Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 211: Of Puppets and Lizardmen

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Date: 1:34:08 PM, June 21st, 2005.
Editor's Note: Hello, and welcome to the first log of Season 5. Many years of work went into getting this up and running; between salvaging these logs from a destroyed laptop, to creating an entirely new logging system so the logs come out cleaner. I hope you enjoy these... ...and even if you don't, at least I had fun making the log device.
Metal Man (GM): *Camera shows the red and blue moons in the sky, with 'Super Smash Quest, Season V: Stranded' on it, with the logo and everything.* The Questers, despite their efforts to stop Kuja, had failed. The evil red mage had managed to trick them into releasing the ultimate source of power. However, some hope still remains for these wayward warriors... An unknown source of energy kept them from dying, even when Kuja had them at his mercy. Now cast off in another dimension, the Questers must find a way to become whole again.... *Camera pans down, into a forest. Metal, Aribar, Garrick, Charles, and Julian are standing there, utterly lost. The sun just set; it is night time, after dusk. The two moons give an eerie glow on the land.*
Metal Man: "Well, this doesn't look too good, does it?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "...nope."
Metal Man looks around, searching for something familiar.
Aribar: "Hrm..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Dexes are fried... and... what..." *He glances over his weaponry and armor...*
Charles Magellean has sat, crossed-legged, playing on the Ressikan flute Warping to a Different Dimension.
Aribar looks about the forest, seeing nothing but trees...
Garrick Fy`aar: "...all my stuff... it's different..."
Metal Man: "Hmmm... what do you mean?"
Aribar: "Perhaps one of us could climb up a tree to see where we are?"
Metal Man pulls both his weapons, expecting to see AK-47s. Instead, a bullhorn and a hairdryer come out.
Garrick Fy`aar draws the M150, looking it over. It looks much more like a regular gun and not like a Quester type weapon...
Metal Man: "GAH! Is this some sort of joke?"
Metal Man (GM): The trees look climbable.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...this is insane."
Metal Man (GM): They're old, and mostly oak trees. Moss adorns them.
Metal Man: "Well, we have to start somehow. Luckily, this place seems safe..."
Charles Magellean gets up, with his mouth still blowing in the air; able to blow into his flute. He looks to his Onyx Sword...
Aribar blinks and quickly checks to make sure Moonlight and the Wand of Wonder are okay... The wand looks a little different, a bit more like a hilt of a sword, but besides that, everything seems normal... The elf decides to try to climb to the top of one of the trees.
Garrick Fy`aar: "I say we set up camp... we need to get our heads on straight before we go wandering in a different world..."
Metal Man: "...What are we going to eat? Imaginary food?"
Charles Magellean stops playing and summons his flute to his hand. He puts it in his backpocket. Upon examination of this sword...
Metal Man (GM): Aribar climbs half-way up a tree.
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm sure we can find something..."
Metal Man (GM): It's good enough to get a peek at the surrounding area.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Maybe there are some deer or rabbits around here..."
Metal Man (GM): Ari: You'd see a field with tall grass. Also, a thin plume of smoke on the horizon.
Charles Magellean: "...Not a sword anymore. It has been completely stripped of its power."
Metal Man: "Aribar, what do you see?" *He leans on a tree.*
Charles Magellean puts away the sword that is only a hilt.
Aribar: "Hrm... I see a field of grass over yonder, and also a bit of smoke over in that direction." *The elf quickly points with his hand before holding back onto the tree and climbing down, jumping off about three feet from the ground.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "Smoke means people."
Metal Man: "Smoke? That must mean civilization... let's go there."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Are you sure we should be traveling in a strange world at night?"
Metal Man: "We've done more dangerous things. Like that time the Earth exploded."
Aribar: "Well... No. But staying here isn't much better."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Alright, you're the president. Or boss, or leader. Or whatever the hell you are, Metal."
Metal Man: "I am the president... though it doesn't mean much now. My organization is now limited to you guys."
Charles Magellean gets out his guns and examines them. Although harder to wield twice at once now, they are hardly any different.
Metal Man: "Besides anyone we find later, I'm afraid we'll have to start afresh."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Heh..."
Metal Man starts walking towards the field. His metallic boots make a satisfying crunch on the ground as they move.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Well, let's just get moving. We've got a long walk ahead of us." *He shoves his hands into his pockets and heads out*
Aribar starts towards the smoke he saw. "Second time so far in my lifetime that I've been transported across time and space..."
Metal Man (GM): The forest is rather thin here. You can already see the field ahead.
Charles Magellean breathes in deeply. He sighs and stands up. His eyes slightly closed constantly and a smit of a frown, he moves onward with what is left of the Questers group.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...heh, this is kinda ironic. The great and powerful Questers have been reduced to five guys, walking through the underbrush to find some mystery town."
Metal Man (GM): You walk into the brush, and at once notice... shapes, shapes that are not your own, moving through this brush.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...company."
Metal Man: "But what kind?"
Aribar puts his hand on the hilt of Moonlight, but doesn't unsheath the blade yet. "... No idea."
Garrick Fy`aar rests his own hand on the handle of his M150, wondering if the gun is as good as it used to be...
Metal Man (GM): Up ahead... you see a single, dead tree, in the middle of this place. There... somebody is apparently surrounded by... what look like wolves?
Aribar squints, trying to see if the wolves look aggressive or are just standing/sitting there.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...now, isn't that fitting?"
Metal Man (GM): The... wolf things appear VERY aggressive. They're hissing... hissing? at the person at the tree. You can hear it from here.
Metal Man: "Well, even if this isn't our planet, we've gotta do something about it." *He runs ahead.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "Always uphold the Quester ideals, huh?" *He follows*
Charles Magellean eyes lighted up as Garrick said company. He was about to grab his guns... but decides against it.
Aribar unsheaths Moonlight, which gives off a pale blue glow, and follows the others.
Metal Man gets his... bullhorn and hairdryer ready.
Metal Man (GM): Everybody reaches the tree, and sees...
Garrick Fy`aar easily draws his M150, his hand going back to take the Einhammer in the other hand...
???: *The man in the brush is wearing a large, black robe. Over his eyes is a hood, covering most of his face. In his arms is a child... no, a puppet, with huge, spiky black hair and a robe.*
Charles Magellean hold his hands together like a priest, walking slowly to follow.
Metal Man (GM): You'd also get a closer look at the so-called wolves. They're... wolf-shaped triceratops. Most obviously some sort of dinosaur.
Metal Man: "...This place is all backwards!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hey, dog... things...!" *He fires off a shot of his gun into the air, trying to grab their attention*
Metal Man (GM): They sense you guys, and run out a bit, forming a circle around everybody.
Metal Man: "...Well, whoever you are, we're going to... protect you from those things."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Same instincts as a wolf pack..."
Charles Magellean uses his palm to re-adjusts his contacts as he was almost to catch up with the others, but... he's outside the circle for being so slow.
Aribar: "... Oh, goody... Hey, you, guy with the puppet! Run while you can! We'll hold them off... If they don't kill us, that is."
Julian Sawyer: "...This is ridiculous..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Oh, shut up and fight."
Julian Sawyer: "I'm not kidding. Everywhere we go, things want to kill us."
The Puppeteer draws five pieces of origami paper up like a fan, dropping the puppet. He and the puppet remain. "I will not run."
Julian Sawyer: "And who's that guy?" *Note that Julian has just run up to the group*
Garrick Fy`aar: "...oh great, now we have papercut here to help us. Whoo."
Metal Man (GM): Questers and ??? vs. Tricerawolves. *Insert ordinary random encounter RPG music*
Julian Sawyer: "...Crap, just remembered Dexes are fried. Ah well." *Julian decides to open up with a Hat Trick, tossing his Fedora at Wolves 1-3, and while doing so rushes towards Wolves 4 and 5 and hits them both with a Beatbox*
Metal Man (GM): Hit miss miss. Hit hit hit, hit hit hit.
Julian Sawyer: *Finishing the attack on wolves 4 and 5, Julian retreats back to the group and catches his hat*
Metal Man (GM): These things don't like being attacked. Three of them move in, surrounding Julian. The first of the three tries to bite Julian. 25 damage if that hits.
The Puppeteer: "Watch yourself!" *The man with the puppet calls,* "These are quite dangerous!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "So are we."
Julian Sawyer: *CHOMP'D* "Ow! -CENSORED-!"
Metal Man (GM): Then it opens its mouth and shoots two fireballs at Julian. Two INT checks for Julian.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well... not that much. At least him."
Julian Sawyer: "...Fireballs?!"
The Puppeteer: "Oh dear..."
Metal Man (GM): One hit; 30 fire damage.
Julian Sawyer: "AHHH!"
Metal Man (GM): The second one tries to head-butt Julian from behind. Opposed SPD checks. You avoid it, but it turns around and tries to bite you.
Julian Sawyer: *Happens to stumble out of the way of that one... and gets bitten again* "Stop that!"
Aribar winces at the Tricerawolves tearing into Julian. "I think I'd prefer Goombas over these guys..."
Metal Man (GM): It replies to what you say by shooting a fireball at you.
Julian Sawyer: "My arm... AHHH!"
Metal Man (GM): *POMF* 30 fire damage. The third one then tries to hit Julian with another fireball. If that's an INT check, you survive. If it isn't, then, that depends on your current damage.
The Puppeteer: "Your friend seems to move like his strings are cut."
Metal Man: "...Eh, he's actually the fastest one here. Just that not many fire breathing monsters like that live on our home world."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...Metal, is the Life regeneration Unit still working?"
Julian Sawyer, not wanting to be the first one killed a new plantet, moves the -CENSORED- out of the way.
Metal Man: "The what-what?"
Metal Man (GM): The thing then tries to bite Julian twice.
Garrick Fy`aar: "What makes us come back if we die! That thing! Is that still gonna work here?"
Julian Sawyer: *Ooo! So close to a critical. He's down for the count!*
Metal Man: "...You don't understand how it works. It's a part of who we are, not a machine."
Garrick Fy`aar: "No! I don't! That's why I'm asking yo--oh."
Metal Man: "I think that's what saved us from being killed by Kuja."
Metal Man (GM): The remaining two attack Mr. Puppet with a STORM of fireballs. Puppet man: 6 INT checks. *180 damage* Puppet: You, too, lose 1 life.
Aribar: "Hrm... Fire seems like a no-no for these wolves so..." *He sprouts some arcane words and slashes forward at the first Tricerawolf with no intention of hitting. A wave of icy energy emerges and explodes on impact, an Ice Elemental Blast (75% Ice). The elf follows the wave and lets out a slice and stab with his sword.*
Metal Man (GM): Hit crit! Tricerawolves
Garrick Fy`aar starts off by narrowing his eyes slightly. It seems that his Mark 5 contacts, being in his eyes at the time of the warp to this world, sorta fused with his eyes. So, he freely uses Eye Spy to check their HP (Wolf 5, I'm doing that to). Then he starts off by blasting Wolf 1, 2, and 3 with 3 shots from his M150 each.
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...that was weird... I could SEE their health... ...Charles! Go after the first one!"
Charles Magellean as still looking in a depressed state, uses his first action to look into his new and improved side-pocket (seeing as how the briefcase was slowing him down). He inspects his Pseudo-cube Bazooka.
Metal Man (GM): It is in one piece, and still functional.
Charles Magellean pushes out his bottom lip a bit, and nods. He puts it away. He would not normally attack, but he is able to push aside his deep rooted... something, and proceeds with a Shadow Ball. ...It doesn't form.
Metal Man: "...Those necklaces don't appear to be functioning correctly."
Aribar: "Thaaat's not good, huh?"
Charles Magellean being confused by this state of affairs, tries an Inhale.
The Puppeteer: "Wonderful. Perhaps something that will function is in order?"
Charles Magellean's mouth doesn't open wide like it usually does! He gives a surprised look, shocked. His turn is done.
Metal Man (GM): To ???'s surprise, he... is revived from the dead. Though there's a new fashion to it here. Instead of reappearing on a platform, a white light heals all wounds and props the person back up.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...what..."
Metal Man (GM): ???: You may take your turn, but one action was used being revived. Yes.
The Puppeteer rushes up to Wolf 1 and attacks with Puppet Strike. The small, black-haired puppet leaps up and tries to slam the wolf right in the face.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Charles Magellean looks to the new one. This one knows how to defend.
Metal Man (GM): Wolf 1 keels over and dies.
The Puppeteer: "Damnable wolf. Thus is your price for attacking me."
Aribar blinks... .oO(Looks like first impressions aren't everything...)
Metal Man: "Well then... let's see what these weird things do."
Saryu: *In a high pitched voice, squeals* "YEAH! Stupid wolf!"
Metal Man points his stuff at Wolf 5. He begins yelling into the bullhorn. "EXPLODING SHOE ATTACK OF DOOM!!!! YOU SHALL DIE OF PERFUME!!! EAT PIE, OR JUST DIEEEEEE!!!!" The noise created is terrible.
???: "Who is this crazy man?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Our leader..."
Aribar winces at the noise and wishes he could cover up both of his ears...
Metal Man (GM): 270 damage. The Wolf is annihilated by billiard balls and the sheer noise of the screaming.
???: "..."
Metal Man: "Not bad, you think?"
Metal Man (GM): Julian glows white, then rises from the dead.
Charles Magellean scratches the side of his ear. He has selective hearing after a while.
Metal Man: "It might have been a little overkill, maybe." *He looks at the smoking crater where Wolf 5 used to be.*
The Puppeteer: "...that was interesting."
Metal Man: "Well, I used to use sane weapons, but somehow I wound up with these instead."
Aribar: "... MAYBE a little overkill?!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Let's just get this wolf... things... finished off."
Julian Sawyer: "...Hey, what happened to the portal?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "It doesn't matter! Just FIGHT the damned things!"
Metal Man: "Well, somebody with that ability to see health could tell us how dead I made that one over there."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...270."
Metal Man: "Hmmm... that's higher than Shadow Ball."
Julian Sawyer: "Alright, jeez! Keep your pants on!" *Julian, ticked that he was the first to die, rushes the wolf who caused his death(3), and unleases a Triple Beatbox on it, hopefully kicking it into oblivion*
Metal Man (GM): All hit. *OBLITERATE*
Saryu: "KABOOM!"
Metal Man (GM): The remaining two wolves see the biggest threats as being Metal and Julian.
Julian Sawyer: "And that's why you don't mess with me!" *Steps back to the group, wiping the guts off his boots*
Metal Man (GM): Wolf 2 lets loose with three fireballs at Julian. the other Wolf attacks with lotsa biting at Metal.
Metal Man: "Leggo of my leg!" *BITE BITE BITE*
Metal Man (GM): Julian is hit twice, taking 60 fire damage.
Julian Sawyer: "HOT HOT HOT!"
Aribar: "Hrm..." *He thrusts Moonlight into the air and cries out "Avian Knight's Shield!" A Wind Elemental Blast and Magic Missile (75% Wind and 28% non-elemental respectively) damage Wolf #4, and a 115% HP white, transparent dome (Shield spell) surrounds the party.*
Garrick Fy`aar slams in a new clip to his gun, loading a shell into place as he unloads again on the remaining wolf.
Metal Man (GM): All hit. That last barrage was all shooting a corpse. Tricerawolves They're all dead. 1000 EXP to all!
Julian Sawyer: "Don't waste your ammo, Man."
The Puppeteer: "Well. That was a wonderous rescue."
Metal Man: "That's almost as much overkill as Julian's attacks were!" *He stares at the burninated corpses of the wolves.* "Well, I guess we're safe. Those things were only able to mildly harm us."
Charles Magellean will be saving his built up exp.
Aribar: "Hrm..." *The elf wills the shield to dissipate and turns to face the new person.* "'allo... You defended yourself pretty well? Your name, sir?"
Julian Sawyer: "At least that wolf didn't explode... Ick..." *Wipes the last of the guts off his boots*
Saryu: "We won, we won, we kicked their butts uh-huh! Uh-huh!" *The puppet is doing a dance.*
???: "Saryu, hush."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, who's the puppet guy?"
Saryu: *He turns to look at Aribar and sticks out a small, wooden hand.* "Hello, Mister One-Arm! I'm Saryu! And this guy up here is my puppeteer!"
Metal Man: "...Yeah... reminds me. Who are you? I'm Illian Macgregor, head of the Questers. The people who helped you make those wolves explode."
Garrick Fy`aar is over by the corpses of the dead wolves, looking over them. His gun is reholstered as he examines them...
Metal Man (GM): They used to be green, but the explosions turned their flesh red.
Saryu: *He jumps up and down before removing some golden object from his robe. It is a crown, which he props haphazardly on his head.* "I'm the King of the Puppets!"
Metal Man: "All right! Somebody as crazy as I am!"
Charles Magellean plays the Song of Time (Temple version) on his flute.
Metal Man: "Well, we better get going... we're--"
Metal Man (GM): *ZOOMP* A warp appears nearby.
The Puppeteer blinks. "What in all hell is that?" Saryu asks.
Metal Man (GM): ...Another person is dumped onto the ground.
Julian Sawyer: "...'Kay... Well, I'm Julian, that's Aribar, That's Charles, That's Garrick, and that's... someone else."
Aribar turns around, facing the warp... "Now what?"
Metal Man (GM): It's another human, for sure. But who?
Saryu: *The puppet runs over to the guy on the ground and presents itself royally.* "HI PERSON!"
Julian Sawyer: "...Another new one?"
Garrick Fy`aar spins and draws his M150 again, aiming at this new fellow...
Aetos: *A stranger dressed in a white cape and tan clothing falls on the ground, feeling very drowsy*
Julian Sawyer: "The warps have abandoned me..."
Aetos says, not knowing of the people around him. "Ugh, my freakin head..." and he holds it.
Charles Magellean stops playing.
Saryu: "Hi, mister Cape!"
Metal Man: "I doubt it's a good thing to be tossed around by warps."
Julian Sawyer: "You get used to it. New guy, what's your name?"
Aetos looks up too them, still laying on the ground "What the... Blurry people! Huh?... I'm uh... Ae--Aetos."
Metal Man: "We're the Questers... equally as lost as you are."
Charles Magellean nods in politeness.
Saryu: "Hi Mister Aetos! I'm Saryu, King of the Puppets!"
Aetos staggers while standing up
Julian Sawyer: "Hi. I'm Julian, that's Metal, that's Aribar-" *Blah blah blah, same introduction he gave Puppet*
Charles Magellean felt something a-miss...
The Puppeteer bows at a 90-degree angle to Aetos. "And I am the Puppeteer."
Aribar: "Aribar Hunter, Jentanian wizard here." *The elf sheaths Moonlight.*
Charles Magellean checks Sardis Mongul's journal.
Metal Man (GM): You'd notice... new pages in it! New pages indeed. http://archive.metalman88.com/SardisMongul.htm
Aetos looks at everyone. "Quite a gathering..."
Julian Sawyer: "And we're all confused, I'm guessing."
Garrick Fy`aar has turned back around, looking at the forest. He's oddly silent...
Metal Man: "Well... we're heading towards what looks like civilization."
Aribar looks to the Puppeteer. "Hrm... This is your world, correct?"
Charles Magellean: "...Questers, gather toward me. New pages have been added somehow."
Julian Sawyer: "It better be. ...Huh?"
Metal Man walks over to Charles. "How?"
Aetos: "Civilization?? Havn't seen that in quite a while."
Aribar follows Metal.
Saryu: "This isn't our world!"
Julian Sawyer: *Heads over to the Lunarian.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "...since when did you get to command us..."
The Puppeteer heads over to look at the pages.
Julian Sawyer: "Since he came back, apparently."
Garrick Fy`aar doesn't move. He can look later.
Julian Sawyer: "'Side, it's new stuff."
Metal Man: "What's this... an Eggman logo on one of the pages?"
The Puppeteer: "If I may... who is... Eggman?"
Aribar mutters a, "Drat..." before looking to see what Locos is talking about.
Aetos's head finally clears up and he notices Aribar's one arm...
Julian Sawyer: "Bad guy. You hate him."
Metal Man: "...That's the page he was going to give us... ...right before Kuja tricked us."
Charles Magellean quotes the from the journals. He becomes done reading...
Julian Sawyer: "...Huh. Well, it's not like it was unavoidable, right?"
Saryu: "Eggman? Is he sunny-side up or hard-boiled?" *The puppet laughs at its own joke before doing a little jig.*
Charles Magellean: "It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Kuja would've found a way to manipulate us."
Julian Sawyer: "Agreed."
Metal Man: "Maybe, but this means we have a serious reason to get revenge on Eggman next time we see him."
Charles Magellean: "...'This moon' ..."
Julian Sawyer: "Don't we always have a reason?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "...we can talk about all this later. Let's get moving."
Charles Magellean closes the journal. He looks up wondering what moon he speaks off.
Aetos stares at them all blankly
Metal Man (GM): You'd see the two moons in the sky. They're getting closer to the horizon.
Charles Magellean puts it away into an opened pocket.
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, I don't want to run into any more of those wolf things."
Metal Man starts marching towards the smoke, which is easier to see.
The Puppeteer nods. "Agreed."
Aetos looks up at the moon... s and gets surprised
Julian Sawyer: "...But maybe they don't come out in the daylight..."
Garrick Fy`aar follows, shoving his hands into his pockets again
Aetos notices the people leaving and decides to follow...
Metal Man: "Maybe, but there's still a bit of night left."
Julian Sawyer: *Follows the Metal One towards Maybe-Civilization!*
Garrick Fy`aar: "...so I guess you two are joining us?" *He glances to the Puppet guy and Aetos...*
Julian Sawyer: "I don't think they have a choice."
Metal Man (GM): Everybody is now getting close to an area with a few more trees.
The Puppeteer heads after them, his robe-skirts scraping about the ground. Saryu, like a hyperactive monkey, is jumping around.
Aribar follows his fellow Questers and new allies.
Charles Magellean makes the cross of "May you rest in peace." He slowly follows again.
Metal Man (GM): There's a small creek across the way; some conveniently placed stones make an easy way across.
Metal Man: "Well, there's some water, if we get thirsty." *He walks across without problem.*
Garrick Fy`aar follows, thinking silently...
Julian Sawyer: "Eh..." *Heads across*
Aribar jumps across the stones to the other side, trying to not get his feet wet.
Aetos walks from stone to stone, crossing the river after everyone else
The Puppeteer follows. Saryu makes a little game of it, jumping only on every other stone.
Charles Magellean approaches the creek, playing some more of the Temple of Time on his Ressikan flute. He briefly stops and kneels to the creek. After putting the flute down, he goes and gets some water via cupping his hands.
Saryu: *The puppet seems to calm at the song.* "That's... a pretty song."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...Song of Time, ain't it?"
Julian Sawyer: "Where did you get that flute, anyway?"
Metal Man (GM): It is now, that everybody would see... an obviously inhabited area. There's a primitive barricade of logs around this place. There's no gate, though. Huts are inside. It's a quiet village. There's a sign right outside the entrance.
Charles Magellean cups and drinks some of the water, swallowing it. After 5 drinks, he gets up and plays more of the calming his song. He walks onward to catch up with his comrades.
Metal Man: "Well, it looks like we've reached... something."
Julian Sawyer: "...Hope we aren't called heretics or anything..."
The Puppeteer: "It appear so. What, though?"
Garrick Fy`aar haults, glancing to the sign...
Metal Man walks closer, and reads... the sign, which somehow is in... rather poor English. "...sArLa?"
Julian Sawyer: *Reads sign as well*
Charles Magellean stops playing his ressikan.
Metal Man (GM): It says 'sArLa.'
Julian Sawyer: "...Sarla?"
The Puppeteer: "Sarla... hmm."
Metal Man: "Must be the name of something."
Julian Sawyer: "Must be the name of the town..."
Aribar: "Hrm... I wonder if they have any maps or something?"
Saryu: "Not Sar/yu/? But Sar/la?" *The puppet looks dejected at not having a town named after him.*
???: "...Hello... who do I see here?"
Julian Sawyer: "This place looks pretty primitive..."
Metal Man (GM): A voice comes out of nowhere. You don't know who or what it is.
Metal Man: "...Well, I most certainly don't see you."
Aribar looks about. "Eh?"
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aetos is confused at the strange sign then the voice from nowhere
Julian Sawyer: "Hello?"
???: "I have been watching you... impressive fighters."
Aetos: "Fighters...?" *He finally notices weapons some of them have on their persons* "Ah..."
Julian Sawyer: "...So you're some kind of stalker guy?"
Metal Man (GM): Out of the shadows, a lizardman suddenly leaps out, wearing a black cloak with a hood. He has green scales, blueish kinda eyes, and a black cane with a silver wolf's head on it. He leans on the cane a bit.
Aribar: "Could you please, ah, appear to... Thankyou."
Saryu: *The puppet puts its hands on its hips.* "You bet we are... WOW!"
Aetos screams at this horrid sight.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Kales Brando: "I am Kales Brando... ...an Archaeologist. Searching for the mysteries of the past!"
Julian Sawyer: "Lizardguy?"
Aribar sets his hand to Moonlight and steps back, not trusting this lizard man.
Kales Brando: *Cough* *Hack*
Aribar: "Perhaps you could tell us where and when we are then?"
Aetos timidly... pokes it "What... ARE you ... sir?"
Charles Magellean looks towards Kales.
Kales Brando: "...This is Sarla, village of the Sereit Tribe."
Julian Sawyer: "Lizard guy, I told you."
Saryu: *The puppet smacks Aetos's hand.* "Be polite! He's clearly important. And don't touch you."
Kales Brando: "It is... well, almost dawn, by my reckoning... an omen."
Julian Sawyer: "Of what?"
Aetos looks at the puppet, then the puppeteer, "You're quite good with him."
Metal Man (GM): He walks a bit closer, using the cane heavily.
Aribar: "How about on a broader note? Country, world... Year..."
Kales Brando: "...Country? What does that mean?"
The Puppeteer steps forward. Saryu speaks up.
Julian Sawyer: "...Where are we?"
Saryu: "What land is this?"
Kales Brando: "...You are at Sarla, village of the Sereit Tribe, in the Green Lands."
Aribar: "Hrm... Yeah... What the puppet said."
Saryu: "The name of it, if you'd please, sir."
Aetos looks back at the lizard-thing... "What is a country?... heh..."
Julian Sawyer: "...Anything else?"
Kales Brando: "And I don't understand. What is a world? We live where we do... nowhere else."
Julian Sawyer: "Planet... You guys don't happen to keep track of time, do you?"
Aribar: "A world is... A world is all of the lands everywhere."
Kales Brando: "We only keep track of what time we find important."
Aetos comes to the conclusion he isn't on Earth anymore...
Saryu: *The puppet bows.* "Now that you have introduced yourself, I would like to present MYself. I am Saryu, the Puppet King. And this tall, dark, and creepy robed-man is my master, the Puppeteer. We have come to this land by accident, and we require information."
Julian Sawyer: "And if you say something, I swear-...dammit."
Kales Brando: "For example, it is near dawn. Hmmm... a puppet king... what an oddity."
Saryu: "Where does your horizon lead?"
Julian Sawyer: "I'll say..."
Aribar: "Have you heard of Kuja? Nintendus? The Questers? Whaller?"
Garrick Fy`aar stands off to the side of the group, glancing at the skyline...
Saryu: "Do you know the name of the lands past your own?"
Kales Brando: "No, no, no, and quadruple no. Oh, the lands nearby?"
Saryu: *The puppet nods.*
Aribar: "... Piffle."
The Puppeteer: "Yes."
Kales Brando: "Well, that is what I need you for!"
Saryu: "Indeed? How may we be of service?"
Kales Brando: "You see... I have been digging in caves, in the nearby rocky lands."
Julian Sawyer: "...You're going to employ us as surveyors?"
Saryu: *The puppet straightens his crown.*
Kales Brando: "Digging for ancient ruins. I found some, I did..."
Julian Sawyer: "Of course."
Kales Brando: "...But... alas, they were populated by monsters!"
Saryu: "...but?"
Charles Magellean is glad he is not part of this 'let's confuse the people by all asking questions one after another to an elder or some kind of talker' thing.
Saryu: "A pity. You want us to clear them out, yes?"
Kales Brando: "Monsters which killed everyone I sent down to excavate. Yes, but let me finish."
Garrick Fy`aar takes a page out of Charles' book and just listens...
Kales Brando: *Cough*
Aribar mumbles an apology.
Kales Brando: "There's something else... one of those people survived the monster attack. ...They lived for exactly one day inside the cave before inexplicably dying. It has become known as... THE CURSE."
Julian Sawyer: "...Huh..."
Kales Brando: "...If you stay in the ruins for more than a day, you will die."
Charles Magellean burps. He covers his mouth, his eyes open.
Kales Brando: "It apparently was to keep out the greedy... grave robbers, they say. They don't let anyone go down there anymore."
Julian Sawyer: "Excuse you."
Kales Brando: "...Well, not officially, at least."
Charles Magellean mutely says, " Thank you."
Metal Man (GM): He snickers a bit, a deep, almost-hissing way.
Aribar: "Sounds effective..."
Kales Brando: "Now... I have a business proposition."
Julian Sawyer: "So you want us to sneak in and find out what's going down?"
Kales Brando: "...I cannot speak while being interrupted. Now, here is what I propose."
Aetos's eyes glisten at the word, proposition.
Kales Brando: "You need shelter, food, a place to live... am I right?"
Saryu: "Indeed."
Metal Man: "Well, those wolf things didn't look very hospitable anyway."
Aetos thinks greedily "Business propositions mean rewards... ah shelter!"
Metal Man: "What with shooting fireballs at us."
Julian Sawyer: "That's right."
Kales Brando: "In exchange for you checking out these ruins and finding what's down there... I will let you rest, give you your own shacks."
Aetos says confused, "Wolf... things?"
Kales Brando: "Allow you to eat and drink as much as you need; just as long as you brave the caves."
Julian Sawyer: "...Shacks. great."
Kales Brando: "We should go inside the town now; people might become... suspicious."
Aribar: "... Wouldn't we be under the effect of the curse as well if we went into the ruins?"
Kales Brando: "Of course! That is why you do not linger for more than a day."
Julian Sawyer: "That's why he's sending us instead of him."
Saryu: "Thank you. We accept your proposal, sir Kales Brando. It is quite gracious of you, allowing us to share your food and drink and homes."
Metal Man (GM): He stands up a bit more, and stately walks towards the village.
Garrick Fy`aar thumbs Saryu in the head. "Who said you could talk for all of us?"
Kales Brando: "Come with me, and I shall show you... there have been many vacant shacks. Or... you can stay out here and be eaten by wolves."
The Puppeteer's eyes grow dark. "Hitting my puppet results in no good for you."
Aetos walks with Kales.
Saryu: "Alright, you get yourself killed."
Metal Man: "...I don't want to be eaten by Wolves." *He walks after Kales.*
The Puppeteer follows Kales, Saryu in tow.
Charles Magellean: "Keep your puppet in line; only Metal may speak for the Questers."
Julian Sawyer: "Your puppet needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. He ain't the leader." *Follos the Lizard*
Garrick Fy`aar: "...hm."
Aribar: "... I don't like either choice, but beggers can't be choosers, can they?"
Garrick Fy`aar folds his arms over his chest and moves on.
Saryu: "And if you aren't careful, you're all going to get killed by making comments. None of you have any diplomatic skills at all."
Metal Man: "Yeah, that's right! ...And I say that anyone who doesn't want to be eaten by wolves should follow me."
Aribar follows the others and keeps a firm grip on the pommel of Moonlight. If any trouble starts, he wants to make sure he's not caught unprepared.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Where as a puppet does."
Saryu: "And next time you make negotiations, they could be your last."
Julian Sawyer: "And you're a talking puppet. What's your point?"
Saryu: "A king, even a puppet king, needs to know these things."
Metal Man: "You two argue once inside the village."
Charles Magellean keeps in close contact to all the people ahead of him while walking slowly again.
Saryu: "Very well. You can all rot in hell as far as we're concerned."
Kales Brando: "I see... you have the spirit of fighting. Perhaps you should visit the arena some time."
The Puppeteer tousles Saryu's hair. "Quiet, you." He says fondly.
Garrick Fy`aar raises his head "...arena?"
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...as in a stadium?"
Saryu: "Whassis about an arena?"
Kales Brando: "A simple place. A stone ampitheatre where willing fighters battle."
Julian Sawyer: "Arena, you say?"
Kales Brando: "...What is a stadium?"
Garrick Fy`aar sighs gently.
Julian Sawyer: "The same thing as an Arena."
Saryu: "A stadium is what you just described."
Julian Sawyer: "Synonym."
Saryu: "Except far grander."
Kales Brando: "...I shall show it to you."
Saryu: *The puppet throws a glance at Julian.* "Don't confuse him."
Metal Man (GM): He walks into the village, down the middle... to the other side... you see a small, ruin-filled area. A circular ampitheatre, of course. Covered in moss, and half crumbling.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...doesn't look like it's used much."
Saryu: "Most impressive, master Kales Brando."
Metal Man (GM): It looks like an ancient roman battleplace, but even simpler. About enough seating for 100-200 people at most.
Saryu: "A bit run down, but that is easily fixed."
Metal Man (GM): There's a dirt pit in the center.
Aribar: "... I take it you people don't know of any workers or builders we could hire to fix the place up?"
Kales Brando: "Fix that up? It's in peak condition."
Julian Sawyer: "...Huh..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...heh."
Kales Brando: "About all there is is a bunch of moss... but that adds character."
Saryu: "Indeed. You could improve it, though."
Aetos: "Peak? Heh... ok."
Saryu: "But it is impressive."
Kales Brando: "You may deal with your battles here... we have ways to prevent it from being lethal, of course."
Charles Magellean: "The greatest of fighters need not the greatest of battlefields."
Garrick Fy`aar glances to Charles
Kales Brando: "Just not very effective ones, so whenever you fight here, don't try to kill one another immediately."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Anyplace is a battlefield where we go."
Kales Brando: "Now... to the shacks."
Metal Man (GM): He starts walking down a right-facing path.
Julian Sawyer: "Hooray." *Follows*
Charles Magellean nods to the side while slightly raising the arm that his head leaned to.
Aetos: "Shacks, better then sleeping under a tree for 5 years..." *He follows behind*
Metal Man (GM): ...You see another lizard-man. A merchant. He has various items and stuff on a table...
???: "Artifacts for sale! Artifacts! Get them cheap!!!"
Charles Magellean follows as well.
Julian Sawyer: "Hey, a shop. Awesome."
Saryu: "Puppeteer! Can we buy something? Pleeeeease?"
Aribar walks past the lizard man and follows Kales.
Kales Brando: "...Isn't it a bit EARLY to be crying for items? Oh well..."
The Puppeteer smiles and tousles Saryu's hair. "Not now. Later."
Julian Sawyer: "I'll come back later."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Artifacts..."
Kales Brando: "That man collects stuff that was found laying on the ground. He sells it... nobody yet knows what it does... it fell from the sky."
Aribar: "... Where on the ground exactly?"
Kales Brando: "Anywhere, everywhere. Some monsters eat these things, too."
Julian Sawyer: "Does it matter?"
Garrick Fy`aar glances to Julian
Aribar decides to turn back and take a gander at what the artifacts are.
The Puppeteer at the nagging of Saryu, follows Aribar.
Julian Sawyer: "As long as-...Eaten?"
Kales Brando: "They're not related to the ruins. Too new looking."
Julian Sawyer: "Huh..."
Metal Man (GM): You see... why, it's the items G&W used to sell. All sorts of them, too. They look a little dusty, but there's tons of them. Probably from landing on the ground.
Aribar: "... Would you happen to take these for currency?" *The elf takes out a coin.*
The Puppeteer is impressed. "Saryu, I promise, we'll come back soon to buy you something, alright?" Saryu looks let-down, but smiles. "Alriight..."
???: "Of course I would! That looks like some good gold to me! You've been the first buyer who wasn't a monster in weeks!"
Kales Brando: "...You sell those to monsters?"
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aetos: "Uh..."
???: "I have to! Nobody else buys them..."
Aetos: "Great."
Charles Magellean: "A merchant does whatever he or she can for profit."
Julian Sawyer: "...This is ridiculous..."
Kales Brando: "...That's Moody Mandy. A bit crazy, I think."
Julian Sawyer: "...That a guy?"
Moody Mandy: "Wot? I'm just doing my job."
Aetos nods slighty
Kales Brando: "Of course... his name is just weird."
Garrick Fy`aar glances over the items, looking for something along the lines of tools...
Kales Brando: "Now then. We can go haggle with him later."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...right."
Aetos continues following Kales
Moody Mandy: "My shop is open all the time... so don't worry, I'll be waiting!"
Julian Sawyer: "I plan too..." *Continues on*
Garrick Fy`aar takes a last glance before moving on. He moves to Metal, whispering...
Metal Man (GM): You reach a cluster of shacks. There's one for each Quester, and then some.
Aribar: "Hrm... Sorry, but I've got too many bottles of potions right now to hold anything else." *Catches up to the others.*
Moody Mandy: "You can always sell me some!!!"
Kales Brando: "...These are your shacks. Built for all the previous excavators."
Garrick Fy`aar: *w* "If GW's items got thrown through the warp with us, some more things from the stadium could as well. Equipment... stuff I can work with... remake the warper, if I find the right stuff."
Julian Sawyer: "...You guys don't have plumbing, do you?"
Kales Brando: "Each of you may have one."
Metal Man whispers back to Garrick.
Metal Man (GM): *w* "I'll see what we can do later. All this new stuff makes me tired."
Garrick Fy`aar: *w* "Good point..."
Kales Brando: "I shall see you tomorrow. ...When the sun is in the center of the sky."
Julian Sawyer: "...I'll take that as a no..."
Aetos look at a shack and wonders if it's going to fall down while he sleeps.
Metal Man (GM): He points up into the sky.
The Puppeteer: *From The Puppeteer's robes, another small, this time white-haired, puppet emerges. There is no controller in the Puppeteer's hands.*
Kales Brando: "...Plum... bing?"
Aribar sighs, not liking his at all... The elf heads towards a shack.
Kales Brando: "You know some strange words."
Julian Sawyer: "...Yeah, definite no."
Kales Brando: "I must be going now."
Julian Sawyer: "Talk to you later then..." *Julian heads for the shack that appears to be the sturdiest... failing that, the one on the right.*
Metal Man (GM): He walks off.
Aetos goes into one of the shacks while waving at kales
Charles Magellean: "I wonder if they know of the word 'mercenary'."
Metal Man (GM): They all look equally good, so... well, there you go. Shack on the right.
The Puppeteer: *Saryu, the Puppeteer, and the new puppet enter one of the shacks.*
Metal Man: "Eh. I'm pretty tired, I'll go rest for now."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...'bout what we are now, I suppose. Mercenaries..."
Metal Man goes into a shack that's strangely tilted.
Charles Magellean: "I am a mercenary."
Garrick Fy`aar: "We are all mercenaries now."
Julian Sawyer: "Stop talking and claim a shack.!"
Aetos thinks while laying down in the shack. .oO(I wonder if they'd let me paint this place...)
Garrick Fy`aar: "Fine."
The Puppeteer slumps to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Saryu does likewise, but the new puppet actually walks out of the shack to look around. It has in its hand a sack full of 1000 coins.
Aribar gets inside his shack and sits down on whatever is closest to a bed or couch. The elf then unsheaths Moonlight and sits down, wondering if these lizard folk are truly friendly... The elf has had many less-than-friendly encounters with lizard folk in his own world.
Metal Man (GM): *Mission 1: Locate Civilization. COMPLETED* And that ends this mission.
Julian Sawyer: *Enters his shack and has a look around...*
Metal Man (GM): It was mostly an introduction.
Garrick Fy`aar takes off his jacket, showing the black t-shirt and ammo holsters underneath. He tosses it into a random empty shack, then heads for the arena...
Metal Man (GM): New options available: Buy Items Buy Badges You may also fight it out in the arena. No killing Locals.
Koryuu: *The puppet walks back into the shack... Aribar's shack.* "Wha... what's going on? This isn't my master's shack..."
Aribar blinks, looking at the puppet. "You're one of that Puppeteer's puppets?"
Koryuu: "Uh-huh. I'm Koryuu, the Court Jester. Nice to meet you!"
Aribar: "Aribar's the name... Your master seems to have a unique ability to... Hrm..."
Koryuu: *The puppet bursts into a dance, at the end of which, it pulls out a jester's cap and sticks it on its white-haired head.*
The Puppeteer: "Nice to meet you, Master Aribar."
Charles Magellean looks to his shack. Uh-uh.
Aribar looks at the dance and thinks a bit... "I guess I can't really call you just an animated object, huh?"
Koryuu: "Not exactly."
Charles Magellean looks to see how high the doorway is.
Koryuu: "You may call me Koryuu. The one with the crown is the Puppet King, Lord Saryu."
Metal Man (GM): It's more than high enough. By coincidence, the lizard people are either slightly shorter or slightly taller than you guys.
Aribar: "Nice to meet you, Koryuu." *The elf nods, hearing Saryu's name.* "Hrm... Where is he at? Saryu, I mean."
Koryuu: "Saryu sleeps when the Puppeteer sleeps. If you wanna talk to him, I can go wake them up."
Aribar: "Ah... No, no, that's okay."
Koryuu: "Then will you talk to me? I'm kinda bored."
Charles Magellean pulls out the sack containing his weapons, and throws it into the shack. He picks up his BIIIIG bag o' coins and throws them into the shack.
Aribar: "Hrm... Sure. I was going to try and stay up anyways."
Koryuu: "Well. Where are you from?"
Aribar: "The country of West Jenta on the planet of Whaller... Unfortunately, due to a miscast magic spell I was torn from my home."
Charles Magellean looks to the doorway and licks his lips. He makes his feet move forward in an arc, throwing off his shoes and sacks and clinging to the doorway all in one motion. He gets a very FIRM grip.
Koryuu: "I see. I'm from the Puppet Kingdom, as you may have guessed."
Charles Magellean: .oO(AAAHHHH!! MUCH better!)
Aribar: "Hrm... Are you the Puppet King's body guard or something? Or just a companion on the road?"
Koryuu: "I'm his Jester, like I said. When... when he lost his will... I carried him to the most skilled Wizard in the kingdom. The wizard sent us to a world where humans ruled puppets... and I met the Puppeteer. I don't know how he lost his will. But it's my goal to save him."
Aribar: "Lost his will? Hrm... He seemed quite lively earlier."
Charles Magellean goes into sleep. He SNORES with a loud roar every 2 minutes.
Koryuu: "Yes. That's the Puppeteer's magic. The Puppeteer uses his own powers to make it seem as if Saryu is alive. It's temporary reanimation, no more."
Aetos unfortunately wakes every 2 minutes... "Agh... Maybe it was better to sleep under trees???"
Aribar: "I wish I could help, but I specialize in evocation magic. Lightning bolts, fireballs, and such."
Koryuu: "I thought so. You look like that kind of guy. The Wizard of the kingdom was barely able to send us to the Puppeteer. And, no offense, but he was stronger than you by leaps and bounds."
Aribar: "No offense taken... I'm but a novice at magic in my opinion."
Koryuu: "You're no novice... but the Wizard was incredibly powerful."
Aribar mutters, "Plus I lost my spellbook..."
Koryuu: "A spellbook? Maybe I can help you find it. I don't look like much, but I'm good at finding things."
Aribar: "If you can search through time and space itself, then be my guest."
Koryuu: "...not that good."
Aribar: "Well, it was nice meeting you, but I want to organize my supplies right now before tomorrow... See you later, I guess."
Koryuu: "Bye-bye!" *The puppet runs out of the house and into... Aetos's.* "darn it! Wrong house again!"
Aetos wakes startled "Well, it wasn't snoring this time..."
Koryuu: "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
Julian Sawyer is laying on his bed, starting at the ceiling of his shack, trying to block out the snores "...Well, this isn't too bad... Bed's nice..."
Aetos: "It's alright, I'd rather be woken by a... OH MY GOD a LIVING puppet?!"
Koryuu: "I'll go now." *He runs out... and into Julian's.* "Dangit!"
Julian Sawyer: "There's a chair... ...Puppet!"
Koryuu: "...HUMAN!"
Charles Magellean: "*ZZZZZZzzzz*..."
Julian Sawyer: "What, do you need a box or something to sleep in?"
Aetos sighs and fals back asleep, "VERY strange people I found..."
Koryuu: "No. This is my time to run around, when the Puppeteer's not awake."
Julian Sawyer: "Oh, you're with that puppet guy?"
Koryuu: "That's right. I'm Koryuu, the Court Jester." *He points to the hat, then repeats the dance he did for Aribar.*
Julian Sawyer: "...'Kay... what's with that other puppet? He's a king, right? Why's he hanging out like a pet with that Puppeter?"
Koryuu: "...King Saryu lost his will. It was a curse."
Julian Sawyer: "...Oh. So he knows the Puppeteer can shut him down in an instant if he disobeys?"
Koryuu: "The Puppeteer is helping us. The Wizard of our country sent us to him."
Julian Sawyer: "Oh."
Koryuu: "The Puppeteer is granting him his will back. It's temporary, but anything's better than mindlessness."
The Puppeteer: *The puppet looks like it's about to cry.*
Julian Sawyer: "You got a point. Still, your king's kind of a jerk."
Koryuu: "He doesn't mean to be. And one of you DID hit him."
Julian Sawyer: "He needs to learn to not talk so much."
Koryuu: "He was trying to help you, you know. You don't need to be so rude to him."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, but he still needs to learn to not talk so much. He doesn't speak for the questers as a whole."
Koryuu: "He was talking about the Puppeteer and himself. Keep in mind, the Puppeteer, the king, and I are all separate entities, so when he said 'we', he was referring to 'us.'"
Julian Sawyer: "Tell that to the other guys. We took it to mean you meant all of us."
Koryuu: *The puppet shakes his head.* "No. I'll tell the king that it was a misunderstanding, though. Okay?"
Julian Sawyer: "Okay."
Koryuu: "You're a nice guy, you know that?"
Julian Sawyer: "Eh."
Koryuu: *The puppet smiles.* "It's true. Anyway... I'd better go now. Thanks for talking with me, Mister... uhh..."
Julian Sawyer: "Julian. Julian Sawyer."
Koryuu: "Thanks for talking with me, Mister Sawyer."
Julian Sawyer: "You're welcome. Later, man."
Koryuu: *The puppet runs out of the room and into Charles's hut.* "...I have a really bad sense of direction."
Charles Magellean: *Of course, Koryuu would have difficulty actually running into the hut itself since Charles himself is hanging upside down from the entrance-way.*
Koryuu: "Ow! What did I hit...?"
Charles Magellean snorts as he recoils a bit, although otherwise unaffected and remains sleeping.
The Puppeteer: "There's a man in the doorway! How odd."
Charles Magellean makes another 1/8 km radius loud snore.
Koryuu: *The puppet starts poking Charles.* "Loud."
Aetos wakes again "Damn!"
Charles Magellean: "...*Zzz*...*Snort* *Zzz*..."
Koryuu: *The puppet pokes Charles harder each time.* "Hey... loud man..."
Aetos: "Sigh, this is the reason I slept under a tree." *He falls asleep once more*
Charles Magellean swats forward muttering something about a dang hangolforp.
Koryuu: *The puppet jumps back, then pulls on Charles's hair.* "HEY!"
Charles Magellean: *You pull the hair, yet all Koryuu gets is... well let's say that a headbutt isn't pretty. He snarls as he mutters how persistent the hangolforp is.*
Aetos dreams of his country...
The Puppeteer sighs and leaves, going back to Aetos's hut. "...damn."
Aetos then senses the puppet back in his room and awakens.
Koryuu: "Hiyo!"
Aetos: "Erm, Hello."
Koryuu: "Who're you?"
Aetos: "Pardon me for being so timid, living puppets and lizard-men are quite surprising to me. My name is Aetos."
Koryuu: "I'm with the Puppeteer. I'm Koryuu, the Court Jester!"
Aetos: "Really? Do you know any good jokes?"
Aribar hrms, having many green and blue potions as well as a bunch of gems on his bed. The elf separates them and puts them in different combinations.
Koryuu: "Sure! What did one puppet say to the other puppet? 'I'm board!'"
Aetos: "Erm... Haha. Clever..."
Koryuu: "Oh yeah. What about you? You know any good jokes?"
Aribar eventually sorts out the various items, putting most of them into a backpack but leaving a few on some loops on his belt for easy access. The elf then unsheaths Moonlight and inspects the shortsword.
Aetos thinks, "Not that I can think of right now, I'm not a very witty person..."
Koryuu: "Uh oh... I'd better get out of here. 'scuse me!" *The puppet runs out, and back into Aribar's hut.* "Mister Aribar! Help!"
Aetos wonders why the puppet left so abruptly, then he TRIES to sleep again
Aribar: "Eh? What's wrong?"
Julian Sawyer: "Hmmm..." *Checks his back pocket to see if Vendetta is still there...*
Koryuu: "He's going to be mad that I ran away and talked to you guys! Hide me, please! Please!"
Aribar: "He? The Puppeteer? Hrm... Why would he be mad?"
Koryuu: "I'm not 'sposed ta talk to people..."
Aribar sets his sword aside and stands up. "Ah..."
Julian Sawyer pulls out a lightsaber hilt. "Yup..."
Aribar: "And I take it he's looking for you right now?"
The Puppeteer and Saryuu move to Aetos's house. "Where is Koryuu?" Saryu squeaks
Koryuu: "Uh-huh... hurry!"
Garrick quietly makes his way through the village, walking about and looking at stuff...
Aetos wakes AGAIN "God dammit what is wrong with you people? Koryuu? He... uh... I don't know."
Aribar casts an Illusion spell, creating a rather large crate in the corner to the left of the door (left as in if you just stepped into the room). "That should hide you for about two minutes or so... Just step into the crate."
Julian Sawyer: "Wonder if it still works... Hah! Like I'm gonna test it in here..." *Exits his shack and tries igniting the lightsaber*
The Puppeteer enters Aribar's shack. "Where is he?" Saryu inquires.
Aribar: "He?"
Aetos hears a noise and jumps out of the shack, seeing the Julian fellow playing with a lightsaber... "Hm!? Hey those were once in this movie I've seen..."
Aribar goes and picks up Moonlight, sheathing the shortsword.
The Puppeteer: "Koryuu," *Saryu replies.*
Julian Sawyer: "...Damn, isn't working..." *Julian says as it fails it ignite* "Maybe later... Huh?"
Aetos: "One of those trinkets, it turns into a short beam made of light correct?"
Aribar: "No idea. No one has disturbed me at all."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, I ganked of Eggman. One of my greatest accomplishments back on Nintendus."
The Puppeteer: "Don't lie, please," *Saryu responds sadly,* "I know he's not here. Please tell me where my friend is..."
Aetos: "Eggman? Nintendus?" *He looks puzzled He shrugs*
Julian Sawyer: "Eh, you'll learn about those places sooner or later. Hey, did that Puppet talk to you?"
Aetos: "Fair enough, yes... why?"
Saryu: "Please, tell me where he is?"
Julian Sawyer: "Nothin'. Just wondering if I was the only one."
Aribar: "What will you do to him when you find him?"
Saryu: *The puppet looks like it's about to cry.* "I just want my friend back."
The Puppeteer nods. "I promise, I won't hurt him."
Aribar turns his back and looks like he's trying to think. "Maybe I did see him..."
Saryu: "Please..."
Garrick Fy`aar finds himself, after an hour or two, sitting with his back against the outside of his hut. He's got a makeshift knife he bought off that Moody fellow, carving a piece of wood....
Aribar mutters a few words... Another Illusion spell. This one would have a somewhat sloppy version of Koryuu running away from the hut. The elf turns around and points out the door. "Oh, there he goes!"
The Puppeteer smirks. "And you think I'm fool enough to fall for an illusion. Quaint, elf."
Aribar: "Well, it was worth a shot, wasn't it?"
Saryu: "You're... AH-HAH!" *He notices the box, which wasn't in any other place. He touches the box... and his hand passes through it.* "Koryuu!"
Koryuu: "I'm sorry, your highness..."
Saryu: "Don't do it again, okay? You're my friend... I don't want to lose you."
Koryuu: "Yes, your highness."
Aribar: "It sounds like you don't ever let him out of your sight..."
Saryu: "I can't! If I do, I might lose him."
Aribar: "You don't want to hold on to him so much that he's no better than a prisoner, though."
Saryu: *The puppet thinks for a moment, then turns to look at Koryuu.* "Have I been doing that?"
Koryuu: "Yes, your highness."
Saryu: "...I... I'm sorry, then..."
Aribar: "Your... Err... Highness, when you're sleeping the others like myself will try and make sure nothing bad happens to him."
Saryu: "Will you? Thank you so much!" *The puppet runs over to Aribar and hugs him tight.* "Thank you!"
Aribar looks a bit surprised at the sudden reaction, but then just smiles. "No problem."
The Puppeteer looks more like a puppet than Saryu does, really. "And I thank you, elf."
Aribar nods. "Hrm..."
Saryu: "What's the matter, Mister... Aribar, isn't it?"
Aribar: "Yes, Aribar... I was just thinking about your, ah, curse."
Saryu: *The puppet's face... darkens?...as the word 'curse' comes up.* "Koryuu... told you about that, then?"
Aribar nods. "If I had a way to return to my own world, I might have been able to help you. However, that is far beyond my skill..."
Saryuu: "I just hope... I hope the current ruler of my world is doing it right."
Aribar: "Hm? Why would he do otherwise?"
Saryu: "Usually, when a ruler is deposed, it's by someone evil who wants the power for himself."
Aribar: "Do you know who was left in your stead?"
Saryu: "If someone did take over, my mind was already sealed. Koryuu might know, but he's not terribly willing to reveal that information."
Aribar: "Hrm... I'm sure your kingdom is fine..." *He tries to switch the conversation to a lighter note.* "Compared to your own kingdom, how do you like the human world?"
Saryu: "It's odd... Confusing. Upside-down."
Aribar chuckles. "No offense, but the thought of a puppet kingdom sounds odd as well."
Saryu: "None taken. You leave horrible rulers in their stead, but dynasties no longer exist. Rulers who in my world would be burnt, or soaked, are allowed to go free and even control the masses."
Aribar nods, sadly agreeing.
Saryu: "Yet great rulers are deposed for their personal lives, and their children are never allowed to return to power. Why?"
Aribar: "Humans... Every type of personality, morale code, and everything else can be found amongst that race. There are evil rulers who want nothing but power and money, but there are also benevolent rulers who would put their people before themselves."
Saryu: *The puppet nods in agreement. His/Its eyes gleam as it speaks up again.* "I heard of a very great ruler in the human world... an evil man, but a great ruler, one whose actions still echo... His country, first and foremost, was his priority, or so I believed. Although his methods were... unorthodox, at best... he did bring the human world out of a great slump. This is true, yes?"
Aribar: "I am... Unsure. I recall he had something to do with some sort of war, but I cannot remember much more than that from my history classes."
Saryu: "I believe he started that war? And... killed many people. Foolish... he should've used them as slave workers. It would've tripled his production, I'm sure." *The puppet rubs its chin thoughtfully.* "Still... zealots never listen to reason."
Aribar: "I was taught little Earth history... Most of my history classes were about my own planet of Whaller, but little seemed to fit together..."
Saryu: "Ah, I should mention, slavery is not looked down upon in my world. The Puppeteer has explained to me that it is very disliked in the human world. In my world, prisoners of war are used as labor. It seems more logical to us."
Aribar: "I believe there are thousands of ways to look at any concept, including slavery."
Saryu: "Indeed."
Aribar: "I myself think slavery is wrong because those men... Or puppets... Have the same feelings that we do. At least most of the time... Some people do deserve slavery or death."
Saryu nods at this. "Indeed."
Aribar: "Slavery... Thieving... Necromancy... Many things don't sit well with me, but sometimes I wonder if it is just silly thinking or if my thoughts are what is right about an issue."
Saryu: "Necromancy... I know little of that, but the Puppeteer knows much of it." *He does not appear to look guilty.* "Learned is as learned does."
Charles Magellean has been giving out loud snores for the past hour.
Aribar looks over the Puppeteer's shoulder to Locos's hut. "From people that come from the moon to others that hail from a planet that is claimed to be destroyed in my time to puppets... Adventuring really does make you meet interesting people."
Saryu: "It does. Are you enjoying it, though?"
Charles Magellean: *It is interesting that he isn't in the hut himself but doing the same thing he did in R&R; hanging upside down with his feet firmly gripped into the ceiling... er, the entrance to his own hut.*
Aribar: "I am unsure... There has been few places that I have been able to call home, and I think I am more comfortable on the road than staying in one place..."
Saryu: "This place looks like a wonderful home. Perhaps... you would like to come with the three of us, and go shopping?"
The Puppeteer: *The puppet looks up at Aribar, eyes full of hope.*
Aribar: "Hrm... Sure. There is not really anything I need, but I'll gladly come just for company." *He makes sure he has everything packed up and starts towards the opening of his hut.*
Saryu: "Great! Let's go!"
Aribar heads towards that Moody something lizard's stall with his new friends.
Saryu: *The puppet trundles along behind Aribar, the Puppeteer in tow. Koryuu is sticking close to Aribar.*
Aribar: "I've heard a lot about the puppets, but what about yourself, Puppeteer? How'd you earn that title?"
The Puppeteer's face is covered by his hood and origami paper. "On my world, I was an Onmyoji, and a scholar of the arcane. Puppeteering is something I did in my free time."
Aribar: "Ah."
The Puppeteer: "My real name is..."
Saryu: "Ah, here we are! What should we buy, Fa..."
Aribar looks up, startled to see they already got there. "Didn't seem to take as long as it did to get from here to the huts..."
Koryuu: "A mushroom looks good!"
Aribar looks over the items... "Hrm... Huh... I think I DO see something I want."
The Puppeteer: "What are you buying?" *The Puppeteer inquires.*
Saryu: *The puppet picks up a mortality gem.* "Check this out, Koryuu! It's beautiful!"
Aribar puts a LARGE sack of coins on the counter and starts getting out a bunch of smaller bags inside of it. "This one capsule... Now where did it go?" *He looks at the gem Saryu picked up.*
Saryu: "Oooh! Look at this top, mister Faust! It's incredible! Let's buy it! Sir! Mister Lizard! I'm buying this Warp Gem!"
Aribar goes and finally finds that IQ Capsule he saw, and sets down nine sacks of cash as well as a smaller one... 9600 coins total.
Kerian: "And this Manual!"
Saryu: *The puppet puts the coins on the counter and takes the gem and the manual.*
Aribar downs the capsule and becomes smarter than your average bear! Err...
Faust: *The Puppeteer sighs.* "Well. My name is Faust... John Faust the XIII. I was named for my ancestor, John Faust the First... a famous Necromancer of some report."
Aribar: "I see... I take it you aren't very proud of that background?"
John Faust: "Not remarkably. But I find it doesn't hurt to have a necromancer's name behind me."
Aribar nods. "I can see how it can make some tasks easier."
John Faust: "Especially," *he chuckles,* "When everyone thinks that my ancestor will revive himself randomly to take revenge."
Aribar: "Heh..." .oO(Note to self: Get something to destroy liches with,)
Digifanatic is currently standing way aside from everyone, thinking odd things to himself... .oO(Well... this place is odd... I dunno even where we are. What is this insanity? And how will be friends know? And the great-great-whatever-number-grandson of a necromancer... this John guy could be worthy. Never know...)
Aribar looks up and into space... The elf looks like he is somewhere else kind of...
Digifanatic looks around again... just sorta confused but still nonetheless interested.
John Faust chuckles. "Tired, Elfmaster?"
Garrick Fy`aar is still by his lonesome, carving that block of wood...
John Faust: "Perhaps we should have a duel, eh?"
Aribar comes back into it a second later and shakes his head. "Err... What? Oh..."
Digifanatic really realizes what he wants to do more than anything else... to write home... again. He's not obsessed with it, he just doesn't want his friends to be too concerned.
John Faust: "I'm certain you'll win, but... anything to absolve this boredom."
Aribar: "I'm not tired... I was just, ah, conversing with a friend I guess you could say... A duel sounds good."
John Faust: "I see. Well, let's go. ...ahhh... please do go easy on me. After all... I'm not nearly at the skill level you are."
Aribar chuckles.
John Faust: "Let's make a deal... no lethal attacks."
Aribar: "Okay. I'll limit myself to my cantrips and other minor spells."
John Faust: "Nothing that will bring us to the... limit... of our damages, eh? And I shall limit myself to my origami."
Saryu: "But..."
John Faust: "Hush, Saryu. You and Koryuu may watch."
Aribar takes out the Wand of Wonder and heads to the arena.
John Faust follows, the puppets in tow. Saryu and Koryuu sit down in the seats, while John steps into the dirt pit.
Digifanatic reaches into his pocket and somehow finds an empty piece of paper... (relatively quiet, but definitely audible) "Ah... time for my peace... I need this..."
Aribar walks to the opposite side of the arena, the puny wand in Aribar's hand. "This thing's changed since I last used it... I hope nothing drastic happened."
John Faust: "Hopefully." *He smiles.* "Are you ready?"
Aribar: "Yeah... I hope. Hrm... Whirlmore! ... Nothing? ... Starstorm! Dray! ..." *The elf shakes the wand like one would a busted flashlight, and a Magic Missile bursts forth towards Faust.*
John Faust twitches back. "Oh my! Quite painful. Let's see how you like MY attacks..." He hurls a pair of papers out of his hands. The papers hurtle towards the elf, and as they fly, they become a pair of sparrows... with very sharp beaks.
Aribar tries to bat them away with his wand, but is pecked... Near to death. "Gah!"
John Faust: "Thus is my special brand of magic, Onmyoji Shikigami spells. Do you like them?"
Koryuu: "Hooray..."
Aribar: "... Very, very, very painful..."
Saryu: "Not like that! Like this! HOOOOORAAAAAAAY!"
Aribar: "Okay... Time for another Magic Missile! ... Err... Gah!" *The elf doesn't shoot out another Magic Missile, but instead lights up a ruby-red energy blade for his first action.* (Switch to Special Mode.) *He wonders what to do next, but the energy blade rushes towards Faust and slices at him. He shrugs his shoulders at the odd attack and then fires a Jolt at his opponent... 18% Electric damage and...*
John Faust curses. "That's painful... how about this?" He hurls another sparrow out of his hand... and four more papers. The four papers shift into a huge, sinuous dragon. (I'll attack with the sparrow before the dragon, to give you a chance to react)
Aribar is knocked back against a large block of stone by the sparrow. The elf shakes his head and sees the dragon and tries to dive to the floor.
John Faust: *The dragon inhales and roars. From its mouth, a huge flame bursts, engulfing Aribar. When the fire fades, the dragon is gone.*
Aribar is burninated. He coughs and yells, "I give, I give!"
John Faust smiles. "A good match, Master Aribar."
Aribar gets up slowly and casts several healing spells on himself, and another bunch of John, bringing them both down to 0% damage. "Perhaps I shouldn't have went so easy..."
John Faust: "I'm not to be underappreciated, am I?"
Aribar nods.
Saryu: "YAAAAAAAY!"
Koryuu: "Yay..."
Aribar: "I wouldn't want to know how much would be left of me if you allowed the puppets to fight as well."
John Faust: "Ahhh... indeed."
Aribar: "Now, please excuse me for a bit..." *He reaches to his belt and takes out a little box with a red button on top, which he presses. He's envoloped in a white light and replaced by...*
John Faust smiles and leaves the arena with Saryu and Koryuu. He looks over when he sees the white light.
MrMonster appears in Aribar's stead.
Saryu: "HI! Who are you?"
MrMonster looks over at the puppets. "You may call me Mr. Monster." He looks like he's in thought for a second like Aribar did earlier at the item stand, but quickly snaps out of it. "... Saryu, right?"
Saryu: "Yup!"
MrMonster: "Good, good..." *He mutters something about something working before starting towards the item stand as well as replacing that box that Aribar had on his belt.*
John Faust: "What is that, if you don't mind me asking?" *John inquires.*
MrMonster: "If I was told correctly, you've decided to follow Aribar, Metal, and the others, correct?"
John Faust: "Indeed."
MrMonster: "Okay then. It is a Transformer, a box which can store another person... From what I understand very few are left because they were said to tear holes in the fabric of reality, or something similar to that."
John Faust: "I see. Interesting. Sounds like a few spells I know... the reality-tearing part, that is."
MrMonster: "About two or three years ago I came to Nintendus to..." *The blue-scaled Trulander thinks for a second for the right term... Or a good excuse.* "To be Aribar' guardian on his brother's request. I've been told that the Transformers are no longer dangerous so I think I'll keep out of that little box for a while and keep that half-elf inside of it." *He chuckles and starts towards the item stand again. He buys five Red Potions once at the stand.*
John Faust: "What better way to guard than keep under wraps, eh?"
MrMonster nods. "Yes... Don't worry, though... You'll see him again. I'm not yet up to being with the other fighters during a battle, but I should prepare for one just in case."
John Faust: "Well... as I don't know you... how would you like to duel? I'm really, really rather bored. The same rules as I used with your friend, Aribar, will stay in effect."
MrMonster: "Hrm... Sure." *He takes the giant one-sided greatsword from his back and starts back towards the arena, resting the sword upon his shoulder.*
John Faust heads back to the stadium; Saryu and Koryuu sit down in the stands again. He draws his paper again. "Ready?"
MrMonster drops down into his combat stance, holdinger his sword in both hand. The Demidragon nods to his opponent.
John Faust hurls another pair of his sparrows at the Demidragon; both hurtle towards the Trulander, looking exceptionally sharp.
MrMonster grunts with the pain and runs up to John, doing an uppercut with his sword and then slamming a psionically charged fist (Smash Attack) into his attack's shoulder.
John Faust flinches from the attack, then jumps back and flings a sparrow and another piece of paper. The second paper becomes 5 sharp knives, flinging them at the Trulander.
MrMonster is filled with paper cuts and sparrow attacks... Yes. He is at 119%, leaning heavily upon his sword... "I've... Really weakend... Over the years..."
John Faust: "Ahhh... possible. Interesting art, Shikigami, isn't it?"
MrMonster: "Painful more than anything..."
John Faust: "I could teach you some of it, if you like." *He produces from his hand a large sword of paper, rippling with ice.*
MrMonster shakes his head. "I've my own skills... I just need to remember how to do them... What's that?"
John Faust: "A shikigami sword."
MrMonster: "Huh... That may come in handy if I ever lost both my swords..." *He mutters,* "But I'd be struck dead if I lost Racualk..."
John Faust: "It's very powerful. Not for me, considering that I'm very, very weak... But for a strong one like you, it might come in handy."
MrMonster shakes his head. "It would be powerful, but I like using the moves of the Melee Fighters... The best fighters of Nintendus, if that world still exists."
John Faust: "That is... doubtful, I think."
MrMonster: "May we see each other again in the future." *He limps back towards Aribar's hut, using his greatsword as a cane.*
John Faust: "Indeed." *He returns to his own hut, tired. He, Saryu, and Koryuu fall asleep, waiting for the new day... or a new challenger.*

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