The Thirteen Moons of Shamballa (in-character thread)

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"We would know if your friend had been in this area," counters Zoila. "The Water People know all that transpires here. We have our ways."

The lion-man looks back at you with narrowed, hostile eyes and growls, "You don't smell of Volcana. Nor do you smell of any other moon I have visited. You do not belong here."
"Not in this area. We lost him two ship trips ago, on the planet", Volodimir explains carefully. "Since then, we've been looking for a way to get him back...but the crazy guy who kidnapped him has more guards than we can take on without preparation".
He turns to face the lion man.
"Then you'd readily believe us when we say we're not from this planet, nor its moons? Now, that's a relief! In fact, you're the first one."
 
"No indeed! We are very far from home. Our world is called Terra, or Earth, as you will." Responds Major Hunter.
 
"What a crock of stuff and nonsense!" says Desideria. To the lion-man she adds, "These two bedlamites insist they originate on some lost world that exists solely in their folie simultanée."

"Intriguing," says the lion-man as he sniffs at Hunter's neck. "Yet my olfactory glands tell me they are of no moon I know."

At that moment Buttersocks stumbles into the chamber, having apparently been eavesdropping. "Has the orgy started without me?" he says while stroking his beard and leering suggestively. "What's this crazy contraption? Is there any food in this place?"

"You are all lunatics!" Zoila says. "Can you not focus on the Holy Sound and peacefully ponder the images?"
 
"We originate from no moon you know. But let discuss that later, and not offend our hosts here", Spisarevski confirms.
He looks at Buttersocks.
"More silence and better manners, Buttersocks! You're giving all the Picklenutforestites a bad name, here!"
Then he moves on to contemplate the images.
 
"We originate from no moon you know. But let discuss that later, and not offend our hosts here", Spisarevski confirms.
He looks at Buttersocks.
"More silence and better manners, Buttersocks! You're giving all the Picklenutforestites a bad name, here!"
Then he moves on to contemplate the images.
"I'm hungry and this is the worst orgy I've ever been to!" pouts Buttersocks. "Nobody's even touching anybody!"

"So, you believe this contraption is not a religious artifact but rather a mode of transportation?" asks the lion-man.
 
"Yes, I do. I'm not certain how to realise this function, but I am sure that it can take us to the places shown." Major Hunter replies to the Lion man's question.
 
"Yes, I do. I'm not certain how to realise this function, but I am sure that it can take us to the places shown." Major Hunter replies to the Lion man's question.
"Concentration is probably the key", Spisarevski voices his opinion. "Coupled with an intent and an action that they wouldn't commit..."
He looked at Zoila.
"Is it forbidden to try and touch the pictures the Holy Sound produces?"
 
"Yes, I do. I'm not certain how to realise this function, but I am sure that it can take us to the places shown." Major Hunter replies to the Lion man's question.
"If you can find a way, you must show me," says the lion-man. "This is not my moon. My skyship crashed here and I would have left but for the need of replacement parts. If you can get us off this barren hunk of rock, I will take you to the glorious moon of Mongrolla and from there you can obtain passage to any moon or even to Shamballa itself."
"Concentration is probably the key", Spisarevski voices his opinion. "Coupled with an intent and an action that they wouldn't commit..."
He looked at Zoila.
"Is it forbidden to try and touch the pictures the Holy Sound produces?"
"It is not forbidden...but why should anyone want to try to touch an image? It makes no sense." Zoila shakes her head wearily and remarks, "Truly you must be from an unknown moon, or else you should be left adrift on an ice floe so that you do not have the opportunity to pass your mental defects on to the next generation of warriors."
 
Spisarevski looks at Zoila.
"No point? How do you know there's no point unless you try?"
He turned towards the lion-man, Gilpolas and Hunter.
"Let's try to focus on the same picture, and then step to touch it...and maybe step inside of it!"
 
Spisarevski looks at Zoila.
"No point? How do you know there's no point unless you try?"
He turned towards the lion-man, Gilpolas and Hunter.
"Let's try to focus on the same picture, and then step to touch it...and maybe step inside of it!"
"I feel like you're being casually dismissive of me because of my diminutive size," pouts Buttersocks, "and it makes me feel invalidated and unappreciated. You barely know this lion-man and you treat him as an equal, yet you treat me as some sort of clown for your amusement. Little people have feelings too, you know!"
 
"I feel like you're being casually dismissive of me because of my diminutive size," pouts Buttersocks, "and it makes me feel invalidated and unappreciated. You barely know this lion-man and you treat him as an equal, yet you treat me as some sort of clown for your amusement. Little people have feelings too, you know!"
"No, we treat you as a clown, because you seem intent on making us believe you think with your gut, or the parts below it, and have never been taught how to behave decently towards women", Spisarevski corrects him. "Change that, and you'd get more respect. And now, for a start, shut up."
He turns back, and again focuses on the sound, and the pictures it brings.
But this time, he imagines them to be real.
 
"No, we treat you as a clown, because you seem intent on making us believe you think with your gut, or the parts below it, and have never been taught how to behave decently towards women", Spisarevski corrects him. "Change that, and you'd get more respect. And now, for a start, shut up."
He turns back, and again focuses on the sound, and the pictures it brings.
But this time, he imagines them to be real.
Spisarevski focuses on the sound and imagines the ever-changing images to be real. He feels himself falling forward, weightless, through a tunnel of rapidly changing colors and immeasurable space.
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The lion-man growls in surprise and grabs Spisarevski by the leg even as the latter is pulled into the device. Gilipollas grabs Spisarevski's other leg. Soon all three are being tugged through a senses-shattering rainbow to who knows where. Behind you, you hear Zoila gasp in shock before she and her attendants fearfully drop to their knees and begin to loudly pray to the Holy Sound.

If Hunter is going to grab a hold of one of the others and go with them, he'd better hurry!

 
IC: Spisarevski keeps focusing on the scene he had picked from the Holy Sound - the one with the most forests, since the lion-man's remark had inspired him - and scarcely feels being lifted. Besides, they wanted to get moving from this place, right?
And they're gliding on the rainbow. As long as they're not passing under it, all should be safe!

OOC: What, I ask, is this travesty? I'm sure I wrote a reply to this, which was as long as it can be expected...why is it not posted? And no posts since last month!?! Aargh!
 
Spisarevski looks at Zoila.
"No point? How do you know there's no point unless you try?"
He turned towards the lion-man, Gilpolas and Hunter.
"Let's try to focus on the same picture, and then step to touch it...and maybe step inside of it!"
"Focus our thoughts, and increase our strength? Just like lifting something heavy is easier with more hands. Yes! let's do it." Majot Hunter enthusiastically responds to Spisarevski's suggestion.
 
"I feel like you're being casually dismissive of me because of my diminutive size," pouts Buttersocks, "and it makes me feel invalidated and unappreciated. You barely know this lion-man and you treat him as an equal, yet you treat me as some sort of clown for your amusement. Little people have feelings too, you know!"
"Steady on there old man! I have never mocked you or treated as a joke. You could show some gratitude for us saving your life by behaving in a more seemly manner. Now stop whinging and stiff upper lip, and all that. What! We'll be right as rain soon."
 
Spisarevski focuses on the sound and imagines the ever-changing images to be real. He feels himself falling forward, weightless, through a tunnel of rapidly changing colors and immeasurable space.
The lion-man growls in surprise and grabs Spisarevski by the leg even as the latter is pulled into the device. Gilipollas grabs Spisarevski's other leg. Soon all three are being tugged through a senses-shattering rainbow to who knows where. Behind you, you hear Zoila gasp in shock before she and her attendants fearfully drop to their knees and begin to loudly pray to the Holy Sound.

If Hunter is going to grab a hold of one of the others and go with them, he'd better hurry!


Major Hunter grabs on to the lion man's tail, and snatches a hold of Buttersock's beard to bring him along for the ride.
 
OOC: We might still make a man out of the gnome. Well, not in height, but then it's not an absolute requirement!
 
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Your feel yourselves floating weightless, tumbling through a psychedelic whirlpool of color, your only tether to reality being the feel of the others' hands gripping you, or your grip on another. A horrible keening sound, like badly played bagpipes, fills your ears such that you can't hear anything but the noisome squall. It's impossible to tell how much time passes, as it's all you can do just to maintain hold of each other, and then suddenly your world goes black as your consciousness slips away....

When you awaken, you find yourselves lying scattered across a tawny savannah beneath a startlingly crimson sky. High above and far away, you see what looks to be a city built upon a fluffy white cloud causing you to question whether you're actually awake at all or merely experiencing a lucid dream.
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Your feel yourselves floating weightless, tumbling through a psychedelic whirlpool of color, your only tether to reality being the feel of the others' hands gripping you, or your grip on another. A horrible keening sound, like badly played bagpipes, fills your ears such that you can't hear anything but the noisome squall. It's impossible to tell how much time passes, as it's all you can do just to maintain hold of each other, and then suddenly your world goes black as your consciousness slips away....

When you awaken, you find yourselves lying scattered across a tawny savannah beneath a startlingly crimson sky. High above and far away, you see what looks to be a city built upon a fluffy white cloud causing you to question whether you're actually awake at all or merely experiencing a lucid dream.
"Major. Do you see a city in the clouds, or am I paying for sipping from that thing?", Spisarevski asks.
Then he turns back to the lion-man.
"And do you know of this place? You said you've travelled a lot!"
 
"Do I know this place? This is the very savannah where my people originate before we founded our own kingdom on the moon of Mongrolla!" growls the lion-man. "You could not have chosen a worse place for us to escape to! We are on the very surface of Shamballa! Do you not see the floating palace of the dread Emperor Malvolio?"
 
"Do I know this place? This is the very savannah where my people originate before we founded our own kingdom on the moon of Mongrolla!" growls the lion-man. "You could not have chosen a worse place for us to escape to! We are on the very surface of Shamballa! Do you not see the floating palace of the dread Emperor Malvolio?"
"Oh", Spisarevski observed. "So it's not a hallucination? Fine, then..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Gentlemen, we have a rare opportunity to enact a demonstration of the way monarchies are better than democracies...there's no point killing an elected leader, that just makes him a saint. If you disagree with a stupid vote, you have no way of expressing your disagreement. But emperors...those can die."
He pointed at the castle again.
"So, how do we go up there?"
 
"Major. Do you see a city in the clouds, or am I paying for sipping from that thing?", Spisarevski asks.
Then he turns back to the lion-man.
"And do you know of this place? You said you've travelled a lot!"
"I do indeed old man." Major Hunter responds to Spisarevski's question.
 
He pointed at the castle again.
"So, how do we go up there?"
"Wait for a slave-ship to capture us," replies the lion-man, "or else capture a slave-ship."

As if on cue, you see a shiny silver rocketship appear from beyond the horizon and turn in your direction, though it seems unlikely the crew could be aware of your presence.
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"It seems a ship would seem eager to present itself for capture", Spisarevski observes. "Let's hide before they see us. If they land nearby, we'd proceed like we did with that tank...or, if we can, we'd hide on it without being noticed".


OOC: any hiding places nearby?
 
"That sounds jolly good. Hopefully they have some clothes we can liberate." Major Hunter replies to Spisarevski's comment.
"Sergeant, do you think you could bluff your way on to that ship, with us as your fellow soldiers, or perhaps even prisoners? Also, do either of you know how to pilot that craft?"
 
"It seems a ship would seem eager to present itself for capture", Spisarevski observes. "Let's hide before they see us. If they land nearby, we'd proceed like we did with that tank...or, if we can, we'd hide on it without being noticed".


OOC: any hiding places nearby?
"That sounds jolly good. Hopefully they have some clothes we can liberate." Major Hunter replies to Spisarevski's comment.
"Sergeant, do you think you could bluff your way on to that ship, with us as your fellow soldiers, or perhaps even prisoners? Also, do either of you know how to pilot that craft?"
You see before you a vast savannah sparsely populated by trees whose foliage provides little shade or cover.
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"My people can lie amongst the grasses and blend in," says the tawny-furred lion-man. "The sub-man is small enough that he could perhaps hide as well. You, however, stick out like a swollen paw with a thorn in it."

"There would be many questions as to what I am doing on the surface of Shamballa and why I am unclothed and unarmed, but I could try," says Gilipollas. "Flying a skyship is child's play."

"Yes, anyone can operate a skyship--even the sub-man would have no difficulty," remarks the lion-man.

"I still don't understand the point of that orgy with bad music and no touching," says Buttersocks, "or why you left the women there and brought these brutes instead! Ever since I met you big people things have gone from bad to worse! I'm hiding in the grass before the slavers see me!"
 
"Jolly good Sergeant! Perhaps you could say that we were sprayed by some chemicals and had to throw away our clothes...?"
 
"Well. You two hide in the grass...and if you can, mount the ship surreptitiously. We're going to wait with the Sergeant as either auxiliairies, or captives. Damn, but there are some smelly animals around here, aren't there?"
 
"Jolly good Sergeant! Perhaps you could say that we were sprayed by some chemicals and had to throw away our clothes...?"
"Well. You two hide in the grass...and if you can, mount the ship surreptitiously. We're going to wait with the Sergeant as either auxiliairies, or captives. Damn, but there are some smelly animals around here, aren't there?"
"Lo! Here comes the skyship now," says the lion-man from his hiding place where even up close you have difficulty piercing his camouflage.

The shiny silver skyship halts abruptly in midair, levitating some dozen yards before you before it begins to descend by way of some incredible antigravitic cushion. It lands gently upon the savannnah grasses and a voice commands via a public address system: "Make no false moves or you will be obliterated. You have been selected to be slaves of His Imperial Majesty Malvolio of Shamballa." The voice creaks like a hinge badly in need of oil.

Moments later, a side hatch opens and a troop of robots exits the skyship, followed by their leader, a man who appears equal parts dead and alive.
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"Bow before the Slave Lord of Shamballa!" orders the leader. "Yours is a rare honor, for few gaze upon my visage and live to tell the tale!"
 
Spisarevski looked at the robots and raised a brow.
"Sure enough, I've got no chance but to surrender...though if you have tin-men, what do you need slaves for?"
 
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Spisarevski looked at the robots and raised a brow.
"Sure enough, I've got no chance but to surrender...though if you have tin-men, what do you need slaves for?"
"Cease your prattle, slave!" says the Slave Lord. "But since your question amuses me, I will answer it," he continues with a wicked grin that, if possible, makes his face even uglier than it was before. He raises one eyebrow and says, "Machines...cannot feel...PAIN!" He then breaks into evil laughter like a mustache-twisting Vaudevillian villain.
 
Spisarevski mentally decides that this guy should be strangled as soon as humanly possible. And he nods.
"Thank you for the courtesy! Now can slaves get at least some clothes? Wouldn't want to offend the modesty of any master or mistress!"
 
"Well, well. It seems things never change, wherever you may be." Major Hunter turns to Spisarevski hoping he will follow along. "Give a man a little authority, and delusions of grandeur inevitably follow.We are in your power, to be sure. Let's not take all day about it. I'm sure Prospero is anxious to get our report. I don't think you want to keep him waiting. Do you?"
Major Hunter says with as much authority he can muster.
" Sergeant, see if you can find us some clothes. There's a good fellow. "
He then purposefully starts walking towards the ship.

OOC: He will not give away the lion man or Buttersocks if they have not been discovered.
 
"Well, well. It seems things never change, wherever you may be." Major Hunter turns to Spisarevski hoping he will follow along. "Give a man a little authority, and delusions of grandeur inevitably follow.We are in your power, to be sure. Let's not take all day about it. I'm sure Prospero is anxious to get our report. I don't think you want to keep him waiting. Do you?"
Major Hunter says with as much authority he can muster.
" Sergeant, see if you can find us some clothes. There's a good fellow. "
He then purposefully starts walking towards the ship.

OOC: He will not give away the lion man or Buttersocks if they have not been discovered.
You had best make a roll for Perception, Con, or any other applicable skill to see if he buys this line from a naked name-dropper. You forgot we use dice in this game every three months or so, didn't you!
 
"Hold!" says the Slave Lord of Shamballa to his robotic underlings. "First things first. Why, pray tell, are all of you naked? There must be a most interesting tale to explicate your current situation. I am quite curious to hear it." You can't quite tell if he believes you hold any position of authority.
 
"We were captured by some type of warrior women, including a most vexatious harridan who needs a good paddling. What! They had us partake in some type of religious ceremony that, for some reason, required us to be naked. I can assure you it seemed best to go along with whole thing until we could make our escape. Which we did, as you can see." Major Hunter replies to slaver's question with his most officious and "officerial" voice. "Now do you have a spare set of clothes, or some towels, or something that we can use to cover ourselves with?"
 
"I can only confirm that story. And add my suspicions that the ritual didn't require us to be naked, but she wanted it for reasons that I find it best not to dwell upon, but are probably related to the natural dearth of men in her surroundings", Spisarevski added.
 
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