Pax Artificium - Second Half - Thursday 05

Session start: Sunday, January 1, 2034 – 1800 PST

Eight pixies appear with bows and arrows. "Hand over the flute! And the circlet too!"

Frank bolts, breaking down the door and barreling past the guard on the other side. He starts up the jeep and readies it as a getaway vehicle for the others.

Daniel moves to protect Anastassia, then notices that Anastassia is not wearing her signature medallion and asks why not. She responds, "Because I have *this* instead," and an eyestalk emerges from her solar plexus and blinks at Daniel. He resists its charm effect. Vexed, Anastassia produces two more eyestalks, one more aimed at Daniel and one aimed at Betty. Daniel resists the sleep effect, but Betty succumbs to the charm effect. Betty suddenly feels as though Anastassia is her best friend, who will reward her greatly for her service. "Give me the circlet," she orders, and Betty complies.

Dirk fire his plasma cannon, taking down a pixie. Two pixies retaliate, shooting at Dirk. One of the arrows hits him in the head and he falls to the ground unconscious.

Meanwhile, Erica quickly assembles her flute and plays it, visualizing a safe place for her and her friends. Several pixies attempt to grab the flute, but Erica fends them off. Everyone begins to shimmer in a rainbow of color (including Frank and the jeep outside), and they disappear, finding themselves in the northern California redwoods.

They drive to a nearby gas station and refuel the jeep, as well as grabbing a bite to eat.

Dirk wakes up, but he seems to have lost his memory. He is surprised to learn his name is Dirk Phoenix.

Erica and Frank take turns driving until they get back to the outskirts of Vancouver, making it past the Canadian border without a problem. Everyone sleeps when possible during the trip.

Frank boards the plane, and everything looks good. His motorcycle is now completely fixed. He starts it up and it runs fine. Everyone else gets on the plane as well.

Betty wants to return the flute to Anastassia in the city, but Daniel and Erica are strongly against it, on the grounds that she had eyestalks. Betty and Frank take the jeep to a nearby gas station and find a payphone. They call the number given to Betty for contacting Xelakov. A deep-voiced man named Butch answers. "Weren't you just here?" he asks Betty when she identifies herself. He says Xelakov shows up every night at eight, like clockwork. Betty says she'll be there, and that they better have her money ready.

Daniel borrows a tuning chime from Erica, and from Frank snares a flare and a shop manual. Frank tricks Betty into sitting in one of the passenger seats, which then restrain her. Daniel uses the borrowed items to exorcise Betty, dispeling the charm effect on her. Betty's restraints open, and she immediately tries to punch Frank, but he dodges.

Betty calms down, confused about her changing feelings regarding Anastassia.

They discuss what to do next. Betty wants to go kick the eyestalk creature's ass and get her money, but Erica and Daniel think that is a bad idea. Instead, Daniel wants to travel to an island in the Caribbean to contact a group of friends.

So, they take off for the Bermuda Triangle. Frank refills the plane's fuel tank at the Florida Keys, then Daniel directs Frank in the proper directions. They pass through a pillar of fog, landing on a small island. There is a three-story obelisk on the island, covered in foliage, with the wreckage of a plane and a large hole in it.

Betty notices a figure moving around the side of the obelisk and points him out. Daniel calls out, "Hello?" The figure answers, "Hello!" and walks over. It is John Bishop.

Erica is very nervous and readies her pepper spray, slinking back. Bishop apologizes for his behavior as a plague zombie, explaining that he had no control over his actions. He also explains that he has lost his memory, and has come to this island to try and remember what happened to him since the plane crash. He says he remembers his name as Simon Lewis, and that he and his friend Kent Clark crashed during a storm in the Bermuda Triangle. "You lost your memory, too?" Dirk says. "*I* lost my memory!"

Bishop introduces himself to Erica, kissing her hand and apologizing again for his previous behavior.

Meanwhile, Daniel wanders over to the hole in the obelisk, and Betty and Frank follow him. "We found the flute!" Daniel yells at a radio that is visible through the hole in the structure. "Daniel? Daniel Miller?" an unfamiliar voice asks. "Yes," Daniel responds. "Hold on, let me fetch Master Yeslek!" A few moments later, Yeslek says, "This is Yeslek." Daniel explains that he found Babylon's Horn. Yeslek tells him to play it.

Erica wants more of an explanation regarding who this Arcane Order is, and why she should help let them out. Banks and Summers are also there, and try to convince her to play the flute.

Eventually, Erica agrees, and attempts to open the portal. A haunting melody that she has never heard before enters her mind as she begins to play. The song strikes a chord deep within everyone, although they have not heard it before.

A spiraling vortex grows until it is large enough for a tractor to drive through. A wizened old man with a long beard steps out. His presence intuitively identifies himself as Yeslek.

Yeslek thanks Erica for releasing them, then orders everyone to begin work. The wizards bustle about waving their arms, and huts sprout from the ground.

Bishop asks Yeslek if he can help cure him of his amnesia. Yeslek tries a divination but is irritated when it doesn't work.

Meanwhile, a monk named Theodolous, one of the people released, explains to Daniel and the others that the wizards have become somewhat addled over time. They continue to discuss things, filling each other in on several issues.

Suddenly, the air near the plane shimmers, and several figures appear, including Matt, Jack, Liam, Gordon, Lee and a red-haired woman Daniel recognizes as one of Xela's forms.

Session start: Monday, January 2, 2034 – 1800 PST

XP: 8000