• 8:01pm] Fried_Wookiee: Lukirawa awakens. His body is sore, very sore. He's bound hand and foot, and has been bumping around in the back of a wagon for quite some time, it would seem.
• 8:02pm] Mike_Holmes: He takes stock of his situation more closely.
• 8:03pm] Fried_Wookiee: The wagon is covered by a thick canvas tarp, but a small amount of light penetrates. He can see that he shares the wagon with the dark, inert shape of the crystal colum.
• 8:03pm] Fried_Wookiee: There doesn't seem to be anyone else inside with him.
• 8:06pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa lets loose an inward groan that he wasn't able to stop the desecration of the crystal structure which...held? Still holds? the spirit that he worships.
• 8:06pm] Mike_Holmes: He checks to see if his bonds are tight, or if he can get out of them any time soon.
• 8:07pm] Fried_Wookiee: The wagon is bumping and lurching, but the column is securely tied down, and doesn't seem to be in any danger of shifting. His bonds are just as expertly tied, but whoever tied them doesn't seem to have taken into account Lukirawa's tough hide.
• 8:18pm] Mike_Holmes: As the wagon rocks along, Lukirawa works furiously at freeing himself.
• 8:21pm] Fried_Wookiee: Before he can even get them even slightly loosed, however, the wagon lurches to a halt. A corner of the tarp is thrown back. She reaches down and caresses your cheek. "Now, now," she says, "Don't rush things. We'll let you go soon enough."
• 8:23pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukiwara glowers at her and swears a pledge that he'll do what he can to ensure that the spirit of the crystal pylon is served well.
• 8:23pm] Mike_Holmes: If only he had some spirits bound like some of his older friends in the service to Round-Round.
• 8:30pm] Fried_Wookiee: After a few minutes, Sandren and Achur haul Lukirawa down out of the wagon, grunting with the effort, and lay him on the ground. "We can't keep him tied up like this the whole way, Mercuria."
• 8:31pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa scowls at the indignity of being carried by these hairlesses.
• 8:31pm] Mike_Holmes: He does, however, have the presence of mind to try to get a look at his surroundings.
• 8:36pm] Mike_Holmes: He also attempts to see what they've done, or are doing with his cherished naginata.
• 8:37pm] Fried_Wookiee: The rolling, grassy hills of Jaalban are alien to Lukirawa. The sky is so bright, lying naked above. Lukirawa spots his naginata tied to a bundle alongside the wagon.
• 8:38pm] Fried_Wookiee: Mercuria comes over and kneels down. "Yes, it does seem like a shame." She looks Lukirawa in the eye. "I don't suppose you can do us much damage now. I'll tell you what... I'll let you go, but you have to promise not to make any trouble for us.
• 8:39pm] Fried_Wookiee: "
• 8:40pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa realizes that fury isn't going to get him anything, and tries to be patient, his more bestial side urging him to strain against his bonds. But he controls himself and says, "I promise."
• 8:42pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Cut him free, Sandren," she says, and then stands up.
• 8:44pm] Fried_Wookiee: Sandren takes out a knife and cuts the bonds on Lukirawa's hands. "Good luck," he says, in an apologetic tone.
• 8:44pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa doesn't know quite what to make of this.
• 8:45pm] Fried_Wookiee: Mercuria unlimbers the naginata and sticks it in the ground, about ten feet out of reach. "We're not barbarians," she says. "We've got what we came for."
• 8:47pm] Fried_Wookiee: Sandred rises and puts his knife away, leaving Lukirawa to undo the ropes on his ankles for himself.
• 8:48pm] Mike_Holmes: After Lukirawa is free he retrieves his naginata. No use going unarmed when it would seem that they don't mind him arming himself.
• 8:49pm] Fried_Wookiee: By the time he's armed again, the wagon has started moving again, and is out of sight, having topped the nearest rise.
• 8:50pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa follows, trying to catch up. They said he couldn't cause them trouble...following them should be no trouble for them.
• 8:51pm] Fried_Wookiee: It's not long before you catch sight of them again. They're making no effort to disguise their trail, and the wagon moves slowly over the rough terrain.
• 8:53pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa does not close the distance between them, but stays at a fair distance away. He also does not try to hide particularly. He just doesn't want them to think that he's trying to threaten them.
• 8:54pm] Mike_Holmes: As he follows along, he thinks to himself that a wise fey would try to backtrack to the forest. He knows that the fact that he doesn't know the way back is only a rationalization he's using...in reality Lukirawa is slightly aware that he's really simply enjoying the fact that he's finally gotten out of the woods as he's always wanted.
• 8:55pm] Mike_Holmes: Too early for his ritual walk, technically, but perhaps considering the situation, the spirits would allow this trek to stand in when the time comes. Another rationalization....but a good one.
• 8:56pm] Fried_Wookiee: Lukirawa comes to another hilltop, and looks down into a broad valley. A huge herd of animals is blocking the wagon's progress. It appears that they are prepared to wait for the slow-moving animals to pass, rather than try to go around or forge through it.
• 8:57pm] Mike_Holmes: Feeling capricious, Lukirawa comes forward to wait his turn as the animals pass, too. After a moment of this little charade, he presses through the animals to the other side.
• 9:06pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa pushes into the herd, and moves with it, used to this sort of pushing and shoving. After moving slowly through the herd for a couple of minutes he emerges on the other side, a bit short of breath. He realizes now how much the woman's shock took out of him. This disturbs him. Still, he plays it cool, finds a rock and sits down to rest, while waiting for the wagon to come through.
• 9:06pm] Mike_Holmes: He refrains from gloating about it overtly, but the rock sitting is a more subtle form of it to any who have eyes to see.
• 9:15pm] Fried_Wookiee: The wagon comes banging along the track a good while after Lukirawa makes the rock. Sandren is smiling wryly, walking alongside. Mercuria eyes you appraisingly, but says nothing. Achur says something quietly to her, clearly suspicious of the situation, but she demurs.
• 9:16pm] Mike_Holmes: He pretends not to notice their exchange. As the herd starts to thin out, it occurs to Lukirawa that he's feeling a bit hungry, and has no food in this strange land. Actually he's pretty sure it's just thirst at this point, but he knows he'll be hungry soon. Instead of turning immediately to follow the cart, he decides to find out what horseflesh tastes like.
• 9:17pm] Fried_Wookiee: Darkness begins to fall.
• 9:28pm] Mike_Holmes: In his current state, Lukirawa can't run as fast as usual, but he's not slow either. His first few stabs at some horses end up missing wildly. He turns and rushes about looking for an animal in range, frothing at the mouth. Just as he figures he's about out of steam, he manages to hamstring a horse badly. Slowed, he manages to catch up to it, and end it's life. Just as he does so, however, he sees men riding his direction looking somehow inimical to what he's up to.
• 9:29pm] Mike_Holmes: He quickly drags the horse to a nearby underhang, taking the last of his energies to do so. There he hides as the men roam the ridge above, just out of sight for the moment.
• 9:32pm] Fried_Wookiee: Lukirawa hides, and he hears the men coming closer, and closer... finally, he hears the sharp sound of iron-shood hooves on stone, and he knows that they are right above him, using the rock as a vantage point to survey the herd.
• 9:33pm] Fried_Wookiee: Their voices carry easily down to where he is hiding.
• 9:33pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Looks like several of them are hurt, milord. See them hanging back, at the rear? And trailing blood."
• 9:34pm] Fried_Wookiee: "That's not good... not good at all. Looks like we'll have a long night ahead of us. Anything with a nose is going to smell that blood and come calling. Let's hope nothing came out of the borderland today."
• 9:35pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Something hurt them, milord."
• 9:35pm] Fried_Wookiee: "If we're lucky it's one of those damn little gremlins we've been tracking."
• 9:36pm] Fried_Wookiee: "And if we're not?"
• 9:36pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Don't say such things out loud, Garnet."

• 10:28pm] Fried_Wookiee: Late that night, after eating his fill, Lukirawa wakes to the sound and smell of something moving nearby.
• 10:32pm] Mike_Holmes: He gets behind the horse carcass, and brings his naginata near his body. His vision, despite being suited to this light, is blurred anyway from the lack of good sleep, and the continuing effect of Mercuria's shock.
• 10:33pm] Fried_Wookiee: One of the Oortlings hops up on top of the carcass. He cocks his head side to side, and smiles broadly, revealing dozens of needle-like teeth.
• 10:33pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Little Big!" it says, hopping with glee. "Me look for you long time, Little Big."
• 10:35pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukirawa falls over in exhausted relief, not even having the strength to respond at first. Then after a moment, "Yes, oortling, it's me. Have some horse. And let's sleep till the dawn. I can't go on now."
• 10:36pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Mmm, yes, then me go get the others." The Oortling dives for the belly, ripping it open with a swipe of his spear and licking his lips at the tender organs that spill out.
• 10:37pm] Mike_Holmes: "Good plan," says Lukirawa almost delirious.
• 10:39pm] Fried_Wookiee: After eating his fill, the little creature moans something about going for the others, but before he can crawl out of the little space, he collapses in stuffed torpor.
• 10:41pm] Fried_Wookiee: Dreaming, Lukirawa finds himself floating in a great blackness, hanging in midair, in front of a great wall made out of white threads. From behind him, he hears Today Tomorrow speaking, echoing across the vastness.
• 10:42pm] Mike_Holmes: He reaches out to the spirit he respects.
• 10:43pm] Fried_Wookiee: He seems to be distant, too far to touch, but close enough to be heard.
• 10:45pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Jaalban," he says, as if reciting something from memory. "A domain of more than ten thousand people, mostly engaged in herding cattle, sheep, and horses. The city of Jaalban, situated in the center of the domain, is a jewel of culture and refinement to rival Polimet itself."
• 10:46pm] Mike_Holmes: Lukiwara is confused by this information. "Must I go to Jaalban?"
• 10:48pm] Fried_Wookiee: "I only know what I hear... The merchant, Larundo, has learned that his wife is pregnant with a child he did not father. The sheep in sector six are suffering from a parasite."
• 10:48pm] Fried_Wookiee: "A traveller sought information in the library about a laser bridge to Irien."
• 10:50pm] Fried_Wookiee: Lukirawa awakes without an answer to his question.

• 8:03pm] Fried_Wookiee: Scrofa and his party have been travelling for several days.
• 8:04pm] Fried_Wookiee: Up ahead, he sees the stone edifice that marks the laser bridge into Polimet.
• 8:06pm] Fried_Wookiee: There are about two dozen soldiers there, arrayed where they can stop any groups coming out of the grayness of the Borderland.
• 8:08pm] Fried_Wookiee: Indeed, as you approach, you see a half dozen travellers surrounded by troopers wielding long spears.
• 8:08pm] Fried_Wookiee: "You can't enter the domain unless you're inspected. Now either get off yer kit or go back into the Border!"
• 8:11pm] Fried_Wookiee: The travellers look at each other, clearly embarrassed by the thought of stripping down in front of these soldiers, but then these Polimet folks have always been much more prudish than the locals.
• 8:12pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa bends down to speak low in Limga's ear: "Inspect them for what?"
• 8:13pm] Fried_Wookiee: "I don't know," she says, "This is the first I've seen of it."
• 8:15pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa furrows his brow in confusion and worry.
• 8:17pm] Fried_Wookiee: Seeing that they have no choice, the travellers finally start pulling off their clothes. "I'm going to register a protest with the Council! They won't put up with this kind of outrageous behavior," says one.
• 8:17pm] Fried_Wookiee: The guards are paying much more attention to the travellers. To their credit, they don't seem to be leering or joking, but are going about their duties in a businesslike manner.
• 8:21pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa continues his approach, but keeps his eyes respectfully averted, trying not to worsen the spectacle.
• 8:23pm] Fried_Wookiee: The soldiers don't take very long inspecting the travellers. They seem to care nothing for what they were carrying, merely taking a moment to look them over, and then tell them to get dressed again. None of them take any pains to explain what's going on.
• 8:25pm] Fried_Wookiee: You arrive at the monastery just about the time that the soldiers have finished their inspection. The travellers quickly pull their clothes into some semblance of modesty and push past the soldiers, glowering and mumbling vague threats.
• 8:26pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa attempts to lead his band to the monastery as naturally as possible, neither slinking about nor drawing attention to themselves.
• 8:27pm] Fried_Wookiee: The soldiers pay you no mind. The prefect, who's in charge of keeping track of comings and goings, has a short word with Limga, and then you are ready to go on through the bridge.
• 8:29pm] Joel_Shempert: Yerti walks at one side of Scrofa, casting a dark glance or two at the troops. Scrofa keeps himself close to Aithne and follows Limga's lead, wanting simply to be through as quickly as possible.
• 8:39pm] Fried_Wookiee: Soon, the gray nothingness is enclosing you. Sound and light become muted, until the only thing you can sense is the pulsing beam of light over your heads.
• 8:40pm] Fried_Wookiee: It seems to cut a tunnel in the gray fog, pushing through into the distance.
• 8:40pm] Fried_Wookiee: Limga says, "Stay close." She pushes on.
• 8:42pm] Fried_Wookiee: After a few minutes, you come out on the other side. Polimet is a fertile land, and the first scent that comes to you when you cross into it is the unmistakeable odor of animals... lots of them.
• 8:42pm] Fried_Wookiee: The broad road that stretches across the plains in front of you is lined on both sides with farms.
• 8:47pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa looks around, saying to Limga, "you've traveled in Polimet often, I assume?"
• 8:48pm] Fried_Wookiee: "It's one of my regular stops," says Limga. "There's always travellers coming and going."
• 8:51pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa nods. "Then you will know best of any dangers en route to the city. I dislike being at a disadvantage."
• 8:52pm] Fried_Wookiee: She smiles. "No dangers," she says. "They're not going to like you carrying that fellow around in a cage, though. If we come across any constables they're going to ask questions."
• 8:53pm] Joel_Shempert: "hmm.I'm afraid I will not have pleasing answers."
• 8:55pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa glances aside to see Yerti, who had been up ahead getting the lay of the land, swiftly approaching. "Enough, Scrofa! You don't need to seek any advice from HER, this is just like ranging our territory back home, only. . .wider."
• 8:56pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Up to you. I'm just your Wanderer," she says.
• 8:58pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa balks: "But Yerti we don't know this place, these people. We are naked cubs here."
• 9:00pm] Lxndr-gaming is now known as Lxndr-gaming-for-real.
• 9:01pm] Joel_Shempert: yerti snorts in frustration, and looks down. "But. . .aren't I your pathfinder, your far-seer, right hand? Don't I always find the true way?"
• 9:01pm] Joel_Shempert: ("*your* right hand")
• 9:02pm] Fried_Wookiee: Limga shrugs. She declines to get in an argument.
• 9:03pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa looks at her with tenderness. "Yes, of course you do. but there are dangers here that will not be defeated in hunting or tracking or chasing. There must be careful talking, speech which you or I are not equipped for."
• 9:04pm] Joel_Shempert: Yerti says nothing. She does not meet Scrofa's gaze.
• 9:04pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa turns to Limga. "Will you help to negotiate such opposition as we may face in bearing this burden?"
• 9:05pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Whoa, you're asking a lot, there."
• 9:20pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa lowers his head. "I understand this. Please understand that we are alone in a strange place, with a terrible burden and no one else to guide us. I am not wealthy, but. .. I can pay you more for this, whatever I am able."
• 9:22pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Look, buddy," she says, poking you in the chest, "Polimet is a rough place. If you don't stand up for yourself, you're going to get taken apart the first night you're there. So unless you want me to turn around right here, you get hold of yourself and act like a MAN, got it?"
• 9:24pm] Fried_Wookiee: She stalks down the road mumbling under her breath about babysitting something or other.
• 9:25pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa shrinks back slightly, shoulders slumping. Yerti tenses like a coiled snake. She seems ready to follow Limga with venom on her lips, but Scrofa places a large hand on her shoulder. "It is nothing, Yerti. She is right."
• 9:29pm] Joel_Shempert: Yerti stands for a moment, touching her hand to his. Then Scrofa lifts Ben's cage with a heaving groan and they al continue after Limga in silence.

• 9:38pm] Fried_Wookiee: The road to Polimet is broad and well-travelled. The closer you get, the more traffic you see, wagons and carts laden with grain and animals, all flowing into the city. The land all around is set to agriculture, with one field after another filled with fields.
• 9:40pm] Fried_Wookiee: Scrofa's burden gets a few odd looks, but so far noone has confronted him about it.
• 9:40pm] Fried_Wookiee: As night falls, Limga stops at a little inn on the side of the road, stashing her cart in a fenced-in area to one side.
• 9:41pm] Fried_Wookiee: Ben groans inside the leafy ball.
• 9:42pm] Fried_Wookiee: The smells coming from the inn are quite inviting... it smells like fresh-baked bread and chicken stew.
• 9:44pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa attempts to approach the inn as well. Yerti tells him to set ben down, and covers the ball with a tarp. . .and tells Scrofa that if anyone asks, it is an exotic beast from the savage wilds of Lorenai, being delivered to a wealthy buyer in the city.
• 9:55pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa asks Aithne to ask after lodging with the innkeeper. . .then he and Yerti drag the cage around to the stables. Scrofa approaches the stableboy.
• 9:57pm] Fried_Wookiee: The lad looks curious at Scrofa's unwieldy bundle.
• 10:00pm] Joel_Shempert: "Boy," says Scrofa, standing two heads over the lad at least, "we require space for this. . .exotic beast. . ." (He steals a glance back at Yerti who nods encouragement) "from the Lorenai wilds. A great merchant of Polimet has paid a hefty sum for its delivery, and we can ill afford for anything to happen to it."
• 10:00pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Is it... dangerous, sir?"
• 10:03pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa snorts. Yerti drags the cage forward, making a show of struggling with it, and giving the impression that she risks her very fingers in grasping the bars behneath the tarp.
• 10:04pm] Joel_Shempert: "We. . .don't keepit covered so. . .because it is ugly," she shoots back, between struggles with the tempestuous beast."
• 10:04pm] Fried_Wookiee: The lad recoils. "Ye don't need me to... feed it, do ye sir?"
• 10:06pm] Joel_Shempert: "Oh, do not bother yourself," says Scrofa. I or my companion will see to it. Just be certain you do not. . .startle it."
• 10:06pm] Fried_Wookiee: *
• 10:06pm] Fried_Wookiee: *
• 10:07pm] Fried_Wookiee: Scrofa enters the common room of the little tavern and everything goes quiet. Clearly, the peasants who frequent this little inn aren't used to having a huge warrior like Scrofa in their midst. Limga, sitting at the bar, looks up, but says nothing.
• 10:08pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa gives her a small nod of greeting, then looks round for Aithne.
• 10:09pm] Fried_Wookiee: She's hanging back, looking to see how things will go for you. She doesn't like large crowds of big folk.
• 10:22pm] Fried_Wookiee: The crowd is a little standoffish at first, but after a few minutes, the room gets back to normal and people start talking again. Aithne slips in through a window and finds a spot hidden between your body and the windowsill.
• 10:24pm] Fried_Wookiee: One of the peasants, a big fellow with a full beard, sits down opposite you. "You're from Lorenai, aren't ye, then?"
• 10:26pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa relaxes a bit at someone not treating him like an ogre. his hand brushes Aithne's arm to reassure her. "Aye, stranger, I am."
• 10:28pm] Fried_Wookiee: "Is it true what I've heard, that the border guard is out? That they're stopping everyone at the Wanderer monastery, strippin' 'em naked?"
• 10:30pm] Joel_Shempert: "Aye, I saw it myself, crossing over. A strange business."
• 10:31pm] Fried_Wookiee: "D'ye know what they're lookin' for? Me bud says they're lookin' for someone with a birthmark from a prophecy, but that can't be, I says."
• 10:32pm] Joel_Shempert: "Then you know more than I do, friend. I could not tell. I was eager to pass over myself without such attention."
• 10:39pm] Fried_Wookiee: He nods. "Aye, and well ye should, sir." He eyes Aithne appraisingly, but says nothing. She shrinks back a bit from his gaze.
• 10:49pm] Fried_Wookiee: "I'm told ye have a savage beast caged up in the stables, sir. Any chance I could get a peek at it?"
• 10:49pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa glances at Aithne, tries to catch her eyes, reassure her. He shifts his body ever so slightly ina protective manner.
• 10:51pm] Joel_Shempert: Scrofa smiles. "I'm afraid," he explaines, that the buyer in Polimet is very strict, wishing no eyes in the realm to se it before him. I'm sorry."

Fried_Wookiee: "Ah... well, was worth askin' after, eh? Well, good night to ye, sir." He rises and gives you a deferential nod. Joel_Shempert: "Good night." Scrofa smiles, feeling more relaxed than he has in ages. It is with the memory of Aithne sitting close by him that he ascends the stairs to sleep.