07.11g: Arc Deco

[misfit]

Harrune and Alaror step out of the longhouse, taking in the morning air. It is a dreary morning, the sun filling slowly this morning. The two look up to see the gods in their normal places in the sky.

Alaror speaks first. “So, this is it I guess. I still don't like you going alone. Yes, it makes sense, but I don't have to like it. Sorry I've made such a fuss about you needing a bodyguard. I understand now. You don't need me.”

“Now you're being foolish in another way affan of my heart. You are my lifeline here. I'm counting on you to pull me out or bring reinforcements if things go badly. You'll still be guarding my back for me. ...and I'll always need you. Let's not waste the morning saying good bye. I'll see you back in Amber. On your way!”

Alaror smiles. “Alright, but you'd best not get yourself killed or I'll be very angry.” Alaror pulls out a familiar deck of cards, focuses on one and vanishes is a shower of multi-colored sparks.

“Now, to see if this really works.” Harrune focuses his will on being elsewhere. After some time and considerable effort, the world around him shifts until he standing in a forest of giant redwoods. “Hmmm...so we really don't need to literally walk. Walking is still faster and easier though. Very useful to know.”

He begins to actually walk and shift through several more shadows until he arrives near a small farm. In their field is a roan stallion that Harrune knows is exactly what he needs...because that's what he came looking for. After quick negotiations he buys the horse and gear. With a complete lack of enthusiasm for the coming experience he mounts and begins to hellride...

[Joshua]

(For another example of a hellride, try the example from the previous game or this on-foot example. These are dangerous... but honestly, it's very anti-climatic to get killed during them and normally you're shifting shadow so fast nothing has time to actually attack you. Also keep in mind Harrune has good stuff, good psyche, and shift to abstract desire.)

A few steps and a very thick cloud (?) cover blocks out the sun as ash drifts from the sky. The air is sulfurous and difficult to breathe. A column of lava shoots high into the air from a rapidly growing volcanic cone. Several shadows have variations on this, causing the lava flow to fluctuate rapidly. On one of them, your horse has to jump over streams of lava to continue forward. The horse leaps another..

And you're in a similar volcano erupting from underneath a city street in a late twentieth century city. Abandoned cars clutter the street, creating obstacles to dodge around. Buildings are burning. A few more flickers of different shadows and the lava flows vanish, leaving purely a burning city. Harrune looks up to see a giant lizard looming over him. It gives an incredibly loud cry like the sound of screaching and twisting metal. It belches a stream of blue nuclear fire directly at Harrune and...

The jet of fire is gone, and the giant lizard is now fighting a winged version of itself. Each flicker of shadow puts the battle in a different place and stage as the fires slowly die down. One concern is that all of the recent shadows now have people. Various versions of humans as the decades start to regress, one world being entirely in stark black-and-white noir (without the giant lizard).

Did you want to stop for local clothing before continuing?

[misfit]

Harrune knows that he can't be completely inconspicuous in a world of only humans, but anything he can do to blend in would help. Given the setting described so far that's sounding like trenchcoat and fedora. A shopping trip would no doubt cause too much notice, so Harrune will have to resort to less polite means. If he can he will liberate them from a store. If that's not possible, he will resort of *ahem* convincing someone to *cough* loan him the appropriate clothing.

[Joshua]

Well, snatch and grab isn't that hard when you can jump shadows. Enter into a store, try on a coat, and then shadow-walk to a place where it was paid for. Fedora, trench-coat and face-scarf* is likely your best bet.

Since the shadows start to have cars, it's likely best to ditch the horse. The final leg of the hellride is... unlike any before. The city locks into place as you run through shadows. Only minor changes** still show you that you are walking shadows. Also, since the hellride normally goes through teh worst part of the shadows you pass through, these shadows have almost no crime, no battles, and nothing that isn't a 1930's style city. Well, a city with no litter, no graffiti, and no noticeable disorder. In it, or any of the dozens of shadows you are walking through to get there.

Finally, you arrive, with no noticeable change beyond the sense you have stopped shifting shadow. There's a general sense of being watched, but that seems to be shadow-wide and not targeted at you.
__________
*: Nah... Couldn't be.
**: One store changes from "Bob's Deli" to "Steve's Deli" to "Carl's Deli" to "Joe's Deli" to "Joe's Kosher Deli".

[misfit]

Harrune knows that he should be near what he's seeking. Nothing seems obvious, so he begins to scout around. When he can he stays out of sight, and when he can he draws as little attention to himself as possible. He's not sure it is doing any good because the feeling of being watch persists, but he tries just in case. That feeling is causing his hackles to start to rise.

Looking around, he seems the same symbol from the church in various locations. While not literally everywhere, it shows up fairly often. Shortly, Harrune finds a church. He will begin to survey the exterior, looking for possible entrances and exits. If he can find a safe spot he will covertly watch for a while to see who, if anyone, comes and goes.

[Joshua]

The church is currently deserted. It is not having a mass or what-not. It doesn't even seem to have a minister or clergy in attendance. It does have the typical stained glass windows, and is amazingly ... stark and basic on the outside except for that. The windows, as stated, match the ones in Amber, with a big circle in the center of a basic grid pattern.

[misfit]

After watching for fifteen minutes or so with no one coming or going, Harrune concludes that this isn't a great use for limited time. Here's here to investigate, so he decides to get on with it. He stealthily approaches the back of the church. He finds a door and examines it. He finds there is no lock. He quietly opens the door and slips inside.

[Joshua]

Similar to the churches in Amber, the building is deserted, without pews or any furniture. There is a single giant seven-pointed star over a small alter. If things are the same, there should be a phone. Since this is the 'home shadow' the connection likely is always on.

[misfit]

Harrune spends a moment or two staring at the phone. At length he decides not be that rash. Instead, he exits the church and makes his way back to the streets. Looking around, he quickly figures out the direction to the center of the city. He stealthily begins to make his way there...

[Joshua]

The city itself is laid out in a spoke pattern. Everything is either a cross-street or heads to the center of the city. the center is a circular district that seems ... rather large. The entrance to the district that you encounter is flanked by the main courthouse and law building. There's a courtyard with a hanging theatre setup. It's not currently in use, but there are a few clues that it's been recently used. Constables start showing up a bit more as you get close to the center. You can avoid them easy enough, but things are a little slower going.