<<I log in to find an uproar over OT. It seems we've snatched a baby! Finally, we can perform the

ritual we have been waiting to complete.>>

(Order): You say, "Kidnapping, Dunn? I didn't realise you were so desperate to be a father."

(Order): Dunn says, "I have enough children to take care of as Overseer, thank you, Demiurge."

<<I decide to go find Dunn, to see what he has managed to capture us.>>

Dunn strokes a writhing, screaming baby tenderly.

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says to you, "Loud little guy."

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Good Gods. If you plan to keep it, hire a nanny."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks you, "You're the one with the mothering instinct... you want to hold it?"

Dunn peers about himself unscrupulously.

The baby opens its mouth wide, taking a deep breath, and then continues to squall.

You say disgustedly in a chic, liquored voice, "Not particularly, but I suppose I could give it a
shot."

Dunn grins mischievously at you.

Dunn gives a writhing, screaming baby to you.

You have tmoted: Amunet holds a writhing, screaming baby at arm's length, one perfectly-arched
eyebrow raised in bemusement as she stares into its tear-streaked face.

The baby coos, hiccups, and then spits a stream of pale, milky vomit all over your clothes.

Dunn utters a deep, rumbling laugh.

Dunn coughs and stifles his deep laughter, smiling at the mess.

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Oh, for the love of all that is holy -!"

You have tmoted: Amunet glances down at her ruined attire, her expression fixed in horror.

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says to you, "You may... want to change before the ritual."

You nod your head emphatically.

<<Check OWHO to see who can be entrusted to take care of a child.>>

(Order): You say, "Lianca! Get down here. The Crown has a very important job for you."

(Order): Lianca says, "On my way."

<<Lianca arrives in response to my summons.>>

(Order): Tanris says, "Darroth in the bog."

The vomit slowly dries, caking your clothing.

(Order): Dunn says, "Quite a few."

<<Dunn leaves to help dispatch the Easterners.>>

You have tmoted: Amunet glances desperately at Lianca, then back down at her vomit-drenched clothing.

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "Dear Gods."

You say to Lianca in a chic, liquored voice, "Hold this while I change."

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "Of course."

A beam of prismatic light suddenly shoots into the room.

The plane of prismatic light disappears.

Lianca creases her brow in a frown.

A beam of prismatic light suddenly shoots into the room.

(Order): Lianca says, "Anyone trying to prism?"

You crease your brow in a frown.

Tanaar arrives, following Silas.
Tanaar plummets down from the darkness above, crashing into the hard stone ground with a sickly
crunch.
Silas suddenly appears, having travelled down the beam of prismatic light.
Silas's eyes uncloud as a wunjo rune heals his blindness.
Silas's limbs lock up as his eyes meet an inguz rune on a totem.
Silas's attention is grabbed and held by a nairat rune.
Silas's eyes close suddenly as he falls asleep.
Silas plummets down from the darkness above, crashing into the hard stone ground with a sickly
crunch.
Silas wakes up with a gasp of pain.

<<Lianca and I haul ass out of the room to a safer part of the Caverns!>>

(Order): Lianca says, "Silas in."

(Order): You say, "Tanaar and Maynard."

(Order): You say, "They should be stuck down there. I have the brat. I'll make a run for it and take
it to Ashtan."

(Order): Lianca says, "Wait, Amunet, I can empress you there."

(Order): Sohl says, "How did they get in?"

(Order): You say, "Prismed. Go, Lianca, quickly."

The great form of Lianca grows still and her eyes glaze over as the world blurs and then sharpens.

With a flap of her majestic silver wings, Lianca enters a tear in the fabric of reality, and is gone.

The baby looks at you and begins to scream again, wailing with desperate fury.

You stare implacably at a writhing, screaming baby.

The high, desperate wails of an infant echo from the Caverns of Enheduanna.

You shuffle 1 card with the image of the Universe out of your deck.

Rubbing your fingers briskly on the card, you charge it with necessary energy.
The card begins to glow with a mystic energy.

You fling the card at the ground, and it vanishes into the earth in a spark of magic.

A shimmering, translucent image rises up before you, its glittering surface displaying the verdant
grasslands, soaring mountains, sprawling settlements and deep blue seas of the Achaea mainland.

You reach out and touch the map before you. Your surroundings spin as you melt effortlessly into the
image.

--- Town centre of New Thera ------ 0:0:0 ---
You see exits leading north, northeast, east, south, and west.

A large, rectangular gateway opens up near you, and you feel yourself irresistibly drawn inside.

--- A lavish entry hall ----------- 0:0:0 ---
Festive boughs of holly are decked out in your surroundings. Bright red berries peek out from the
holly. A runic totem is planted solidly in the ground. A statue of King Martin the Wise stands along
the western wall, his gaze calm. To the east, a statue of King Garrin the Golden stands firm and
defiant. A beautiful green Logosmas tree is here.  Lianca, Occult Taskmaster is here. She wields a
Shield of Absorption in her right hand.
You see exits leading north and out.

(Order): Sohl says, "How was Maynard and the other one able to get in?"

(Order): Tanris says, "Devotional force."

(Order): Lianca says, "The child has been removed from the caverns."

(Order): Dunn says, "Where to?"

(Order): Lianca says, "Amunet and I are in the Ashtan palace."

You have tmoted: Amunet draws the infant closer to her chest, patting it awkwardly on the back.

<<I finally have the opportunity to get a good look at the baby.>>

This newborn baby is red in the face from crying and screaming at the top of his lungs. Tears stream
down his chubby little cheeks and drip from his face, only be to absorbed by the small blanket which
he is wrapped in. On the off chance that he stops screaming long enough to open them, one can find a
sparkling pair of sky-blue eyes.
 A writhing, screaming baby looks weak and feeble.
He weighs about 7 pounds.

You whisper soothing words to a writhing, screaming baby.

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says to you, "Still need to change your clothing?"

You say to Lianca in a chic, liquored voice, "Yes, please!"

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "Pass me the babe."

You give a writhing, screaming baby to Lianca.

<<Moved to the royal bedchamber to change out of vomit-laden clothing. Finished changing, and Dunn

arrived.>>

Dunn arrives from the down.

You nod your head at Dunn.

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says, "Those Shallamese..."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks, "Who has the child?"

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "A bit angry, are they?"

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says, "Aye."

A single gleaming red eye opens in midair, then suddenly becomes the heart of a swirling fog of
shimmering distortion that clears to reveal the black-robed figure of Mordanyconus.

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Lianca, at the moment. I had to change."

Dunn sucks thoughtfully on his teeth.

Mordanyconus greets Dunn with a sincere smile.

Mordanyconus says, "Ready? Nervous? Butterflies in your stomach?"

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says, "Greetings, High Priest."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says to Mordanyconus, "I blame the crying child."

Mordanyconus says, "Not the vomit?"

Dunn stares implacably at you.

You frown and say to Dunn in a chic, liquored voice, "Do kill the thing savagely."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord says, "I think she is clean now!"

Mordanyconus nods his head emphatically.

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "There is a reason I never bothered to care for my own offspring."

The corners of Dunn's mouth turn up as he grins mischievously.

Mordanyconus says, "Well. Good luck to you, then. Shall I signal you when it's your turn to enter?"

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Yes, please."

Dunn nods his head at Mordanyconus.

Mordanyconus nods his head emphatically.

Mordanyconus says, "Very well, then. Any last questions?"

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks, "Shall we press on in the event of an invasion?"

Lianca tells you, "Ready to take this brat back?"

You tell Lianca, Occult Taskmaster, "Yes, I think so. One moment, let me have a blanket ready."

Mordanyconus exclaims, "In that case, get out there and knock them dead!"

Mordanyconus says, "Metaphorically speaking."

The corners of Dunn's mouth turn up as he grins mischievously.

The corners of your mouth turn up as you grin mischievously.

Mordanyconus inclines his head politely.

Mordanyconus is suddenly engulfed in a swirling fog of shimmering distortion that fades to leave
only a single red eye hovering in midair. A moment later, the eye slowly closes and leaves only
empty space where the human had been.

Gently tapping a twisted staff before her, Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning shuffles in from the down.

Lianca arrives from the down.

You have tmoted: Amunet tosses a blanket over her shoulder before reaching for the child.

Lianca awkwardly hands over the squirming child, a look of distate evident upon her face.

Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning wrinkles her nose and sniffs.

Lianca greets Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning with a sincere smile.

Dunn clears his throat.

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks, "Let's move towards the chapel?"

You have tmoted: Amunet manages a smile, curtseying awkwardly at Urdu as she attempts to manoeuvre
with the child in her arms.

Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning says, "What smells like boar sh-crap?"

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "Southern children."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord looks undecided and says, "New Hope."

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "All of the above."

Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning shudders violently.

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "It'll be dealt with soon enough, we hope."

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks, "Are we all set?"

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Indeed. We must get down to the chapel."

You nod your head at Dunn.

Lianca nods her head at Dunn.

Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning says, "Well, I got an invite to this shindig."

You say to Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning in a chic, liquored voice, "If you will follow Lianca, I
expect she will seat you in the pews."

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster smiles and says to Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning, "It should be something
to see."

Lianca nods her head at you.

You say to Lianca in a chic, liquored voice, "Put her up front, where she can get a good view."

The corners of your mouth turn up as you grin mischievously.

The corners of Dunn's mouth turn up as he grins mischievously.

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Far away from the centre aisle."

Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning nods.

Lianca, Occult Taskmaster says, "Will do."

Lianca leaves to the down.
Gently tapping a twisted staff before her, Urdu, the Crone of Reckoning shuffles out to the down.

Dunn holds his arm out to you.

Warlord Dunn Lichlord asks, "Shall we?"

You have tmoted: Amunet shifts the child to one hip as she takes Dunn's arm.

You nod your head emphatically.

You follow Warlord Dunn Lichlord down to Ascending the royal tower.

You follow Warlord Dunn Lichlord south to A handsome arcade.

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Just to the hall outside."

You say in a chic, liquored voice, "Then we wait."


--- An opulent gallery ------------ 1:2:0 ---

You see exits leading northeast, east (open door), and west.


<<After a few moments, Dunn goes in.>>