LOG: Did we go up or down the rabbit hole?
Adventures in Deep Shadow:
Staring Dirk, Heulwen, Robin and Martin
**Into the Rabbit Hole**
You feel a gentle pressure in your mind. Someone is trying to reach you via your Trump.
RPG: Use '+trump/ok' to answer the call, '+trump/reject' to ignore the call, or '+trump/page' to request that your caller page to negotiate.
You accept the Trump contact from Heulwen.
The image of Heulwen stands near Dirk ready for adventure.
To the image of Heulwen, Martin is at the diner. He looks up from a piece of paper. "Yea?"
The image of Dirk touches Heulwen and now shares her Trump contact.
The image of Heulwen says, "I'm ready, I found a date."
The image of Dirk says, "Hello."
To the images of others, Martin says, "Party, huh? No that's not tonight. Tonight we're going to a different place to get some stuff FOR the party." he grins.
The image of Heulwen laughs, "Bring us through? I could really use a milkshake.
To the images of others, Martin rolls his eyes, he peers at Dirk. "Who's your friend."
The image of Heulwen says, "Dirk."
To the images of others, Martin puts away his newspaper, squints at Dirk when Haley makes the extremely unhelpful reply. "Uh-huh." he nods. "Ok."
RPG: You offer to pull people through. Use '!withdraw' to cancel this
offer.
Dirk appears suddenly, grasping Martin's hand.
Dirk has arrived.
Heulwen appears suddenly, grasping Martin's hand.
Heulwen has arrived.
RPG: The Trump contact ends.
The Best Little Diner in Shadow
This Diner has a small sign which reads 'The Hole in the Universe'.
Dirk, Heulwen, Robin and Martin are here.
Heulwen calls to one of the waitresses, Cody by her nametag, she has a long black braid and a pretty face. She's young. "Strawberry milkshake, please!"
Dirk looks totally out of his element as he starts to look around. His arms fold across his stomach and tense.
Martin eyes Heulwen, "Hope you can finish that quick or while on the road. We're not hanging around here long." he folds his arms and leans back in the booth. "Hi." he says to Dirk, "She explain anything?"
Dirk nods "Yes, something about circus shows and talking rabbits and red bulls making fire?"
Martin says, "Not quite like that. I'm more in control, it's the shadows that aren't going to be at all familiar. Hi, I'm Martin and this is Robin."
Heulwen says, "I didn't have time for the whole story."
Dirk says, "Hello, I am Dirk its a pleasure to meet you both."
Robin bows formally, a baroque and excessive thing. "My lady; what a delight it is to have the pleasure of your company once more. My lord, an honor to meet you again, if I may. I believe I recall you from some manner of difficulty at the Lift."
Dirk nods "I was there throwing ropes down to rescue people, indeed."
Martin says, "Well, that's a good enough recommendation for me." He rises out of the booth. "Dirk, have you been in shadow before?"
Dirk says, "No, I haven't been able to get out into shadow before now."
Heulwen grins at Robin and snatches her milkshake from a server. "What is it that we have planned tonight, Martin?"
Robin says, cheerfully, "I myself am very ignorant of the greater realm, my lord, so perhaps we will both be able to learn something of it. If you will excuse my saying so." He turns to listen to Martin, hands clasped behind his back.
Dirk is still standing with his arms folded. "Its just Dirk, no need to my lord me." He looks to Martin.
Martin says, "Well, the party in Crysallis isn't for a little while and I've been asked to pick up some supplies. we're going to a place nearby that I noticed had them in stock so they'll be easy to deliver."
Dirk says, "What party where? What supplies?"
Heulwen nods, "Why can't you get the supplies that you need from here, Martin?"
Robin simply nods, offering no questions. He maintains his posture of polite attentiveness.
Martin shakes his head, "It's the shadow laws, Haley. This shadow has similar laws that work in Crysallis."
Martin glances about at his group. "So, okay. Lets head out if we're all ready."
Dirk nods and shrugs. "Okay?"
Martin starts to walk out of the diner and motions for the other's to follow. "whatever you do, do NOT lose site of me."
"Very good, your Highness," Robin says. "I shall certainly strive to avoid such."
Dirk nods "Ok." He keeps an eye right on Martin.
Heulwen nods to Martin, "I've got your back." Odd, since she's running around in a slinky dress and heels but she seems to feel she can support the claim.
Martin walks out of the diner, leading you all with him. You start walking down a road, there's a signpost. It says: Deep Shadow... 'Turn Back for Sanity'. Martin just smirks at it and hooks his fingers into his jean pockets. "Where we're going, things are not going to make any sense at all. Don't try and analyze it, just go with it. And just remember, I'm a professional." he winks. "Don't try this at home."
Dirk grins and nods "I don't think it works at home." He keeps a close eye on Martin as he follows along.
RPG: Martin declares that he has the Finessed Shifting (PAT-FS) gift:
"Don't try this with anyone but Martin because--" Heulwen sighs and finds a dagger under her dress to support her claims of backing Martin up. "He's the only one that I know that isn't afraid to do this."
Robin permits the others to go ahead of him, and brings up the rear, keeping one eye fixed on Martin and another on the surroundings. The latter may prove to be a bad idea.
The road remains the only constant thing in the sense that it remains solid ground under one's feet or at least one hopes so. Everything else changes and these changes don't make sense at all. You walk past a stone that suddenly changes into a sponge ... with feet as you turn a corner ... then the sponge yaps at you like a manic chiwawa the next corner. The sky is never the same from one minute to the next. Sometimes blue, sometimes purple, sometimes there's eyes sometimes there's stars and sometimes you can reach out and grab a star for a quick light snack. The road goes ever on, cobblestone, sandstone, sand, brick, spongy and hard. At one point you're walking upside down, and another you're actually stuck to the road for a few minutes since it feels like jelly.
Heulwen glances toward Dirk, "You see what I mean?" but she is smiling
and so far she appears to be having a good time.
Dirk nods and is getting very quiet and self-protective. He is looking around just a little and is trying not to turn olive green. "Yes I do see what you mean? This is supposed to be fun?"
Heulwen mutters to Dirk, "... this... to lead... Did..."
Robin's none too comfortable, either, but he tries to retain a calm facade. Tension shows only in the way his eyes flick back and forth quickly from one bizarrity to another.
Eventually things become a little less Chaotic, still nonsensical but there are less changes. You walk through a set of cliffs that rise higher than the eye can see and seem to close behind you as you move forward almost as if you are being urged forward. You come out onto a flat plane of grass. It’s a wide, wide field, a prairie of some sort. When you pass into the field the orange sun glints from straight up in the sky. The funny thing is, there is no horizon. Behind you, the cliffs disappear and you stand alone in the middle of this field. With each other, but completely alone except for the cricket chirping. At least one hopes that is a cricket.
Heulwen appears confused, "Martin. Unless you need a bug, is this where you were looking for supplies?"
Dirk growls "I hate bugs."
Martin reaches into his jacket to pull out a flask and has a long sip. He breathes heavily from the effort of keeping control during that mess. "I gotta rest a sec." he wheezes. "We're here, and there's a city, you just can't see it yet."
Martin explains, "We're underneath it."
Robin glances all about, and then -- "/Underneath/, your Highness?" His head tilts up.
Heulwen doesn't see the city or the supplies but she nods to Martin and seems worried about him. "Do you need me to put together an inventory of the supplies before you move them?" Underneath? She cocks her chin back to look up at the sky.
Dirk says "Drinking Martin?"
Martin nods. "We're walking under it. I have to find a manhole. It's somewhere about here."
Martin says, "And no, this is water. No drinking while in Deep shadow."
Dirk nods "I have to learn how to do this so thanks for the rule."
Martin squints at Dirk again, gives him a 'huh ok' look. "We need to kick about the ground and find something that doesn't sound solid."
Robin appears, if anything, even more confused by this. "On the ground, your Highness? But your Highness said that we were underneath this city, if I do not recall incorrectly." All the same, he prods at the ground with a booted foot, warily.
RPG: Heulwen challenges a difficulty of 6, using her Wits. Heulwen succeeds.
Martin nods to Robin, "We are. Remember when I talked about laws and gravity last time? Trust me, we're underneath the city."
RPG: Dirk challenges a difficulty of 6, using his Wits plus STY-LK. Dirk succeeds.
RPG: Robin challenges a difficulty of 6, using his Wits. Robin succeeds.
Heulwen looks around as if the whole place were very odd. She inhales, "This is water?"
Martin grins at Heulwen, "You're catching on. Not sure what it is, but we can breathe it."
You paged Dirk with 'feel free to have dirk find the manhole.:)'.
Tap, tap goes Robin's boot on the ground. His brow furrows in confusion, all the more so when Martin remarks about the 'breathing'. "I shall have to try not to think too much about this," he says, more to himself than to anyone else.
Heulwen takes off her shows. Heels seem to be causing her a bit of problem with moving around freely. She frowns and looks up and then looks down. "Martin this place goes beyond weird."
Dirk kicks around and listens for the right sound. He starts to kick around and stumbles. He almost falls on his face since he's is totally focused on finding the manhole. He says "Haley can you come here?"
Martin takes this small break in time to rest. His brow is sweating a little. The effort to shift in these conditions takes a great deal out of a man, apparently. "Most of them are out here," he acknowledges Haley's comment and puts away his drink. To Robin he smiles, "I usually try and make sure that we can breathe, because otherwise would be a bitch." He eyes Dirk with a grin, "Awesome!"
Heulwen walks toward Dirk looking down at huh? "What the? Lir on a bike I thought you said the city was above us not below us, Martin?" She leans down next to Dirk to study the manhole cover.
Martin tells Heulwen, "I never said it was above us, I said we were underneath it."
Dirk says, "Sewers have insides and outsides too."
Heulwen frowns, "That doesn't make sense at all!" She looks up to the sky again as if she were demanding some reference point out of a mixed up, muddled up, cracked up world.
All that makes sense is the big glowing orange ball that is probably the sun.
"I can hardly disagree, my lady," Robin says. "Does this mean we shall need to push the cover -- down? Or pull it up?"
Dirk twists the handle and pushes it away from his feet. He doesn't try to make sense of anything. He just picked a direction.
Apparently, whatever Dirk did works. Huzzah! The manhole opens. There's a great gush of wind, accompanied by an exaggerated sound similar to what happens when you open a tub of Tupperware that has been sealed for a while.
Heulwen remains near Dirk trying to help him figure out the manhole and the gravity issue. "If we're underwater it doesn't mater if we are up or down--or wait...it does, doesn't it?"
Dirk shrugs "I don't know."
Dirk has partially disconnected.
Robin crosses over to join Dirk and Heulwen, peering down (up?) into the hole. "If we are uncertain of our reception, your Highness," he says, forthrightly, "I should be glad to volunteer to go through first, in case there might perhaps be some danger."
Heulwen shrugs and looks at Martin for directions. "First, last. I don't care."
Martin says, "Ok, in we go!" enthusiastically. He pokes his head into the manhole, "I don't think they're unfriendly, but by all means." he rights himself up or down as the case may be. "After you."
Martin said that to Robin
Robin, requiring no further encouragement, drops himself through -- or pushes himself through, however the gravity works out -- to see what might be laying on the far side.
Martin follows after Robin, happily moving up the rungs one by one.
Heulwen follows Martin to the other side. "In the rabbit hole?" She asks Dirk.
The top of the manhole is achieved quickly even in the tight space. It's not a difficult climb. Eventually you get to the top and see that there is another handle to push or pull to get out.
Dirk follows Martin and company and tries not to worry too much. He just flows along and says 'okay?" He doesn't sound too sure though.
Robin clings to the ladder with one hand, and, with the other, tries pushing up on the manhole cover to slide it aside. "It would seem we will be out again in a moment," he remarks.
The manhole is pushed open to a busy sidewalk. People are everywhere in this vast market square. The assault on the senses is almost overwhelming! The sky is black with night and sparkling stars but everyone is awake and in a hurry to do something by any means possible.
They hardly notice the person poking his head out of one of the city sewers.
The buildings are tall and spindly with lots of glass. The architecture is quite exquisite if you're insane. There are lamps that light the way and spectacular statues of all kinds. This would all be normal and happy if but for the fact that it appears roads and walkways have two sides to them and people who are walking right side up and upside down! It's a bizarre headache of shouting merchants, busy shoppers and speedy cars. The people here are human though tall and spindly looking. You are apparently walking right side up, at least you think so as you come out of the manhole. The only solid reference for this is that the sky is above you. "Robin, did we come up underneath the Market?" Martin asks hopefully.
Up being a relative term at the moment.
"I -- that is, so far as I can determine, it is not impossible, your Highness," Robin says, staring for a moment before it occurs to him to climb out and clear the way for the rest of the group. "But it is by no means certain."
Dirk watches his feet in order to keep himself from getting too sick as he appears in the upside down right side up.
Heulwen is used to swimming and pretty much adjusts as if things were just, very odd.
Martin pulls himself out of the manhole and staggers to his feet. The effects of gravity seem to be very strange in this place. He frowns, and digs a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Ok, we're looking for a store called... Mr Razoris Fantastic Fancies." He rubs his head, "Don't think to much, just keep close together. If my calculations are correct we have enough time to do our business before everything flips."
Dirk looks up at the buildings "This is unbelievable."
Heulwen laughs and repeats the title, "Fantastic Fancies?" She considers for a long moment, "Would you be annoyed if I stole that as the name for my shop?" She straightens her gown as she comes through and looks at the area.
Dirk is turning a weird colour, Its not green but its not normal either. "So this is shadow?"
"... flips," Robin echoes. That doesn't sound good. "Very good, my lord. 'Fantastic Fancies.' I shall see if it can be found."
Martin laughs at Heulwen, "I don't know." he glances at Dirk, "This is Deep Shadow, farther out than most people go. Simply because laws don't make a whole lot of sense and are more difficult to manage. I'm only just starting to be able to get through it but there's a lot more to learn. I think there's a directory somewhere." he rolls the paper back up and stuffs it into his pocket. "Try not to look around too much. The trick is to accept what you see and not analyze it."
"This is my first trip into shadow, I just barely walked the pattern." Dirk nods and blinks his eyes. "I'll take your word for it."
Martin stares at Dirk, "You just walked the pattern?" he shakes his head. "Sorry, man, trust me when I say this is not the way it's normally done. Should take it at a slower pace next time, yeah?"
Dirk nods "Yeah, I think so, yeah. No drinking either." He just looks a little freaked out. "I haven't had the time to learn how to walk shadow or anything."
Heulwen nods, "All right."
RPG: Robin challenges a difficulty of 7, using his Wits plus BLD-PT. Robin succeeds.
Heulwen adds, "Let's go get your supplies."
Dirk is not doing well right now. He is trying hard not to get sick as he is in over his head seriously.
Martin pats Dirk on the back, "At least we're walking right side up."
Dirk nods "I'd hate it if we weren't. This isn't the normal way shadow exists right?""
Heulwen says, "No, this is really messed up even for some of the places that Martin has taken me in the past."
Martin explains, "We have less control over shadow out here, and laws make little sense."
Robin makes his way through the market, peering this way and that in search of ... well, something informative. Only when he gets jostled around and spun in place by a hurrying passerby does he actually spot something. "Might that be it, perhaps?" he suggests, pointing.
Indeed, he has certainly found what might possibly be a map. At least it looks like a map, if you squint long enough at it, it might make sense.
And yes, there are words with names on it, some of them upside down and some right side up. They are in alphabetical order at least. "Excellent work!" he beams at Robin, "Do you see Fantastic Fancies on it?" Martin asks.
Dirk keeps his eyes on his feet as he walks around quietly. He follows Martin to the store.
Heulwen stops to put her shoes back on since they are walking more or less on normal ground now. She then jumps up to follow Robin, Martin and Dirk. Her dagger is concealed but never far from hand.
"... er ... perhaps ..." Robin pauses, cocks his head sideways, peers at the map a bit more. "Oh! There, your Highness," he says, indicating the spot.
Martin looks very pleased. "Oh ! Great! It's not that far away and it is on the right side. We should be able to get there if we hurry, before everything flips. It's only a couple of blocks away."
Dirk nods "How long before things flip."
Heulwen blinks, "What happens if everything flips, Martin?"
Martin says, "When the sun rises, we'll be walking upside down."
Robin asks, a bit uncertainly, "Walking, or falling, your Highness? Or perhaps it would be best not to find out. "
Martin smiles at Robin, "I think it's best that we don't find out. The Mayor said that we don't want to be caught on the wrong side or we can't ever get to where we want to go. Ok, lets hurry!" He starts to move in the direction of the store.
Dirk follows along and sighs "No problem with the hurring up."
Heulwen hurries as well, she sighs and looks to the people over head. "I'd rather not get caught here when the sun comes up. I hope you ordered in advance and everything is ready for delivery."
Martin says, "Everything is pre-ordered, apparently they do a lot of business with Crysallis every time they have an End of the World Party." He walks quickly through the market, trying not too look around too much either and keeping the directions Robin found on the map in mind. "It should be around here shortly. Ahah... that must be it." Indeed, how could it be anything else? You see before you a shop in the shape of a pyramid made of bricks with all different shades of blue. The sign glows pink "Fantastic Fancies!". There's an explosion of color on the animated sign every few minutes and another banner floating nearby advertises various sales.
Robin says, "So long as we can safely transport the merchandise out again, my lord, I should think so?"
Heulwen blinks, "We are going to have time to check the inventory against the purchases and confirm everything that you have ordered is indeed within the boxes and ready to be shipped? I'd seriously hate to have to come back here, Martin."
Martin nods to Robin, "We should be ok." he pulls out the paper he had stuffed in his pocket to Heulwen. "Here's the inventory." It's scrawled on the back of the crumpled paper.
Heulwen is used to sorting out Martin's hand writing she starts to transfer the list to a notepad as the walk toward the shop. She has a gold pen with musical notes and dancing Martins on the barrel.
Dirk asks "What kind of stuff you get?" He sounds curious.
Martin eyes the pen and sighs as he strides towards the store.
Robin follows along quietly, trying, with modest success, not to look too closely at his surroundings.
The interior of the store is thankfully... less odd than the exterior. People are walking normally in here,perhaps that has something to do with the revolving door you pass through. It's a store with several levels and a great deal of fantastic devices and artifacts. It's a bit like going into an antique store stuffed high with oddities. There's an old man at the counter who looks like he's been there for centuries himself.
Heulwen looks up from the inventory she is copying, "Martin are you making something to explode? This doesn't look like a very safe list of
things to transport through shadows."
Robin examines various things with his hands kept carefully behind his back; he doesn't touch /anything/, however inviting it might look.
Martin looks defensive, "I'd never try and blow anything up. Fireworks, Haley! That's what this stuff will produce. Fantastic, awesome fireworks. What kind of party is an end of the world party without great fireworks?"
Heulwen glares at Martin, she's started taking some of his statements very literally. "END OF THE WORLD PARTY??!" this makes her look up from the list.
This makes the old man perk up, "ah.." he moves slowly towards what looks like a small barrel. "You folks must be from Crysallis. Funny, we've had a harder time delivering lately." he shakes his head. "Trade isn't what it used to be. Roads all messed up.
Martin smiles at Heulwen, he uses his best smile he reserves for when he's trying to con someone into doing what he wants them to do. "Well, yes. You see, um. they're going to drown. It happens every millennia."
Heulwen asks as if it were a perfectly reasonable question, "Could we get people to run around kissing them so they don't drown?"
"A most pleasant way of avoiding drowning, my lady," Robin opines, "though perhaps manpower-intensive. Does the gift not wear off with time, as well?"
The old man wonders, "Who has the receipt?"
Heulwen passes the receipt to Martin, she's copied it now anyway.
Dirk looks at the stuff in the store and examines what he sees.
Martin takes the receipt and smiles at the old man who rings it up and gives him the barrel. "Thanks!" To Heulwen and Robin, he says, "I never thought about that, really. Sometimes with Deep Shadow it is nearly impossible to stop things from happening but I suppose we could give it a try."
Dirk wanders back. "What are we doing now?"
"Taking the case back with us." Martin grins at the shopkeeper. "Less anyone wants to pick up a souvenir."
Dirk says, "What is there to take with me?"
Heulwen laughs, "Maybe you could bring in some boats and they could save part of the civilization?"
Heulwen picks up a few odd items and adds them to the inventory and Martin's bill. She seems to expect he will pay for them.
Dirk wanders off and returns with a glowstick of sorts. Its a pink and purple glass tube with little sparkly purple stars in it. It glows a little.
Martin glances at Robin to see if he wants to add anything to the inventory.
Robin shakes his head, saying, "No, thank you, your Highness."
Martin makes all the purchases and takes the barrel. "Ok, we're done! That was easy, wasn't it?" he beams at everyone. "I guess you all want to take the short cut back to Amber, now, huh?" he fishes for trump cards.
Dirk nods "that would be nice."
Martin winks at Dirk, "Next time you go out, make sure to take it slow, don't try and do what I was doing."
Dirk says, "So how do you work the shadow shifting thing?"
Martin smiles, blithely, "With extreme caution. No drugs, no alcohol or you get fuzzy bunnies who talk to you." He finds his trump of Amber.
Heulwen blinks and starts to check the inventory, "And Red Bull and two headed dogs?" She seems satisfied they have what they purchased fairly quickly. She's organized. "You really should have taken me back to see the circus, Martin."
Dirk says, "I am gonna need someone to talk me through this."
Martin laughs, "No time lately. Ok, home we go." He lets folks look at his trump.
As you concentrate upon the Trump, the place depicted upon it slowly becomes more real.
**And back out of the rabbit hole**
Staring Dirk, Heulwen, Robin and Martin
**Into the Rabbit Hole**
You feel a gentle pressure in your mind. Someone is trying to reach you via your Trump.
RPG: Use '+trump/ok' to answer the call, '+trump/reject' to ignore the call, or '+trump/page' to request that your caller page to negotiate.
You accept the Trump contact from Heulwen.
The image of Heulwen stands near Dirk ready for adventure.
To the image of Heulwen, Martin is at the diner. He looks up from a piece of paper. "Yea?"
The image of Dirk touches Heulwen and now shares her Trump contact.
The image of Heulwen says, "I'm ready, I found a date."
The image of Dirk says, "Hello."
To the images of others, Martin says, "Party, huh? No that's not tonight. Tonight we're going to a different place to get some stuff FOR the party." he grins.
The image of Heulwen laughs, "Bring us through? I could really use a milkshake.
To the images of others, Martin rolls his eyes, he peers at Dirk. "Who's your friend."
The image of Heulwen says, "Dirk."
To the images of others, Martin puts away his newspaper, squints at Dirk when Haley makes the extremely unhelpful reply. "Uh-huh." he nods. "Ok."
RPG: You offer to pull people through. Use '!withdraw' to cancel this
offer.
Dirk appears suddenly, grasping Martin's hand.
Dirk has arrived.
Heulwen appears suddenly, grasping Martin's hand.
Heulwen has arrived.
RPG: The Trump contact ends.
The Best Little Diner in Shadow
This Diner has a small sign which reads 'The Hole in the Universe'.
Dirk, Heulwen, Robin and Martin are here.
Heulwen calls to one of the waitresses, Cody by her nametag, she has a long black braid and a pretty face. She's young. "Strawberry milkshake, please!"
Dirk looks totally out of his element as he starts to look around. His arms fold across his stomach and tense.
Martin eyes Heulwen, "Hope you can finish that quick or while on the road. We're not hanging around here long." he folds his arms and leans back in the booth. "Hi." he says to Dirk, "She explain anything?"
Dirk nods "Yes, something about circus shows and talking rabbits and red bulls making fire?"
Martin says, "Not quite like that. I'm more in control, it's the shadows that aren't going to be at all familiar. Hi, I'm Martin and this is Robin."
Heulwen says, "I didn't have time for the whole story."
Dirk says, "Hello, I am Dirk its a pleasure to meet you both."
Robin bows formally, a baroque and excessive thing. "My lady; what a delight it is to have the pleasure of your company once more. My lord, an honor to meet you again, if I may. I believe I recall you from some manner of difficulty at the Lift."
Dirk nods "I was there throwing ropes down to rescue people, indeed."
Martin says, "Well, that's a good enough recommendation for me." He rises out of the booth. "Dirk, have you been in shadow before?"
Dirk says, "No, I haven't been able to get out into shadow before now."
Heulwen grins at Robin and snatches her milkshake from a server. "What is it that we have planned tonight, Martin?"
Robin says, cheerfully, "I myself am very ignorant of the greater realm, my lord, so perhaps we will both be able to learn something of it. If you will excuse my saying so." He turns to listen to Martin, hands clasped behind his back.
Dirk is still standing with his arms folded. "Its just Dirk, no need to my lord me." He looks to Martin.
Martin says, "Well, the party in Crysallis isn't for a little while and I've been asked to pick up some supplies. we're going to a place nearby that I noticed had them in stock so they'll be easy to deliver."
Dirk says, "What party where? What supplies?"
Heulwen nods, "Why can't you get the supplies that you need from here, Martin?"
Robin simply nods, offering no questions. He maintains his posture of polite attentiveness.
Martin shakes his head, "It's the shadow laws, Haley. This shadow has similar laws that work in Crysallis."
Martin glances about at his group. "So, okay. Lets head out if we're all ready."
Dirk nods and shrugs. "Okay?"
Martin starts to walk out of the diner and motions for the other's to follow. "whatever you do, do NOT lose site of me."
"Very good, your Highness," Robin says. "I shall certainly strive to avoid such."
Dirk nods "Ok." He keeps an eye right on Martin.
Heulwen nods to Martin, "I've got your back." Odd, since she's running around in a slinky dress and heels but she seems to feel she can support the claim.
Martin walks out of the diner, leading you all with him. You start walking down a road, there's a signpost. It says: Deep Shadow... 'Turn Back for Sanity'. Martin just smirks at it and hooks his fingers into his jean pockets. "Where we're going, things are not going to make any sense at all. Don't try and analyze it, just go with it. And just remember, I'm a professional." he winks. "Don't try this at home."
Dirk grins and nods "I don't think it works at home." He keeps a close eye on Martin as he follows along.
RPG: Martin declares that he has the Finessed Shifting (PAT-FS) gift:
"Don't try this with anyone but Martin because--" Heulwen sighs and finds a dagger under her dress to support her claims of backing Martin up. "He's the only one that I know that isn't afraid to do this."
Robin permits the others to go ahead of him, and brings up the rear, keeping one eye fixed on Martin and another on the surroundings. The latter may prove to be a bad idea.
The road remains the only constant thing in the sense that it remains solid ground under one's feet or at least one hopes so. Everything else changes and these changes don't make sense at all. You walk past a stone that suddenly changes into a sponge ... with feet as you turn a corner ... then the sponge yaps at you like a manic chiwawa the next corner. The sky is never the same from one minute to the next. Sometimes blue, sometimes purple, sometimes there's eyes sometimes there's stars and sometimes you can reach out and grab a star for a quick light snack. The road goes ever on, cobblestone, sandstone, sand, brick, spongy and hard. At one point you're walking upside down, and another you're actually stuck to the road for a few minutes since it feels like jelly.
Heulwen glances toward Dirk, "You see what I mean?" but she is smiling
and so far she appears to be having a good time.
Dirk nods and is getting very quiet and self-protective. He is looking around just a little and is trying not to turn olive green. "Yes I do see what you mean? This is supposed to be fun?"
Heulwen mutters to Dirk, "... this... to lead... Did..."
Robin's none too comfortable, either, but he tries to retain a calm facade. Tension shows only in the way his eyes flick back and forth quickly from one bizarrity to another.
Eventually things become a little less Chaotic, still nonsensical but there are less changes. You walk through a set of cliffs that rise higher than the eye can see and seem to close behind you as you move forward almost as if you are being urged forward. You come out onto a flat plane of grass. It’s a wide, wide field, a prairie of some sort. When you pass into the field the orange sun glints from straight up in the sky. The funny thing is, there is no horizon. Behind you, the cliffs disappear and you stand alone in the middle of this field. With each other, but completely alone except for the cricket chirping. At least one hopes that is a cricket.
Heulwen appears confused, "Martin. Unless you need a bug, is this where you were looking for supplies?"
Dirk growls "I hate bugs."
Martin reaches into his jacket to pull out a flask and has a long sip. He breathes heavily from the effort of keeping control during that mess. "I gotta rest a sec." he wheezes. "We're here, and there's a city, you just can't see it yet."
Martin explains, "We're underneath it."
Robin glances all about, and then -- "/Underneath/, your Highness?" His head tilts up.
Heulwen doesn't see the city or the supplies but she nods to Martin and seems worried about him. "Do you need me to put together an inventory of the supplies before you move them?" Underneath? She cocks her chin back to look up at the sky.
Dirk says "Drinking Martin?"
Martin nods. "We're walking under it. I have to find a manhole. It's somewhere about here."
Martin says, "And no, this is water. No drinking while in Deep shadow."
Dirk nods "I have to learn how to do this so thanks for the rule."
Martin squints at Dirk again, gives him a 'huh ok' look. "We need to kick about the ground and find something that doesn't sound solid."
Robin appears, if anything, even more confused by this. "On the ground, your Highness? But your Highness said that we were underneath this city, if I do not recall incorrectly." All the same, he prods at the ground with a booted foot, warily.
RPG: Heulwen challenges a difficulty of 6, using her Wits. Heulwen succeeds.
Martin nods to Robin, "We are. Remember when I talked about laws and gravity last time? Trust me, we're underneath the city."
RPG: Dirk challenges a difficulty of 6, using his Wits plus STY-LK. Dirk succeeds.
RPG: Robin challenges a difficulty of 6, using his Wits. Robin succeeds.
Heulwen looks around as if the whole place were very odd. She inhales, "This is water?"
Martin grins at Heulwen, "You're catching on. Not sure what it is, but we can breathe it."
You paged Dirk with 'feel free to have dirk find the manhole.:)'.
Tap, tap goes Robin's boot on the ground. His brow furrows in confusion, all the more so when Martin remarks about the 'breathing'. "I shall have to try not to think too much about this," he says, more to himself than to anyone else.
Heulwen takes off her shows. Heels seem to be causing her a bit of problem with moving around freely. She frowns and looks up and then looks down. "Martin this place goes beyond weird."
Dirk kicks around and listens for the right sound. He starts to kick around and stumbles. He almost falls on his face since he's is totally focused on finding the manhole. He says "Haley can you come here?"
Martin takes this small break in time to rest. His brow is sweating a little. The effort to shift in these conditions takes a great deal out of a man, apparently. "Most of them are out here," he acknowledges Haley's comment and puts away his drink. To Robin he smiles, "I usually try and make sure that we can breathe, because otherwise would be a bitch." He eyes Dirk with a grin, "Awesome!"
Heulwen walks toward Dirk looking down at huh? "What the? Lir on a bike I thought you said the city was above us not below us, Martin?" She leans down next to Dirk to study the manhole cover.
Martin tells Heulwen, "I never said it was above us, I said we were underneath it."
Dirk says, "Sewers have insides and outsides too."
Heulwen frowns, "That doesn't make sense at all!" She looks up to the sky again as if she were demanding some reference point out of a mixed up, muddled up, cracked up world.
All that makes sense is the big glowing orange ball that is probably the sun.
"I can hardly disagree, my lady," Robin says. "Does this mean we shall need to push the cover -- down? Or pull it up?"
Dirk twists the handle and pushes it away from his feet. He doesn't try to make sense of anything. He just picked a direction.
Apparently, whatever Dirk did works. Huzzah! The manhole opens. There's a great gush of wind, accompanied by an exaggerated sound similar to what happens when you open a tub of Tupperware that has been sealed for a while.
Heulwen remains near Dirk trying to help him figure out the manhole and the gravity issue. "If we're underwater it doesn't mater if we are up or down--or wait...it does, doesn't it?"
Dirk shrugs "I don't know."
Dirk has partially disconnected.
Robin crosses over to join Dirk and Heulwen, peering down (up?) into the hole. "If we are uncertain of our reception, your Highness," he says, forthrightly, "I should be glad to volunteer to go through first, in case there might perhaps be some danger."
Heulwen shrugs and looks at Martin for directions. "First, last. I don't care."
Martin says, "Ok, in we go!" enthusiastically. He pokes his head into the manhole, "I don't think they're unfriendly, but by all means." he rights himself up or down as the case may be. "After you."
Martin said that to Robin
Robin, requiring no further encouragement, drops himself through -- or pushes himself through, however the gravity works out -- to see what might be laying on the far side.
Martin follows after Robin, happily moving up the rungs one by one.
Heulwen follows Martin to the other side. "In the rabbit hole?" She asks Dirk.
The top of the manhole is achieved quickly even in the tight space. It's not a difficult climb. Eventually you get to the top and see that there is another handle to push or pull to get out.
Dirk follows Martin and company and tries not to worry too much. He just flows along and says 'okay?" He doesn't sound too sure though.
Robin clings to the ladder with one hand, and, with the other, tries pushing up on the manhole cover to slide it aside. "It would seem we will be out again in a moment," he remarks.
The manhole is pushed open to a busy sidewalk. People are everywhere in this vast market square. The assault on the senses is almost overwhelming! The sky is black with night and sparkling stars but everyone is awake and in a hurry to do something by any means possible.
They hardly notice the person poking his head out of one of the city sewers.
The buildings are tall and spindly with lots of glass. The architecture is quite exquisite if you're insane. There are lamps that light the way and spectacular statues of all kinds. This would all be normal and happy if but for the fact that it appears roads and walkways have two sides to them and people who are walking right side up and upside down! It's a bizarre headache of shouting merchants, busy shoppers and speedy cars. The people here are human though tall and spindly looking. You are apparently walking right side up, at least you think so as you come out of the manhole. The only solid reference for this is that the sky is above you. "Robin, did we come up underneath the Market?" Martin asks hopefully.
Up being a relative term at the moment.
"I -- that is, so far as I can determine, it is not impossible, your Highness," Robin says, staring for a moment before it occurs to him to climb out and clear the way for the rest of the group. "But it is by no means certain."
Dirk watches his feet in order to keep himself from getting too sick as he appears in the upside down right side up.
Heulwen is used to swimming and pretty much adjusts as if things were just, very odd.
Martin pulls himself out of the manhole and staggers to his feet. The effects of gravity seem to be very strange in this place. He frowns, and digs a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Ok, we're looking for a store called... Mr Razoris Fantastic Fancies." He rubs his head, "Don't think to much, just keep close together. If my calculations are correct we have enough time to do our business before everything flips."
Dirk looks up at the buildings "This is unbelievable."
Heulwen laughs and repeats the title, "Fantastic Fancies?" She considers for a long moment, "Would you be annoyed if I stole that as the name for my shop?" She straightens her gown as she comes through and looks at the area.
Dirk is turning a weird colour, Its not green but its not normal either. "So this is shadow?"
"... flips," Robin echoes. That doesn't sound good. "Very good, my lord. 'Fantastic Fancies.' I shall see if it can be found."
Martin laughs at Heulwen, "I don't know." he glances at Dirk, "This is Deep Shadow, farther out than most people go. Simply because laws don't make a whole lot of sense and are more difficult to manage. I'm only just starting to be able to get through it but there's a lot more to learn. I think there's a directory somewhere." he rolls the paper back up and stuffs it into his pocket. "Try not to look around too much. The trick is to accept what you see and not analyze it."
"This is my first trip into shadow, I just barely walked the pattern." Dirk nods and blinks his eyes. "I'll take your word for it."
Martin stares at Dirk, "You just walked the pattern?" he shakes his head. "Sorry, man, trust me when I say this is not the way it's normally done. Should take it at a slower pace next time, yeah?"
Dirk nods "Yeah, I think so, yeah. No drinking either." He just looks a little freaked out. "I haven't had the time to learn how to walk shadow or anything."
Heulwen nods, "All right."
RPG: Robin challenges a difficulty of 7, using his Wits plus BLD-PT. Robin succeeds.
Heulwen adds, "Let's go get your supplies."
Dirk is not doing well right now. He is trying hard not to get sick as he is in over his head seriously.
Martin pats Dirk on the back, "At least we're walking right side up."
Dirk nods "I'd hate it if we weren't. This isn't the normal way shadow exists right?""
Heulwen says, "No, this is really messed up even for some of the places that Martin has taken me in the past."
Martin explains, "We have less control over shadow out here, and laws make little sense."
Robin makes his way through the market, peering this way and that in search of ... well, something informative. Only when he gets jostled around and spun in place by a hurrying passerby does he actually spot something. "Might that be it, perhaps?" he suggests, pointing.
Indeed, he has certainly found what might possibly be a map. At least it looks like a map, if you squint long enough at it, it might make sense.
And yes, there are words with names on it, some of them upside down and some right side up. They are in alphabetical order at least. "Excellent work!" he beams at Robin, "Do you see Fantastic Fancies on it?" Martin asks.
Dirk keeps his eyes on his feet as he walks around quietly. He follows Martin to the store.
Heulwen stops to put her shoes back on since they are walking more or less on normal ground now. She then jumps up to follow Robin, Martin and Dirk. Her dagger is concealed but never far from hand.
"... er ... perhaps ..." Robin pauses, cocks his head sideways, peers at the map a bit more. "Oh! There, your Highness," he says, indicating the spot.
Martin looks very pleased. "Oh ! Great! It's not that far away and it is on the right side. We should be able to get there if we hurry, before everything flips. It's only a couple of blocks away."
Dirk nods "How long before things flip."
Heulwen blinks, "What happens if everything flips, Martin?"
Martin says, "When the sun rises, we'll be walking upside down."
Robin asks, a bit uncertainly, "Walking, or falling, your Highness? Or perhaps it would be best not to find out. "
Martin smiles at Robin, "I think it's best that we don't find out. The Mayor said that we don't want to be caught on the wrong side or we can't ever get to where we want to go. Ok, lets hurry!" He starts to move in the direction of the store.
Dirk follows along and sighs "No problem with the hurring up."
Heulwen hurries as well, she sighs and looks to the people over head. "I'd rather not get caught here when the sun comes up. I hope you ordered in advance and everything is ready for delivery."
Martin says, "Everything is pre-ordered, apparently they do a lot of business with Crysallis every time they have an End of the World Party." He walks quickly through the market, trying not too look around too much either and keeping the directions Robin found on the map in mind. "It should be around here shortly. Ahah... that must be it." Indeed, how could it be anything else? You see before you a shop in the shape of a pyramid made of bricks with all different shades of blue. The sign glows pink "Fantastic Fancies!". There's an explosion of color on the animated sign every few minutes and another banner floating nearby advertises various sales.
Robin says, "So long as we can safely transport the merchandise out again, my lord, I should think so?"
Heulwen blinks, "We are going to have time to check the inventory against the purchases and confirm everything that you have ordered is indeed within the boxes and ready to be shipped? I'd seriously hate to have to come back here, Martin."
Martin nods to Robin, "We should be ok." he pulls out the paper he had stuffed in his pocket to Heulwen. "Here's the inventory." It's scrawled on the back of the crumpled paper.
Heulwen is used to sorting out Martin's hand writing she starts to transfer the list to a notepad as the walk toward the shop. She has a gold pen with musical notes and dancing Martins on the barrel.
Dirk asks "What kind of stuff you get?" He sounds curious.
Martin eyes the pen and sighs as he strides towards the store.
Robin follows along quietly, trying, with modest success, not to look too closely at his surroundings.
The interior of the store is thankfully... less odd than the exterior. People are walking normally in here,perhaps that has something to do with the revolving door you pass through. It's a store with several levels and a great deal of fantastic devices and artifacts. It's a bit like going into an antique store stuffed high with oddities. There's an old man at the counter who looks like he's been there for centuries himself.
Heulwen looks up from the inventory she is copying, "Martin are you making something to explode? This doesn't look like a very safe list of
things to transport through shadows."
Robin examines various things with his hands kept carefully behind his back; he doesn't touch /anything/, however inviting it might look.
Martin looks defensive, "I'd never try and blow anything up. Fireworks, Haley! That's what this stuff will produce. Fantastic, awesome fireworks. What kind of party is an end of the world party without great fireworks?"
Heulwen glares at Martin, she's started taking some of his statements very literally. "END OF THE WORLD PARTY??!" this makes her look up from the list.
This makes the old man perk up, "ah.." he moves slowly towards what looks like a small barrel. "You folks must be from Crysallis. Funny, we've had a harder time delivering lately." he shakes his head. "Trade isn't what it used to be. Roads all messed up.
Martin smiles at Heulwen, he uses his best smile he reserves for when he's trying to con someone into doing what he wants them to do. "Well, yes. You see, um. they're going to drown. It happens every millennia."
Heulwen asks as if it were a perfectly reasonable question, "Could we get people to run around kissing them so they don't drown?"
"A most pleasant way of avoiding drowning, my lady," Robin opines, "though perhaps manpower-intensive. Does the gift not wear off with time, as well?"
The old man wonders, "Who has the receipt?"
Heulwen passes the receipt to Martin, she's copied it now anyway.
Dirk looks at the stuff in the store and examines what he sees.
Martin takes the receipt and smiles at the old man who rings it up and gives him the barrel. "Thanks!" To Heulwen and Robin, he says, "I never thought about that, really. Sometimes with Deep Shadow it is nearly impossible to stop things from happening but I suppose we could give it a try."
Dirk wanders back. "What are we doing now?"
"Taking the case back with us." Martin grins at the shopkeeper. "Less anyone wants to pick up a souvenir."
Dirk says, "What is there to take with me?"
Heulwen laughs, "Maybe you could bring in some boats and they could save part of the civilization?"
Heulwen picks up a few odd items and adds them to the inventory and Martin's bill. She seems to expect he will pay for them.
Dirk wanders off and returns with a glowstick of sorts. Its a pink and purple glass tube with little sparkly purple stars in it. It glows a little.
Martin glances at Robin to see if he wants to add anything to the inventory.
Robin shakes his head, saying, "No, thank you, your Highness."
Martin makes all the purchases and takes the barrel. "Ok, we're done! That was easy, wasn't it?" he beams at everyone. "I guess you all want to take the short cut back to Amber, now, huh?" he fishes for trump cards.
Dirk nods "that would be nice."
Martin winks at Dirk, "Next time you go out, make sure to take it slow, don't try and do what I was doing."
Dirk says, "So how do you work the shadow shifting thing?"
Martin smiles, blithely, "With extreme caution. No drugs, no alcohol or you get fuzzy bunnies who talk to you." He finds his trump of Amber.
Heulwen blinks and starts to check the inventory, "And Red Bull and two headed dogs?" She seems satisfied they have what they purchased fairly quickly. She's organized. "You really should have taken me back to see the circus, Martin."
Dirk says, "I am gonna need someone to talk me through this."
Martin laughs, "No time lately. Ok, home we go." He lets folks look at his trump.
As you concentrate upon the Trump, the place depicted upon it slowly becomes more real.
**And back out of the rabbit hole**