((OOC: I do have mind defenses: 1@5 Mind Block, 1@6 Thought Concealment and that was before any bonuses due to working with the mindmaze, specifically on strengthening my mind, it was my first thought on why I chose the path I did in the box, I didn't want the Psi Princess reading my mind or blasting me, so did anything above change? My next response matters on whether he did read my mind or not. I know there is no doubt he has the ability to notice that I did, but did he get past both my defenses, and what are their levels now?))
Jhiaxus
OOC: Are you keeping these up all the time? This does increase the difficulty for future rolls for use of other psi powers.
I'd say your Mindmaze is working on Attribute raising, right now.
((OOC Yes I do not want the Psi Princess peeking in, I should have been more clear on my intentions with the box and training, so keeping them up and using Psi powers is a doubling effect because of the difficulty?))
((OOC If that is the case, I will have to work on working on those two defenses on my own, I'm worried about protecting myself first before working on other Psi skills, my only real offensive one I'm good at is Possession, and it's my ace in the hole))
OOC: In training, yeah, I think it would be. In ordinary walking around, its just a sit mod penalty to using other psi powers I think. Its because Psi takes concentration, and the more you're dividing your concentration, the harder it is.
The Mindmaze is raising your Intuition currently as it teaches you to clarify your mind. With a less noisy mind, you can notice important details better.
He read your mind.
*smiles to Ezekial* "I wouldn't mind sparring, but you wouldn't find me much of a challange, Siljonic *points to the delicate looking Drow*, probably one of the strongest beings that's a verser, and he is trained in many forms of combat.
*nods to Jeff* "I had no idea a verser wedding would be a big deal, but being a bit sheltered up here, perhaps it's bigger than I thought. As for versers I can't stand, pretty much a 50/50 split so far, I'm a pretty good judge of character, and Odin has given me free reign to act in his stead, so can't be doing too badly."
*to cyborg Nazi* "In mine, when the United States decided to get involved, we kicked Germany's, Italy's and Japan's arse all at the same time. Maybe if the V2 has come just a little bit earlier it might have turned out different. Oh there is no reason to call me Lord, Odin gets a little testy when beings who pretend to be the gods get too uppity. I'm just glad I have his personal permission to do what needs to be done, gives me a feeling of support and comfort, between that and my comrads, a united front can overcome much."
*smiles a wide smile*
*grins* "Well I think I have let Tessa handle too much of the plans and getting too involved in training, so looks like I need to take a more proactive role in all of these, please enjoy eat, and let me reserve the suits at the Reykjavík Imperial Hotel, it seems we will be getting more and more guests in the coming weeks."
*satisfied he has greeted them, letting them stay or get comfortable at the hotel, working with Tessa, to get formal invites out, will contact Hermes for a list of people to invite, both mortal and verser.*
Jhiaxus
Ezekial nods respectfully to Siljonic.
"I would enjoy a match."
"I too."
"I do not favor this, being rather attached to my body, but I've met one verser who practised full out. She figured, she'd just live in another world, so there was no point in using blunted weapons."
"She sounds most formidable." Siljonic replies.
"Yes, she was. And she looked like you do."
Jeff laughs. "Keep in mind, Odin and Freya. Everyone that is anyone is going to want to attend. And thats the locals. There are some famous wedded couples...Coranado's, and Captain Charles, and of course, my friend, Ray married Lilandra. And it seems that such a good team makes the whole so much more powerful." He looks wistful.
The Nazi cyborg returns your big smile with a thin one of his own.
"Perhaps sometime we can restage the War. A tiebreaker as you Americans say."
You leave and get things set up with the manager at the hotel who by this time is getting familiar with you.
Later, you hear a massive 'thwooom' from downstairs.
*to Ezekial* "Exactly like him, or like him with fair skin? A female Drow....that's a scary thought...very very very scary. Siljonic is rare for his race, most of them are the most cunning evil creatures you could meet and do it all with a smile on their face. Did she seem friendly? I know I'm asking a lot, but I know Siljonic is often loathe to ask these types of questions, the difference between a good female Drow, or a bad one, is the difference between a passionate love affair and Ragnarok to Siljonic. Did she give you her name?"
*genuinely concerned either way at this news*
*to Jeff* "I know Lilandra....only been a few years since I was with her (as a friend). She mentioned a separation, I wonder if it was after and met Ray, before, or in between. Gotta love how time can work in the multiverse. She's a good woman, I was much harder on her than I should have been, I was an ass, and she wasn't responding in a way that would diffuse the situation. When we left we were on good terms I think, I'd consider her a friend if I saw her again."
*to the Nazi Cyborg* "If we do have a tie breaker, I don't involve humans, we are versers, and as such, there is no honor to have them die in such a manor. If we do "war" it will be one-on-one, no one else needs to get involved. I respect the general peace of this world, and now till the wedding there will be no fighting unless under friendly terms. I will not let 30 versers get in a Battle Royale at my wedding. Everyone is to behave."
*checks out what is happening downstairs, still armed and armored*
Jhiaxus
OOC: ...I will not let 30 versers get in a battle royale at my wedding...hehehehehe
"Dark skinned." Ezekial says."She did not seem evil, but then there were a number of mysterious deaths among our number."
The Nazi cyborg leaves with an enigmatic smile.
You head downstairs, and the first thing you see is a large hole in an interior wall of the dojo. On the opposite side of the adjoining room, thirty feet away, you see another serious dent in the wall that looks man-shaped...if you twist your head around to look at it upside down.
There is drywall dust floating in the air.
You hear a THUD and the floor shudders. And then a BOOM. Siljonic comes flying almost toward the hole, and reaches out with his hands to tranfer himself to the right and through the hole. He comes skidding to a halt past you.
He flashes you a grin as he rubs his back.
"This human is strong, but largely unskilled, although he has a number of good tricks."
((OOC: I watched enough wrestling as a kid to know those never turn out well, and if there is one I call dibs on being The Undertaker))
*looks at the damage and then to Siljonic*
"Good thing you have that Lyre of Building, between buying the building, the contractors and the wedding, couldn't afford more contractors to fix this. So now that you know there is a female of your kind in the verse what are your intentions?"
*heading to the hotel to make arrangements to reserve the suites for guests, hitting a stationary store on the way back buying the sets of the best invitations to see which one Tessa would like, worrying about a Tuxedo closer to the wedding when his weight isn't going to drop much, so it won't look ridiculous, maybe buy it a size too small at the time to grow into it so to speak, as he does his daily errands, keeping his defenses up, and using his mental skills to read minds, trying to work on all three skills during that time*
*once I do my wedding duties for the day, going back to training, has a feeling he will need all of it before this wedding is over*
Jhiaxus
Siljonic pauses.
"I am interested in Shannon, but the chance of meeting a true soul mate, one of my own kind, who was not addicted to evil is...fascinating." He looks perplexed. "I simply don't know, my friend."
Ezekial comes to the open hole.
"Let us put this battle to the side for now. Next time, we should fight in an open space." Siljonic says.
"Ah. Well, you are very tough."
Ezekial binds up his loose hair so that its tight like when you met him, and he steps through the hole, and surveys the damage.
"I am good with my hands, sir, a skilled carpenter and lumberjack. My apologies for hurting your place." He directs this to you. He hobbles out of the hole.
The Tux is almost ordered when the sales clerk smiles at a thought.
"Ah, Lord Odin, it occurs to me that what you want, really, is a basic form, and then a fitting with a professional tailor the night before. Its a bit more, but trust me, you'll love the results. It will fit you perfectly."
You've got a headache by the end of the day, but you've also gotten in some solid practise.
*nods to Siljonic* "Well you shouldn't give up on one with just rumors of another, see where it goes, I'm sure with whatever happens, Shannon wouldn't be unhappy to be immortal."
*nods* "It's alright, Siljonic has magic that can rebuild the place with some music, but I thank you for your offer."
*to the shop keeper* "Yes that is what I am looking for, and price is not an issue, looking good is."
*fitting the mental defenses/mind reading done when out and about doing his "God" duties, while doing the other training, investigating some additional weights in a few weeks to keep the weight he loses constant with what he is carrying*
Jhiaxus
Siljonic nods.
"That is a good point. Oh, I asked Ezekial again what her name was. It translates to Blade of Wind."
You see the shop keeper's eyes light up.
Edit: You talk with Tessa about the invitation choices. She draws you out about this and that, tosses a couple she finds ugly, and you two find an easy consensus over the one with the knight riding up to Rapunzel in her tower.
"It our story, really." Tessa says.
You've lost twelve pounds, and it would have been more, but you've added muscle.
You receieve a shipment of the parts you need for the bomb.
You also receive a note...
"Dear Jhiaxus,
Although we have not yet met, I hear good things about you from Hermes and Lisabeth, and so I hope we shall be friends. In this world, I go by the name of Hera, queen of the gods, and patron of marriage and so on. So I hope you will not take it amiss if I transfer to your account an early wedding gift as the expenses of such a wedding are enormous. Its on your card.
All the best to you and your lovely bride.
Hera."
Checking your 'godly' credit card, you find you have 200,000 more than you expected.
*smiles to Siljonic* "Elegant, she probably practices your sword style, would be apt for her if she did, you are like a Whirling Dervish when you get going. Your a good man, better than me in a lot of ways, you'll find your one, of that I have no doubt."
*nods and smiles to Tessa* "Yes it is my beloved, you will be happy to know I have taken care of the tux arrangements, for me, I went with a shell, and tailored when the date gets closer. I don't know how much more weight I will lose verses muscle, but I wanted it to be perfect for our day. Please let me know what else I can help with, maybe we should make a list and divvy our the legwork. We are also going to have to deal with many people we might find repugnant, so we will need to work on our tolerance and diplomacy. I think this world is the one we make our choice and decide what we stand for, and we will do it together with Siljonic. I can tell he is excited and worried about rumors of the Drow female, but I told him don't throw one woman away for a rumor of another. In fact, I need to formally ask him to be my best man.*
*puts a call out for a bomb expert to consult with me about the creation of the shaped charges, since my expertise is the physics and not the construction of conventional explosives*
*pulls Siljonic aside* "There is a tradition in human culture, and maybe Drow as well, that the man getting married chooses a best man, one who helps with things. If you ask our friends I'm sure they will fill you in on the duties. I would be honored if you would be mine *smiles*
*pulls out some stationary and starts writing*
"Dear Hera,
It has probably been over twenty years since I have written anything resembling a formal letter, email and instant messaging have turned that practice for me into a lost art. Regardless, I must respond personally with thanks and appreciation for your gift. I admit to being curious about the others here, and I know there are good and bad amongst us all. Tessa and I would love to call you a friend, and you have an open invitation to visit us here. I won't bore you with details here, but it would be nice to sit down, break bread and converse with someone who has been so thoughtful and has brightened our day.
With warmest regards,
Odin....Jhiaxus Hand of Odin
Freya....Tessa of the Ship of Worlds
*shares the note, the news and my response with Tessa for her approval before sending it
"Siljonic would be great as a best man." Tessa lights up with a smile. "I'm not sure, I may ask Sif to be my maid of honor." She informs you in non-verbal ways that she finds you quite fit already.
Later, when you ask Siljonic he claps you by the shoulders, and lifts you in the air.
"Of course!" The he shouts something happy in Drow.
Tessa is surprised at Hera's gift.
"I wonder. Hera was always something of the odd girl out in the myths. Her husband was always cheating on her." She approves the note.
A week passes, and you get your bomb expert. He's a former soldier of the First Global War a long time ago, and he's fascinated by the opportunity to work on something other than mundane bomb disposal.
You receive a dashed off reply from Hera.
"I will be in your town two weeks from today for a meeting with Menymenysos. Choose a place and time.
Hera."
*grins to Tessa* "Well it's obvious they know us and are better friends than we realize now, so I see no problem with that choice. Funny they keep referring to me as Jhiaxus of the two towns, and Odin did as well, when he visited me personally. I must do something interesting to have a title like that where both mortals and a god would call me that."
*considers what Tessa said* "You are right, if one of us chose that role, knowing no one would really ever be playing Zeus, they likely would be a happier woman not having to worry about a constantly cheating husband.
*trails off for a bit and turns the music up a bit*
"I was just thinking how if this Earth is close enough to my own, and if the circumstances close enough, a version of me will be born in three to four years. I wonder sometimes, just how many versions of me are out there, both normal and versers. Strange things I think about sometimes."
*turns the music back down*
*greeting the bomb expert with a firm handshake* "Thank you for coming out and helping me with this rather unusual project. It seems we have an intelligent, evil sea monster, and it has been decided to deal with it, in mortal conventional ways. I know the theories and practical applications, but what I do not know about is how to physically shape the explosives, and their natures. We are working on the premise that the kill zone is 500 yards from the center where the bomb goes off. What I am looking to accomplish is to shape the charges to ensure that, and have a steep drop off in both radiation and explosive power outside of that rather quickly. We tried to meet the beast in battle, but it refuses to act honorably, so we are forced to deal with it in this manor."
*starts working on sheet music and practicing two more songs, picking music that appeals to him ((if you want them let me know))*
*We'll pick a place with good food, relaxed atmosphere, and place where you encouraged to spend with friends and talk*
*adds another 12 pounds of weight on his shoulders to make up for the loss, trying to keep it constant, feeling a lot like a character in a Japanese anime now*
*looking forward to his day off from training, spending it lounging at the roof pool, throwing a party, using his camera to take pictures of everyone, something he really hasn't done yet*
Jhiaxus
"Well, it most likely has them involved. And if Odin calls you it, its going to involve something he is interested in. Perhaps you become king of two towns....?" Tessa says doubtfully.
"A couple members of the Doorway Teams swore, in private, they met their Others. Of course, that was again something the Management was freaked out by." She giggles. "Just think, if they open a door to here, they really are going to be hiding under their blankets."
=======
The bomb expert rubs his hands together after giving you a quick hand clasp with his dry, precise fingers. Now he's really interested as you describe the sea monster.
"Absolutely wonderful. You know, I had heard rumors of other gods hiring bomb experts. If I'd known the jobs were so exotic, I'd have volunteered before now. In fact, I almost would do this for free." He pauses, and realizes his mistake. "Almost."
=======
Jimi starts you working on stage presence and walking around as well. He starts by having you walk in a big circle as you play.
You have everyone over for the pool party. Thor and Sif who stand to the side observing things, Ezekial who demonstrates the 'Mega Cannonball' drenching everyone, Jeff who brings fresh-caught fish to grill in a solar oven he uses on his boat, Jimi and his band who play a couple tunes but mostly relax, Carl, Shannon, Arrow and the rest who run around and goof off. The hotel manager drifts by several times. Even Lady Memory comes by for a couple minutes along with three bodyguards.
*smiles* You are right, it's defiantly is a mystery that only time will answer.
*grins* You surprise me a lot, I completely forgot that at any moment the ship could open a doorway to where we are. I know more about physics than I did back then, their doorway technology might be attracted to whatever makes us versers. When you guys found me, you opened a door, right in front of me, then in the fearful world we nuked, again a doorway was created quite close to a verser, and finally in the world with Jon Quick, a lot of versers including our friends, and Siljonic, Captain Chris and his woman and others. Once can be happenstance, twice.....ok maybe...but three times out of five or six. I haven't even considered how me walking through would affect where the gates open up. Maybe me walking through it attuned it to versers....and now they are going to be more likely to.....oh.....
*pauses*
"What if the ship is not attuned not to just any Verser....but me in particular, that guy in that house, I met him before and after, I recognize the voice now. Siljonic was with me for awhile, and the ship opened a gate there. What if I was the catalyst for it opening doors to worlds with whatever uniqueness we have, and in particular, the ships computer used mine as a baseline. We could conceivably see our friends again."
*smiles*
"I think we need to discuss this with Baron and She-who-is-gold, now that we have a probable common point, it might help all of us figure out how to control this more. I don't think we are ever going to have control over it, but maybe influence or direct it is in the realm of possiblity. Which begs to question, what force here, is yoinking this many versers to one place and for what purpose. It's defiantly not for us to play "gods", but if it revealed itself, I haven't seen it."
=========================
*nods* "Even "gods" have their own strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes you play by the rules of the plane of existence you are in. I am someone who has no problem paying someone for the expertise, and it gives me the ability to learn from them and see what they do. If you were looking for a patron in that manor, I'm sure we could work out an arrangement.
*smiles*
"So tell me what options we have in terms of explosives. The target is in the Irish Sea. TNT is an old favorite, but I believe we also have C4 and Semtex, with my limited knowledge, I would choose C4 for it's ability to be molded and it's better ability than Semtex to work in colder temperatures. Semtex would have it's own advantage in warmer weather or for underwater demolitions, but that's as far as my practical knowledge takes me. What I am looking for is hands on molding of a shaped charge for this project and general teaching and knowledge going forth. You never know when your going to need to disarm or employ explosives."
============
*working with Jimmy, and working on my other training on the 6 days I train a week, working around my public appearances*
================
*glad everyone is having a good time*
*to Lady Memory*
"You should come out more often, even crime fighters take a break and socialize. Your a hard person to get gifts for, so I figured something simple, practical, unable to be bugged, and something that fits The Oracle nickname I gave you."
*hands Lady Memory two leather cases with 10 baterangs each*
"I don't know how much comic book culture you know, or even if you came from a place where they had them. In any case before The Oracle, she was Batgirl, a crime fighter, and I thought that if I had anything I could get you to say thanks that you would appreciate, this would be it. Thanks for your help."
((Hope it's ok, it was on my mind to get her something, but didn't know when I would see her next))
*has fun with his friends, taking pictures, free of the weights for a day, swimming and having a good time, drinking a good honey mead the entire day, with fish, and swimming to work it off, enjoying his time here*.
Jhiaxus
"That would be nice." Tessa says softly. "Let me see if I can figure out some of that from your Starsong laptop. I'm wondering if there might be a cross-disciplinary approach of Botany and Alternate Dimensions. If Yggdrasil the World Tree is an actual tree, not just a metaphor. Perhaps there is a structure or a unifying force like your Verser baseline...mmmm...you're right, that's way too many versers in different worlds for it to be chance, unless versers are way more common than we thought. And as to this world, as much as any bride thinks her wedding is the center of the universe, I think something is going on, probably something very bad to have all these versers here." She plucks at her lower lip in thought.
"Oh, you wanted to know what you can help me with on the wedding. Decorations in the Cathedral, and music."
=====
"C-4 sir. We didn't have Semtex in the Big One. I can use it, but on a delicate job I want to use what I know how to use in my sleep.
=====
Lady Memory is shocked, and she turns her head away to hide her tears. Tessa smiles from across the pool at you with a brilliant flash of a grin.
"Thank you." She snuffles before walking off.
=======
You spend another week with Jimi, and then he has to leave to do a series of concerts in the Mitteleuropan Province.
"I'll be back for your wedding tho'. Keep plucking."
He also hands you a sheet of paper with instructions for the next month of training.
======
"Verser just arrived five miles north of the city. He's acting freaked." The TV blares on three days later.
*grins* "Well there was a game I played before versing, what I was a geek, called World of Warcraft, and in the game there were two world trees, and a third in a coming expansion. So if myths can come true, games could too. Let's get Baron and She-who-is-gold in on this I know they will want in."
*nods* "Anything M'Lady" *bows* "So we keeping with the knight and lady in the tower theme? I will work with that, and work it into the Norse mythology."
=================
*heads out and starts calling contractors, thinking about having some viking longboats made to hold the food and gifts, a tower for Tessa to descend from before walking the isle, a weapon smith to make daggers, quality ones with mother of pearl handles and cases for thank you gifts, peace knotted of course for the wedding. Putting out an advertisement for a band who can play the wedding, must be versed in both wedding music and rock and roll.
=================
*hitting a fabric shop, and hiring one to do the banners, tablecloths, and to do personal bannors, choosing a picture of a world tree on a white backround for Tessa, and myself a Decepticon symbol silver on a purple backround with a blue eye over it. I am also having made talbards with the same. Having general fabrics made to compliment the cathedral.*
=================
*hitting the jewelry store we first went to get *fitted* for rings, spending 100k on hers, and 10k on his, Platinum settings, both, large multifaced diamond for her surrounded by rubies, sapphires and emeralds for hers. Mine, platinum, with small diamonds, and the above in the middle around the band, etched on the inside of hers: "Forever my beloved" and in mine "Reminder of our love"*
========================
*next going to a florist and getting the centerpieces, general flowers and having them contract for the candy/flower personal arrangements for the guests*
*lastly contacting the headquarters of Ducati here (if it exists, if not the highest profile and quality motorcycle manufacture* Greetings, I'm sure your surprised at my wanting to contact you. I'm sure you know I have a wedding coming, and I have some very important people coming, and I want a unique gift for my friends. I have plans for a superbike, I have checked out the materials available to you, and it's possible to make, and will give to a legup on designs and competitions for years to come. My offer is to give you the complete specifications, plans, dimentions, basically everything you would need to contruct the bike with no engineering time needed on your part. I am requesting six prototypes made with titanium tungston parts, to reduce the weight by 50%, and increasing the stability over steel or aluminum. I will of course pay for the bikes for materials and production time. You can then use the designs to make mainstream versions for the public, with different colors and subsets. For example the Odin model would be Black with a silver streak on the sides, the Freya model, canary yellow, the Loki model fire red, The other colors, gold for Sif, Silver for Thor, and I want a Sky Blue model for as yet unnamed consort of Loki. The streetweight on the normal bikes is 370lbs, with the plans, techniques and advancements, the prototypes are to be 185 a piece. Also, you will have us as spokeman for your bikes, a win-win situation I do think. I hope we have a deal, I want to make my wedding special, and if I can help you out, so the better."
http://www.ducati.com/bikes/superbike/848__evo_/2011/14/index.do
=====================
*smiles to the explosives expert* "That's what I like to hear, let's get to work"
==============
*smiles to Lady Memory* "No need to thank me, that's what friends do for each other."
*walks back to Tessa and pulls her close and kisses her*
===============
*nods to Jimi*
"I will, be safe, perform well, and we'll see you back her for the wedding, thanks for everything."
*takes the paper and studies it*
==============
"Thanks Memo"
*gathers the troops making sure everyone knows we are there to greet, evaluate and calm down the verser, no weapons out, and we approach in a non-threatening manor*
"With that said, be prepared to defend yourselves if we have to"
*takes the three cars and heads north to the location, slowing down and stopping a good 100 yards away, turning the car off and the others follow suit*
"Greetings, you seem agitated, is there anything we can help with, I'm Jhiaxus, this is Tessa, Siljonic, Baron Cornado, and She-who-is-gold. We were concerned that something might be wrong, and wanted to welcome you here. We know versing can sometimes be rough, are you ok?"
Jhiaxus
He's in a small vale about a hundred yards off the road to the left. Its near one of the smokeholes where lava has blown up and hardened to cover the area. So, from his spot, he can see nothing but a smoky pit of basalt.
His stuff is scattered around him, and he's half-dressed in his blue jeans.
When you call out to him, he spins around and screams at you.
"Don't come any closer, demonspawn." He whips a pistol out from the back of his jeans with credible speed, and aims it one-handed at you.
*backs off*
"Um we aren't demons or demonspawn" *turns on his shield belt just in case* "I can tell you that isn't the way to make friends, just keep that gun trained on me and don't aim it at the others"
*looks at the ground and him* "Well for calling us demonspawn, that's a nifty demonic looking teleport residue you have going on."
*pauses*
"Care to introduce yourself?*
Jhiaxus
He looks like he is considering what you are saying, very skeptically.
His glance takes in Siljonic who had popped his head up, and you see the sure knowledge in his face.
Demon.
"Hellspawn." He shrieks and opens fire on you. Five bullets ring out. One of them hits your shield and is stopped. The others miss.
*sighs*
"The hard way it is then, be prepared guys, been awhile since I've tried this"
*if he is an enraged state and not thinking straight, going to attempt to possess his body*
(My possession as at a low professional level 2@1, my most practiced psionic skill before here)
*if I am successful, say from the man*
"This is Jhiaxus here, going to throw down the gun, might want to tie me up really good before releasing him, and we'll take him and his stuff and get him to a safer place for us."
Jhiaxus
Your first attempt fails as his mind is too freaked for you to grab. He begins reloading, mutterng about demons and Hell and they'll never suck his soul out through a straw.
Reconsidering, as you've never tried to grab the mind of someone so deeply in the grip of fear/rage you try again. You grab his mind very solidly. And he fights back churning piles of hate/fear at you with desperation.
You grit your teeth and push through the mass until you shut him down. You say your piece, and Tessa follows Siljonic over the edge of the vale with all due speed. They quickly tie you up. And then Siljonic yanks the cords to make sure they are good and tight. They bite into your arms.
Tessa looks into 'your' face and then back up the hill to your normal body.
"Okay. We got the..." She looks at the pistol. "Five shot Makarov Arbalest, and the guy is tied up."
*nods this guys head and lets his mind touch mine before releasing him and going back to my body*
*sits up and shakes off the cobwebs*
"Good job guys, now hopefully when he calms down we can have a pleasant conversation. Tessa remind me to setup the solar blinkets to recharge the belts, I have one empty and I don't know how much charge in the rest. Saved my butt up there, really a fantastic piece of technology."
*drives the car to them and picks them up*
*opens the trunk and puts his stuff inside*
"Sorry, you shot at me, put my fiance and friend in danger, I hope when your frothing rage is over we can just talk, but for right now gotta keep you tied up for our protection and yours. I really don't like getting shot at, and a little miffed personally."
*has him in the back with Siljonic keeping watch on him*
"Hello Memo, know your probably listening in since this is the car you got me, don't know what quite to do with him other than talk, what is the normal operating procedure for something like this?"
Jhiaxus
He promises to do a lot more than shoot you next time he gets a chance. He curses Siljonic extensively until Siljonic threatens to gag him.
"Yes." Sigh. "He seems to think he's in Hell." Lady Memo says. "I think he's a first-timer. I've certainly never seen him before. Procedure? I'm not sure the usual procedure would be a good idea if you take my meaning."
"Lovely so this is Versing 101, thanks Memo, going to take him back to the temple, give him some food and water, and try to explain what happened to him."
*looks back at him*
"Did someone give you a nifty device that said Sciff Inside? I am going to assume yes for now. Well what the geniuses that put it in electronic devices didn't understand, that it's really really conductive to electricity, and you know what else is up there, the human body. You made a pretty good conduit and poof you died, and now your here. This is not hell, this is actually a pretty decent version of 1974, lots of tall blond women with ice blue eyes, none of us Demons or demonspawn. Well no one that I know anyway. Siljonic is a Drow, if you played role playing games in the 1980's you know what he is. He's a good Drow, I know since he was my player character and when I was given godlike power for a second, he was the first thing on my mind. Long story, anyway, so now your here, you have your favorite stuff with you. Good news your immortal, bad news your not invulnerable, so you can and will die, and pop up in another world. Your damn lucky you met me, and not another verser, point a gun at them, and you never would have gotten the story of what happened to you.*
*pauses*
"I'm Jhiaxus, the extremely gorgeous woman is Tessa, my fiance, and you met Siljonic. We travel together, protect and train each other and watch each other's backs. The wrinkle here, is that there are a lot of us versers here, and those that came before us are playing the parts of various gods from mythos. Here among the Mortals, I am Odin, and Tessa is Freya, and Siljonic is Loki. We aren't fans of this, but for the most part it seems to be a stable give and take relationship. So in a nutshell, sorry you died, your not in hell, your immortal, not invulnerable, you have scriff inside you, the verse is what you make of it."
*smiles*
"With that said, do you like potatoes? Some very good food here, lots of potatoes mixed in. My standard greetings package comes with ordering takeout of the sampling of Neo Viking Cuisine. I know you probably don't believe a thing I said, but I would feel bad if I didn't at least try to explain how you came here and what happened. I'm sorry I possessed you, but I don't have many non violent subdual techniques, and if you would have shot at my fiance or my friend, I would have gotten very, very angry. I didn't want to get angry and you looked confused. So how about some food and conversation?"
*as he is driving back to town*
Jhiaxus
He glares at you when you talk to him, but unwillingly nods when you mention Scriff.
He laughs out loud in a harsh bark when you mention role-playing games.
"Geek demons."
His eyes widen a bit when he sees Reykavik which is an extremely beautiful town especially in the bright sunshine with, as you say, a large number of lovely blondes wandering about.
When you go on to describe the 'god' scam, his face turns red.
"So you're getting these people to bet their souls on gods you admit aren't gods. Sounds like a demon to me."
"Possession. More demony powers."
As soon as the car stops, he hops out, and bolts for it.
"Want me to stop him, boss?" Siljonic asks easily.
*sighs*
"Yeah go get him, he doesn't even have his stuff it's in the trunk"
*back inside the car*
"That's a big no on the talk and he isn't on board with the god scam, killing him like this will just make an enemy for life, as sad as it is to say, this is out of my territory, is there any of us here that was a pyscologist? He needs professional help. In any case we can't let him run loose. Do we have a verser jail or mental hospital?"
*when Siljonic brings him back, slaps him in the face and throws some water on him*
"Wake up man, Demons would just have killed you by now, not let you interrupt their day dealing with a crazy man. Give the man a cross, Tessa I know you have one."
*to the man*
"That's my fiance's cross if you destroy it, god help you"
*sighs*
"Press it against my forehead and banish me if I'm a Demon or punish me if I am evil, take your time, got at least an hour before I need to start training. You have that hour, if you can't then will you entertain that we are not Demons, are not evil and sadly have your best interests at heart?"
Jhiaxus
Siljonic bounces out of the car, and catches the guy before he gets fifteen steps away. He then picks him up, and totes him back.
"Tartarus. Its in an old salt mine high in the Mid-Continent Mountains in what I called NorthAm. Got a couple people down there already." She pauses. "I know Lisabeth Collins is a 'mentality specialist' whatever that means."
The guy sputters after the water,a nd shakes his head to get it off him.
The guy looks at the cross.
"Whazzat?"
*to the guy*
"It's a Holy Symbol, if you have one to prey to your god, feel free to use that, it's either this or a salt mine, if you can't prove your sane, your going to go there, and your probably not going to like it. So I suggest doing what you need to do to prove we are demons or not or your going to spend a long time in a place that isn't fun. Your choice."
Jhiaxus
"I worship Gaia, but she gives no such power." He gulps at your frown. "I might have a silver wrist piece..." He fumbles in his wallet and comes up empty.
His face turns red again.
"You toy with me. You knew I didn't have it."
*opens the trunk and lets him go through the lot of his possessions other than his gun*
"Listen I have a personal beef with loss of freedom, so I am trying, really trying to give you the benefit of the doubt with your sanity. If I wanted to read your mind I could, but I'm not. I feel for you, you died and you ended up in a bad place probably full of Demons, I can see how that would fray on your sanity.
*pauses*
"So you worship the goddess of the earth, fine that's a start. Tell me about home, family, what you liked to do."
*gets out his wallet and tosses him his licence*
"I doubt Demons have to be licensed to drive cars, I was born, and raised just like most of us, I worked a job I hated for things I didn't need. I died and wound up on a ship about as different as you can get, I thought I was dreaming at first. So I have more sympathy than most versers."
*gets in the car*
"You shot at me, I'm hungry, and cranky so we are going to go to a restaurant, going to order some food and going to break bread and converse. Your going to see us eat, drink, probably get gawked at by the locals, I'm going to flirt with my fiance, Siljonic is going to have his GF and our friends join us. I want you to see that behind all the powers, the titles. We are just normal people, put into interesting situations. In exchange, your going to behave, be respectful of the people around you, and talk and socialize with the rest of us. I don't want to lock you up, I want to give you the benefit of the doubt. I swear by the real Odin *graps his holy symbol* that no harm will come to you during our meal.
*hands Tessa back her cross, and gets another idea for a wedding present*
*gets in the car and heads to a place he heard good things about, asking if they could get tables put together for about 12 people, and orders drinks for themselves before the others can arrive, starting everyone off with a light honey mead*
"You know we should talk with the Baron and She-who-is-gold about making a book about versing, would defiantly help in the future."
*just general joking around, polite conversation, holding Tessa's hand, and seeing if the unnamed guy is going to join in, or at least consider what we have to say*
Jhiaxus
He doesn't have it among his possessions which makes him further suspicious.
"I played the organ in High Circle, wasn't really that devout a worshipper of Gaia maybe that's why I'm here. I was the township's tree grove manager."
He talks a bit more and you catch the idea of pre-planned small communities each with a park of semi-wild trees with a maintenance worker/forest ranger type guy keeping them up. That's him.
He comes with you to the Foodspear, a more formal Neo-Viking place where the waiters do the cooking for you, and you get two tables pushed together as the diners politely sneak stares and try not to gawk too obviously.
Your friends pitch in, try to help, and prove that they are normal. He begins to talk back just a little bit. The Baron tells him a story about another verser who thought kind of teh same thing.
"Poor fellow thought he'd been sent into some form of Hades. Each of the first few worlds he went to was fairly horrific. He met a vampire in a swamp right off."
"Vampire?"
The Baron nods back to the frightened man.
"The problem my good man, is that you are fearful of the wrong things. Odin over there is a good guy. But if you ever meet a vampire, I suggest you pray."
"That's an idea." Arrow says as the food begins to come. "Please bless our food for us."
Uncertainly, the man gets up, and begins with a general, formulaic prayer, but he gets more serious about halfway through, and ends with a serious plea to drive any evil from this place.
Everyone is still there, although a paparazzi on the back wall looks uncomfortable, and so everyone digs in.
*lets the others handle some of the heavy lifting, still not himself after getting shot at*
*about ready to dig into his plate when he catches that guy looking uncomfortable and tries to scan his mind*
*whether it works or not points to the man and beckons him over*
"You, don't seem quite right after that blessing, I want you have some of the blessed food, I don't want you to faint."
*if he refuses, stammers or runs away*
*gets up and retrieves him*
"It is not wise to defy Odin, it is especially bad to be invited to eat with him and refusing, what evil do you have inside you that causes you to be so uncomfortable with a simple blessing?"
Jhiaxus
Its relatively easy to read his mind.
::Angle the shot just so. Wait until Freya is leaning to talk to New Demigod. Yeah. Perfect. Now a shot of Odin frowning. I can see the paper now. 'Odin Jealous Over...' Ulp, he's looking at me.::
He nervously gets up, palming his camera.
::Be calm man, be calm. No way he knows about the payment.::
"Oh, no need, Lord Odin." He says refusing, trying to smile. "Just a touch of the flu."
When you confront him, he turns green.
*Grinning at the man*
"Do you think that I don't know about that payment, that your mind is a mystery to me? Oh no, my dear mortal, we have much to talk about you and I. When we are finished, you shall be educated on dishonesty and its perils."
*turns to all of paparazzi*
"I stand for honesty in both deed and battle, if I do something wrong or newsworthy, report it. I however will not stand for my name or my associates besmirched with lies and backbiting. Get your recorders out, and take your pictures, while this "fine gentleman" reveals who paid him to spread false stories about me. I would be quick, this is your one opportunity to do it, with freedom from punishment. If my food cools before you reveal everything, I will turn you over to Zeus, and we'll see what kind of mood he is in. Do you understand me mortal?"
Jhiaxus
He throws himself on the ground.
"Mercy, Lord Odin."
::I can't tell him. He'd kill me.:: Pronoun problem, but that's how people think, I think.
You get a flashing image of him and three other guys accepting ten thousand in cash from the Nazi Cyborg.
*contacts Hermes*
"I have a request for prisoner transport to Mt. Olympus, please have the furies ready, for verification, Odin out."
*smiles*
"I am not going to harm you, in fact we are going to transfer you to somewhere safe so you can tell the story in your own words instead of me rooting around in your mind. You have my word that no harm will come to you"
*standing guard over him turning his shield belt on to make sure he isn't assassinated while waiting*
Jhiaxus
Hermes responds, looks about, and assesses the situation. He nods, and you, Hermes, and Dexter Mallent vanish in a blaze of light and glory.
You feel yourself buffetted as though carried by the winds, but it passes in seconds, and you see yourself standing on a marble circle perched out over a mountainside. On the walkway back to the Greek-looking temple are four maidens who all bow to you and Hermes. Standing in the midst of them are the Three Furies, the Nameless One, Jack-b-quik, and Lisabeth Collins.
Above and around you, you see mountains that reach for the sky, and one in particular seems familiar across the valley dotted with Greek temples.
"Mount Skycleaver. Godshome. Mount Norgay. The Emperor's Throne. I've heard of it, or seen in in a dozen timelines." Hermes pauses and whispers. "Any time I really feel like I'm a god, I look at that."
You know it as Mount Everest.