Dionysus You had just finished with the 4th judge, the centaur.

Dionysus You were asking about the rules, especially as regards outside contact.

Dionysus And the next judge would be in room 406.

• Sue knocks on the door.

Dionysus The door is larger than the others by a few feet in height and width, and it opens to reveal a man in heavy pale green robes. He is about 10' tall, and slightly hunched at the shoulders.

Sue "Hello. I'm Sue, of the Sound and Fury. Are you one of the judges?"

Dionysus The giant kneels, "Greetings, contstant. I am Judge Hrodrick."

Dionysus "How may I be of service."

Sue "I have a question about rule #7. Can you clarify it for me?"

Dionysus "It has been qualified recently by other judges on the matters of prayer, but otherwise, it simply is as it is stated to be. If you have need to contact the outside for essentials, ask one of the officials to acquire it for you."

• Sue considers this. "Is there an official who can traverse the void?"

Dionysus He strokes his stubbled chin, then says, "It is likely not so."

• Sue frowns. "I see. Can one be appointed?"

Dionysus He considers, "Are you familiar with the story of Runner One?"

• Sue shakes his head. "The name is familiar, but otherwise, no."

Dionysus "She is the Champion of Music. On First Shem, there was an age, the Age of Terror, when evil ruled the world.

Dionysus "The Runners were freedom fighters, and their group was thought to be impenetrable by evil.

Dionysus "But one clever and evil man figured out how--he designed a robot to appear as a void elf, and trained this robot to study the systems of the Runners, until it had the ability to infiltrate their network.

Dionysus "The void-robot-elf befriended Runner One, and at a most crucial moment, betrayed and nearly killed her.

Dionysus "Because of this, I do not believe she would be likely to ally herself with the void again. I'm sorry."

• Sue nods slowly. "I understand. Thank you."

Dionysus He bows, "I wish I could do more."

Dionysus Next judge?

• Sue hesitates in the hallway for several minutes, thinking about this, before going to the next judge.

Dionysus The next door is made of pure white alabaster.

• Sue knocks lightly.

Dionysus It slowly opens to a blinding white light. Within the light is a vaguely human shape with massive wings--seven of them--and golden hair. The voice you hear is not mortal, "Welcome, Contestant."

• Sue pauses, surprised, then says, "Hello. I'm Sue, of the Sound and Fury. Are you one of the judges?"

Dionysus "I am She who Judges in the name of Light, for the Champion of Music."

Sue "I have a question ... er, well, rather, I am visiting each of the judges in turn, to hear their opinion on an ambiguous case of rule #7."

Dionysus "I understand that mortals are capable of breaking rules, but to the Hosts, rules are unto the genetic code of mortal races. We cannot but obey. I have been given the rules here, and must obey them as they are stated. My fellow judges may yield mortal perspective to alter them, and I will abide to those alterations, but to me, they are as the air humans breathe."

• Sue grins a little. "Then you will forgive me for not relying solely on my own, mortal, judgement. Is it breaking rule #7 to absorb energies from outside the grounds?"

Dionysus "That would be contact with the outside. Yes."

Sue "So the only ways to obtain goods, information, or energy from outside would be from newly-arrived contestants or from the contest officials, which are chosen by the Champion. Is that accurate?"

Sue s/which are/who are/

Dionysus "Unless the other judges alter the code."

• Sue bows slightly. "Thank you, judge." And he goes to see the 7th judge.

Dionysus Room 431. The door is normal again.

• Sue knocks.

Dionysus The door is opened, and a human-looking individual opens it. She says, "Hello."

Sue "Hello. I'm Sue, of the Sound and Fury. Are you one of the judges?"

Dionysus "I am. How may I help you, Sue?"

Sue "I am visiting each of the judges in turn, to hear their opinion on an ambiguous case of rule #7: namely, drawing off and absorbing energy from outside the grounds."

Dionysus "Well, that sounds like an accurate description."

• Sue , confused. "Er, thanks."

Dionysus She smiles, "No problem."

• Sue pauses. If she doesn't go on, "May I hear your interpretation of the rule as it applies to this case?"

Dionysus "It's ambiguous, like you said."

Sue If she doesn't go on, Sue just bows and says, "I see. Thank you." Then goes to find the band.

Dionysus When you get back to the floor you're on, most of the band is off on the grounds. There's a note saying practice is every day at 9 a.m.

Dionysus Only a few of the entourage members and Magnum are still there, in fact.

• Sue approaches them and asks, "Do you know where everyone else went?"

Dionysus Magnum smiles, "Arlie, Aurelia, and Bartleby are seeing the grounds. Arsul's at the gates. Tomerane and Leia are eating. Leonas is off looking for someone, I think he said. Dionysus went to church. Not sure where Jack & Avery are. Odellino went to find alcohol, I think, and Klaus, Lucilla, and Rumbleford went to go spar."

Sue "I see. I wanted to ask something of Aurelia ... all right. Thanks Magnum." And he goes to search the grounds.

• Sue goes another way and wanders the grounds looking for traces of void energy.

Dionysus The only spot you find it during this search is in the northern fields: a huge building runs, narrowly, between the walls and the arena there, and part of it is voided.

Dionysus This is the Temple Building.

• Sue approaches, enters, taking in the scene.

Dionysus A narrow but well kept hall is draped in various colored curtains, each representing a different temple. You can see the void-curtains amidst the dark pantheon area.

Sue What sort of people are here?

Dionysus None. The hallway is empty.

• Sue approaches the voided area.

Sue Is it like separate rooms, or a large room partitioned?

Dionysus A modern comparison would be like walking down the halls of a megaplex theatre, looking into each theatre.

Dionysus Just past the curtains you can see the sanctuaries of each temple, and these do have individuals in them occasionally. The dark one has Leonas, but he's merely waiting, it appears. The music one has the leopardman drummer Dophanon in it, praying.

• Sue pauses at the door to the music sanctuary, then continues on to the void sanctuary, where he enters and looks around.

Dionysus The void one has a greater athak woman. She's tall, slender, as usual for her kind, but she has a small crest on her forehead that's rare amongst her kind, a mark of beauty. Her skin, on voidscale, is a remarkable shimmering white--she's powerful, and thus, amongst her kind, attractive. She is in silent prayer.

• Sue sits near the aisle and waits for her to finish.
• Sue transforms into a greater athak, also.

Dionysus She stands after a few minutes, and when she turns, she gasps in surprise. She bows, <My apologies, Avatar. I did not know you were here..>

• Sue stands and returns the bow. <No worries. Are you a contestant as well?>

Dionysus She smiles on the voidscale, <I am. I am Goxix Muoxio, player of the antivox, and slayer of Black Goats.>

• Sue startles and smiles. <Antivox? I thought I was the only one. Did you teach yourself? Are there others?>

Sue Actually, that doesn't make any sense. Let me try again.

• Sue smiles. <It seems we have some things in common. Are there more athaks in the contest?>

Dionysus She shakes her head, <There is a Servant of the Never, but no other athaks.>

• Sue tilts his head thoughtfully. <Is he ... civil? I was hoping that we might be able to have an athak concert.>

Dionysus <I have not interacted with it. Unless you command me otherwise, I would not until this Contest is over or I am out of it, as all I would say to it would be said with my Sword.>

• Sue nods solemnly. <I suppose blood is thicker than water, after all. May I see your instrument?>

Dionysus She smiles, <It is in my room, but I would be happy to take you there.>

Sue <Thank you. The antivox was a lost art on Shem when I built my first one. I am eager to see more sophisticated craftsmanship, and I am sure there is much you could teach me about playing it, as well.>

Dionysus She void-blushes, <You flatter me, Avatar.>

• Sue smiles nervously. <Please, lead on.>

Dionysus She leads you out and back to the quartering house, a little nervous.

Dionysus Her room is simple, with a few void items here and there, some void cloth blankets, and a Gifted Sword that wafts Void like the sun emits light.

Dionysus Her antivox is simple, elegant in design, shaped like a small key-tar.

Dionysus There's a slot through the fretboard, clear through it.

Dionysus She picks up her Sword and the antivox, then inserts the Sword through the slot. <For power.>

• Sue nods approvingly. <Magnificent. Yours is more suited to the rules of the contest, too. How did you find the Sword?>

Dionysus <I traveled into the ancient ruins of one of the magical cities that once were where Uur Sodzul is, and there faced magical beasts, until I found the room they guarded, where the magical ones kept the things they feared.>

Sue <Magical cities? Who built them?>

Dionysus <The magical races of the moons, before athaks ruled there.>

Sue <I see.> He hesitates a moment. <Have you been at the arena grounds long? What do you think of the other contestants?>

Dionysus She considers, then says, <The Welcoming Party, as they call themselves, are all right. There weren't many there when I arrived. The magical ones make me nervous, but I carry on.> Another pause, <I do not understand most of them here.>

Sue <You find their ways hard to explain?>

Dionysus <I find everything about this hard to explain.>

Sue <Perhaps ... is there some way I can help?>

Dionysus She pauses, <I do not know. I seem to get by with them. And I have learned to use their senses.> "I can even speak." It sounds... horrible when she does. And you can't tell where it came from. <But I find it unpleasant. I don't get their customs, mostly. And... I still don't get the bathroom."

Dionysus >

• Sue startles, then changes into a lesser athak. "Do that again."

Dionysus "Speak?" It still sounds horrible. She has an awful voice.

Sue <How are you doing that?>

Dionysus <I used the Sword to Nullify my limitations in that regard. It hurt, a lot, but it was necessary.>

• Sue gives the Sword a hard look. <You mean ... you had to use it on yourself? As a weapon?>

Dionysus <Like a soul-scalpel.>

Sue It's the Sword of the Void, right?

Dionysus Sword of Nullifying, yes

Sue There's not a separate Sword of the Void?

Dionysus There is not

Sue <That does sound rather ... grim. I have done something similar through meditation. It is like a chisel, or an antivox - good for shaping and clearning, but bad for building or coloring. There is a gnomish translation device that even allowed us to give a ... barely passable concert.>

Dionysus She nods, <I was aware of those, but I didn't realize they'd be so necessary until it was too late to get one.>

Sue Roll evens to have one on the cart?

Dionysus Sounds good to me

Dionysus You got one

Sue <Let's go visit my band's cart. We may have one stashed away ... and there's something else.>

Dionysus She smiles, <All right. Thank you.> She follows

• Sue leads the way there.

Dionysus She gawks at the giant antivox when she gets there

Sue <That's the Mark II. Would you like to try it?>

Dionysus <Yes,> she says in awe.

• Sue takes the key out and starts it up. <It has a few tricks built in, such as the hole-tape code, but it can be played with the keyboard as well.>

Dionysus She is amazed by the Key.

Dionysus She begins to try to work it, and as she does, she begins to create a beautiful multilayered symphony: void and sound.

Sue Can I guess at her skill level?

Dionysus Over 20

• Sue marvels.

Dionysus A small crowd gathers and watches, most impressed, some irritated, some scoffing.

Dionysus When it ends, she smiles at you, waiting for your response.

• Sue moves to sit next to her partway through, watching the movements of her fingers, trying to shadow her. He's extremely impressed, and a bit

envious. At the end, he touches the keys and looks up at her, asking, <What do you call that? Will you teach it to me?>

Dionysus <I gave it no name, but I will gladly teach it.>

Dionysus So Sue takes to learning her antivox piece?

Sue Yeah, basically he spends a lot of time with her at the contest.

Dionysus ...Does he get... romantic?

Sue Yes. Does she have strong feelings either way toward magic users?

Sue Sue is conciliatory, which is heretical according to church dogma, so that might be a source of friction later on.

Dionysus She is dislikes magic because she says "it makes me feel weak," but the Sword comforts her in that regard. She's not fanatical about destroying it, but she doesn't like it.

Dionysus She does accept romantic advances, with an almost religious energy

Sue Is she fantasizing about swapping fluids with Quaigor?

Sue So she's opposed to magical energy, which is understandable. Does that exend to individuals?

Sue Can she get along with the band, I guess, would be the foremost example.

Dionysus Her opinons on magic users and strongly magical races are like that of a person who was in Viet Nam about the Vietnamese. They don't like them, don't like talking about them, get uncomfortable around them, but don't outright /hate/ them like a Klan member to black people.

Sue That could be really inconvenient later on, but she's perfect enough otherwise that he would pretend it won't.

Dionysus She fantasizes about you, not Quaigor, but if you suggested Quaigor to her, she'd... get very religious

Sue Does she want to use the Mark II in the contest?

Dionysus She... would not say no.

Dionysus She would definitely like to use it.

Sue She's up against the Servant of the Never in the first round, so any edge Sue can reasonably give her is available.

Dionysus Good call.

Dionysus She's a little scared of it, but she feels she's ready

• Sue and Mux help explain how it all works.

Dionysus She likes Mux, and he enjoys her company, on a friendly level, and she catches on quickly to how things work. She's got a sharp mind for void-devices.

• Sue doesn't do much else besides pal around with Goxix, practice, and scheme about how to win. He does visit anyone who seems to have an unusual instrument or audio technology.

Dionysus You visit Ushy?

Dionysus He's very excited to show you his phonograph

Sue Does he record with it?

Sue Or just play back existing records? Did he build it?

Dionysus He can record and play, and he built one of them, but the one he uses is gnomish made

Dionysus He would like to record you.

Dionysus And he shows you his collection of wax discs.

• Sue contrasts the phonograph to the Mark II's recording and playback mechanisms, and suggests that they work on a unified system together, after things calm down. What does Ushy want to record?

Dionysus Your music.

• Sue lets him record "Stone Siren" on harp.

Sue And "The Ale Falls".

Dionysus He takes them both with happy gusto, and the only time you see him act with careful precision is when he handles his equipment, then it's back to reckless abandonment

---

Dionysus The Legacy of a Messiah would wash away our realm, were they linked. Find a path from Shem, or the Dream Realm, or the astral plane, to be safe.

---

• Sue asks around after Gryfyn.

Dionysus None seem to have noticed where he went, though Deepa does say, "I believe he used some spell craft. I felt him here one moment, then he was gone the next."

• Sue finds some cover to turn over his gear to Goxix and becomes Formless. Can I move around here without disrupting the magic on the grounds?

Dionysus It's so much stronger than you, it won't matter if you take this form

Sue I'll move back into the concert hall and look for a break in the pattern of magical energy.

Dionysus You can sense several interesting swirls and spikes, odd spots, and curiousities in the patterns, actually.

Sue Is it worth going into detail?

Dionysus But one particular spot is notable not for its "shape" but its potency: it's far, far weaker than any of the others.

Sue Can I discern a sphere or flavor?

Dionysus Have you previously been able to do so?

Sue On the gith ship I was able to do so at least some of the time.

Dionysus In that case, roll perception

Dionysus The flavor is undeterminable

Sue Okay, then I probably won't be able to analyze it. I go back to Goxix, reform, and put myself back together again.

Dionysus Goxix bows, slightly, when you return. You can tell that show impressed her.

Sue "I can't track him. We should go look for him now, unless you have a way of analyzing magic."

Dionysus She shakes her head, "Just nullifying."

Sue We go looking for him, then. We'll look for Arsul, too.

Dionysus How do you search for him?

Sue Make our way toward the temples or the dorms. On the way, we quietly ask any of our allies we run into if they've seen either one.

Dionysus If they don't stop you, you go upstairs to the fourth floor?

Sue Yes.

Dionysus When you get to 428, what do you do?

Sue Listen at the door, first.

Dionysus "...are you finished with her?" Roshadam. "Yes. Well done, songweaver."

Sue The first is Roshadam or the second?

Dionysus The first

• Sue signals for Goxix to move down the hall a bit, in case the door opens suddenly.

Dionysus She does.

• Sue keeps listening, but gets ready to run away or move into position to pretend that he's just knocking on the door.

Dionysus Roshadam: "And what are your further instructions?

Dionysus Gryfyn: "The first wave of the assault will come tonight. You should try to look as though you are trying to fight it, while instead undermining it."

Dionysus Roshadam: "I shall do my best. Remember, though, that you must supply me some means..."

Dionysus Gryfyn: "Yes, yes. I will get you the anti-weaving tool. Be ready. The signal will be the false clarion note."

• Sue signals Goxix to move even farther away, into the stairwell.

Dionysus Roshadam: "I remember."

Dionysus Goxix moves.

Dionysus You hear them approach the door.

• Sue runs to catch up with Goxix.
• Sue pulls the mk I antivox out as soon as he hears them talking, and silences the area around his feet. When he hears them moving, he runs full-speed around the corner.

Dionysus You hear the door open. Gryfyn moves as quiet as a cat, though, so unless you peak, you don't hear him leave.

Dionysus You then hear the door close.

Sue We're walking down the stairs nonchalantly.

Sue We go back to my room for now, where I become formless again to make sure Gryfyn didn't follow us.

Dionysus He's not on your floor.

• Sue reforms, then goes back to the training grounds to find Arlie.

---

Dionysus Goxix says, "Avatar, I must speak with you."

• Sue looks up. "Yes?"

Dionysus "I did not intend to keep this from you, but it slipped my mind. I must ask: I have been approached to join Conell Colzayre's new band. What do you think?"

• Sue pauses a moment to consider, frowning. "It is most likely a trap. We've made no secret of our association. Then again, perhaps they think they can persuade or coerce you to help them."

Sue "Who else is in this new band?"

Dionysus "I do not know. He asked if I would play with him, should he win tonight. He said a judge 'slipped' him the information: only a full band would win the Contest."

Sue "That makes sense. If the Song were given to a single person, there would be no question as to who the true, rightful owner is. As long as there is more than one winner, the winners can be turned against each other."

Dionysus She nods, "I would like another chance to win It."

Sue "If you re-enter the contest, we will be competitors. We won't be able to help each other any more. And your life will be in danger again. Still, if you want to do this, then I will not object."

Dionysus She nods, "It is not for him, or you, that I would or would not enter, but for the Void... and myself. I will let you know if I decide to join his band."

• Sue nods solemnly. "I understand. Thank you."

Dionysus She nods back, then belts on her Sword and slips into her robes.

Dionysus She says, "I am going to the temple. Will you come with me, or have you other work to do?"

Sue "I'll come." He throws his robe on and puts his notebook away.

Dionysus You head out the quartering house, through training grounds, toward the temple?

Sue Right.

Dionysus Out in the yard to the right of the quartering house, opposite of the quickest path to the temple, you see a giant purple, fleshy mound, lying on its side. The greater behemoth from the gates area is out there.

Sue What's the purpose of this thing?

Dionysus The behemoth? It was the pet of Rella from Ocean of Sound.

• Sue approaches it, watching for movement.

Sue "Is it alive?"

Dionysus It doesn't move. Goxix says, <I cannot tell.> Others are gathering around it, and one says, "It has an arrow in its eye, so... I doubt it." You can't see the eye from here

• Sue uses his outside voice. "Multiple contestants have gone missing in the night, or reported dead. To protect ourselves, we are gathering at the training ground. I advise you all to travel in groups of no less than two."
• Sue walks around to the eye and examines the arrow.

Dionysus People look to you, then the behemoth. Most nod in acknowledgement, others just stare at the dead beast.

Dionysus The arrow is dark on the voidscale. It looks to frail to have killed such a huge beast.

Sue "Who can analyze magic?"

Dionysus A young man in rough travel clothes raises his hand, "I know a few tricks."

Sue "How is this arrow enchanted?"

Sue Do I recognize any of those gathered?

Dionysus He glows slightly blue on light scale, but seems to vanish into shadow on voidscale, then says, "I... don't know. It's like a mix of fauna and death, but it's one sphere."

Dionysus A few Contest staff, Uriah Trumble, and Jemora the Gambler are out there

• Sue nods. "Thank you. Can you and three others please deliver this report, along with the arrow, to Arlie Battisto at the training grounds?"

Dionysus Uriah mumbles, then says, "Sure."

• Sue glances at him, then continues on to the temple.

Dionysus A dead bovine animal can be seen on the way to the temple, also with an arrow in it. Contest staff is trying to clear it away.

Sue Asks Goxix, "What did you want to do here, before we were sidetracked?"

Dionysus "Morning prayers."

Sue "It's morning somewhere."

Dionysus She goes in to pray.

• Sue goes in with her, performs a morning prayer ritual from Uodzupuul.

Dionysus Hers is a little different, but not by much

Sue After that, we warn any contestants or entourage about the attacks.

Dionysus Do you just wander the grounds doing that, or do you tell people in the temple, or?

Sue In the temple. We're not going to search all over the grounds. After that, we go to the training grounds.

---

Dionysus You find Katerina Ryne of Ocean of Sound at the center of a crowd, asking pointed questions of Irossus, and getting answers.

• Sue listens to the interrogation.

Dionysus She asks, "And that's all? No others?"

Dionysus He grumbles, "I smell prey... I... No, no others!"

Dionysus She looks to Kingsley beside her, "So he seduced two judges, the nymph Sweetie, the ogre Lugash, and the Walker of the Path of Time overnight." Kingsley nods, turns to enter the building.

Dionysus She turns to her prisoner, "All right. What is he doing now?"

Dionysus Irossus says, "Prey... Perfect body. He's building..."

Dionysus Katerina growls, the kicks him, she turns, looks around, then sees Sue, "Subiquim! Did you hear?"

Sue "Just the summary. He's stealing characteristics, like the King."

Dionysus She turns back to him, "Do you know how far along he is? Who has he taken? How complete is he?"

Dionysus Irossus growls, "I smell... I... I don't know. I smell prey. I hunt."

Dionysus Katerina glares.

Sue "He says that a lot, doesn't he?"

Dionysus Katerina nods, "I think the Prince addled his brains. Listen hunter, I've asked before, I ask again, do you know where he is?"

Dionysus Irossus whimpers, "I only track... prey."

Dionysus Katerina kicks him again, then turns to you, "Have you any questions for him? Any ideas?"

Sue "We could set him loose and see where he goes, not that he's likely to lead us to the prince that way."

Dionysus Katerina shakes her head, "He killed my hawk. I will let him go only if it's straight to the Hells."

Dionysus And the shemir next to her says, "Not to mention Ultemetus and Rella."

Dionysus Katerina kicks Irossus, "Them, too."

Sue "Which judges?"

Dionysus Katerina shakes her head, "He doesn't know."

Sue "Are any of the people he seduced still on the grounds?"

Dionysus Katerina nods, "As far as I know, all of them are."

Sue "I'll go investigate them, then."

• Sue goes back inside and looks for the posse.

Dionysus You find them on the tenth floor.