Included here are transcripts of game chat info for three threads, warts and all
from OOC. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

1st: Aidan with Kalen and Berhane at the Avalon Banquet.
2nd: Lysalas and Helena in Old Rebma.
3rd: Sarah with Isabelle Bayle (Amber's ambassador to Avalon) in Avalon.

I'd like to thank Jill (Player of Aidan) for being the first to try the GMail thread chat.
It was short but got things moving along fairly well.

me: The majesty of Avalon is strong, though pales in comparison to that of Amber.

[ooc: no probs.]

3:30 PM 

Jill: (Unfortunately besides looking for contacts and getting a feel for what is going
on the universe Aidan had no specific plans)

me: The Lords and Ladies of Avalon seem polite but not too interested in getting to
know Aidan it would seem. They are not rude about it.

[ooc: no probs.]

3:31 PM 

Jill: Aidan nods to Faulkner, but it is evident from the crowds that it will take a while
to make his way to Faulkner. As he glances around the few he knows closely, such as
Sarah Tam, are also no where to be seen nearby.

3:32 PM 

me: Later in the evening, Aidan notices Kalen speaking with a gentleman in browns
and greens of minor nobility perhaps. Quietly. The man looks vaguely familiar. Then
Aidan remembers he was at Eric's coronation and spoke to Kalen there as well, but
Aidan didn't catch his name then either. Their talk was heated though...

3:33 PM 

Sarah, Aidan spies has trailed off with the Ambassador from Amber, Isabelle Bayle
of Bayelsport perhaps to discuss private matters.

3:34 PM 

Jill: Aidan catches one of the circulating pages and asks, indicating the man, "Could
you help me? I met that man at King Eric's coronation, but his name escapes me."

3:35 PM 

me: The page meekly replies, "That gent'man is Shen Varjeffen. He's a right good
tracker for the Court of Avalon." The page pauses as if expecting more to continue.

3:36 PM 

Aidan notices that Kalen and Shen part. Kalen moves off to the side where Berhane
meets him. Kalen looks less jovial though tries to cover it.

3:37 PM 

Jill: (since Kalen isn't here, should I avoid goign to talk to him?)

3:38 PM 

me: [ooc: I'm running Kalen now. Feel free to talk to him if you wish.]

Jill: (Okay, thanks, forgot that)

Aidan, tips the page a decent bill of currency, "bounty hunter?"

3:40 PM 

me: "No. From a long line of men who sees the signs in the land. They say that he can
track the ghosts of legends past if that be his task. Where Shen Varjeffen walks the
shadows themselves cannot hide." The page moves away, worried that he's said too much.

3:42 PM 

Jill: Aidan nods sagely. He heads toward Kalen and Berhane. He sips from bottled water.

me: [ooc: By the way, do you mind if I post the game part of this chat online?]

Jill: Not at all.

3:43 PM 

(thanks for checking, I'm usually free 9 your time if you ever want t take this up again)

me: The water is evervescent and delicious. Berhane whispers to Kalen and he turns,
smiles and greets Aidan with an outstretched hand. "Good to see you, Aidan!"

3:44 PM 

[ooc: Thanks. We'll have to see about that. And how to get more Players to opt in.]

Jill: Aidan extends his hand, and shakes the Prince's hand firmly. "Good to see you too
Kalen. Lady Berhane," he says with a nod.

me: [ooc: Kalen is a Duke and Aidan would know that.]

Jill: (oops, sorry, misremembered from the webpage)

3:45 PM 

me: Berhane smiles in delight.

Kalen nods. "Are you here on business or pleasure?"

3:48 PM 

Jill: "I'm always working, but in general, no, just pleasure," Aidan replies, "How
about you."

3:50 PM 

me: "Both, actually." Kalen replies. His eyes wandering over the guests. "Being the
flagship's
pilot has its days. I've been to Avalon before. Be careful where you find your
pleasures."

Jill: (we got disconnected, gmail was having technical difficulties)

3:51 PM 

"I'll keep that in mind. How is the mission going?" he asks in a quieter voice.

3:52 PM 

"I do not know much about this place."

me: "The mission goes. I'm not high on the roster," he jokes. "Duty is what you
make of it, right?"

3:55 PM 

[ooc: did you get that?]

3:56 PM 

Jill: (ooc: babysitter just arrived)

3:57 PM 

(she's never been here before)

me: Do you need to run?

Jill: (i was showing her around)

(in a few more minutes)

(she's playing with him in the livng room)

3:59 PM 

"Indeed and often highly debatable," Aidan replies. "It sounds like you have many
stories of this place, where are the Talian flowers (beautiful but the petals are
highly toxic) I should avoid?".

4:01 PM 

me: Kalen laughs. "Avoid the moors after sunset to be sure." "Would you be
interested in joining me this evening for a private party?"

4:02 PM 

Jill: "I would love to, truth be told, I haven't even arranged for a place to stay. What
time?" he asks.

4:03 PM 

"Things are heating up more and more for the Jedi, I wasn't sure if I would have to
stay back," he replies.

4:04 PM 

(Unfortunately I do have to go now, sorry)

(after our next exchange)

me: "Oh I'm sure that I could vouch for you to find accomodations, Aidan."

"The Jedi are peaceful after all."

4:05 PM 

[ooc: we can pick this up later. Take care!]

Jill: "The tabloid, I'm sure will place me with..." Aidan actual stops mid-sentence
and laughs. "I never cause trouble".

me: Berhane and Kalen laugh.

Jill: (thanks so much David, sorry we didn't get a lot of time)

me: That's okay. We'll see if we can pick this up again soon.

This one was more of a thriller than I had anticipated. Great jobs from both Alan
and Robyn for coming up with questions that provided for options for them to go
as the adventure continued and for things yet to happen.

3:54 PM 

me: Okay. When last we left our intrepid heroes they were in Old Rebma, cutting
through some ancient stones with an antique laser torch. Then slowly and carefully
moving into the small tunnel to Unicorn knows where... insert dramatic music

3:56 PM 

Helena: Lysalas goes first, with Helena following after.

Lysalas: yep

me: The pair move through the debris into a chamber... a hallway now freshly
flooded with water.

Helena: "Um... where did you find that... whatever it is that you used to cut the
rocks?" she asks him quietly as they move along.

3:57 PM 

me: There are scraps of this and that floating around in the watery space.

Lysalas: "Hereabouts..." Lysalas replies. He begins searching before everything
becomes flooded

3:58 PM 

me: Lysalas spots a stone door at the end of the hallway. It looks like there are
tapestries and other things along the walls in the dim light.

3:59 PM 

Helena: Helena goes over to look at the tapestries, holding up her light to see them better.

me: A ceramic bust falls off its pedastal splashing into the water.

Lysalas: Lysalas adjusts the settings on his gismo so that it emits a glow rather
than a ray of light.

4:00 PM 

He approaches the door, looking for carvings

me: Geometric forms and color difficult to make out in the harsh light. Symbols.
It's not realistic. Perhaps animal and people shapes.

Helena: [laugh. it's so reassuring OOC to know that Lysalas doesn't know what
it's called.]

Lysalas: :)

4:01 PM 

Helena: [Do the symbols look like language or familiar at all? Given what she was
looking over in the archive.]

me: The gismo glows and hums softly. Some parchment floats by.

Lysalas: Lysalas produces charchoal from his sachel and rubs it over the surface,
making the symbols easier to read.

4:04 PM 

[How is the door secured? Is it barred, does it have a handle or is it just blocking
off the way?]

4:05 PM 

me: The door is rectangular. About 2 meters wide and 3 tall. Hand-carved granite.
Inlaid with precious stones and what looks like silver symbols around the edges
and more powerfully around the center. As though pointing to the middle of the
door where there is a circular hole about waist level.

4:06 PM 

Helena does see some things that look similar. She'd need to compare notes,
but yes it does spark of the familiar.

4:07 PM 

There is no handle or hinges in sight. The water pours in. It's up to their waste now.

Helena: Well, as she doesn't have any notes with her, she leaves the tapestry to join
Lysalas at the door.

4:08 PM 

me: He's rubbing charchoal to look at the symbols.

Helena: Along the way, she'll grab any parchment from the water that she happens
to see.

4:09 PM 

me: The symbols coalesce in his mind from long ago... gatestone.

Lysalas: familiar from the other gateway - on the stair?

me: A legendary mineral that drinks life in return for a function.

4:10 PM 

Similar in process but not the same structure. This in comparison is a far simpler
structure.

Helena has parchment. [I feel like this is Zork.]

4:11 PM 

Helena: [I also grab the rusty dagger.]

Lysalas: So a kind of magical gateway rather than a doorway to a differnet chamber?

Helena: Swell, she looks it over to see if anything on is readable.

4:12 PM 

me: More or less the same thing. Open the door and you enter into another place.
But this place they enter may not physically be behind the door before them. Yes.

It's like reading ancient Atlantean. ;-)

4:13 PM 

Because it is.

Helena: And I forgot my Lens of Truth.

me: There are some recurring symbols that Helena's seen recently.

Helena: Helena hangs onto it, trying to carefully roll it up as she peers at what
Lysalas is doing.

4:14 PM 

Lysalas: Lysalas steps way from the door and begins scanning the chamber, looking
for bones.

me: The water is now chest height. He sees something body like back towards
where they entered about fifty feet behind them.

It is floating in the water.

4:15 PM 

Lysalas: He goes over to check it out

me: Helena puts the scroll into a waterproof satchel.

Helena: Any other parchments or books or whatever that could be rescued?

4:16 PM 

me: Is Helena leaving the door to investigate back down the hallway? The water
is rushing towards them and there is a slight undercurrent.

4:17 PM 

Helena: Well, so is the room with the door/hallway where they entered at one end
and this other door at the other? And the other door is open now? And she's just
going to look around the room.

4:18 PM 

me: Lysalas eventually swims over to the shape. There is a bubble like thing.
Clothing holding air and within is indeed a body. Think airtight preserved until
now. The clothing is that of a priest robe.

Lysalas: Lysalas didn't attempt to open the door on the opposite end

me: The door hasn't opened yet.

Helena: [okay]

4:19 PM 

me: There is the opening Lysalas made a long hallway of about 50 feet. Then
a stone door.

Lysalas: is the body decaying? any sign of life at all?

Helena: [I think what I'm envisioning is that Helena starts in the direction of the
door and gets distracted by rescuing parchment and books, if there are any to
be rescued.]

me: There are small alcoves where tapestries and such were.

Sure. Helena becomes the art rescuer. :-)

4:20 PM 

Helena: She's the information junkie.

4:21 PM 

me: The body has some decay, but well preserved. It's dead. When Lysalas looks
it over he sees the face of the man, Perthius, who was once a tutor of his when
he was but a boy at Court.

4:22 PM 

[ooc: Robyn, feel free to come up with some art stuffs if you wish.]

The water continues to rise to shoulder height.

Lysalas: "We need to get this body out," Lysalas says, "we can come back when
the chamber has flooded - it will be safer then." He then tries to float the body
out gently without damaging it

Helena: Only if my bag of holding will contain so much stuff.

me: The great stone door looms in the distance.

4:23 PM 

Her bag won't be able to hold everything, but Lysalas and her could share.

The current is too strong to get the body out now.

Lysalas: sure. Lysalas is keen to take what can be saved.

Helena: Helena hasn't even really noticed the body, being busy with her activities.
She turns sharply--or as sharply as one can turn when in water up to one's neck--at
Lysalas' words, but Lysalas likely can't see her expression through her headgear.

Lysalas: [Damn]

4:24 PM 

me: Water rushing in with all that pressure through the small hole. It will soon
break anything valuable and crush the body if they don't do something soon-ish.

Helena: She struggles over to where Lysalas is, through the current, to see if
there's something else that can be done.

Lysalas: Lysalas looks to see if the body can be safely stowed in an alcove

4:25 PM 

or somewhere it won't be further damaged

me: For the time being yes. If they could stop the water from rushing in that could
help too but then they'd be stranded in the hallway.

But ultimately the water will continue to rush in.

4:26 PM 

The black door and silver markings and gemstones glitter in the water and light.

Helena sees that Lysalas has a dead body with him.

Lysalas: it's not the water itself, but the current he's concerned about. Wrap the
body and weigh it down with sotnes perhaps?

4:27 PM 

Helena: Where is the air going? Out through the hole as well, and up through the
ruins? Or is it escaping in other places?

me: Again, the pressure of being under water this deep unless Lysalas can get all
air out of the body, etc. to save most of it.

Lysalas: Lysalas seems to be getting increasingly distraught

4:28 PM 

Helena: helena looks around to see if there's something to block the hole with.
"Can you use the whatever-it-is to seal that with more rocks or something?"

Lysalas: "We would be trapped," he says simply. He looks back a tthe glistening door...

me: Helena notices one of the tapestries moving a bit too much halfway down
the corridor.

4:29 PM 

Helena: She goes to investigate it, as there doesn't seem much else to be done
elsewhere at the moment.

me: The water is about head height (2 meters).

4:30 PM 

Helena: She also looks around to see if there's anything else that they could put
the body into temporarily. A box or what have you.

me: Helena sees that there is a wooden grate behind the tapestry. A small vent
perhaps?

Lysalas: Lysalas moves back towards the door, floating the body with him.

4:31 PM 

me: The gemstones flicker as though alive in the waning light.

4:32 PM 

No boxes found yet. So much dark water about.

Helena: How big?

She shines the light as close as she can to see it.

me: The grate is about two feet wide. One foot tall.

Helena: Probably not big enough, then?

4:33 PM 

me: It looks like most normal sized folks could fit through it.

Lysalas: Lysalas reaches the door. He pulls the puzzlebox from his pocket, and
compares its size to the thing at the centre of the door

me: The wooden grate is weak after so many years. She might even be able to
pull it free.

4:34 PM 

Lysalas: [He doesn't seem to have noticed what Helena is doing]

Helena: "Lysalas. Maybe we could use this," she calls to him. She begins testing
the grate, trying to pull it free. "A vent of some sort."

4:35 PM 

me: The puzzle box is about the rite general size. However, the hole is circular
and the box has defined sides. It can fit in the door. The circular hole is not an
impression, but a deep hole in the door.

With a couple tugs the grate shatters in her hand, falling into the water.

4:36 PM 

Lysalas: Lysalas turns sharply, as if awakened from a trance. "Yes... there must be
anothr way." He moves in her direction.

4:37 PM 

me: [ooc: Nice job there, Alan!]

Helena: Helena tries not to lose her balance in the current as she leans closer to
inspect it. She holds onto the tapestry for security and balance. Though there's no
guarantee it won't give, it's at least close by.

me: The opening seems to be where the air is being pushed out. Helena can pull
herself up into it if she wants.

4:38 PM 

Lysalas: "Can you help me with Peruthius?" Lysalas says, trying to rescue the
body from the flood

4:39 PM 

Helena: Only if she has backup.

Glancing over at him, she nods, and heads in his direction again. Slowly fighting
through the water away from the vent.

4:42 PM 

Lysalas: "When you get back...can you please see that this chamber is guarded?"
Lysalas says breathlessly, straining against the water.

me: Between the two of them they can ease the body into the vent and move into
themselves. The crawlspace is narrow and rough along cut stone. It leads a short
ways away up and down through a a twisting harrowing maze until at last they exit
into a small dark chamber that by all accounts seems dry and safe for the time being.

4:43 PM 

[ooc: let me know if they do not go on together. I may have assumed too much.]

Helena: [That's fine. As long as Helena doesn't get sucked into the void by herself,
she'll go along. :) ]

4:44 PM 

Lysalas: [Lysalas will stick with H. She showed him the way out, after all] Lysalas
sits for a moment, dripping. "If you can get Peruthius to Evangelene, she will know
how to take care of him."

Helena: She nods as they maneuver through the passage. "I can try," she answers.
She waits until they've reached a stopping place before she responds to anything else.

4:45 PM 

She leans against the wall, breathing heavily and resting. She shines her light
around, trying to get a sense of where they are now.

Lysalas: Ok, I need to sign off now. Thanks for the advanture - hopefully pick
it up gain soon.]

4:46 PM 

me: [You're welcome. Thanks to you both. Take care!]

Thanks to Amy for playing through this semi-confessional scene with a new NPC.
I think we were able to put a lot of content into context and further develop options
for Sarah and the game.

4:55 PM 

Isabelle is so happy to see Sarah and to share what she's learned about Avalon
with her and of course to learn from Sarah about things in Amber, especially with
Eric as king and all.

4:58 PM 

Amy: Sarah wants to hear all about Avalon, and all about Isabelle, and even little
details about life that don't seem related to anything. She is happy to chat about
the changes in Amber, the changes in policy, anything Isabelle might not know,
but she doesn't give away any secrets, or reveal any opinions.

5:00 PM 

me: Isabelle chats on over drink and fancy snacks. She knows quite a lot about the
rivalries between the Avalon Houses. That Juliette is not the chosen heir by all of them.

Isabelle makes it a point to ask Sarah if this Eric is the real deal given how he supposedly
died over a thousand years ago defending Amber from Chaos?

5:02 PM 

Amy: "Oh, he's the real deal all right," Sarah laughs, "I thought it was odd myself,
but he is Eric. And he's very impressive."

She probes into the unrest in the Houses a bit deeper.

me: "How close are you to the King of Amber?" Isabelle inquires, perhaps with envy.

5:03 PM 

Amy: "Oh, not very. I wish I were more close. Because of my ties to Random, I am
going to have to prove my loyalty again. Thus, this trip." Sarah spreads her hands.

5:04 PM 

me: "Well it's a marvelous opportunity for you to travel yet again. It seems as though
you never get to stay in Amber overlong," she chides her friend.

"What can you tell me about that dashing pilot, Duke Kalen?"

5:06 PM 

Amy: "I know, I know," Sarah laughs. "I've only met Duke Kalen once, but he seems
very nice - and he cuts a fantastic figure. Have you met him yet?"

"Tell me about the men here - are there any prospects?"

5:07 PM 

me: "Actually, he's been here before, but not acknowledged as a scion of Amber.
Years ago with his... mentor." Isabelle seems uncertain if she should divulge more.

5:08 PM 

"The men here are traditionalists. If you are foreign like yourself they will give
you more latitude. However, they need to feel in power. I am constantly working
indirectly to get politics handled. The Ladies of Court are strong and cunning. I've
learned much from them."

5:10 PM 

Amy: Sarah nods. "In some ways, like Amber, in others..." She purses her lips.
"Do you have anyone that you feel you can particularly lean on?"

5:11 PM 

me: "Do you mean for information or for favors?"

5:13 PM 

Amy: "Mostly the latter..." Sarah looks Isabelle in the eyes. "You know what the
Fleet is searching, for, don't you?"

me: "I thought it public knowledge that the fleet is searching for Kings Random
and Corwin?"

5:14 PM 

"Minister Auckley has been very reliable," Isabelle says after a moment as though
revealing a strength.

5:15 PM 

Amy: Sarah nods.

me: [ooc: By the way, do you mind if I post the game part of this thread on the
Web site?]

Amy: [OOC: not at all]

me: Thanks!

Amy: "What I meant is, why."

5:16 PM 

me: Isabelle's eyes narrow and she puts down her wine glass and leans in closer
to Sarah to hear.

5:17 PM 

Amy: "It's nothing definite, certainly I have no more information than the party
line, at present, nor would I wish to read into a voyage of faith, but... consider it."

5:18 PM 

"Is there any information on the Kings here, Isabelle?"

5:22 PM 

me: "Avalon was once friendly to King Corwin and of course to his brother, Prince
Benedict. I've never heard of any malice towards King Random from here, but if
anyone knew it would be Queen Juliette -- if you can trust her. Since her coronation,
she has become something unlike her former self as Senator Rand. I do not claim
to understand the changes position make to a person. But there is talk from
detractors that she made bargains with Dark Forces to become Queen so soon.
I wish I had more information regarding the missing monarchs. I can inquire with
my contacts."

5:24 PM 

Amy: "I appreciate all that you can tell me, as always," Sarah replies warmly.

me: Isabelle returns to an earlier part of their conversation, "I'm concerned for the
young Duke. Perhaps it is nothing as he has proven himself a hero."

Amy: "Hmm?" she cocks her head to the side, listening.

5:26 PM 

me: She offers more refreshment to Sarah. She pulls out a small bottle, so red it is
black. The silver sprinkle curving pattern twisting up to the top that she pops with
a smile and licks her lips. Pours in a pair of glasses.

"Yes, his mentor... Prince Bleys. I remember their visit years ago."

5:27 PM 

The aroma from the poured wine is soft and sweet and then grows subtley.

Amy: Sarah takes a glass and swirls the wine, breathing in the aroma.

5:28 PM 

me: The effect is slow and easy... the feeling of a pleasant afternoon free of worries.

5:29 PM 

"It is an Avalon delicacy. Twilight."

Amy: "It's lovely," Sarah says and takes a sip.

5:30 PM 

"What about Duke Kalen worries you?"

me: "Prince Bleys introduced the young Kalen, known as Kyle then, to people
at Court."

5:31 PM 

The sip gently washes over and through Sarah. The experience flows and
grows into a rich memory of life and love.

Amy: Sarah relaxes, listening and enjoying the sensation.

5:32 PM 

me: "Kyle was young, impressionable, and as I later learned was mourning the
loss of his mother and sister who were killed in Amber City by thugs. His father,
Prince Gerard was distraught. Prince Bleys and others were there for Kyle."

5:34 PM 

Amy: Sarah continues to listen, focusing on the emotional words in the story.

5:35 PM 

me: Isabelle relaxes as she sips from her own glass. "As I mentioned Prince Bleys
introduced Kyle to Court. The Court life perhaps his father would have disapproved...
scandalous experiences." She says with a ladylike attitude as though saying sex
is below her station in life.

5:36 PM 

With each further sip the the feelings Sarah has become richer, realer to the
here and now.

5:37 PM 

Amy: "And now you feel... he has given too much of himself to that life?"

5:38 PM 

me: "I believe that those who knew Kyle have issues they would like to settle with
him while he is here in Avalon. There was the death of at least one Lord, which
Prince Bleys covered up. None know all the details. Kyle was involved."

5:39 PM 

"Prince Bleys is not here to protect Kyle."

5:40 PM 

Amy: Sarah's expression freezes as she considers the implications.

me: Isabelle's voice is growing stronger in emotion.

Amy: "I see," she says finally.

5:42 PM 

me: Isabelle puts down her glass. "Look what I have done. I've summoned
meloncholy into a fond reunion."

5:44 PM 

She forces a smile. "I'm very happy for you, Sarah. The adventures you will have
with the Rebmians. Did you hear about the Second Peace Conference Senator
Marcus Grakt is organizing in Rebma?"

5:45 PM 

Amy: Sarah lets the conversation be changed, but keeps an eye on her friend's
mood. "Yes, I think it will be marvelous."

5:49 PM 

me: "I know that they have the go ahead for it to be in New Rebma, that strange
city between Old Rebma on the seafloor and the surface... Built by the Trade
Federation. I did hear that Senator Grakt is pushing to have the conference in
Old Rebma. Can you imagine the logistics? All that underwater business. I
suppose since he is pushing to be the next Supreme Chancellor he feels he
can make such requests..." She pauses to sip. "Have you decided whom you
would support for the Supreme Chancellor?

5:51 PM 

Amy: Sarah's eyelashes flutter. "I will support whomever King Eric supports,
of course."

me: Isabelle flashes Sarah a smile. "How diplomatic of you."

5:55 PM 

She raises her wine glass, "To Sarah Tam. May her journey be true and her storms
be few. May her glory be great and her worries come few. May her joy overcome
her grief should she ever find her one true home."

Amy: "I'm not trying to be disingenous," Sarah protests, "it's just that my personal
feelings in a political matter..."

Sarah raises her glass and echoes the toast, feeling the warmth of camaraderie
fill her and relax her in a way she has not felt in a long time.

5:57 PM 

me: [ooc: How about we stop here for tonight?]

6:00 PM 

Amy: [OOC: okay. Thanks, that was fun!]

me: [We can pick up by email for the thread between Sarah and Queen Juliette
if you like or if there's another character or more Sarah would contact first. Your
decision.]

You're welcome. Thanks!

6:02 PM 

Amy: Okay. I'll think about it and get going on that.

6:03 PM 

me: Sounds great! Have a great day. I'm going to see if I can do this again next
weekend or there after on a semi-regular basis if Players want to join in.

6:05 PM 

Amy: Excellent!

6:06 PM 

Take care!

6:07 PM 

me: You too, Amy!