<Storyteller> The way to the Domain of Amenti is a relatively short one. Or at least
it seems to be. You weave in and out of alleys along the way, avoiding any
spectres that may be about. Soon you reach the great museum.
<Storyteller> It looks spectacular even from this side of the shroud.
<Daniel> "Magnificent..."
* Brianna breathes a sigh of relief as she looks over the museum.
* Brianna walks up to the door and passes through it
* Hans is astounding by the beauty of the building.
* IronJohn looks the place over
* William keeps an eye out, making sure they aren't being followed
<Storyteller> The walls are covered with paintings. There are artifacts of human
history all about you. You can sense the Memoriam like heat waves off of some of
them.
<Storyteller> {IronJohn-Forget Swar, this place could make us rich beyond our wildest
dreams...}
* Daniel looks around, awed by the beauty.
<IronJohn> (There will be time to come back.....right now there are bigger fish to
fry)
<Storyteller> You soon find yourself in the Egyptain wing of the museum. There is no
sign of Ahuru...
* Brianna looks about her
* William looks for signs of an attack
* William puts his hand on his sword, and keeps an eye out.
* IronJohn stands next to Hans
<Storyteller> A voice seems to come from above you. "You are safe here."
* Daniel looks at the source of the voice
<Storyteller> You can see a large half man-half spider dangling from the ceiling. He
smiles at you, as he gently descends to the floor.
* William scowls
<Daniel> "Gods..."
<Ahuru> "I have been waiting for you..."
* William turns, sliding his sword part way out.
<Storyteller> Brianna smiles and walks over to him
* William slides his sword back, but doesn't take his hand away
<Storyteller> "I was worried...ever since Nephrutu..."
* Daniel rests his hand casually on Nocturne
* Ahuru nods, "Yes...."
* Ahuru turns to Daniel
<Ahuru> "Welcome to this place, my home, Daniel."
<Daniel> "It is...breathtaking, m'lord Ahuru."
<Storyteller> Remy smiles at Ahuru, "Long time..."
<Ahuru> "You have come here for a reason?"
* Ahuru looks to you each, waiting for an answer
* IronJohn smiles back at him
<Daniel> "Yes, m'lord Ahuru. We seek your assistance in a grave matter."
* Ahuru nods, "What assistance can I offer you that I have not already done?"
* Daniel thinks
<Daniel> "My lord, we request fighting men to assist our cause against the vile
spectres that assault this fair city."
<Ahuru> "I cannot help you..."
<Daniel> "Please, my lord. Anyone would do."
<Daniel> "Even one person, for it is one person that we did not have before."
<Ahuru> "Look about you, Daniel. No guards stand at my side, no gatesman keeps the
watch. I am all that is here."
* Ahuru looks to you each, waiting for an answer
* IronJohn stands at the back watching the preceedings
* Ahuru walks over to IronJohn
<Ahuru> "We have met...a time ago."
<IronJohn> "Yes I believe we have."
* Ahuru nods
* Ahuru walks over to Hans
* William occasionally glances out a window, or checks one of the hallways,
cautiously, since something might be there.
* Ahuru nods at Hans,
<Ahuru> "Nachabe, Gerard...have they left so soon?"
* Hans nods back.
<IronJohn> "They had callings in other places."
<Storyteller> Remy nods, "Yes, awhile ago."
* Ahuru shakes his head
* Ahuru walks over to William.
* William turns to Ahuru.
<Ahuru> "You have nothing to fear here, William."
<William> "This place has defenses?"
<Ahuru> "Nor from your companions."
* William frowns, puzzled at the comment.
<Ahuru> "A few, no one may enter here without my knowledge."
<Ahuru> "You have a question, William?"
<William> "No. No questions."
* Ahuru smiles
<Ahuru> "Your eyes betray you. Ask your question..."
<William> "Why do you say I fear my companions?"
<Ahuru> "You do not trust them, do you?"
<William> "I trust them. None of them have given my cause to distrust them,
therefore I trust them."
* Ahuru looks at each of you
* IronJohn returns his look
* Hans looks directly at Ahuru, waiting for some sort of staredown.
<Ahuru> "Distrust and tension are the children of the same parent...fear."
* IronJohn lets out a bellowing laugh "Thats for damn sure."
<Ahuru> "You must learn to trust each other with your very souls. It may save you
one day."
<Daniel> {William:*a kind and gentle voice echos through the halls of your mind*
My child, you are my most devoted of servants. There is a place in Heaven for
you, once your quest is complete. But first, you must do my bidding, and then
you can continue to search for the chalice of my Son, Jesus the Christ.}
* William listens to the voice, wary, for the Lord has not spoken to him since he
crossed over to this place.
<Ahuru> "Your task is dire, the enemy you face is legion, and some of you will not
live to see this through."
<Ahuru> "You have another question, William."
* William looks to Ahuru.
<William> "No, I have no more questions."
* Ahuru smiles, you feel a gentle touch in your mind
* William focuses all his will on forcing it out
* IronJohn 's mind is open to him, he has nothing to hide
<Daniel> {William: Would you like my help against this servant of the Fallen One?}
* Ahuru looks at William and opens his mouth, in a voice that sounds very much like
William, "Why would anyone *look* like that?"
* William scowls
<Ahuru> "Do I look grotesque to you, William?"
* Ahuru looks to all of you
<Daniel> {William: William Michael O'Connor, know that I am the Lord, and you
anger me greatly by insinuating that I am Satan. Repent now, lest ye be cast
into Hell, instead of bathing in the glory of Heaven.}
<William> "I simply cannot understand why one would choose to look like a demon."
<Ahuru> "Does anyone here place the value of beauty over the value of a man's
heart?"
<IronJohn> "With a face like mine? Not Hardly."
<Ahuru> "Then William, all that is ugly and grotesque is evil, and all that is
beautific is divine?"
<IronJohn> "Besides I have seen alot worse."
<Daniel> "I have long been taught that the two walk hand in hand."
<Hans> "I did once, but have since realized that appearance is the wrong way to
judge a man. You may not look like a servant of good, but I know that you are."
* Ahuru smiles
<Ahuru> "I can remember a few of your saints and apostles were...uncomfortable with
their beauty."
<William> "It is hard not to judge by ones appearance and I try not. I know that
evil can wear a pretty mask, yet I cannot see why good would choose a grotesque
one."
<Ahuru> "Peter's face was pock marked from a childhood disease. St. Damien was a
leper."
<Ahuru> "Surely the sum of their heart and souls, were greater than the flaws of
their appearance."
<William> "They did not choose. You tell me you look as you did in life."
* Ahuru chuckles
<Ahuru> "I have changed my form many times, I believe I have forgotten how I looked
when I still breathed."
<William> "No, I know that you are good in your heart. I have looked, I have seen."
<William> "As I said, I cannot understand choosing to look like a demon."
<Ahuru> "You have a very dangerous notion, William the KNIGHT. Your faith is your
greatest strength, and sadly...your greatest flaw."
* William does nothing.
* Ahuru nods
<Ahuru> "I shall answer your question, William at another time."
* IronJohn has a far away look on his face
* Hans is waiting impatiently for the conversation to end.
<Ahuru> "Soon a moment of crisis will come," he looks to all of you. "Be ready to
take arms for the love of a friend."
<Ahuru> "Do you understand?"
<Daniel> "I understand perfectly, m'lord. Fighting for love comes naturally to me."
* Ahuru smiles at Daniel
<Daniel> "As it does to others of my kith. After all, 'tis only noble."
<Ahuru> "It is time for you to leave."
* Daniel bows
<Daniel> "Thank you for your time, m'lord Ahuru."
* Ahuru watches you all leave.
* IronJohn leaves
* Hans leaves
<Storyteller> "I'm staying here for awhile. Ahuru has asked me to stay and help
him." says Brianna
* William walks out
* IronJohn turns and looks at her for a moment
<IronJohn> "Ye will be missed lass."
<Storyteller> "I'll meet you guys in a week, in Washington park."
<IronJohn> "Indeed."
* IronJohn bows and leaves
* Daniel follows the rest of the group out of the museum
<Storyteller> You walk out of the museum, your heads all feel a bit dizzy,
* William tries to clear his head
* Hans shakes his head to clear it.
* IronJohn keeps walking
* Remy gives Brianna a hug, and kisses her hand. "You still welcome in the cohort
later, cher."
<Storyteller> Brianna waves to you all
<Storyteller> You walk out into the streets
<IronJohn> "There is no Ivory Kingdom stonghold in the city."
<Remy> "Right. We ought make our way back to headquarters, then."
<Storyteller> You make your way back home to Washington park.
<Storyteller> The park is filled with refugees, and legionnaires.
* Daniel smiles grimly
* Hans remembers when he was once ordered to kill people like the masses before him.
<Storyteller> They watch you all pass, their eyes filled with defeat, and despair.
* William frowns sadly at the massed group
* IronJohn gets angrier with every step
<Storyteller> You snake your way through the crowd and reach the doors of the
make-shift Citadel
* Remy whistles an upbeat tune, and works his social charms on the troops, trying
to boost morale
<Storyteller> The guards open the doors, and lead you in.
* Hans lowers his head at the masses of people, remembering his own past.
* Daniel turns to Remy. "Sir, permission to stay back with the civilians."
* Ambrose waves you into her office
<Ambrose> "Welcome back, come on in."
<Daniel> "They need someone to boost morale, sir, and I think I can help them."
* Remy shrugs. "Alright, if you think you can help."
<IronJohn> "It won't help."
* IronJohn enters
* Hans enters.
* Daniel goes back to the people, looking for a visible place to stand
<Remy> "Well, we did what we could. We got 62 + extra men."
* Ambrose shakes her head
<Ambrose> "That'll help, but it's not enough to do much else."
* IronJohn looks out the window to the souls gathered in the park
<Ambrose> "I think it's time we started thinking about asking the Renegades and
Heretics for help...."
<Remy> "Good idea."
* IronJohn looks at Ambrose for a moment
<Remy> "Somethin' I was thinkin', but didn't wanna mention."
<IronJohn> "Yeah they will line up for that, I bet."
<Remy> "If they got some incentive, they might."
<Ambrose> "We need all the help we can muster, I'll talk to the Governor. I'll
brief you in a week."
<IronJohn> "Well we wouldn't want to trick or force them into it now would we, I
mean they have their own holdings to protect."
* William frowns at the comments on offering incentive "It would depend on how you
ask them."
* Ambrose shakes her head
* IronJohn says with a bit of scarcasm in his voice
<Ambrose> "This the Governor, we are talking about here. It'll take me a week to
convince him."
<Remy> "I was thinkin' we could be a bit more diplomatic, John."
<IronJohn> "Would it be out of line for me to talk to the Governer personally?"
* Ambrose gives him a sidelong glance, "Depends upon what you'd say..."
ask them."
<IronJohn> "You want the help or not?"
<Ambrose> "Alright, come with me."
* IronJohn follows her
<IronJohn> "See if you lads can help Daniel."
* Ambrose leads you up into the Citadel, and soon you are at a large conference
room.
<Hans> "Yes sir."
<William> "Many would rally to the cause for the same reasons I fight."
* Paul walks over to Remy
* Remy nods to Paul
<Remy> "What's the situation?"
* William wouldn't do much good helping them.
<Paul> "Well, well. Remy Leclaire."
* Hans heads over to Daniel.
<Hans> "What needs to be done Daniel."
* Remy smiles at Paul. "Too bad we couldn't have met again under better
circumstances."
<Daniel> "We need to inspire them. I tried a story, but it didn't quite have the
desired effect. However," he looks at the others. "If we could do something
light hearted, to make them forget about their troubles..."
* Paul nods. "Morale is too low for us to even begin to dent their armor."
* William goes around among the masses, seeking those who's shadows are strongest
to purify them.
<Remy> "I got some experience wit' public speaking."
<Daniel> "Can you do comedy?"
<Hans> "I have seen the same looks on these people as I saw in Poland on many Jews.
They have lost hope. If you can restore their hope, you will be a hero."
* Daniel looks around
<Daniel> "Anyone got a copy of Beowulf or some other hero story?"
<Daniel> "Didn't think so."
<Hans> "Try a personal story."
<Daniel> "I don't want to depress them, friend."
<Daniel> "But it might just work..."
<Hans> "Believe me, only I can depress them with my stories of murder and sadness."
* Daniel goes someplace where everyone can see him
* Paul walks up to the middle of the camp
<Daniel> "Can you do comedy?"
* Remy nods
<Remy> "Certainly."
* Paul raises his hands to get everyone's attention
* Ironjohn walks out of the Citadel, "Well he agreed."
<Remy> "How'd you get him to cave so fast?"
* William goes around among the masses, seeking those who's shadows are strongest
to purify them.
<IronJohn> "He realized that it was in his best interest to let us try."
* Hans tries to give a little hope to those around him.
* Remy nods
* William frowns at Johns comment, but not noticibally so
<IronJohn> "Best get the lads ready as soon as possible."
* Daniel clears his throat, and begins telling the story of his how he befriended
Danae, and his oath to protect her. He tells of how he tracked down IronClaw and
met with his army of the damned. And finally, he tells of how, broken and
battered, he finally made his way to the final confrontation with the villian,
slaying him after a long, drawn out battle. At the end, he draws Nocturne,
brandishing it in the air. "Let us be as one, fighting the villian!"
<William> While walking among the masses William occasionally offering a few words
to raise their hope
<Paul> "Citizens, I look across this park and see despair, and hopelessness. We are
acting as if the war is all but lost. But it isn't, look around you. You are
still among us. They haven't beaten us yet. As long as there are still battles to
be won, and a cause to fight for, we cannot lose! I ask of you, pick up that
sword, draw upon your strength, look to your fellow citizens and lets show them
that we are not done! That we shall fight untill we are dragged and kicking into
Oblivion! Who's with me?!!!"
<Storyteller> Suddenly a lone voice cries, "I am!" and another, and another, and
soon the entire park is shouting
* Remy fires a shot of his pistol into the air, shouting with them
<Storyteller> "Paul! Paul! Paul! Paul! Paul!"
<Storyteller> This concludes Act One: The Arrival of Fire
