Bleeding in the Eye of a Brainstorm

Rolzup wrote:

The singer raises a hand and scowls a little, making a gesture that clearly means, "Hey, we're making music here, asshole!", and follows it with another gesture to indicate "Just wait a minute, okay, dickhead?"

She's got remarkably eloquent hands.

The top of Artichoke's head promptly turns a little pink, but he says nothing.

Quote :

The music draws to a close, the dancers bow/curtsy to each other, and the flautist steps forward with a broad grin to clasp Artichoke's hand. "Tiddy Mun, sir, at yer service. Pleasure to meet you, and that's a fact! What brings you to this fine brainpan, if I may be so bold as to ask?

Artichoke shakes the man's hand firmly, at least partly to ascertain that he's actually physically there. Then he says non-commitally, "Mostly passing through on some work," before asking, "Do you know where you are?"

Tiddy considers the question for a moment, noisily sucking his teeth.

The others are sitting together and quietly talking, the drumer passing a cigarette of some sort back and forth with the female dancer.

"It's an interesting question, that," he admits. "By which I mean, I don't know the man's name, or anything, so in that sense, I've not the foggiest.

"But if you're asking me, do I know that we're currently living...well, dwelling, I suppose, in some fellow's memories? I do indeed, and he's been a gracious host, sure as sure! Left the doors open, and the welcome mat out, and we've been happy and comfortable here, I don't mind saying! Better than being a bodiless shade, any damn day of the week!"

He gives Artichoke a wink, contuing, "But what doesn't, eh? Eh?"

Rolzup wrote:

"It's an interesting question, that," he admits. "By which I mean, I don't know the man's name, or anything, so in that sense, I've not the foggiest.

"But if you're asking me, do I know that we're currently living...well, dwelling, I suppose, in some fellow's memories?

Ah, so they know. Fascinating.

Quote :

I do indeed, and he's been a gracious host, sure as sure! Left the doors open, and the welcome mat out, and we've been happy and comfortable here, I don't mind saying! Better than being a bodiless shade, any damn day of the week!"

He gives Artichoke a wink, contuing, "But what doesn't, eh? Eh?"

Artichoke smiles back. "Certainly. But now I'm really curious," he adds honestly, "Did you just materialize out of his memories, or did you travel here somehow? And how long have you all been here? We've only been here for a few hours, I think, and we've already met a number of dangerous creatures that we had to fight. Have you had no such experiences?"

OOC: Question for you, John - what was the precise job Hidimba gave the PCs? Did he want them to eliminate everything 'living' they found in his mind or just the demons that were plaguing him? And was there any particular location(s) he told them to especially clean out?

shilsen wrote:

Artichoke smiles back. "Certainly. But now I'm really curious," he adds honestly, "Did you just materialize out of his memories, or did you travel here somehow? And how long have you all been here? We've only been here for a few hours, I think, and we've already met a number of dangerous creatures that we had to fight. Have you had no such experiences?"

Tiddy Mun tugs on his ear and thinks. "I was running from...something," he says slowly. "Dunno what, but it didn't mean me no good. Not much does, when you're all ghosty, eh? But I could see...well, not see, not with my eyes like, but not notseeing...that there was somewhere safe I could go, somewhere I was welcome. Ish."

He shrugs, cheerfully. "And here I be. Put out the call," he raises his flute and spins it a few times, "Got the band back together, and we've been here since. Time's a funny thing here, so I ain't saying how long, but it's not been any too long for my tastes.

"And the neighbors? Sure, some are a little...um. Unneighborly? But there's ways to deal with that sort. 'Music hath charms, and all that' eh?"

shilsen wrote:

OOC: Question for you, John - what was the precise job Hidimba gave the PCs? Did he want them to eliminate everything 'living' they found in his mind or just the demons that were plaguing him? And was there any particular location(s) he told them to especially clean out?

Everything, in the words of the philosopher, Must Go. The presence of all these foreign psyches is throwing his humours out of balance, and thus endangering his life.

At least, that's what Hidimba told you. And no specfic locations were mentioned, other than the tower.

Rolzup wrote:

Tiddy Mun tugs on his ear and thinks. "I was running from...something," he says slowly. "Dunno what, but it didn't mean me no good. Not much does, when you're all ghosty, eh? But I could see...well, not see, not with my eyes like, but not notseeing...that there was somewhere safe I could go, somewhere I was welcome. Ish."

He shrugs, cheerfully. "And here I be. Put out the call," he raises his flute and spins it a few times, "Got the band back together, and we've been here since. Time's a funny thing here, so I ain't saying how long, but it's not been any too long for my tastes.

"And the neighbors? Sure, some are a little...um. Unneighborly? But there's ways to deal with that sort. 'Music hath charms, and all that' eh?"

"Makes sense to me." Odanais stops strumming, lays down his mandolin, pulls out one of the bottles of Hidimba's wine, pops the cork, takes a gulp, and then passes the bottle around to Tiddy and his friends. "This place is most fine, well stocked, and conveniently hidden."

He sits down on the ground and makes himself comfortable. "There's only one problem. The mind may be fine... but the body is a-dying."

He pauses to let his words sink in. "Doctors give him less than a week to live. Old Hidimba... that's the guy's name, by the by... he has some... greedy family members. They hired us to go into his mind here and find out where the guy hid all his money, so that his wealth isn't lost when his body dies. A dangerous job... as I'm sure you've noticed the place is already starting to fall apart... but we'll be well paid if we can get the info and escape before his heart stops."

Odanais gets a concerned look on his face. "Huh... I guess that'll sort of evict you folks as well, eh?"

Bluff: 27

The member ''gridley'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 11

Artichoke nods as Odanais speaks, noting with professional appreciation how persuasive the arcanist's tone and words are. Damn - he's good! I wonder how much of what he's told us is a lie. But that's a question for another day. "Yes," says Artichoke, "And pretty permanently too, I guess."

OOC: Aid Another to Odanais. He has a +10 bonus and succeeds automatically, bumping Odanais to a 29.

Yatagan mumbles something affirming Odanais's words.

Aid another: Yatagan's +9 so he can't fail, either. +2 to Odanais's Bluff.

Tiddy Mun rocks back on his heels, clearly shaken.

"Well," he says. "Well, well, well. That's a surprise, it surely is. "And here I thought we were keeping the old fellow alive! Isn't that what we were doing?" he asks, turning to the dancers. "Wasn't that the plan, and all?"

"Without question," replies the man, and "Absolutely!" adds the woman in an indignant tone. "We're dancing his heartbeat, we are, keeping it strong and sure. Without us, why, he'd have been dead months ago!"

Tiddy shakes his head sadly. "All that for nought? it's a shame, and no mistake. But I tell you, friend, if we stop now? For more than a breather, I mean? He'll drop dead 'fore the hour is out."

He taps his chin, and looks thoughtfully into the distance. "Tell you what, friend. Let's make us a bargain. We'll keep playing, keep this Heedoomba alive, and you do your job. And then we'll leave, sure, without trouble.

"If!", he raises one long finger, "IF you can find us somewhere else to go." He takes a step forward and uses that same finger to tap Odanais's forehead. "Can't help noticing that you folk are all young, strong, and still among the quick. Surely each of you could accommodate one of us, right? We'd be pleasant and considerate guests, always ready with a tune...."

He grins at Odanais. "What do you say, friend?"

OOC: Insight check. Which sucks. Okay, I got a 14. John, do I get any indication that any of them are lying?

And can someone else please do better?

The member ''shilsen'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 6

"No, I don't think so," says Odanais, lighting up another cigar. "See, I've got more than enough going on inside my head as it is. Same all around, really."

Odanais takes a long puff of the cigar, reveling in the smugness-enriching fumes. "However, maybe there's something we can work out. We're the kind of folks who make a lot of enemies. In fact, we have a whole house full on next week's agenda. Perhaps we could set you up in one or more of their heads?"

Insight (to see just how much they're counter lying): 28

The member ''gridley'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 19

Mun seems entirely sincere.

Of course, so does Odanais, so....

gridley wrote:

"However, maybe there's something we can work out. We're the kind of folks who make a lot of enemies. In fact, we have a whole house full on next week's agenda. Perhaps we could set you up in one or more of their heads?"

The flautist strokes his chin. "Well, they'd have to be willing, see? Else, that'd be possession, and that's just asking for trouble. 'Sides, it's none too easy occupying a hostile mind. Or so I hear."

"Interesting," says Odanais, letting Zappa out for a little exercise. The weasel climbs up his shoulder and casts a quizzical look at all the new people around her. "So did Hidimba here invite you in then? Or did you just happen to find him on a day when the back door of his mind was left open by mistake?"

OOC: Since it's relevant, John sent me this over a PM: "There are, as noted two small hills. Upon one, several members of the band are seated. The other, smaller, hill is unoccupied. But Christabel notices, as Odanais babbles away, that the smaller hill?

It's breathing. And as she stares at it, a very large and very yellow eye opens for a moment, looks about, and then closes a few seconds later."

IC: After watching the strange hill for a few moments, Christabel decides to interrupt Odanais' conversation with the musicians. "Wait, wait. Look over there," she says, pointing to the hill with one hand and jabbing Artichoke in the arm with another. Have I... seen or heard of something like that before? she ponders, taking a moment to try and identify the creature.

OOC: Nature check, if that works. Ehr. 17! I forgot that I can take 10 in non-combat situations. May I do that instead? If so, then I have a 23.

The member ''Christabel'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 4

gridley wrote:

"Interesting," says Odanais, letting Zappa out for a little exercise. The weasel climbs up his shoulder and casts a quizzical look at all the new people around her. "So did Hidimba here invite you in then? Or did you just happen to find him on a day when the back door of his mind was left open by mistake?"

"The whole place was left open, in a way. Hard to explain it using words, you know? But the fellow's mind is very...welcoming, like. Most folks, they don't want visitors. But this Hoodeemba, he was inviting all and sundty in for a stay. Not with words but with...hell, I dunno what you'd call it. Something."

Christabel wrote:

"Wait, wait. Look over there," she says, pointing to the hill with one hand and jabbing Artichoke in the arm with another. Have I... seen or heard of something like that before? she ponders, taking a moment to try and identify the creature.

Tiddy Mun follows her gesture and chuckles. "Ah, that. No worries, m'lady!" He stoops to pick up a small rock, which he throws underhand at the "hill". "Up, Brom! Stir those lazy bones!"

The creature heaves itself to its feet with a rumbling groan. What looked like sod and soil reveals itself to be fur and feathers, adorning the hide of a truly enormous beast that rears up, stretches it's arms/wings to the sky, and opens its beak in a long yawn.



An Owlbear, Christabel realizes. Obviously.

"He's a hanger-on," Tiddy Mun says fondly. "Tries to sing a bit, but he's absolute rubbish. Still and all, he's surprisingly pleasant company."

Artichoke's hand drops to his sword-hilt at Christabel's warning, and he half-draws it as the owlbear makes its appearance. Crap! Only when he's certain that it's not about to attack does he sheathe the sword.

Making sure to stay some distance from the huge beast, he says thoughtfully, "I'm not sure whether your music is keeping Hidimba alive or not, so I recommend you keep going. We should explore a bit further and ascertain the situation here," making sure to speak mostly the truth. "Do you by any chance know where any other dangerous creatures, for example the troublesome neighbours you mentioned, can be found? We should do a little cleaning up here, since I believe they might be the reason this place is falling apart, and I certainly don't want it to do so while we're here."

"How would you like to be angels?" asks Yatagan suddenly. "We could use muses, spirits of the divine that inspire our worshipers to dance and raise a joyful noise." The paladin's voice begins to acquire that unmistakable convincing tone.

"You see we represent the Port's newest faith. We are it's Elders, evangelists, knights both clerical and militant, it's proprietors, if you will. Which means we having a willing flock, who would gratefully welcome the temporary indwelling of a few tuneful spirits who represent the god's grace. Music is the voice of god, is it not? But of course it is!"

Which means we should be able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement" Yatagan smiles at the musicians. "Providing we can extricate ourselves from this soon-to-crumble Memory Palace".

OOC: Diplomacy: 27

rolling...

The member ''Mallus'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 2

re-rolling, using Choker's Daily power...

The member ''Mallus'' has done the following action : Dice Roller

''d20'' : 13