[pnpgm] Game Update #135 - File #925 - Challenge after effects

pnpgm pnpgm at comcast.net
Tue Jun 27 02:10:04 CEST 2017


          Player        DS    Character Name    Type    Status/Notes  Sex
   -- -----------------------------------------------------------------
   FH.John Haight.......HY..Arawn.............Druid  .Normal/Al.. Ma
   ...Kevin Newark..........Dorhak............Warrior.Normal/Dwarf....Ma
   --.Tobie Bonahoom....YY..Fremea............Sidh....Normal/Faerry.. Fe
   W3.Mark Murtha.......HN..Kell..............Trader..Normal/Human....Ma
   W2.David Sanders.....HN..Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human  ..Ma
   R4.Wout Broere.......YY..Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human  ..Fe
   ...Don.Kerr..............Maelorna..........Dancer..Normal/Human....Fe
   ...Gilbert.Isla..........Mournath..........Sailor..Normal/Human....Ma
   R3 Panthera..............Pyandalgor........Hunter..Normal/Human....Ma
   R4.Alex Koponen......YY..Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human  ..Fe
      Fake-Kell/Raki........Npc...............Normal..Normal/Shaper...??
      Z'layha ..............Npc...............Normal..Normal/Shaman...Fe
      Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra

       Game Web Site - http:/nrgcomputers.com/pbem/
       Public posts/actions to pnpgm at list.powersandperils.org (mailing list)
       Private emails (not public actions) to pnpgm at comcast.net

       Game Update #135 sequence (file #925)
       ----------------------------------------------------------------

       Admin Notes: None
       ----------------------------------------------------------------
       [Recap]

         From Mae: [Re: Actions]
           Maelorna continues to walk away from the screams of pain.Â
           Then she can hear Arawn's proclamation and almost hisses, "A..
         GM: Ack.

      ------------------------------------------------------------
       [New Stuff]

           [Febris 9th, 1635TH]
           [Time: 5:01 pm]

           [Just after the hallway collapses...]

             Arawn was indeed deeply bothered by the passing of the
           shifters, their sounds of suffering echoing in his mind long
           after the actual noise had faded to silence. He did not know
           their history, only what he had heard in his visions, did not
           know how and if they had changed.  In fact he did not know the
           start of the war, only that representatives of all the known
           alignments had converged to address the danger presented by the
           shifters. Well, nearly all, for he had not witnessed the
           presence of Kototh's court.

             Were the shifters a threat introduced by Kototh or a force
           tricked or corrupted by him?

             Whatever the case they lived as they felt was right and now
           they suffered for it. Morals and ethics coming into conflict
           due to alien ways and it, more often than not, ended in
           conflict. Was there no hope for a better option? Or was this
           prison a chance for their kind, the Key to their freedom
           enforced by the forces of Chaos, but to what end?

             Unfortunately time and danger presented little opportunity
           for the party to unravel such mysteries, all they could do
           was to run, to survive. And Survival was the one thing they
           all had in common right now - mortal, immortal and shifter
           alike.

             As the group climbs what seems like endless stairs Unali
           comes near Fremea to ask about the treasure they took earlier.

             Unali asks Fremea, "Anything special? Any of these weapons
           stand out with your sense?"

             But Fremea shakes her head that nothing from the pile of weapons
           seem to have stuck out.  She wishes her and Arawn would've had
           more time to inspect things.


           [Earlier before Challenges start]

             Kiet shows concern for Raki, especially as his skin begins to
           peel away from the heat of the lava.  But Raki tells him he'll
           be fine.

             Arawn cast his eye in Raki's direction as Kiet voiced his
           concern over the shifter. The physical damage was one thing,
           Raki's powerful regenerative abilities likely to solve that
           problem rather quickly, but it was the mental, emotional damage
           that concerned the alfar.

             There were still questions to be asked, the history shared
           within Arawn's mind still something examine for the sake of
           veracity. But, good or ill, Raki was leaving his people behind
           to venture forth to live in alien world... unless this was an
           issue of sacrifice, sacrifice of a different nature.

             "How are you doing?," Arawn echoed. "I mean, handling all
           this, your people... the familiar... your sacrifices and what
           you're leaving behind?"

             "I only leave those who I associated with."  Raki looks down
           at Kell in his arms and glances at Kiet.  "These two have more
           friendship than I ever had with them.  I leave little behind.
           I hope to make better friends."



           [Earlier when Fuk confronted Raki about the easy path out.]

             Two more flights and Fuk speaks up.  "This was all too easy.
           First we just by chance end up from the statue area to here.
           Then dragged out by only 4 of those Shifters?  Why didn't Zin
           call a army to watch?  You'd think he'd want to show his people
           escape was near.  We just happen to survive the fight with just
           Kell dead.  Why didn't a Shifter just flee to get comrades?"

             Arawn has been considering such things from the beginning but
           time for a proper investigation has been limited for obvious
           reasons. With Fuk pushing the questions for Raki to answer
           Arawn considers the reactions closely and murmurs a few words
           of prayer for answers in his mother's language.

             Raki turns to Fuk, "My people are not one to have any form
           of emotion. You must understand our brains are not set in
           stone like yours.  We can re-shape it at will.  It could be
           large or small.  Our memories....our skills are inherent to
           our cells.  Things your kind may not be aware exist.   We are
           as inhuman as one can be.  When I first saw Raki tortured and
           killed was the first time I felt the various emotions.  Some
           believe over time being around others improve such states of mind.
           As to being sad for the others. Sure.  I have...had friends among
           my people.  Do I feel bad for them?  At this time no.  Emotion
           is a silly thing to distract one's goals.  Maybe later I shall
           explore those emotions.  Do I feel sad they will remain here
           for a very long time?  Not really.  They decided I was a very
           abnormal shifter and set me in that prison in the prison.  Sure
           I could've walked out at any time.  But to be shunned and
           berated is not worth the effort.  So I resigned myself to
           the place I found original-Kiet.  Was this all so easy?  I
           think we barely made it out alive.  I myself almost came
           close what twice?  Several of you got close to death."  He
           glances at Kell's body in his arms.  "And we lost this one.
           Was that too easy?"

             Fuk nods and continues to climb.

             Arawn senses the truth.  His empathic powers are so distracted
           by Raki's being that detecting any emotion from him is like
           figuring out emotional state of drying paint.

             Aside from anything gleaned from Raki's answers to Fuk's
           questions  Arawn will also ask as they move, "How did your
           people come to war with the gods? Why were you cast out to
           the fringes?"

             Raki shakes his head and sighs, "it was well before Man
           became a infestation in the middle world.  Well before the
           ancient Sidh even had any organization.  We were free roaming
           and stayed clear of trouble.  That early history was ridden
           with monsters the likes of would make Man cower in caves.  We
           lived and dealt with them.  They were as plentiful as Man is
           in the Middle World now.  Millions and millions.  The true
           event is unknown or clouded in time.  But it seems one day
           we killed the pride of some God's creation.  Some beast
           ugly to everyone else but pretty to this god.  Some suspect
           it was a Chaos or the snake god's thing.  The wrath of the
           gods was swift.  They sent thousands of these monsters at
           our living areas.  We died in great numbers until we
           started to cooperate and unite.  Then Zin who was second
           in command then found a portal to the upper world.  Our
           armies invaded and we fooled even the great gods.  We could
           infiltrate the courts and take intelligence as well as
           divine lives.  It was centuries before the gods united
           themselves and turned on us.  Creating great mythic Heroes
           and Champions with magic that would make your magic look
           like a card trick.  Then some god...who I have no idea
           killed the leader and Zin took over.  The Gods had a way
           to send the entire lot of us here.  In a blink of a eye
           at the sacrifice of thousands of these Monsters as energy
           they sent us here.  This is why there are far less monsters
           in the Middle Plane now."

             "What are your plans once we escape from here?" Arawn asks

             Raki stops and considers.  "I've been here for so long well
           before any of your ancestors were born.  I just want to be
           free...like Mae...like Fremea.   After that I would like to
           learn as much of the Middle World as possible.  See if I can
           fit in there or should go elsewhere.  There are quiet rumors
           one or two of us escaped to the place you call the Lower World.
           But I just don't think it's true.

             Fuk stops and watches, "so you have no intention of taking
           on the gods?"

             Raki laughs, "one of me against them?  It would be suicide."

             Fuk nods, "one last thing.  You said all were captured here
           but you implied earlier of the one out there."

             Raki nods, "when I touched Arawn's mind.  I saw the events
           before you were sent here.  The one that attacked Arawn at
           the statue reveal had to be him.  He only needed his head and
           then to get close to the Pylon to be transported here and
           then free the others.  Zin says that the gods never found
           him through some magic.  Some say even a god gave him that
           magic."

             Z'layha looks shocked.  "Gods can be killed?"



           [During and after Pyan's Challenge]

             Fuk asks what is going on.

             "A test, I believe," Arawn answered. His eyes were narrowed
           as he watched the scene, searching for some means to allow Pyan
           and the party to bypass the magic if it proved more trap than
           test.

             But Arawn and Fremea sense no magic on the walls or area.
           So how the magic is being done is unclear.  The magic devices
           must be well cloaked.

             "I think it may be to measure our character. Or to see if we
           would choose a route separate from what a shifter might take."

             The first test included the significance of sacrifice of self.
           Was this the case here as well, of choices for the greater good
           and the long-term impact of those decisions? It wasn't going to
           be easy - the village may survive without death, another source
           of food found. But a murderer let go will kill again. Or could
           another way be found, choices existing beyond one or the other,
           beyond what seemed set before the hunter?



           [Just before Mae's Challenge ends]

             Maelorna continues to walk away from the screams of pain.
           Then she can hear Arawn's proclamation and almost hisses, "A
           gift?" she asks incredulously, "You have done nothing more than
           remind me that I'm a mistake and a toy for other's amusement,"
           she states through tears falling down her cheeks, she didn't
           care if it was from anger or sadness.

             Arawn whispers as Mae steps through the wall, "ahh I could've
           given you the gift of forgetting the past.  But you are stronger
           if you recall it.  No.  My gift will help you in the Hunger to
           come."

             She steps through the wall and stops as she looks at Fuk,
           "Lust, Greed, and Desire.  The first male who took me, there
           was no virginity to take, as for my bitch of a mother, she
           rutted with one of the Princess's strongest Incubi and
           fulfilled her greed, finally there is Master Gniled, who
           desired an exotic bedroom toy and companion and acquired me
           after several months' as the village males found what I was
           capable of," she offers flatly and wipes at the tears on her
           face.

             Fuk nods and realizes Mae must've heard his question even
           in her challenge.

             Fremea considers coming toward Mae as they both share a very
           similar fate being a ex slave.  But while her plight was
           more stealing and mundane tasks, Mae's was pure torture.  She
           wonders if she should even give a hand of sympathy or if Mae
           would even like that.

             It was hard not to notice Mae's struggle and Arawn paid
           attention to her struggle even as he focused on the path ahead.
           When Fuk leaned in to whisper his concerns Arawn replied in
           kind.

             "No, she's fine. Just struggling with something deeply
           rooted in her nature. We can help her when we can, most likely
           by not adding extra stress on to her shoulders for the time
           being. And further answers she may share when our current
           predicament has passed."


           [Presently...]

             The party ascends for what seems like hours.

             Arawn couldn't help but wonder what the consequences would be
           to his sacrifice even as he eyed his own image being projected.
           Diminished or blessed, his face and lineage would now linger for
           the shifters and any future travelers to witness. Would this come
           back to haunt him some day, his image and name burnt into the
           minds of the shifters? Or would some aspect of his own nature
           come to address and counsel those here, hopefully altering the
           future for the better, however far forward this might be?

             Arawn wonders if the group was a Chosen one with Chaos ties?
           Would the projection forever be tainted to torment the shifters
           to prolong the Chaos doctrine?

             Z'layha comments again on entering the fortress, "I hope
           they will not just slay you guys for being in the fort.  It
           will be a delicate situation."

             "We'll deal with that when we come to it. First things
           first - surviving long enough to reach there," Arawn answered.
           "And we should remember, the Moss Fortress was built on top of
           this place for a reason, likely the hands of the gods
           themselves allowing mortals to do so for some great purpose."

             "But if you have thoughts to share on how to deal with the
           issues we might encounter in the Moss Fortress, please speak
           up."

             Z'layha shrugs, "depends on how and where we end up.  At what
           level.  Some are restricted access."  She sighs. "But to think
           we fed these..."  She glances to Raki.  "No offense."  Raki
           shrugs as if none taken.  "For a very long time.  ON some whim
           that we were giving tribute.  I guess the gods felt they needed
           food and drink?"

             Raki nods, "we can live without such for a long time.  But
           we still need nutrients and such."


           Actions? Comments??

           Next Update....Wednesday...

           GM: A short catch up update with a post from Mae and emails
               from Arawn to fill in gaps.  So this is a special update
               release.  I think I have Arawn's challenge results in email
               so will see if its final.  If so will post it Wednesday
               and if so we could move on by Saturday's update.

           GM: Challenges

                  Player      Sent       Progress
                Dorhak      * Done   Completed
                Fremea      * Done   Completed
                Kiet        * Done   Completed
                Unali       * Done   Completed
                Pyan        * Done   Completed
                Z'leyra     * Done   Completed
                Mae         * Done   Completed

                Z'layha       Next   Next update
                Kell          Next   Will type up next update
                Mournath      Next   Next update
                Raki          Next   Next update
                Arawn         Sent   Awaiting response














-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.powersandperils.org/pipermail/pnpgm/attachments/20170626/b73a67d3/attachment.htm>


More information about the pnpgm mailing list