phase inverter? He wants marbles. It turns out the gizmo is useful if you want to hook up a box to pierce a horizon realm, you need to invert and this does the imaginary part. Alex digs around in his pockets for more stuff, but apparently his pocket had a hole because he doesn't find much more.

Rachel looks at the marble she shot out of the ring on her last turn and asks Billy what the asterisk stands for. Billy has no idea, they're neat marbles. Rachel offers that marble to the center for her ante. Rachel shoots, but does poorly and loses the aggie. Reuben balks at the ante, but Billy says he can't give ALL his marbles away! Reuben concentrates and makes a live Monarch butterfly for Billy. Billy carefully reaches out for the butterfly, as he gets it he holds a marble with a butterfly inside it. Billy shakes the marble vigorously and twelve marbles fall from his hands to land in the circle, and he mixes them into the circle.

Reuben shoots, aiming for the butterfly marble. Great shot (for Reuben), he retrieves his shooter, the butterfly marble, and one more butterfly. Alex runs outside to get some stones to make marbles from as Reuben takes another shot. This shot goes poorly (botch) and his aggie (marked with the element of Earth) shatters into powder. Reuben asks what happened, Billy sadly replies "I guess you didn't really want it." Reuben shrugs. "That's the problem" says Billy. Billy asks for his loaned aggies back, people get to keep the marbles they knocked out ot the ring. He collects his marbles, bags them, and goes out the door, appearing farther away with every step. Amethyst wonders why he's playing marbles when his other siblings are playing destruction. Glen says he's more fun. Rachel says he's easily amused. Alex says he understands more.

Amethyst relays to the group that guns don't work anymore. Glen thinks it's great news, he won't be shot again. Amethyst wonders if electricity works again. David, wandering in and catching the question, replies that it does not, and continues to explain that things work more randomly now. David asks when everyone turned into philosophers. Glen replies "When we decided not to kill the guys. But that might be a good idea."

David votes for blowing up the Technocracy Lab, since people are now sidetracked from finding the Lion. Amethyst doubts that explosives will work, "Should and would are two different things." David goes outside to test exactly what change causes guns not to work, as of last night's testing they should. He fires a round, watching closely as the gunpowder ignites, but fails to burn fast and hot enough to launch the bullet from the gun. Alex watches with entropy, but sees nothing, he's not a forces mage. David shakes his head and removes the dud bullet.

Back inside the lounge Amethyst demands to know why the group didn't tell her she had colors and stuff flying out of her mouth. Glen assumed she knew. Alex and Amethyst get into an argument about her being a mage and doing it to herself. Rachel says it sounds like Paradox. Amethyst calls Sarah a bitch, to keep saddling these strange effects on her when she leaves the body. Rachel tries to explain and Amethyst blows up and screams at her to shut up. Rachel turns very pale, and slaps Amethyst. A very enthusiastic cat fight ensues, which David watches with amusement. Amethyst stalks off when it's obvious she won't win.

David, Glen, and Alex discuss what to do next. David still wants to pound the Technocracy Lab. Glen wonders what is lurking in the woods with such bright eyes.

Suddenly there is an earthquake, centered roughly directly under the group. Wouldn't have anything to do with the Earth sigil marble shattering, would it? People stream from collapsing buildings. David, Glen, and Rachel escape the building. Amethyst finds herself being pinned, and leaves Sarah to deal with it. Alex and Reuben are also trapped in the rubble.

End of session. Rob still doesn't want us to get bored, it seems...

Quickie Recap:

Amethyst chatted with Gabriel over breakfast. Glen played marbles with Billy, told Alex about it, and discovered he woke up with a bullseye tattoo on his forehead, and Glen and Alex had a late breakfast. David made breakfast taste better then went to see what the new scrounge run brought in. Rachel and Reuben have breakfast and hang out. Satin is still fast asleep in the quad after dancing until the wee hours burning strange sigils into the quad. Glen, Alex, Rachel, and Reuben meet Billy and Amethyst wanders in just in time for a game of marbles. The game doesn't get very far, one free round and one ante round, then Billy sadly gathers his marbles and leaves when Reuben's shooter (sigil of the element of earth) shatters because he didn't want it badly enough. David entered during ensuing discussion. Amethyst stalks out after a cat fight with Rachel. Suddenly there is an earthquake. Alex, Amethyst and Reuben are trapped in rubble. David, Glen, and Rachel make it out of the building. Amethyst leaves Sara to get herself out of this mess. Satin wakes up to the earthquake on the quad.

End of last session sometime before lunch Wednesday...

Wednesday late morning 7/1/98

Glen, David, and Rachel have scurried out of the shaking dorm as Satin awakens in a panic on the Quad. Alex and Reuben are trapped in the building. As Amethyst feels herself being pinned down she leaves Sara to deal with the earthquake. Sara, however, acquired a rousing case of claustrophobia when she felt Cab being coccooned by the Pattern Spiders in the same event that gave her Amethyst... And Sara suddenly popping back into her body as rubble falls and holds her down, as choking clouds of dust turn the dimness dark, is not a happy camper... and is enveloped in a panic attack... which she projects... David and Glen shake off the panic, but Rachel is reduced to a quivering mass. The fears of the camp populace are compounded by the affect. Satin on the field is enveloped by Sara's panic, and projects it back out again. Luckily there is not a feedback loop between Satin and Sara.

Fires erupt in spurts from ruined buildings as people scurry around the quad and campus. David eyes the flames as he surveys the wreckage. Suddenly the moon explodes, a visible white shockwave corruscating outward.

With a great effort of will Rachel breaks free of the claustrophobia. Facing the building she gathers herself, reaches out, and drains the rubble of its quintessence, disintigrating it, creating a hole towards those trapped. Rachel sings loudly, trying to achieve a harmonic with the stone. Glen hurries forward to help Sara out as Rachel tunnels to where Alex and Reuben are pinned. Satin huddles fearfully on the quad, screaming gypsy prayers to The Fates, convinced that she saw more than a mortal may dare ,the Gods are pissed at her because of this, and It's All Her Fault. David reaches out to the flames, hoping to use them in a shield to avert whatever destroyed the moon, gathering them into a dome over the quad.

In her panic Sara fights Glen briefly as he carries her out of the building. Rachel searches for other signs of Life as Alex and Reuben help each other out of the tunnel she carved; there is nobody else trapped in that building. Satin believes that this is all her fault, the earthquake, the moon exploding, the buildings falling, the fires burning, and screams her prayers to the Fates even louder. Reuben and Glen calm Sara, who shifts from panic to an almost pathological calm. Rachel goes to soothe Satin, and is joined shortly by Glen and Reuben. Satin falls deep into a very introverted depression. She feels better, but it's still her fault. The voices tell her it's all her fault, and she will die in the flames as she deserves.

Sara asks Glen what happened, and he begins to fill her in. Everyone by Satin now realizes there are things burned into the grass, and backing up they can see the symbols scorched into the grass by Satin's vision. David asks for help to save the quad from the shockwave. People are called and grabbed to circle up to assist the shield David is casting, Rachel inspiring effort with song. The flames spark a halucinatory flashback in Satin, her mind flashing backward and forward in pieces, it's all her fault her grandmother died and it's time for her to pay for it.

One hundred and twenty followers and assorted mages gather and watch the shockwave approach, dimly seen through the flame dome David has erected. David begins casting a shield to redirect the flow of the shockwave that blew apart the moon, hoping to redirect the physical forces away from the quad like water flowing off a dome. The spell continues and builds as the gathered people watch with dread the shockwave growing closer... closer... closer... Will the shield be strong enough? After all, the whatever destroyed the moon...

A portal opens in the center of the circle, near David. Three old men step forth. Satin believes the Old Gods have come for her. Reuben, however, immediately lights up, "Dudes! Your timing is opportune." They shake their heads "We must go now." "Can no more help be provided here?" "They will do what they can. There are more important things." They brief Reuben that Arcadia has fallen, the realms collapse, and the front lines are in need. Reuben follows them back through the portal. Once through the portal Reuben sees a view as if he is standing in front of the solar system. The Moon and Mercury have exploded, Venus is under siege and burning. He sees the shockwave travelling toward the Earth, the shield seperating the near Umbra from deep space, and Things moving along the edge of reality, Things with shining eyes and large claws.

Satin does a sad sort of dance as beside her the shield spell continues and above her flames roar and leap. The shockwave goes through the shield like butter, collapsing it, slams into the fire dome, quenching it, and slams into the ground and assembled people. Everyone is knocked from their feet. The mages who were part of the Forces casting are knocked unconscious, and all mages instantly collect all the Paradox that they had not gained by their mystical activities over the past several days. Of the assisting followers, sixty or so are also knocked unconscious, and have acquired stigmata on their hands and feet. Rachel has witnessed a miracle. The glowy little things are gone from the woods. It is dark, except for the remainder of fires, although it would be early afternoon.

Rachel looks around in Prime, taking a headache and Paradox for her efforts (which would normally be incidental). All the Prime patterns are locked, like a big crystal. In the distance a car alarm chirps.

As people groggily move around Rachel warns Sara that rules have switched to the other extreme, and everything will cause Paradox. Rachel corrals the standing people around fires, having some get blankets for the rest who have not yet awoken. Sara writes in the ground near a fire "Don't do magic. Try electricity." Sara feels Amethyst's presence. Amethyst is more and more present, and the two argue over who gets the body. Eventually Amethyst is left, with a headache, and with Paradox remaining (so far when the switch happened it would be converted to a Paradox effect). Rachel makes sure Amethyst knows what happened, noting that she is still theologically non inclined.

Rachel keeps people close to fires, and begins assigning watches until it gets light out. Amethyst points out that it should BE light out, it's only afternoon. Hopefully it will be light later, having no Sun left would be BAD. It is noticed that the stars are out, and so is Venus, although very red. Amethyst organizes blankets for those still unconscious.

In a few hours colors like sunrise appear overhead in the sky, spreading downward toward the horizons. It is a beautiful sunrise. Unconscious people are still out cold, although the stigmata are no longer bleeding. The next day sunrise is perfectly normal. Over the next few days Rachel and Amethyst reestablish camp, after a while sending out a group to see what's going on in the surrounding world. Amethyst makes sure Rachel checks guns to make sure they work, they do.

Friday 7/3/98

Some of the people with medical backgrounds have been caring for the unconscious people. A shelter is built, but is too small for so many. Camp is concerned with day to day survival again. Amethyst finds mechanically inclined people and has them look at and work on fixing the generators. Rachel raids the library for information on how to do agrarian stuff.

Friday 7/10/98

Day, night, and other comfortable constants are still normal. There has been sounds of gunfire outside campus. Rachel holds regular services. Rachel and Amethyst notice that their Paradox load is slightly lighter.

Amethyst scrounges a battery powered radio and actually finds somebody on the air. It's an evangelist, but his message isn't 'Jesus is going to save you', it's 'This is the Dawn of The Machine'. Amethyst does not share this with Rachel, figuring she'll find out eventually anyway.

Rachel is in favor of bringing people to the chantry by car, now that they're working again. Amethyst is against the move.

Satin and several other people return to consciousness with migraines, sunburn, and severe dehydration. Rachel warns Satin not to do magic because Paradox has quite a hold on Reality. There is an attack on the compound, which is overthrown. Amethyst organizes the defenses by bitching until people do things effectively.

Sunday 7/12/98

David, Alex, Gabriel, Michael, and many other people awaken. Three people have died due to exposure and dehydration. David and Alex are warned about Paradox. Amethyst turns defenses back over to Gabriel, letting him know guns work again, and noting to everyone with glee "See, we're not Gods, and they can't even do magic now!" Satin checks auras, but nobody has any.

Wednesday 7/15/98

The Paradox load lightens again. More people wake up. The perception of the camp toward the Mages has been changing slightly, they're not Gods, they're Kings. David establishes a regular martial training schedule, and including a squad as couriers who know everyone and know where everything is.

Wednesday 7/22/98

The Paradox load lightens again. Glen and the few remaining followers wake up. Satin dances as entertainment in the evenings. The compound is now well established in a subsistence routine.

Satin is a very messed up puppy in the head. She's looking for something... acting bubbly and vivacious, dancing, sleeping around, etc... It's only a shell, inside she has no self esteem and truly believes it's her fault.

Time Passes... Tuesday 9/1/98

By now Satin has a little evidence she's probably pregnant, but she's in denial. Rachel brings up moving to the Chantry, but the other mages are not in favor, the Chantry surroundings would not support the full camp. It is a node, but without magic being used there's little use for a node. David wants to go check out the Technocracy lab/node but finds no support. Scouting parties are sent out to find a useable farm. Sanitation and malnutrition are becoming problems at the camp and winter is approaching. Little magic has been attempted, so David tries looking around with Forces and gets the same Paradox thump that Rachel had received for Prime.

Notes for the session:

The shockwave was begun when Kasee imploded a Paradox Realm. The moon exploded because it was Arcadia, home to the fey and power for the changing breeds (weres). Such a place could not handle the Reality that came crashing through.

Damn Rabbits.