The Phoenyx - kalyr - Kalyr: 94d

Tim Hall

Fri

Jun 18
2004

22:29Z

Sat

Jun 19
2004

01:46Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

> "Of course", she says, "I am not proposing that we have the wizard
> mind-ream them.  And since you've all travelled a long distance, 'as
> soon as possible' does not preclude the travellers being shown to the
> guest accommodation upstairs to rest, and to take a meal in the
> refectory before they tell us their stories".
>
> "Galtheyn", she orders her colleague, "Will you show them to the guest
> rooms?"

Hank rounds up his own pack and gear, politely (but FIRMLY) declining any
offer to carry, clean, sort, 'see to' or otherwise separate him from it.

Likewise, while he isn't very fond of the beam weapon he was given, he isn't
blind- it's something of great value, and he won't just give it away, at
this point.

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Michael Orton

Fri

Jun 25
2004

08:12Z

Sat

Jun 26
2004

03:47Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

[Hank]

Hank ponders what Duplar has to say. He's quiet for a long while, as he
listens.

Then he replies.

"I should tell you what I did, back home. What 'guild' *I* belonged to. It
is called the Peace Corps..."

He describes an organization of engineers, teachers, and other skilled
people, all from a powerful nation, who volunteer to go to less-advanced
nations, and assist them as best they can- frequently postponing or
foregoing lucrative careers in their fields to do so.

"...and, so my _first_ urge is to ask you which way it is to these
'fringes', so I may do what I CAN do, with more freedom, to boot."

(Pause)

"But you know your world."

"I'm sure I have no psychic powers. The telepathy thing kinda _hurts_ . "
"What sort of Examination does this Guild have? Could I try it, see what
comes of it, then decide what to do? Or is it more binding?"

"Could you tell us about your employer, too? No disrespect, but I would like
to know who we would be working for..."

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Tim Hall

Thu

Jul 1
2004

23:34Z

Fri

Jul 9
2004

01:55Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

> [RYZAR]

> Ryzar looks towards the large (compared to the surprisingly
> thin-looking Borderer) newcomer, his expressive face showing surprise.
> "You do not Mindspeak?" Ryzar asked, "Truly?  Though silent when he
> arrived, even the great Simon Tregarth was able to learn to Mindspeak!
> I just assumed, since you were also Merikan, it would come in
> time....?"


"Maybe." Hank replies, doubtfully. "In the meantime... what's in my head may
be what, you know... saves me. If there's any way to keep it
private..."

(He trails off, not knowing how to phrase it.)

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Michael Orton

Wed

Jul 14
2004

21:47Z

Thu

Jul 15
2004

03:02Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Orton" 


> [Duplar]
>
> [OOC - I admit I hoped Tim would answer these questions on my behalf,
> because I don't know enough to answer as well as Duplar should be able to.
> However, he hasn't so I have to do the best I can...]
>
> [Duplar is a member of the Academy and so can describe how one can be
> checked for telepathic ability.   Sorry I can't put it in words because I
> don't know myself...]
>
> "I find it difficult to imagine life in the home nation you describe.   I
> suspect that centuries ago we had the all the technology you describe and
> more.   However, something went very wrong for us and much has been lost.
> The Guild I work for has two roles.
>
> "Our primary role is the manufacture and sale of technological based goods
> and services.   This includes powerwagons and lifting rooms.   We also
have
> an armaments division, but we are very limited in what we sell and who we
> sell to.   Generally we only sell to the Legion, and we only sell them
> flamelances.   I am not issued with a flamelance, but I am allowed use of
a
> Lightning Wand, something we don't sell outside the guild at all.
>
> "Second we police the use of technology.   Many people see this as using
> muscle to simply to maintain our monopoly on technology, but the truth is
> more complex than that.   We believe that it was the abuse of technology
> which caused the collapse I just mentioned.   We are not sure exactly what
> happened, but I put it to you that you have already suffered from the
abuse
> of technology in the way you have been brought to this land.

"It happened." Hank shrugs, with an indifference he clearly doesn't really
feel.

> "Many people believe they should be allowed free use of all we know.   But
> all of them I have met don't want to use our technology "for the good of
> all" as they claim.   They want to use things they mistakenly believe we
> know how to make for personal gain at the expense of others.

"What things?"

> "If I understood this 'Peace Corps' you describe correctly then I admire
its
> philosophy very much.   But tell me, did many people in your homeland join
> it?   And these "less advanced nations" you went to help - did they simply
> fail to advance or were they once "more advanced" and fell back the way we
> have?"
>

Hank answers honestly.

"The Corps had about 7,500 active members, in 71 countries, when I left.
This is, maybe... a fourty-thousandth of my country's population.  A drop in
the bucket, compared to the military. Hell, the Army Corps of Engineers
ALONE had about 35,000, last I checked... Different function, though."

"We do what we can. There's some sacrifice involved in volunteering- it's
not for everyone."

"The developing countries? Well, THAT takes some explaining..."

Hank tries to keep it brief, and repeatedly says there's LOTS of contention
on some points, but explains generally about reasons why some areas are more
'developed' than others- historical ones (Colonialism, for example, and the
retreat from it), and cultural ones, as well as trying to explain how much
of the 'job' was education- that many advances just had to be taught, and
hadn't...

He also, as a counterexample to Duplar's explanation, gives a brief synopsis
of how technology "got around" on Earth. He draws analogies (given his
general knowledge) between what Duplar described and medieval guilds (with
their Craft Secrets and trade controls).

 Hank also sketches a similarity to what he understands of the old Soviet
scientific establishment (with its close monitoring of scientists, their
procedures and their secrets), vs the "Western" method. (including
contractors competing for military contracts- not Hank's field of expertise,
but just by way of conversation.)

"... so, the way it turned out, the more open things were, the quicker
things advanced. The individual right to self-defense puts some weapons in
civilian hands, but not others- I don't think I've seen a flamelance in
action, but I have seen assault rifles. The government keeps the 'big guns'
in reserve- you won't find just anyone with a nuke! So, there's control on
certain technologies. Still, a different animal, I'd say?"

"I still don't know where this puts us. If I understand what you've told me,
the sort of work I'm trained for is not what the Guild does... My technical
skills are up their alley, but the applications, I mean."

"I don't want to be a burden, Mr. Duplar, but... I think I need a guide,
with this- An advisor. Could you help me?"

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Chuk Goodin

Thu

Jul 15
2004

21:54Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

On Wed, Jul 14, 2004 at 10:02:19PM -0500, Smoot wrote:
> "The developing countries? Well, THAT takes some explaining..."
> 
> Hank tries to keep it brief, and repeatedly says there's LOTS of contention
> on some points, but explains generally about reasons why some areas are more
> 'developed' than others- historical ones (Colonialism, for example, and the
> retreat from it), and cultural ones, as well as trying to explain how much
> of the 'job' was education- that many advances just had to be taught, and
> hadn't...

Roy only kind of half-listens to Hank's explanations. A lot of this stuff 
is kind of over his head.

> "I don't want to be a burden, Mr. Duplar, but... I think I need a guide,
> with this- An advisor. Could you help me?"

Roy speaks up here. "And what kind of job would I be able to find? I'm a 
ranch hand, but I know about cars and guns and stuff, too."

-- 
Chuk Goodin		cgoodin@sfu.ca
Alien Light GM		http://www.phoenyx.net/alienlight

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Tim Hall

Sun

Jul 18
2004

18:01Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Apologies for the long break in posting: I've been on holiday]

>Roy speaks up here. "And what kind of job would I be able to find? I'm a 
>ranch hand, but I know about cars and guns and stuff, too."

Duplar goes on to explain the work of the technical division of the
Karazthan; it sounds like anyone with experience as either a car
mechanic, a gunsmith, or a household electrician would pick up most of
the basics quite quickly. He also tells how the guild employs a
significant number of slaves, who do mundane cooking and cleaning
tasks, as well as some heavy labouring tasks in the workshops.

He also tells how most of the membership are trained as apprentices
from adolescence, and how most of those are the sons and daughters of
adult Karazthani. But he also mentions there are precedents for
recruiting adults with special talents or knowledge.

As evening draws on, everyone assembles for the promised evening meal.
The Guild dining hall is a long high-ceilinged room high up on the
cliff with windows overlooking the habour. It's dark outside, and the
city is lit by lights in buildings; there doesn't seem to be any form
of street lighting. The dining hall itself is lit by some form of
electric light. The choices of food tonight are spiced greenfish in a
quite violently-coloured yellow sauce served with some unidentified
root vegetable, or sausages, served with the same vegetable, only
without the sauce. The party of travellers are all at one table; some
twenty or thirty others occupy the rest of the hall.

As everyone begins to eat, everyone feels a psychic scream of terror
echoing in their head. There is a brief fleeting sensation of pain and
confusion, and an equally brief sensation of burning anger and hatred.

Reylorna and Duplar both recognise the psionic 'voice'.

Tanala!

--
Tim Hall
Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Tim Hall

Sun

Aug 1
2004

18:28Z

Mon

Aug 2
2004

01:51Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[OOC: I'm waiting for the 'regulars', here. Hank has very limited experience
with psychic phenomena, and wouldn't know what to do. If it were a 'normal
scream', he could run in the direction it came from, for instance. As it is,
he'd probably just hold his head as if he had a migraine.]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim" 
To: 
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

> [Reminder]
>
> >As everyone begins to eat, everyone feels a psychic scream of terror
> >echoing in their head. There is a brief fleeting sensation of pain and
> >confusion, and an equally brief sensation of burning anger and hatred.
> >
> >Reylorna and Duplar both recognise the psionic 'voice'.
> >
> >Tanala!
>
> --
> Tim Hall
> Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
> Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Vincent Tognarelli

Tue

Aug 3
2004

04:50Z

[RYZAR] The "sound" still ringing in his head, Ryzar shoots to his feet -- knocking back the chair he was sitting in -- and looks around for its source. His hand reflexively reaches to where his short sword would rest upon his hip -- but it is not there (one does NOT wear weapons to a banquet, nor armor). "That Voice is....familiar." Ryzar says, then turns to Reylorna & Duplar. "Mistress....Master Duplar....you heard? Someone screams in Mindspeak. Someone close."[OOC: just to make the point, Ryzar got "cleaned up" and "dressed up" -- he's not carrying any weapon other than a belt dagger, and he's not wearing his armor. Outside his hauberk & helm, Ryzar looks REALLY slim -- but not gaunt or "skinny". And, as he's exhibited in the past, he's fairly muscular for such a slim frame. He has his raven-black hair parted in the middle, and swept back (but strands keep slipping back, fall across his face (again, Ryzar isn't "beautiful", by any means, but his people are "pretty"; i.e., delicate, "sensitive-look" faces, even the males). His dressage is what our new "Merikan" friends would call "Russian Peasant" style; he's wearing a loose, long-sleeve, greyish-off-white linen tunic with a lapel-less collar, which buttons down the right side (even the collar has 2 buttons). The tunic is cinched at the waist by a green-and-white striped linen sash -- into which a dagger in a black-laquered sheath is tucked, on the left side. Baggy-legged, charcoal-grey woolen trousers are tucked into brown, heavy leather boots which go halfway up to his knees. To Hank & Roy's eyes, all Ryzar needs is a big, furry hat, and he'd look just like a skinny Cossack.]--- On Sun 08/01, Tim < tim@kalyr.com > wrote:From: Tim [mailto: tim@kalyr.com]To: kalyr@phoenyx.netDate: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 13:28:02 CDTSubject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan[Reminder]>As everyone begins to eat, everyone feels a psychic scream of terror>echoing in their head. There is a brief fleeting sensation of pain and>confusion, and an equally
brief sensation of burning anger and hatred.>>Reylorna and Duplar both recognise the psionic 'voice'.>>Tanala!--Tim HallWeblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblogPhotos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Michael Orton

Wed

Aug 4
2004

07:20Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Duplar]
[OOC] I fear nobody mentioned how battered the party had become during their
expedition.

Like Ryzar, Dupalr has also cleaned up and replaced his wardrobe.   Once
again he has specially tailored clothing which draws the eye away from his
withered left arm.   At the banquet he has been using a splade (a
multi-purpose knife/fork/spoon utensil) in his right hand with such
dexterity that only a keen observer would spot anything unusual.

Duplar winces at the psychic scream, dropping his splade.

Ryzar: "Mistress....Master Duplar....you heard?  Someone screams in
Mindspeak.  Someone close."

Duplar replies "Yes, Ryzar, I heard.   And yes, we have heard that before.
That was Tanala... again."


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Vincent Tognarelli

Wed

Aug 4
2004

16:44Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Duplar]
[OOC] I fear nobody mentioned how battered the party had become during their
expedition.

Like Ryzar, Dupalr has also cleaned up and replaced his wardrobe. Once
again he has specially tailored clothing which draws the eye away from his
withered left arm. At the banquet he has been using a splade (a
multi-purpose knife/fork/spoon utensil) in his right hand with such
dexterity that only a keen observer would spot anything unusual.

Duplar winces at the psychic scream, dropping his splade.

Ryzar: "Mistress....Master Duplar....you heard? Someone screams in
Mindspeak. Someone close."

Duplar replies "Yes, Ryzar, I heard. And yes, we have heard that before.
That was Tanala... again."

[RYZAR]

"Ta-nala?  Tanala?" Ryzar repeats, giving Duplar a puzzled look -- which suddenly turns to an expression of understanding.

"Ah, yes!  Mistress Tanala!  She was the Kandar Witch who helped us defeat the tentacled beast, the last time we were here, yes?" Ryzar said, then frowned, "She sounded to be in trouble.  Should we not go and aid her?"


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Smoot

Thu

Aug 5
2004

02:37Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Hank]

Hank looks around in bewilderment, to see what others' reaction may be. He
doesn't know from where (or from whom) the 'scream' came.

He does seem to recognize the 'scream' AS a scream, so he's looking around
to see who needs help.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Vincent Tognarelli" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan


> [Duplar]
> [OOC] I fear nobody mentioned how battered the party had become during
their
> expedition.
>
> Like Ryzar, Dupalr has also cleaned up and replaced his wardrobe. Once
> again he has specially tailored clothing which draws the eye away from his
> withered left arm. At the banquet he has been using a splade (a
> multi-purpose knife/fork/spoon utensil) in his right hand with such
> dexterity that only a keen observer would spot anything unusual.
>
> Duplar winces at the psychic scream, dropping his splade.
>
> Ryzar: "Mistress....Master Duplar....you heard? Someone screams in
> Mindspeak. Someone close."
>
> Duplar replies "Yes, Ryzar, I heard. And yes, we have heard that before.
> That was Tanala... again."
>
> [RYZAR]
>
> "Ta-nala?  Tanala?" Ryzar repeats, giving Duplar a puzzled look -- which
suddenly turns to an expression of understanding.
>
> "Ah, yes!  Mistress Tanala!  She was the Kandar Witch who helped us defeat
the tentacled beast, the last time we were here, yes?" Ryzar said, then
frowned, "She sounded to be in trouble.  Should we not go and aid her?"
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com
> The most personalized portal on the Web!
>

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Chuk Goodin

Thu

Aug 5
2004

15:49Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

On Wed, Aug 04, 2004 at 09:37:41PM -0500, Smoot wrote:
> [Hank]
> 
> Hank looks around in bewilderment, to see what others' reaction may be. He
> doesn't know from where (or from whom) the 'scream' came.
> 
> He does seem to recognize the 'scream' AS a scream, so he's looking around
> to see who needs help.

Roy doesn't even get that far. "Wait a minute -- that was a person? 
Somebody you guys know?"

-- 
Chuk Goodin		cgoodin@sfu.ca
Alien Light GM		http://www.phoenyx.net/alienlight

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Michael Orton

Thu

Aug 5
2004

19:57Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Duplar]

Duplar looks at Roy in surprise.

"You heard her?  Yes, I have to admit that was a woman I know screaming with
her mind.  I don't like her, and she doesn't like me, but I do respect her
mental skills and something which can do that to her is big trouble."

"The first part of the trouble though is I don't have enough mental skill to
locate her without an item sensitised to her, nor can I tell from which
direction she screamed.   Something loud enough for an untrained mind to
hear can't have travelled all that far, unless, of course, she screamed
because she was tinkering with an ancient range boosting device which
backfired on her.   And if she found such a device she would tinker with
things best left alone.

"If nobody has a better idea, we should head for the Academy.   Someone
there might have a clue what's going on, and if not they may be able to find
me a personal item of her's I can use to search for her with."


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Chuk Goodin

Thu

Aug 5
2004

21:54Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

On Thu, Aug 05, 2004 at 02:57:57PM -0500, Michael Orton wrote:
> [Duplar]
> 
> Duplar looks at Roy in surprise.
> 
> "You heard her?  Yes, I have to admit that was a woman I know screaming with
> her mind.  I don't like her, and she doesn't like me, but I do respect her
> mental skills and something which can do that to her is big trouble."

"I don't know what it was, but there was something goin' on there and it 
reminded me of the mind-talking from before."

> "The first part of the trouble though is I don't have enough mental skill to
> locate her without an item sensitised to her, nor can I tell from which
> direction she screamed.   Something loud enough for an untrained mind to
> hear can't have travelled all that far, unless, of course, she screamed
> because she was tinkering with an ancient range boosting device which
> backfired on her.   And if she found such a device she would tinker with
> things best left alone.
> 
> "If nobody has a better idea, we should head for the Academy.   Someone
> there might have a clue what's going on, and if not they may be able to find
> me a personal item of her's I can use to search for her with."

"Sounds good to me." Roy gets up and checks his gear over. Maybe if 
there's one ancient device, there might be more -- maybe one that can send 
them home.

-- 
Chuk Goodin		cgoodin@sfu.ca
Alien Light GM		http://www.phoenyx.net/alienlight

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Tim Hall

Mon

Aug 9
2004

21:46Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

Michael Orton wrote:

>"If nobody has a better idea, we should head for the Academy.   Someone
>there might have a clue what's going on, and if not they may be able to find
>me a personal item of her's I can use to search for her with."

"Wait!", says Jathren, "Before you all go rushing off; what do you
expect to achieve?  It appears someone very hostile to us is in some
kind of trouble.  And I don't believe Reylorna's person is safe
anywhere outside of this building, at least until we know what's going
on.  Anyway, are we not within mindspeak range of the tower from
here?" He addresses Duplar and Reylorna specifically, "Can you not
mindspeak to someone we can trust within the tower from here?".
--
Tim Hall
Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Michael Orton

Tue

Aug 10
2004

08:14Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

"No Boss, at range I can do no more than search for someone and I need an
item of theirs to focus through.   I think Reylorna can?   Her safety...
well I don't want to think of the Academy as being more unsafe than here,
but between here and there who knows?


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Vincent Tognarelli

Thu

Aug 12
2004

16:59Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[RYZAR]

"The call sounded close.  Not as if from across the city." Ryzar adds, "Mistress Tanala is a member of this Guild, is she not?  Just as Mistress Reylorna is?  If she were HERE -- in this building -- where would she most likely BE?"

 --- On Tue 08/10, Michael Orton < michael@conteck.demon.co.uk > wrote:
From: Michael Orton [mailto: michael@conteck.demon.co.uk]
To: kalyr@phoenyx.net
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 03:14:17 CDT
Subject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

"No Boss, at range I can do no more than search for someone and I need an
item of theirs to focus through.   I think Reylorna can?   Her safety...
well I don't want to think of the Academy as being more unsafe than here,
but between here and there who knows?

---
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Michael Orton

Thu

Aug 12
2004

18:04Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

> [RYZAR]
>
> "The call sounded close.  Not as if from across the city." Ryzar adds,
> "Mistress Tanala is a member of this Guild, is she not?  Just as Mistress
> Reylorna is?  If she were HERE -- in this building -- where would she
> most likely BE?"

[Duplar]

"Ryzar, Mistress Tanala and Apprentice Reylorna are members of the Academy
of the Mind.   This is the Karazthan Guild.   Tanala has a most powerful
mind: in her case 'close' could be almost anywhere in the city.  Still, I
suppose if she were tinkering with dangerous technology she is more likely
to find it here than anywhere else.   We could check our vaults and
storerooms."


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Smoot

Fri

Aug 13
2004

02:29Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Hank]

Still, unfortunately, a bit out to sea, Hank asks:
"What WAS that? Who made it? Is there anything I can do?"

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Orton" 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan


> > [RYZAR]
> >
> > "The call sounded close.  Not as if from across the city." Ryzar adds,
> > "Mistress Tanala is a member of this Guild, is she not?  Just as
Mistress
> > Reylorna is?  If she were HERE -- in this building -- where would she
> > most likely BE?"
>
> [Duplar]
>
> "Ryzar, Mistress Tanala and Apprentice Reylorna are members of the Academy
> of the Mind.   This is the Karazthan Guild.   Tanala has a most powerful
> mind: in her case 'close' could be almost anywhere in the city.  Still, I
> suppose if she were tinkering with dangerous technology she is more likely
> to find it here than anywhere else.   We could check our vaults and
> storerooms."
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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Ted Kissell

Thu

Aug 5
2004

20:32Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

[Dharak]

[OOC: In the course of cleaning up for the banquet, Dharak seeks out the 
lead Karazthan and surrenders his beam weapon to them. If the GM thinks this 
should be played out separately, then fine. If not, I'd be happy to just let 
it happen off-camera.]

[Also OOC: Might Dharak have heard of Tanala?]




>From: "Michael Orton" 
>Reply-To: kalyr+mission@phoenyx.net
>To: kalyr@phoenyx.net
>Subject: Re: Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan
>Date: Thu,  5 Aug 2004 14:57:57 CDT
>
>[Duplar]
>
>Duplar looks at Roy in surprise.
>
>"You heard her?  Yes, I have to admit that was a woman I know screaming 
>with
>her mind.  I don't like her, and she doesn't like me, but I do respect her
>mental skills and something which can do that to her is big trouble."
>
>"The first part of the trouble though is I don't have enough mental skill 
>to
>locate her without an item sensitised to her, nor can I tell from which
>direction she screamed.   Something loud enough for an untrained mind to
>hear can't have travelled all that far, unless, of course, she screamed
>because she was tinkering with an ancient range boosting device which
>backfired on her.   And if she found such a device she would tinker with
>things best left alone.
>
>"If nobody has a better idea, we should head for the Academy.   Someone
>there might have a clue what's going on, and if not they may be able to 
>find
>me a personal item of her's I can use to search for her with."
>
>
>---
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>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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Tim Hall

Thu

Aug 5
2004

21:05Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

Ted Kissell wrote:

>[Also OOC: Might Dharak have heard of Tanala?]

[Dharak has heard of the name.  He's heard of it in connection to
Kasraanth Sar, but doesn't know much more than that]
--
Tim Hall
Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Michael Orton

Thu

Aug 5
2004

07:06Z

Kalyr: 95a - At the Karazthan

> [RYZAR]
> "Ta-nala?  Tanala?" Ryzar repeats, giving Duplar a puzzled look --
>  which suddenly turns to an expression of understanding.
> 
> "Ah, yes!  Mistress Tanala! [Snip] Should we not go and aid her?"
> 
[Duplar]

"Ryzar, you forget that Tanala is trouble by another name.
She also wants Reylorna at least expelled from the Academy,
preferably dead, for no crime other than being human.

"However, she is also a very powerful 'witch' as you put it.
Something which can make her scream like that could be a
problem for everyone.

"I suppose we must investigate, except perhaps Apprentice
Reylorna, who if she does come along ought to be very
careful indeed."

Duplar stresses Reylorna's rank because even if she might
have the potential to be as powerful as Tanala in the
disciplines of the Academy, which he doubts any human
could have, she certainly hasn't had the years of practice.


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Michael Orton

Mon

Jul 19
2004

07:05Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

[Duplar to Hank]
> > "Many people believe they should be allowed free use of all we know.
> > But all of them I have met don't want to use our technology "for the
good
> > of all" as they claim.   They want to use things they mistakenly believe
> > we know how to make for personal gain at the expense of others.
>
> "What things?"

"Well, it varies really.   Many families have tales of devices they had
which brought them wealth or glory.   Some of them even have the broken bits
as heirlooms.   We can't repair them because we don't have the parts, even
if we have the ancient texts about the device itself.

> "The developing countries? Well, THAT takes some explaining..."
>
> Hank tries to keep it brief, and repeatedly says there's LOTS of
> contention on some points, but explains generally about reasons
> why some areas are more 'developed' than others- historical ones
> (Colonialism, for example, and the retreat from it), and cultural ones,
> as well as trying to explain how much of the 'job' was education-
> that many advances just had to be taught, and hadn't...

"You tale convinces me that Kandar and Humans are alike in ways Humans might
not like to admit.   You have just accused Humans of treating other Humans
exactly the way some Humans complain of the way Kandar treat them.

> "... so, the way it turned out, the more open things were, the quicker
> things advanced. The individual right to self-defence puts some weapons in
> civilian hands, but not others- I don't think I've seen a flamelance in
> action, but I have seen assault rifles. The government keeps the 'big
> guns' in reserve- you won't find just anyone with a nuke! So, there's
> control on certain technologies. Still, a different animal, I'd say?"

"I'm glad you confirm that uncontrolled research is faster.   That makes it
even more dangerous.   Suppose someone manages to make sense of that
mirror we found and starts it up?   Will not more people get dragged to
worlds they shouldn't be?   We haven't shown you the remains of the mess
yet, but this building had a huge monster 'mirrored' right into its central
shaft.   Is this a good thing for us, or, for that matter, the monster?

"We try to keep ranged weapons out of civilian hands, especially in the
city.   A flamelance is a potent weapon in the hands of a trained warrior,
but in the hands of an unskilled user it is more dangerous to those nearby.
The legion training areas are rather charred.   I have no idea what these
assault rifles or nukes you mention are, but surely they are at least as
dangerous?

> "I still don't know where this puts us. If I understand what you've told
> me, the sort of work I'm trained for is not what the Guild does... My
> technical skills are up their alley, but the applications, I mean."

"You have not mentioned what you actually do yourself, but I do not think
there is any thing like this "Peace Corps" in our world.   Nor do I think
there ever could be.   The cities do not trust each other enough, and none
of them want to help the outlying areas do anything except produce cheap
food.

> "I don't want to be a burden, Mr. Duplar, but... I think I need a guide,
> with this- An advisor. Could you help me?"

"Can I help you?   Well, I'm trying to help both of you by advising you to
join this guild.   It seems to me that we are going to need more field
operatives and you understand more about life outside the cities than
most of the security people I have met.   I'd seldom left the city before
all this started.   You are also in a position to recognise a whole class
of devices which we have never seen, even if we have their descriptions
on file."

Duplar turns to Roy.

"There are ranches in the outlying areas.   The animals would not be the
sort you are used to handling, but surely the basic principles would be the
same?   I do not know what these 'cars' you mention are and we have no
'guns' if you mean devices like the 'dartgun' our companion Ryzar uses.
It seems to be some sort of self-cocking hand-crossbow.   Again, your
different point of view and background knowledge would be of value to
this guild.




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Smoot

Mon

Jul 19
2004

18:18Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

> "You tale convinces me that Kandar and Humans are alike in ways Humans
might
> not like to admit.   You have just accused Humans of treating other Humans
> exactly the way some Humans complain of the way Kandar treat them.

"But the difference is- the empires _ended_. Britain made a Commonwealth,
France did too- all the colonial powers did the same- and  the Soviet Union
split up... would the Kandar reform that way? _Could_ they?"

> "I'm glad you confirm that uncontrolled research is faster.   That makes
it
> even more dangerous.   Suppose someone manages to make sense of that
> mirror we found and starts it up?   Will not more people get dragged to
> worlds they shouldn't be?   We haven't shown you the remains of the mess
> yet, but this building had a huge monster 'mirrored' right into its
central
> shaft.   Is this a good thing for us, or, for that matter, the monster?

"I see your point. But, weren't Roy and myself... *brought* here because the
mirror was NOT understood? It sounds like a dam with cracks in it. Having
more who understand the dam might help prevent the flood...?"


> "We try to keep ranged weapons out of civilian hands, especially in the
> city.   A flamelance is a potent weapon in the hands of a trained warrior,
> but in the hands of an unskilled user it is more dangerous to those
nearby.
> The legion training areas are rather charred.   I have no idea what these
> assault rifles or nukes you mention are, but surely they are at least as
> dangerous?"

"Assault rifles are... slug-throwers, to be general. They don't have rays or
beams, they're firearms that launch metal bullets. Flamelances sound...
worse, frankly."

"'Nuke'... well, there's the big one. It's short for 'nuclear weapon'- even
nations that *hate* eachother will co-operate to keep those under tight
control. The _small_ ones can level a city. The big ones... we've stepped
back from those. Only two earlier models were ever used in war. That's the
only level of thing I can think of worth the kind of clampdown you're
describing..."


> > "I still don't know where this puts us. If I understand what you've told
> > me, the sort of work I'm trained for is not what the Guild does... My
> > technical skills are up their alley, but the applications, I mean."
>
> "You have not mentioned what you actually do yourself, but I do not think
> there is any thing like this "Peace Corps" in our world.   Nor do I think
> there ever could be.   The cities do not trust each other enough, and none
> of them want to help the outlying areas do anything except produce cheap
> food.

Hank measures his next statement to avoid sounding like a braggart:
"Fair enough...

 The main thing is, I have a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering...
[Explains what that means, including a general definition of
"infrastructure"]..."

" I've had experience as an administrator and put in a few years as an
educator, have some background in agronomy and animal-handling. I have
pretty decent knowledge of mechanics, physics and chemistry, I'm certified
in First Aid and basic Paramedics, and I've worked summers as a carpenter.
I've studied ecology and biology a little, and have some survival training,
but I'm no expert there...

I also have a black-belt ranking in Kempo- that's a martial art- , though I
doubt you'd need me for _that_..."

"My work with the Corps was largely training and organizing people- better
sanitation and irrigation, improved farming methods, some work in disease
prevention- mainly prevention, I'm not a doctor..."

"There's things I could build, or teach people _to_ build, that might be of
interest- small hydro dams, for instance... I can do some electrical work,
but not much. I can _use_ electronics and computers- the Corps was just
starting 'bootstrapping' projects by teaching computer programming, when I
left- but, I haven't been taught how to make new stuff."

"Any of that useful, to you?"

> > "I don't want to be a burden, Mr. Duplar, but... I think I need a guide,
> > with this- An advisor. Could you help me?"
>
> "Can I help you?   Well, I'm trying to help both of you by advising you to
> join this guild.   It seems to me that we are going to need more field
> operatives and you understand more about life outside the cities than
> most of the security people I have met.   I'd seldom left the city before
> all this started.   You are also in a position to recognise a whole class
> of devices which we have never seen, even if we have their descriptions
> on file."

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Tim Hall

Mon

Jul 19
2004

19:48Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

[I'm assuming that since this is being posted as a followup to earlier
player postings that conversation is 'in timeslip' and takes place
before dinner time]

Will insert into web archives later this evening, once I've finished
my own dinner :)
--
Tim Hall
Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Tim Hall

Mon

Jul 19
2004

20:47Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

Smoot wrote:

>"'Nuke'... well, there's the big one. It's short for 'nuclear weapon'- even
>nations that *hate* eachother will co-operate to keep those under tight
>control. The _small_ ones can level a city. The big ones... we've stepped
>back from those. Only two earlier models were ever used in war. That's the
>only level of thing I can think of worth the kind of clampdown you're
>describing..."

This reminds Duplar very much of the devastation in the Doomwar of
legend, nearly two millenia ago.  

[The whole thread is archived on the web archive.  I haven't reposted
it to the list because it's too long]
http://www.kalyr.com/pbemarchive/cat_095_at_the_karazthan.html
--
Tim Hall
Weblog: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
Photos: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/

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Michael Orton

Wed

Jul 21
2004

21:33Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

Hank: "That's the only level of thing I can think of worth the kind of
clampdown you're
describing..."

Duplar: "Our legends speak of whole lands being devastated beyond
habitation, many people dying in the blink of an eye and most of the rest
dying within months or years."

[Snip]

Hank: "Any of that useful, to you?"

Duplar: "Erm, sounds like all of it.   Another word of advice - keep your
management kills under wraps.   It sounds like you might have everything
except being Kandar to be qualified for Guildmaster, but there are people
who will kill you if they think you might be thinking about that!   This
land is not ready for Humans in positions of any authority."



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Smoot

Thu

Jul 22
2004

17:30Z

Kalyr: 94d - To the City

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Orton" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: Kalyr: 94d - To the City


> Hank: "That's the only level of thing I can think of worth the kind of
> clampdown you're
> describing..."
>
> Duplar: "Our legends speak of whole lands being devastated beyond
> habitation, many people dying in the blink of an eye and most of the rest
> dying within months or years."

"That sounds kind of like the same thing... we came close to this, once, but
it was more like... do you have a word like 'brinksmanship'?"

> [Snip]
>
> Hank: "Any of that useful, to you?"
>
> Duplar: "Erm, sounds like all of it.   Another word of advice - keep your
> management kills under wraps.   It sounds like you might have everything
> except being Kandar to be qualified for Guildmaster, but there are people
> who will kill you if they think you might be thinking about that!   This
> land is not ready for Humans in positions of any authority."

"Then, I'll have to consider. Can't really perform responsibilities without
authority... worse comes to worse, there must be a Carpenter's Guild or
something...?"

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