Alternate Realities, Portal Xanadu From: lev0@tank.uchicago.edu (Ron Levy ) Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1990 00:22:34 +0000 Any number of things have befallen our protagonists since last we left them in their numerous situations. We'll go through them one by one. Hachiro and Princess Kajiko excused themselves after the High Court to partake of the night air in flight. What with their coy dinner conversation and the fact that their tails were entwined all throughout dinner, one thing quickly led to another, and a romantic mating flight ensued. Upon landing at a private terrace, Hachiro made his move. "Kajiko-san, I must tell you something, for it is weighing down upon me heavily. These last few days in your presence have meant a great deal to me. (Oops, or is that the last day with you...never mind) Kajiko, it has been a long time since I have been to the capitol of our fair land, so I am unaware of a lot of current happenings. I would like to request if it is possible for such a humble warrior as myself to become one of your suitors. I would like to stay here and do what I can in your service, but my Duty calls and I must go and help this team in the name, or should I say, Not in the name of the Golden Realm and the Kingdom of Xanadu. Kajiko, I have always cared a lot for you, and after our flight last it made me come to the realization that I must do everything within my power to make us as one, to make you my fiance. I am sorry if I am out of place, and if you wish I shall commit seppuku at once, but I needed to say this." Hachiro says this on one knee, with head lowered, as is appropriate to a warrior speaking to a Princess. Kajiko looks suprised, honored and shocked. She says "I am flattered. But I must depart for the Golden Realm now, and raise the armies for what is to come. I shall confer with the proper people while I am there." (She means of course that she will have to consult the Empress Joo-sama, her mother, and Hachiro's family. Hachiro's family will almost certainly accept, for Kajiko is the heir to the throne.) Kajiko continues, "But of you I require an oath, in service to me. My order is that I do not give you permission to die without my leave Do you accept?" Hachiro knows the meaning of this oath, and that is to die in any way, whether in battle or at his own hand, is to disobey, and lose all honor. Hachiro rises to his feet, feeling like a hatchling, and the words coming from him sound all wrong. I can't believe how lucky a Dragon I am! Drat, but I don't feel like a warrior, I feel like a little Nestling inside, with a nervous stomach. I better put down these feelings fast though, they might be thought of as a sign of weakness. I wonder what is causing them though.... I step back from her and slowly and respectfully draw my Katana from it sheath, keeping the blade towards me the entire time. I hold the handle in my right hand which is upturned and open, and lay the blade across my left palm, and I slowly lower myself back to one knee; but this time, I look at her face. "Kajiko, I give you my word as a member of the Kaminari Clan, as A Warrior of the Golden Realm, and on my sword, that I, Hachiro Kasura will not die without your leave. I shall not commit Seppuku without your leave, In combat, I shall not allow myself to die. I swear that I shall stay alive and return to you. All the Gods, they could not sever us. I also pledge to you my undying love, and swear there shall never be another. This I swear, and seal it with my own lifes fluid." I slightly lift the Katana and draw the blade across the back of my left arm, very lightly so as only to draw a little blood. I then return the Katana to its scabbard and stand. "Kajiko, all this I swear to you, and anything else you wish. I am at your command, and shall do as you request. I can only hope that the glory to be gained in these coming days shall be enough to prove myself in Joo-sama's eyes, so that our union can come to pass. For I do not know what would happen to me if we were not allowed to be with each other. These coming days shall be the hardest, not being by your side. But I shall come back to you, with my hopes for our future." "I only ask of you a favor, to carry with me in the days ahead, to remind me of your beauty and my love. I hope that I have not exceeded my place Kajiko-san. And as always, I am at your command." Hachiro approaches, and they embrace tightly. The oath is accepted, and words of parting are spoken. Duty calls, and Kajiko must fly to the east. Hachiro watches the sky for a while, watching the point where Kajiko has flown to. I can feel the emotional turmoil building up inside. My oath would be a most difficult one to keep in the days ahead, but now I know that I must not fail, or else I shall shame my self and my family. I must not allow myself the comfort of death. How could I even consider death, when I now have so much to live for? Never in all my days as a young drake did I imagine that I should one day be oath bound to Kajiko, a member of the royal blood! My luck seems to be great. Kajiko seems to love me almost as much as I love her. Though she hides it well, as she must, as the heir. She must be strong in the days to come, and I can only hope that she can convince Joo-sama of my worth as a suitor. I must hold up my end and try and find a way to really do something great for our kingdom, so that Joo-sama will have no choice but to see my worth. Oh well, I must deal with the problems at hand now. I believe the final meeting should be starting up soon, and Plume doesn't appear to be the sort of gryphon who likes to be kept waiting. I better get myself in gear and get to the meeting. (Looking down at my hand) Hmm, better do something about this bleeding too. Hachiro cleans his sword, washes the wound and puts a cloth on it, and strides off to the meeting with that confidence-bordering-on-arrogance that only a true Samurai can walk with. Dorian is 'occupied' for the night with Lady Shosharra. Morgan and Casha spend their night behind closed doors, in their interconnecting rooms. Melanie and Ecrylion Farlasa actually sleep through the night, strangely enough, safe in the palace. All six of them arrive promptly at the strategy meeting. Earlier tonight, Viento was awoken by the fact that his whole bedroom seemed to be moving downwards, and slightly to the left, and that there was somehow a second door in the room, which hadn't been there before. There is a knock at the new door. In response, Viento grabs his nearest sword, rushes out of bed, goes behind the door, and loudly says, "Come in." The door opens slowly and Empress Alicia looks around the door at Viento, wearing very little indeed. She does this plenty slow so he don't stab her by mistake. She looks up at you and says, "Oh, you men and your swords," while pushing it out from between the two of them, catching him with her entrancing gaze. Viento gradually regains his composure, and says, "Your Majesty," bows, and tries to get rid of the sword in a graceful fashion by disccarding it on a nearby table. "Umm, how can I serve you?" "Why, right this way," she says, going through the door. It opens out into a large, underground grotto, the center of which is taken up by a spring-fed pool. It is lit dimly, tantalizingly. Every rock, every chiseled angle of the walls, the border of the pool, all of it seems somehow perfect, like a Zen garden, everything in the right place for the right effect. She steps into the pool shedding her negligee in a graceful motion. "Won't you join me?" Viento steps into the room, spending a second staring. He is startled out of his staring by her voice. "Why of course!" Shedding what little he was wearing he step into the pool just a tad nervously (after all, it is not every day that your average Mago goes skinny-dipping with royalty, much as they like to tell people that they do). Viento follows the Empress out to the deeper waters of the Unicorn Pool. As he steps in, he realizes that the water doesn't feel like water, it feels like fine liquid silk, and is of a perfect temperature. All the weariness he had from the earlier weapons practice just fades away, as if the water soaked it up. All of his scars he had from previous fights fade, loosen, and dissolve, leaving only a fine line as a reminder. Such must be the powers of the Unicorn Pool. Somehow, Alicia's mane looks more gold than gold is, and she draws him in to her with her inviting eyes, for a long kiss, and here we draw the sene as it proceeds to it's inevitable conclusion. Now, to unpleasantness. When we last left Ralph, he was being followed by a weasel with an eyepatch who clearly meant him no good. Ralph spots an alley between two estates, and cuts down it, hurrying his pace. He gets thirty feet down, and turns to watch, with his switchblade ready. The weasel casually turns the corner, and is quickly flanked by a boar with a large mace and a bulldog with a club, both looking rough and untidy. Fingering his whiskers, the weasel says, "Ehh, I was wondering if your lordships might be in the mood to make a donation to the needy this fine evening?" The bulldog chuckles and slaps his club against his palm menacingly. "Sorry, boys, I don't do charity." replies Ralph, and jumps for the wall next to him. It's about 8 feet tall and easy to climb, he's over it in about 3 seconds. He finds himself in the garden of the estate he was near, full of paths between bushes and flowewrbeds. He scoots away from the wall cautiously and chooses a hiding place, as he hears the weasel say, "Get 'im!" to his henchmen. On the front porch of the house, sleeping in a chair, is a bull, with a club beside him; obviously a guard. Ralph sees the hands of the two bruisers on top of the wall, and hears grunting, apparently they were trying to vault it, not climb it, and cacn't make it. "Oh, you useless nits!" he hears the weasel say, as the weasel comes over the wall, knife in hand. Ralph picks up a rocck to throw, and the weasel looks for him. After a few tense moments, the weasel spots him, and thros the knife, while Ralph throws his rock and dives. The rock clonks the weasel on the head, and the knife's hilt hits Ralph's ankle obliquely, failing totally to cause him harm. The bull wakes up, looks about ,and begins moving slowly in the direction of the commotion, calling for them to come out of there. The weasel charges Ralph with a dagger, and they scuffle about in the bushes for a few moments, no one is hurt. The weasel, noting the bull's approach, breaks for the wall, and makes it over, the bull missing him with a thrown club. The bull begins to come for Ralph, who says, "Near miss, there, almost got him." as he walks nonchalantly to the nearby wall, scales it, and falls over to the ground as the frantic guard's fingers just barely brush his clothing. Ralph sees the weasel and his heavies running, makes some moves himself, the guard is called, and no one is anywhere to be found by the time they have arrived. Ralph decides to go where all roads lead, an inn. He spots one, and enters. It is a high-class establishment catering to the wealthy Freeborn, and the Maitre'd sneers at him down his nose as he enters, for while his clothes are rich enough to afford such an establishment, he's been scuffling around in the bushes recently, and is quite unkempt. But, as Ralph knows only too well, money is the cure for many an ill, and he gets a room, and has a bath drawn up, and comes down to the bar for a spot of drinking when he has himself in order. Verily, the oat mash lager is rich, full-bodied, and stout. He sleeps, and goes to the meeting next morning. Finally, the strategy meeting: In attendance are: Melanie, Ecrylion Farlasa, Ralph, Morgan, Thielvar, Viento, Serroli, Casha, Dorian, Lt. Shosharra, Captain Plume, Commander Buckminster, and Hachiro. Swifteagle and Tarrin are, of course, not present, being presently on recon duty. Plume has a map of the border areas in question, and a pointer. For those of you who are literate, paper and writing implements are available for note-taking. This does not include Hachiro, who, while he can do beautiful calligraphy, he could never write fast enough to take notes. Captain Plume begins. "I have no idea how much military training any of you have had. It is no doubt widely disparate, so those of you 'in the know' will feel as if you are being treated like an idiot. You are not. I am simply treating the idiots as necessary for their status. First, equipment. All of you should visit the special armory in the palace where you will be given whatever equipment you can use to the greatest efficacy. In addition, you will each have a canteen full of water from the Unicorn's Pool. It is proof against all wounds, poisons, diseases, and harmful effects, including basilisk's blood and being turned into stone. Your supply is in no way unlimited. It is of greatest efficacy when taken internally, but can be poured on the wounded. It quenches dragonfire, so if you have to drink it, Hachiro, don't bother to try and flame. It is very important that it not fall into enemy hands. If captured, or in danger of being captured, drink it, splash it on yourself, or just pour it on the ground, in that order. Ptah-sen-re (the sphinx who was at supper and high court) has donated a sandstorm seed to this effort. Throw it and say the magic word, and for a 50 yard radius there will be an impossibly powerful sandstorm, for about a minute. Do not enter the sandstorm, you will be thrown out. Above all, do not fly into the sandstorm, your wings will snap. It only works once, so use it wisely. (The seed is handed to Hachiro.) You have two wagons, drawn by drey, which are outfitted with all of the banal supplies you will need. I place Hachiro in command, and Serroli and Casha as his lieutenants. They can state the line of command from there. High guard on your travel should be flown by Hachiro, Casha, Thielvar, and Serroli in shifts. Only Casha and Thielvar should fly guard when any measure of stealth is desired. Hachiro is too bright, and Serroli too loud. Here is the route I advise, you will be guided along it by Lt. Shosharra, who will advise you in the means of travel. The Palisaad border patrols are light in the area of the bandits, so that they can officially allow the bandits to roam across the border. You can either choose to pass at this point, and perhaps be spotted by spells of perception, but simply run across the border, or take out this small garrison of 15 armed soldiers, of whom five are fliers, five are archers, four are ground troops assigned to protect the mage who will cast the perception spells to watch the border. This particular mage has no extensive powers beyond perception magic. I would advise that you not touch the garrison, but that is your command decision. Then you engage the bandits, hopefully at their camp, either in a blitzkrieg maneuver, or with repeated hit and run. Garth, the youngest basilisk, may be there. He is a past master of illusion magic, and a fair fighter. In addition, he will usually have his own blood on his weapons, and one would have to look at him to fight him. Turning to stone is not immediate, but slow and painful. There is a window of 1 hour for healing a statue before the spirit leaves the body. Garth may also have magical items that will turn you into a statue temporarily. Unicorn's pool water will not avail against this spell, the spell will simply wear off after between thirty seconds to an hour, and leave you unharmed. This spell is immediate in it's effect, unlike Garth's own power of turning people to stone. Other necessary information will arrive with the recon team, who will connect up with you as you are on your way to the border, if all goes well. I would advise that those of you with magical powers sound off your areas of specialty, for the information of your commander." Shosharra begins, "I have some knowledge in perception magic, but not much." Information is transferred, everyone gets armed, and everyone heads off. The Recon team: Tarrin struggles to keep up with Swifteagle the whole way. As they approach the border, Tarrin gets the bright idea of flying through a cloud over the border so as not to be spotted. Well, it keeps him from getting spotted, but it also gets him wet and cold, and impairs his flying ability. He circles lower to dry off, and Swifteagle and Tarrin decide to cross the border above a cloud. Bad luck, pure and simple strikes. Swift spots a hawk circling the border and alerts Tarrin, but then thehawk sees them and begins to dive in the direction of the nearest garrison. Swift follows for a moment, and is gaining, but not nearly fast enough for his taste. He goes back to Tarrin (who was left behind in the high-speed flying involved) and they split up, and fly across the border as fast as they can in an unpredictable fashion. They are not caught, but now the border is likely alerted. They regather far above the bandit camp, and look down. Swifteagle counts thirty, ten archers. There's also two pavilions which he can't see into, unless he slides left and goes low. A further look spots 10 crossbows, but the people carrying them don't seem to be trained in their use. Most likely, they were just given them and told to fire as best they could with basilisk poisoned arrows, any hit being well-night certain to kill the target. There are seven visible fliers, two eagles, two hawks, two swifts, and a sparrow. Tarrin sees the ground, as he struggles to maintain a goodly altitude. Swifteagle sees a figure, all grey, like stone, step out from under a pavilion. It seems to be an odd cross between a lizard and a chicken, and seems to be wearing a coat-of-plates made of stone, and a greatsword, and Swifteagle realizes that his wings seem to be heavier now, and it's quite painful. He lets his gaze slide off the basilisk almost immediately, shakes out his pained wings while falling silently, and returns to gliding. They go lower, spot the five sentries and a sparrowhawk flying high guard, evade them, and fly back. On the return journey, in the daylight, Tarrin notes that some of Swift's feathers have greyed significantly. Swift can't fly so well today, and Tarrin has little difficulty keeping up, until about midday, when his wings loosen up again with great relief (it was a gradual process.) They meet the ground team two and a half days out of Xanadu's capital. -- With weapons in hand, We reach for the stars. Our minds have not changed, Only our cars. "Kid Dynamo" Up