AgujaCabra (8:06 PM): General start: The sun sets. Thomas loses a blood point.
NerwenGreen (8:06 PM): Thomas awakens with a jerk, lashing out at the bedsheets with vague clawing motions while his eyes snap open. As the nightmare fades, he rolls onto his back and lies still for a few minutes, waiting for hallucinations to appear. He eventually determines that the dementation effects have passed and gets up.
NerwenGreen (8:06 PM): (I wrote that earlier, in case you were wondering)
AgujaCabra (8:06 PM): [I was, actually.. :p ]
NerwenGreen (8:07 PM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (8:07 PM): What time does he roll out of bed?
NerwenGreen (8:07 PM): About ten minutes after he wakes up
AgujaCabra (8:08 PM): His appointment book is clear for tonight. There are no patients scheduled until tomorrow.
NerwenGreen (8:09 PM): okay good
NerwenGreen (8:10 PM): He gets dressed in some black sweatpants, a black turtleneck, and a dark green sweatshirt with a hood. He also puts on deerskin moccasins.
NerwenGreen (8:11 PM): He pulls out a satchel and checks its contents: In it he has a very small bow. He goes out to the greenhouse and pulls out about 20 tranquilizer darts.
NerwenGreen (8:11 PM): He also adds about 10 arrows that fit with the bow, and a small brown paper bag.
NerwenGreen (8:12 PM): 20 minutes later he leaves the house and heads for his usual hunting grounds.
AgujaCabra (8:12 PM): where would that be?
NerwenGreen (8:12 PM): That would be along the hiking trails in the woods near his house. He looks for a place where there are lone hikers that pass relatively frequently, but not more than one at a time.
NerwenGreen (8:13 PM): oh, things like wallet, keys, etc. are in the satchel too.
NerwenGreen (8:17 PM): [umm... I'm done... are you typing? or should I continue?]
AgujaCabra (8:17 PM): A series of narrow, dirt hiking and riding trails loosely crisscross the land encircling Thomas' house.. There are a few marked trails further away, intended specifically for tourists and the casual hiker. Approximately 130 yards northeast from his house, trails bordering the small tributaries and streams attract local students and hikers. .
NerwenGreen (8:17 PM): [hehe okay ]
AgujaCabra (8:17 PM): [eh. just figuring out where the trails are and such.. ]
NerwenGreen (8:17 PM): [ah]
AgujaCabra (8:17 PM): [not that it's real important :p ]
NerwenGreen (8:17 PM): [it adds color ]
NerwenGreen (8:18 PM): Thomas finds a spot where he can be out of sight of passing hikers and pulls out his bow and a tranquilizer dart. He waits for someone to come by ...
AgujaCabra (8:20 PM): Approximately half an hour after he stops, a young, male cyclist comes by... carrying a briefcase strapped to the back of his bike, and listening to his walk-man as he glanced around at the surrounding scenery.
NerwenGreen (8:21 PM): Thomas waits until he has just passed, then shoots him from behind.
AgujaCabra (8:21 PM): [*glances]
AgujaCabra (8:23 PM): The man jerks a bit as the dart hits him squarely, and half-stumbles, half-falls off the bicycle, into the brush. . Looking a bit dazed for a minute, until the drug kicks in, and he passes out...
AgujaCabra (8:24 PM): [whee to sentence fragments!]
NerwenGreen (8:24 PM): Thomas silently goes to him and drags him farther into the bushes. Then he takes 2 blood points from the man's lower arm, licking the wound afterwards.
NerwenGreen (8:25 PM): When he finishes, he takes the man back to the edge of the trail and props him against a tree. He places the bike next to the man and the briefcase around the tree, out of immediate sight of the trail, but where the man would be able to find it when he wakes up.
AgujaCabra (8:25 PM): [is there any wound from the dart?]
AgujaCabra (8:26 PM): [did he see it.. ? I'm not sure what these things look like exactly]
NerwenGreen (8:26 PM): The dart might've caused a pinprick wound. I guess total size they would look about the same length as a throw-dart, but lighter.
AgujaCabra (8:27 PM): [okay]
NerwenGreen (8:27 PM): Where did it hit the guy? Thomas was aiming for his back.
AgujaCabra (8:27 PM): [all right. it hit him in the back, then. I just decided to go for a single die on the entire scene.. and it was a 10 :p So whatever you want.]
NerwenGreen (8:27 PM): [ah, I see ]
NerwenGreen (8:28 PM): [it's a really small bow ... ]
NerwenGreen (8:28 PM): After he finishes the first guy, he moves to a different spot, out of earshot of the first.
AgujaCabra (8:29 PM): Something rustles in the brush, around 15 feet from where Thomas has stopped to wait.
NerwenGreen (8:29 PM): Thomas freezes and looks in that direction.
AgujaCabra (8:30 PM): He can barely make out a large, tan-coloured cat, moving low through the underbrush. With his experience, he would likely recognize it as a cougar.
AgujaCabra (8:30 PM): It is approximately the same size as the one he'd seen previously, around his house.
NerwenGreen (8:31 PM): Thomas growls a greeting.
AgujaCabra (8:31 PM): Pausing, the cat looks over to sniff in Thomas' direction.. snuffing a bit of a greeting back in return.
NerwenGreen (8:31 PM): I guess that means Thomas can make eye contact with the cat at that point.
AgujaCabra (8:32 PM): [sure]
NerwenGreen (8:32 PM): Thomas asks it about itself ... where does it live, how's it doing, etc.
AgujaCabra (8:32 PM): [hm.. how much do cougars know :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (8:33 PM): [hehe ... I would assume they're pretty smart
NerwenGreen (8:33 PM): [Thomas is just curious ]
AgujaCabra (8:34 PM): The cat responds [in a general sense] that its name is Assisi, and that it lives at a little white house in the forest .. it [he] is doing quite well tonight, having just recently eaten a steak.
NerwenGreen (8:35 PM): Thomas asks "a little white house? where? who lives there?"
AgujaCabra (8:36 PM): [gah. I need my document... ]
AgujaCabra (8:37 PM): [eep... shoot! just a second. I want to make sure I don't mess up the name.]
NerwenGreen (8:38 PM): [okay]
AgujaCabra (8:38 PM): [oh I was right :p ]
AgujaCabra (8:40 PM): Putting his paw over a beetle crawling along in the grass, the cougar responds after a moment that the house is close to the swampland, and that Morna lives there, with a man.
NerwenGreen (8:40 PM): Thomas asks who Morna is
AgujaCabra (8:41 PM): The general feeling from the cougar would be 'mother,' when thinking of Morna.
AgujaCabra (8:41 PM): She is a woman that he's lived with since cub hood.
NerwenGreen (8:42 PM): ah ... so he's a pet cougar?
AgujaCabra (8:42 PM): yes.
NerwenGreen (8:43 PM): hehe okay
NerwenGreen (8:43 PM): Thomas stops talking to the cougar now
AgujaCabra (8:44 PM): Assisi wanders off.
NerwenGreen (8:44 PM): Thomas goes back to watching for passing hikers/cyclists.
AgujaCabra (8:46 PM): 40 minutes later, a man in corduroy jeans and dressy boots comes walking by from the opposite direction as the cyclist. He's taking his time walking, and enjoying the foliage.
NerwenGreen (8:46 PM): Thomas waits until he has just passed his spot, then shoots him in the back.
AgujaCabra (8:47 PM): He curses, looking around for the bug that bit him... and continues to walk along the path a few steps, until weakly sitting down in the roadbed, and then lying down.
NerwenGreen (8:48 PM): As soon as he's down, Thomas goes over and takes him into the bushes. He takes two blood points from the man's lower arm, seals the wound shut, then takes the man back to the side of the road and props him against a tree.
NerwenGreen (8:48 PM): He then moves to another spot ...
AgujaCabra (8:49 PM): [yeesh.. how much hunting is he going to do tonight?]
NerwenGreen (8:49 PM): He needs another 4 to be full.
AgujaCabra (8:49 PM): Which direction is he moving in? Towards the swamps, or towards the public trails?
NerwenGreen (8:50 PM): umm.. public trails
AgujaCabra (8:52 PM): hm... I wonder how many people would be walking alone out here..
AgujaCabra (8:52 PM): mind if it takes a little while for somebody else to come along?
NerwenGreen (8:52 PM): He would wait at spots where he knows that there are frequent people..
NerwenGreen (8:52 PM): yeah, he's just going to keep going until he's either full (4 people), or until midnight. Whichever arrives first.
AgujaCabra (8:53 PM): A couple of college girls come along, after another half an hour or so. They're toting flash lights, and have on backpacks.
NerwenGreen (8:53 PM): Thomas lets them pass.
AgujaCabra (8:54 PM): 20 minutes later.. A stout woman with a hooded jacket, jeans, boots, and a stun gun stuffed into her jeans pocket wanders by.
NerwenGreen (8:55 PM): Thomas shoots her in the back just after she passes his spot.
AgujaCabra (8:55 PM): She whirls around, looking shocked... and stumbles to the ground like the men before.
NerwenGreen (8:56 PM): Thomas waits until she's down, takes her into the bushes, takes 2 points, seals the wound, returns her to the side of the trail. Lather rinse repeat.
AgujaCabra (8:56 PM): [hehehe.. shall we say he's able to fill up before midnight :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (8:56 PM): [told you it wasn't that exciting ]
AgujaCabra (8:56 PM): [well... if I made you roll... it could get exciting.]
NerwenGreen (8:56 PM): [true, true ..]
NerwenGreen (8:57 PM): What time is it when he's full?
AgujaCabra (8:58 PM): [let's see... I would say a little after 11. ]
NerwenGreen (8:58 PM): ok
NerwenGreen (8:58 PM): He decides to wander in the direction of the swamps, see if he can find the little white house.
AgujaCabra (8:58 PM): [ack]
NerwenGreen (8:59 PM): [hehe ... he's not going to wander long. He wants to get to City Hall by 1 am after all]
AgujaCabra (9:00 PM): [hm. has he spent much time out near the swamps before? if he's a little familiar with the area, he'd at least know that the house wasn't in any areas he'd looked before.]
NerwenGreen (9:00 PM): [he probably would be reasonably familiar with the swamps nearer to his place]
AgujaCabra (9:01 PM): [gimmie a time limit for wandering, then :p ]
NerwenGreen (9:02 PM): [He wants to get to City Hall by 1 am. He would go until he has just enough time left to get there with say 15 minutes to spare]
NerwenGreen (9:02 PM): oh wait, one other thing he does
NerwenGreen (9:03 PM): He beckons to the nighthawks.
AgujaCabra (9:03 PM): [what's a night hawk?]
AgujaCabra (9:03 PM): [hawks of the night?]
NerwenGreen (9:03 PM): [it's a type of nocturnal bird. Eats insects.]
AgujaCabra (9:04 PM): [ah.. ]
NerwenGreen (9:04 PM): [also called nightjars]
NerwenGreen (9:04 PM): [often mistaken for bats because in flight they look batlike]
AgujaCabra (9:05 PM): Several nighthawks appear after approximately 10 minutes pass, and gather to perch in the treebranches overhead.
NerwenGreen (9:05 PM): umm... he beckons them to where he is on the ground?
NerwenGreen (9:06 PM): anyway, the whole point of this exercise is that he wants them to go find Shepard and ask how he's doing
AgujaCabra (9:07 PM): [they don't have to land directly on Thomas :p They're close enough]
NerwenGreen (9:07 PM): [okay ]
AgujaCabra (9:08 PM): Whichever nighthawk Thomas speaks to will do this for him. Does he set up a time/place to meet with the bird again?
AgujaCabra (9:08 PM): [haha.. the night of no-rolling.. yay!]
NerwenGreen (9:08 PM): [hehe ]
NerwenGreen (9:09 PM): I guess he would want the bird to come find him again after it's done talking to Shepard. He tells the bird his general itinerary.
AgujaCabra (9:10 PM): The bird knows which park Thomas means.. but probably will not remember anything too complex.
NerwenGreen (9:10 PM): Thomas tells the bird to meet him in the park then
AgujaCabra (9:11 PM): It flies off towards the city, after agreeing to meet Thomas there.
NerwenGreen (9:11 PM): okay
NerwenGreen (9:12 PM): He continues wandering ... he also pulls out one of the real arrows and begins looking for a squirrel to shoot.
AgujaCabra (9:13 PM): [it's a crow in the park. Forget the raven business :p The ST was insane]
AgujaCabra (9:14 PM): [I guess crows might eat squirrels too.. I don't know?]
NerwenGreen (9:14 PM): [hehehe okay :p ... yeah, crows will too.]
AgujaCabra (9:15 PM): He could easily find a squirrel hopping about aimlessly on the grassy forest floor... looking perhaps for pinecones.
NerwenGreen (9:15 PM): Okay, he shoots it.
AgujaCabra (9:15 PM): It dies.
AgujaCabra (9:16 PM): [poor squirrel :/ ]
NerwenGreen (9:16 PM): He pulls out the brown paper bag and puts the body into it.
NerwenGreen (9:16 PM): then he continues wandering around the swamps.
AgujaCabra (9:16 PM): [want me to describe the fruits of Thomas' wandering.. ? ]
NerwenGreen (9:17 PM): yes that would be helpful
AgujaCabra (9:17 PM): After a solid hour walking through the dark forest, he spots a small white chapel tucked back into a tiny clearing. A magnolia tree blooms beside it, and pale white christmas lights line the outside of a square, wooden porch. Thomas can smell the humid air of the swamp, and hear lazy crickets chirruping all around.. their sounds are mixed with the steady hum of small frogs, and an occasional croaking toad.
NerwenGreen (9:17 PM): [nice job ]
AgujaCabra (9:17 PM): [had it typed while you were pokin' at birds.]
NerwenGreen (9:17 PM): He checks the time.
AgujaCabra (9:18 PM): [it's 10 minutes before midnight]
NerwenGreen (9:18 PM): I guess now that he knows where it is, he can come back later. He begins heading towards town.
AgujaCabra (9:19 PM): [it wouldn't take so long to walk out to the chapel, knowing the exact location beforehand]
NerwenGreen (9:19 PM): [okay ... does he have any time to get a closer look now?]
AgujaCabra (9:20 PM): [oh. hm... it takes a while to walk to the park... I'm just specifying so that you don't think it's too far out in the middle of nowhere]
NerwenGreen (9:20 PM): [ok]
NerwenGreen (9:20 PM): [he heads for town]
AgujaCabra (9:22 PM): As he walks towards the city, it begins to rain faintly.. a fine mist of water beginning to coat everything in a slight glistening film. He can stroll to the park without much happening.. Though he can hear a helicopter somewhere in the distance again.
NerwenGreen (9:23 PM): Thomas pulls the hood of his sweatshirt over his head. He looks for the helicopter.
NerwenGreen (9:23 PM): He walks around to start his park walk at the opposite end tonight.
NerwenGreen (9:23 PM): When he gets to the bench he sits down.
NerwenGreen (9:24 PM): [the bench where he saw the crow/raven/whatever ]
AgujaCabra (9:27 PM): [He saw the helicopter flying over the river: almost above the carnival and Ferris wheel.] ... A couple of guys jog down the path, huffing a bit as they head for the park gate. Several minutes after Thomas sits down, the nighthawk flutters over to stand beside him on the bench.
NerwenGreen (9:27 PM): [was it a black copter or a news copter?]
AgujaCabra (9:27 PM): [black]
NerwenGreen (9:28 PM): Thomas asks the nighthawk what he found out about Shepard
AgujaCabra (9:31 PM): It could not find Shepard, and failed to find any other birds who knew where he might be. The nighthawk did find out that Shepard was home at the end of last night. [sorry for the pause]
NerwenGreen (9:31 PM): Okay ...
NerwenGreen (9:32 PM): I guess Thomas is satisfied with that answer.
AgujaCabra (9:32 PM): [he can ask more... I don't know realistically what a bird would find out for you.. ]
NerwenGreen (9:33 PM): hmm.. I guess Thomas asks for the approximate location of Shepard's house.
AgujaCabra (9:35 PM): The bird indicates that Shepard lives in a place made of shells, on the longer island in Thomas' lake.
NerwenGreen (9:35 PM): oh .. wow. He really does live close by.
AgujaCabra (9:35 PM): [it's coquina stone.. shells works]
NerwenGreen (9:35 PM): Okay .. Thomas has no further questions for the bird.
AgujaCabra (9:36 PM): [I've probably made the walking distances much closer than they actually are... That is a pretty big lake :p ]
NerwenGreen (9:36 PM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (9:36 PM): After excused by Thomas, the bird decides to fly off.
NerwenGreen (9:36 PM): [20 minutes from Thomas's house to the university area, according to the log where Nicola and Devin visited ]
AgujaCabra (9:37 PM): [that's probably realistic... if you're walking quickly... and only going to the edge of the campus]
NerwenGreen (9:38 PM): Thomas waits for another ten minutes to see if the crow is going to show.
AgujaCabra (9:39 PM): It caws at Thomas from a tree behind, and hops on the branch a little before flying down to take the nighthawk's place on the bench. After a pause, it hops up on the back of the bench instead.
NerwenGreen (9:39 PM): Thomas asks for all the info on Chauncey.
AgujaCabra (9:39 PM): [I'm playing all animals tonight!]
NerwenGreen (9:40 PM): [hehehe]
AgujaCabra (9:41 PM): Pacing on the bench-back, the crow flutters its wings slightly at the mention of Chauncey... After some hesitation, it informs you that a man with Chauncey forced it to go away.
NerwenGreen (9:41 PM): Thomas asks for a description of the man.
AgujaCabra (9:43 PM): The crow's description roughly matches that of Persival.
NerwenGreen (9:43 PM): hmm.
NerwenGreen (9:43 PM): Thomas asks for info about Persival.
AgujaCabra (9:45 PM): Persival asked the crow what it was doing, and the crow told him about Thomas' request.
NerwenGreen (9:45 PM): Then what happened?
AgujaCabra (9:45 PM): Chauncey wanted to know also... and the crow expresses to Thomas that it likes Chauncey.
AgujaCabra (9:46 PM): Some other birds came, and Persival spoke to them.
NerwenGreen (9:46 PM): Thomas asks the crow what Persival and he talked about yesterday.
AgujaCabra (9:47 PM): After speaking to the birds, Persival left the park. The crow itself simply told Persival that it was supposed to follow Chauncey around.
NerwenGreen (9:47 PM): No no - when Persival talked to the crow yesterday during the seed dropping bit ... what did they talk about?
AgujaCabra (9:47 PM): [oh!]
AgujaCabra (9:49 PM): Persival asked what the bird was called, and gave it the name of 'Chuck' ... Then changed it to something the crow does not quite remember. It was confused by Persival.
NerwenGreen (9:49 PM): Thomas pulls out the body of the squirrel he killed earlier and puts it on the ground next to the bench. He tells the crow that the squirrel is for him.
AgujaCabra (9:50 PM): The crow hops over to the squirrel, and pecks at it merrily... Dragging it a little away from Thomas on the bench.
NerwenGreen (9:51 PM): Thomas says goodbye to the crow and gets up. He walks out of the park.
AgujaCabra (9:52 PM): Where is he headed?
NerwenGreen (9:52 PM): hmm... I guess he's going to head home.
AgujaCabra (9:54 PM): All right.. On the way home, he can hear another train passing by. This one does not pause at the warehouses, however.
NerwenGreen (9:54 PM): hmmmmm
NerwenGreen (9:55 PM): He pauses to hear if it's going to stop anywhere within earshot.
AgujaCabra (9:56 PM): The train does not stop, as far as Thomas can tell.
NerwenGreen (9:56 PM): Thomas continues home.
AgujaCabra (9:58 PM): There's a block party starting up around the college, that he'd pass by... but no one bothers him much. In fact, the party seems to involve only a small group of drunk college kids, flirting with the girls who happen to walk past. The rain has let up by now, and the sky is crisp and clear again....
AgujaCabra (9:58 PM): He can make it home ^_^
NerwenGreen (9:58 PM): okay .. As soon as he gets back into the woods, he beckons the nighthawks again.
AgujaCabra (9:59 PM): A few of the birds gather near Thomas.. calling to one another, as they land.
AgujaCabra (9:59 PM): [more than a few... a little cluster of birdies]
NerwenGreen (10:00 PM): Thomas picks one and asks it to find out if Chauncey is in the park.
AgujaCabra (10:00 PM): [hm... I'm going to make you roll for that. ]
NerwenGreen (10:01 PM): 10, 9, 6, 6, 4, 3
AgujaCabra (10:02 PM): The bird happily agrees to do this.
NerwenGreen (10:02 PM): He tells the bird that he will be waiting right here.
NerwenGreen (10:03 PM): He then picks another bird and asks it to find out if the train stops in Midsomer, and if so where.
AgujaCabra (10:03 PM): It flies off in the general direction of the city.
AgujaCabra (10:03 PM): This bird is not too sure about that... it's a little nervous about the trains, and thinks that is cannot fly as fast as the train anyway.
NerwenGreen (10:04 PM): Does the bird know where all the train stops are located in town?
AgujaCabra (10:05 PM): The bird has never seen the train stop in Midsomer.
NerwenGreen (10:05 PM): okay
AgujaCabra (10:05 PM): [there aren't any stops anymore... ]
NerwenGreen (10:05 PM): Thomas asks this bird if it knows Chauncey.
AgujaCabra (10:06 PM): It doesn't. This bird mainly lives in the forest and the near side of the city.
NerwenGreen (10:06 PM): okay good
NerwenGreen (10:06 PM): He continues talking to the bird about bird life while he waits for the first bird to return.
AgujaCabra (10:07 PM): [that could take a long time.]
NerwenGreen (10:07 PM): hmm...
NerwenGreen (10:07 PM): He asks the bird if it knows Persival.
AgujaCabra (10:08 PM): The bird thinks it might have been fed by Persival before, but is not sure.
NerwenGreen (10:08 PM): okay
NerwenGreen (10:09 PM): Thomas asks the bird to stay and wait with him until the first bird returns.
NerwenGreen (10:09 PM): wait
NerwenGreen (10:09 PM): actually no he doesn't
NerwenGreen (10:09 PM): He finds a third bird
AgujaCabra (10:09 PM): The third bird is trying to hunt things in the grass.
AgujaCabra (10:10 PM): it will listen to Thomas, though.
NerwenGreen (10:10 PM): Basically he wants to find a bird that does not know Chauncey or Persival, and is willing to wait with him until the first bird returns.
AgujaCabra (10:10 PM): This is just such a bird.
NerwenGreen (10:10 PM): okay good
NerwenGreen (10:12 PM): he waits for the first bird to come back.
AgujaCabra (10:13 PM): [what's realistic time wise? 50 min? ]
AgujaCabra (10:13 PM): [bugger it] It takes approximately 50 minutes for that bird to return.
NerwenGreen (10:13 PM): [dunno ... how long does it take for a bird to fly from the edge of the forest to the park and back?]
NerwenGreen (10:13 PM): [hehe okay ]
AgujaCabra (10:13 PM): [I have no idea.. a while. ]
NerwenGreen (10:13 PM): Thomas asks if it saw Chauncey.
AgujaCabra (10:15 PM): The bird did indeed see Chauncey in the park. . He was walking and chatting with an opossum, who made the bird uncomfortable.. as it snapped in its direction once.
NerwenGreen (10:16 PM): okay ... Thomas asks the bird if it had ever seen Chauncey before, and also whether it knows Persival.
AgujaCabra (10:17 PM): No. The bird is not familiar with Persival, and only knows Chauncey from tonight.
NerwenGreen (10:17 PM): okay ... he tells each of the two birds in turn that he'd like them to follow Chauncey around but avoid talking to him.
AgujaCabra (10:18 PM): [big roll for the first bird.. minor roll for the second]
AgujaCabra (10:18 PM): [do manip+anim ken]
NerwenGreen (10:18 PM): first roll: 9, 6, 5, 5, 3
NerwenGreen (10:19 PM): second roll: 0, 9, 7, 4, 2, 2
NerwenGreen (10:19 PM): (0=10)
AgujaCabra (10:20 PM): The first bird doesn't seem to keen on doing this, and starts to peck at things in the grass.. wandering off from Thomas a bit. The second bird is game.
NerwenGreen (10:20 PM): Okay, Thomas says goodbye to the first bird.
NerwenGreen (10:21 PM): He tells the second bird to meet him at dusk outside his home tomorrow night.
NerwenGreen (10:21 PM): (err wait ... when was his first appointment)
AgujaCabra (10:21 PM): [hm. 9?]
NerwenGreen (10:22 PM): [dusk is 8, right?]
AgujaCabra (10:22 PM): The first bird goes off into the bush. . The second agrees to do this, and wanders around on the ground a moment more, before flying off.
AgujaCabra (10:22 PM): [yeah]
NerwenGreen (10:22 PM): [ok]
NerwenGreen (10:23 PM): Thomas sees if the first bird is willing to talk more.
AgujaCabra (10:23 PM): Sure. It'll chat with him.
NerwenGreen (10:23 PM): He asks it if it talked to Chauncey while it was checking to see if he was in the park.
AgujaCabra (10:24 PM): The bird didn't talk to Chauncey, and tried not to get very close to the man-- he looked strange.
NerwenGreen (10:24 PM): okay
NerwenGreen (10:25 PM): Thomas is done chatting with the birds now.
AgujaCabra (10:25 PM): All righty.
NerwenGreen (10:25 PM): What time is it now?
AgujaCabra (10:25 PM): shoot. Almost 3!
NerwenGreen (10:26 PM): Thomas goes home.
AgujaCabra (10:26 PM): Does he have voice mail, or a message system that would beep or flash a light?
NerwenGreen (10:27 PM): yeah, he would have an answering machine
AgujaCabra (10:27 PM): The little light is flashing when he gets home.
NerwenGreen (10:27 PM): He checks the messages.
AgujaCabra (10:27 PM): [or whatever it does :p]

[March 27, 2003 edit: There is a message on the machine, from Ryan at 9:52 pm. It says: "Hey, it's Ryan. I gotta talk to you, so call me back." Thomas glances at his clock, considering for a moment, then decides to return Ryan's call the following evening.]

AgujaCabra (10:30 PM): There is one message on the machine, from 12:48 AM. It's garbled a little by static, but Gracian's voice comes through clearly: "Thomas. I wanted to keep you informed on the .. guests you brought in last night. Give me a call later, if you have time. "
NerwenGreen (10:31 PM): Thomas calls Gracian.
AgujaCabra (10:32 PM): [merp] After seven rings, the phone picks up... "Yes. Gracian," the voice comes through a little abruptly from the other end.
NerwenGreen (10:32 PM): "Hello, this is Thomas, returning your call" Thomas replies.
AgujaCabra (10:34 PM): "Ah, good to hear from you Thomas," his tone relaxes after its initial crispness, and Thomas can hear a television set being turned off. "How are you tonight? "
NerwenGreen (10:35 PM): "I am well," Thomas returns. "How are you?"
AgujaCabra (10:36 PM): [ack. second]
NerwenGreen (10:36 PM): [ok]
AgujaCabra (10:39 PM): "Oh, everything is all right here.. " he returns a little absently, adjusting the phone to account for static. "I won't take up much of your time. . The two people you had yesterday. Do you have any idea how many others were stored inside the building? "
NerwenGreen (10:42 PM): "There were boxes packed into at least two lengthy tunnels underneath the warehouses that we saw, though there may have been more," Thomas recalls. "Have you had a chance to find out who they were?"
NerwenGreen (10:43 PM): "I believe there were more boxes buried within the tunnel walls as well", he adds.
AgujaCabra (10:49 PM): There is a pause on the other end, before he responds quietly.. a certain tenseness to his voice, although he still retains a natural easiness of manner, "Packed? That is very close to what Shepard said as well... " You can hear him sigh, barely, "The two you brought out are Camarilla. One from Lafayette, the other Baton Rouge..."
AgujaCabra (10:50 PM): [whoa... pause of doom... I cannot get Gracian tonight.. but he is a little less casual right now in general.. meh. ]
NerwenGreen (10:51 PM): "I see," Thomas says quietly, after a moment's pause. "That is very odd." After another moment, he adds "How is Shepard?"
AgujaCabra (10:54 PM): "Oh, well.. he's taking some time off. " Gracian can be heard shifting his phone around again, and a radio pops on in the background.. although the volume is low. ."He'll be all right."
NerwenGreen (10:55 PM): "That is good to hear," Thomas answers. After another brief pause, he asks "What are we going to do about the others which remain in the tunnels?"
NerwenGreen (11:04 PM): [long pause of doom nothin' :p]
AgujaCabra (11:04 PM): "It's doubtful that any of the other boxes are still intact..," he responds a bit drily, " if any were left behind, they were likely caught in the fire." A pause," I've contacted Lafayette and Baton Rouge-- both are missing a small number of minor Camarilla. . Of course, young ones occasionally wander out in the sun, or toss themselves off buildings hoping to fly," Gracian chuckles slighly, "We can't say how many were taken from each city, yet."
AgujaCabra (11:04 PM): [argh!]
NerwenGreen (11:04 PM): [hehe I don't mind ]
AgujaCabra (11:05 PM): [I think I've written too many animals tonight... I can barely even see Gracian in my head... ::pokes him:: .. mm.. oh well. ]
NerwenGreen (11:07 PM): "I see," Thomas replies thoughtfully. "I had not thought that the fires would get far into the tunnels, but I was not around to watch how extensively it burned." He pauses and then adds "Some of the others might have been from other nearby cities as well."
AgujaCabra (11:13 PM): "Yes, of course, " he adds quickly, "I will look into that as much as possible.. However, there is not always a clear contact to phone. I did get in touch with Eduard -- That's New Orlean's Prince, earlier tonight. They have seen some similar activity with their trains. "
AgujaCabra (11:14 PM): [that was actually not me being a goon.. I couldn't find the Prince's name for a while..]
NerwenGreen (11:14 PM): [ah, I see]
NerwenGreen (11:14 PM): "Is there strong Sabbat presence in all of the cities surrounding Midsomer then?"
NerwenGreen (11:15 PM): Thomas barely winced at the name "Eduard" but it wouldn't have carried over the phone.
AgujaCabra (11:21 PM): "Most cities have a Sabbat influence-- that isn't just Louisiana. You would be surprised how resourceful they are... " He pauses again, finding a seat and settling in, "I was surprised to hear Baton Rouge had lost any of their Camarilla, however-- they usually run a tight show over there."
AgujaCabra (11:22 PM): [meh.. I suck!]
NerwenGreen (11:22 PM): "That is interesting," Thomas says reflectively. "There was very little Sabbat influence where I lived before coming to Midsomer. I find it to be very different from what I am accustomed to."
AgujaCabra (11:29 PM): "Oh? " He responds with obvious interest, chuckling again softly before continuing.. "I have never seen a city without some political division. Of course, New Orleans tends to attract the Setite crowd-- which I would imagine attracts a certain type of Sabbat also." After a pause, he concedes, "We in Midsomer would not have the problem, if not for some poor administration."
AgujaCabra (11:29 PM): [you should make me quit now! It's just gonna get worse.. ]
NerwenGreen (11:29 PM): "Poor administration? How so?" Thomas inquires politely.
AgujaCabra (11:30 PM): "Ondriasova fucked the city," he says bluntly, although there is a levity to his voice as well.. "Don't pass that on to him, please."
NerwenGreen (11:31 PM): "Oh," Thomas says, a bit startled. "I have not met Ondriasova. What is he doing now if you have taken over?"
AgujaCabra (11:36 PM): "He tends to keep to himself, unless he has a complaint about this that or the other..." Letting that sit a moment, Gracian continues thoughtfully, " I never had the opportunity to meet him before Miss Aashton made her alterations... I've heard he was not so ..difficult before. However, I will say that he has never been pleasant company in the time I have known him."
NerwenGreen (11:37 PM): "Is he still part of the Camarilla?"
AgujaCabra (11:42 PM): "Oh, yes..." Gracian responds after a slight hesistation, " he is still a Camarilla member, and even attends meetings occasionally. It is generally thought that ... frankly, that his mind is not as it once was."
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): "Hmm," Thomas says noncommittally. "I have heard some interesting rumors about him and mages."
AgujaCabra (11:53 PM): "Yes.." an uncomfortable pause, "Costi has his problems.. Although I believe the mage incident has not been repeated. Forgive me. I did not mean to air his dirty laundry, as it were. We are not friends, but many of his problems are not at all natural. I wish that I had known the man before."
AgujaCabra (11:53 PM): [erg... make me just quit. This is getting worse and worse.. ]
NerwenGreen (11:54 PM): [do you want to stop?]
AgujaCabra (11:54 PM): [dunno.. this is pretty pathetic]
NerwenGreen (11:55 PM): [okay ... is it just with Gracian or would it be for everything ]
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): [I have no idea.. I think half of it is trying to write a phone conversation. Perhaps it's mainly Gracian?]
NerwenGreen (11:56 PM): [maybe he could suggest they get together to chat instead then :p]
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): [hahah! Gracian isn't having the trouble.. it's the ST :P ]
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): "Ah, I was simply curious. I have recently become interested in local city history," Thomas explains.
AgujaCabra (12:03 AM): "Unfortunately, most of that isn't in the history books... " he responds good-naturedly, thinking for a long moment ".... Thomas. I'm sorry if this is abrupt, but I do need to make some calls tonight. Will you be available to run some extra jobs for me in the next week? It shouldn't be anything significant, but I do still need eyes and ears... "
NerwenGreen (12:03 AM): "By all means," Thomas replies.
AgujaCabra (12:04 AM): "Wonderful. . Well then, I will talk to you another night. Goodbye. "
NerwenGreen (12:04 AM): "Goodbye," says Thomas. He hangs up.
AgujaCabra (12:05 AM): [whee! no more Prince that I cannot write for!]
NerwenGreen (12:05 AM): [hehe]
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): What time is it now
AgujaCabra (12:06 AM): Did I say it was nearly 3 before? We can simply make it 3:05 or so.. it wasn't a long conversation... despite everything :p
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): hehe okay
NerwenGreen (12:07 AM): Well, he doesn't have any other plans for tonight
NerwenGreen (12:07 AM): He will probably go do some gardening
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): All righty.
NerwenGreen (12:08 AM): We can end now if you want
AgujaCabra (12:08 AM): Sure ^_^ .. wow. We got through a whole night. . Not much happened, since there was a ton of waiting about for birds and food and such.. but it's a night nevertheless.