[peregaming] Bert says, "Log on."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Welcome back!"
[peregaming] GM asks, "There'll be no Tale tonight :( but we will perservere! Any questions? Requests?"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Also: cat is asleep, so there'll be no toe biting tonight!)"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Heh."
GM sets his current fate point total to 2.
GM displays the initiative: Jack(10) Soulmonger(2) Quellynne(1) SATSAM(-3)
GM clears the initiative.
Quellynne updates everyone's fate points for the end of the scene.
Jack sets his current fate point total to 3.
Quellynne says, "Hmm, I think that's off by one."
Quellynne sets their current fate point total to 3.
Quellynne says, "I only got one extra last time, not two."
[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Quellynne), "Thank you for evening the odds... IN MY FAVOUR"
Quellynne sets their current fate point total to 34.
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "noooo"
Quellynne sets their current fate point total to 3.
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "phew"
[peregaming] GM says, "Anyway, so last time you guys were still at RONIN HQ and Remba had tracked down the author behind the 'false' attack using awesome gadgetry."
[peregaming] GM says, "Now the time has come to decide what to do about it."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "And I think we were about to fly to Canada, to try to meet up with Smiley, right?"
[peregaming] GM says, "yep"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is there anything else we need to do before taking that flight?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I assume we'd bring along standard equipment, such as Q's suitcase full of grenades.)"
[peregaming] GM says, "haha"
Quellynne asks, "Hmm. Do we think it *was* Smiley that was behind the attack? Is that what 'the signal shifted' meant?"
[peregaming] GM says, "(In the spirit of cooperative RP, I'd like it if we could briefly RP leaving Remba behind? I don't know what you guys think)"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Sure."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Although I have no ideas about why."
[peregaming] GM asks, "A sense of impending doom? Perhaps even... being Shadowed by Failure?"
Jack says, "Maybe, but I got the impression that Smiley was on our side these days. I'm wondering if maybe whatever Smiley was sent to fight may have taken advantage of their communications line to the base."
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Izzy. Never forget."
Quellynne says (to Remba), "Do you think you could stay here and work on pinpointing that signal more? I want to make sure it wasn't Smiley."
Quellynne . o O ( And more importantly, I don't want you to get hurt. )
Remba says, "Um, sure! On it right away, Q! But won't you be needing LASERS *gleam* where you're going?"
Quellynne says, "Well, this place might need them, too! It's possible that this attack was designed to draw us out to Canada, and then the real attack on this oil rig happens."
Jack says, "Maybe -- if you've got any helpful gadgets that you think we should take along, it would definitely be appreciated."
Quellynne says, "And you can fly and help put it back together again, and catch any unwary workers who accidentally fall into the ocean."
Quellynne looks at a worker over Remba's head with a 'please fall off the oil rig at some point so she can save you' sort of look.
Remba is already fiddling with her Detection Enhanced Villainous Intruder Coordinated Emitter (DEVICE). 'Oh, yeah!' she says, brightly.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(Were you imagining that as an actual compel, or just rp?)"
[peregaming] GM says, "I mean, it was just an RP suggestion..."
[peregaming] GM asks, "...should I really be giving out fate points just because a player wasn't there?"
[peregaming] GM says, "(I'm going to be doing plenty of compels soon anyhow)"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Real ones!)"
[peregaming] GM says, "Anyhow, we can end this scene and cut to the small plane approaching the source of the signal"
[peregaming] GM says, "unless you have anything to add"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Sounds good to me. Is there any briefing en-route as to what Smiley was out there for in the first place?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Sure!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says (to That's), "fine; it's why I asked."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "er."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "You get the idea."
GM says (to Jack), "You go through what Quint forwarded you about Smiley's mission. It seems rather simple: just an investigation of strange lights and a river that went dry after the glacier receded. There is one mention of 'analogue signals to what happened on the Yellow Doorway bridge' but those signals are definitely nowhere near as intense."
[peregaming] GM asks, "Is Q flying the plane?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I feel like I could, but that we probably have a generic agent doing it. Unless we're strapped for people."
Jack says, "This definitely sounds like it could be related."
[peregaming] GM says, "Generic Bob it is"
[peregaming] GM says, "Eric Bob"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Ha."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Son of Erica and Erick Bob."
Eric Bob says, "We're nearing the spot, fellas"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(That's her married name, of course. She was born Erica Baub.)"
Eric Bob says, "Strong winds ahead! Turbulence incoming!"
Jack takes a look out the window for signs of Smiley's mission.
Quellynne straps into the copilot seat just in case.
GM says, "The plane is flying along the dried up river, and is going around a bend. Because of the trees, you don't immediately see what's around the bend..."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Wow, we're flying low."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "About to land?"
[peregaming] GM says, "YEp"
Jack says, "If the wind's getting bad, maybe we should set down here."
Eric Bob says, "Alright!"
GM says, "The plane lands on the dried river bed and comes to a stop gradually, turning around the bend."
GM says, "And that's when you see it, not far away. An old bridge, the middle part missing, clearly once part of a railway crossing."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Remind me why the orignal gate was over a bridge, too? Something about the water?"
GM says, "Jutting out from the river bed and rising up through the chasm between the two ends of bridge, is a strange tower of crackling energy with a cube atop it."
[peregaming] GM says, "Yeah"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Did the gate need the water? Or was it stymied by the water?"
Jack says, "Oh, one of those."
Quellynne says, "Freaking cubes."
GM says, "There are silhouettes on the bridge, and one strange shape near the base of the tower, connected to it."
[peregaming] Jack says, "If it was water-related, I assume it must have needed the water."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Since it was Quint's plan to summon the thing."
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "Yes... which makes this disturbingly unusual."
[peregaming] GM says, "Clearly this must be more than it seems."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "I'd like to try to analyze it!"
[peregaming] GM asks, "From afar?"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Binoculars, I guess, would work)"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Like, a Will Overcome to apply all my knowledge of science and stuff to figure out what this tower is."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Binoculars seem like a good idea, yeah."
Jack peers at the thing through his binoculars. This seems slightly different from how he's seen Cubes like this used in the past...
[peregaming] GM says, "I'm going to say this is a +8 Overcome originally, reduced to +7 because it concerns you in ways you dare not imagine."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"
Jack rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 -1 | Great (4)
[peregaming] Jack says, "..."
[peregaming] GM says, "Auspicious roll."
[peregaming] Jack says, "This seems too early on to waste fate points or succeed at a cost."
Jack says, "I don't know. We're going to have to get a lot closer to understand what's going on here."
Jack says (to Eric), "You should probably stay with the plan. If things go south, someone needs to be able to report back to RONIN."
Quellynne asks, "If things go south, you go south?"
Eric Bob says, "You can count on me, Dr Day."
Quellynne unstraps and jumps out. Let's go!
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I guess Jack doesn't need to be carried, since he can teleport."
[peregaming] GM says, "Indeed."
Jack follows Quellynne's lead, blipping along if she gets too far ahead.
Quellynne zooms up the dry riverbed, attempting to dodge guards and get up that tower!
GM exclaims (at Quellynne), "You zoom ahead, and as you reach the base of the tower, you come face to face... with the Lady of Smiles!"
Lady of Smiles says, "YOU HAVE COME. JACK OF SPADES. THE DAY HAS COME."
Lady of Smiles says, "AND THE JACK OF HEARTS NOT FAR BEHIND..."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "What season is it?"
[peregaming] GM says, "I have actually lost track."
Quellynne asks, "Wait, *I'm* the jack of spades?"
Jack says, "Huh, I would have thought of myself as a Clubs man, but alright..."
[peregaming] GM says, "Autumn/Winter divide I reckon"
[peregaming] GM says, "It's hard to tell, what with all the time-related shenanigans"
Jack. o ( <too many different thoughts to enumerate> )
Jack asks (of Smiley), "So... what's the situation here?"
Quellynne asks, "Yeah, do we need to stop you or help you?"
Lady of Smiles says, "IS THAT REALLY THE CHOICE YOU THINK IT IS?"
Quellynne says, "Ah, option C: try to make you say something halfway coherent."
Lady of Smiles says, "YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NOT EXIST OTHERWISE. THIS IS THE BIRTH OF A PARADOX, AFTER ALL. AND I SPEAK IN RIDDLES BECAUSE MY MIND IS NOT MY OWN."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Those thoughts include: the flashback for Hearts was the Yellow Doorway bridge. Is that because that's when I split apart from the other Jack? And am I Hearts just because I'm a good guy? And the vision for Diamonds involved Old Jack on the plane. So does that mean that he's Diamonds? Is Q Spades because her world was almost destroyed? Then who's Clubs? Is that the Clockwork King? Or maybe John Knight? Or both, somehow, if one of them becomes the other or if John Knight reads the Clockwork King's notes or...')"
Jack asks, "Whose is it?"
Quellynne asks, "I'm pretty sure you were already two people; are you three now? Can we get you back to two?"
Lady of Smiles says, "HE WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO SAY. HIS IDENTITY IS IRRELEVANT. WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW... IS WHO THE OTHER TWO JACKS ARE. ONCE ALL FOUR ARE TOGETHER..."
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "You're quite close actually, but I won't spoil it"
GM says, "There is a blipping sound! And two people appear next to Lady of Smiles."
Jack says, "We're here because otherwise we wouldn't exist. That makes it sound like this is the origin of-- oh."
GM says, "One is clearly Old Jack, and it's also clear that he's using some tech to teleport (a wristband)."
Jack asks, "What are *you* doing here?"
GM says, "The other person looks like a hybrid of Mallory and Old Jack."
Jack asks, "And... *what* are *you*?"
Old Jack says, "Why, I'm the Jack of Clubs! You cut me off from the Great One, but then my good friend assured me it was all supposed to happen anyway."
Jack asks, "What friend is that?"
Old Jack (ignoring Jack's question about the friend, and pointing to Mallojack) says, "This, right here, is a copy of me I made on the plane. Remember that? With Lizzie tricking me and all? Then you splashed a bit of Mallory in his face, remember, and teleported him out in mid-flight!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "So presumably Diamonds is Mallomack, and the incident on the plane was their origin point."
[peregaming] GM says, "Spot on"
[peregaming] Jack says, "I am starting to fear that Old Jack is the future of John Knight."
[peregaming] GM says, "Indeed."
Jack asks, "Sure, sure. So we're all here, with so much to catch up on. What have you been up to since we last saw you, John?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Clearly we should have killed him when we had the chance."
[peregaming] Jack says, "But unfortunately we're good guys."
Old Jack says, "Well, that book was pretty helpful, as was that Parker guy. You may be wondering why I'm explaining everything. As it turns out, we need you to help us complete the first half of this ritual, which will basically bring us all into existence, as it were, and generate the greatest paradox in the history of the multiverse."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Wait, who's John Knight?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Pseudonym for Old Jack when working for Pryce"
[peregaming] Jack asks (of Q), "Do you remember when we flew to ... uh, somewhere in Scandinavia, I think?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yup, Norway"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "And you used grenades to help us break into a research facility?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "When I had gone there first, jumping through the portal?"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "I think so!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Indeed"
[Setting the zoned flag.]
[peregaming] Jack says, "'John Knight' was the guy we found in the basement there, trying to become One with some mega-nasty Lovecraftian evil."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(He being yet another Jack, of course.)"
[peregaming] GM says, "He is canonically a more legitimate Jack than Jack is."
[peregaming] Jack says, "We defeated him, then after a bit of debate, took him back to RONIN, locked him in a cell, and gave him the Clockwork King notebook in the hope that it would teach him to be good."
[peregaming] Jack says, "But apparently it didn't work."
[peregaming] GM says, "(Ironically, the Clockwork King probably foretold this might happen, in his endless timeloop of scenarios)"
Quellynne asks, "So, you want to create a huge paradox, distract the watchmakers, and the GOO slips back into the multiverse behind their back?"
Old Jack says, "Bingo."
Jack asks, "Wouldn't it only be a paradox if we *didn't* bring us into existence?"
GM says, "No, you see, for thanks to Pryce we were able to clone a copy of me, who is in fact going to become the original."
[peregaming] GM says, "(uh, pretend one of the bad Jacks said that)"
[peregaming] GM says, "(and not, you know, God)"
[peregaming] GM says, "(or some new character called gM)"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Gregory Marley."
Jack furrows his brow, trying to figure out exactly which flavor of crazy this particular Jack is.
Quellynne says, "But not only was the first Jack in this universe born normally, *I* was born normally in my own universe."
Jack says, "Yeah! Uh. I mean. I assume I was born normally..."
Jack exclaims, "But she definitely was!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I never actually knew my parents and only had my uncle's word about them...)"
Old Jack says, "You see, Jack of Hearts, if one must insert a person into the multiverse who did not exist originally, one must do so with care. That's why I needed to steal the bathyscape from RONIN HQ while you were distracted by the Soulmonger."
Jack asks, "And the cards? Were you responsible for them as well?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Presumably we're much closer to the tower of energy and the cube, right?"
Old Jack says, "The cards were my idea. Curiosity has always been our driving trait as Jacks"
[peregaming] Jack says, "And Old Jack has given us some clues about his plan."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Can I try that Overcome again, with a better TN, now?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(To understand exactly how this tower works.)"
Old Jack says, "And hat's why it's so complex, that's why we need all four of us to complete the ritual: because we're not just sending a clone into the past, with a past engineered by Pryce's capable hypnotism. We're sending ALL the clones to ALL the universes."
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "TN's now +4"
Jack asks, "So, what happens if your plan doesn't work? What if we don't do the ritual right?"
Jack rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: 0 -1 0 +1 | Epic (7)
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Style!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Also, out of curiosity, should any part of this storyline have counted as a compel of my Trouble? :)"
[peregaming] GM says, "YES"
[peregaming] GM says, "TOO... MANY.. JACKS"
GM gives a fate point to Jack.
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Thanks!"
Quellynne says, "That's nice and all, but I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a girl."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I assume you're still typing up the results of my successful Overcome?)"
[peregaming] GM says, "yes"
Quellynne says, "So I can't be a clone of you all."
Jack suddenly has the melody to 'Home on the Range' filter through his mind.
Mallojack says, "My gender is also debatable at best, but that doesn't matter. You see, part of the ritual requires feeding our blood to the frozen metaclone, thus ensuring that when we send it to all the universes, we also create you and all the other variations of you."
[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "('Oh, give me a clone / Of my own flesh and bone / With its Y chromosome changed to X...')"
GM haha
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Heh. (And I'm going to pretend you can heard distant cackling from an unnamed spectral figure)"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(Rather than just own up to my ilac)"
[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "The GOO, presumably."
Quellynne asks, "And, what, you're going to send a human clone to the lizard people world and hope for the best? Or the machine world?"
Hunter arrives at home.
GM says (to Jack), "You now fully understand this device. And you also realize that unless you come up with an alternative, non-paradoxical origin for Jack, regardless of whether it succeeds or fails, an army of Watchmakers will be summoned."
GM says, "To say nothing of the Great One."
Jack asks (of OldJack), "So where do you think we came from in the *non*-paradoxical version of reality?"
Jack says, "Because if the paradox is how we all got started, then that means the paradox already exists, and the Watchmakers should be here by now."
Old Jack says, "Crud! I said too much. I should have gotten your blood right from the start, before you started asking too many questions! Pryce was right!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "What I *want* to do is logically prove that this cloning thing must be how we all started out originally, and therefore is a perfectly consistent closed temporal loop, with no paradox whatsoever."
[peregaming] Jack says, "But I'm not sure that that would fly with the GM."
[peregaming] GM says, "The loop is enough of a paradox for the Watchmakers to be bothered."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Darn."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Even with a version that only has two universes with a Jack in them?"
Jack says, "No, let's think about this. I know you wouldn't want to leave any loose ends."
[peregaming] GM says, "This is going to be a psychological conflict."
Jack asks, "Take our parents, for example. Do you have any proof that they even exist?"
[peregaming] GM says, "What are you using as weapons? (ie skills)"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Will!"
Quellynne, while Jack is arguing with Jack, texts Remba. "Hey, kid! I need an app on my phone that can track that signal--something's taken over Smiley's mind and I need to smash it."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "The power of Logic!"
[peregaming] GM says, "woo"
Remba says, "*flying whoosh* SATSAM saves the day again! You're welcome, Janitor Guy! Oh hi Q."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "If this is a conflict, are we doing initiative?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Right now it's just a two-character thing, and you start first because you initiated the conflict"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Then I would like to consider the question about our parents to be my initial attack!"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Very well!"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Give that I am trying to out-Logic him, can I use my Super Intelligence?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Sure!"
Jack rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: +1 -1 -1 +1 | Epic (7)
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 -1 -1 -1 | Good (3)
GM spends a fate point, leaving him with 1.
GM gives a fate point to GM.
[peregaming] Jack asks, "?"
[peregaming] GM says, "it's okay, I had set up a free invoke ahead of time but debated whether it was fair"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is he invoking anything?"
[peregaming] GM says, "eh, he'll spend the fate point on 'Exactly As Planned'"
GM spends a fate point, leaving him with 1.
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 0 +1 +1 | Legendary (8)
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "For a reroll!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Oof. His defense succeeds, then."
Old Jack says, "Of course they exist, I travelled back in time to help set up this chain of events! How else would Digory look like you, otherwise?"
Old Jack says, "The paradox that will announce the Great One's return must be flawless!"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is it his turn now? Does Q get a turn to take an action at some point?"
[peregaming] GM asks, "She was talking to Remba. Q, do you want me to jump back to that?"
Old Jack says, "Now, *takes out tube from mainframe of tower dramatically* we must perform the blood component of this ritual! For the Great One's return!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Whenever it seems reasonable."
GM says (to Q), "Remba sends you a map by text message! There's apparently some big vehicle in the woods, near the bridge, alone with a power generator."
GM says (to Q), "It'll require all your speed to get there, as it's not exactly super close, though."
Quellynne says (to Jack), "Let's run and punch them. Then we can create just the two of us, which'll be a small paradox and not an all-multiverse paradox."
Quellynne then runs away towards the truck!
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Just let me know when it's my turn again.)"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Initiative!"
Jack clears the initiative.
[peregaming] GM says, "Since Q is not complying with the ritual, it's now fighting time"
Jack registers Jack at init 100.
Jack displays the initiative:
[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "(Hmph.)"
GM rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: +1 0 0 -1 | Fair (2)
Jack rolls Legendary+16 (+24) + 4dF: +1 -1 0 0 | Legendary+16 (24)
Quellynne rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 0 | Mediocre (0)
Jack registers Jack at init 25.
Quellynne registers Quellynne at init 0.
GM rolls Great (4) + 4dF: -1 +1 +1 -1 | Great (4)
Jack registers Jack at init 24.
Jack removes Jack from the initiative list.
GM registers OldJack at init 4.
GM registers Mallojack at init 2.
GM registers GM at init LadyOfSmiles=-1.
GM displays the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] GM says, "Bah, LOS will just be a background thing"
GM advances the initiative: JACK(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] Jack asks, "He's holding a vial or something for the blood ritual, right?"
[peregaming] GM says, "A tube connected to the tower, yes"
Jack touches the tube to try to send it as far into the future as he can!
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Chronokinesis!"
[peregaming] GM says, "This will be actively opposed by Old Jack's will! Roll roolll"
Jack rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 -1 +1 0 | Fantastic (6)
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 -1 | Fair (2)
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Muahaha!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Who's the real villain"
[peregaming] GM says, "Also, RP"
[peregaming] GM says, "and init advance"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "If I succeed, I'd like to use Extra Action to consider any extra shifts to be a Will-based attack against Old Jack!"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "You may!"
Jack cirlces Old Jack while spouting off logic at him...
Jack exclaims (at Old Jack), "This could never succeed! There are too many of us! If Diggory is one of us too, then he would need to be here as well!"
Jack, as he passes the tube, grabs it -- and it wriggles out of the current spacetime and vanishes from his grasp!
[peregaming] Jack says, "Extra Action means I think my attack is five shifts."
Old Jack says, "Noooooo! Pryce, do something!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Which I guess he has to defend against.)"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Four, surely?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "6 shifts initially, splitting into 2 and 4, and each split action gets +1 shift, right?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Ah"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Making them 3 (full success for the tube) and 5 for the attack? (Q can confirm as she is the expert on extra actions.)"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hee"
[peregaming] GM says, "Well, in that case he ticks a 2-box and takes a Mild Consequence. Name it as you will."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Yeah, when you split into two, you get an extra 1 each."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "'May Not Have Thought Of Everything'?"
Old Jack says, "I... May not have thought of everything? Crud!"
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OLDJACK(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
Old Jack says, "Well, you can't have sent it far into the future!"
Old Jack reaches out through the spacetime continuum!
[peregaming] Jack says, "I know Q wanted us to switch to punching, but braining really is Jack's specialty."
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: -1 0 +1 +1 | Fantastic (6)
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I get to defend?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "You do!"
Jack rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 -1 0 +1 | Superb (5)
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "And you can tag his May Not Have Thought Of Everything."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Tagging my boost on the tower/cube analysis!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Q suggested punching since that is what *she* does, and she doesn't really take the time to think things through ;-)"
[peregaming] GM says, "hee"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Because I realized its spatiotemporal resonance and aligned my Chronokinesis so that it would enhance my projection!"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "woo!"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "RP!"
Jack has one hand in the present and the other reaching, semi-metaphorically, into the future. The tower is emitting temporal energy in a precise harmonic matrix, and Jack is playing that matrix like the strings of a lute.
[peregaming] Quellynne, looking at the fate aspects lists, asks, "Is my misphased arm fixed yet? Did we manage to get it back to normal on the flight out here?"
[peregaming] GM says (to Quellynne), "You didn't have the time to fix it yet"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Got it."
GM displays the initiative: Jack(24) OLDJACK(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
Old Jack says, "Blast! I'm too old for this shit!"
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) MALLOJACK(2) Quellynne(0)
Mallojack says, "Good thing you have me to help."
[peregaming] GM says, "(looking up one thing, hold on)"
Mallojack (aka the Jack of Diamonds) attacks Jack with a sacrificial technodagger! Its blade shimmers in and out of reality!
GM rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 +1 | Legendary (8)
[peregaming] Jack asks, "A physical attack?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yes"
Jack rolls Great (4) + 4dF: +1 +1 0 -1 | Superb (5)
[peregaming] GM says, "Ouch"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "I have a free 3 stress box!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "So I will take the hit."
[peregaming] GM says, "Bearing in mind that this means they get your blood"
[peregaming] GM says, "(True, they still have to bring it into the future, but still)"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "But they don't have Q's!"
[peregaming] GM says nothing.
[peregaming] Jack says, "I have made my choice."
Mallojack says, "The blood of the Jack of Hearts, exactly as planned!"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Also, can I make one request?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Sure"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "That the dagger still be in my when my turn comes around?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "In me, I mean."
[peregaming] GM says, "OK"
Mallojack's blade plunges into Jack's shoulder!
Jack exclaims, "Eeeagh!"
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) QUELLYNNE(0)
[peregaming] GM asks, "Q?"
[peregaming] GM asks, "You were running?"
[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "I was!"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "TN to make it to the truck?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Or just 'you make it to the truck'?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "TN 10, because there's an interferring field! It's affecting your powers weirdly!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Plus, the truck is far"
[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "Alrighty!"
Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: 0 +1 +1 -1 | Legendary+3 (11)
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I will split that into two to make it to the truck and empower Jack on my way out."
Quellynne advances the initiative: END OF ROUND
[peregaming] GM says, "Woo"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Yay!"
[peregaming] GM says, "RP that, and then I'll describe some background stuff that happens before Jack's turn"
Quellynne tags Jack's hand, then zooms off into the forest. She gets turned around a couple times due to a weird reality-distorting field set up somewhere, but fortunately, she is able to reference Remba's map and finds the truck with the power generator, purring away.
GM says, "Meanwhile... a mental presence makes itself felt."
GM rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: -1 0 0 0 | Fantastic (6)
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Both of you defend with Will!"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is this an attack?"
Jack rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 -1 +1 0 | Superb (5)
[peregaming] GM says, "It's a power."
Quellynne rolls Average (1) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 0 | Fair (2)
[peregaming] Jack says, "I mean in the sense of Attack/Overcome/Create Advantage."
[peregaming] GM says, "Ah, it's an attack"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Then I will check off a stress box! (Mental stress, I assume.)"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yes, unless you want to obey what the voice tells you:"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Ha ha."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Those sneaky voices, always trying to tell you to obey things."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Can I use the old Spatiotemporal Secrets aspect?"
Mental voice says, "Comply! Only then... will there be nothing to worry about."
[peregaming] Jack says, "If you're asking me, I'm fine with you using it."
[peregaming] GM says (to Quellynne), "This is not spatiotemporal in nature, sadly"
[peregaming] GM says, "You can obey or take mental stress."
[peregaming] Jack says, "But Q is the one who discovered Pryce's sinister connections."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Oh!"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks (of GM), "Nobody asked me to do anything, so I guess I can comply with... nothing?"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Wasn't that Lizzie?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "And those sinister connections were about the occult stuff he was doing, right?"
[peregaming] GM says, "yeah"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Oh, no, right, that was Lizzie. Darn.)"
[peregaming] GM says (to Quellynne), "The voice is asking you to comply with Old Jack's plan"
[peregaming] GM says, "There are even mental images of how nice it would be to donate your blood to a good cause"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "OK, I'll spend a fate point on 'Prepared for the Worst' and take a box-2 stress."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Excellent!"
GM advances the initiative: JACK(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] GM asks, "...Jack?"
Jack tries to teleport back to the plane! With the knife still in his shoulder!
[peregaming] GM says, "I forgive you for being confused by the init, since all of the characters here are Jacks"
Quellynne was already ready to resist any weird mental compellings, but even so, it's hard to hold back, and she starts to sweat.
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "That's an opposed Will roll!"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Will? OK!"
Jack rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 0 -1 0 | Superb (5)
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 -1 +1 -1 | Great (4)
[peregaming] GM says, "I'm going to suggest a compel:"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"
Quellynne spends a fate point, leaving them with 2.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(forgot to actually spend it)"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Since you got a boost from Quellynne, you make it to the plane, but now you phase through everything for one turn!"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Drawback of Q's power)"
GM gives a fate point to Jack.
[peregaming] GM says, "RP as you wish"
Jack blips onto the plane. "Eric, we nee--" But before he can get the words out, he drops through the floor of the plane, and an instant later, the ground itself!
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Or a weird combination of my drawback and the weird dagger."
[peregaming] GM says, "Weird weirdness."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is the dagger phasing with me, or is it left behind on the plane?"
[peregaming] GM says, "The latter."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Oh no!"
Jack advances the initiative: Jack(24) OLDJACK(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] Jack says, "(AFK briefly.)"
Old Jack , no longer hindered by Jack, attempts to pull the tube back from the future! (+2 Overcome)
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 +1 -1 0 | Fantastic (6)
Old Jack says, "Ha! He only postponed the inevitable!"
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) MALLOJACK(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "He gets some sort of boost. Tube: Temporally locked, perhaps?"
[peregaming] GM says, "That works."
[peregaming] GM says, "Thank you :)"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Back."
[peregaming] GM says, "I'm almost done with the bad guy turns"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Hmm. Do they have any idea where I've gone?"
[peregaming] GM says, "You don't know for sure."
[peregaming] GM says, "The knife may have a tracker."
[peregaming] GM says, "(being all technodaggery)"
[peregaming] Jack nods. "Fair point."
Mallojack draws a second technodagger. 'The Jack of Hearts' blood is good as ours. Time to catch up with the Jack of Spades...
Mallojack morphs, and suddenly the same energy that Q produces with her speed emanates from them!
GM rolls Legendary+3 (+11) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 -1 | Legendary+2 (10)
[peregaming] GM says, "Power duplication: the logical evolution of Mallory's disguise power."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Heh."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Ooh."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Does power duplication give you an extra +1?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(I usually roll +10 on my power)"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Your +10 is your Athletics plus your bonuses from the power, right?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Nah, it's just the bonus from [arcane stuff]"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Right."
[peregaming] Jack says, "So presumably if she's duplicating your whole suite, she'd be basing it off her Athletics."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "The power is +6; Athletics is 4."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Whatever that is.)"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yep, she has 1 more athletics, correctly guessed."
[peregaming] (from Quellynne) GM furiously scribbles.
[peregaming] Jack says, "Hee."
[peregaming] GM asks, "Or he, actually. Why are all my bad guys gender fluid? Is this me not wanting to stereotype either gender as being more malicious than another?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Also, the TN was 10 to get to the truck, so was that success with a minor cost?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yep."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "The minor cost being one you can choose, as it represents your interference!"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "He comes out on the other side of the truck and doesn't immediately see me?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "That works!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Also, afk, cat awake and hungry"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Hungry... FOR ANKLES"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Ha ha."
[peregaming] GM says, "back"
GM displays the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) MALLOJACK(2) Quellynne(0)
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) QUELLYNNE(0)
[peregaming] GM asks, "Q?"
Quellynne tosses some grenades inside the truck at the power generator.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Actually, I probably run inside the truck and *place* them and run away again ;-)"
GM rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: -1 +1 +1 +1 | Legendary+1 (9)
[peregaming] GM says, "Defend with Will"
Quellynne rolls Average (1) + 4dF: -1 0 0 +1 | Average (1)
[peregaming] GM says, "So..."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "This is someone else's action? I'm confused."
[peregaming] GM says, "Either obey the mental injunction to not put grenades in the truck (which by the way is a cool hovertruck)..."
[peregaming] GM says (to or), "take the mental stress"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Do I get to roll anything for my own action?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Or is that next?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Oh, is this the voice again? Am I defending too, or am I out of the area for the moment?"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "it's in reaction to Q trying to put grenades in the hovertruck"
[peregaming] GM says, "if she takes stress, she can put the grenades in, no problem"
[peregaming] GM says, "otherwise she drops them"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Ah, so it has the power to interrupt other people's actions with its own Attack to try to prevent them?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I will take the stress, but I would also like to roll my own action."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "So I can accomplish other things on my turn as well."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "OK!"
[peregaming] GM says, "TN 6"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "OK, rp'ing the stress first."
Quellynne zips into the truck, and is suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that it would be a REALLY GOOD IDEA to leave the truck alone and take the grenades with her. She shakes her head, and stumbles, almost pressed into the ground by the force of the suggestion. But she grits her teeth, presses through, and replies, "No. You. Will. Stay. OUT OF OUR MULTIVERSE!"
Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: 0 0 +1 +1 | Legendary+4 (12)
[peregaming] GM says, "Wooo"
Quellynne leaves the grenades in the truck on a split-second timer, zips outside again, and punches Mallojack in the face.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(with a +7)"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "And takes the consequence "Defied the Gods""
[peregaming] GM says, "Cool"
[peregaming] GM asks, "can the +7 be defended?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "I think it's a normal Attack, right?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "I assume so?"
GM rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 0 -1 0 | Superb (5)
[peregaming] GM says, "(no +2 since they're currently in speed mode)"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "and they take 2 stress!"
Mallojack says, "Argh! Why!"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Also, will the truck explode on the same turn?"
Quellynne exclaims, "Because I like the multiverse! It's where I keep all my stuff!"
[peregaming] GM says, "hah"
[peregaming] GM says, "heh"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Yeah, let's say it does; maybe I used my third action on that."
[peregaming] GM says, "excellent"
The hovertruck explodes into a ball of flames! A man in a tasteful (but charred) teal sweater and tie is blasted sky high, screaming!
GM advances the initiative: END OF ROUND
Quellynne blinks. "Who's that?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "The driver of the truck?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Fortunately, the GOO already spend its action. She says hopefully."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Probably, but I'm actually asking Mallojack."
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "The driver was an AI and was destroyed"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, right."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Are we in the new round now?)"
Mallojack says, "Nooo! Pryce! Parker Vandermund Pryce! Loyal servant of the Great One!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Wait, now I'm confused again."
[peregaming] GM says, "not yet"
Quellynne exclaims, "Well, speed over there and catch him before he lands!"
[peregaming] GM says (to Quellynne), "Only Remba is allowed to be confused, and she's not here"
GM says, "Meanwhile:"
A wild-eyed, bloody Jackson runs out of the woods with a gun. He sees Old Jack and attempts to shoot him! A bullet clips Old Jack in the ear.
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Oh, and does the Lady of Smiles do anything?"
Jackson says, "YOU LEFT ME FOR DEAD!!!!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(and is she freed from the signal?)"
Lady of Smiles says, "*blinks* What am I doing here? Jackson?"
GM advances the initiative: JACK(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Assuming I'm still phasng through everything, can I plausibly repeatedly teleport myself up into the air to stay above-ground long enough to talk with Eric Bob?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Yes!"
Jack *blip* says, "Eric! I need your hel--"
Jack *blips* says, "--p! Grab that knife! And then op--"
Jack *blips* says, "--en the plane's engine and h--"
Jack *blips* says, "--ook it up to both batte--"
Jack *blips* says, "--y terminals! We need to short--"
Jack *blips* says, "--it out and fry the blood on it!--"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(hee hee)"
Eric Bob says, "Roger that, Dr Day!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Goal: destroy the techno aspects of the knife and, since the electricity should heat it up, denature the blood so that it becomes useless."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I need to roll anything for any of this?"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "Just for one thing: you sense that the knife can teleport! Will +7 Overcome to hold it in place for Bob to electrify"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"
Jack rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 +1 | Fantastic (6)
[peregaming] Jack says, "I will tag..."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "May Not Have Thought of Everything! Since Old Jack presumably designed the knife, and I know what kind of weaknesses I would likely have accidentally included!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Oh, wait, cancel that."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Can I used Empowered for this?"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Sure!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(If we ever meet up again, I can re-empower you, so use that one soon-ish, I think.)"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK, then I'll use that instead!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(timing!)"
[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Q), "Your 'if we ever meet up again' made me think of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nzy1cfnKh4"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "which was used in a Marvel movie, incidentally"
[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "Heh."
Jack's keeps the knife *more or less* steady -- it keeps wobbling up and down as Jack blips up and down, but it's not more than Agent Bob can handle.
Jack advances the initiative: Jack(24) OLDJACK(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
Old Jack reels from the bullet. 'Jackson Shaft! You may be a Jackson, but you're no Jack!'
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Is it gauche to ask who Jackson is?"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "haha"
[Crows-Nest] Jack asks, "Which one of me is going to end up going back in time and becoming his father?"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "He's a helicopter pilot!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh, him! Got it."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "He's the one who betrayed us back when we were trying to... uh, was it when we were trying to save Q's universe?"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "pretty much"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Yeah, that sounds right."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(But then Smiley mind-blasted him and he turned good.)"
[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(Sorry, just thinking about something.)"
[Crows-Nest] Quellynne says, "NP."
Old Jack suddenly seems frail and old, cornered between an angry Jackson and a confused but irate Lady of Smiles.
Old Jack says, "I can't hear Pryce... he must have lost the connection... I need a new plan... yes, there's no other way..."
Old Jack stabs himself with the tube! And rewrites some code on his wristband!
GM exclaims, "The tower starts to overload with energy!"
Old Jack says, "No time to divert the Watchmakers! I'm breaking open reality!!!!"
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) MALLOJACK(2) Quellynne(0)
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh, moving straight to phase 2? Nice."
Mallojack runs to catch Pryce in their arms. But Pryce is already mostly dead, and croaks with the words, 'if I could have taken... the Great One's place... there would have been... nothing more to worry about...'
GM advances the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) QUELLYNNE(0)
[Crows-Nest] Jack exclaims, "YAY!"
[Crows-Nest] GM asks, "At the reference or the villain death?"
[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "The reference. Villain death is nice too, but I'm more worried about Old Jack on that front."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Q's turn!"
Quellynne zooms back to the tower! Hopefully slightly easier, if destroying the truck also destroyed the distortion field, but she'll take what she can get.
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "TN for making it back?"
[peregaming] GM says, "It is easier, since the field was partly due to Smiley, and Smiley isn't midncontrolled now. TN 10 again"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Wait, TN 10 was the harder TN."
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Right?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Ha."
[peregaming] GM says, "Wasn't there a second roll I made you do? Hmm, let me scroll back"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "the other rolls were the will attacks, AFAIK."
[peregaming] GM says, "aha"
[peregaming] GM says, "TN 8 then"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "w00t"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Now watch me roll -4"
Quellynne rolls Legendary+2 (+10) + 4dF: 0 0 +1 0 | Legendary+3 (11)
[peregaming] Jack says, "Still a success with style."
[peregaming] GM says, "Your stylishness is a fact of the multiverse"
Quellynne runs back, sees the tower powering up, and slams into it at full speed, trying to take out some structural supports.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "And I'm up for success at a cost here, if need be. Smashing through things and taking damage."
[peregaming] GM says, "So, the tower is really solidly constructed, but it's also under a lot of power, so it's weakened. I'm going to say that slamming into it will require a TN 5."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is that an Overcome to destroy it completely?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Or a Create Advantage to weaken it?"
[peregaming] GM says, "The former"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I'm assuming it's not an Attack since there's a specific TN.)"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Q?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I feel like I should tag everything, and that you should also tag my two consequences, and that I should succeed and take my +6 consequence."
[peregaming] GM says, "do it"
[peregaming] GM says, "dewit"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Ooh."
[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "It's the Pryces and the DeWitts!"
[peregaming] GM says, "darn you made me reveal my next big bad's name"
[peregaming] GM says, "(jk)"
[peregaming] GM says, "anyway, we will do that"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "only RP remains!"
Quellynne streaks out of the forest in a blur! OldJack cries out, "Noooo!" but he clearly Hadn't Though Of Everything, especially not this. Quelynne smashes her fist into a support... but her arm phases through it at the last second. Frustrated, she gazes up at the cube. So many cubes in her life, taking away everything she loved; struggling to get it back only to have to abandon it again... surely she should stop trying to defy the gods? Accept the inevetable? <cont>
Quellynne's eyes narrow, and she shakes her head again. She look around the base of the tower. If she can run fast enough to phase through the walls *there* but the unphase again *there*, and then do the same thing on the other side... she'd take a terrible amount of damage, but the tower woudl finally come down... she grits her teeth, and takes off again. Phase/smash/phase/smash/phase/smash! The tower staggers, and starts to topple! Quellynne streaks out of the base, just before it falls over completely... but is not quite fast enough to avoid everything falling around her, and gets impaled by an errant piece of rebar! She staggers to the ground, panting heavily, but with a satisfied smile on her face.
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "<fin>"
Old Jack says, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
GM says, "Part of the energy surges back into him. He screams as he mutates horribly."
GM displays the initiative: Jack(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) QUELLYNNE(0)
Quellynne advances the initiative: END OF ROUND
Jackson says, "Motherf*****, I'm sick of all these Jacks in this motherf**** universe"
GM advances the initiative: JACK(24) OldJack(4) Mallojack(2) Quellynne(0)
Jack sees the tower going up! He can't tell from here if that's a good or bad thing, so he teleports in!
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Can I need to be able to touch things in order to teleport them with me?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Er, 'Do I need to...'"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Or could I teleport something with me as I phase through it?"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "I feel like that's been the rule so far."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Oh, I dunno about that."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims (at Q), "I've never tried to teleport things while phasing before!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(timing!)"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "It's just going to increase the difficulty, since by now it's wearing off"
[peregaming] GM says, "You can do it"
Jack, as he drops past Old Jack, reaches out for his wristband!
[peregaming] Jack says, "I want to teleport it away from Old Jack."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Both so he can't use it, and also so we can retrieve it later if he blows up or runs away."
[peregaming] GM says, "That's actually the easy part. The hard part is doing so without getting horribly mutated."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK!"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Normally, I'd use Fight to teleport a person against their will, but I have no idea what skill to use to avoid being mutated!"
[peregaming] GM says, "It's going to be a Physique +5 Overcome. (the teleporting works, with the narrative taking care of the phasing aspect)"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Ooh, dang. OK!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Hmm."
[peregaming] Jack says, "Well, I'll roll first, then think about the consequences:"
Jack rolls Average (1) + 4dF: -1 -1 -1 0 | Terrible (-2)
[peregaming] GM says, "You have 5 fate points to use"
[peregaming] Jack says, "OK, there is no combination of aspects that would get me out of this without using fate points..."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "...but, y'know, how bad would mutating be, really?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "I mean, this is probably the end of the session..."
[peregaming] Jack says, "...and... plot hook..."
[peregaming] Jack asks (of GM), "What do you think?"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Or what if I 'succeed' and the great cost is that I only get a *minor* case of mutation, instead of a full-blown immediate death version?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I'm just throwing this out there -- if you think that's a bad idea, please say so :)"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "I'm going to say that success at a cost will mean a near-death mutation which may provide plot hooks, as opposed to being literally pulled back to the Great One."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "OK! I accept your near death plot hooks!"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Oooh, OldJack is getting pulled back to the great old one?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Q will also sympathetically experience something similar, but less damaging"
[peregaming] GM says, "Mallojack: idem"
[peregaming] GM says, "(idem as Old Jack, I mean)"
Jack's hand briefly grazes Old Jack's as he grabs the wristband -- which should be impossible, given that he's not even in phase, but it's as if Old Jack is no longer part of the physical laws of this universe anymore! As Jack teleports away with the bracelet, something seems to flow into him...
[peregaming] Jack says, "(And I'll leave it to the GM to pick up the narration from there.)"
GM exclaims, "All four of you (Jack, Quellyn, Old Jack and Mallojack) are briefly teleported to a shadow realm, a howling limbo of sheer existential dread!"
Great One says, "USELESS. USELESS. USELESS."
Quellynne briefly hallucinates a tiny dragon.
[Crows-Nest] Jack says, "Hee."
[peregaming] GM says, "aww"
[peregaming] GM says, "Tale would love this reference"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Too bad he doesn't love us as much as some old man."
Old Jack I... I can still time travel! Change the timeline, make a new paradox-- ARRHHAGRHAGRHHAHAHAHHAH
Old Jack is horribly shredded into nothingness
Jack says, "You can keep him. We don't want him."
Mallojack is torn to pieces in an infinite time loop!
Jack says (to Q), "I think that's our cue to leave."
Quellynne stumbles over to Jack, and tries to empower him.
Jack takes Q's hand -- or at least phases his hand through hers, if that's what it takes -- and tries to teleport back to the real world.
[peregaming] GM says, "I'm good with Q using her speed to outrun this :D it's a fitting use of her power, considering how she obtained it in the first place by outrunning a Soulmonger"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Or a combination of all these!"
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "Heh."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Is there even a ground to stand on?"
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Sure--teleport, run, teleport, run?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Sounds good."
Great One says, "USELESS... USELESS. uSELESS...usELESS..eseLEss..."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "RP at will!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Then there will be a mini epilogue and end of session"
Quellynne closes her eyes and runs once more, holding Jack's hand and remembering her last trip through a place like this.
Quellynne gets to an abyss. "I... I think we need to get across this!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "There's also a thing I'd like to do at the end, if you're up for it, but I'm fine if you're not."
[peregaming] Quellynne says, "(setting up for a teleport ;-)"
Jack and Quellynne are across it as soon as she finishes the sentence.
Jack says, "Agreed."
Quellynne takes off running again, her feet finding the way. Occasionally there are gaps or walls that come up between them and where she feels she needs to go, and Jack teleports them past them every time.
Quellynne finally sees a spark of light in the distance, runs to it and stumbles through, into...
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "I'm open to cool ideas ;)"
[peregaming] Jack says (to GM), "I'm still wondering it's at all possible to prevent Knight from turning into Old Jack. And I'd like to use my 'Visions' power to answer that."
[peregaming] Quellynne hands the talking stick to the GM.
[peregaming] Jack says, "If you're up for it, I'd be happy for it to be an extra epilogue."
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "OK, we'll see that in a jiffy"
GM says, "The two of you suddenly land in the dirt of the dried-up river, and both Smiley and Jackson are there looking down at you."
Jackson says, "I don't understand you two! You save the world, then your crazy clones come and mess it up again. You should think about making a difference, not just maintaining the god damn status quo..."
Jack says, "...yeah."
Smiley says, "Calm down, Jackson. I sense a change."
Smiley says, "They're..."
Quellynne collapses on the ground, wheezing, "I saved my whole freaking universe; what more do you want from me?"
Smiley (to Quellynne) says, "Don't you feel it? Your destiny's no longer tied to the whims of a dead god."
Smiley (to Quellynne) says, "You've more than earned a small measure of peace."
Quellynne tries to sense it for a second and then gives up. "I'll take your word for it. Thanks, Smiles."
GM says, "You could swear that the freaky fractal teeth face actually smiles gently."
Quellynne lies on the ground, quietly bleeding.
Jack says, "Mmm. We've always been able to handle wannabe deities, so far."
Jack says, "I'm more worried about, well. You know."
[peregaming] GM asks, "Who? Knight?"
Jack looks at the remains of the tower. The fried technoknife. The wristband.
[peregaming] Quellynne asks, "Yourself?"
Jack says, "Me."
[peregaming] Quellynne exclaims, "w00t! 3 points for me!"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "You're both right!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Haha"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Maybe you could elaborate? Sorry, not sure how to respond yet)"
[peregaming] GM says, "(Sometimes RP requires a bit of momentum)"
[peregaming] Jack says, "I mean, the different version of me that are out there, like Knight, as well as any alternate versions, plus whatever potential might be in myself to end up like them."
[peregaming] GM says, "Currently there's only one version of you still out there, and he's currently doomed to die in the manner you saw."
[peregaming] Jack says, "That's fine for me, but I don't know that Jack's convinced."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(And that's OK!)"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I'm fine with my character being paranoid for now.)"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "No problem then!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "He's been through a lot. I'm sure he needs to process it all."
Jackson says, "Well, it's been a crazy day for everyone. Time to go home... argh, my ribs."
Jack says, "Yeah."
GM says, "And so you guys hobble to the plane, where the staunch Eric Bob awaits."
Jack helps Quellynne up. "C'mon, there's a first aid kit on the plane..."
Quellynne asks (of Jackson&Smiles), "You coming with us?"
Jackson says, "I'd be pissed as hell if you left us in the middle of motherf*** Canada"
Smiley says, "Now, now."
GM says, "The plane's a bit cramped, and to avoid giving accidental headaches to everyone Smiley puts on their emoji mask."
Quellynne pulls out the first aid kit, takes a deep breath... and pullsoutthebar,coversthewoundinantibioticsandgauze,stitchesthewoundclosed,and bandagesthe result.
[peregaming] GM says, "a lesser known application of superspeed"
GM asks, "The plane soars. And some time later, you are home. With the thread that linked you to a dark fate finally severed, what future awaits?"
Remba says, "Milkshakes for everyone!"
[peregaming] GM says, "And now for the first epilogue:"
MID-CREDITS : A moose lumbers along a road, walking in a silly and clumsy manner. It mutters to itself... 'I'm going to need a better body. But at least I'm alive. Nothing to worry about...'
[peregaming] GM asks, "And now, Jack, what did you have in mind, exactly?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Last I knew Knight was in RONIN. I want to look into the future to find out whether or not there's any way to prevent him from becoming Old Jack."
[peregaming] Jack says, "(I know this would be a paradox, but that never stopped Jack before.)"
[peregaming] GM asks, "OK! For convenience, I'll say that it's easier for you to probe the future of someone who's actually there, so you do this in his cell?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Sure, if that works better narratively."
[peregaming] GM says, "it does"
Knight is reading the Clockwork King's notebook.
[peregaming] GM asks, "I'm waiting for Jack's side?"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Or should I do it?"
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "I thought I gave mine!"
[peregaming] GM says, "Ooops sorry"
Jack closes his eyes and lets himself slip into the future...
GM says (to Jack), "You probe every timeline, every possible future. Some are far worse than the one you just experienced. You see the future where you successfully prevent Knight from doing what he did in the current timeline, but then the Watchmini grows to full size and massacres everyone in RONIN."
GM says (to Jack), "You've faced impossible odds and won before, but this... this is your first true stumbling block."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do I see the future in which the *least* damage is done?"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(And does it involve me releasing Knight now?)"
[peregaming] GM says, "Yes."
Jack opens his eyes.
Jack sighs and opens the door. "Go. Just go."
[peregaming] GM says, "If you release him now, he's in the frame of mind to treat you like an ally, like he initially did at the broken bridge."
Knight says, "But why?"
Jack says, "There are too many things wrong. I think this... might be the least one."
Jack says, "You'd better leave now before I come to my senses."
GM says, "There's a silence. And then Knight is gone."
GM says, "Only Day is left."
[peregaming] GM says, "And that concludes the session!*"
Jack walks back to his wuarters. He has a lot to think about.
[peregaming] Jack says, "Woo."
[peregaming] Jack says, "I think maybe I might end up needing to tweak my aspects after that."
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "Yeah, it's a end of scenario milestone!"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Yay! Does that mean skill point or refresh?"
[peregaming] GM says, "I forget, but the info's on the website"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Hee."
[peregaming] Jack asks, "Do you mean this to be the medium milestone or the big one?"
[peregaming] GM says, "Anyhow, that was the first scenario of Arc 2."
[peregaming] Jack exclaims, "Also, either way, thanks!"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "It's smaller than an end-of-arc milestone, so medium"
[peregaming] Jack nods. "That's the skill point one."
[peregaming] GM says, "Remind me to make the new wave of villains more skillful ;)"
[peregaming] Jack asks, "But not more refreshing?"
[peregaming] GM says, "hah"
[peregaming] GM says, "what's refreshing is that you won't have to worry about the Great One for quite a while"
[peregaming] Jack says, "(Also, by 'thanks', I meant 'thanks for the game!' not 'thanks for the milestone!', although, of course, thanks for that too.)"
[peregaming] GM says (to Jack), "You're welcome :)"
[peregaming] GM says, "I'm glad I got to the bottom of that Jack story, since (no offense!) I wanted to share the spotlight more evenly between PCs"
[peregaming] GM says, "Time for more mutants, aliens, and mutaliens! (Also Elric)"
[peregaming] GM exclaims, "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Thanks for playing and making this story infinitely richer!"
[peregaming] Jack says, "Next up: the Rembaverse."
[peregaming] GM exclaims (at Jack), "Yay!"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Also: will the Funny-Man return?"
[peregaming] GM asks, "Or will he stay dead?"