Trinity Universe: The game's afoot!

[Heritage]

After the first Chicago chapter house was gutted by a mysterious fire, Max Mercer purchased new quarters for the Aeon Society. He selected a large Romanesque Revival structure located at 1313 Astor Place in the affluent Gold Coast neighborhood, not far from the shores of Lake Michigan. Built in 1884 by the distinguised firm of Cobb and Frost, the large brownstone was constructed on a foundation that survived the Great Fire of 1871.

The current day is Saturday, December 17th. The afternoon sky is overcast, and tree-lined Astor Place is is covered ina soft layer of fresh snow. Inside, the rooms of the aeon Socity are toasty warm thanks to the large fireplaces ablaze in nearly every room, supplemented by a modern coal furnace.

The Society's main reading room is a quiet sanctuary in an increasingly noisy world. Panelled in dark cherry, its walls already bear numerous artifacts and trophies of the Society's many exploits: the mounted head of a massive rhino bagged by Safari Jack Tallon, a large collection of aboriginal artifacts from around the world, and an impressive array of armaments ranging from medieval crossbows to a Chinese fowling piece almost six feet long.

The high-backed leather chairs have pushed to one side to allow a raised stage to be erected at one end of the hall. Several tables have placed along one wall for refreshments, which the small but enthusiastic crowd has begun to pile on their plates. The four scheduled speakers stand politely trapped by various Society members eager to press the flesh.

Well that's it - if anyone needs any more info, let me know.

[Heritage]

If anyone wants, I can scan and post the floorplan I'm using for the Aeon Society if it gives people a better idea of how things are set up.

[Heritage]

To anyone unclear on who the 'scheduled speakers' are, go to the lecture poster at Lecture Poster

It was very thoughtfuly put up by Mr. Admin, and any errors are entirely due to myself.

[Heritage]

It occurs to me that I have outlined no rules or protocols regarding this game, so I'll just jot down a few things, then i swear to God i'll get out of the way and let others post.

1. If you want to send me character sheets, that's fine but not required - you can email me at alfero@hotmail.com. Otherwise a personal message through the forum about your character is fine.

2. I trust you guys ( :0 ), so we're going to be pretty much on the honor system - if you say you can do something, you probably can. If it's a major rules contest, we'll figure something out.

3. I respect the sanctity of heroic knacks, so only Daredevils can have them, since that's what makes them special. I'm okay with Stalwarts having dynamic versions of Mesmerist knacks and vice versa within reason, prefeably no higher than level 2 in the other knack catagory.

4. Whenever possible, confine your posts to in-character (IC) - if out-of-character the standard OOC should be used. I'm going to create another topic in the forum for rules discussion, ranting, etc to allow a place for extensive OOC remarks.

5. If at all possible, keep any narrative description down to a reasonable size - a short paragraph or two is fine, but no novels. Your first few posts might need more space to establish your character, so I have no problem with that.

6. Again if at all possible, type your narrative and IC stuff differently - color vs. black font, italics vs standard, etc. I don't want to make extra work for people, but it's just easier for everyone to read. See the Trinity IC game for some ideas.

I think that's it - I'm going to make the new topic now, so we can discuss this stuff there, and keep this topic open for fun, fun gaming.

Enjoy!

[CHILL]

OOC - what! has no one posted in here yet - tsk tsk, shame on all of you

IC:

through the entrance steps a figure dressed in an old grey suit and a tattered overcoat - both items of clothing have seen better days.

The wearer, who appears to be an elderly gentleman, looks around the room nervously, his piercing eyes dart back and forth. Whispy grey strands of hair cover his balding pate, and his face is lost amid a tangled and dirty grey/white beard - possibly once worn long and well-kept, but now it is almost impossible to tell.

Carefully, never taking his eyes of his surroundings, he removes his overcoat and hangs it on one of his arms, and makes his way into the room - very slowly, and very, very nervously.

OOC - heh, let the good times roll

[Senior Mal]

The doors to the room burst open and a figure that is more several layers of coats and scarves than man stumbles in, he appears to be suffering from the affects of the cold outside and every so often a noise resembling a sneeze emenates from the scarf mased face. His mannerisms indicate he is both embarrassed and apologetic by his entrance and closes the door as someone is trying to get in. The figure immediately gives off the impression of someone who appears clumsy to a fault. As the figure begins unwrapping himself with almost clinical precision, a butler approaches and takes the many layers to be hung. The crowd that has continued watching the spectacle is finally confronted by a thin man in his mid twenties. His short blonde hair has a 'just got out of bed look' and his suit isn't much better, bits of paper protrude from every pocket and as he nervously takes his place for the lectures, he pulls a pair of spectacles, pencil and a (reasonably) blank piece of paper from various pockets spilling many more piece of paper onto the floor.

[Heritage]

Yippee, let's ride!

Pushing through the enthusiastic throng strides a tall, handsome man with a friendly open face. He smoothes back his golden hair and scans the faces in the reading room.

He spots the elderly nervous gentleman, barks back a little laugh, and launches himself in the poor fellows direction. Grabbing the man's hand in a vice-like grip, he starts pumping it furiously.

"Nice to see a fresh face in the crowd! Johnny Atomo's the name, engines the game! So what do you do, old timer?"

[CHILL]

wide eyed

erm.....I....erm.........

looks frantically from side to side nervously

......erm, its nice.......to meet you....

the elderly gent looks very pale, and he starts breathing in short and strained bursts

....perhaps........I..........should.........sit.........down.........for..........a......

..minute..........

[Heritage]

At last noticing his new friend's poor color, Johnny Atomo almost gently lowers him into one of the folding chairs set up for the lecture. He then dashes to one of the refreshment tables, snares a glass of punch, and returns to the old man panting in his seat.

Pressing it into his shaking hand, he splashes a bit of the bright-red mixture onto the gentleman's shirt.

Sorry about that - I guess I come on a little strong sometimes!

He then throws back his head and laughs, a booming laugh as big as the great outdoors. Wiping a tear from his eye, he drops into the seat next to the old man.

Drink up, old fellow - you look like you can use it! Say, I didn't catch your name in all the hub-bub.

[CHILL]

looks up nervously, but no longer completely short of breath

....Rue.......Rueben..... my name is erm, Rueben...... i thi.....

{{cough, cough}}

.....perhaps you could tell m...... tell me.......  is this where I can find..... erm.....M...M.... Max......Mercer....?

I think I need help......

he rests his hands on the arms of the chair - and they shake noticeably...... Johnny Atomo notices that Reuben is indeed very, very pale, and still a bit short of breath......  on closer inspection the elderly gentleman's clothes seem a bit dirty.....almost as if he's taken a fall of some kind......  there is also a very slight graze on the right side of his face, which is bleeding slightly

......am I in the.......right place........?

pulls a tattered and dirty copy of the invitation from a pocket in his overcoat

.... I tried the hospital....but they said they...couldn't help.......me...

[Heritage]

Johnny is shocked when Rueben's true state of health finally penetrates his well-coiffed cranium.

Good gravy! Looks like you took a nasty tumble! I'm afraid Mr. Mercer isn't here to-day, but maybe Dr. Berger could be of assitance. You rest easy, old fellow, we'll put things to right.

Like an Ivy League runningback, Johnny nimbly threads his way through the crowd, grabs a surprised gentleman by the wrist, and yanks him back to Reuben's chair.

Here's work for you, doc - looks to me like he took a spill!

After straightening his jacket with an irritated ruffle, Dr. Berger, a lean man with piercing eyes, checks Reuben's pulse and examines the side of his head. When he speaks, his voice is low and soft yet clear, like the tones of a viol.

Welcome to the Aeon Society, friend - can you tell me what happened?

[Heritage]

A somewhat regal looking brunette wearing a fashionable white coat walks over to the young blonde gentleman, his chair surrounded by odd bits of paper. She carefully lowers herself down, gathers up the pieces, then offers them to their owner with a slight smile.

I believe you've misplaced these, sir; we don't want anyone to trample them.

OOC-Just giving you something to work with, Senor Mal.

[CHILL]

looks up nervously at Dr Berger - it clearly looks as if Reuben is trying to asses if this fellow is trustworthy

I, erm, I.....I'm not entirely sure.  It happened late last night you see.......I was on my way back from the Institute...back, back home I think....and......erm....

at this point he statrs to shake uncontrollably.......clearly distraught......

erm,.....{{cough, cough}}, I think, yes....I think there were three of them.....I......{{cough, cough}} erm....I didn't see them {{cough, cough, cough}} coming..

They caught me unawares {{cough, cough, cough, cough}}.....

eaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrghhh!

at this point the elderly gentleman screams in agony and slumps forward in his chair collapsing to the floor.  For a brief moment a burst of Telluric Energy radiates from him and washes over all those assembled in the room.

Then just as quickly it is gone.  Astonished onlookers are startled to see that the figure of the elderly gentleman lying unconcious on the floor no longer looks like he's in his late 60's - more like his mid to late fourties.  His beard is now trim and well-kept, the wound on his forhead has almost completely closed and the many wrinkles around his face are now only in their infancy....

[Senior Mal]

To the Brunette, in a nervous british accent as he takes the papers and stuffs them back in various pockets, interestingly enough there does appear to be an order to his 'filing' method

Sorry?!... oh... erm yes, hadn't realised I'd- thankyou, thankyou very much, I'm very grateful, oh where are my mann- erm... I'm Mr... well Dr.Walker... You can call me Thomas... Excuse me for asking but aren't you-

At this point the Telluric energy wave washes over the room and Thomas spins on his chair his body language immediately changes from stuttering, shyness to a man of purpose and drive, he watches the old mans transformation with a keeness that intimates he has forgotten the rest of the room exists.

ooc- Heritage, cheers for throwing me a bone

[Ibsen]

Just then, the doors leading deeper into the club crashed open and Blast Brannigan, a man approximately the size of the Orpheum Theatre barrelled through, skidding to a stop before the older gentleman.  His hands were the size of baseball mitts and they made the pool cue he carried look like a chopstick.  He looked ready -- eager, even -- for a brawl.

"All right, now," he said in a vaguely Irish accent. "What's going on here, then?" I was just off in the pool room enjoying myself when I heard the commotion."

[CHILL]

OOC - Welcome aboard Ibsen

IC -

the gent, now in his late fourties lies unconcious on the floor

OOC - thats gotta be the wierdest IC post I've ever made

[Heritage]

At the sight of Rueben's transformation, Johnny Atomo's chiseled jaw nearly hits the floor.

Holy smokes! That's not something you see everyday!

Dr. Berger is stunned but seems to be on more familiar ground. He leans down to make sure Reuben is alright, then turns to the onlooking crowd.

He's alright, ladies and gentlemen - please stay back so we can move him to a room upstairs

He then speaks to Johnny and the newly-arrived Blast.

Can you two get him upstairs to one of the spare guest rooms? I think Professor Dixon will want to examine him.

OOC-Welcome, Ibsen!

[Heritage]

The brunette watches the transformation in stunned silence, then speaks seemingly to herself.

Well, well - I never thought I'd actually see one.

Turning back to Dr. Walker, she notices the abrupt change in his demeanor and cocks an elegant eyebrow.

Looks like my lecture might have to wait - it wasn't terribly interesting anyway.

She smiles and extends a gloved hand to the good doctor.

Bethany Morgan, journalist and vagabond, at your service.

[CHILL]

"............."

[Heritage]

OOC - "Good God, he's flatlined!"  

[CHILL]

OOC - **ROLLS ON FLOOR LAUGHING MY ASS OFF**

Funny sod aren't you Heritage  

IC:

"urrrrrghhhhhhhhhhh"

[Senior Mal]

Thomas seems jolted back into the real world by Bethany's conversation and re-assumes his shy demeanor

Wha- oh yes, a...a pleasure to make your aquaintance Miss?... Miss Morgan and I would'nt have said... classed you as a vagabond Miss. Did they mention Dr. Dix- I don't like to pry but I wonder if Benjamin would like a hand- although I'm sure he wouldn't he does so like doing thing on his own... I'm rambling aren't I?

[Heritage]

Bethany smiled again.

Yes you are, Doctor. But I'm sure Professor Dixon wouldn't mind having a fellow scientist look over his shoulder, provided you can put up with his odious cigars, of course. Have you two been properly introduced?

[Heritage]

Once on the second floor, Reuben was carried into a small but comfortable spare room and layed out on the bed. Dr. Berger loosened his collar and fetched a glass of water from the small attached bathroom. When he returned, Johnny snagged the glass from Berger.

Thanks, doc! I can take over from here.

Johnny then tossed the water hard into Reuben's face while hollering.

Rise and shine, mister! No time for snoozing!

[CHILL]

....no............time...........for..........snoo.......zinnng...........

Somewhere far away, getting closer, Reuben hears the voice....... the dark bcomes grey, then light......he opens his eyes

......wh......what?

what happened.........?

looks around slowly.......then tries to sit up....

where am I?...........  who are you?

[Heritage]

Dr. Berger, clearly very irritated by Johnny's abuse of the water glass, does his best to reassure a very damp Reuben

You're safe within the walls of the Aeon Society for Gentlemen. My name is Doctor Max Berger, and I understand your's is Reuben?

Berger hands him a nice fluffy towel.

You appear to have undergone some sort of telluric transformation - right now, you might be feeling some strange new sensations, but I can assure you that you couldn't be in a better place to recover. Can you tell us what brought you here?

[Senior Mal]

"Cigars? He didn't used to... you see we studied together for a brief while before he took up residency with Dr. Hammersmith. I'm not sure he'd even remember me- but I have been studying Teluric energy since its emergence... So I may be able to help"

Thomas begins looking uneasy in his seat as though he is ready to go but does not know where.

[CHILL]

{{looking around bewildered}}

......the, erm, Aeon what?

seems to be thinking to himself

....what happened, what was I doing.......erm, why am I wet?

Reuben gets up and walks over to a mirror hanging on a nearby wall.......and is dumbstruck as soon as he looks upon his reflection

! .......... mercy, what has hapened to me?

brings hands up to touch his own face

....agh........erm........what HAS happened to me?

looks back

..... who are you people?

.......ohh...

yesss.... eyes dart back and forth as he takes in every detail of the small room......

suddenly and with great purpose he walks into the corridor, and stares up and down its length for  a brief second, as if asessing his surroundings.........  and then turns back to his 'audience'.....

yes..... I would say.....Cobb & Frost I'd imagine.....excellent architecture...now this would place us at......at....

{{sniffs the air for a second}}......a smile creeps onto his face......

Astor Place if i'm not mistaken....... now....did you say The Aeon Society?

I presume you gentlemen are regulars at this 'society'......but I fail to see why I am here......

looks down at himself and then at his surroundings again

......I can only presume that I took a fall of somekind......the bruise on my forehead would attest to that.

He stops mid-track and reaches into a pocket and pulls out the tattered invitation

.......well, it appears that I was supposed to be here......

Good god is that a gorilla!

[Heritage]

Bethany strokes her chin thoughtfully.

Well, as a telluric specialist, I imagine you're rather eager to examine our mysteriously rejuvinated guest.

Extends the crook of her arm and smiles with a touch of mischief.

Shall we? I'm sure we need only follow the sound of Mr. Atomo's booming voice to reach the patient.

[Heritage]

Berger offers a tight smile.

It is indeed a gorilla, whom I've had the pleasure of facing over a chessboard many a long evening. Enkidu is truly a remarkable member of his species, as now you appear to be.

Motions to the others in the room.

This rather over-enthusiastic fellow is Johnny Atomo, automotive engineer and racing driver, and the large gentleman to my right is Blast Brannigan, the only man in the known world to successfully arm wrestle a gorilla.

As I said before, I'm Dr. Berger; dentist, scientist and investigator. And from your demeanor, I take it you know little more about yourself than we do.

Points to the invitation.

But it does seem there was a reason for our meeting - let us hope that together we can deduce what it was.

[CHILL]

{{thinks to self for a moment}}

yes.........  there must have been a reason for my being here.   Perhps this invitation is it?

........may I ask, what do you mean by 'remarkable member of my species'.........

[Senior Mal]

Thomas looks at the extended arm, he appears to shrink even more so and appears lost in his thoughts for a moment, then rising he offers his own arm and allows himself to be led away by Bethany. He appears incredibly uncomfortable even being close to Miss Morgan, let alone when they make physical contact.

[Heritage]

...may I ask, what do you mean by 'remarkable member of my species'...

Dr. Berger steps up to Reuben purposefully and taps him on the cheek with a slender forefinger.

How else can you explain your changed appearance? Johnny and I both witnessed it - even your head injury has displayed a remarkable regeneration. Surely that is not common among Homo sapiens.

Berger looks up suddenly - down the corridor two figures approach from the stairs. He hisses something under his breath.

And here comes the herald of the clamoring masses...

[Heritage]

Bethany appears to be taking great pleasue in Walker's obvious discomfort as she leads him up to the more private floors of the Aeon Society. As they approach Reuben and Berger standing just outside the small bedroom, she whispers to the cringing doctor as she practically drags him down the hall.

Our good Doctor Max has never really cared for me - lost a great deal of money to me at cards.

She flashes the scowling dentist a radiant smile and extends her hand to be kissed; Berger instead grips it tightly.

Hello, Bethany - I see you've found a new carcass to suck dry.

Her face darkens for but a moment as she tugs her hand free.

I'm afraid you're mistaken, Max - Doctor Walker is a telluric scientist, who's come to aid your mysterious friend if he can.

Once again all smiles, she extends her hand to Reuben.

Bethany Morgan, at your service.

[Senior Mal]

Speaking to the rest of the room

"Good afternoon...Gentlemen... I witnessed what happ- Just wondered if I could assist in any- is this the fellow?"

Kneeling beside Reuben

"You certainly do look different, do you require my assistance, I don't want you feeling like some kind of lab rat, but I may be able to help you."

[CHILL]

Reuben unconsciously raises his hand to his face to check where Dr Berger indicated...  and then snaps out of it with the appearance of more people in the corridor.

"erm....  it appears indeed that something - remarkable - has happened to me.

catches the lab-rat comment

Lab rat? .........  well perhaps not.  Perhaps you people could explain to me in more detail what exactly all this means?

[Ibsen]

Brannigan, confused, looks around the room at the others.

"Yeah. While you're at it, you can explain it to me too. I mean, here I am, just looking to throw back a few pints with the gorilla and a have good time tonight, and now here's this gent with his regentilizing body and all that.  And don't tell me about that flipping telallergic energy malarky. Nobody worth his wits believes in that no how.

"Hmmph!"

OOC: Having difficulty changing the colors of my text. Somebody willing to show the newbie what to do?

[Heritage]

OOC - Maybe there's an easier way, but I type COLOR=blue (in brackets) at the begining and /COLOR in brackets at the end. Brackets being these guys: [] Does anyone know an easier way?

Berger snorts with impatience.

Just because the straightjacketed minds of 'modern science' don't recognize the ramifications of Z-rays does NOT mean they don't exist, Mr. Brannigan!

His speech becomes increasingly rapid and harsh.

Telluric energy transforms the human mind and body in extraordinary ways; several members of our society are living proof of this fact. If your tiny simian brain is incapable of accepting that, perhaps you should stick to playing pool at the local gin mill!

[Heritage]

Johnny Atomo flushes with anger at Berger's remarks.

Now listen here, doc - there's no call for that kind of talk! Especially not-

And here he turns to Bethany, eyes cast down  like a truant schoolboy.

Not in front of a lady. Sorry, miss.

[Senior Mal]

"I couldn't agree more Mr Atomo. It is our duty Dr, as scientists to inform and make the knowledge of this brave new world in which we live available to all, not berate those who do not understand it..."

Thomas' voice trails off as he realises how loud he is speaking.