[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter VI - The Enchanter

[Aaron Clausen]

OOC: Just a bit more.

>> [GM]
>> The female knight nods and goes to take the girl's hand to lead her
>>  away. "Come little one," she says in a soothing friendly voice,
>> "perhaps we can find you some candy."
>>
>> The little girl smiles broadly and innocently. "Oh yes! Candy! I
>> love candy!"
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex will ask the escorts, "Is there any way that I might get a
> chance to use the bathroom before we go to see Merlin. We got
> overtaken by events and I did not get a chance before getting
> rifts."
>
> She will look over at Louissa as well.
>
> Alex almost certainly does need to use the bathroom but wants to get
> a chance to clean up just a bit as well. After all, she needs to
> present her best face if having to defend herself from killing
> knights. She also suspects that Louissa might want to clean up as
> well.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The female knight nods, and points across the street to a building. One 
of the doors says "Public Washrooms".
[/GM]

[Louissa]
Louissa seems a little dazed. "I need to wash the dust off my face." she 
says, somewhat non-committal.
[/Louissa]

[GM]
Alex and Louissa make their way to the washrooms, finding three doors 
"Men", "Women", and "Others". The women's washroom is well maintained, 
and in short order the two women have cleaned themselves up and taken 
are of any other particular necessities and are ready to face Mrrlyn.
[/GM]

[...]

>> [GM]
>> The passage goes deep into the dome. Here and there are
>> side-passages, some lit with torches, some like bottomless shafts.
>> Their boots and armor make little enough echo, as if the very
>> structure itself is absorbing the sound.
>>
>> In front and behind are the strangely-armored knights. They say
>> nothing as they lead the company forward, and their silence only
>> increases the sense of foreboding. Father Montessoro's words seem
>> quite true thus far, that there is a powerful presence ahead of
>> them.
>>
>> The entrance to the dome is a sliver of light far behind them when
>> they finally reach the end of the passage. A great door of gold and
>> silver, with runes enough to fill a book etched into it, stands
>> before them. There is no obvious way to open it, and one of the
>> knights simply stands in front of it for a moment, and it swings
>> open.
>>
>> Inside is a large oval room. It is literally filled to the brim
>> with books, trinkets, statues, pieces of wood, chunks of
>> odd-looking stones and mineral. The ceiling is about fifteen above,
>> and from it hang models of solar systems, many moving with the
>> faint sounds of gears, their orbs circling each other in almost
>> mesmerizing displays.
>>
>> In the midst of this, almost unnoticed at first, sits an older man,
>> long gray hair and beard, clothed in simple robes, only a vaguely
>> visible medallion as decoration. One might at first mistake him for
>> a shopkeeper, but there is the presence that Father Montessoro
>> referred to. Here is a man who holds great knowledge and great
>> powers; a dangerous man, though he seems to pose no imminent threat
>> to the company.
>>
>> He gets up and with surprising dexterity for a man his age, walks
>> over to the company. He bows low to them.
>>
>> "I am Mrrlyn." he says, his voice warm and friendly. "I am the
>> chief minister of the King, and I welcome you all in his name to
>> New Camelot. I know that you are tired and suffering from the loss
>> of some of your companions, but the King and I thought it important
>> to talk to you before you were allowed some brief time to refresh
>> yourselves."
>>
>> He pauses for a moment, and meets each member of the party with his
>>  eyes. It is a brief glance, but a probing one, though it does not
>> seem he is invoking any special powers.
>>
>> "Someone is missing." he says, almost sounding slightly irritated.
>>  "There was a child with you, a young girl I believe. Is she ill?
>> Why is she not here?" There is barely concealed frustration here,
>> if not anger.
>> [/GM]

> [Oz]
> The German man gawks like a tourist at everything; the knight
> escorts, the entrance and hallway, the room and it's treasures and
> most of all, the great wizard himself. He gathers himself at the
> wizard's question, nodding to himself or perhaps to Mrrlyn.
>
> "The girl became frightened on approaching your pyramid, Lord
> Mrrlyn. The lady knight who escorted us here took pity on her and is
> with the girl even now, awaiting the end of our audience."
> [/Oz]

[GM]
Mrrlyn quickly regains his composure. "Well well well, then. Perhaps 
I'll interview her later. Now, tell me everything you know of the 
Splugorth attack."
[/GM]

OOC: I'm going to assume that everyone who cares to chips in at least 
the bare minimum of information; not personal information or perhaps 
about events prior to encountering the knights of New Camelot, but a 
reasonably good narrative. If anyone wants to add more, please do so.

[GM]
Mrrlyn nods thoughtfully as an account of the Splugorth invasion is 
told. He does not write anything down, but there can be no doubt that 
every utterance, probably every gesture is being recorded by his 
obviously gifted mind. Here and there he asks a question or two, mainly 
on matters of military and equipment, but he seems to be circling some 
issue, the odd question here or there about where Ted or the little girl 
was. He often gives Ted a sharp look, but it is quickly replaced by a 
smile, and then a turn to some other issue, like descriptions of Kittani 
hover cycles or the amount of explosion from a bomb.

Finally he turns away from the party and walks back to his desk. He sits 
down again, and then smiles sadly.

"You've all been very helpful." he says. "The King will get this report 
within the hour, and it will doubtless aid him in deciding on the 
appropriate response."

He then clasps his hands. "Unfortunately, there is one thing that is not 
so good. I am afraid I must take one of your into custody; the lizard 
man I'm afraid." he says, looking squarely at Ted.

"Before any of you do something foolish like try to flee or attack me," 
he continues, "I suggest you remember that you are in the midst of the 
of the one most fortified places in the British Isles. There is good 
reason for me doing this, I assure you, and none of you, including your 
reptilian friend, shall be harmed. It is not my place to reveal 
intelligence information, and hopefully the King will enlighten you as 
to why this must be."

He waves a hand slightly and the door behind them opens, and a squad of 
perhaps a dozen of the strange knights appear.

"I trust you will go willingly, friend." Mrrylin says to Ted. "And I 
trust the rest of you will accept the hospitality of the King of New 
Camelot, and not disturb the King's peace."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com