[Last Time, on El WHAT?!: The group explored the temple cavern, discovering a disco-floor that lit up as they progressed, which led to a door with six seals. A mysterious hooded man appeared! and unsealed the seventh seal, letting them into a massive library inhabited by a dragon, which promptly threw poor Tiff into fear seizures.] [Some horribly confusing dialogue and singing and puzzling later, everybody except the dragon and the GM are thoroughly confused, which is where we meet our heroes.] [Session... START!] * Fadi scratches his head. "I still can't figure it out." * Sophie and Emmet disappear in a puff of suspension of disbelief. * The dragon, still in large, blond, and gorgeous form, blinks twice. "You can't figure what out?" What the song's supposed to mean. I told you. The first half tells you who you're looking for, and the second half tells you how to find it. It still seems a bit... ah... vague. ^^; What he said. Of COURSE it's vague! If prophecy weren't vague, there'd be no point in it! What's got you humans so confused? ... * Harold tries to think of a polite response. (It's obviously not a good idea to offend a dragon...) * Nick is mentally inert, scratching his chin. I... I guess we don't know what the song has to do with why we're here...? How about the first couplet...? Is that here? 'Couplet'?... * Harold casts a glance at Tiff. The first couplet is here. Do you want it? You'll have to pass the test to get it. * Tiff turns to Harold momentarily. "In that hut we were in earlier where we had that big fight, the guy had papers indicating that he was looking for the 'first couplet' here. I dunno what it means, though." ... if that man wanted it, we should definitely try to get it before we leave! The first couplet of the Rhymes. You know, the ones in the song? o/~ Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds, and there upon a rainbow is the answer to a never ending story! o/~ W... what kind of test? That would be telling. Telling is... bad? Well, if they have a prophecy that's intentionally vague, they probably won't just come out and tell us anything, either. Could you at least tell us what the test requires? You don't get to know the nature of the test before you take it. If you want the Rhyme, you have to take it, and you MUST take it as a group. And if you want to get home, you have to get the Rhyme. Well, it looks like we're down two members.... three if you count that strange man who helped us in here. But I want to leave ASAP... so if everyone's willing...? If four of us is a big enough group, we've got to try. Who knows when we'll be able to come back? That's two. * Fadi shrugs. "Sure, why the hell not. I'm up for it." Three. One more and your fate is sealed. ..Eh, okay. You two seems awfully noncommittal about our fate being sealed. * The dragon quirks an eyebrow at Nick. "You don't exactly sound certain." Hey, we got nothin' better to do. Let's do it. So be it. * The dragon looks intently at Tiffany. "Control yourself." * Tiff cringes a bit. "Y... Yes sir." * Harold glances at Tiff, wondering what the dragon 'actually' means. * The massive man-form the dragon has been inhabiting shimmers like a mirage and his substance pours out, looking rather like liquid Jell-O pouring upwards from one mold into a much, MUCH larger mold. The massive serpentine shape of the dragon's true form looms ominously overhead, and the lights dim save for small circles lit around each of you. ... * Harold _stares_. * Tiff closes her eyes, so as to keep from being upset at the shockingly large snake thing... er... dragon thing. * Fadi looks at the floor, then looks at the dragon. "Cool." * The dragon's massive head sinks into the shadow, and its more... ominous aspect is highlighted by a light from below, rather in the manner of someone telling a ghost story around a campfire. * Nick is stunned, staring up at the dragon. ..Whoa. * The dragon speaks loudly, its voice echoing around the library in spite of its jaw not actually moving. "Harold Essner of the place called Michigan." ... y-yes? Sir? Harold Essner... step forward. * Harold takes a step forward. This is clearly not a step he would have taken given his druthers. * As Harold steps forward, the spotlight follows him, and then dims a bit. * Tiff finally opens her eyes a crack, and isn't sure she should have. * Harold glances around, trying to see if anything else is happening.... * The dragon's head thrusts forward, stopping as its chin passes mere inches above Harold's head. "Fadi Al-Sabir. Tiffany Blackstone. Nick Anderson. The three of you face a difficult decision." Yeah? Each of you must make a single choice. One name. Fadi. Tiffany. Or Nick. One vote only shall you cast. * Tiff whimpers a bit. * Fadi shrugs. "What's the vote for, or would that be telling?" * Nick raises an eyebrow. * The dragon snorts a little. "One vote only... and the person with the most votes shall not leave my den alive." Vote? Voting for what? * Fadi eyes the Dragon, and smiles. "I vote for me. Fadi." ... N... No! Fadi! That's too easy, boy. You can certainly vote for yourself. Beware, however... in the event of a tie, all those in the tie shall die. * A small, lit field snaps into shape around each of the three. * The dragon chuckles. "So eager to sacrifice yourselves... You cannot hear each other now. No communication. No cooperation. Only yourself to deal with." No dithering, now. Choose. * Tiff starts crying. * Nick jumps back, but calms quickly and gestures, mouth moving without sound. * Harold takes a deep, deep breath, and suddenly wishes he hadn't packed his rosary up so deep in his pack. * Fadi nods to himself, then makes, I guess, eye contact with the dragon. You MUST vote. * Tiff continues bawling and falls to her knees, shaking her head. * Harold looks down, and then rises his head to face the dragon. If you do not vote, child, I must count that as a vote for yourself. * The dragon rears back. "SO BE IT." The shout echoes around the library, and many, many books fall from the shelves, and the floor vibrates beneath your feet. The votes are cast. Now, Harold Essner. The real test begins. What do I have to do? * Harold is trying to sound brave. Emphasis on "trying". * The dragon snakes its head around on its massive, serpentine neck and pins Harold on its gaze. "You must Judge them. Follow the beliefs you hold in your heart and you cannot go wrong... ignore them at your own peril." Judge them? Judge what about them? You must judge them. Their choice. Their conduct. Their beliefs. THEM. ... a very wise man in my world once said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself." * Harold 's eyes finally meet the dragon's... as much as he can, anyway. "I can't judge any of them. They did what I would do, what any ethical person would do. This was simply a no-win situation!" * The dragon's voice booms out, rattling the floor and walls again. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." * Tiff looks at Harold, tears in her eyes and running down her face, and gives him an encouraging nod. * Nick grins slightly, and gives Harold a thumbs-up. * Harold lets out a very deep breath. He obviously wasn't as confident as he sounded. * The dragon's massive serpentine head darts down until it is snout to nose with Harold. The massive jaw opens a little, and the Rhyme recites him. o/~ If you are near to the dark, I will tell you 'bout the sun. o/~ The verse hangs in the air for a moment, then lodges firmly in Harold's mind. He can feel it there, watching... waiting... ready to spring forth. * Fadi looks on. * The fields drop and the lights come back up in an instant, revealing the library to be a shambles. ... * Harold immediately looks around, trying to get his bearings again. * The dragon rumbles in contentment. "Aaaaaaaah, it feels so good to have that space in my mind freed up again." * Harold puts a hand up to his head. "... I'm never going to forget this, am I?" Not until the Rhymes unfold behind the clouds. And no, I won't tell you what that means. * Harold hrms. He seems to be having thoughts, but, well, now isn't the time for theorizing... "Are we free to go, now?" *** Atom has left IRC That's it? * The dragon smiles, revealing all its teeth. * Tiff is already afraid to death, so she continues to sit in her pouting heap. There remains, however, one bit of unfinished business. Do you want me to take off the armor before you eat me, or will it add flavor? * Nick grins slightly, but his legs are shaking slightly. You all voted exactly alike. You know what that means. * Fadi shrugs. "Down the hatch?" He smirks. ... wait, I thought we _passed_ the test! * Harold begins to visibly panic. You certainly did. On the other hand... they DID vote for themselves, every one. But but but.... That means they're all going to die. * Tiff continues to cry. (She seems to do that a lot lately.) "I'm... so sorry, Harold.. I..." she chokes up, "couldn't choose." * The dragon's massive, toothy grin widens. "...eventually." Cute, man. * Fadi chuckles. ... * The dragon waves a massive claw in Harold's general direction. "You can go now. All of you. My work is done." * Harold 's knees briefly go weak, and he sags with relief. "... thank you." * Tiff suddenly bursts into movement, running up to Harold and dropping back to her knees, wrapping her arms around him and crying. ... Tiffany! * Harold seems a bit embarrassed for the moment, and awkwardly puts his hands on her shoulders. "It's alright, we can go now..." * Fadi walks up to Harold and Tiff. "Com'on, if he was gonna eat us, he'd have done it already." He smiles. * Tiff looks up at Harold and finds some mote of strength in his eyes. She slowly wipes off her tears and stands. * Harold quietly turns away as soon as he thinks he won't offend Tiffany, flushing just a bit. "... y-yes, let's get going." * The dragon idly begins reshelving books. * Nick sighs deeply, and mutters to himself. "I think I peed my armor." I'm surprised I didn't. --; * Harold turns to begin leading the group back the way they entered... * Nick follows. "Well, he was nicer than I expected from a dragon." * Tiff follows. Quickly. As quickly as she can on her poor, weakened legs. * The dragon waves at Harold's back and rumbles, amusement dripping from his voice, "One last bit of advice, O Great Warriors." * Fadi follows, looking back at the dragon. * Nick slows down. "..Yeah?" Always read the fine print before you sign. ... * The dragon waves his claw and the doors slam shut, closing the entrance behind you. Heh. Geez, it'd be better advice if we didn't live in America. I don't know, it's not exactly _bad_ advice... It's pretty good, really. * Fadi grins. "He's a pretty cool guy, if ya ask me. Now..." * Tiff continues her quick line toward the exit. If she heard the words of wisdom, she doesn't seem to think they're important enough to slow her retreat. Now? * The floor helpfully lights the way back for Tiffany. * Nick is grinning like an idiot, still on his adrenaline high. * Harold begins walking quickly, trying not to let Tiffany get too far away. * Fadi follows Tiff at a steady pace. "I think we gotta report back to Alfred and company?" I was just about to suggest that! Then why didn't ya? * Fadi grins. I...I'll cover that. With the telepathy. The ring. Mental talking. Outside. Later. * Harold frowns at Fadi a little. "... I wanted to hear what you had to say first!" Hey, Tiffany.. Y...Yeah? * Nick tries to think of something reassuring to say, comes up short, and looks down. "..Nevermind." * Fadi chuckles. "So you're saying I'm at fault for saying something first?" * Tiff doesn't appear bothered by his indecision, and continues to beat a hasty retreat. No, not at all, just... oh, nevermind! Lead the way then, would you? I think I will. * Fadi leads the way behind Tiff. * Harold trudges along with the others, mentally and physically exhausted. [Session... END!]