From: John Proulx Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! Marshall T. Vandegrift wrote: > > "John mentioned that he's into music (right John?) but that he couldn't > sing very well. So, John, why don't you try singing something to happen? If > it works, great! If not, we can all cover our ears :-)." John smiles at this. "Well, let's see...my first name is John, my confirmation name was Thomas, so I suppose I could be a spellsinger..." He waits for groans from those who know the work of Alan Dean Foster. "Actually, I'm more of a poet than a musician. Still, it might be worth trying. Let's start with something relatively harmless." He begins reciting the lyrics to 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', first as a poem, then with melody. John Proulx ---------- From: Paul, Brett Subject: RE: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! >> "John mentioned that he's into music (right John?) but that he couldn't >> sing very well. So, John, why don't you try singing something to happen? > >"Actually, I'm more of a poet than a musician. Still, it might be worth >trying. Let's start with something relatively harmless." He begins >reciting the lyrics to 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', first as a poem, then >with melody. Everyone is momentarily entertained by your rendition of Mary H.a.L.L., but nothing extraordinary seems to happen. Sorry about not answering this earlier. - Brett ---------- From: Paul, Brett Subject: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! [Admin stuff: Forgive me if this post is a little less organized than usual. Seems that time is running away from me. Any volunteers to help me update my web page with the posts? It's falling a bit behind, and I could use the help. Also, I tried to stay out of your actual conversations as much as possible, to give them an opportunity to progress naturally. When I said: "Unable to stop his momentum, Jeff attacks the claw itself with a claw of his own." I didn't mean for you to think that Jeff's hand shapeshifted into that of a claw. It was just his hand in the shape of a claw, as you would see in sign language. Saif said: "X, do you think you could climb up the tower and get in through one of the windows?" I don't remember exactly, but I thought the lighthouse didn't have windows. Does anyone have that detail on hand? ] Brady tried some things: Detect evil on the coin To you, the coin does not give any "alignment." However, when you attempted this detection, you did feel a strange feeling, a tickling in your fingers, as though electrical current was flowing through them. It caused your hand to jump when you felt it, since it was a surprise. After Saif suggested "We might also want to try pouring a little of the blessed water on it." Brady tries this, but no effect is noticed. Brady (continued): I would like to attempt to comprehend what the sign is actually The sign is written in your language. [Rolling a general history proficiency check: 21/30] You seem to recall something about the seven wonders of the ancient world. One of those wonders is a lighthouse. This plaque's inscription is probably something referencing that legendary lighthouse. I would also like to try and comprehend the writing on the coins. The only writing on the coins is what was described as the "Arabic number 20." You don't recognize the person on the other side. I am hoping that God would be nice enough to tell me what it says while I skip the years of learning it would normally take. God helps those who help themselves. :) I will also bless a glass jar of water for each person to carry. I think it would be a handy thing to have. Noted. I will try to heal Jeff's hand and also any other injuries that came up in the battle. John would probably appreciate an attempt. You go to him, and try to heal his bruise. Nothing seems to happen, though. You don't notice any feelings of energy or surges of power. Along with the healing. I will watch to see if I start tiring. I will also go and pray for a little boost (i.e. levitation) to the top of the lighthouse. You pray for a boost, and you feel much happier afterward. You are still on the ground, though. I will also pray for a lifting of fatigue from Dana and Marshall. I'm sure sleeping will do wonders for them, which is what they did. After they woke up (some 10 hours later), they felt better. I inspect the door, push on it, and look for a lock. The wooden door is battered and cut in places. It won't budge. There is no lock on this side of the door. You seem to remember a bar on the inside that could be used to secure the door. After praying for a while (hour maybe two) and asking for direction on what God will allow me to do. Audible voice would be preferred method of communication God. God does not seem to have a voice. I will work on the boat and help fix it. At around 1:30, the boat is deemed seaworthy again. Jeff writes: With that I'll concentrate on changing shape. First, because of my experience on the boat, I'll try tiger You close your eyes to eliminate some measure of distraction as much as possible. You envision a tiger, proud and wild, in your mind. Suddenly, your mind swims, as though you are drunk. The world spins around you. Your arms and legs itch, then ache, then outright hurt! The pain grows more and more until it is nearly unbearable. You cry out, but cannot hear your own yelling. You feel your heart pounding in your chest, hear blood pulsing in your ears. Those looking on watch as your face reddens, then darkens to almost a purple color [maybe the color of a Dr. Pepper can]. Your arms stretch, your body elongates slightly. Gut wrenching sounds issue from your body as your bones pop and crack. After what feels like forever to you, the pain subsides and you begin to walk around on all fours. Your body is covered in striped fur. What clothes you were wearing are stretched, ripped, lying on the ground. You try to speak, but only hear the sound of a great cat growling low, deep in its chest. In elation, you let out a roar that nearly deafens your friends! [Now that you are in this form, let me know if there is anything you want to do before we proceed with your other attempts (I'll try smaller shapes and then larger... and then finally Some inanimate object.)] Saif wrote: I would like to try to see if I have ESP. I am going to wait for Brady's answer to your proposal before I let you know what happens with this. Fair? Dana wrote: What kind of animal life did we see here, anyway? Sea birds, mostly. Seagulls seem to like standing around on the jetty during the day. There is a mouse in the house that you saw after you started looking. I'll try to communicate with them and see if any of them have found more shiny things buried in the sand. You attempt to establish communication with the creature. It scurries around normally, seeming not to notice you. Then, it disappears into a small hole in the wall. I'll try the same thing with any birds that look like they nest on the island. The ones by the jetty are a good bet, so I'll assume you went over to them to try this out. Sitting serenely on the rocks, they don't seem to notice your approach. As you get nearer, they look at you (which ruffles the feathers on their heads, since they were facing into the wind before). They notice how close you are and take flight immediately, calling out the way seagulls do. We have found no evidence of her demise or injury (right Mr. GM?) Correct, at least at this point. I'll go try to find some flowers that we can toss into the ocean in her memory and hopes for her safe arrival somewhere else. You don't find anything more than dune grass. :) Saif wrote: If nobody is able to get into the lighthouse after about 3 hours, Saif will help to chop down the door. I'll give you a little more time to try things before this event. Talking of plans of the future: Brady wrote: "I really would like to stick around the island and see what those undead are after. If I knew that a circle of protection would keep them at bay I would push for staying here, as it is, I would probably leave." Greg wrote: "Okay, now who has the hatchet. Maybe we can chop through the lighthouse door and find out what happened to the light." Saif answered: "I still have the hatchet, but I think we should destroy the door only as a last resort. If we do end up stuck on this island another night the lighthouse seems like the most defensible place, but that would be compromised if the door was busted." Greg said: "Personally, I'd like to get the thing together and get off this island before nightfall, and hopefully away from an area where more giant crabs can try to find the meat inside the boat's hull. Oh, and how deep is the draft on the boat again?" The draft is about three feet. Dana wrote: I'd tend to agree that staying on the island is inviting trouble. I'm not sure we could do much to fight off all those undead sailors effectively. I had a thought about soaking the ground in some area, running the wiring into it, and luring the bad guys onto it in the hopes of electrocuting them. Then again, going back out onto the sea brings its own hazards. Of course, if we leave before it gets dark, especially if we leave before 9pm or so, we should be well on our way to the other shoreline before the big bad ship comes huffing at our boat again. Marshall wrote: "Since I'm already sleeping [snore :-) ] I'll just go ahead and sleep while the boat is being repaired. Then, while just about everyone else is sleeping, I'll augment the normal wind to get us where ever we're going as fast as possible. By the way, where are we going?" [I'm still not sure if you want to leave the island or if you want to stay overnight again. It seems the tendency is towards leaving once the boat is ready, but I don't really have enough information to assume anything. To this point, John and Greg have not discovered any new abilities, if I remember correctly. Also, Marshall seems to be focused on controlling the wind. I encourage you to keep trying new things, but remember, you try them at your own risk. :) I can't really say much in the line of new stuff, since it's only about 1:30 pm game time, and you have to decide what you want to do at this point. Keep the talk up, though. It's been very enjoyable. I just don't want to drag you along in my story. This is everyone's story! :) - Brett] ---------- From: Jeff Willis[SMTP:thor@bji.net] Subject: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! >In elation, you let out a roar that >nearly deafens your friends! I'm assuming I can't talk in this form... correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, after running around the island a few times, I'll try and turn back... then assuming I'm successful with that I'll try things like small bird and something larger, like horse? But the first thing I'll try is to mimic someone... with their permission of course... Dana perhaps... seems like enough of a difference to me. :) Then as a last resort, I'll try just changing a part of my body, like my hand to a mace then a claw (Just in case I can't do inanimate objects. If there is time (i.e. we stay the night, I'll try something more inanimate, like a chair or something... :) Of course, I'll pace myself...don't want to get stuck as a chair. *grin* ---------- From: Saif[SMTP:saif@xmission.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! > Detect evil on the coin > To you, the coin does not give any "alignment." However, when you > attempted this detection, you did feel a strange feeling, a tickling in > your fingers, as though electrical current was flowing through them. It > caused your hand to jump when you felt it, since it was a surprise. Saif sighs and tosses the coin he was carrying in with the others (as I recall they were on the beach somewhere). > In elation, you let out a roar that > nearly deafens your friends! Saif looks at Tigger and shakes his head. "Now _THAT_ is impressive!" > Saif wrote: > I would like to try to see if I have ESP. > I am going to wait for Brady's answer to your proposal before I let > you know what happens with this. Fair? Perfectly. Say, any chance I could try my ESP on the GM and figure out what other latent powers we might be hiding? ;) > We have found no evidence of her demise or injury (right Mr. GM?) > Correct, at least at this point. Saif shakes his head. "I hate to point this out, but the last place we suspect Cassandra of being was in the lighthouse. I can't remember for sure (must be lack of sleep) but didn't she ring a bell or start the light or something like that to distract the zombies as we made our get away? Also, and this is the clincher, the lighthouse is barred from the inside. That means somebody is in there, and the fact that the door is still secured suggests to me that it is Cassandra rather than zombies." > [I'm still not sure if you want to leave the island or if you want to > stay overnight again. It seems the tendency is towards leaving Saif wants to leave. > on controlling the wind. I encourage you to keep trying new things, but > remember, you try them at your own risk. :) Saif walks up to the door of the lighthouse. He closes his eyes and tries to envision the room beyond from his memory, then he tries to actually "see" the room. After that (whether it works or not) he will try to "hear" into the room. If he can see, he'll check out the bar across the door. After a few deep breaths he tries to move the bar up out of the brackets, just enough that he can then push the door the rest of the way open. Saif ---------- From: John D. Proulx[SMTP:dewelar@ix.netcom.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! Paul, Brett wrote: > > > Saif said: > "X, do you think you could climb up the tower and get in through > one of the windows?" > I don't remember exactly, but I thought the lighthouse didn't have > windows. Does anyone have that detail on hand? ] I don't know about windows, but there is a way in...and I quote: "After about half an hour, the man hanging from a rope on the lighthouse has climbed all the way to the top again and negotiated his way inside." > You seem to recall something about the seven > wonders of the ancient world. One of those wonders is a lighthouse. > This plaque's inscription is probably something referencing that > legendary lighthouse. > That would be the Lighthouse at Saros, which was on an island in the Mediterranean. (No, I didn't look it up :) ) > I will try to heal Jeff's hand and also any other injuries that came up > in the battle. > John would probably appreciate an attempt. You go to him, and try > to heal his bruise. Nothing seems to happen, though. You don't notice > any feelings of energy or surges of power. Not having received an answer about the boat, John has wandered off to one side and is working on writing a memorial poem (I did actually write something, should there be a service. I wrote it in the span of about 10 minutes during a severe thunderstorm we had here about 2AM Thursday.) When Brady approaches, John gives him a quick glance, eyebrow raised (his glasses are hanging from one temple on his sweatshirt), and permits him to make the attempt with a nod. He immediately returns to his pad. Saif said: > Saif shakes his head. "I hate to point this out, but the last place we > suspect Cassandra of being was in the lighthouse. I can't remember for > sure (must be lack of sleep) but didn't she ring a bell or start the light > or something like that to distract the zombies as we made our get away? > Also, and this is the clincher, the lighthouse is barred from the inside. > That means somebody is in there, and the fact that the door is still > secured suggests to me that it is Cassandra rather than zombies." By this time, the poem is as complete as it's going to get, so John rouses himself and replaces his glasses. Hearing Saif's remarks, he says "If she is indeed in there, I would think she would have contacted us if she was able. Since she hasn't, I would guess one of three things has happened. She has either secreted herself in some corner we have not yet discovered in which she is unaware of the departure of the zombies, disappeared and returned home, or has been injured or killed and is unable to respond. If the last is true, I think it is imperative that we get into that lighthouse, _now_. I don't think we have those three hours you wanted, Saif." Having spoken his peace, he turns to find himself confronted by the party's new feline (fellinoid?) friend, to which he responds with a very intelligent 'GAAAAAHHHH!!!!' and dives behind the nearest cover. "What the devil is that?" Note: When I'm writing, I tend to go into an almost meditative state from which almost nothing will rouse me. That roar probably registered somewhere in my subconscious, but not all the way down. John Proulx ---------- From: Adequis@aol.com[SMTP:Adequis@aol.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! Wow, I definitively went for about .5 out of 5 huh... well, try try again. Uhm.... I will say a funeral rite after we figure out if she is in the Lighthouse or not. I will definitely leave. It is the smarter thing to do, but if we ended up staying I would try a few things like a Circle of Protection and stuff like that. Tiger! nice tiger, nice tiger... Uhm, like really cool!!!!! Can you turn into a bird and FLY into the light house carrying and end of my rope? (That way you could tie it at the top, it will reach the ground not doubled over. then I or somebody could climb up and inspect it in force instead of singularly) Brady ---------- From: Paul, Brett Subject: Bamf [14] Wherever shall we go? Saif wrote: Saif wants to leave. Brady wrote: I will definitely leave. There is the land mass to the north, and one to the west. From here, they do not appear to be connected to each other. All clues that you can get from the island indicate that the mass to the west is larger. Either direction will take you probably half a day to get back to land. I believe that when you were talking about leaving earlier, you wanted to go west, so at this point, I will assume that is the direction you will be heading when you leave the island this time. If that is not what you want, *ahem* "Speak now or forever hold your peace." (Had to throw that in... I'm getting married in 68 days... not that I'm counting. :-) ) New stuff tomorrow. But don't let that stop you from talking... :) - Brett ---------- From: Saif[SMTP:saif@xmission.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! > Tiger! nice tiger, nice tiger... Uhm, like really cool!!!!! Can you turn > into a bird and FLY into the light house carrying and end of my rope? Excellent idea. Saif ---------- From: Paul, Brett Subject: RE: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! >>a tiger, proud and wild > >I'm assuming I can't talk in this form... correct me if I'm wrong. You assume correctly. >Anyway, after running around the island a few times, I'll try and turn >back... then assuming I'm successful with that I'll try things like small >bird and >something larger, like horse? But the first thing I'll try is to mimic >someone... with their permission of course... Dana perhaps... seems like >enough of a difference to me. :) Then as a last resort, I'll try just >changing a part of my body, like my hand to a mace then a claw (Just in >case I can't do inanimate objects. If there is time (i.e. we stay the >night, I'll try something more inanimate, like a chair or something... :) >Of course, I'll pace myself...don't want to get stuck as a chair. *grin* While your mind races through all the possibilities that you can change into, your body is much less willing to comply. After running around the island a few times, feeling the wind rushing over your sleek feline body, you prepare yourself for the excruciatingly painful experience of changing form. You concentrate on your own appearance as you begin to concentrate, wanting to force your body to bend and stretch as it had before. You begin to feel the pain build in your body, and you focus more closely on your mental image of yourself. You can feel your skin being pushed into a different form, a familiar form, a human form. Cracking noises issue from your body as you change shape. You feel the process shifting in ways you cannot control. The pain blinds your vision. Your body is exhausted. The changes slow, and finally stop. When the pain is gone, you look around to take in your surroundings, and find yourself on all fours in the sand, naked, and back in the familiar form of yourself. You collapse into the sand, your muscles fatigued near failure. With the metamorphosis complete, your friends help you to your feet and collect your clothes. After dressing and resting for a few moments, some strength seems to have returned to you, and you are able to walk around without assistance. It will be a while (and quite possibly a meal) before you think you will have the strength to attempt changing shape again. - Brett ---------- From: Animalz@aol.com[SMTP:Animalz@aol.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] Where to go My vote is for going west to the land mass there. I think if we can go tonight, that would be best. Maybe Jeff can shift into something that can see in the dark, a giant bat for instance, and guide us into the night. Or I can try communicating with the fish or night birds to help keep us on the right path, so to speak. I'll definitely try to communicate with Jeff while he is in tiger form or any other animal form he mutates into. At least then if he gets stuck that way, we'll have some way of talking to him. Brady might try to produce a holy light - it may not do much good beyond the immediate area, but its light. If we do get caught by the ghosts again, the his light may scare them off or keep them at bay momentarily. Dana ---------- From: Animalz@aol.com[SMTP:Animalz@aol.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! > >a tiger, proud and wild Here, kitty, kitty. :) Hey, that was really cool!!! But I bet it hurt like hell. (Anyone else see An American Werewolf in London?) > >I'm assuming I can't talk in this form... correct me if I'm wrong. > You assume correctly. I will attempt to talk to our fine furry friend. I especially want to know if Jeff is still in there or if he is entirely in tiger mode. If so, I want to make sure he doesn't think any of us would make a dandy dinner for one. > When the pain is gone, you look around to take in your surroundings, and > find yourself on all fours in the sand, naked, and back in the familiar > form of yourself. Don't worry, Jeff, I won't look much. :) Not like I haven't seen naked cats before, y'know? :) > You collapse into the sand, your muscles fatigued near failure. Okay, so it seems like a great effort with our newfound powers can realy drain us physically. I'm hoping this will get easier with time and experience. In the mean time we should experiment with trying different things relating to what we think we can do. It also seems like each of us has some ability related to some special interest or occupation in our real life. (Yes, I know, someone else already made that point.) Some "daydream" ability or "what if you were your favorite RPG character". I know Brady has a fondness for playing paladins, I have an interest in animals, Saif with psionics, etc. We need to pool our resources just like we did at the beginning of this adventure with our material possessions. So who have we not figured out yet? John? Greg? Come on guys, tell us your deepest darkest desires. :) But seriously, if you could do anything, what would you be able to do?? Dana ---------- From: Marshall T. Vandegrift[SMTP:marsh@intrlink.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] Where to go At 01:07 22-07-97 -0400, Dana wrote: >My vote is for going west to the land mass there. I think if we can go >tonight, that would be best. Maybe Jeff can shift into something that can >see in the dark, a giant bat for instance, and guide us into the night. Or I >can try communicating with the fish or night birds to help keep us on the >right path, so to speak. I'll definitely try to communicate with Jeff while >he is in tiger form or any other animal form he mutates into. At least then >if he gets stuck that way, we'll have some way of talking to him. > >Brady might try to produce a holy light - it may not do much good beyond the >immediate area, but its light. If we do get caught by the ghosts again, the >his light may scare them off or keep them at bay momentarily. "This sounds like a pretty good plan to me. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I can help too by bringing a wind if no natural one is available." Marshall T. Vandegrift (mailto:marsh@intrlink.com) ---------- From: Marshall T. Vandegrift[SMTP:marsh@intrlink.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! Sure, I'll try learning something new: During the day, I'd tries to some other things the same way I call the wind. First, I'd like to try causing a small cloud to form. If that works, how about making it rain? If that works too, I'd like to try a controlled lightning strike at the far end of the island. "Look out everybody!" Then I'd like to see if I can make the waves higher, pull the water farther in, etc. Then, going back to the wind, I'd like to see if I can lift myself up the same way I did the sail. "It's a bird, no it's a plane, no it's falling..." Since I don't want to get too tired, that's all I'll do for now. Marshall T. Vandegrift (mailto:marsh@intrlink.com) ---------- From: Marshall T. Vandegrift[SMTP:marsh@intrlink.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! At 01:08 22-07-97 -0400, Dana wrote: >It also seems like each of us has some ability related to some special >interest or occupation in our real life. (Yes, I know, someone else already >made that point.) Some "daydream" ability or "what if you were your favorite >RPG character". I know Brady has a fondness for playing paladins, I have an >interest in animals, Saif with psionics, etc. We need to pool our resources >just like we did at the beginning of this adventure with our material >possessions. So who have we not figured out yet? John? Greg? Come on guys, > tell us your deepest darkest desires. :) But seriously, if you could do >anything, what would you be able to do?? "John mentioned that he's into music (right John?) but that he couldn't sing very well. So, John, why don't you try singing something to happen? If it works, great! If not, we can all cover our ears :-)." Marshall T. Vandegrift (mailto:marsh@intrlink.com) ---------- From: Jeff Willis[SMTP:thor@bji.net] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! >> When the pain is gone, you look around to take in your surroundings, and >> find yourself on all fours in the sand, naked, and back in the familiar >> form of yourself. > >Don't worry, Jeff, I won't look much. :) Not like I haven't seen naked cats >before, y'know? :) "Heh... if there's one thing I'm not it's modest..." I grin broadly. "Don't worry about embarrassing me." ---------- From: John D. Proulx[SMTP:dewelar@ix.netcom.com] Subject: Re: Bamf [14] You learn something new every day! Marshall T. Vandegrift wrote: > > "John mentioned that he's into music (right John?) but that he couldn't > sing very well. So, John, why don't you try singing something to happen? If > it works, great! If not, we can all cover our ears :-)." > John smiles at this. "Well, let's see...my first name is John, my confirmation name was Thomas, so I suppose I could be a spellsinger..." He waits for groans from those who know the work of Alan Dean Foster. "Actually, I'm more of a poet than a musician. Still, it might be worth trying. Let's start with something relatively harmless." He begins reciting the lyrics to 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', first as a poem, then with melody. John Proulx