Strange Aeons: In Search of Sanity II [IC - Group #2]

[bcool999]

Bangs

Clutching his aching head, Bangs goes to open his eyes before quickly slamming his eyelids back down as the light stabs at his retinas. As he forces himself to sit up from where he was laying on the floor, others in the room see the fair skinned, bookish, young man clutching at his temple. His straw brown hair is clean cut, but kept long enough that his bangs cover most of his eyes. His recent conditions have obviously made cleanliness difficult resulting in his hair turning oily and hanging down his face in clumped strands.

Seeming to recover quickly the young man scans the room, and shows relief at recognizing a few friendly faces, but is on guard against the rest. Standing at his full height of 5'10'' he doesn't cut an imposing figure physically, but a sharp gleam from piercing blue eyes hidden behind his bangs makes others feel that he is scrutinizing their every act and gesture as he stands there silently.

Spoiler: Picture

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[digiman619]

After introductions were made, Flair suggests that they check in with Winter... or whoever is in charge this version.

[ClockworkCorvid]

He looks back at her, sighing. This place has gotten way too weird.
"Uh... Everyone seems to agree that my name is Corbin, though my memory hasn't been the best lately. I'm pretty sure you didn't exist yesterday."

[lostsole31]

The group gets to Winter for a earlier-than-usual morning briefing (since the group was more interested in meeting with her than doing morning routine for prayers, spells, etc.).

Sitting with Winter is a terrifying humanoid that looks like a cross between some manner of demonic race, and a human who was badly burned.

Haru, describe yourself.

Spoiler: Haru

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Please do not do some weak-game cut-and-paste because you just wanna get it over with. Whatever description you provide, please make sure:
1) It is actually a complete description, not just cursory. I mean complete.
2) There is no remnant that doesn't fit the here-and-now as some did with their cut-and-paste descriptions. Please do not provide a mini-story with the description. Just give the description.

For your purposes, you finally recovered from whatever terrible thing you read in whatever terrible book. Your mind is protecting you, it seems, because you don't remember a thing about what the book was, let alone its subject matter.

Haru, for your part there are several faces here you do not recognize, and possibly some you do from what now seems a lifetime ago in your clouded memory (see above descriptions, but you weren't present for any of the chat).

[meemaas]

The man looks up at the others as they approach. His skin is bright red, and his eyes show no signs of pupils. Despite that, he doesn't appear to be blind. Based on his stature, it would be easy to guess that he's on the tall side, at least as far as humans go. He definitely has a number of demonic features, despite having the build of a human, such as sharp long nails as though they were claws, misshapen feet, and a tail that seems to have a mind of its own. He is dressed in simple clothes, with a weird weapon tucked into his belt that some might recognize as a nunchaku.

He smiles softly at the rest as they approach, and then frowns as he realizes that he doesn't recognize most of them, but holds his tongue.

Spoiler

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I hope that was appropriate, I spent quite some time trying to figure out how to describe him.

[lostsole31]

As the party reports to Winter earlier than normal (you still haven't done any morning routines). In acknowledging Bangs (and Corbin & co.), she just as easily acknowledges Björn and Gaye. It is as if the shift in party personnel has gone entirely unregistered by the non-party NPCs, as if each of you had always been there.

"It seems that Haru's mind here has passed through its internal challenges," and he is ready to resume exploration," Winter begins. "Despite the looming dangers of the Tribals in the northwest, I have been thinking about what we need. Until now it seems to have been more random and haphazard exploration. Flair here has learned all that the library might tell us, so now we need experiential knowledge. You encountered an oneirogen in Administrator Losandro's room, but we really don't know what that means for us, just that this otherwise benign creature belches out yellow mist.

"We need answers, and the best place(s) we are going to receive them is if you continue to explore the rest of the administration halls in the south section and to see what is north of the library. You had a lot of success against the pickled punks and the oneirogen and bringing back the excellent sources, and possibly looking between what you learned in the library and what you learned from all you got from Losandro's office. We still want you to redirect your efforts in the administration areas.

She then adds, "Also, I am curious to know if you are able to get any clues on what might have happened to Administrator Losandro."

Gaye thinks for a second and says, "Without ever having met her, I have a hunch that the oneirogen actually was Administator Losandro. It was a woman. The oneirogen was in her office. She was incapacitated. She had keys to the desk and other things. I think that was her and she met with a terrible end by being turned into that creature."

Winter nods. "That may be, and it makes sense. Alright then, do your morning routine, and head out."

[SwordChucks]

Zoo, still pretty confused by this cosmic reshuffling, pipes up.

"Speaking of that oneirogen, it had un coup de chance on my jaw. Would any of you be dentists by chance?" he says while rubbing his jaw.

Zoo'll stick close to Flair as he's had some experience with universe hopping and he's one of the few faces Zoo recognizes.

[digiman619]

This jump is more confusing than the last. This Winter seems to think that he's always been here, even though he just shifted over this morning, but Haru recognized him from before the first shift. This inconsistency could mean all sorts of things, but the thing to focus on now was the continued search for a way out. While he was researching in the library, he had figured out how to contact another entity, but hadn't had the chance to try it out yet, so now seemed like as good a time as any. He turned to Zoo. "I'm gonna try something new. Be back in a bit."

Regardless of if Zoo chooses to follow, he heads back to the record room and begins drawing his sigil. Careful observation would show that this circle is quite different than his earlier one, much more angular and straightforward; less fancy lines for the sake of ornamentation. After a few minutes of meditation, a shape emerges and darts onto his shoulder. It then reveals itself to be a ferret and speaks to Flair in a deep gravelly voice, asking why it was summoned. Flair does his best to explain, though it's more in metaphor as a practiced back-and-forth rather than a standard conversation. Eventually after promising to uphold the local laws, the ferret is satisfied and disappears in a flash of light.

Rather than the slight glow he had before, he looks much the same as he did before the ceremony, though now he has a big bushy beard. he runs his hands across it for a moment before shaking his head. He then closes his eyes and concentrates at in a few seconds the beard disappears as though it was never there. Afterwards he heads back to the party to discuss strategy and where to go next.

Spoiler: Binding check

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I have broken no major laws in the last 24 hours, so I get +2.
(1d20+11)[17] vs 14; vs 19 for the capstone. EDIT: Well, at least I got a good pact.

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Bangs

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There are newbies. Are you going to offer collective to them, and explain what it means?

Spoiler: Björn

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Today is a deja vu of what you last learned on the morning of Day 14, so no change here. Groundhog Day!

Question, will you invite the rest of the group to join you in the seance? If so, make sure people IC understand what that means.

Spoiler: Corbin

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So, it is about this time that you become crestfallen, realizing that your crossbow is on the floor of the kitchen .... in a different version of this place!

Spoiler: Flair

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Because this is the very first time you have contacted Milo of Clyde, roll a SAN check with a +4 bonus to the save.

Each time you bind Milo of Clyde, he will instruct you (during the binding ceremony) of new things you can learn. Basically, you "unlock" a new constellation aspect. Once you have bound Milo of Clyde four or more times, you will be able to choose which Scholar constellation aspect you wish to take, but not until then.

This time, you got Tongue of the Spirit. With nothing truly pressing about what might be good for you to know, the sensible default (given the spirit's history) is Dwarven.

It was fine this time, but I run the RP of the spirit's interaction with you in the future.

Spoiler: Maeni

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You discover with some level of terror, that though your commonly carried possessions arrived with you and you woke up with them, all of your clothing, jewelry, alchemy lab, and other possessions that were stored in the chapel did NOT come with you to this "version" of "reality."

Spoiler: Zoo

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Did you follow Flair to the records room, if for safety-in-numbers' sake?

Outside of the particular issues above, does anyone do anything special for their morning routine?

In regard to Zoo, Winter claims that the reason she was training to accompany the Royal Accuser to the Briarstone Asylum in the first place is that she follows a career path known as a "solacer" and is skilled in all manner of medicine, dentristry, veterinary training, and even psychology. She would be willing to conduct the maxillofacial surgery, but asks that Bangs be her assistant as she has come to have great respect for the young man's medical knowledge.

[SwordChucks]

"I'd be thankful if you could fix it for me..." Zoo looks at her fingers before guessing "mademoiselle Winter. It's not so bad for eating gruel but I'd like to get back to something tougher eventually." The lanky man smiles, showing off his mangled gums.

After extricating himself from the conversation, Zoo goes back to Björn and Gaye. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. Wolf said that was gauche. I'm Zoo and I'm a chef." he says while awkwardly rapping a knuckle on the cook pot on his pack.

Wanting to stay near Flair, Zoo follows him closely.
"There are a lot of dangers here. I can watch the door while you try your new thing."

Spoiler: @lostsole

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If no one is around to see it, Zoo will practice copying Corbin's body plan by the door to the records room. Quickly changing into different sized birds, adding wings to his dog forms, and generally trying to get a feel for a new shape.

[bcool999]

Bangs

Before Flair or Zoo wander off to prep for the day, Bangs reopens the Collective and sends them a mental request to join. He does the same for Maeni and Corbin as well since they are familiar and accepting of the support... as limited as it proved in their last battle. Shaking off his depressing thoughts, Bangs addresses Björn, Gaye, and the newly awakened Haru and begins his explanation of his Collective. "So in summary, I can only heal you if you are in the Collective, and to remain in the Collective you must remain within a certain distance from me, though it is pretty far. There is, however, the problem of space in the Collective, I believe I only have space for two more to join and there is only two spots remaining."

[BuckGodot]

Björn responds to Zoo saying

Spoiler

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"If you have... space for me... I... I would be grateful... as... as... am a fighter... mostly..."

Since Bangs, Flair and Zoo are gathered, he will also offer them the chance to join him for his meditations. "If you would like to join my m... meditation... I will... share... what I learn from my... communing... It... It may be a bit disturbing... for... for the... uninitiated... Or so I've learned..."

[lostsole31]

"I'd be thankful if you could fix it for me..." Zoo looks at her fingers before guessing "mademoiselle Winter. It's not so bad for eating gruel but I'd like to get back to something tougher eventually." The lanky man smiles, showing off his mangled gums.

After extricating himself from the conversation, Zoo goes back to Björn and Gaye. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. Wolf said that was gauche. I'm Zoo and I'm a chef." he says while awkwardly rapping a knuckle on the cook pot on his pack.

Wanting to stay near Flair, Zoo follows him closely.
"There are a lot of dangers here. I can watch the door while you try your new thing."

Spoiler: @lostsole

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If no one is around to see it, Zoo will practice copying Corbin's body plan by the door to the records room. Quickly changing into different sized birds, adding wings to his dog forms, and generally trying to get a feel for a new shape.

"Since it is easier to anaesthetize a tired patient," says Winter to Zoo, "do you mind a day of exploration with sore gums? You never seem to take all day, and by the time you get back I will have done some research to make sure I am focused on exactly what is needed instead of winging it through exploratory surgery."

Winter (with Bangs, if he will) will do a non-invasive, visual survey of Zoo's mouth, including light wooden depressors to determine sensitiivty so she can formulate a proper course of treatment later that day.

Spoiler: Bangs, Zoo

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One thing that isn't advertised, because of how she normally stands and doesn't gesture, is that our Pharasman leader has claws. This was apparent to the man looking for a ring, and then to her assistant when they worked on the initial inspection of Zoo's mouth.

Before Flair or Zoo wander off to prep for the day, Bangs reopens the Collective and sends them a mental request to join. He does the same for Maeni and Corbin as well since they are familiar and accepting of the support... as limited as it proved in their last battle. Shaking off his depressing thoughts, Bangs addresses Björn, Gaye, and the newly awakened Haru and begins his explanation of his Collective. "So in summary, I can only heal you if you are in the Collective, and to remain in the Collective you must remain within a certain distance from me, though it is pretty far. There is, however, the problem of space in the Collective, I believe I only have space for two more to join and there is only two spots remaining."

"I don't quite understand, but I am willing," says Gaye.

Björn responds to Zoo saying

Spoiler

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"If you have... space for me... I... I would be grateful... as... as... am a fighter... mostly..."

Since Bangs, Flair and Zoo are gathered, he will also offer them the chance to join him for his meditations. "If you would like to join my m... meditation... I will... share... what I learn from my... communing... It... It may be a bit disturbing... for... for the... uninitiated... Or so I've learned..."

Gaye notes Björn with some ... confusion? ... before speaking to the new faces. "It seems that our Ulfen warrior is also a psychic that can talk to spirits. They answer his call and give him abilities. There seems to be some new warrior-spirit that has answered Björn's seance (I believe the term is) - some type of lawman he refers to as 'the Sheriff.' Well, that Sheriff is very good at helping any of us who may have more martial proclivities. He is basically asking you to join his seance, and gain strength from this Sheriff-spirit. I was the last holdout in our last incarnation of a group, but even I found his warrior spirit useful."

[BuckGodot]

Björn nods to Gaye in thanks.

[lostsole31]

So, who is interested in joining in the seance?

[bcool999]

Bangs

Rubbing his chin, Bangs shrugs and responds to Gaye, "I'll just add you and Björn and switch someone out for Haru if or when he needs healing." With that he sends a mental nudge to the both of them to join the Collective. Afterwards he turns to Björn and says, "I am not really martially inclined, but I can join in if you need participants."

Spoiler: OOC

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Final tally of Collective members (assuming no rejection) is Bangs, Flair, Corbin, Zoo, Maeni, Gaye, and (Jason) Björn. But I can 'hotswap' by spending a free action then a standard on my turn.

As for the Seance thing... Bangs hasn't a clue what it will do or if he is the best choice to join but he will if only for the curiosity.

[BuckGodot]

Björn nods to Bangs and smiles saying "All are... welcome..."

[lostsole31]

Gaye will relinquish enough control to allow herself to be a part of the collective. I didn't see a firm-response from Björn regarding the collective.

For the seance currently, we have Björn (of course), Gaye, and Bangs. What about Corbin, Flair, Haru, Maeni, and Zoo?

[digiman619]

Flair, more than a little amused about contacting spirits, also agrees to join the seance.

[BuckGodot]

Gaye will relinquish enough control to allow herself to be a part of the collective. I didn't see a firm-response from Björn regarding the collective.

Björn will join the collective since resistance... seems futile...

[SwordChucks]

Zoo is intrigued by the idea of joining a seance. He agrees to join mostly for the community aspect of it with the added combat prowess being a bonus.

[silphael]

Apparently genuinely curious, Maeni takes part in the seance. She probably won't benefit a lot from it, but the inner workings of those interests her.

[lostsole31]

Haru, do you want to join the seance?

[From a phonecon] Corbin is willing to join.

[meemaas]

Haru shakes his head at the offer, choosing not to join. "I just got my own mind back, I'm not ready to risk it again. Not this time."

[lostsole31]

Everyone does their morning routine, with Björn holding out the latter half so he can conduct the seance. Everyone joins in, but Haru observes outside of the circle. Björn calls forth the spirit that made itself known to him as "The Sheriff."

Spoiler: Bangs, Flair, Zoo

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Unless I am mixed up, this spirit ... once it infuses itself into you, is very familiar. Did all three of you adventure with Sheriff Sam Schenk in G1 before the Argus Wall switcheroo?

[lostsole31]

All those in the seance, except Bjorn and Gaye, roll a SAN check, please.

[bcool999]

Spoiler: San Check

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Will Save: (1d20+7)[18]

[digiman619]

Spoiler: SAN CHECK

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Hello Sheriff, my old friend.
[(1d20+6)[12]

[SwordChucks]

Spoiler: San check

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(1d20+7)[9]
10 characters

[ClockworkCorvid]

Spoiler: SAN CHECK

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San check:(1d20+3)[21]