Lyric the Minstrel

So there they all were, a reunion of sorts. Upon the Midwinter's Hill. Lyric, with her cloak and hood, concealing her armors and her swords, at the ready with the ancient mandola slung over her back. She stood staring at Dominic from the depths of her hood. A wry smile played at her lips, seen only by someone who looked directly into the shadows of her hood. There was much she needed to say and much she wanted to say, and the two were not exactly the same words. So as others said their words, Lyric reflected, for just a moment in the Here and Now about That Which Came Before.

In all earnest honesty, Lyric would rather not have worn her cloak at all, but she had taken to 'needing' the comfort of it. It felt like a precautionary measure that brought her a sense of peace. Travelling among friends might not have been an issue, but this first trip to the hill had been in the company of the ranked Rhoni with the Imperial family name and the Captain was a woman that Lyric found to give her pause and unease. Walking a path and trail through what seemed a purposeful thicket brought them all much closer together than was absolutely necessary. Again, were she travelling with just her companions than it wouldn't have mattered if she had gone without the cloak on the cool afternoon adventure, except maybe to shield her soft skin from the brambles,

Dominic was a showman of sorts. He enjoyed the spectacle of his own mischief. It seemed to be a part of the package. Kadri had a bit of a flair it as well, though hers was presented with a need and cause for Justice. To that end maybe even now he did things here on this hill that honored Justice as much as Mischief. Order and Chaos finding balance. He revealed Broke for all to see, even the new jewelry which Lyric had seen worn by other's now among them. Broke had accepted the Path presented before her by the Goddess of Order itself. That made Lyric smile. It was not her path, but Broke deserved a path, as did all the Forest Folk. And now Dommi had removed her cloak and presented her to the world as a revelation.

Meeting the older Rhoni man, a Master or Lord of sorts, as if Lyric had any understanding of the social structure among the Rhoni, was a little intimidating. He carried himself with Authority, but maybe not the final word of such, but a younger woman offered a reassurance of their purpose as though she had the knowledge and wisdom that belied her youthful appearance. Yes, Lyric sometimes gave people that impression of herself. a curiosity indeed. One that Lyric watched closely. She had passed within a 'seeing' distance of the thing he called a Pony's Gate. It was a solitary thing, revered and important, and Lyric looked at it intently for a moment of two as they first walked into the hidden glade, and again at his mention and warning about it. Pony's Gate indeed. Some gates were more dangerous than others, especially those that lead to dangerous pastures.

The light was waning as She settled low against the horizon. The Hill offered a few more moments but slowly and inexorably, the rules of Order would dictate She yield to the darkness of night and rest Herself for her next rising. Those same rules determined that nothing, not even Chaos itself could stop Her. Well, since when did she become so philosophical about things she actually knew very little about. Those thoughts were calming though but soon she would have to take a dangerous path of her own and complete the task to which she had been assigned by the Lord of Mischief.

"I am so happy for you and Em," she whispered as she leaned in close to Dommi. With his face against her own, he could see her better than anyone here. There was more truth in that than anyone else might realize.

"But you gave me a terrible worry. I am travelling with that dangerous woman now because you pulled at a lot of threads. You know she is dangerous to me and you know why." While it might have sounded like chastisement, her tone was softer and her smile was genuine. "I am wearing my armor and carrying my swords... BUT, I know that there is a nature of Chaos that you must follow, you willingly follow and I understand that. It even pleases me to watch you do what you do. And I willingly take these risks because you mean a great deal to me and one day you will once again be in a grave danger and will need me... and perhaps, one day very soon, maybe even tonight, I might need the same from you. While my words are not Oaths nor promises, because those things are binding... please know they are important words of truth to me. I wish you and Em great happiness and endless adventure together and know that I am but a name and a shadow away."

"I have my Mandola and I must do something magical... The last light touches the Sea of Opals as we speak."

With that Lyric slipped away, passing through a few others, some she knew and some she didn't. She flashed a smile for Dominic's brother as she slipped by him with a graceful and fluid step, her eyes lingering on his just enough to make her head turn a little before she was by him. Unslinging her Mandola, she found a place upon a rock that lifted her above the others, but just a little removed so as not to become the focus of attention on the wedding ceremony that was about to take place.

With her skilled, delicate hands, she drew the energies about this place to herself, just tendrils. This was a place with great magic, and it sat so near to the borders and edges of places where magic was even stronger. That first note hung in the air, like an announcement of the moment at hand. That note hung in the air suspended in magic and as it did the Minstrel began to tap the madola to create a rhythm. She beat the rhythm out and it to was spun out from her hands and mandola and then repeated itself as she moved on to play a layer of rhythm and that too was woven into the repeating beat, and then another layer and another... and when all these layers played about the setting Lyric played a counterpoint lead that was as playful as Dommi and as refined and beautiful as Emerald.

The music was woven and spun out from the minstrel to serve serve as a backdrop for what was to happen next. This was also, by far, one of the more elaborate magical efforts that Lyric had ever revealed to anyone since leaving her home. But she was taking a risk on the Midwinter's evening. It was one thing to weave magic in the dark depths of a Mad Prince's Sunken Keep where life and death dictated that everyone do everything they could do to survive and succeed than it was to perform Music and Magic before stranger and among friends, but also in the presence of some who weren't quite strangers, but might decide they couldn't be a friend either. It was a risk...

But...
The choice had been made...
The magic was woven...
The music was played...

Yes she was but AJ beat you to it.

Okay this time I am going obvious...

Batman Begins

[1079 steps]

Ex: interestingly enough Samuel L. Jackson's Shaft is actually a sequel rather than a remake because Jackson plays John Shaft's nephew also named John and Richard Roundtree makes a larger than cameo appearance as Uncle John.

Turn 12

Roll 1 - 4,1,5,2,3 Reroll 1,5,2,3
Roll 2 - 2,6,5,5-- Reroll 2,6,5,5
Roll 3 - 6,3,5,6

3,4,5,6,6 - Zero out the 4oK...

And all I needed was a pair of 4s...

Don’s Turn 16



Final Throw was 3, 3, 3, 5, 5. I'll take that as 3 threes in my Double Column for 18 points [9 x 2].

Round 1 Turn 2

TURN START POSITION


Play in order of lowest card first:

Aqua 2
Weez 13
Exeter 17
AJ 88*5
Argus 104

Aqua goes first again but this time just where he had set himself up for last round! Weez happily follows on.

Exeter heads for row 2 whilst AJ heads for row 3 which has rapidly become the row to hell with his help!

Argus unloads the only card which could fit into the last slot on row 4!

Next choices via PM please.

Order of Play:

• Weez - 17
• Gypsy - 62
• AJ - 86
• Argus - 103
• Exeter - 104

Weez makes a low risk play on Row 1 while Gypsy also avoids any real risk playing on Row 3. AJ is a bit more of a gambler but his bet pays off. Exeter was also a gambler, fully aware that someone could undercut his Row 4 play -- and Argus does, costing the first 9 points of the hand. If it's any consolation, he'd have been stuck with those points eventually. But now he's set up someone with a 1-point bust row later!

I'll take 6,7,3

6. Ahab Hunts Aquatic Mammal (title of the PC version of Moby Dick)

7. Almost Human, Almost Moose (the dreaded were-moose is on the prowl!)

3. Alas. Help All Members (needed after upgrades)

Pande has decided to close PAX & DIE permanently but is hoping to reopen his other games in the future.

||GM

How one feels about heights might be a personal thing, but hundreds of feet above a foaming cascade, walking across that narrow, slippery bridge with the wind blowing through the gorge... it's not for the faint of heart.

The angled tips of the blades allow them to almost touch, with only a few inches gap. Along the flat of the blade, onto the arm, the shoulder, then there are weather-worn steps in the cliff, up to the top of the head.

Gracie and Smoke stands, looking back at the bridge as the rest of the party cross.

Loshad raises his hand in farewell.

"The eyes of more than one Immortal look upon your party." The chevall says under his breath, as he watches Taras set foot onto the bridge.

"May they be kindly. That you have earned."

Loshad turns to the elven ponies and Mule. They should find grazing in the meantime.

A tunnel awaits the party, a natural crevice that has been widened in the past, perhaps by the same race that made the statues.

Behind them, they leave the fast-flowing river and the rugged fells. Ahead beckons the final leg of their quest, hidden by rock and mysteries of an elder age.

[Go to NDT20: Denizens of the Outer Ruins]

Given the letters below, can you come up with words made from these letters. Letters may not be used more than once unless they appear more than once in the list. Words must have at least 3 letters, no proper names, abbreviations or foreign words allowed but plurals are! And to reach your target your answer must contain at least one word using all the letters provided.

A C C E I P S

Target number of words:
Good = 18 - 23
Very good = 24 - 29
Excellent = 30 - 35
Perfect = 36

PM or email your answers to me and I will provide the definitive answer on Friday.

ditto.