Action thread: With Janis

[ieatfood7]

Sheerak strings her bow and replaces it over her shoulder.  She knows there is still a bit of time before they arrive, but an unstrung bow helps no one.  She nods her assent to starting.

Vir, who is has been zoming and statring at his Parrot binks with a wide grin.

I am ready.  Ror, here's a list of what rituals we need.  I'm giving up some of mine for the Parrots.

Just so everyone knows, The origonal Parrots (11) and a handfull (6) of copies will stay with us.  Keep them close and they'll watch your back (+6 dodge bonus to AC if adjacent).  The rest will be flying around raining a 10 foot radius of death, and will be hidden from view (Hide in Plain Sight and a hide modifier of +42).  I will scrygum with four Parrots who have rituals, and they will keep the INT boosting ritual up to help them understand my instructions.  I will work to keep them clear of anyone and generally above everyone's heads, but be careful not to move close to them. 

They have an area of effect fire attack (reflex half, but still massive damage), area of effect slashing attack (relfex half, but still massive damage), and area of effect cold attack (many hits of 2-8 cold damage). 

Their only real weakness is area of effect attack that doesn't give a reflex save and doesn't need to make a touch attack.  They will just try to avoid those (spot modifier >150), but if you see one point it out.

I'll take the liberty of using a few (5) uses of the mirror shield for This origonal Parrot and the four in the field with rituals...the parots will only remain fearsome when boosted, otherwise they are mostly loud and irritating. 

I'll explain all this t them once Ror's braclet boosts their INT.  They will understand "I'll tell you what to do, where to go and who to attack.  Don't atack people who smell like me.  You get many many crackers after."  I think they will like being fine sized once I give them a single cracker for the ~100 of them, but show them that it's ENORMOUS if they go tiny.


He also strings his bow and flies around above everyone's heads, humming a tune about death and the sea.

The Stupid Bird (Boss Bird) follows him in his circles, obviously familiar with Vir's behavior.  Bloody Ashes Bloody Ashes Gut Em Good *whistle*


EDIT: Vir stops, and then really looks at all his comparitots.Actually, the cold damage won't hurt any of you, since it comes coupled with sufficiant cold resistence with a wider radius BUT no one pop a ritual of blood if they are doing the cold damage thing and are in range EVER or they will all die instantly and we will too if we're close to them...I can't give cold immunity, so their damage and the energy resistence is carefully balanced. 

The slashing and fire damage will likely kill anyone without Evasion, so watch out.  I plan to use slashing first and send them out to kill.

[Scout89]

With a small, almost imperceptible smile, Halfaz says, "Yes, Miss Fortune! I 'use' a lot of fire. And I've dealt with water some times before. It really tilts the balance in favor of my opponent. And no one likes that. So, yes, Miss Feather, I'll take the smaller area version of the scroll just in case. Thank you! My copies, as far as I could understand Master Ror's explanation, won't be able to heat the air around them and their version of Shimnack will be just ordinary blades, so they won't need the scroll anyway."

After a small pause, he says "Yes, I'm ready to go too."

[MetroMagic]

While waiting, Star reaches into a pouch at her belt and pulls out a thick Spellbook. She flips it open to a page, consults the marginalia and other notations, and then sets the book to floating. She then counts out three sheets of fine Scroll paper and inserts them underneath the page, fetches out another thick sheaf of Scrolls, and selects two of them.

Star reads through one of the Scrolls, while handling the Spellbook's open page and the inserted pages beneath it with intricate smoothing gestures. She then turns one page in the Spellbook and repeats the process with the second Scroll from the sheaf.

Putting away the book, sheaf of Scrolls, and paper materials, Star places two piles of three Scrolls each on the table.

{Star} Halfaz, if it pleases you to take them, there are the three Scrolls of Airy Water with the ten foot radius that stays centered on you.

Sable, based on what you intend to do, you are the most likely to be escorting rescued slaves from the pens to the ship. If it is within the river, it might be useful for you to have the larger area Scrolls that you can walk around inside, the sixty foot radius, so that they can accompany you beneath the surface and into the ship.

I made three of each as promised; if Halfaz only takes the smaller radius ones, it might please you to take one or more of the larger radius ones, in case you need to move the rescued slaves inside the river.

The sharks may stay away from them, because Airy Water is not breathable by fish. So the Scroll may also give you a shark-free zone in the river.

I'll pack whatever Scrolls the two of you don't take, and bring them along just in case.

[Sneaky_Sable]

Sable gave a nod, accepting one of the scrolls as offered, and tucking it away inside his leather armor. "Best case scenario, they all slide down the gate, and I can escape as needed. Worst case, well... there won't be a worst case." he smiled. "Never hurts to have a plan D, though. Thanks."

He paused, took a breath to focus himself, and then gave a nod. "Ready."

[MetroMagic]

Janis looks at Sable in surprise, and then at Ror with concern.

{Janis} That's it? Ready? With Ror holding sticks and those other gadgets... whatever that stuff is for?

Thanks for the readiness, but I don't want you to blow up the party with one of Ror's sticks just because he didn't quite finish telling you about the gigantic explosion you get when you put two different ones in the same pocket.

Heh. I just made that up. Got your attention, didn't it? I don't know anything about Ror's stuff, I just met him. But seriously, Ror... did you and Sable work everything out, and he knows what he needs to know about using it?

Or Sable - are you passing on Ror's goodies?... or taking some?

[Sneaky_Sable]

He blinked. She sure did get his attention.

Then he relaxed a bit, "Oh no, I'm not one to turn away goodies." Sable smirked, "And he explained it to me in small words: Light wick, skedaddle." he turned back to Ror, "Unless there was more to it then that?" he said.

[FireInTheSky]

And he explained it to me in small words: Light wick, skedaddle." he turned back to Ror, "Unless there was more to it then that?" he said.

That's basically it.  Ror rummages in a pouch and pulls out several incense sticks and some small tools.  He proceeds with some cutting and gluing, making Sable's requests on the spot.  Once I finish these for Sable, I'm ready to proceed with The Plan^TM.  Oh, Sable, one note.  The fuses and incense sticks are all marked in 6-second segments (i.e. 1 round per segment).  So you want the fuses to all be 1 segment long, with the incense sticks five segments long?  That will give you 19 pieces of 5 segments (30 seconds) and 1 of 4 segments (24 seconds), all with a 1 segment fuse.

[ieatfood7]

Vir starts glowing and cries out, rushing back to his paper

Ok, last change I swear. Here is the new ritual list. The first thing I'm going to do when we get there is send out the birds...I fond a way to protect them from vapiric circle...Shroud of Undeath!  Now the negative energy will heal them (though I doubt they get temp hp from healing each other). They fly through the barracks, killing everything in a 60 foot swath (30 foot radius) leaving us with far fewer renforcements. Again, don't go near tham

It appears that Vir has gone into some sort of planning withdrawl. He used to captain ships of men into bvattle. While he legitimately enjoys assisting Sheerak, his leadership instincts have atropheed a bit. They are now trying to finmd their strength, and the result is a Vir who ooks mildly frantic and deranged with all the possibilities in his head.

[MetroMagic]

Star is enjoying Vir's dizzy tizzy... then as he describes his latest Parrot Cloud of UNdeath idea, her hair starts sparking and she looks quite excited!

{Star} Better than that, Vir... as I understand the Vampiric Circle, you have turned its Energy Effects completely upside-down! It will be giving Negative Energy to the parrots, which will supplement their Life Energy, not drain it, while under the Effects of Shroud of Undeath, and they will become stronger and stronger! They will lose a little Life Energy to the Positive Energy the Vampiric Circle conveys, intended as a temporary increase in Life Energy but damaging to the parrots while under the Effects of Shroud of Undeath. Nevertheless, since normally the loss outpaces the gain, the reverse will be true with Shroud of Undeath... the gain of Negative Energy will outpace the loss, which will result in ever-increasing Life Energy to the parrots!!

They may wish to keep their distance from me; the Radiance of my glow would damage them while they have the Effects of Shroud of Undeath.

Aurora's much brighter glow will be very damaging to them when she and I wade into the fight, and I may be Casting some Spells to help everyone that will hurt the parrots. For example, if I Cast a Circle of Sunmotes, they would be damaged continuously throughout its half-hour duration, while all the rest of us are Healed.

If we find Corlin, her Light-based Spells may also do even more damage to the parrots than to her intended targets. If she is there, she must be holding back for some reason... it is very unlikely they could hold her against her will. She's quite a Pixie... Elf.

I'll try to keep away from them, and let Corlin know too.

It's a marvelous idea, Vir.

There are a few other things you all may wish to know that I can provide, and tactics I let my friends know will help me, if it pleases them to do so.

If you need curing from poison, I can do that by touch with this spot of Radiance in Green Color on my palm, though you will take some small damage from the curing.

If you need curing from blindness, I can do that by touch too, with either hand, without damage to you.

If you are affected by Flesh to Stone, I can reverse the Effect with an Item that I have, also requiring touch. You may not be able to let me know, but others around you may.

I usually attract Lightning, if it is Cast in my vicinity, so it will curve away from you to strike me instead. I can absorb some of it for use later; I may be able to reflect or redirect the rest, depending on how much of my resources have been spent.

Likewise, I plan to reflect or redirect other Magical Effects sent against us in my vicinity.

And if you Cast Fire upon me, it will heal me, often the fastest way to do so... the same is true for Halfaz.

If there are similar tactics any of you can offer that it would please you to share, this would be a good time to do so.

And one more: The combat map will help you to anticipate your enemies' actions. But even without it, if you are within about 30 feet of me, you may find you anticipate them anyway.

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If you are within 30 feet of Star, roll twice at +2 and take the better roll, for saves and attacks. This stacks with whatever plusses and extra rolls come from Rituals. If you have other bonuses that come from Time, it may not stack with those; for Time specifically, the better Effect will apply.

[FireInTheSky]

That's a good point.  I have a couple effects that may be useful as well (besides the Rituals).  My axe absorbs most spells, and it can chop through effects like Wall of Force.  Also, because my Companion is made of pure arcane energy, it is vulnerable to Dispel Magic and similar effects.  Conversely, when it hits someone, its raw energy tends to dispel or disrupt any magic they have running.

[MetroMagic]

Ptolemaeus’ results; even more important for all to read than usual!!

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Ptolemaeus’ D20 to remember about Time Elementals, from the Archives at the Fortress of the Guardians of Time
Knowledge check – Rolled 1d20+39 : 2 + 39, total 41

A total of 41… good roll, good enough to recall the details that had been in the Guardians’ general access Archives available to all of their operatives, before they moved it… probably to the top Classified section, since Ptolemaeus also knows it is not their practice to discard any knowledge they have, when they can merely deny there is any such knowledge.

Also good enough to apply that knowledge very well to his research on Star Feather – but not good enough to know the inner details, especially including: (1) What happened to the Time Elementals? Why haven’t any been sighted from a point on the main Timeline about 50,000 years ago, a short time from then till Now but much longer all the way to Milliways, The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe!! And even just the portion of the Timeline from then till Now is still not insignificant. (2) Any more “official information” from the Guardians about the Royal Time Elementals beyond the standard information – though Ptolemaeus apparently has some new information himself, at this point!

And good enough for the realization of a dramatic turn of events.

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TIME ELEMENTAL
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (See below)
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 1"
HIT DICE: 12 or 16 (20)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12 or 4-16 (5-20)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +3 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Special, see below
INTELLIGENCE: Very to exceptional (genius to supra-genius)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII/3000 + 20/hp

Time elementals are basically of 2 sorts, the regular and noble. Information given in parentheses pertains to noble specimens. Time elementals exist in more than 1 time period, so they are always perceived as small creatures resembling a cloud of fire dust or vapor. They attack normally by spraying a fine, powdery substance at opponents. Those hit suffer damage due to cell death (aging).

Common time elementals can bring themselves from other times so as to effectively add 1-4 additional creatures, but a hit on any 1 damages all the manifestations of the time elemental. Therefore, when under attack, a time elemental will typically bring its other manifestations to its present time locale, gain multiple attacks that round, and then vanish completely into the time stream the next.

As a time elemental has the power to move forward, backward or sideways in time, (1 round for each hit die). It can usually avoid contact or break off contact at will. Unless the avoided party also has the ability to travel in time, the time elemental is then absolutely untraceable. Those able to follow will see a faint trail of haze in the direction of the time elemental's movement. Similarly, a time elemental can pursue by time movement, 1 " for each hit die, thus equalling up to a 13" or 17" movement rate. This could even put the elemental in front of a fleeing opponent.

All time-related spells are useless within 3" physical distance of a time elemental, and no such spell will affect or reveal anything about a time elemental or its actions. In addition, as these creatures exist across multiple times, there is only 1 chance in 10 that any spell cast or magic employed against or upon a time elemental will actually affect it. (To determine this, roll 1d10 to find its current center of vulnerability, then roll a second 1d10 to see if it matches the first number rolled. If so, the spell or magic works.) Again, any opponent able to move through time can determine where the time elemental is most vulnerable, so magic or spells used by such an opponent will function properly, although the time elemental is still allowed a saving throw.

Noble time elementals have all the powers of common ones. In addition, each has the power to cast a time stop spell (which will affect even time elementals of common sort), age a creature by 1-20 years, make a creature younger by 1-20 years, age nonliving vegetable matter by 10-200 years, age mineral material by 100-2000 years, and move up to 4 other creatures along time (forward, backward, or sideways) randomly, or to a desired locale, singly or jointly, providing the creatures are willing to go or fail to save vs. spells. Each power is usable per round, at will, once per day. Time elementals seldom appear on any plane but that of Time; on other planes they feel discomfort and the weight of the forward (or other) motion of time in relation to the plane upon which one of their manifestations exist. Similarly, time elementals cannot be conjured, summoned, or otherwise brought into being by any standard means or known spell.

On the Time Plane there are other creatures dissimilar to time elementals. There are also said to be certain royal time elementals of greater power than even the nobles'. These creatures rule their fellows and serve certain deities. Royal time elementals have 24 or 28 hit dice, cause the same number of hit points of attack damage (6-24 or 7-28), and have double the number of powers. In addition, royal time elementals can summon 1-4 common (70%) or 1-2 noble elementals (30%) once per day.

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A note about 1st Edition Hit Dice, and a character’s Levels, as compared to 3.5:

The 1st/2nd Edition multi-classing and dual-classing rules were very different from 3.5 Character Level. They had some similarity to the effects of Gestalt rules in 3.5. In general, an easy way to relate to them is that the accumulated Levels of Experience could easily be two to three times the amount of XP paid for them, with multi-classing, and even more, with dual-classing. Since monsters almost always were single-class, the hit dice and effective “Character Level” were reasonably equivalent. However, when applying that to a PC, the system does not convert so easily. This is all to say that “28 hit dice” worth of classes could easily be fit inside a character of even lower Levels than the 3.5 Gestalt rules require, which would be CL14 in 3.5.

Ptolemaeus recalls the standard information about Time Elementals, and applying it to the current situation he is researching, several things are apparent.

Certain features of Time Elementals conform very well to what he has observed of Star:

To move across space, he has seen that Star moves across Time. This is just what Time Elementals do when they want to move rapidly, and even the common Time Elemental can keep up with the typical movement rate of other creatures, and some can move much faster.

Ptolemaeus has seen Star move forward and sideways in Time; he hasn’t seen her move backward as yet though he has no indication she couldn’t. Backwards motion is still an open item in his research.

“All time-related spells are useless within 3" physical distance of a time elemental, and no such spell will affect or reveal anything about a time elemental or its actions.” This matches perfectly with what Ptolemaeus has seen and been told about Star. The Guardians can’t seem to track her at all, unlike practically every other creature short of a Deity that they decide to track, and the Guardians also could not get Time Stop to work near her or a Temporal Stasis to stick to her.

Regarding special attacks and defenses, or Magic resistance, Ptolemaeus easily realizes he has not had the opportunity to observe these. However, Janis said that Star can grab hold of Spells and send them back. To do so, she would have to interact with them, so perhaps she intentionally keeps herself Now for them.

“No Psionic ability”: the dossier on Star contained no mention of any and she herself has alluded to this; it seems to apply to her. In other documented mental features in the Guardians’ records, “Extremely high intelligence”: Star has given him reason to doubt her sanity, but not her considerable intellect. And on the question of sanity: The Guardians’ records state clearly that Time Elementals do in fact meet themselves deliberately.

In fact, about bringing “1-4 additional” copies of herself to her location, for a total of two to five… he has seen her bring one copy, for a total of two of her, and although Janis has alluded to more, he hasn’t seen Star bring more than one to the same location, perhaps due to her concern like all Time Elementals about taking multiplied damage from an Effect, as the Guardians’ records state. She has even been more cautious than some Time Elementals!

Regarding appearance, the common type of Time Elementals appears as “small creatures resembling a cloud of fire dust or vapor.” Thinking about Star, he specifically recalls the curious word “fire” in the original text which seems that it could be a transcription error from an earlier record – the word “fine” would fit well instead. However, if the record is accurate, and he has no real reason to think that there is an error in the Guardians’ records – they are very careful to preserve information – then the appearance could be as a cloud of fire, a cloud of dust, or a cloud of vapor - the three primary Elements that could make a visible cloud in the fourth primary Element, Air. Identifying a cloud of Fire with Star seems like a pretty reasonable connection, since she has said that she is a creature of Radiance, which is Fire-based with the addition of Positive Energy. So perhaps this too is accurate.

But she certainly is not merely a cloud of Fire. The common and noble Time Elementals are well documented in the Guardians’ records, including their appearance. Much less is said about the Royal Time Elementals – nothing about their appearance – except that they have far more powers, can command and Summon the others, and serve Deities. Star’s Alignment is clearly not Neutral, the common Alignment for common Time Elementals, but she seems to be very closely connected with the Elven Pantheon, who as Ptolemaeus knows, are almost without exception Chaotic Good. And her powers in Time do seem to be extensive, in fact extending partially to her companions.

The conclusion that his research and recollections seem to lead toward is: Star’s unique appearance beyond a cloud of Fire, her extended powers, Alignment, and apparent direct service to Deities, suggest she must be a Royal Time Elemental; of all the creatures in his vast knowledge across worlds, Planes, and Time, it is the description that fits.

At last he found the match he was searching for!

But the satisfaction in reaching a successful realization in Ptolemaeus’ research must be tempered with some very sobering thoughts:

There is now so much more to know.

The Guardians may have been content to suppress all knowledge of Time Elementals, including even among their own newer agents, after the creatures disappeared about 50,000 years ago, probably just as glad not to have to deal with such powerful creatures that the Guardians could not control, especially since all of the Guardians’ Chronomancy has no Effect on the creatures. The immense power over Time of even a single Time Elemental could disrupt anything the Guardians might plan in their schemes to preserve the Timeline, at least according to the Guardians’ own wisdom.

And Ptolemaeus can conclude that the Guardians have not realized that Star herself is a Royal Time Elemental, or if they have, the information must be suppressed at the highest levels of the Order Of The Guardians of Time. There was not even a hint in her dossier, which has left all of their agents, including him, completely unprepared to deal with her, with serious consequences. There were no explanations offered of facts that become straightforward to explain, as incredible as the explanation may seem to be… that Star is the last Time Elemental, and a Royal Time Elemental at that.

If this really is the last Royal Time Elemental in front of him… what happened to all the rest? She could command the common and noble Time Elementals, though he knows Star well enough now to know that she would never do that. But she could Summon them from wherever they have gone, perhaps rescuing them; they are un-Summonable by any other means, according to the Guardians’ records, but it is within her power. Why hasn’t she brought them back? Did she have something to do with their disappearance, seizing power for herself? – though that too seems very unlike her. And why was she not affected by whatever happened to all the rest of them?

The biggest questions: Star simply MUST know something vital; what does she know, and what is she doing about it? It would definitely be very unlike her, from what he has seen, to submit to sharing the fate of vanishing without a trace.

And whatever answers there are to know, whatever information she has, whatever she is doing, if they involve the fate of the Time Elementals, the answers must be vitally important to Time itself.

From all these revelations uncovered, Ptolemaeus has just crossed over a wall of his own, into a dark and desperate terra incognita that lies far, far beyond anything the Guardians of Time themselves could deal with, or even guess.

And he may be the only creature who understands enough to help Star do whatever it is that will save Time from what has befallen... something so horribly powerful and dark that it affected every Time Elemental in the Multiverse, except one: Star Feather.

Now this raid on a slaver compound, itself a very dangerous challenge requiring such a high-powered team that has combined their might into an unstoppable force… the raid seems almost to be just a test, for a vastly more dangerous road ahead.

[MetroMagic]

Part 1 (of several): Results of Executing The Plan^TM

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I’m posting the results in several sections, instead of saving them all up for one grand post at once, to give you more time to read them… and to keep us going! I might have to go back and change a detail if I forgot something that I remember later, but this should be it.

The first post (this one) is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 1-4, where we find out what happens with the plan to make lots of copies of everyone and everything.

The second post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 5-8, where we find out what the Link is like, and what the experience of the combat map is like… and get some practice… as well as getting organized and moving parrots, horses, and our army out the door.

There are a couple of small decisions for you to make – watch for them in spoilers – but they don’t change the flow of events at this point, as you’ll see.

The third post will cover the rest, or may be split in two.

…And we’re underway!!

After downing her ale, Janis sweeps her eyes across the group.

Ror and Sable work out the final details about the Incense sticks, and Halfaz and Star talk about a few more Scrolls. Then Star, Halfaz and Sable finish their quick side conversation; Star copies a few Scrolls while she and Ror give a few last minute notes about tactical help they can provide.

Some voice their readiness; others murmur their assent

The assemblage quiets under her gaze.

To Janis’ eye, Sheerak, Vir, and Halt look ready to leap. Ptolemaeus seems pensive to her. Halfaz and Sable are busy putting away their latest goodies, and she meets Tanatou’s eye with a wink as he regards everyone silently with his usual hooded, unblinking stare.

Just as Janis begins to speak, a noise turns her attention toward the entrance from the conference room to the Scarf. June bustles in, pushing a cart laden with drinks and pulling a train of three linked carts piled with snacks. Right behind her is Goldenseal, floating a massive chest in front of him, emblazoned with Star’s Wizard Mark, the same as on her charm bracelet.

Goldenseal speaks first: {Goldenseal} Hi, Janis, I just followed June in… I knew you must be ready for this because the Hobbit waitstaff always has perfect timing. He grins at June’s back, anticipating her flush from the compliment. June looks back over her shoulder, cheeks red, and says archly, {June} Inn Champagne wouldn’t be much of a restaurant if we didn’t anticipate our customers’ needs before they know themselves, would it? We have many generations of Hobbits raised to sense just that… hmmm. Maybe it’s all of those generations living under the same roof as her and her laboratory. June eyes Star speculatively, apparently struck by that thought for the first time.

{June} You’re about to have a much bigger crowd in here, and there’s absolutely no sense in them going into battle hungry. An army travels on its stomach, you know the old saying.

Star, this picnic basket arrived for you, with a note from Cornucopoeia of Highmeadow, Deva to Cyrrollalee, saying that in her morning Commune with the Goddess she learned you had given her picnic basket full of pies as a gift to Lars, your contact for Black Leather, when you and the Baron Sir John Renwick just saw him last in your visit to his homeworld. She was delighted you had found a good home for it, and sent you another. I wish we could get her to come bake at Inn Champagne… I suppose it’s no surprise her pies are Divine. So now you’ll have two, since I packed you a picnic basket too, of course. June takes two baskets out from underneath a cart, and hands them to Star. She fishes out a small, yellow-brown jar from one and shows it to Star.{June}Cornucopoeia’s note to me said to be sure to show you this jar, a condiment for the meat pies she sent, to show you she had packed some… she said I should remind you “Don’t forget the mustard!” like it was a joke.

Star smiles.{Star} Thank you, June, it was so thoughtful of you to send us off with a picnic basket from Inn Champagne. I’m sure there will be an occasion for the celebration inside it.

And a picnic basket full of Cornucopoeia’s baking… yes. Her baking is as strong and heady as Robinsong’s Infinity Wine.

And yes, there is a story behind the mustard. There was an entire excursion of adventurers leaving West Hobbiton to travel a long distance on their world, in Varios and Melkhar’s realm, that had to turn around some time after leaving, to go back because they’d forgotten the mustard. It’s become a standing joke there; they always remind each other before they go somewhere very dangerous. Her expression turns sober, but her eyes are sparkling as she lowers the two baskets, one after the other, carefully inside one of the larger flaps in the many pouches on her belt.

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Melkhar, Archmage, Drow, brilliant but renegade Chronomancer. No roll needed to remember this name; you couldn’t have missed. Melkhar’s methods for repair of Timelines and calming fluctuations in the Timestream are taught by the Guardians of Time to their agents, even though he has shown no inclination to join the Guardians; he is one of the few powerful enough simply to ignore them. So, Star may have actually met Melkhar, may even know him personally… not necessarily a surprise, but still… another fact that brings a shiver.

Goldenseal looks at Janis for instructions, who nods in Star’s direction; he pushes the floating chest over to Star. June goes back out of the Scarf into the conference room; Goldenseal stays to get copied.

Janis smiles, grim but pleased.{Janis} I declare the planning done, and The Plan^TM begun.

Janis calls off each Stage and Step as it is entered, to keep everyone… in step!

STAGE ONE, STEP ONE – RESULTS

{Janis} There will be no changes to preparations from this point forward, excepting any last second thoughts Ror may have about Rituals in Step Four… and after that, no changes at all until we  test Sheerak’s Gates into Bral.

Stage One, Step One, Star, you dose everyone with Positive Energy, and watch them so they don’t explode. All, please take your turn. You too, Sable, this Magic won’t kill you… in fact it may prevent you from getting killed. Even if you’re not getting copied, you can still use twice your Life Energy… I’ve gotten used to you, and I’d like you to come back from this trip.

You’ve already got Non-Detection on you, and here’s a few of the Essence of Darkness vials to cover the glow… you’ll look good in matte black. Classy.

You move like a Shadow anyway, when you want to; now you’ll look like one.

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Unless I hear otherwise I’m assuming Sable also gets his HP doubled minus 4, and then turns himself matte black to cover the glow. Besides, as Janis said… Classy!

Star watches Tanatou very carefully for signs of conflict between the Light and the Darkness within him, as he takes on a very large dose of Light. The Temple of Wee Jas took good care of him, though; his abilities with Light as a Paladin to give healing by Positive Energy now allow him to receive it as well, and his Life Energy increases as hoped. Tanatou can feel the Darkness inside him recede into a tiny corner of his mind, a thin, nearly washed-out shadow against the bright glow. The Hunger is nearly gone; he may not have felt this… alive!... in longer than he can remember.

When Sheerak’s turn comes, she has quite a surprise. The chest has racks of vials, and the vials contain Positive Energy… that’s not a surprise. The surprise is this:

The racks of vials look just like the ones her ancestors received in ancient times from a distant Mage to contain the Positive Energy from the Fountain of Light in the Kale Mountains! Sheerak even has some of them in her pocket! She is easily observant enough to notice that there is a small difference. Her ancestors’ vials all had the same Wizard Mark on stopper and bottle: a hazy circle of intense yellowy-blue flame that took on a glow from the Positive Energy so that it looked like the leaping, raging corona of the sun. However, on these vials, though shaped the same, many of them bear Star’s Wizard Mark on stopper and bottle… but still, quite a few bear that hazy circle of yellowy-blue flame on stopper and bottle that Sheerak knows so well – ever since she was a girl, and her father Lord Su showed her this secret family treasure hidden deep in the family’s vaults in the basements of the Lord Holder’s Keep.

How did Star come to have vials made by the same Mage as the ones of Sheerak’s ancestors? Does Star know anything about the significance of that odd Wizard Mark or the Mage who made it? Why were such valuable treasures traded for mere sheep, even if prize sheep, according to ancestral legend? And how did Star come to have made some herself? But the scene in the Scarf is too orderly, and yet too rushed, for Sheerak to take the Time to ask Star about it all now. And this would not be a good moment to distract Star, especially with Star staring at Sheerak so intently to make sure she does not overdose and explode!

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Mental note, and if Sheerak would like she can always ask Star later...

Star watches each person carefully as they sip at the vials of Positive Energy, has them slow down near the end as they become full, and quickly tells each one when done. She clearly has a well-practiced eye for this procedure, which goes quickly and without mishap. Soon all are glowing something like her.

Last, Star herself drinks up, and her glow intensifies; her hair becomes wild, as if it had Life of its own, and showers of sparks stream from every strand.

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Everyone has twice your HP, minus 2, except Sable, who has twice his HP, minus 4 – knowing Sable’s reluctance, and not preparing him to maximize copies, Star was extra-conservative with him.

STAGE ONE, STEP TWO – RESULTS

Ror casts his Rituals of Circles that make copies, while the glowing originals stand around him.

While Ror casts, Star gives a practiced flick of her wrist in her sleeve and a Wand drops into her hand. It’s a cylinder about twelve inches long and half an inch in diameter, and seems to be made of tiny points of pure White Light packed tightly together, all jostling around inside the bounds of the cylinder. She Casts from the Wand, Light streaming from it as it fades from most observers’ view, taking on the X-Ray Color they can’t see. She surveys her handiwork briefly with a critical eye, and Casts a second time, then slips the Wand back up her sleeve in another quick, well practiced motion.

Only those who have X-Ray Vision, including Sable and Star, see the faint Continual Light globe centered on Ror that is exactly 75 feet in radius, and exactly in the range of X-Ray Colors that Sable can see. With the second Casting from the Wand, Star creates another globe in a slightly different, lighter shade of X-Ray Color that is exactly 100 feet in radius. Sable can now see exactly where the Circle for Healing is, at 100 feet.

Meanwhile, Sable tries making smirking faces at Ror, turns his back on Ror, thinks thoughts not allied with Ror… “There’s no place like… not around Ror. There’s no place like… not around Ror.” And generally dissociates himself from Ror… and no copies of Sable appear, without him having to stay out of range. Apparently choosing not be allied with Ror is working.

On the other hand, copies appear, of everyone else, excepting Star, or perhaps hers disappeared as soon as they appeared. She watches with interest the first time she is within Ror’s radius, then steps out while she measures off the second globe, then steps back in. There is the briefest flicker of more Lights around her, gone almost too fast to notice. Star has a very contented look on her face: Experiment completed!

With Ror’s first Casting of copies, the crowding is easily manageable, but with the second Casting and the sudden appearance of so many creatures, Janis and her copies have to scramble to get everyone sorted out.

Janis and her copies get everyone else’s copies organized and placed, either moved out of Ror’s radius if they don’t have to stay within it, or assigned a place within it for the ones who are supposed to stay close.

As she is doing this, she realizes that there are far more copies than The Plan^TM specifies.

Janis had marked off areas for four copies with just under each person’s full Life Energy, and six copies with half their Life Energy, and a few leftovers. The area she marked off for leftovers is overflowing!

{Janis} Ror, I don’t know what’s happened here, but I sure know how many copies I myself have, and all of my copies counted all of the copies of everyone else. I’d bet you a platinum piece there are more than you expected… but because you’re a friend… or at least an ally, ha!... don’t take it, it’s a sucker bet, because I already know the count. There are six nearly full copies, and eighteen nearly half copies, that’s twenty-four, plus the original… twenty-five. Not ten, and not sixteen. I have all of the extras over there, so don’t worry about it. I’ve got extra Bags, I’ll just pack ‘em up.

And I’m organizing them in ‘families of creation’, figuring a copy as a descendent of its progenitor… it’s the only sensible way. Then if one dies, it can only affect the ones in its own ‘family’.

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Two Circles. The Circles are not Cast simultaneously but they are concurrent, and concentric, so both operate once on all originals, and once on each copy it did not make. Each Circle makes 3 copies of the original. That’s 6 copies, all with nearly full HP. Then Circle A makes 3 copies of each of the 3 copies from Circle B, and vice-versa. That’s 9 more from each Circle, a total of 18, with nearly half HP. 18 plus 6 plus 1 equals 25.

Ror and Star talked about this endlessly but stopped calculating closely when it became clear there were enough to cover the ten groups, just noting there would be extras… though yes, their last count on extras was 6, for a total of 16. Oops!

Suddenly June bursts through from the conference room, back into the Scarf, leading a string of magnificent horses with melting snow on their backs and icicles clinging to their manes and tails, followed by a flapping flood of parrots.

{June} The parrots seemed to come out of nowhere, or more like everywhere at once, but the horses… I got a frantic message from the greeter out on the plaza in front of Inn Champagne, that there was a line of huge, gorgeous horses, covered with ice and snow, streaming out of the ice company’s Portal on the far side of the plaza between The Lady’s Ward and the Market Ward, across from the door to Inn Champagne. At first she thought they were running toward her doorway, but then she realized they were going toward the doorway here, into the MetroMagic warehouse. So I went out to intercept them and bring them in here in a more orderly fashion… more orderly than a stampede, that is. According to what I have heard from Goldenseal, I take it these are for you, Halt……… all of you, Halts.

Another contented look passes across Star’s face, as she murmurs mostly to herself about the results of this grand experiment of sourcing for copies with abilities originating from different Natures.

June looks around at all of the copies of Halt and chuckles. {June} Two dozen Halts, excepting the original; two dozen horses. It’s like an old riddle, a favorite pastime of Hobbits; many of us are riddlemasters. Thirty-two white horses upon a red hill; first they stamp, then they champ, then they stand still. Haha… an old chestnut, reciting it is a comfortable ride like a chestnut mare. But none of these are such; they are thoroughbred warhorses… or so I’d mark them by the way they dance, as light on their four feet as any two monks.

As June leads them into the Circle, there is a livestock explosion, and Janis looks pale.

{Janis} Six hundred and twenty five parrots! Six hundred and twenty five… Janis trails off, looking at Halt. And Halt. And Halt. And Halt… All of them seem about to correct her.

She hurriedly amends, {Janis} Yes, I know the original Abelard isn’t here! OK, six hundred horses, even count.

With the help of many Halts and Virs, and all of her own extra copies, and many squawks, neighs, and shouts later, Janis restores order.

Meanwhile, June slips back out of the Scarf, saying to Ror on her way out, {June} Goldenseal told me the trick of not getting copied, and one of me is quite enough to keep track of, thank you just the same. He’s just using this as an excuse to eat twenty-five times the usual, all at once. She pauses for a moment to survey the many copies of Goldenseal, who have gathered around the snack carts, and tsks her disapproval.


STAGE ONE, STEP THREE – RESULTS

Janis pauses for a moment to catch her breath, hoping that Step Three goes more like Step One, than Step Two, when the copies of horses and parrots arrived ahead of schedule and in much larger numbers.

Ror continues to Cast his Rituals. At the right moment he nods to Star, who slips one of her two Bracelets of Spell Holding onto his massive forearm.


STAGE ONE, STEP FOUR – RESULTS

Ror continues to Cast Rituals, and more and more copies of him appear. Janis begins to marshal the copies of Vir and parrots, by far the largest groups, which were supposed to arrive during Step Four, to get them ready to receive Runes from Ror’s many copies which now number well over a hundred.

Janis consults her lists of Rituals, and gives instructions to the copies of Ror. At length. Star comes over to Janis to collect whoever is giving her the Rituals that go under the Bracelet of Spell Holding she is preparing in Step Six, and inquires if it would please Janis and one of the extra, extra copies… she get partway into this, and Janis pushes a few spare copies at her. No time to discuss!

Her control of the situation and her sense of humor have recovered; Janis calls over the originals of Vir and Halt to brief them, and addresses them as well as the rest of the party. I’m making a few executive decisions for adjustments on the fly… literally, for all these parrots and horses. Vir, Halt, I’ve got lots of extra copies of Ror to protect our extra parrots, and some of our extra horses. The extra copies of you originals, I’m putting them all in the Bags of leftovers… Haha!

Anyway, they don’t need extra Rituals because we’re not planning to use them.

Extra horses, though, allows us to give one to each original and one to each copy in Group 10, with still quite a few left over.

And parrots, we can use as many as we’ve got. So they all get fully loaded up. But it’s too many to have out at once, so I’m reserving them as backups. Vir, you’ll have a total of… I’m not going to take the time to work out the math exactly. Instead of sixteen, squared you have twenty-five, squared, so… a little less than two and a half times the number. You were planning on sending out ten Parrot Clouds of Death. So there will be fourteen flights of parrots in reserve, total twenty-four, a little less than two and a half times, like I said. I’ll set it up that way, all in ‘families of creation’ also like I said… Goldenseal, I need fourteen of the extra Bags we have, I’m sure glad I planned for a lot of them!!… and if there are a few leftover parrots, they go into the general leftovers Bag.

There are so many extra Rors, I’ve given a couple extra to Star to put a few more Rituals under her Bracelet that will benefit everybody. I don’t have time to discuss the details, honey… sure, extra Strength sounds fine, for the rest, you know best what you want, just do it and give me a list when you’re done with your Bracelet, at the end of Step Six... and don’t slow us down!! But Star, you’ll have lots of Time in Step Six to mess around with a few extra Rituals while everyone else is practicing with Links, before we hit them with your combat map later.

Between a LOT of parrots, and more horses, and a few general purpose Rituals to help all of you originals in Star’s radius, that will pretty well exhaust Ror’s extra capacity….

Good. Let’s keep going. Next step in The Plan^TM, everybody! Be in the places I just assigned to you.

{CONTINUED IN NEXT POST}

[MetroMagic]

{CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST}

Part 2 (of several): Results of Executing The Plan^TM

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I’m posting the results in several sections, instead of saving them all up for one grand post at once, to give you more time to read them… and to keep us going! I might have to go back and change a detail if I forgot something that I remember later, but this should be it.

The first post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 1-4, where we find out what happens with the plan to make lots of copies of everyone and everything.

The second post (this one) is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 5-8, where we find out what the Link is like, and what the experience of the combat map is like… and get some practice… as well as getting organized and moving parrots, horses, and our army out the door.

There are a couple of small decisions for you to make – watch for them in spoilers – but they don’t change the flow of events at this point, as you’ll see.

The third post will cover the rest, or may be split in two.

…And we’re underway!!

STAGE ONE, STEP FIVE - RESULTS

Janis keeps things moving. {Janis} Here we go, in Step Five you all get loaded up with your Rituals from Ror, your ScryBubblegum from me, and your Magic goodies from Star.

Ror, send out your copies with these assignments, here are the lists, thanks!

Star, stop thinking about extra Rituals from the extra extra Ror copies till you’re done with your tasks in Step Five, and go give everybody whatever you’re Casting… like putting Mirrors on them… or giving them, or check over the things they already took from the piles you set up. Ror, your copies that are going to load up Star, they’ll hold off till she is free toward the end of Step Five, so they may have some carry-over into Step Six, another little executive decision adjustment by me, because she is going to be running around too much at the start of this Step to distract her with more Rituals. Ror, I’ll have one of my extra copies work with those couple of extra, extra copies of you, to catch them up with the Link practice they need in Step Six.

Goldenseal, how about you and your copies leaving a few crumbs on the food carts, and come help me and my copies count out all the extra ScryBubblegum for everyone else’s extra copies… and for twenty-five million parrots instead of just sixteen million.

Janis goes back to the storage unit with the dozens of locked drawers and supervises the counting, with the help of many Goldenseals and many clipboards. Her copies distribute the batches of ScryBubblegum, one to each original, and help them share the batch with their copies.

At the end, Janis personally gives the originals one extra batch to share with each other.

Meanwhile, Ror’s copies wander around putting Rituals on everyone and their copies, the parrots, and the horses, skipping one copy of Vir.

Star moves from original to original, checking over the Magic items they took. She also has dropped a different Wand from the sleeve of her robe into her hand. Again about twelve inches long and half an inch in diameter, this Wand has a perfectly reflective surface that glitters with all of the glowing people around it.

Star begins with Tanatou. She Casts from this Wand, and as the Magic streams from it and settles onto him, the polish on his gold armor intensifies and takes on a glittering hardness, reflecting the scene around him. The same is true for all of his surfaces; even his hands are reflective. He feels a slight tension across them, but not enough to slow his movements… just a sensation on the edge of awareness. {Star} Tanatou, you can faintly feel the Wall of Mirror Spell that has coated you with reflectivity? Good. That sensation tells you the Spell is still in Effect, and it will reflect damage to you back onto its source, whether from a weapon, or a Spell… even one with an untargeted area… or Psionics… whatever its source.. It will continue till it is broken from enough damage. The shattering won’t hurt you, but it is fun to watch… bits of shards of Spell flying everywhere and dissipating. Unfortunately what will hurt you is whatever damage you take beyond that point.

Sable, the matte black color you have underneath the Mirror doesn’t eliminate the reflections entirely but will damp them down quite a bit, as you can see... that’s just the appearance of the Spell, it’s efficacy is not affected. And Vir, when you turn Invisible, the appearance of reflectivity will be Invisible too, but again, the Spell will continue to reflect damage even though its reflection of Light can’t be seen. Star continues with her Casting for the rest of the originals, and a few of the parrots as Vir requested.

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I *think* that was clear, but just in case: The coating of Mirror will reflect the first 120 HP of damage you take, whether or not the Spell’s visibility to an observer’s eye is covered up by other Magic. So, with mostly upside and little downside, unless I hear otherwise, I’m going to assume that all originals have been painted with Wall of Mirror.

STAGE ONE, STEP SIX – RESULTS

{Janis} Nice work everyone, that last step went very smoothly. Now, in this step you’re all distributing whatever you’re giving to your copies or whoever else, and make sure everything is working, especially the Link… it’s time to practice, so you don’t get overwhelmed by the noise on the Link during combat.

Halt, two copies of Abelard to each of the originals, one for themselves and one for their copies in Group 10.

Vir, go paste these batches of ScryBubblegum on parrots, and everything and everyone else, according to your plan. Goldenseal and I put in a lot more of it because of all the parrots… Goldenseal… where did you… of course, back to the food when Step Five ended.

Goldenseal… stay away from the crumbs. You and your copies, give Vir and his copies a hand… he’ll need it, with two and a half times as many parrots as we expected.

And Vir, while you’re going around with the ScryBubblegum, remember that you and your copies are Pixifying everyone with Pixie Dust, all originals and their copies, and Sable, and Star… though no copies for the two of them.

Star, go check on gadgets you gave the originals: True Seeing, Ioun Crystals not to breathe, Black Leather to color it, Essence of Darkness, the Scrolls so they won’t die from poison… at least not right away. And pack up the leftovers that weren’t taken. Whatever you wanted to get from Star is locked, no changes. Talk to her later, but don’t count on it.

I’m starting with the demolitions ordnance. Ror, Sable, here are the goodies. See this off-white stuff like clay? Just pull off a handful… that’s my size hands, Ror, not yours… and press it into the irregularities of the rock you want to bring down… it’s just a little tacky and will stick pretty easily, clinging to any tiny irregularities. But before you do that, take one of these sticks of ScryBubblegum… it’s a special batch. You eat half, you press the other half into the clay. Then get around a corner, or at least fifty feet away if possible, a hundred is better if you’ve used a handful, and tell it to blow, on the ScryBubblegum Link you just made with it. If you want multiple charges to blow simultaneously, tear the stick of gum into smaller pieces so you have more to spread around, it’ll still work. Also you can share the gum with more than one person, then either one can make the charges blow.

Don’t leave any of the off-white clay stuff behind, and don’t place any without a ScryBubblegum detonation stick already pressed into it... that’s why I said to press the ScryBubblegum into it before you place it, in case you get interrupted by the enemy while you are putting it in place. Then you can throw it at them like a grenade, hit the deck, and blow it with a  thought… a little thank-you gift for them being rude enough to interrupt you while you were setting up to explode their lair. I don’t want any unexploded charges to fall into enemy hands… no sense in giving them ideas.

Sable, you’ve seen stuff like this before in Meridian City… looks like C4, doesn’t it? And Ror, I’m sure you get the idea. It’s a similar formula, enhanced with Alchemy… I made it a lot more powerful ounce for ounce, and you don’t need a detonator, you use ScryBubblegum.

But detonation placement is the same… you know how that works. Look for the underpinnings of load bearing points, stress fracture points that can spread with encouragement, pay attention to how things are leaning, and which way the mass will drop for the most damage below… the usual good demolitions practices when you’re going for maximum wreckage rather than a nice clean drop of a building.

You’ve each got two sacks with sixteen handfuls in it and thirty-two detonator gum sticks, every stick is from a different batch, so all detonators will all act independently… more than enough for the objectives we set, but I thought you just might want to get creative with it later, and I wouldn’t want to spoil your fun by running out. Janis gives them a wicked grin.

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Sable and Ror… any questions? Just like Janis said, eat part of a stick of ScryBubblegum, pull off a handful of the tacky off-white clay – measuring by Janis-sized hands, not Ror-sized hands – press part of that same stick of special ScryBubblegum into the clay, and press the clay into place at a key fracture point or load-bearing point, to bring down whatever you are going to blow up. Then get back from it, and think BOOOOM at it, or something similarly suitable.

While Janis is showing the demolitions explosives to Ror and Sable:

Halt, Vir, and Goldenseal distribute horses and stick gum everywhere, and Star goes from original to original checking on their various Items.

For the Scrolls that Star supplied, she helps with the Slow/Delay Poison Scrolls since they have a 12 hour duration, but suggests it may please you to consider the 20 minute True Seeing Scrolls as ones to be used at the time, rather than during The Plan^TM step of extended preparations, waiting on them till just before Group 10 steps through Sheerak’s Gate to their position on the map as in Plan A, or just before they Earthglide into their position on the map as in Plan B.

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Unless I hear otherwise, I’ll assume that all of the originals use a Scroll of Slow/Delay Poison at this point and have it running for 12 hours, and use one of their Scrolls of True Seeing at a point just before they go in, and have True Seeing running for 20 minutes upon arrival in the compound.

Star also works with each archer who has a RainBowstring to find out what is their random starting point Color, and fire some bolts until the next Color will be the one they want to use first during combat, if they have a preference. She points out that Umber Hulks would be vulnerable to Orange, since they are Earth-using, burrowing creatures, while creatures in the river would likely be vulnerable to Green.

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Choose your starting Color! Or if you don’t care, determine the starting Color at random the first time you shoot a bolt in combat. If you don’t specify, to minimize unnecessary postings I’m going to assume that the choice most likely to be popular, Orange, is the one you chose.

For those originals that are having different Colors for their Black Leather besides Black, Star casts a quick Spell to Color it as desired, even in multiple Colors with patterns or symbols.

Finally Janis sees that all of the ScryBubblegum is in place, handed out and chewed, or stuck on armor, shields, feathers, wherever… and announces:

{Janis} Everyone – listen up, this is critical – every original will now test their ScryBubblegum with their copies. And every original will test their ScryBubblegum with each other. And ESPECIALLY you will practice paying attention to what you need to hear and ignoring what you don’t.

I am your drill sergeant for this. I and my copies have taken a piece of gum from each batch to monitor your practice and test you on your Links until I am satisfied that the noise is not making you less efficient. Like I said before, I will NOT let my gum lead to someone getting hurt.

Star, during Link practice, Cast whatever goes under your Bracelet of Spell Holding and lock them in place. Stay off the Link, you don’t need Link practice, and I don’t want you putting the combat map on the Link yet… I’d bet a platinum piece you already have it running in your head… yeah, I thought so… and I don’t want you overwhelming the Link till they get some basic filtering practice first. Ror, your extra extra copies will finish up pasting Rituals onto Star now, my copies will work with them to get them Link practice.

As everyone is eating their ScryBubblegum, one piece for each copy and two pieces for each original (with three for some originals depending on their specific plan details), a mental murmur has been arising, like a large crowd in a theater before a show starts.

Janis pops a big handful and gulps them down. Shortly thereafter, she’s on every Link, loud and clear, and clearly Janis.

{Janises!!} OK, everyone. We’re going to start with a demo of basic communication, add sight and sound, you’ll practice that, then once you know how to make orderly noise instead of the random crowd noise you’re making now, we’ll get to filtering and give you some practice again... Got all that?

Each of you knows what Group you are in, from 1 to 10. You extra copies that aren’t in a Group, I told each of you a number from 11 to 24. I did the same with my copies, who are standing with the Groups. So, let’s hear from Janis3.

Hi, this is Janis3. I’m sending on the Link to the original Janis, and she’s passing me through to the other Links. The idea here is to preface with your name and number, so if your original passes you through, everyone will easily know what Group you’re from. Especially important if you’re sending visually… see the original Janis waving over there? No, don’t turn to look at her, watch through what I’m sending on the Link, here’s a single visual of what I just saw, an image frozen in the act of waving with her left hand. Now here’s a continuous visual of what she’s doing as she does it, waving, both hands over her head.

Now here’s a continuous visual of Janis3 from me, original Janis, see her over there standing with Group 3 and waving… ok, so we just put down some rules and showed you switching back and forth on the Link to different visual perspectives. Cool, huh?

This isn’t just a game; when you are reporting visuals on your combat positions this becomes critical, both putting the info on the Link and saying who is sending it. Got it? Now every original, practice with all your Groups to talk back and forth, put visuals and audials on the Link, and switch perspectives. You have till this sandglass finishes, ten minutes in the conference room, who knows how long in here, in this Scarf… I don’t even know what to call it, but this is a ten minute sandglass so we’ll call it ten minutes whether it is or not.

As the sand runs from top to bottom in the glass, Janis and her copies switch from Link to Link, helping all of the originals and copies to get used to these basics.

{Janises again!} The sandglass is done, so you’re done too. Now we practice filtering. You learned how to tag your visuals with ID on who is sending it. You took turns. Now I want all my copies to send who they are and their continuous visuals at once, on all Links please………..

Wow, what a flood of information, twenty four visuals at once. Did you feel swamped? I’d bet a platinum piece on that. Now, what I want everyone to do is isolate out the visual of the Janis with your same number, ignore the rest as noise, and just focus on her. Originals, you don’t have a number, you’ll isolate and focus on the visual from the original Janis. Let’s practice that first, it won’t take long, and then we’ll move on. Ready, go!

….OK, good, I think everyone got that, it’s not as hard as you might have thought. This time isolate the visual I’m sending, the original Janis, instead of the Janis standing next to you, while all 24 Janis copies flood the Link with their tagged visuals too. I will be switching constantly from one Janis copy to another, so my perspective will keep changing, but I’ll tag it as a relay from me. It’s a little harder to pick out a rotating relay but you’ll manage… you’ll receive it twice, once tagged directly from one of  my copies, and once tagged as from that copy but also tagged as relayed from me. Focus on the relayed one… that’s the extra challenge, you’re using the tag as well as the visual to identify what to focus on. Ready, go!

….OK, good on that too. Now you’re ready for the full flood. I want all copies to send sometimes, other times practice watching, and I want all originals to act as switchers, isolating one copy after another and switching it back to all their copies. That’s for the first turn of the sandglass.

For the second turn of the sandglass, all originals will act as switchers of someone else’s copies… pick different ones from what is coming onto the originals Link, and switch them down to your copies, while… got this? AT THE SAME TIME, automatically forwarding some copy’s visuals from your copies Link onto the originals Link, WITH ID OF WHICH GROUP it’s coming from. Yes, I’m asking you to switch in both directions at once, from the originals Link to your copies Link, and from your copies Link to the originals Link. This is much, much harder, first to isolate, and then to run two Links at once at top speed, that’s what visuals demand. Audials are much less demanding. They’ll be a cakewalk if you can do visuals. You may stumble on this, that’s ok. But I’m giving you an entire turn of the sandglass to practice just this one thing.

This practice will make some later skills a little easier. It will be handy practice for when you’re trying to keep up with Star’s combat map. And it will make our last practice a lot easier by comparison

For the third and final turn of the sandglass, you originals will have all of your copies send visuals to you at once on your own Link, and you will select one after another at random, not in any rotation – mix ‘em up good – and put it on the originals Link WITH ID OF WHICH GROUP it’s coming from. At the same time, you will monitor the originals Link for any visuals that any other original is sending, to spot any that happen to be from the same group you are sending, and when that happens, you’ll say so, on the Link, and switch yourself to send from a different copy. This is practice in selective listening, at the same time as sending. You need to be able to do this, so you can communicate on your own Link without missing something important on the originals Link – remember, every original is running two Links at once, so this is exactly the practice you will need.

And Sable… you don’t get a free ride just because you don’t have copies. You need to be able to sort through the flood on the Link. So you will practice with MY copies, and they will help to insert you into everyone else’s Links, and practice sending and receiving with you.

By the end of this third practice, you all will have headaches and wish you’d never heard of ScryBubblegum. You may even wish that already.

Yah… I get it. But I’ve got no time for it. Soldier… toughen up!

So I’ll call off the turns of the sandglass, and we’re starting Now. Ready… go!

Janis turns the sandglass. She and her copies help all originals to stay with it throughout. The original Janis also works with Sable. And she keeps turning the sandglass.

From the very start, the noise on the Links is intense, the flood of visual images overwhelming, and most everyone new to the Links feels dizzy at first, but then you all begin to be able to sort through what is coming at you and pick out what you want to pick out. By the end of the first turn of the sandglass, as Janis promised, everyone can manage sending and receiving simultaneously on their own Link with their copies … barely.

When she turns the sandglass for the second practice, the flood is overwhelming again. Most every original needs help from a Janis copy to begin to sort out what is happening, but bit by bit it gets easier. By the end of the second practice, all of the originals are probably mentally exhausted but are entitled to feel some sense of accomplishment in managing to switch in both directions, and manage two Links simultaneously, sending and receiving simultaneously on both.

In the third practice, at least the flood of information has not gotten larger, but the challenge of paying attention to what is on the originals Link while switching on both Links is very tough. Again, help from Janis copies to get started, and to get back on track when totally confused, makes the challenge a little more bearable. By the end of the sandglass, most originals are managing to track both Links, only missing some of the group match-ups and catching most of them.

Janis calls an end to the practice, likely much to the relief of everyone; at least the mass of tired cheering tends to confirm this. Meanwhile, while everyone is mentally sweating, Star has been happily humming to herself, Casting, and invoking Rituals, and just as Janis says everyone is done, Star slips on her remaining Bracelet of Spell Holding.

{THE SECOND POST IS ACTUALLY SPLIT ACROSS TWO POSTS, SO THINK OF IT AS 2-A, AND 2-B-CONTINUED  :-)}

[MetroMagic]

{THIS IS THE 2-B-CONTINUED POST :-)}

STAGE ONE, STEP SEVEN – RESULTS

{Janis} OK., everyone, I can see you are exhausted, I’m about to call a break but Goldenseal has eaten all of the break food… Oh, hi, June.

June comes into the Scarf; she is pushing a floating cart this time, piled much higher and heavier than before, and is pulling a longer train of floating carts behind her. She pushes it into the center, coming directly to where the original Janis is standing.{June} Sorry I’m a bit late. The passage of all those horses in front of the restaurant threw off the kitchen schedule a bit, because the diners stopped eating and went to the windows or outside to watch, and the waitstaff has just caught up. I’m not making excuses, I am truly sorry it took too long, but I do owe you and our owner Miss Star Feather an explanation. It was my fault, not the waitstaff’s, because it was my decision not to put in a Backorder, and instead to be just a little late with your refresh. I felt it was too stressful for an already stressed situation, and I’d put in too many Backorders already in quick succession. I don’t want to tangle the Timelines of our waitstaff more than absolutely necessary. So once again, I apologize for the inconvenience.

I had planned for sixteen copies of Goldenseal raiding your food carts, not twenty-five.

This should hold all of you for a while, and even him too… all twenty-five of him.

So I’ll leave these and go back out to set up the next delivery, if you don’t mind; it’s another rush order though we’ll have more Time in common with you, to take care of it.

Janis is nonplussed at June’s apology, apparently very impressed with the huge food delivery just when she thought of it. Star’s eyes dance with amusement.{Star} I understand perfectly, June. You’re not upset because the food is late, you’re upset because it’s not early, it didn’t arrive before Janis thought of it.

Thanks for taking good care of our waitstaff. If it pleases you, tell them how pleased we all are with what they have been sending us… and June, you too, my friend. I would say that you’ve really outdone yourself with this, but that would be a subtle insult to the amazing service you always give… it’s always just as exceptional as this has been. I am thrilled, June, simply thrilled. I think we all are.

June flushes from the compliments, but relaxes visibly, and grins at Star.{June} You’re easily pleased, Empress, but I’m glad you are. Thanks… I’ll let the waitstaff know they are very appreciated. They’ll especially like it coming from you. Enjoy the snacks. Cold chocolated fruits. Melted dark chocolate for dipping the ten different types of brownies… a type of baked goods, not the sylvan creature.

We don’t serve chocolate-dipped Brownies. June goes back out of the Scarf, chuckling.

Janis continues on the Links:

{Janis} Wow, June… dark chocolate, too. Thanks!

As I was saying, now that the food has arrived, I think everyone could use a break from all this mental strain before we hit you between the eyes with Star’s combat map on the Link, which is one big thing we’re doing in this step. So everyone get refreshed while I remind you about what we’re doing in this step. Have some chocolate, it’ll clear your mind.

The groups will line up ready to get into the Bags that my copies are bringing around and setting in place. Vir, you’ll be managing them so as a reminder, leave the Bags open for Step 8.

And it’s the step where we practice with Star’s combat mapping on the Link while you all are in motion, it’s our first battle simulation.

OK… everyone has something to drink, something to eat. Good. Start walking back from the food carts to your groups and Bags, see where my copies are waving to you, holding up fingers to remind you which groups go where. Group 1, you’re over there… see me, waving with one finger?

Originals, Group 10 copies… you both go over there, remember to take your horses with you. I see June put feedbags in with the other snacks. I’m not surprised.

OK, now while you are moving, open yourself to the Link. Don’t try to send, at first, just receive the combat map, that will be tough enough. Try to get it all, without tripping over your own feet from too much focus on the map and not enough focus on your feet. Remember you’ll be doing this in combat, not just walking around… but walking around is a good way to start practicing to do both.

Star, first, just the basic combat map… give it to them for a little while just to get used to it… Ready, go!

Suddenly all Links flood with a continuous visual in multiple Dimensions at once. A view of the inside of the Scarf. In the view, every creature present, in motion. For every creature, a tint highlighting their Group, coordinated with a tint highlighting whose copy they are. The battle units are easy to pick out. And whose copies within them are equally easy. Originals can monitor their copies, as well as monitor battle units by Group.

For every creature, a brightness; it quickly becomes apparent that the brightness is their Life Energy. For every creature, a halo of Alignment aura. There is an overlay of Magic auras across everything; Rituals and their overlapping Circles are apparent.

And every creature is slightly smeared across Time… a hazy image behind showing where they have come from, and a hazy image ahead showing where they are going, a brief projection ahead of them. Potentially intersecting paths are clear, altering in real Time as creatures in the crowded space change their paths not to bump into each other... but the hazy projection showed the miss, correctly, not the collision.

The entire scene of activity is visible to all. Everyone is aware of creatures moving behind them, out of normal view; it is an immersion in a full surround overlaid with a complex set of information and prediction.

Walking and watching is a distraction at first. It’s easy to stumble, with all of the visual information overlaid. Stumbles themselves are predicted on the map! After a brief while, though, it seems everyone has gotten used to the extra visual information.

Meanwhile, Star is sitting in the air, leaning forward slightly on her elbows, interested and intent but relaxed, sipping hot spiced mead from a crystal mug around bites of walnut-pecan-raisin-chocolate chip brownie.

{Janis} OK, honey, give them two of the combat overlays… trajectory projections for both Magic, and projectiles. Start with yours, then add everyone else’s.

In the visual flood suddenly more images appear. First, from an image of Star’s staff, itself a miniature Spell Cannon, lines appear in multiple colors showing a variety of Spells and routes targeting different groups and areas, with Spell area perimeter forecasts showing who will be in, who will be out; even damage estimates are shown with flashing Life Force levels, dimmer for the forecast, brighter for the present. The area perimeters sweep across the scene, offering multiple possibilities to consider at once. Lightning, Fire, Ice, Radiance… different attack types are shown, and creature defenses apparent through the Magic auras are accounted for with lowered damage estimates. As everyone moves, the projections shift in real Time. Selecting a Spell to throw, and exactly where to throw it, suddenly becomes a tactical exercise based on real Time information instead of guesswork.

Then each Spell Cannon the originals have, and all missile weapons, including RainBowstrings and mundane weapons for originals and copies, light up as well, with the Cannons’ specific tunings, potential Spell trajectories, area perimeters and damage estimates; and for the missile weapons, available target corridors appear showing interference probabilities through the moving mass of creatures, brighter along more likely lines, dimming as the likelihood decreases – some surprise targets are highlighted at distant points, just because the motion projections forecast a clear shot right Now… these wink in and out as the pattern of movements shifts.

Janis and her copies help everyone by pointing out things to notice in the map.

The trajectory lines and area forecasts are a complex overlay on an already complex combat map.

{Janis} OK, now it’s time to do more than stare at the pretty colors.

Everybody… find your own trajectories; try to track them. Then let’s get the mental chatter going on the Links, you need to learn to watch it and make use of it at the same time… talk to the others in your Group, in person or on the Link, through your originals… Originals, you have to switch this information too, and listen if you need to know it… and Originals, you have to do all that while you yourself find your trajectories and talk on the originals’ Link to coordinate who to hit, with what…

Now you see why we practiced all that switching and filtering before?

Pretend you’re picking out targets in other Groups; where do you and your buddy’s best damage projections intersect? Where is your best combined tactical advantage, if you both hit it, do the combined damage estimates show a good kill ratio? Watch those overlapping area perimeters and damage projections as they swing around, and you’ll see right away where a whole bunch of creatures go dark if you both hit that area… or some distant creature goes down with two sniper shots if they’re near-simultaneous… Got it?

Hah. Picture this operating in a space battle, when suddenly two Elven ships widely separated in the battle have a clear shot, despite the mess of floating debris everywhere, at the same enemy ship in its forecast position… the damage estimates show the whole enemy ship going dark… both Spell Cannons unload simultaneously just as the enemy ship flies into position to get itself ripped apart from simultaneous blasts… that’s our girl Star at work, earning her Empress crown.

Same idea for you, on a smaller scale of distance. Got it now?

I’m going to turn the sandglass. Originals, when you’re feeling a little more comfortable, remember to coordinate targets between your different groups… you can do that too, just like the two Elven ships far apart from each other. That’s why you can see everyone’s trajectories in the combat map… coordinate anybody that looks promising.

OK, Ready… go!

The confusion level picks up considerably as creatures struggle to locate their own trajectories, and then to make best use of them by quickly identifying coordinated targets first just for themselves, and then with others in their groups. The chatter on the Links becomes almost deafening, with everyone talking at once. The originals all struggle to keep up with reports from their copies while finding some creativity for themselves. Again, Janis and her copies help everyone by pointing out things to notice in the map. After a while, though, the identification of targets becomes more practiced, and the originals become much more selective about what they need to know from their copies. They also begin coordinating with their copies to select targets from multiple groups, as Janis suggested, by the time the sandglass finishes.

{Janis} You just experienced the tactical advantage of being able to think about – and map in real Time – a zillion different, complex things, literally simultaneously… that’s the Elf lady over there. She has all the Time she needs, and as many different Attentions to put on this as she needs, so anything she can see becomes a projection on the map… simple, right?

I’ll just mention that when you’re in melee, the same ideas apply, just at much shorter range, so we don’t need another sandglass of practice for it. You and your group can pick who to hit next based on their current Life Energy, to take out enemies through simultaneous hits as quickly as possible.

I’ll also mention that there are still more levels of complexity to the combat map that we haven’t done here, because there are just too many of you to flood the Link with all of the images it would require… but Star can send you the combat map rotated from your group’s point of view, instead of an overview that’s the same for everybody. The principles are just the same though… ignore the other images, focus on the one for you, and the map will be easier to use because it’s from your location’s perspective… Got it? Star, when we begin again, give them the individualized, rotated maps for a moment, would you, just so they can see what it’s like. Then go back to the overview, for the purposes of the defensive exercise.

So we are going to have one more practice session with the combat map, before we move on to the next step… and that’s DEFENSE practice. Till now you’ve just been watching the map for offense. But all those area perimeters and damage estimates were for all of YOU… remember, I said pretend you’re going to launch at another group.

So, start paying attention to the things that could hit you. There will be less of this on the map for the enemies than there is now, because Star won’t have as much information about what the enemies can throw at you. Inside Bral, she can’t use Divinations to locate them, and she already said the rock is too dense for her to see through it much. But remember she is also giving you projections, so if a projected possible Spell path suddenly intersects where you are going, I suggest you duck!!

Inside Bral, there will be less about YOU too, for the same reasons… Star can’t use Divinations to locate you accurately either, or see you through the rock, so her own visuals are a lot more limited than here where she can see everything. But she can extrapolate from information you keep flowing on the Link, and from the structure of the Link itself. She isn’t necessarily going to trust your visuals to give positions and information… it could be contaminated by Illusion, which she is immune to… but it may corroborate other sources for her as a cross-check.

And don’t lose track of using the combat map for offense by focusing too much on defense. You have to do both at the same time, just like you will be doing in combat. Got it? I’m turning the sandglass. Ready… go!

Star gives a happy smile to Janis, clearly enjoying herself, and makes a little circle in the air with an upraised index finger, acknowledging the request. Then Star leans back, takes another sip of hot spiced mead, and……..

As the exercise starts, suddenly the Link seems bursting with varied combat map images, as many images as there are groups of creatures on the Link. Each has the same information, but rotated to a different point of view. Each is tagged with the group’s location to make it easier to tell which one to watch and ignore the rest, but the flood to bursting is itself daunting. Then the images rotate back, and as they come back into alignment, become one multidimensional complex map again.

The rest of the experience passes quickly. Paying attention to the projected area perimeters and projectile trajectories that intersect yourself and could hurt you, turns out to be a natural high-priority!! Mostly everyone is able to learn this quickly; the challenge is to keep up the flow of offense while also doing justice to noticing the trajectories important to defense. And creatures start moving over to avoid them, so the real Time motion on the combat map increases and likewise the complexity of interpretation goes up. Even so, with all of the prior practice, by the time the sandglass finishes everyone has added defensive use of the combat map to their repertory, to help avoid getting hit by Spells.

(click to show/hide)

The plusses to hit and bonuses on saves for Time that you get from that half-step-ahead anticipation by being around Star also apply if you are on a Link with her while she is running the combat map, as long as you’re giving attention to the map and getting projections from it, even if you are not within 30 feet of her.

STAGE ONE, STEP EIGHT – RESULTS

Janis calls another break, this time a brief one, to talk to everyone on the Link and get them refocused.

{Janis} In this step we finish our preparations in the Scarf and move out.

Halt, as soon as I’m done, go ahead and hit everyone with your big Invisibility, using the Scroll through your mini-Spell Cannon, then give the Spell Cannon to Star so she can re-tune it.

Then all groups, you get into your assigned Bags... Goldenseal, you’re leaving the food here and getting into all the Bags, as many as your copies can, except for one copy. You get in the Bag with the originals, and then go through and slightly open all of the back doors… just a crack… from the inside. That should keep everyone in range for Halt’s Spell.

Then Sable, you’ll move out as advance scout, then Vir and his copies carrying the Bags, and that one copy of Goldenseal will go with the original of Vir to lead the way through the warehouses. Then Star finishes up the Spell Cannon tuning, and comes out last.

OK. Ready… go!

Halt’s Casting through the Spell Cannon fires as planned, and all are Invisible while they stay in range. Star accepts the Spell Cannon from him and begins re-tuning it.

On the Link, everyone is still shown in position correctly on the combat map just as if they were in plain sight, but an extra tint now shows for all of them in the Magic auras overlay, apparently indicating an Invisible creature.

Then the plan to exit from the Scarf gets underway, with Sable, then Virs and Goldenseal, and quickly, the conference room fills up as the Scarf empties out. Star comes out last, takes down the Scarf and packs it, joins the originals in the Bag, and hands the Spell Cannon back to Halt.

The expedition is underway!!!


{CONTINUED IN NEXT POST}

[MetroMagic]

Part 3 (or 4) (of several): Results of Executing The Plan^TM

(click to show/hide)

I’m posting the results in several sections, instead of saving them all up for one grand post at once, to give you more time to read them… and to keep us going! I might have to go back and change a detail if I forgot something that I remember later, but this should be it.

The first post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 1-4, where we find out what happens with the plan to make lots of copies of everyone and everything.

The second post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 5-8, where we find out what the Link is like, and what the experience of the combat map is like… and get some practice… as well as getting organized and moving parrots, horses, and our army out the door.

There are a couple of small decisions for you to make – watch for them in spoilers – but they don’t change the flow of events at this point, as you’ll see.

The third post (this one) will cover the rest, though split in two again.

…And we’re about to be on Bral!!

STAGE TWO, STEP NINE – RESULTS

Janis on the Link: {Janis} In this step, we move to Halfaz’s ship! We’re underway!

Remember, only Halfaz and Star get out, when we get there. We don’t need mass confusion getting you all up onto the ship. And Goldenseal, you and your copies can get moving too, you’d better get a jump on placing the Bag tethers out the back doors because we have so many more Bags than we expected… so you don’t delay us, you’ll start in this step as soon as we get to the ship, then finish up in the next step. A minor adjustment, an executive decision by me.

Goldenseal leads the way from the conference room, through the Sigil warehouse, through the ancient stone archway’s Portal, into the main warehouse, with Sable following from ahead.

The Sigil warehouse is very large, but for those new to the main warehouse, it is simply vast. The ceiling is so far above that clouds obscure it in patches. The walls are distant in the haze. Shelves pile up to dizzying heights, all crammed with boxes, sacks, barrels, huge jars, cans, tubs, and large items standing on their own. A section seems brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables. Cows moo, sheep baa, and chickens cluck in the far distance.

Directly ahead is an area empty of shelving, a bare floor in green glass extending back about three to four hundred feet and a hundred feet wide.

Centered in the work area on the main floor lies Halfaz’s ship, a sparkling, breathtaking beauty, nearly fifty feet long and twenty to thirty feet wide. Dazzling colors are reflected and refracted back from the crystalline interior of the ship’s deck in swarms of brilliant points, lines, and planes of light. Splashes of gold, silver, platinum, electrum, and Mithril swirl in random patches here and there across the surface of the deck, and completely cover the hull in a thick layer, plated in wash after wash. The shallow draft hull is an understructure of beautiful crystalline gemstone plates. Thousands of tiny crystals coat the hull and rails with flecks in thousands of colors; the top and outer edge of the rail especially are set with flecks and thirty larger, geometric gemstones sit prominent along the rail. Above the deck, which is itself a huge facet of polished gemstone, the tall columns of gemstone masts are interlaced with rigging of precious metals; the ropes are hundreds and hundreds of feet of thick, braided gold, silver, and Mithril, and the sails are flexible sheeting of precious metals. The cabin, roof sheeting, gangways and companionways to below deck are a wash of the same metallic colors and sheets and columns of gemstone. The whole ship is a fantastical, functional piece of jewelry, streaming with light.

At the ship’s bow, two sleek green glass cylinders sit end to end, each about six feet long and three inches in diameter, with a foot long cylinder of emerald joining them, all in a perfect line pointing outward along the centerline: the new Spell Cannon that has been installed.

Directly above the Spell Cannon at the bow of the ship, a brilliantly polished, silvery Mithril ball is mounted, a little bigger than a foot in diameter: the new Phase Ball to open a Portal into or out of the Phlogiston for the ship to sail through.

Behind the grand wheel of crystal trimmed with Mithril, the massive captain’s chair, itself a wonder of translucent crystal plates and columns, has been connected with a web of Mithril strands to fifteen of the thirty gemstones fused onto the rail: the new SpellJamming Helm’s Artifurnace connections powered by the Ioun Crystals.

Some distance beyond the ship heavy equipment is visible, not touching the floor, suspended just above it at the edge of the large, cleared area. The entire surrounding area is deserted; though warehouse crew were busy in the miles of aisles earlier, none have been seen for at least the last quarter-mile of walking.

Folds of cloth in red, orange, yellow, and blue circle the ship, draping the hull just below the rail, hiding the upper part of the hull. Walking up to the ship, the pattern shows on the cloth drape, of flames in motion, dancing across it.

Following directions from Janis on the Link, the Virs open the Bags so that Ror can stand at the front door. The Goldenseals pull the front doors wide, grabbing the drawstring safety tethers, then scurry through the back doors and wedge the tethers beyond them; they soon reappear through the back doors of other Bags they had not been in before, and repeat the process.

In the widened doorway, all of the Bag occupants in Groups 1 to 10 and other Bags, including all originals and many of the copies, crowd forward to be ready for the next step, and to get a better view of the size of the warehouse, and the glorious ship.

Following instructions from Janis on the Link, Star and the original Halfaz move toward the ship for their inspection in the next step.


STAGE TWO, STEP TEN – RESULTS

Janis announces on the Link: {Janis} OK, Star, Halfaz, go check out all the systems on Halfaz’s ship and make it ready to go. Star, give a final check to the tuning on the Spell Cannon, and check the Helm installation to make sure the Ioun Crystals are set up correctly as Halfaz decided. Halfaz, check over all the other equipment you have on board, make sure it’s stored or tied down or secured so your ship can go into a lake of water, you don’t want anything to wash away… at least it’s all too heavy to float away.

Then Star, go over the list and locations of the Ioun Crystals and take a minute or two to train Halfaz in how to select Crystals into the Helm or out of the Helm, so he can boost his speed as part of your design. Then show Halfaz how to sail the ship around by moving it with the Helm. Goldenseal, you finish up with the safety tethers. Everybody else, just admire the view. OK, Halfaz, Star,Goldenseal, ready… go!

Star pauses for a moment on the way to Halfaz’s ship. She says to Halfaz, and to all via the Link:

{Star} Halfaz, the glory and power of your ship is of your own making, through your bravery in sailing deadly seas, the flows of Magma along the coast of the northernmost Plane of Mineral hemmed in by the Radiant Hills, seeking the Shining Lady, to come to me in the Plane of Radiance.

To it I have added, as it pleases you, a SpellJamming Helm with Artifurnace so that you may sail the Seas between Worlds… the Phlogiston!!... and a Spell Cannon to aid in your defense. This Spell Cannon is much smaller than the standard Elven Armada military issue, an advanced design using coupled resonance, to save room on your ship. But it has the same 10x power as the larger, 50 foot models. For security, the Cannon and the Helm include tuning to your Aura; you must personally activate them for them to function.

On the seat of the captain’s chair behind the wheel, you will find a Captain’s Circlet for you to wear, that will connect you to your ship, like a Link, so that you can fly it or call it to you from any distance. The Circlet is made of indestructible proto-Fire Agate, a Crystal which has resonance with both Fire and Earth, your own dual nature, and it too is imprinted with your Aura for security; it only functions for you. You may permit others to fly your ship, but none can take control of it or its Spell Cannon unless it pleases you for them to do so.

You asked before why I was helping you, and giving you gifts, and my answer was that you dedicated yourself to a cause I celebrate, for all creatures to do as they choose so long as they do not prevent that choice for others. You could not have given me a greater gift.

I answered that I do these things for you simply to help you do what you set out to do. I want to help you become a flaming arrow into the heart of slavery.

Halfaz, you also asked to name your ship after me, and I am very, very pleased by this gift to me too.

So we stand here in ceremony, in recognition of this exchange of gifts. I present to you your ship, outfitted with SpellJammer Helm, Artifurnace, Spell Cannon, and Circlet. And you have said, it pleases you to present to me its name.

We give to each other…

The Shining Lady.

Star pulls the cloth drape of flames from the ship, and it floats to her, folding itself, revealing the lettering in Fire Agate Crystals in three places, on both the port and starboard sides of the hull near the bow, and on the stern:

THE SHINING LADY
CAPTAIN HALFAZ ILLIEK

{Star} If it pleases you, Captain Illiek, I would be delighted to accompany you on your first inspection.

(click to show/hide)

The ship has 30 Ioun Crystals. Some power the SpellJamming Helm through the Artifurnace. Some may be selected to gain their Effect. The number of these Ioun Crystals, and exactly which ones, were determined at random; whichever became embedded in Halfaz’s ship and remained intact as he was battered against the coast of the north-most edge of the Plane of Mineral on his way into the Plane of Radiance at the edge of the Positive Plane. Halfaz chose which Ioun Crystals to use with the Helm, and which to use for their Effects. Star made a suggestion about a couple of them, which pleased Halfaz to accept.

This spoiler is the consolidated list from several posts describing those connections, that Halfaz and Star are now inspecting.

HOW THEY ARE USED

Numbers 19-30
12 are connected full time to the Artifurnace that powers the SpellJamming Helm. Usually this eventually uses up and destroys the Magic Item, but the Ioun Crystals are indestructible, and recharge themselves with Magic by their nature, so they can power the Helm continuously.

Numbers 16-18
There are 3 additional Ioun Crystals that can be connected to the Artifurnace for a 25% speed boost, at the ship captain’s option, or 5% or 15% if one or two are connected.

Numbers 1-15, and 16-18
The remaining 15 Ioun Crystals, and any of the 3 that are not in use to provide extra speed to the Helm via the Artifurnace, can be used for their stated Effects; the ship’s captain can select any one of the 15 to be active at a time. Its Effects apply to the ship and crew until the captain deselects it, even if the crew has debarked. However, to gain the Effects of a new selection if any, a crew member must be on board the ship at the time the Ioun Crystal is selected.


WHAT THEY DO

Numbers 1-15: The captain may select one for its Effect till deselected
1   Amber sphere: “of Divine Knowledge”; Acts as holy symbol, grants insight into an opponent, grants bonus to Insight, Religion and Intelligence checks (4E, Adventurer’s Vault 2)
2   Bright silver cylinder: The ship, its cargo, all on board, and their possessions can go ethereal (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II), as cloak of etherealness, double duration (3E, Lords of Darkness)
3   Clear teardrop: Use detect undead at will (Ghostwalk Campaign Setting)
4   Crimson sphere: +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, stacks up to +6 (Pathfinder, Rise of the Runelords #6: Spires of Xin-Shalast)
5   Dendroid: Adds one level of ability, not cumulative (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)
6   Echinid: User can detect magic (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)
7   Lime green prism: Ignore the effects of heat and ice (3E, Kobold Quarterly #6)
8   Orange cube: Grants resistance to mind-affecting spells as if user had a Wisdom of 20 (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
9   Pale aquamarine prism: “of Steadfastness”; fear immunity (4E, Adventurer’s Vault)
10   Pearly white spindle: Regenerate 1 point of damage per hour of continuous use selected (3E, DMG)
11   Puce cube: Bestows ESP at will; user can scan surface thoughts of one person per round within range of 30′ (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
12   Rainbow spindle: The ship with its cargo can ShipShape (change its shape and size to any other shiplike form or type that does not increase its base value) and all on board and their possessions can Polymorph Self (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
13   Red ellipsoid: “of Regeneration”; regeneration 10 while bloodied (4E, Adventurer’s Vault)
14   Soft black rectangle: Protection against level-draining attacks (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
15   Unspecified rhomboid: “of Sustenance”; require no food, water or air, and require half normal rest (4E, Adventurer’s Vault)

Numbers 16-18: May also be selected, or may add speed to the Helm
16   Flaming yellow prism: “Heart of fire”, +2 caster level for fire spells, +6 bonus to Knowledge (the planes) and Knowledge (arcana), cast Quench or empower a fire spell (3E, 17 Relics)
17   Rhomboid: Absorb 10 points of damage (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)
18   Sky blue sphere: Delay elemental damage until deselected (3E, Kobold Quarterly #6)

Numbers 19-30: These 12 power the SpellJamming Helm through the Artifurnace
19   Clear crystal: “of Adaption”; Sustains creature without food or water, resist environmental temperatures, stop ongoing damage (4E, Manual of the Planes)
20   Clear spindle: Sustains creature without food or water (3E, DMG)
21   Deep purple prism: Grants 60′ infravision or doubles existing infravision range (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
22   Flickering white snowflake: +1 to saves vs cold (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
23   Heptahedron: +1 to saving throws vs electricity (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)
24   Heptahedron: +1 to saving throws vs electricity (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)
25   Orange prism: +1 caster level (3E, DMG)
26   Pale blue rhomboid: +2 enhancement bonus to Strength (3E, DMG)
27   Pale green prism: +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, saves, skill checks and ability checks (3E, DMG)
28   Silver rod: +1 to saves vs electricity (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
29   Silvery mirror cube: +1 bonus to saves vs petrification gaze attacks (AD&D, Dragon magazine #174/Encyclopedia Magica Vol. II)
30   Sphere: +1 to saving throws vs petrification (AD&D, Netheril: Encyclopedia Arcana)


I’ll also post this consolidated list on Halfaz’s Character Thread.

Halfaz and Star inspect the ship; Star checks the systems while Halfaz packs equipment, as the Goldenseals race from Bag to Bag, the copies of Janis herd everyone back from the Bags’ front doors, and the Virs prepare to move the Bags on board with everyone else in them.

Halfaz finds everything in order; nothing was disturbed by the work crew. Likewise, Star finds the Spell Cannon, Helm, Artifurnance, and Ioun Crystal connections to be as specified.

Star uses the Link to show Halfaz exactly what the concentration techniques are to select more Ioun Crystals into and out of the Helm for extra speed; Halfaz finds that selecting them is as easy as using any Magic Item, just a matter of concentration. The three they focus on are the Flaming Yellow Prism, the Rhomboid, and the Sky Blue Sphere, which are the ones that can be used for extra speed, or used for their Ioun functions.

Then Star says on the Link: {Star} Captain Halfaz, if it pleases you, I shall introduce you to your ship in a new way, through your SpellJamming Helm. Through the Helm, you will feel the ship as an extension of yourself, see what it sees, feel what it feels, and sense the energy flows that sail it, through the capacities to see and sense that you have. You especially will be sensitive to heat and Fire, as is your nature as a Harssaf, and as is your ship by design, in ways that many other creatures are not sensitive.

All on the Link may benefit from this, if it pleases you all to follow along with this training, because you may have the opportunity to fly a SpellJammer later, if it pleases you to do so. You may even help Halfaz if he chooses to share Helm duty; as Captain, he may establish a duty roster and watches – three are traditional – so that we may take turns at different duties and relieve each other. I’ll also connect to the Helm, and add it to the Link for all, as part of the training, since Captain Halfaz has assented to me accompanying him on this inspection of his ship. We will now inspect the Helm, to ensure it functions well just as we ensure that Captain Halfaz uses it well.

Captain Halfaz, your seat is here, in the captain’s chair behind the wheel; the chair is now the Helm.

Star produces her own Circlet from a pouch and presses it into her hair, finely brushed Mithril with thousands of tiny highly polished points in it that look like a galaxy of stars sprinkled across a band of sky, and a brilliantly polished, silvery Mithril ball, about half an inch in diameter, front and center on the Circlet.

As Halfaz sits in his familiar chair behind the wheel, suddenly his senses expand outward, to the edges of the ship and beyond. He can feel the ship’s surface like his own skin. He can see in every direction, back from the stern, below from the keel, above from the deck, to port and starboard from the hull. The faint motion of air in the warehouse tickles his rigging. He can feel the heavy dragging weight of the anchor tied off on the warehouse floor beneath the ship’s drydock mooring points. And he can feel his own Fire, through the ship’s ache to draw on it to sail as it was made to do, and the hot power of the twelve Ioun Crystals raging in the Artifurnace ready to course through him and his Helm into the ship’s expanse of sail.

Star puts these sensations on the Link for all, to see what the ship sees and feel what the ship feels, almost as if it were alive.

She adds on the Link, {Star} Captain Halfaz, I feel your readiness, and your ship’s readiness. If it pleases you, would you picture on the Link the ship with anchor set just as it is, tied off on the warehouse floor, so that the ship stays where it is, but also picture the set to your sails and rigging that you would use to lift the ship up a slope of Magma flow to rise along it when sailing the Magma seas; I’ll set the sails as your crew, as it pleases you,  and then you will be able to use them to lift the ship just a few feet off the warehouse floor within the play of the anchor’s Mithril cable… by letting just a tiny, tiny trickle of Fire from the Artifurnace flow through you and the Helm into the sail…  while you continue to picture the ship with anchor set so that it cannot rise far, to anchor the intention of your own thought.

Then if it pleases you, would you then picture the ship settling back as I take down the sail, to set it back onto its drydock points – you can see them clearly below the ship, through the hull’s viewpoint; simply picture settling back onto them as you slowly stem the trickle of Fire.

With Halfaz’s images of the sail and rigging on the Link, Star sets the sail for Halfaz as he had in mind, shifting into place the flexible sheeting of precious metals that the sails have become… and as Halfaz trickles the heat of Fire flowing from the Artifurnace through him and the Helm into the sail, sure enough the sails billow and snap taut against the rigging, and the ship drifts upward until it strains against the Mithril anchor cable. Star quickly takes down the sail and Halfaz is able to settle the ship back onto the mooring points he can see beneath the ship, looking through the ship’s hull as if the hull were eyes.

While Halfaz sets the ship back down on its mooring points in the drydock, Star comments on the Link:

{Star} Just so, Captain Halfaz, as easy to sail the ship as it ever was, with your knowledge of the ship, and its sail and rigging… and even easier with an Artifurnace to provide the heat of Fire as a constant source of power, and the Helm to extend your senses to know exactly what the ship needs, for it to be able to move well.

Sailing the Phlogiston has its own challenges, due to the wild nature of that sea, but all that will come later. For now, you only needed to become acquainted with the Helm and Artifurnance as a source of power, since you already know well enough how to set sail and rigging to move the ship from place to place within a Prime Plane such as this one, or Bral.

Star adds two more points of interest on the Link:

{Star} Captain Halfaz, as you have discovered, the tiniest trickle of Fire from the Artifurnace will move the ship. You may wish to use it very, very sparingly until you have more opportunity to get used to the power. It will move the ship over four hundred million miles in a day, if you use it fully.

And, it may please you to connect to the Helm through your Captain’s Circlet, without sitting in the chair, quite useful for solo sailing to set your own sails while directing the Helm. You can even be quite a few miles away and call the ship to you.


{CONTINUED IN NEXT POST}

[MetroMagic]

Part 4 (or 5) (of 3): Results of Executing The Plan^TM

(click to show/hide)

I’m posting the results in several sections, instead of saving them all up for one grand post at once, to give you more time to read them… and to keep us going! I might have to go back and change a detail if I forgot something that I remember later, but this should be it.

The first post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 1-4, where we find out what happens with the plan to make lots of copies of everyone and everything.

The second post is The Plan^TM Stage 1 Steps 5-8, where we find out what the Link is like, and what the experience of the combat map is like… and get some practice… as well as getting organized and moving parrots, horses, and our army out the door.

The third post will cover the rest, though split in two… or three  :-)  again.

…And we’re about to be on Bral!!

STAGE TWO, STEP TEN – END OF STEP RESULTS

While Star holds the presentation ceremony and introduces Halfaz to the ship, June comes out of nowhere, accompanied by Hobbit waitstaff from Inn Champagne. They circulate among the Bags and groups so unobtrusively they are almost unnoticed, giving out drinks to all for a celebratory toast.

Trays of finger foods and bite-size desserts float around the area near the ship, some hearty, some delicate, for all tastes. The waitstaff continues to circulate, refilling mugs and glasses, and handing out and collecting tidy napkins.

June appears next to Janis and says quietly to her, which Janis puts on the Link: {June} Janis, we’ll be serving for a few minutes here for the celebration, until everyone is on board The Shining Lady, and clean up and be out of the way before Star fires the Spell Cannon. I wouldn’t want to get in your way or cause delay.



{CONTINUED IN NEXT POST}

[MetroMagic]

{CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST}


STAGE TWO, STEP ELEVEN – RESULTS

Janis announces on the Link: {Janis} OK, everybody, the Halfaz and Star show is done and you all will get very busy in Step Eleven, that’s enough relaxing.

No kidding, thanks to both of you, Halfaz, Star, for getting Step Ten done pretty quickly, even with that little surprise ceremony, Star…

But yah, Halfaz SHOULD have a launch ceremony for his newly outfitted ship, so thanks for thinking of that.

And June… I’m speechless. So I’m not going to make a speech. But I’ll raise my glass to Halfaz and The Shining Lady.

And Halfaz, nice flying. You didn’t even bounce off the drydock when you set down The Shining Lady… with all that weight, and indestructible, it could have been messy, but you just... kissed it perfectly.

Janis blows a kiss at Halfaz, and chuckles.

{Janis} I’ve done plenty of my own flying, and I appreciate a man who knows how to kiss a landing.

In this step, Vir, you and your copies move everyone on board in the Bags. Star, then you give everybody Earthglide through Halfaz’s ship’s new Spell Cannon. , and make them small, to get ready for Sheerak to Gate the ship into the lake.

Goldenseal , get all of your copies moving now, except for one, to create a safe perimeter around the warehouse floor, make sure all of the warehouse staff and any livestock are out of range of the ship’s Spell Cannon, that’s six hundred yards, a little more than a third of a mile, so clear a half-mile radius to be safe. As soon as your copies are organized, you go over to the Portal between the main warehouse and the Bral warehouse, to bring back a report to us about the lake on Bral, just to make sure it’s quiet there as usual. Leave me one copy to lead the ship out of the warehouse, so everyone can get Earthglide practice. Ready, go!

Vir, you and your copies bring all of the Bags up on deck and make sure they are open so everyone, including all of the copies, can be part of the crew… you get moving on that. Ready, go!

Sable, I had this idea about you flying directly over the ship to be part of the crew but out of Ror’s Circle, but it looks like you don’t need that, so you come on board too, with the original Vir and the rest of the originals. You could go stand with Halfaz, you’re his crew, not Ror’s ally.

Star, while everyone is getting on board, you train Halfaz in selecting a Ioun Crystal and locking in its effects. Play with the Clear Teardrop, it will give Halfaz the ability to Detect Undead, so you can test it with Tanatou and know you have it working. Don’t play with the Polymorph one yet. Use the Link to speed up the training. Ready, go!

There is a lot in this step, so I’ll call off more instructions after everyone is on board.

Everyone starts moving, and within about ten minutes all are in place.

Goldenseal’s copies fan out into the warehouse, making sure no other creature is within half a mile of the ship, while he himself disappears in the direction of the Portal between the main warehouse and the Bral warehouse. All the Goldenseals raid June’s leftovers on their way out. Soon after, June leads the Inn Champagne waitstaff away quickly, cleaning up after themselves so that the warehouse floor is spotless.

Meanwhile, Halfaz has already practiced selecting Ioun Crystals for the Helm and needs very little help from Star on the Link; he finds that selecting an Ioun Crystal for its function is again about the same as activating any Magic item through concentration. With Halfaz’s heightened awareness of the ship through the Helm, and his natural attunement to Earth, it is very easy to locate and sense each Ioun Crystal in the ship; all are part of it. When he activates the Clear Teardrop, which gives the ability to sense Undead, suddenly everyone on the ship becomes strongly aware of Tanatou and his copies. Even Tanatou and his copies can sense themselves, and each other! To complete this practice activity, Halfaz deselects the Clear Teardrop, and everyone’s awareness of Tanatou fades immediately.

Janis is watching the progress and then calls out more instructions on the Link: {Janis} OK, everybody, very efficient work. Let’s keep this step moving, you still have a lot to do.

Star, now that everyone is on board and in range, and Goldenseal has cleared out other creatures from the area around us, you fire Halfaz’s Earth Elemental Form Spell through the ship’s Spell Cannon, so everyone gets Earthglide for the next two hours.

Halfaz, as soon as Star is done Casting with the Cannon, you select the Rainbow Spindle and lock it in, while thinking of everyone on board as part of the crew, along with Sable. The Rainbow Spindle is the one over there on the rail, then the ship and its cargo can ShipShape, and the crew and passengers can Polymorph Self.

Everybody, you all might experience some shift in your shape from the Earth Elemental Form, but if it’s too disconcerting, over-ride the shift with your Polymorph Self. Or just leave it, if you’re ok. Star, Halfaz, everybody, ready, go!

Star goes to the Spell Cannon at the bow of the ship. This Spell Cannon is no 50 footer, but is a multi-stage Cannon, with two 6 foot lengths coupled by a one foot length of tuned proto-Emerald, thereby achieving the same 10x multiplier in much less space. Star takes out the sheaf of Scrolls she prepared, selects Elemental Form and a second Scroll as well. On the Link, Star amends: {Star} Janis, all, I am following the Casting of Elemental Form with a Casting of Extension III, so the Earthglide and other beneficial Effects will last for about three hours instead of two. I focused on this aspect of The Plan^TM and thought of it just before I left the Scarf, so I prepared lots of copies of Extension III in case we need them. If it pleases you to have one of these Scrolls, let me know. And since I did not have the opportunity to ask each of you before Extending the Spell, if you would rather the Elemental Form ended in two hours, I will Dispel it for you at that point if it pleases you.

Janis shakes her head in mild disbelief and no surprise whatever. {Janis} Uh… right, Star, thanks for the Extension III enhancement. I don’t think anyone is going to take you up on the offer to Dispel early just because you didn’t ask them if they wanted it longer.

Star reads, Casting the first Scroll through the Spell Cannon specifying Earth as the Element. She keeps on reading right into the second Scroll, immediately Casting Extension III.

This is the first real firing of the Spell Cannon on Halfaz’s ship, and the first firing of a ship-size Spell Cannon that most of those present have witnessed. The central coupling of Emerald pulses with Arcane Energy as each Spell flashes in resonance from end to end in the whole Cannon assembly, and exits the Cannon at the bow of the ship with a huge wash of Magic that instantly spreads out to saturate an area over two-thirds of a mile across, centered on the muzzle of the Cannon, with the second Scroll’s Effect racing out to overlap and merge with the first Scroll’s Effect. Star’s combat map on the Link shows the spread and targeted area for the double wash of Magic as an overlay on everyone’s normal vision; it looks simply spectacular.

Then the Elemental Form takes Effect, and everyone feels more solid as they attune with Earth. Everyone’s skin seems to thicken, though not stiff or uncomfortable. The Mineral all over Halfaz’s ship seems to call to everyone in a deep and powerful vibration of Energy: Earth suffused with the Positive Plane, singing the one note of its Planar nature. Star’s hushed, excited whisper comes on the Link: {Star} Do you hear that? It is the song of the Plane of Mineral, its Plane Shift phase. The tuning fork’s note for the Plane. The Color vibration of the Plane. Each Plane has one, its own mark of beauty.

With Earthglide, the Mineral of the deck suddenly seems like very thick quicksand underfoot, liquid enough to sink into it, yet strong enough to bear weight… even the more solid weight everyone feels now. For some the changes may be disconcerting, but then everyone on the Link can feel Halfaz locate the Rainbow Spindle, its proto-Mineral already brightly visible to their newly Earth-enhanced senses, and feel him select its Ioun Crystal Effect.

Yet another sensation washes across everyone as the Polymorph Self takes Effect, a sensation of fluidity, from their skin all the way through their bones. For those who found the Earth Elemental Form disconcerting, many suddenly find themselves back in their own skin, almost spontaneously, with the sensations of Earth nearly gone from awareness, lurking just below the surface.

The warhorses are placid; the excellent training of their model, Abelard, shows through… but many of the parrots are distressed by all of these changes. Few of them are flying; they feel so much more solid than they are accustomed. Some of them have immediately, almost instinctively, Polymorphed themselves back into parrots; many seem confused. It takes quite a bit of soothing from all of the Virs to calm the parrots back on track.

Meanwhile, Janis says on the Link, {Janis} OK, thanks, you two. Vir, you have a few minutes to get those birds calmed down. Halt, those horses are impressive, they didn’t even flinch.

Halfaz, this copy of Goldenseal is going to tell you which way to move the ship to get it out the big barn doors on the side of the warehouse over that way. One of my copies is releasing your anchor cable as I speak. You get your flying practice while everyone else gets their Earthglide practice… I have a little surprise for you that I couldn’t tell you before... Star, can you guess what it is? Tell you when we get there. Ready, go!

Star has already set the sails in the same way Halfaz had specified before, for the ship to climb. Following the instructions of the Goldenseal copy, Halfaz does exactly what he did the first time, drawing a tiny trickle of heat from the Fire of the Artifurnace through the Helm and himself, and into the sails. They billow outward, snap taut against the rigging with a sharp crackling sound, not nearly as tentative as the first practice, and the rigging gives a deep thrum as the the ship lifts firmly. Responding to Halfaz’s direction as captain, Star continues to set and trim the sails as Halfaz feeds the trickle of power into them, and the ship slowly moves off through the warehouse following the directions the Goldenseal copy points out.

Soon it passes through the big double doors that have been opened for the ship to float outside. Bright yellow sun in a cloudless sky takes the morning chill out of the air. Janis points over a gentle rise of grassy hillside along a path paved with big pieces of flagstone, and Star nods and chuckles. Just over the rise, two broad expanses of lake come into view, each two miles or more across to a distant shoreline, with thousands of giant blossoms floating in and over them in shades of yellow and green, each blossom over a hundred feet in size. Somewhat smaller flowers are floating on the water; the largest are drifting in the air above the water, with an anchor root trailing down into the lake.

By now the parrots have returned to their usual frenetic squawking; Vir has succeeded in calming them. As Halfaz drifts the ship above the flagstone road toward the lake, Janis says on the Link, {Janis} None of you has seen this, are you clear about that? First, what’s in this lake is Armada military classified, under contract with MetroMagic. Second, the main warehouse is only a wild rumor. Third, fourth, and all the rest of the numbers, this lake does not exist. This world does not exist. That’s one advantage when you’re the Multiverse’s pre-eminent mapmaker. When Star leaves a location off ALL of the maps… every type of map… even off the Armada’s own classified maps… it does not exist.

The Empress’ little garden of Windblossoms, imported Holy flowers straight from Aerdrie Faenya’s Realm in Arvandor and Blessed by the Goddess, ready to be outfitted into Elven Man’o’War SpellJammer ships at need. There are many, many millions of them floating across all the lakes of this world… with the Blessings of the Goddess, they proliferate like crazy… for whenever the Elven Armada needs a little reinforcement.

Yah, that’s right. The feared, famed Elven Man’o’War ships are really… big, living flowers, underneath the artillery installed on them.

In the wargames exercise I ran here last year, using specialized Plant Growth Spells to shape the cabins, decks, bridge, and built-in furniture, we put a hundred thousand ships into the sky in days, complete with Ballistas, Jettisons, Communications Balls, Phase Balls, Spell Cannons, supplies, and fresh recruits from all across the Empire. Some replaced older ships, which have since been retired to other lakes, stripped down, supplies and weaponry cached. A lot of them were new, though, to expand the size of the Armada so that crews could get longer shore leave and still keep up the patrol schedules.  If push came to shove, for a real war… say the Neogi Empire gets too frisky and they decide they want to conquer a Prime Plane… I could get ten million new ships up in less than a month.

Star tells me that the cost was borne by the hundred thousand worlds that sent the crews, she just had to supply the Windblossoms… when you divide it up like that, a mind-boggling expense becomes small… and they all volunteered so they could have their other family members and friends home sooner, and for longer, while still getting to play at being in the Elven Armada, and sailing the skies in a Blessed flower. How Elven! It was just Star’s kind of project.

This is one of the things I have to do while you’re playing in Bral… the Armada training I mentioned? I didn’t go into the real details then, and you might not have believed me anyway, but now it’s right in front of you. We have our annual readiness exercises to run here, inventories and logistics to check, and a thousand new ships to practice with. We are rolling out a few of the new three stage Spell Cannons, like Halfaz has, so the Lensmages will need training too. I’ll run a hand-to-hand clinic while I have all those military types here, but that’s not the main purpose of bringing them in for training… the purpose is to keep the Armada’s rapid deployment capability up to where it should be, so no enemy ever feels like the Armada is spread too thin and they can take advantage. It’s a real deterrent to the Neogi, the Orcs, all those SpellJamming Empires and pirate confederations that would love to take down the Elven Alliance, for them to feel an instant and seemingly effortless response from the Armada as soon as they begin to get out of line. Those thousand new ships will flood a few of today’s trouble spots with patrols, before next week. Hah.

And scrambling a thousand ships is a whole lot cheaper in lives and materiel than fighting many thousand reactive battles everywhere because your enemy thinks you’re weakening.

So… now you’ve seen a little more of me than I usually show… another face of the real Janis Fortune. I design and execute military and para-military systems and strike plans all over the Multiverse, that are worth a lot of gold, save a lot of gold, or usually both, and not just for the Elven Armada. I’ve got wings of Gryphon-based squadrons in training for a kingdom on a world, and seagoing battlemages working for a shipping insurance company all over a world… lots of projects right now, great cash flow. I don’t just hang around MetroMagic looking cute. I look cute whatever I’m doing.

OK, enough about me, we’re here. Halfaz, set your ship down on the water at that pier at the foot of the flagstone road. MetroMagic ships use the lake for landing too, for goods that are SpellJammed into and out of the main warehouse… Goldenseal, thanks for making sure the lake was empty for us. Most ship designs are not suitable to land… on land. They’re built for water landings. Your ship too, Halfaz, if you tried to set it down on land, it would tip to one side of the keel or the other, even though it’s a shallow draft design.

Nice splashdown, Halfaz, for your first one. You didn’t even make a tsunami… the waves you made are way too small to bother flowers that size.

Everybody listen up! Vir, you take everyone in the Bags off the ship onto the pier and up the flagstone road, so that there is room for everyone. Set up in number order along the road just so everyone knows where to go, and where to come back to. Then you will all take ten minutes of Earthglide practice… I will turn my sandglass. You all will also practice with Star’s combat map on the Link to keep you oriented, while you are below ground trying to find your way. Her map will be a little spottier on information with you underground, which is more realistic. My copies will help you to stay oriented. And Halfaz’s copies can help too, he’s a natural in Earth as well as Fire.

Now we come to the surprise, it was NOT the Windblossom farm of the Elven Armada. That was just incidental. THIS is the surprise: I would never let you all go into the middle of a lake on Bral in a combat situation, without practice in a safe lake first. But I couldn’t tell you about it in The Plan^TM because we’re holding this practice in a military classified site, even though I was in a presumably safe location inside the Scarf when I was talking. I couldn’t tell you till we got here, without an unnecessary risk of compromising my own security rules.

Original Halfaz, you and Star are continuing your flying practice… under water. Star has her radius of Water Breathing running and there are the Ioun Crystals for it too, so you’ll be fine. You get the same turn of the sandglass for your practice.

When the sandglass is done, you will all report back to the correct Bag, remember they will be in number order. Meanwhile, Halfaz, you will surface your ship. The Virs, you will bring everyone on board, in the Bags. You all should be good at this by now.

Then… everyone will come out on deck. The deck will be crowded, too many creatures, including two dozen horses! So you will practice your shrinking. You will Polymorph Self as you get out of the Bags, with a ten to one shrink. If you’re six feet tall now, you’ll be about seven inches tall. This is the same practice you will have to execute for real, later in this step.

Then Halfaz, you will sink your ship so everyone gets to find out what it’s like being on board and under water… surprise!! Better a surprise now than on Bral. This goes for everybody.

But first, Virs, you will close the Bags, they’re not going underwater while they are open. I don’t want to drain the lake into Goldenseal’s lap in his central location.

I will give you a turn of the sandglass to find ways to acclimate. Some of you may want to try out a Polymorph Self to an amphibious form. Here is a sample of a humanoid creature with gills: Star, please put a visual of an Aquatic Elf on the Link and rotate the image around so everyone can see… thanks, honey. Some of you may just want to get used to Water Breathing.

Vir, the parrots won’t like this, but they won’t drown either, and you’ll have ten minutes to get them calm so they don’t give you trouble in the lake on Bral.

When the sandglass is done, Halfaz, you will surface the ship, and everyone will release any amphibious Polymorph Self they practiced. Then everyone gets back in the Bags, and releases the Polymorph Self to shrink in size… We’ll want to re-do the shrink to keep everyone in proper proportion to the ship when it shrinks, so go back to normal size at this point.

Then Halfaz, you fly the ship back inside to the big open area you left from, and kiss the ship back down on the drydock supports. Then I’ll give you final instructions for this step.

Everybody got all that? I’ll call off reminders on the Link and my copies will keep you on track. You’re going to have Janis’ boot camp practice in your new favorite Elements, Earth and Water. Learn to love them. Ready… go!

The Virs once again take everyone off the ship in the Bags, down onto the pier and off to the flagstone road. Originals and copies and parrots and horses stand on the grassy hill or on the flagstones, and with prompting from Janis copies, and demonstrations from Halfaz copies, soon are sinking into the ground and vanishing beneath the surface, with the barest ripple in the grass.

The sensation is very strange for those new to it. The ground underfoot feels like a very thick liquid at first, and then stepping down into it feels like wading in molasses. For some there is a long moment of panic when the ground closes overhead, first from the fear that there is no air to breathe, and then from the claustrophobia of being completely enclosed… but breathing continues with no problem, though some have to be reminded firmly by Janis copies or Halfaz copies to keep breathing, and the dim sense of something like sight helps to relieve the claustrophobic feeling. Star’s combat map provides some location visual imaging, including depth below ground and where others are, so the collisions from the poor sight conditions are minimized.

Meanwhile, Halfaz and Star take the ship under water. Initially the energy of the heat sets the water to boiling instead of reaching the sails, but with Star’s help on the Link, Halfaz soon becomes adept at focusing the energy from the Artifurnace through the Helm directly on the sails instead of passing through himself and changing into the usual blast of heat that he makes himself. This is Halfaz’s first experience in using the Artifurnace and Helm directly to drive the ship in their native capacities, rather than translated into the energy analogues that he knows and has always used before… so the experience is very awkward at first, but quickly becomes easier. Star’s comment on the Link seems to sum it up: {Star} Heat is a state of mind, not a state of the Water.

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Ptolemaeus, the original Ptolemaeus, is twenty feet underground, and well away from the lake. Earthglide is a strange experience, but not the first Time for him… in his long life, even this had an occasion to be used at least once or twice before on his Timeline. Still, the practice was good, and his real purpose made it even better; how better to be hidden than by twenty or thirty feet of dirt?

Ptolemaeus could tell he was well away from Star; her thirty foot radius suppressing Time Effects was nowhere near, somewhere off inside the lake. This was the opportunity he had anticipated, and he had resolved before to use it to send the research question to Ishtari, back at the Guardians’ Fortress, to find out what might be hidden in their Archives.

The message to Ishtari was straightforward, and dense, briefly outlining what he had found out and what he needed to know. It was encoded using their private encryption, and neither addressed, nor signed, to protect her in case it was intercepted and somehow decoded. She wouldn’t need it signed to know who it was from. It simply summarized the facts and speculations; she wouldn’t expect anything else from him except a dispassionate research question. Emotional reactions were her department. The message was:

Thoth helped Miss Star Feather organize her memories, and gave her complete access to His knowledge. Anubis was involved. Was there a flood of dead, from a cataclysmic catastrophe spilling onto the Astral Plane, involving Star Feather and Anubis or Thoth? What happened, and what did she do that would earn her a great debt from that Pantheon? Is there any other information about what happened, damage to the Timestream, repair efforts, anything else the Guardians have in Archives? And… is there any record at all confirming Star Feather as a Time Elemental? A Royal Time Elemental? The last Time Elemental? What happened to the Time Elementals? What is the last recorded sighting, or any event related to their recent disappearance, around 50,000 years ago?

Ptolemaeus inserts the message into the Timestream, with the special communication they always arranged to reach her directly when he was in the field. Her answer, of course, returns immediately to his current Now; the passage of Time she needed for the research was irrelevant. His underground privacy allows him to examine her response:

To my secret pen-pal –

I’ve been so worried, it was wonderful to hear from you to know you’re still there. The Guardians shut down access to the Bral section of the Timestream, declaring it to be too unstable to send any agents. The official version is that since Bral wanders from Prime to Prime, its local Timestream won’t have enough impact on the main Timestream for them to put any more of their limited resources into it. This could be true, but I think the Senior Council officers in charge of that area just don’t know what to do with it, so they gave up, and are papering over their failure.

Your questions gave me a lot more to worry about, and you should be worried too. The situation here is a lot worse now than when I wrote to you before.

I’m going to start with the easier part to write about, before I get upset.

First I went to look for records about the Time Elementals, and found nothing whatever in open Archives except the standard line. You’ve heard it yourself. Maybe they existed once, they don’t exist now, there’s no real proof, the same cover-up that started years ago. The whole official record has been removed, and the Guardians are acting like there never were Time Elementals. So I dug into older field report records of individual operatives and field agents, which no one ever looks at because there are so many, and after a really long search I found a handful of documented meetings or sightings with creatures that were spherical clouds of Fire, or Dust, or Mist, that just appeared in the Timestream, and then disappeared. It was tedious but easy, since those of us who remember, know what to look for. But I was looking for a pattern, anything that could help you, and I found one.

From the beginning of the Archives the earlier sightings or meetings could be anywhere in the Multiverse, they were really spread out. The last reported meetings were only in a few locations, three clusters of sightings. One was really weird, the Timestream around Acheron. The Outer Planes don’t have any consistent Timeflow. The second was even weirder, they were around the biggest tangle outside of Milliways, as you and all field agents know there is a place to stay away from in a lot of Primes where it seems the Timestream is bent cylindrically and almost in knots (though knots are technically impossible, I know). Maybe the Time Elementals were going there to see what was happening? The third was along the Border of Shadow. This is the strangest place, because as you know there are areas in the Ethereal Plane where Shadow and Time meet. The Guardians won’t send anyone there because the Timestream almost fades out there, but some field agents had to pass through there, and those were the ones reporting sightings when there weren’t any sightings elsewhere. All of the very last sightings were along that Border.

About Royal Time Elementals, there is almost nothing. There are just a few field operative reports ever that include meeting a creature who moved in the Timestream like the spheres of Fire, Dust, or Mist, but then shifted into another form and talked to them. They were like moving points or spheres in the Timestream, instead of having proper Timelines. Then the moving points expanded out into creatures with… you know, hands and feet and heads, sort of normal looking. The creatures seemed to want to know what the operatives were doing, and why… like they were interested in their work. Since operatives are instructed never to reveal details like that to anyone outside the Guardians, and not to be ambassadors to creatures that aren’t supposed to even exist, these conversations didn’t go very far. In all of these reports, the conversation ended with the creature seeming to be amused, not hostile, about getting stonewalled, and then vanishing completely without a trace, despite the field agent’s detection equipment. I never read these records before, I didn’t know there was even this much, but the pattern here is… if there are such creatures as Royal Time Elementals, they just packed up and left, amused at us, and we wouldn’t talk to them. Not too encouraging, is it.

Now I have to write about the topic I was staying away from, researching that cataclysm you asked about. After searching endless records for Time Elementals, this one was easy, it had just the characteristics you were looking for. I found a record of multiple disturbances in the Timestream, right on the main line of Primes, almost a dozen entire Crystal Sphere Universes that vanished nearly together, and trillions times trillions of creatures with Timelines that ended abruptly, an incredible flood of destruction spilling onto the Astral Plane just like you said. Every Pantheon must have been inundated, not just Thoth and Anubis – but they care about orderly judgment more than most, so maybe it was even more significant to them. The connection to Star Feather was all over it, because the very next major entry in the Book of Chronology was that she became Empress of the Alliance of Elven Worlds when Emerald Siftara resigned, way too much of a coincidence. She just has to be mixed up in all those worlds dying. But if that’s not bad enough, here is why I am really scared. I followed the Archives reference from the Book of Chronology page listing the event, to the detail entries book that should have the complete research report, repair notes, all the usual, and… it was empty, those pages were missing. The book was there, but – I can barely write this, my hands are shaking just thinking about it – all that was in the binding was a single page with a Wizard Mark. Star Feather’s Wizard Mark, I recognized it because I read her classified dossier for your briefing.

Star Feather somehow broke into the Guardians Archives, stole the pages with the detail report, and left her calling card so they would know who took it. It was like she was saying, don’t ever write this report again because I’ll just take it. NO ONE breaks into the Guardians Archives inside the Fortress of Time. It’s impossible.

You can imagine the uproar this caused. I had to report it, of course; I just said there was an operative assigned to me so I was following leads to send information that could be relevant to the case they told me to brief him about. I couldn’t help it, your name came up.

I was called into an emergency meeting of the Senior Council and had to find a way to explain my research without mentioning your letter – I already let it destroy itself, of course – which wasn’t hard since they did tell me to prepare a briefing before you left. Then they asked me a lot of questions about what I knew about Star Feather, and I just told them whatever they had already written, but kept sounding vague whenever I thought I shouldn’t know something. That gave me a chance to slip in something about the Time Elemental issue, I just said something about the coincidence of when they disappeared, and did it have anything to do with ‘that renegade’, meaning her, since I was supposed to brief the operative. I probably shouldn’t have done that. They immediately stopped asking questions and excused me from the meeting. They all looked scared to death. It was so thick in there I could have suffocated, and it was so clear they knew something they wouldn’t say, that it was even more scary to be in front of them… they just knew that I knew they were hiding something really big.

The next thing was the Senior Officer of Archives and the Senior Officer of Security met with me, and asked me pretty much the same questions all over again. Then they told me this all was Senior Council classified, I was not to mention it to anyone ever, and should forget it happened. They kept staring at me and exchanging glances.

Then they told me I am being reassigned to field operations, I had been in the Fortress too long without getting out and about. They didn’t have to mention I wouldn’t need direct access to Archives any more myself, since like any operative, a researcher would be assigned to my cases to prepare briefings for me.

So now I am afraid for my life. You and I both know that sometimes Guardians have disappeared under strange circumstances that were officially not to be discussed. From their questioning, the Senior Officer of Archives seems to think I had something to do with the disappearance of the file Star Feather stole, because he doesn’t believe anyone could break in, and the Senior Officer of Security seems to think I know too much already, maybe from asking about Time Elementals. I don’t know where they are going to send me, but wherever it is, I’m not going there because it would be too convenient for me to just disappear on my first assignment. The official report would just tsk, tsk about my carelessness.

MY friend, I’m going to run. I took all the field equipment I could get, and I’m disappearing myself before they make me disappear permanently. You alone will be able to reach me, because I’ve rerouted our personal communication path to come to me whenever I am. I’ll find a nice century in some nice Prime where a lot of people look like me, and set up a safe place till I hear from you. I hope I do hear from you because you’re the only friend I have left in the Multiverse across all of Time who I can trust.

Don’t come looking for me, because places in the Timestream when they think you may show up are probably being watched, and if they find you, and you find me, you’ll just hand both of us to the Guardians. They may think you know too much, too. And don’t expect any help from this Star Feather person, whatever she really is, she’s just laughing at all of us. (You aren’t in love with her, right? Elven beauties. I can’t stand it.) But as I think about it, slightly rationally anyway, the safest place for you right now might be around her, because the Guardians won’t go near her. They won’t even know exactly where to start looking, either, because I’ve taken your whole file, and mine, from the Archives, it’s coming with me. You’re not in History any more.

I can’t just sit home worrying about you being around that dangerous Elf who could be a mass murderer of whole Universes, when I could be doing something to help you, and you asked some really important questions, so once I have a safehouse, I am going into the Timestream to do field research on my own, too. I didn’t just take standard equipment. You know what I mean, things I found for you in the classified Archives to make your Timeline non-linear… a forbidden topic around here, because then you can’t be tracked and it is heresy anyway. Besides a complete set of regular Lisker’s Keys, I took two pairs of those special Lisker’s Keys so I can TimeJump. A pair is for you when I have a chance to give them to you. There’s a reason for you to leave the Elf and come back to me! I even stole a TimeStar Crystal Ball for research, so my death sentence here is certain. At least I don’t have to wonder abour that anymore! But they won’t find me, I know just where to go to scramble my Timeline, it’s that cylindrical Timestorm, not even the Guardians will be able to find and follow my Timeline after I pass through there and TimeJump out. If I survive it, then I’m going to find out what that Elf had to do with a trillion trillion deaths when she took the throne from Emerald Siftara, she probably stole that too. And I’m going to find out what she did to all the Time Elementals, or, I hate to say it, maybe the Guardians did it, who else could have that kind of power? You’re near her, so I have to find out, to know how to protect you, or help you.

We have to stay in touch and share information, and if I’m in the Timestream I can send back right away.

If you can see any way out of this mess, please write. And please write even if you can’t.

Thinking of you always – Your secret pen-pal.

Ishtari, on the run… at least she had the sense to get out. Untraceable Ishtari, deliberately risking the destruction of her Timeline linearity at the biggest Time disruption besides Milliways, a cylindrical Timestorm instead of a whirlpool vortex. Was there something Star could do, something he could get from her, that would help keep Ishtari safe from the Guardians? The terrible image of Ishtari frozen in a Temporal Stasis, her long black hair motionless, her eyes stuck wide with horror, while a Guardians field agent strolled around her, studying her, deciding whether to bring her back or kill her Now... Ptolemaeus could not allow that to happen; she had risked herself for him.

And Time Elementals in Acheron, and Shadow. Star Feather, a moving point in the Timestream with no Timeline, just like the Royal Time Elementals recorded. Star Feather a thief at the Fortress, what was she covering up? Star Feather a mass murderer?

That seemed farfetched, not at all like her, but if not, what was Star’s involvement and why was she hiding the truth? Time elementals… who else COULD do it? Ishtari meant that as a rhetorical question with no answer, but Ptolemaeus already knew that the situation was a lot more complex, with more sides in play, than even Ishtari thought. Ptolemaeus would have to be careful, but a few well placed questions, now that he had earned the Elf’s confidence, he deserved it… maybe he could get some straight answers instead of just University theory. And he had to know, if the fate of Time was resting on his shoulders.

{CONTINUED IN NEXT POST}

[MetroMagic]

{CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST}

STAGE TWO, STEP ELEVEN – RESULTS CONTINUED


It almost feels sooner than expected when the sandglass runs out and Janis calls on the Link to everyone to reassemble on the ship for underwater practice. Once everyone is on board in the Bags, Janis reviews the instructions, and sets the activities in motion. The copies of Janis doublecheck to make sure all Bags are empty and closed.

Halfaz then dunks the ship into the lake, much more easily than on his first try, and everyone scrambles to make sure their things don’t wash away, makes their choices for Water acclimation, and experiences Water Breathing or a form with gills. The Water Breathing is not as odd as some may have expected; the sensation is just a little bit syrupy, but there is no urge to gag or pressure to breathe; it seems surprisingly normal.

The parrots are not nearly as upset at Water Breathing as they are about getting soaked to the skin. It takes Vir the entire sandglass duration to calm all the bedraggled parrots with matted feathers; he notices that many of them are shivering without their fluffy insulation. On the Link, Star helps Halfaz make the slight adjustment necessary to the heat he is directing into the sails from the Artifurnace to warm the water without boiling it, just enough to take off the chill. The practice NOT to boil the water earlier makes this much easier; it really pays off! Halt’s horses are as stolid as usual, though they too seem to relax a little as the chill passes.

When the sandglass ends and Janis closes the practice, Halfaz brings the ship back to the surface. Water streams off of everyone and everything. A little more heat brings a warm wind that dries things very quickly. Star checks below decks and reports back to Captain Halfaz that the hold is full of water... of course. While everyone is drying, she takes out her Staff, tunes it in moments, goes back below and Casts a string of Cantrips, safer for the crew than Halfaz boiling the water off, then reports to Captain Halfaz again, that the hold is clear and dry.

Janis comments on the Link, {Janis} Star, you’ll need to dry everyone out a lot quicker than this when you’re coming out of the lake in Bral because every moment you spend will cost you some of your surprise in the assault on the compound... be ready to handle it with those Cantrips, just point your Staff at everybody on board, not only the hold of the ship. Good thing we practiced and found out this situation.

I can see I’ll have to rearrange the step coming up soon where everybody either Gates from here or Earthglides from under the lake. A tiny adjustment. Very tiny. Janis chuckles.

Star taps her lips with a forefinger in thought for a moment, then says on the Link, {Star} I can cover a nine foot cube with a Dry Cantrip through the Staff, so I’ll probably need two per group, and I can Cast two of them within the time Sheerak makes one Gate... so I can Dry each group just before their Gate is ready.

Halfaz returns the ship to the drydock and does kiss it perfectly onto the drydock supports, and Janis picks up her instructions again on the Link: {Janis} Star, it’ll be easier than that, I’m going to make the problem small, very small, by doing more of what we’re doing right now. I’ll tell you all when we get to that step… let’s get this step done first.

OK, everyone, originals and copies, and Halfaz, yourself and the ship… you all get small, like Vir. Vir, you won’t shrink, you have something else to do in a couple of steps.

And Vir… now that you’ve seen your parrots in battlefield conditions, start thinking about how you want them deployed on the battlefield. I put them in numbered groups in ‘families’ but you don’t have to keep them that way. There will be an opportunity just before you go in, to stop using the groups I numbered for my logistical purposes. I’ll let you know when you can switch them around.

Everyone else, you will Polymorph yourselves as the ship shrinks down, until the ship is just under five feet long and will fit through one of Sheerak's Gates. That’s a ten to one shrink, just like you did in the lake… Did I say that? What lake?... Remember, if you’re six feet tall now, you’ll be about seven inches tall. Halt, if you can get the horses to Polymorph Self, great. If not, they need riders who Polymorph Self and affect their mounts along with themselves… it’s all about frame of reference… see, Star, I do pay attention to your lectures. My Janis copies will come in and take care of the horses if needed, I’ll send all twenty four, one for each horse, just in case.

Goldenseal doesn’t need any shrinking – he should be back in a moment with his spy report, the status of the Prince’s lake on Bral.

Halfaz, as you shrink the ship it will fall off the mooring points and hit the floor… unless you fly it and keep it stable while you shrink it with ShipShape and shrink yourself too with Polymorph Self. So you have three things to do at once. How about you shrink yourself right now… good. That’s done. Now you’ll have to keep the ship flying while you shrink it, but at least both things are all about paying close attention to the ship. Star can help you keep track, on the Link.

Everybody, shrink as Halfaz shrinks the ship, stay in proportion at least, don’t fall behind. Ready, go!

Quickly everyone and the ship diminish in size, and… shortly… a five foot ship is floating above the moorings, filled with little creatures no more than one tenth their normal size.


STAGE TWO, STEP TWELVE – RESULTS

On the Link: {Janis} Wow, we are so tiny… Vir, you’re so big!! Sable, this is pretty ordinary for you, you probably think we’re on the large side of small.

OK, since we can’t trust the underground tunnels in Bral, Sheerak is putting you into the lake… not a place anyone would think of looking, offhand.

Goldenseal! Good, you’re back. Any problems around and about the lake? No? Just the usual little red fish? Good.

Everyone, back out on deck. If you find you need to get smaller to fit, do it. Everyone needs to be on deck to get their new Polymorphs.

Vir, let everyone back out of the Bags and onto the deck, then get the Bags closed. They stay closed while you’re in the lake. My copies will double-check.

Star, give Sheerak the exact image location to put the Gate, in the middle of the lake, at the lake bottom, along with anything else she needs to know. Move yourself to the middle of the ship now, so your Water Breathing radius reaches everybody.

Sheerak, make one of your Gates into the lake on Bral using the location Star gives you on the Link.

Halfaz, fly your ship through the Gate into the lake.

OK, everyone, after the last step, this one is a snap. I’m not going with you, either me or my copies, but I’m staying on the Link for a few more steps before I put you on your own.

Ready... go!

Everyone comes out on deck. Some have to shrink more, to fit, but the shrinking practice makes this easy. The groups are well coordinated by now. Star makes her way through the crowd to the center of the ship. Virs close the Bags, and Janises check them; then the Janises fly up off the ship and wait to the side for a later step. Star gives Sheerak the lake bottom image on the Link, along with its map coordinates, and along with the exact Color of the Gate for Bral’s current Prime Plane, while explaining to Sheerak that Bral wanders from Prime to Prime. Sheerak opens the Gate, and Halfaz moves the ship through.

Everyone is on Bral!!!!! …and wet. SQA… glub glub… AK!


STAGE THREE, STEP THIRTEEN – RESULTS

Janis is still on the Link: {Janis} OK, congratulations, or condolences, I can see you’re in the lake. Let’s make sharks and then get you back to normal.

Sheerak, keep concentrating on that Gate, hold it open as long as you can, but it will probably close before this step is done, so be ready to reopen it.

Vir, you and all your copies trigger Ror’s Least Spell Ritual, Speak With Animals, do that now.

Now, Vir, you and all copies go out into the lake and convince the fish to accept a gift to be able to become much bigger fish with much bigger teeth when danger comes. Tell them you know there may be danger in the river soon, and the gift will last till the danger is done, so you are helping them to defend themselves. The gift is they will become much bigger fish with much bigger teeth, and then they can become little red fish again just like usual, by just being themselves. And change back to  bigger fish with big teeth when they need to, just by becoming what they became… very simple… just be yourself, and if you want to be big, just be big.

Don’t forget to tell them that friends smell like you – shake some Pixie Dust around so they know the smell – and their enemies… don’t. Make sure these soon-to-be-sharks are clear about that!!

Vir, then get the fish to swim over to Halfaz’s ship and hang out right above it. Pack the waters.

Vir, remember that you as original, and some of your copies, have to stay near Ror, so you and they will recruit nearby fish. Other copies can get further away, all across the lake. Send the right copies to the right places, using your own Link. Ready, go!!

While Vir is doing this, Halfaz, make the ship normal size again. Everyone, Polymorph back to normal size to be ready to lose the Polymorph Self, so you control the size change and don’t crash into each other when it goes away. Do it now… Good.

Halfaz, unlock and deselect the Polymorph Self from the ship’s Ioun Crystal, do it now... good.

OK, while we’re waiting, Star, shift over a little to the Spell Cannon. Everybody at the stern, walk ten feet closer to the bow… come on, everyone squeeze up. You won’t like it if you go out of range of Star’s Water Breathing. Swim up if you need to… just stay over the ship and near enough to Star. Thirty feet!

And Star, while you’re waiting, I need you to help set up part of the adjustment I’m making to the Gates step. Look down into the lake bottom, underneath it as deep as you can see, as close as you can get to the Illithid compound down there. I know the rock is dense, just do the best you can. And also look to make sure there is no Magic Ward against Planar travel, Earthglide, that sort of thing. Dumathoin told Ror the area was clean for Earthglide, but doublecheck it anyway, it could have changed. Pick out a spot for Sheerak to open an Earthgliders’ Gate, just in case we need it, as far down as possible, and memorize that location… Got it, honey? Good. Do it.

Everyone’s actions to begin this step in The Plan^TM proceed quickly and flawlessly:

Vir departs, and is dimly visible in the lake. Halfaz, the ship, and everyone are normal size; the Polymorph Self and ShipShape are gone. Star is sending the locations of Virs on the combat map, and tracking clouds of fish as well as everyone on the ship. With the help of the combat map to identify the less densely packed areas where there is extra room, everyone has managed to squeeze into a thirty foot radius of Star, some swimming above the deck.

The density of fish around the ship begins to increase dramatically; the water is dark with hundreds of little red shapes, near-colorless dark gray in the dimness. The scent of Pixie dust in the water is heady.

Sheerak’s Gate closes; her concentration did not falter, even underwater, even while changing form, but its duration has run its course. Meanwhile, Star is alternately tracking Virs and staring intently downward, probing different areas below, finding a location for Sheerak’s next Gate to open deep under the lake instead of in it, in case the Gate is needed.

Janis is back on the Link: {Janis} Great focus, Sheerak, with everything else going on around you. Be ready to open it again.

Fish are starting to gather… good! When all the Virs are back with their clouds of fish, Star, Cast the Polymorph Other through the ship’s Spell Cannon, and turn all the fish and all of you into sharks. Halfaz, as soon as you’re a shark, ignore it! …And re-select that Rainbow Spindle Ioun Crystal, thinking of the fish as part of the crew along with everyone else. And lock it in. Star will help you on the Link if you need it. The main thing is: Don’t lose focus by being a shark.

Then everybody, you turn back into your normal self, then back into your tiny self, using Polymorph Self. First you’re going to feel rigid sharkiness. Then you’re going to feel that rubber-skin Polymorph Self, that’s when you change back to tiny you. Except Vir, you’re tiny enough already, you change into normal Vir.. My copies will help on the Link if necessary to keep you focused on the Polymorph Effect to over-ride the sharkiness – and Vir, you tell the fish they can be what they are right now, sharks, or themselves, just by being big, or small. You and your copies can even demonstrate with your own Polymorph Self. Then Vir, send them off down the river to eat any Umber Hulks they find… they were going there anyway because of the strong currents always cycling through the lake.

Here’s all the Virs, they’re back…Wow, there have to be 1500 fish here! …Star, Polymorph Other to shark, do it! …Ready, go!

Once again the Magic resonates through the Spell Cannon from end to end, with a torrent of Arcane Energy flashing in the emerald linkage, and the Effect floods the area, turning fish and everyone to sharks. The form feels rigid, much more disorienting than the Polymorph Self, as sharkiness permeates everyone’s thoughts.

Halfaz has that same grim, single-minded concentration that brought him through the Plane of Magma; now it is a narrow beam of focus on the Rainbow Spindle. Sharkiness means nothing compared to his other trials. The Rainbow Spindle blazes on the Link, and the rigid sharkiness melts away into the suddenly much more comfortable feeling of strangely flexible skin… Polymorph Self.

Creatures begin popping back to their normal forms, including many of the fish… but many of the fish stay big and toothsome, and quite a few of the ones who became small again, now become large again. It seems a lot safer to be a shark, when surrounded by sharks.

Originals and copies get small again, following directions from Janis and her copies.

The Virs send the fish off downriver as Star moves back toward the center of the ship to relieve the crowding on the deck toward the bow, though it’s much less with everyone tiny.

Janis comes back on the Link: {Janis} Well done, all… I see on the Link that no one got stuck as a shark. That makes it a success. So now you all have three easy forms: Earthglide, shark if needed for the river, and yourself… and fourth, anything else you can imagine, with Polymorph Self.

And the sharks are on their way downstream to clear the river of Aquatic Umber Hulks. Your attack on the compound has begun.

Sheerak, get that Gate open, coming back to here…. Good. Nice placement, right on target.

Objectives accomplished. Let’s move out.


STAGE FOUR, STEP FOURTEEN – RESULTS

The work area on the warehouse floor is visible through the Gate. Janis sounds urgent on the Link. {Janis} Ok, everyone fly through the Gate at once! Low number groups, 1-2-3-4, fly low, middle number groups, 5-6-7-8 fly halfway up, high number groups, 9-10 and all extras, fly high… remember you can fly! You’re all tiny, so everyone go through the Gate at once and get back to the warehouse! Move quickly now, the advantage of surprise can only decrease from here.

Don’t worry about keeping exact groups yet, just crowd through. Go!

Sort yourselves out on this side, in the warehouse. It’ll be quicker. My copies are big, and waving for your marshalling areas, holding up fingers to number the groups. Go to them. Stay tiny and close together. Vir, get those Bags open as soon as you’re back in the warehouse, but not before, no flood of lakewater please, and get the right Vir copies to the right Janis copies.

Vir, this is your opportunity to re-sort the parrots however you decided you want them, since every creature is out of their Bag and getting sorted anyway... I kept the parrots in numbered groups so I could keep track of them for preparation logistics, but battlefield deployment of the Parrot Clouds of Death is your decision, Captain Vir. Just keep them moving quickly.

Original Sheerak, go to group 1, not group 10. Your copy 10 goes to group 10, but you have to open the Gate for group 1. Then move from group to group, in number order. You’ll be the driest creature here, because you may be getting Star’s Dry Cantrip more than once… your hair and wings will be really fluffy, haha. Good, Sheerak, get ready to open that Gate. I’ll tell you when to drop the Gate to the lake on Bral.

Halfaz… your ship is almost empty. As soon as everyone but you and Star come through, shrink down the ship and carry it through, and join the Bag with the other originals in Group 10, keeping the Polymorph Self for everyone selected and locked in. Wait to pack it in your pocket until Star casts the Dry on you and it, so the ship’s hold won’t be full of water. You come through next to last.

Star, you have to be last because you have the Water Breathing for everyone… then as soon as you’re through the Gate and back into the warehouse, hit everyone at once with the Dry Cantrip through your Staff. I marked off two nine by nine areas on the floor, and all those short groups are marshalling into them, so you will be done… shortly, haha. I told you I would make the problem smaller. See the nine by nine with group 1, hit them with your Dry Cantrip first, as soon as they’re all there, my Janis copy is tracking that to know the group is all there.

Everyone stay small till I tell you to change, otherwise we’ll have chaos on the floor because I packed you tight together.

Flying! Reminded by Janis, everyone flies through the Gate nearly at once in a stream of streaming wet tiny creatures, and is back in the warehouse very quickly where the Janis copies help to sort them back into groups even more quickly. Sheerak goes to group 1, Halfaz shrinks his boat and comes through, and Star comes through with her Staff ready. The Janis copies report on the Link that everyone is present and accounted for, and three seconds later, Star finishes Casting her Cantrip, her Staff flashes in a kaleidoscope of Colors, and everyone in the first batch of groups is Dry. Three seconds later, another flash, and everyone is Dry. Halfaz finds that the hold of his ship is dry too, so he can pack it.

Even the parrots have settled down, apparently resigned from yet another bout with water, and they perk up as soon as they are dry. The Virs have no problem handling them, and Halt’s horses are as cooperative as ever.

Janis on the Link: {Janis} OK, everyone, this is it! You’re going in, group by group.

Remember we don’t expect the Plan A Gates to work, so we expect to fall back to Plan B Earthglide. We DO expect Plan B to work because Dumathoin told Ror the way in was clear for Earthglide. Star has located a place as deep under the lake as she could, to get you as close as possible to the Illithid compound. Sheerak will make a Gate to there and if their Gates don’t work, all groups will Earthglide to their positions, then emerge in group order one after the other, group 10 last.

Not using Plan C the River is best, since it’s full of sharks probably already eating Aquatic Umber Hulks.

When I call off your group number you will return to normal size… I will be overlapping numbers so listen carefully. The Ror copy in all groups with a demolitions objective will ready himself for demolitions; the Janis copy with your group will double check the procedure with him. The group will ready your weapons for combat and get into your Bag. Meanwhile the Vir copy will ready the parrots. Then the Vir copy will close up the Bag while original Sheerak opens your Gate. If it works, you go through, and the Ror copy will accomplish the demolition while the rest keep him safe, and keep reporting on the Link. If not, you will go to the Earthglide queueing area, and await further instructions from me, which will come shortly.

I will be signing off the Link as soon as all groups are underway… it’s your show after that, with battlefield decisions to make, not by some general hiding back at the warehouse. My planning task will be done.

I hope and expect to see you all safely back at a celebratory party catered by Inn Champagne, as soon as Star can arrange it.

The Best Of Luck! …and when Janis Fortune says that, you know it’s for real.

Ready…………………………. Go! Group 1! Back to normal size, weapons ready, Ror 1 check demolitions with Janis 1, Vir 1 check parrots, everyone but Vir into the Bag. Sheerak, Gate 1, now! Vir 1, close the Bag, get ready to pass through Gate 1 if it opens… and Group 2! On my mark…. Go! Same drill! Sheerak will be there as soon as Vir 1 goes through Gate 1.

Everyone in the staging area holds their breath collectively as Sheerak tries to open Gate 1, following the exact map location Janis prepared as shown on the Link via Star’s combat map.

The edges of the Gate take on the pearly metallic color Star showed to Sheerak, and… it opens. Vir 1 steps through into the Illithid compound with the Bag containing group 1.

There is a collective gasp on the Link, of pleased surprise, and some cheering.

Sheerak releases Gate 1, and moves on to group 2. Its Gate opens too, and Vir 2 with group 2 steps into the Illithid compound.

Janis begins wondering if it will really be this easy.

Sheerak moves on to group 3, and tries to open Gate 3, but it does not open… Janis says on the link, {Janis} OK, it’s not going to be as easy as it was beginning to look.

Sheerak, move on to Gate 4, then Gate 5, then Gate 6... keep going, one after another. Group 3, Vir 3, you will go to the Earthglide queueing area, get out of the Bag and form up for Earthgliding as your Janis copies direct, and then await further instructions from me. Do it now.

Gates 4 and 5 do not open either; groups 4 and 5 receive the same instructions from Janis and queue up behind group 3, guided by their Janis copies.

Gate 6 turns pearly metallic, and opens. Vir 6 takes group 6 through the Gate into the Illithid compound.

Gates 7, 8, 9, and 10 do not open. Janis directs the groups to the Earthglide queue, with all of the extra copies assigned to group 10.

Janis continues on the Link: {Janis} Good, better than we expected, groups 1, 2, and 6 are in. Groups 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10:

You will now Earthglide quickly to your assigned locations.

Sheerak will open the Earthgliders Gate to the place under the lake that Star located as the Earthglide starting point. Star has verified there is no Magical obstacle there.

You will pass through the Gate in group order and arrive at your assigned locations in group order.

Star will monitor and place you on the combat map on the Link, so that you all can emerge in your assigned location exactly, and on time.

You will not stay in the Bag because we don’t know if the Bag will open in a location where a Gate would not open. Instead you will all Earthglide individually.

Group 10, I have more instructions for you which I will give you while the other groups get underway… quickly, do not waste any surprise.

Star, give Sheerak the Earthgliders Gate location under the lake, and get the combat map going to guide everyone. Tag it for each group so you don’t confuse groups 1, 2, and 6. I see it, good.

Sheerak, open the Gate there… do it. Good. Looks like solid rock on the other side… hah. What else would it be.

OK, group 3, you had your Earthglide practice, now it’s for real. Just walk into the rock as you go through the Gate. Follow Star’s directions on the combat map for you to your exact assigned location…. Ready, go! Group 4, go right after group 3. Keep going, 5, 7, 8, 9…

Group 10, here are your special instructions. You have lots of extra copies to bring in Bags that may not open, probably won’t, but we weren’t planning on using those extra extra copies. So they will travel in the Bags. There are some copies that have to stay within Ror’s radius. You know who you are. You can’t travel in a Bag because you can’t get cut off from Ror. And the horses will be ridden, the riders will Earthglide with their Earthgliding mounts.

Vir, you have all the extra parrots. Have fun.

Ror 10, you have the demolitions for your group, because original Ror will be busy with Rituals.

Star, you’re with group 10 originals as planned. Enjoy the demolitions, honey, I know you will.

Halfaz, you have your ship, keep Polymorph Self selected. You are exit Plan B, so keep track of the river.

Sable, you’re in group 10 but not with Ror, we all know that, you’re on your own, you don’t need to worry about the group 10 demolitions objective… but you have demolitions for your amusement and pleasure, enjoy! You will also begin at the exact location for group 10 so that you have protection immediately on arrival, but then… Go find the slaves and put their location on the Link, figure out how to get them to Bags or Halfaz’s ship.

OK, Sheerak, you will be last through the Earthgliders Gate, then you can shut it down.

Group 9 is away…

I’m done; I’m dropping off the Link.

Group 10, you have the Link, I’m passing battlefield executive control to you… ready… go!

Janis… out.

The Earthgliding groups, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10, find their way through the rock and the dimness that passes for sight during Earthglide, following the shimmering images in the combat map on the Link to their assigned locations in the Illithid compound.

Images start flowing on the Link from groups 1, 2, and 6.

Sheerak is last, stepping through into the rocky face on the other side of the Gate. It winks out.

Janis heaves a sigh of relief as her copies wink out too; she has disconnected from Ror’s radius so they are gone. Goldenseal hurries up, his copies vanishing too. She reaches down, he reaches up, and they solemnly shake hands.

Janis breaks a stick of Antidotegum and chews half, to clear the Link from her mind; she offers the other half to Goldenseal. She says to him, {Janis} Here, have some Antidotegum, I should be off the Link so they rely on their own field decisions, but you might want to stay on to monitor the Bags. Chew it when you’re ready. I didn’t mention it to them… this was complicated enough.

I hope they make it. Acheron… duped Drow… there are a lot of other plans in motion that we don’t know anything about. But they have a great plan, tremendous firepower, and a lot of reserve strength we didn’t even figure in…. They’ll do well.

Goldenseal eyes the gum thoughtfully, and then looks wistfully at the spot where the Earthgliders Gate just winked out. {Goldenseal} I’ll go make sure we get the Bags back, just in case.

They’re good people, I like them. I hope they come back too… and besides… they took all those leftovers with them, in Star’s Scarf.

THIS ENDS THE “WITH JANIS” THREAD; YOU’RE NOT WITH JANIS!

EACH GROUP WILL CONTINUE ON ITS OWN THREAD FOR NOW; SEE:

ACTION THREAD – GROUP 1 through 10 and post there as soon as I post the first set of results and instructions.

All information on all GROUP threads is available to all, via the Link, so you can assume that everyone knows all of it, and things on one thread don’t have to be re-posted on another.

Please DO NOT post actions on one thread for any other thread; it will get too confusing. For example, don’t post on Group 10 an action that is for your copy in Group 1. Each of your copies is acting independently, with independent attacks, HP, etc., even though you can assume that all are communicating with each other at all times. I realize that if Groups meet this could get messy, but we’ll deal with situations as they arise. Separate threads are cleaner, for the moment at least.

Very important: There will be yet another action thread (not a Group X thread) that I will send to you as a link via PM when the time comes. You’ll know it when it does. Different characters may receive that link at different times. Please do not go looking for that thread, or read it, until you get the PM from me about it... it will be a very interesting surprise. Trust me on that; we’re just in the early phases of a long adventure to 20th Level and beyond. You’ll need all of it, and more.