Log:Chaos Reigns, Scene 7

Chaos Reigns 2015/01/22 	 Grimm Randal Duran Yameen Chen Lord Antherion Carpenter

7

The forces of the Lords of Chaos have been routed, but for how long? The heroes have in their possession the artifact known as The Ataxianate, which can be used to either dampen or enchance entropy to catastrophic levels. Chen, not trusting The Cartesian to not use the artifact to the ends of the Lords of Order, has taken possession of the artifact and is having trouble holding off the influence of its power.

The current goal: According to The Cartesian, to destroy it, the heroes need to get it to Egypt to where it was created, and perform a ritual of unmaking upon it.

Chen decides when in Egypt be an Egyptian. Ra to be precise. She morphs into the likeness of the God Ra.

Travel to Egypt could be considered a homecoming for Yameen, in more than one sense, for better or worse. It appears their only option, however, and her knowledge of the region and culture could prove valuable.

The gate opens onto a stone dais on a hill, overlooking a large body of water. Everyone steps through the gate, and you realize this can't possible be the Valley of the Kings. There's too much in the way of greenery...and the body of water is south of you.

"Valley of the Kings? That's...kind of a tall order," Gabrielle Grimm scratches the back of her head. She pulls out her smartphone and does some searches for the place. Well, there's lots of pictures, a satelite overhead view, video from travel shows. With a slight sigh, Grimm says, "I could...try and get us there. But I've never really gone so far with that much precision before. She steps away from the group by a few meters, head buried in her PDA. Yet still she navigates around tombstones as if she was completely aware of her surroundings.

Standing with her feet planted shoulder width apart, Gabrielle's right hand begins to grow dark. She lifts the hand as a closed fist, then sticks out her index finger and traces a large circle. Which draws a literally black circle about two meters in radius. It's just a void, that soon illuminates to reveal...

Detective Carpenter covers his eyes to shield them from the setting sun, "Where the heck are we?"

Cheshire peers around in all directions, delighted by the new sights.

The Cartesian looks up at the sun, doing some quick calculations in his head. "This is likely to be Greece, I think."

Chen asks Cartesian, "Does the amulet have to be in contact with me to do whatever it's trying to do to my mind?" She looks a little stressed.

Chen sighs, "Don't tell me nobody has GPS on their PDA?"

The Cartesian shakes his head, "It's not doing anything to your mind. It's trying to cause entropy to increase. My guess is that it might cause your powers to go out of control. Or muscle spasms."

Grimm steps through with the others and looks around. She looks down at the photos, up at the surroundings, back down at the photos. "Guess I was way off target. Nice place, though! Greece, huh? I think I'll spend a weekend here sometime if Mal can get the time off," she muses to herself. "At least Greece is way closer than we were before if that's the case." Looking over to Chen, she grins. "I do. But I don't have international data coverage." She glances over at the Cartesian. "Powers out of control? I have enough trouble controlling mine...best to keep that thing away from me."

Cheshire seems happy enough to poke around the site until a new portal is created.

"This is certainly not the..." Yameen pauses as the Cartesian transfixes coordinates. "Yes, Greece is likely. We are north of the Mediterranean." She looks to Grimm. "Considering the distance traveled, your margin of error is not excessive."

The Cartesian adds, to answer Chen's question, "If you're talking about it needing skin contact? Then no, it doesn't need direct contact. You just need to be the possessor of the artifact. Or even be the closest person nearby. And...if there's no mind to rein in its powers, the radius is larger."

Grimm stares a little harder at the images still open on her phone. "Alright, let's try this again," she says as she starts to draw a circle in mid air again.

It takes two more jumps, but you find yourself in the Valley of the Kings. Though the sun has just about gone down before everyone arrives.

The sky is dark...and a strong breeze blows through the Valley of the Kings. Various archaeological digs have been done here over the years, but right now, the place is quiet. Oppressively silent. There is some sand in the air due to the wind, making staring out into the darkness for long periods of time painful without some kind of eye protection.

Cheshire claps, "Oh, very well done."

"We have arrived," Yameen confirms as she takes a deep inhale of the dry, cooling air. Her keffiyeh now serves the practical purpose for which it was originally invented: protection of face and head from the sun and sand.

Grimm wipes her brow and plunks herself down on the sand to sit and catch her breath after the final gate. "Hah. Hahah. I was starting to think I couldn't do it. Hurray, persistence!" she pants a little. It's no small feat transporting people across the globe. Especially with so many misfires.

Carpenter again shields his eyes, but for different reasons than last time. "I forgot my passport. I hope that doesn't come up as a problem."

Grimm chuckles at Carpenter. "Getting home is probably going to be just as much of an adventure. But it won't require a passport so long as you're going my way," she winks at the detective playfully.

The Cartesian looks around slowly into the darkness. "We need to set up a fire right over there." He points at a particular location toward the center of the valley, about twenty meters from where you are now. He starts walking in that direction.

Cheshire uses her parasol to shield herself against the wind-borne sand. "Oh? You don't have the passport app for your phone, Mr. Detective?"

Cheshire fallows Cartesian with her usual non-euclidian stride.

Carpenter chuckles. "Hey, I'll head back with you lot. And no...I'm low tech."

"Are the location requirements for this ritual any more specific than this valley?" Yameen inquires of the Cartesian. "What other components are required?" Upon note of the fire, she comments, "Any fire should be dug into the sand and kept low. The wind could easily extinguish it or it would be quite conspicuous, otherwise."

The Cartesian nods, "It needs to be where the original forge was. And that...is right here. In the mathematical center of the valley." He points to the ground. "Anyone able to start a fire?"

Cheshire smiles enigmatically at Cartesian.

Grimm rises up to her feet and dusts herself off after having recovered from transporting everyone, then follows along with the others. At the plea for fire, she shrugs. "Never was a girl scout."

Carpenter nods, "I can do it. Just give me some time to gather a little brush to work with."

Chen melts down into a puddle. "Uh, guys, can we hurry?" the puddle asks in a bubbly gooping voice.

Cheshire squats down and pokes the Chenddle curiously.

Chen says, "Stop that. It tickles."

Carpenter piles up some brush, and sets up a wind break with his trenchcoat, propping it up with a couple of pieces of timber he found. He then starts to go about starting the fire using old traditional methods. He was either a scout or in the military. Or both.

Yameen turns her attention towards the puddle formerly known as Chen while Carpenter gathers kindling. "Perhaps you should share the burden of the artifact, so that no single individual bears all of the negative effects?" She looks to the Cartesian brow arching in query of feedback.

The Cartesian nods to Yameen, "I did warn her, mind you. It's difficult to keep it in check. In a few minutes, I'll need to take it to perform the ritual. Once the fire is going."

Chen says, "That would risk two of us being out of action, Yameen. Also it's likely I have the most capable regenerative abilities. The chance of suffering permanent damage is smallest for me I suspect."

Grimm assists Scout Carpenter by making an upward beckoning motion with her right hand as it surrounds itself in darkness. A small foot-high wall of solid darkness rises up from the sand to provide a wind break to make the job easier for the good detective. She looks over to Yameen questioning, then notices the puddle. "Well, that sounds like a good idea. Yameen is probably not going to turn into a puddle."

Slowly, ever so slowly, the fire starts...smoke starting to rise.

"Very well. Admittedly, you do not appear especially inconvenienced while liquid..." Yameen acknowledges the replies and rolls her shoulders in a shrug. If nothing else, her burden will be relatively brief. Her attention moves to the twilight and sand surrounding them.

Cheshire, no longer poking the puddle, nods.

There is a sound in the distance like a baying wolf or something similar, but then underneath it, you start to hear whispers...voices...emanating from the fire.

As the fire increases and the smoke billows up, a face appears in the smoke. It faces the Cartesian, "My agent. Do you have the Ataxianate in your possession?"

The Cartesian takes a deep breath, "It is close at hand, but I do not have it on my person."

Cheshire stands up, curtsies toward the face, her parasol over her shoulder.

Detective Carpenter continues trying to stoke the flames, but he watches the interaction curiously.

The face says, "You will take the item and use it to our ends."

The Cartesian shakes his head, "Lord Antherion, are you sure you want to do this? All of these people..."

Lord Antherion says, "Do as you are told, otherwise, there will be consequences." And with that, the face disappears, turning back into regular smoke.

Yameen had few fixed expectations of the ritual, as few details were provided. A conjured conference call was certainly not among them, however. As the conversation is made, she steps between the fire and the puddle, facing the Cartesian and the fire. "You deceived us."

The Cartesian raises a brow, "I did no such thing. Everything I've said has been true. Everything."

Carpenter nods and sits back on the ground, "He's right. He told us what his superiors wanted already. And he said he wasn't intending to go through with it."

The Cartesian adds, "I even said there is a cost to bear. And it's one I'll deal with. That would be those consequences that were mentioned."

"The guys you serve seem to be some pretty big jerks. Why do you even work for them?" Gabrielle murmurs. The irony is completely lost on her, given her own dark powers. "Just tell them we stopped your orderly plans?"

Chen says, "Which we will do if that is needed. So it's not your fault."

Cheshire head tilts, "So now we destroy or seal the thing?"

The Cartesian goes about drawing some sigils in the dirt around the fire, in a circle. "They'll know otherwise. They know I'm the one with the knowledge to get rid of the artifact. It's okay. I've come to terms with it already." He pauses as he gets around to where he started. "I need to hold the artifact. And I need each of you to stand in a circle around the sigils. But...be careful to not scuff or wipe out the drawings I made."

"I trust that you can understand doubt when the first task you ask of us to destroy the artifact results in communication from others who command that you do the opposite." Yameen remains suspicious.

The Cartesian nods to Yameen, "I'm well aware. I was already not trusted. There's a reason I'm not holding the artifact."

Carpenter stands up, opposite from where the Cartesian is standing.

Chen is a little more solid now. A tentacle extends from her puddled form to Cartesian lifting the amulet to him. "There's a reason I trust you now as well." she tells him.

The Cartesian takes a hold of the artifact, flinching a little as he does so.

Grimm steps over to a place on the circle, careful not to scuff any of the sigils. She studies them curiously, trying to understand the ritual. She's a little uneasy. Seeing as how rituals and her never end well.

Cheshire vanishes and reappears at the proper positions by the circle.

Chen oozes over to a suitable place. "I hope /stand/ was not literal." she quips.

Yameen remains outside of the sigils, and studies them as they are drawn. While not capable of wielding occult powers personally, she is knowledgeable of their history and use. Thus she will monitor the Cartesian and his ritual, as he once more acts the direct opposite of his statements.

The Cartesian starts to chant in an ancient language...one unknown and unrecognizable to most. But to Yameen, there are elements of Coptic...elements of Latin...and elements of Greek in it. It's like the language is all three...and none of them at the same time. Like it is the sum of its parts, but with other elements included. The campfire flares up and the sigils start to glow with golden light. He reaches out his hand into the fire, dangling the amulet into it. He winces a little, but continues to chant.

There is an unholy screech and cracking sound as the amulet cracks. Purplish smoke wafts out and into the fire, disappearing into the cleansing flames. He then drops the amulet and pulls his hand back quickly. The demonic screech continues, and a sense of euphoria settles over everyone around the circle while The Cartesian's spell continues.

Cheshire resists the urge to scuff the marks to see what would happen.

The amulet...melts, even though there's no way the fire should be hot enough to do so. The screech eventually fades.

Grimm's unsettled by the demonic screeching, but oddly calmed by the euphoria of the ritual. She lets out a relieved sigh once the screeching stops. She's a little too afraid to speak in case the ritual isn't quite done yet.

Yameen tilts her head as she recognizes components of the tongue(s) used, at the least. She is perhaps assured more when the amulet appears to be destroyed, as opposed to simply absconded with by The Cartesian.

Cheshire peers into the fire, "Is it over already?"

The Cartesian nods. "That should do it."

Chen says, "Thank you. It took courage to go against the Lords of your disposition."

The face reappears in the smoke as the fire starts to die down to normal levels again, "My Cartesian, the entropy that was stored is now gone. We know what you have done."

The Cartesian nods to Chen, and then he looks back to Lord Antherion, "I could not let you effectively destroy this world. These are people. Not pawns."

Chen extends a head on a long neck. "You are Lords of Order? Know this, we would not have allowed Cartesian to do other than he has done. There is no fault from him. To punish him in any way would not be logical or orderly."

Lord Antherion's face hovers in the smoke for a long moment, considering what was said by both people, and then he decrees, "The power given to you is thus taken away. We shall find another to serve us. For your long years of service, no other punishment shall be taken. But you are no longer our agent." There's a brief flash of golden light, and where The Cartesian was standing is now just...his alter ego, Randal Duran. The face then disappears entirely, leaving just the normal campfire.

Cheshire claps.

Randal pulls off his glasses and wipes his eyes, "That was tougher than I expected, and they went easier than I expected. I've served them for over half a century."

Randal Duran(#1076TOn)

An older man, most likely in his 50s or 60s. His goatee is grey, and his head is completely bald. There's a pair of round-lensed glasses on his face, and he's wearing a nice blue button-down dress shirt with black slacks.

Grimm lets out a sigh of relief. "Well. That was less strict that I imagined. I figured...y'know, nevermind what I was thinking." She doesn't realize it yet, but she's surrounding by dark energy as a protective reflex. "But does that mean they'll find someone else willing to freeze everyone into perfect stasis? What if the next person doesn't have the same morals you do?" she asks of the former Cartesian, Randal Duran.

Chen slowly forms herself into Chen. Stepping over to Randal she extends her hand. "Thank you. We owe you a debt. If you ever need my help just give me a call. I'll be there."

Randal shrugs, "They might find someone willing to do so. But the artifact is gone, so...it's unlikely to actually happen." He nods and shakes Chen's hand, "Thank you. But...there's no need. I'm effectively retired now. I need to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. It's a rare Cartesian who retires before getting killed."

Chen starts to say, "How many re..." and then manages to shut up before she completes the question. o O(how many retire after getting killed?)

Randal laughs abruptly, looking up at the sky. "Well, that's one family legacy lost. I'm the last Duran to hold the title." He takes a deep breath, "We've passed it down from generation to generation since the 1500s. I'm not sure if I'm relieved or distressed or both. Probably both."

Cheshire smiles, curtsies. "Would you like a retirement party?"

Randal smiles. "Mm...that would be nice."

"Right, party time. Excellent," Gabrielle grins with some relief. Her dark field lessens until it is non-existent. "So, where to now?"

Chen says, "Let me check." She pulls out a PDA. Let's not ask from where it's pulled out. "It's ten in the evening in Paris, eleven in Berlin and eight in London. They all have decent nightlife."

Carpenter remains quiet while the others talk about partying.

Randal shakes his head and shrugs, "I...just want to be able to get back to Colonial Bay by a reasonable time. Aside from that, I have no preferences."

Cheshire hmmms, "I do have school tomorrow, so I shouldn't be home too late. But if you drop me off within 1000km of Colonial Bay I can make it home myself."

"Considering the usual alternative, retirement certainly seems a cause for celebration. Given that travel time could be inconsequential," Yameen gestures to Grimm, "and we are already on another hemisphere..." She shrugs once more, having no immediate objection to a more casual return.

Chen says, "All those cities have TransMat terminals, Cheshire."

Cheshire smiles, "I don't have the passport app for my phone either, so I couldn't use the TransMat."

Grimm plants her hands on her hips. "Well, whatever he wants, since it's his retirement party," she motions to Randal. "Pick a place. Any place. All of time and space. Everywhere and anywhere. Every spot that ever was. Where do you want to start?" Okay, so she is overselling things with the time comment. But space? She can go to most places. Eventually. She begins to draw a circle in the air and smiles.

Randal smiles. "Then just home to Colonial Bay. I have some booze stashed I can share, and I can reminisce...and you can tell me stories of your adventures at the same time.

Cheshire grins, "I'm too young to drink."

As the portal starts to shift and gain color to connect locations, Grimm says, "Sure. I can tell you about the time my boyfriend saved me from a alien prison dimension. -That- was an interesting day." On the other side of the Shadow Road gate, it looks...tropical and nice. Is that...Bermuda? Okay, so it's a bit of a ways off. They'll get to Colonial Bay. Eventually. Think of it as global bar hopping on the way back home.