From: albert@chain.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu (Rick Jones) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [MC] Twine [outside of town] I spy with my little eye... Message-ID: <13883@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> Date: 5 Aug 1992 22:36:36 GMT ADMIN: This takes place while the Kron Questors are starting their breakin, but before 'Raelf randomizes the hole Marcel fell through. "Well, slave. What did you learn?" "Master, a hedge wizard summoned two Scissormen. One was destroyed by a servant of the librarian ...sage detonating. A knight appeared in the middle of the explosion. He killed the other one. I brought you the empty clothing of the Scissorman." "You know where to place it." <> "WORKING...." <> "MONOFILAMENT BLADE DISRUPTED ETHERIAL STRUCTURE OF ORQUITH CONSTRUCT." "Monofilament?" <> "WORKING...PROBABILITY .005%.... STRESS PATTERNS INDICATE TEAR DONE BY TECHNICAL MEANS. AN ENCHANTED CUT WOULD LEAVE MANNA RESIDUE." "Fascinating. Twine?" "Yes lord?" "I presume you have seen the knight who did this." "Of course, lord. I saw most of them at the Dragon's Inn." "Then give it to me." "Of- of course." Twine grimaced, and walked forward. Bowing, he cupped one hand under his left eye, then pressed the back of his neck. With a small click, the eye rolled out of the socket, and dropped into his waiting hand. "Here, Lord Charn," Twine said, holding forth the eyeball. Charn took the proferred eye. He stuck out a finger of the other hand. <> A spike slid out of the fingertip, which was stuck into the back of the eye. <> "Ahh, interesting. Good work on the alley rats. You monkeys learn slowly, but you do learn eventually. Twine smiled at the approval. <> An image of Marcel talking to 'Realf appeared. "Is that the knight you refered to? The one in the armor talking to the Traveller." "Yes, Lord Charn." <> "A Hospitalier of Magna Veritas. But what in the name of darkness is he doing with nysteel armor? What has Malreaux been up to since I left?" "Lord?" "Not now. I will explain later. Fetch the knife." "Thank you, Master." Twine's eyes danced with glee as he dashed over to take a small dagger from it's holder. A strange glowing substance dripped from the blade. Charn intoned in a strange, harsh language, and took the proferred knife. "Bare your arm." Twine eagerly held out his hand. {Once for pain.} Charn made a small incision on Charn's upper arm. Twine's eyes lit up with pleasure/pain. {Twice for life} A second cut crossing the first. Twine's remaining eye rolled back in his head. {Thrice for power} A third cut, bisecting the cross. Twine shuddered in estacy. {Fourth for servitude} This time, Charn drove the tip of the blade into Twine's arm. "Oh, oh. Thank you master." Charn wiped the blade clean with a finger, and then licked the finger. "Think nothing of it. What is pain?" "Pain is the great teacher." "You are learning, pav. Now leave me. I must think." Twine scurried away. <> "WORKING...." <> "UNABLE MAKE A POSITIVE IDENT. CROSS IS OF MAGNA VERITAN ORIGIN, PROBABILITY 99.35%. ARMOR AND SWORD ARE MAGNA VERITAS STYLE. HOWEVER, BOTH ARE PRODUCTS OF LEVEL 26 TECHNOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, RIGHT EYE IS CYBERNETIC. PROBABILITY 78% SUBJECT HAS DATAJACK HIDDEN BY HAIR. UNABLE TO RECONCILE DATA." <> "UNABLE TO PARSE." Sigh. <> "STORED." "Contrdictions indeed," mused Charn. "Well, we shall see who this man, Marcel Delacroix serves." ADMIN: Charn and Twine are HANDS OFF! For one thing, they're hidden outside of town, and cloaked nine ways to Sunday from scrying. -- Rick Jones Systems Support Center albert@bcm.tmc.edu Baylor College of Medicine Voice: 713-798-7352 standard disclaimers apply "Hard to say, Ma'am. I think my cerebellum just fused." - Calvin