Archive World of Darkness: The Academy - Chapter 2a: Snow

[Dawn OOC]

Despite the penalties of breaking the gender restrictions, Brad, Deacon and Ravi find themselves drawn to storage area on the girl's side of the third floor of Lancaster, while Frida, Lorelei and Emily feel the same tug with no limitations. Those who come find themselves in the middle of the room; built-in storage unit, each numbered and padlocked, line the sloping walls. The moment everyone arrives, the music stops.

Click to reveal..

Wits+Composure roll when you post, please. Feel free to RP a bit.

[Frida Ricci]

Frida, like most artistically inclined people, found herself unwilling to put forth any great effort in resisting the call. She was too curious about this unusual occurrence and whether or not it had anything to do with the previous day's unusual events.

When she had woken that morning, feeling ill and receiving word of class cancellations, she had debated for a bit over whether or not to to a painting of the woman from yesterday, or the man from her dream. So she had compromised, not really feeling up to painting at all for once, and settled on curling up in her window seat and working on various sketches of them both. So she was one of the first to arrive in the room, and was wandering around looking at the storage units and trying to figure out what she was supposed to be doing here..

Click to reveal..

Rolling Wits + Composure:

(18:57:54) ChatBot: (Frida) rolls 6d10 and gets 5,3,2,7,8,5 = 1 success.

[Lorelei]

Lorelei's pen paused suddenly, poised delicately over the half-penned letter to her aunt. The fading sunlight poured through her open window in a golden haze, pooling over the crisp linen stationery and illuminating tiny motes of dust that drifted upward in the late summer breeze. Nothing had startled her, of course. It was simply that she realized she'd been humming quietly, instinctively seeking the harmonies inherent in a song she hadn't noticed before.

Of course, she didn't recognize it, either, despite wracking her brain for similar melodies, and even composers with stylistic preferences that would lend themselves to such a haunting, strangely compelling song.

Despite the warmth of the evening, Lorelei felt a curious frisson ripple down her spine. It reminded her, vaguely, of the first time she and Aunt Emmy had visited La Scala; never before in her young life had music effected such a dramatic response from her, and before the final scene in which the two lovers resigned themselves to die, entombed, in each others' arms, her entire body was awash in chills and tears were streaming freely from her eyes.

She would have done anything to recapture that feeling here, to learn the mysteries implied by those eerie, otherworldly strains, and so it came as no great surprise to the girl when she found herself halfway to Lancaster. Entranced, ecstatic, and quietly terrified of what she might find, the petite girl unerringly followed the faint, lingering sound of the melody that called to her.

As she opened the door on the third floor and found only a storage room and an odd-looking girl who seemed distantly familiar, she realized (belatedly) that she'd forgotten to close the door to her room.

Click to reveal.. (Wits+Composure)

(19:28:10) ChatBot: (Lorelei) rolls 5d10 and gets 6,7,1,10,2.

(19:28:17) ChatBot: (Lorelei) rolls 1d10 and gets 6. (1 success)

[Frida Ricci]

Frida turned after a couple moments, and tilted her head curiously at Lorelei. Her strange, dark eyes bored into the girls as she addressed her in a strange, quiet, almost sing-song tone that almost seemed to harmonize with the music.

"Do you hear it too? I thought maybe it was me. I'm glad if you can.. it's too pretty to keep to myself."

[Lorelei]

"Mmhmm," Lorelei replied distractedly, nodding at Frida before peering curiously about. Her pale eyes scanned the storage room and its locked built-ins, searching fruitlessly for the source of the song. It had to be close by, but it seemed no louder than before. The mystery was a tantalizing one, made even more so by the fact that even now, when she had reached the proverbial dead-end, the nature of the music itself seemed to elude her.

As the moments ticked past, she realized that she was being rather rude. She gave an inward sigh at the interruption, but etiquette won out, for the moment.

"I'm sorry," she smiled apologetically. "Yes, I can hear it, but I don't recognize it. Have you found the source, yet?" It occurred to her, after she'd spoken, that it might have been more reasonable to ask if Frida had found where they were piping the music in, but it would not have been more accurate. She watched the dark-eyed girl in an attempt to be polite and attentive as she awaited her response, but the strange composition had already ensnared her imagination, and the musician in her was frantically trying to memorize as much of it as possible.

Click to reveal.. (Committing to Memory)

7d10.hitsopen(8,10) =3

[Deacon Knight]

With a slice of double pepperoni, double cheese, stuffed crust pie hanging from his jaw Deek browsed the internet on one flat panel, held four open chat windows on a second, and the third constantly monitored the entire dorms' network.

Curiosity and confusion took hold of his expression as the faint droning of music flitted into his ears and grasped his attention. He grinned and even offered a short laugh as his pranksters wit quickly processed the song as a someone pranking him for a change.

"Hohoo..." He laughed, looking about his desk and underneath. "Nice... okay... where are ya, where'd they hide ya?"

A failed search for a micro speaker or a piped in speaker cable that would override his own PCs speakers turned up nothing and when he crawled out from beneath his desk he realized it wasn't even coming from within his room. No, this sound was further away... down the hall.

"I like that song," He confessed, nodding his head to the flow of the songs delicate rhythm.. Nice tempo, kinda creepy with a Symphony of the Night sort of tang to it."

The thought occurred to him to visit Lorelei and ask her the name of the song and see if he could borrow it and burn it to his portable drive. So sooner did he leave his room and make for hers that his foot steps led him past her door and well on his way into the Lancaster storage room. He opened the door and saw the two ladies within.

Without catching the fact that he'd completely missed his mark his dulled mind recalled looking for Lorelei and he reacted appropriately. "Oh, hey, Lorelei." He said noticing the stunning blond as he looked to the room's other occupant he nodded a greeting. "Frida. Won't take too much of your time ladies, I was just curious if I could get that song burned onto a CD or something, I kinda like it."

Click to reveal.. (Wits+Composure)

(22:16:44) ChatBot: (Deacon) rolls 6d10 and gets 10,5,10,10,7.

(22:16:59) ChatBot: (Deacon) rolls 3d10 and gets 10,2,5.

(22:17:04) ChatBot: (Deacon) rolls 1d10 and gets 1. (4 Successes)

[Ira Sagebrush]

Being sick with classes cancelled was more than enough of an excuse to spend all day in bed cathing up on his nearly full DVR. Brad was just watching the 'reveal' of "Overhaulin" when the music started. At first he thought it strange background music to a car reveal, but soon he was getting out of bed, trying to find the origin of this interesting music, the guitar chords rolling through his mind as the music beckoned him out of his suite, and even out of the Dorm.

Half in a daze, focused on how to replicate the enchanting melody, he found himself wandering over to Lancaster and climbing the stairs, the tie of his red robe dragging behind him like a limp tail.

Still trying to memorize chords, and now playing a very realistic air guitar, he nearly ran into Deek before he stopped up short at the door to the storage room.

Cocking a curious eyebrow, he looked over Mr. Knight's shoulder and saw the two girls. Not really aware of the time, having been lost in TV time, he went with a chrono-neutral greeting.

"Hey guys, interesting meeting choice."

The robe was just open enough to reveal a very worn blue t-shirt with Bob Ross' mug plastered on the front, which was stretched over Brad's large girth. The pair of black pajama bottoms with red chilis on them appeared newer.

Click to reveal..

Wits+Composure

(00:03:24) ChatBot: (Brad) rolls 5d10 and gets 10,3,4,10,2.

(00:03:33) ChatBot: (Brad) rolls 2d10 and gets 9,6. [3]

[Frida Ricci]

Frida was still looking around curiously, trying to find the actual source of the music. After a moment she stopped, and shook her head.

"I like it too, Deacon.. the music, that is. We followed it.. Lorelei and I. But we can't find it.."

She turned, and looked at the two men. Frida was one of the only people who called Deacon by his full name instead of "Deek", but he had long gotten used to it. She didn't seem very good with nicknames, and he'd seen her speaking to her parents once at a parent/student function. She even called them "Mother" and "Father", though they seemed close. The girl was formal to the max - just another part of her weirdness.

"What about you two gentlemen? Can you locate it's source?"

[Dawn OOC]

Deacon saw it seconds before Brad did. The cabinets were built into the wall, but the one on the end looked like it had been moved. There were scrape marks on the wooden floor in front of the cabinet. A closer look, and they realized that the cabinet was numbered for a room that didn't exist in Lancaster. When pulled on, the cabinet slid away from the wall to reveal a hidden door.

It looked like any other door in the school, save that it was set in a dormer window - and it was carved with Lancaster's snowflake. It had been made by someone who lacked proper tools or talent, and had been stained reddish-brown. Underneath the door was a small, brass drawer, as if it were an overnight video return drop-box.

[Emily Silsbury]

Emily lay abed for long enough to realize that she wasn't feeling any better. She tottered off to the loo for a brief moment of queasiness, then utilized the Listerine to treat her ailing breath.

She found herself humming a tuneless melody, a habit that she despised in others. She cut off in mid hum.

She logged on to her notebook. Checked her email. Nothing from Blake.

She checked the clock. Dammit to hell and back. Regardless of how sick, he should have checked in with her. It just made no real sense, otherwise. She had too much on him. It would be suicide, on his part. Something niggled at her attention. She turned in a circle in her room.

"What the fuck is that music?" She said aloud.

She cast it from her mind. She pulled up a few files on her notebook. She updated the 'Sean Cassidy' file, the 'Sylvia Dorn' file, and the 'Ryan Jackson' file. She created a 'Relana (First Wing, Camarine Army)' file. Finally, she shut off the notebook with a curse.

"Son of a Bitch! That music is gonna drive me out of my bleedin' skull!"

She went to the door, and flung it open. she listened left... and she listened right. She made a decision, and followed the music. As she hunted, she found herself humming again, under her breath. She resolutely quit. Finally, she made her way to the storage room. As she stared at the backs of the two young women and the two men, she cursed to herself.

Three years. Three years she had spent avoiding three of the four of this room's inhabitants. Deacon Knight, the only one on campus smart enough to see through her 'persona'. Lorelei Wagner, the girl who is what Emily only seems to be. And Frida Ricci, the only other Brit girl at Dalton. Great. Wonderful. She started to turn away, and for the first time allow curiosity to go unsatisfied, but then she sighted the fourth person in the room. She stifled a snort of laughter.

As much as Deek the Geek made her nervous, his one-time comment on Mr. Bracks, made when he first took over the Art History position, has always made her shriek with laughter. Even heard third-hand, it was seriously funny. And, she couldn't resist a good joke.

"Ni Hao, Mr. Bracks. How's the Chinese Chiropractic business?"

The words slipped out before she realized she'd said them. Another unusual occurrence. As those in the room turned, she saw the 'door' behind the cabinet.

"What's that you guys have there? It looks like a door!"

Her fear of the three students forgotten for the moment, she took a few steps toward the group.

Click to reveal..

Wits + Composure = (23:29:16) ChatBot: (Emily) rolls 4d10 and gets 9,7,4,9.

[Deacon Knight]

Between the small talk and the location of the door Deacon wasn't his usual jovial self. Quite the opposite in fact as he looked about the hidden door, his heart actually raced with a mixture of excitement and fear as he reached for the knob to open the mystery before them...

"Ni Hao, Mr. Bracks. How's the Chinese Chiropractic business?" Emily blurted out, and damn near caused Deek to shit himself with surprise. "What's that you guys have there? It looks like a door!"

His lips pursed as if he was holding back a barrage of curses directed at no one in particular. "Yes, Em." Once he looked at her his misplaced fear and aggression subsided as he remembered why she was on his list of students he'd certainly like to give a tongue bath to. "We just found it and were about to peer inside before you decided to scare the living hell out of me... thanks for that."

He grinned at her, it was almost impossible to take on of Deek's scolding seriously... or take Deek seriously for that matter. He reached out again and gripped the door knob. It turned with an aged creek...

"I'm not even playing people..." He held up a finger to accentuate his coming point. "If I open this up and a gargoyle dog growls Zhuul... I'm hauling ass, because I don't have to out run it, just the slowest of you three." He gave Brad the once over. "Sorry dude, I'm just sayin'."

With out further babbling the door was pulled open...

[Ira Sagebrush]

Brad glanced over at the newcomer, surprised to see Emily attending this impromptu get-together. "Jhusta fine, tank yoo, dough you miss your appointment this morning." he said in a badly done accent.

Brad turned back to Deacon as the door was opened, The music stopped! "I dunno Deek, not so worried about Zuul, long as you keep your mind off marshmellows. More worried about finding a lamppost and some English kids after what we saw yesterday, or Hellboy for that matter."

"Come to think of it," Brad said crossing his arms and turning to Frida, "that door looks a lot like Deuce Makina's art project from a couple years ago....huh..."

[Dawn OOC]

There was no window overlooking the back of Lancaster, only deep and complete blackness beyond the open door. A chill drifted out of the entrance as they heard a high-pitched moan of wind from the endless ebony shadows.

[Lorelei]

"Deacon, I'm not sure that's a good-"

As the door swung open, Lorelei's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Idea," she finished quietly, reflexively taking a step back as the void beyond the door was revealed. She clutched her hands to stop their shaking as she stared, wide-eyed, into the darkness.

"We shouldn't have opened it. Please, someone, close it again, and let's go tell the Dean. This isn't right!"

[Deacon Knight]

"Woah." Deek stared off into the nothingness. "There's something you don't see everyday. Or," he noted the darkness. "At all in this case."

Being logical and sound in both mind and body Deek didn't quite get up the abundant stupidity of a slasher flick teen and step into the void. Hell no. Intelligent people do not abandon their common sense and leap head long into dark corridors floating upon a portal that defied physics.

"Y-yeah..." Confused and a bit afraid Deacon took a few steps away from the shadows. "Maybe you're right, Lore."

[Frida Ricci]

Frida tilted her head to the side, looking curiously at the void. She didn't appear to be afraid of it, but then again Frida never really seemed to demonstrate any extreme emotions. She didn't step any closer to the void though, or make any move towards examining it other than to look at it.

"It is rather disturbing, isn't it? Why do you think we were brought here?"

She glanced around at the others with her calm demeanor, and shrugged a little.

"I mean, we all heard music, right? It's like it summoned us, somehow. I wonder.. why?"

[Dawn OOC]

The black doorway beckoned, the eerie howl of wind and the cold chill still oozing from it.

[Lorelei]

Lorelei was not a particularly adventurous soul. She wasn't a thrill-seeker by any stretch of the imagination, and she lacked the vengeful nature of those who felt overtly wronged by recent events and unexpected guests. She was, however, a curious sort, and seeing that nothing horrific had come tearing through the open window/door, her inquisitive nature won a narrow victory over prudence.

Tentatively, she approached the open portal, and, gritting her teeth, abruptly thrust her hand into the shadows as if in hesitating she might change her mind. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut, and her whole body went rigid for the briefest of moments. Then, as a look of surprise registered on her face, she blinked at the pall of darkness that wreathed her hand.

The strange, unearthly void seemed to pull the warmth from the room, as if someone had simply left the door open on a winter's night. Her hand had been "submerged" just past the wrist, but though she flexed her fingers, she could not see them. It was a subtle shift in light and shadow, gradually fading from flesh to darkness, rather than the abrupt demarcation she had expected.

Wonderingly, she turned her hand this way and that to study the effect.

"It's... cold," she murmured finally. "Like winter, on the other side."

[Dawn OOC]

This close to the door, Lorelei hears one more thing. Soft, haunting music that coiled into and out of the howl of the wind, just barely audible to her. She's heard this song recently; it lured her up the stairs and to this room, to this door.

[Lorelei]

"The song," Lorelei whispered, her eyes brightening like a child's on Christmas morning. She looked over her shoulder at the others. These people were real, flesh-and-blood, but the world she'd previously thought of as safe and rational was quickly becoming less so. Which was more foolish, then?

To follow the music that tugged so enticingly, even now, with nothing to guide her but the feeling it instilled?

Or to lock the door in terror, and never know what lay on the other side, praying that mundane reality and all its simple pleasures would reassert itself?

She vacillated for a moment, her rational mind struggling (and failing) to explain what was happening. There was a door, set in a window, that should look out beyond Lancaster, but instead seemed to lead somewhere else entirely. Everyone, save a very few students and teachers, had suddenly fallen ill, and kept to their beds. A group of foreigners with strange customs had recently arrived, throwing the ice-cream social into chaos. She couldn't piece together how, or if, these events were related, but there seemed to be an odd sort of synchronicity. Could it truly all be coincidence, or was it part of some larger plan?

If the former were true, she reasoned, and this was simply the latest in a series of bizarre, but unrelated occurrences, she really had very little to lose; it would simply prove to her that there was no pre-determined order to the universe, and that nothing she might do (or fail to do) would matter in the end.

A pang of grief knifed through her heart as she thought of her parents, and she blinked back tears.

If, however, the opposite were true... Then everything would happen as it must, for a reason. It would mean that all things, even what seemed to be a senseless death, had a purpose, contributing somehow to a greater good that she couldn't fathom.

Resolutely, she squared her slim shoulders and nodded. It was clear, now that she thought about it. There had to be a reason, even if she couldn't see it now.

"I'm going," Lorelei said with quiet finality. "I know," she smiled, looking back at them before peering once more into the darkness. "It doesn't make any sense, does it? There could be anything through this door, or nothing at all, and I'm the fool who's going to walk in. But I have to believe that this is happening for a reason." Her voice wavered slightly as she continued, "I have to. The alternative is just... too horrible. And if it is happening for a reason, I have to believe that reason is a good one."

She moved, as if to enter the swirling shadows, and then paused.

"Wish me luck," she murmured shakily, offering the group a determined smile before moving beyond the door/window frame without waiting for a response.

[Deacon Knight]

Deacon listened to the lovely woman as she tried to make sense of the senseless. His mind was rooted in logic and forlmulae and beer, and cheetos, and beer, and pizza, and beer, and Girls Gone Wild, and beer...

Needless to say he was a very complex young man.

"Well," he said as he watched her walk through. "It's not like I'm letting you go alone. Chivalry isn't dead." But I better at least get a hand job out of this.

He looked to the others. "You coming or just going to wait for our screams just to make sure?" He tried to grin but it didn't look at all right. He was scared and uncertain... and doing something that was completely insane.

Deacon followed Lorelei through the portal.

[Emily Silsbury]

Emily stood silently, watching the others. She had uncharacteristically thrown herself into the center of attention with her entrance, and was determined to fade back into the background again. Nevertheless, it was an effort not to snap at Lorelei...

Just what in the hell do you think you are doing!

She even opened her mouth to say the words, then bit them back. Something in her rejected Lorelei. Rejected the very idea of her. Emily had watched her, gathered info on her, for three years, convinced that she was Emily's only real rival. Emily had believed that she was even better than Emily at keeping up appearances. Over the last year, though, Emily had reluctantly concluded that Lorelei was the real thing. And, instead of being irritated by her, suspicious of her, Emily despised her. Even she didn't know why.

So, she let Lorelei enter the portal without a peep. She just seethed. Of course Lorelei would have that kind of courage. And of course she would make just the right speech, with just the right hitch in her voice. It was perfect, because it was real. Because Lorelei was real. The bitch.

She was a bit surprised at Deek's immediate backing of her play, but decided that it was another ploy in his quest to bisect Lorelei's angle. When he asked if they were coming, she was a bit taken aback, then flatly flabbergasted.

He was gone, through the door, and still Emily stood. Her mind raced. This was a thing that she could do. Not as part of a plot, or as a way to get advantage, just to do it. If she was brave, or whatever. It was a real thing, a goddam mystery. And Lorelei and Deek were already neck deep in it.

Why in God's name would any sane person even consider going in there?

So, no one was more surprised than Emily when her feet started moving. She gathered speed until she was striding towards the damned door. She stopped just before the frame and turned, a wild light in her eyes.

"I am real, you fucking wankers. And I can prove it."

She grinned, then ducked under the door frame. And was gone.

[Ira Sagebrush]

If Brad hadn't been taking a swig out of his 14 year old Josta soda while the kids were trapsing through the Black Portal of Doom, he might have said something adult-like and responsible sounding. Too bad his mouth was full of Guarana goodness.

Mmm, so old, yet so tasty. Wish this stuff was still going.

"Hey...wait..." Brad said, swallowing his mouthful. "Ah well, c'mon Freed, can't let the wankers go off and find Aslan without us."

With a wave of his arm in a gesture to follow, Brad entered the portal, taking into consideration too late the fact that he was entering into a wintery atmosphere in a ratty bathrobe and his pjs.

Now I know what Arthur felt like.

[Frida Ricci]

Frida watched them all disappear into the portal. After a moment, she pulled a pencil (which is was never without) from behind her ear, and opened the sketchpad she had been holding when she wandered off in search of the music. She quickly penned an elegantly-written note and ripped the page out of her sketchbook. Then she stuck it on a nail in the wall next to the door, and calmly followed them through. Anyone following them into the room would see the following message scribbled on the paper.

On the eighthteen day of August, in the year of 2008 - in the early evening, we followed the sound of beautiful music to this room. Upon finding this portal, Lorelei Wagner, Deacon Knight, Emily Silsbury, Brad Bracks, and Frida Ricci went through for the sake of exploration. If you find this note and we haven't returned, you probably shouldn't follow us. Bad things might have happened.

Sincerely,

Frida Elisbeth Ricci

[Dawn OOC]

The darkness was nearly absolute, but each step brought Lorelei closer to the song. Each note became louder and clearer, more crystalline and perfect. The young woman felt her way carefully, struggling to not smack into anything in the dark. Her questing fingers found something in front of her, and she touched it lightly, trying to figure out what it was. Something made of a heavy cloth with a smooth texture like suede, and as it swayed, the edges showed light. It was colder still, and in the illumination from the shivering movements of the cloth, she could see a cloud of condensation from her warm breath. Grasping an edge, she found it furred and cold. Shivering, she drew the cloth back.

She was grasping the edge of a hide; it was suspended on a wooden frame. The cold air rushed in, and Lorelei's teeth began to chatter as she looked around. It was in a forested area; the howling wind was whistling through pine trees. They weren't in a clearing; it was too small for that. It was a place where the trees didn't grow so thickly.

But what caught Lorelei's immediate interest was the warm, golden glow that she could see refracting off some of the trees. It was clearly from a campfire, and Lorelei was sure that's where the music was coming from, too.

Deacon was only a step or two behind her, followed by Emily. Rapidly, the students and teacher all knotted up together at the entrance of the hide opening, staring out with wide eyes.

Sadly, there was neither a lamppost nor a lion waiting for them.

[Ira Sagebrush]

"Well...c'mon guys, freezing my nards off. Music and heat seem the obvious choice to me. Helluva lot easier than walking into the thick black door-that-isn't."

Slipping his soda back into the robe pocket he gathered the not-so-thick-as-he-would-like-it fabric around him and emerged out of the hide, waiting for the "Hail's" of drunken Satyrs and talking badgers.

I tell yeah, kid's these days...got no initiative...

[Lorelei]

"Admittedly," Lorelei replied grudgingly as she darted out after the big man, "preparations for this little venture were lacking. It might've been wiser to return dressed for the chill, but I suppose it can't be helped now."

Following the mysterious song and the appealing glow of firelight, she rubbed her arms for warmth and forged ahead. There was no turning back now.

[Frida Ricci]

Frida nodded faintly and followed Brad and Lorelei towards the sounds of merriment and revelry, and possible warmth. She gave no outward indication of being cold, other than to hug the sketchbook a little closer to her chest.

[Deacon Knight]

Deek followed... like a stoner carrying a great dane in his arms. "Uh, like hell it can't be helped... look all we gotta do just turn around and..."

There was no way home when he looked behind him. No light shimmering from a doorway, no rainbow staircase, nothing. Just a hide hanging on wooden frame make of poles lashed together. The wind stirred the hide, and there was nothing there, just the view of the forest behind.

"Okay, note to self," He muttered, but the echo in the chill bleakness made his words heard just the same. "Stop following blondes. Ass nice... ideas are lacking. This will only end in love guys... bad love... sticky, German, truck stop love... complete with matching tattoos and a lifetime of shame..."

Complaining the whole way Deacon continued to follow...

Click to reveal..

Not sure if the door had disappeared, so I just followed an assumption... feel free to correct me of course.

[Dawn OOC]

Just before they reached the fire, someone stepped forward and a spear came out, intercepting them. As Lorelei stopped rather than impale herself on the steel head, a feminine yet disturbingly deep voice snapped, "Who are you?" At the campfire, the music stopped.

It was hard to see exactly who was blocking their way, but she was tall, and what little could be seen of her under her fur cloak was well-built. She was wearing fur on her feet and legs, but it wasn't a 'boot' so much as 'hide tied around her feet and legs with sinew'. The immediate association that she inspired was 'Amazon'.

"Sherla, it's alright," another voice said. From behind the big woman, another woman stepped out, smaller and frailer than the spear-wielder. Her hair was long and dark, her skin an odd gray. But her eyes were the strangest; her black sclera framed white irises and pupils. They had an odd draw to them, as if her gaze caused vertigo. Her clothes, a long riding skirt and jacket, were archaic, but well-made from dark brown cloth.

Smiling, she said, "Welcome, Daltonites. We're pleased to have the heroes of that land among us again." She bowed and added, "Would you join me and my hosts at the fire? We have much to tell you, and you have little time to hear it."

Eerily, her breath didn't steam in the cold air, nor where her clothes that thick. But she didn't shiver or appear cold as she looked at them.

[Frida Ricci]

Frida stepped forward and bowed back to the woman, since that seemed to be polite greeting in this place. Then she did that familiar little head tilt the others (or at least Brad, since he knew her fairly well) were acquainted with and smiled at the other woman slightly, speaking to her in a quiet, neutral tone.

"A fire sounds lovely.. it is quite cold, after all. And if you have information for us, that would be most useful. We seem to be quite lacking in the information department these days, especially in regards to all the recent oddities."

[Ira Sagebrush]

Why do I feel like I'm in a Guillermo del Toro movie?

"Always liked a good story, you got something to drink to go with it?" Brad said, trying to be friendly with the weapon-wielding weirdos as he approached the fire and looked for a seat.

Heroes? Me? The kids? We're so screwed.

[Dawn OOC]

There were more women around the fire, all of them toned, all of them wearing furs and bearing weapons. When Brad spoke, they all shot him dirty looks. But one of them still tossed him an oddly shaped bag of something that sloshed. It had a horn plug in the opening. Then Brad remembered that primitive people used stomach as canteens. He was probably holding something's gut in his hands. Another Amazonian woman handed out spits of meat to any who were hungry. It looked like they were to share the bag of whatever.

The strange-eyed woman, who clearly didn't belong here based on her appearance, waved them all to the fire, including the straggling Emily. As they all sat down, soft flakes of snow started to drift down from the sky. The strange woman smiled up, then turned to the students. "I'm sure you have many questions," she began. "First, allow me to explain a bit, and then we'll see what I haven't covered yet.

"My name is Brihn of the Lhesk," she began. "This is not my home; you are in Chidera, the land of warrior women. Sherla and her sisters have been kind enough to host this meeting, despite their dislike of men. Oreili," she pointed out a woman with Grecian features, "is the Pimszt, or their ruler." Brihn smiled and inclined her head to the woman, who nodded.

"Before we proceed further, may I have your names?"

[Emily Silsbury]

Emily was trying to decide whether to slip away quietly, or join the group, when she was waved forward.

Oh, well, once you're seen...

When the woman asked for their names, Emily was not yet seated. All eyes seemed to be on her, so she opened her mouth and without thinking said,

"I am Emily, the Spider, from the land across the great sea. I have no clan."

She closed her mouth with a snap, and sat. She had no idea what prompted that, certainly not a love of fantastic novels, which she considered a waste of time.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Mmm, Meat and tripe liquid, my favorite.

Brad gladly accepted the spit of 'meat' and the bota bag as Emily Introduced herself.

Oh what a tangled web we weave...heh...mental note to have her get a drug test.

Seeing no one else move to speak right away, he passed the 'skin' off and announced himself.

"Brad Bracks, consumer of fine art and fine food. Nice to meet you all." He said as he half stood, then quickly sat back down and examined his 'Khlav Kalash'.

[Lorelei]

Things were becoming even more surreal than Lorelei could have dreamed, but the thought of refusing the hospitality offered never crossed her mind. With a grateful smile as snowflakes melted on her shoulders and in her hair, the girl took a seat near the fire and vigorously rubbed her hands together for warmth.

"Thank you for your hospitality," she began, politely dipping her head first at the Amazon Brihn had called Oreili, and then at the strange-eyed woman herself. "My name is Lorelei Wagner, and I admit it was the music which piqued my curiosity. Whatever your purpose in calling us here, it could not have been easy to arrange such a meeting. I think most of us can agree that any help you could give us in understanding recent... events would be quite welcome."

[Deacon Knight]

"I am Deek, the Geek, from the land about a hundred a seventy eight paces that way," he thumbed behind him to the disappearing portal. "And really the only thing I'm lacking at the moment is..."

He damn near skid across the intervening space between him and a exotic amazon woman. "Your digits," His eye brows bounced as he offered a smile. "So, you meet a lot transdimentional men in your line of work, or am I the first? Love the whole fur bikini look by the way, very nice. You doing anything Friday?"

[Frida Ricci]

Frida sat down quietly and waited until the others had introduced themselves. Then when the women turned to her, she politely took a skewer of the meat offered and introduced herself.

"My name is Frida Elisabeth Ricci, and I am an artist. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and an honor to have been summoned in such a manner. The music that you used to draw us here was beautiful, in a haunting sort of way."

The firelight flickered across her face, casting deeper shadows across her pale skin. The setting only seemed to add to the girl's surreal quality. Indeed, in the presence of the blonde Dalton beauties and the sturdy tribal women, Frida seemed more akin to the woman speaking with them than the rest of those gathered. Except for, you know.. disturbing black rimmed white eyes. That almost made Frida look normal in comparison.

[Dawn OOC]

The woman stared blankly at Deek. She didn't even seem to know that he was hitting on her, or really what he was saying. She did know English, because she was following the conversation, but she didn't seem to catch the slang Deek was using, or his intent with his words.

"Welcome, all," Brihn said, nodding and smiling. "I am the source of that music, though it wasn't my playing alone that brought you here. For now, though, I will teach you about the Ways so that you might pass freely between the worlds.

"You didn't come to Chidera by accident. My twin brother, Brahn, is in your world, helping more of the heroes with a task. Before he did that, he prepared your journey here. You, too, can select your destinations before you open the Doorway. To do otherwise, to select no destination, will send you to a random place in the worlds. Selecting a destination is as simple as knowing the Key."

She paused and collected her thoughts before adding, "I am ahead of myself. The Ways are places where the barriers between worlds are weakest. They are dangerous to stumble into; some go to places that are not easy to return from, such as the Underworld. By putting a door there, some kind of barrier, you can control where you go, and hopefully stop people from accidently wandering into them. You can blockade them, but that takes effort. Your world, like all of the other worlds, are riddled with Ways. This is where creatures of myth and legend come from, which I've been told is a particularly troublesome thing for your world. Is this correct?"

[Frida Ricci]

"I suppose that depends on what you mean by troublesome. Very few people believe in creatures from myth or legend in our world anymore. It wasn't so in the past, people used to believe in many such things, but no more. We have become a world of rationality."

Like normal, Frida's voice was calm and monotone. But the last sentence quavered just slightly, almost as if the concept disturbed her - the concept of rationality, that is.