You walk forward down the dark hallway and come to a door.  It opens automatically as you approach.

The room ahead is well lit and large.  About twenty feet in, there is a semicircle pit about twenty feet wide that goes from the back wall, around toward you, and then back to the other side of the wall.  The pit is deep and dark, and you cannot tell how far down it goes, but some sort of vapor or smoke is wafting up from it.

What the semicircle pit surrounds is a dais against the far wall.  As you watch a portion of that wall swivels in a half circle until the wall is flush again.  What was on the back side of the wall is what catches your attention.

From the waist up, what stands atop the dais appears to be a pleasant old woman with long silvery hair.  From the waist down, you see a three-legged robot-like connection.  The three legs, like spider legs, move awkwardly and jerkily as she takes a step forward.

From her hair are attached wires and tiny tubes.  They form an outgrowth bulging primarily in the back of her head and connect down to her waist where the robot body is attached to her.

She speaks, her voice soft and pleasant.  "Do not be afraid of my appearance.  I am neither a subject of the computer that dominates the programming you call the Matrix, nor am I part of your human world.  You may call me Pythia.  I represent the Oracle collective mind which you previously met.  It is unfortunate that a life sacrifice has always been required to facilitate prediction, yet I hope you never forget your companions called Dracos and X."

She takes another spidery step forward, descending the dais, and with her arms she pulls in the mist and vapors and breathes them in.

"I am pleased to inform you that you have almost passed the test Zero-One has created, the obstacle that ancient treaties require before I can divulge my secrets.  The final test is a riddle.  You must each answer a riddle with a difficulty tied in to the path and pill you have chosen.  The time limit Zero-One has imposed is one minute each, although you may assist each other.

"First, for Jade, a simple one:

The Matrix is not my master;
To me its rules do not apply.
From me it ebbed forth,
Though from there has gone awry.
I stand outside it,
Not within its confines;
I watch from without,
Though always intertwined.

"As soon as you have the answer, let me know."  She continues to breathe in the vapors.  "Please keep in mind that every wrong answer in those 60 seconds will result in something Zero-One has designed to be...unpleasant."

60...59...58...57...

OOC: The riddles I use will be original (so sorry if they're not great).  We will count each actual day as 15 seconds of thought, so you get four days per riddle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:51, Wed 07 Nov 2007.

[why would zero one test us, isn't it more concerned about us pulling it's plug?]

[this silly game had better be worth it] Codec thinks as he keeps his distance from the fumes.

[outside the matrix, created the matrix?, not imprisoned, yet connected?...]

Codec whispers to his comrades, "Could it be Pythia herself? She did mention not being part of the human/Matrix world, but it seems like it could be the creator of the Matrix..."

Screed does one small fist pump as he exclaims, "Alright, riddles, gotta love 'em.  It could be Pythia, but Zion also fits as does any human body hooked up to the matrix.

The Matrix is not my master; Zion fits here better than a body, though, but Pythia does also.
To me its rules do not apply.  Again all three would seem to fit, although she said this whole riddle thing is a rule she has to follow.
From me it ebbed forth,  Here, I'm not so sure Pythia works. She didn't create the matrix, though she represents the mind, but that makes me think that the mind might be a choice.  Nooo, hmmm, the mind follows the rules to an extent because of the agents.
Though from there has gone awry.  Now here, this is where it seems Zion only fits the best, though Pythia also does
I stand outside it, of course fits both
Not within its confines; and both again
I watch from without, and again
Though always intertwined. and again.

Hey, try them both."

OOC:  Codec (this may have been explained when you were absent from the game), the Oracle and Zero-One had a truce.  She would not divulge dangerous truths unless those seeking her predictions/truths managed to get through the Oracle's Labyrinth, which was designed by Zero-One but had to be passable by humans as part of the deal.  In exchange, Zero-One would not send agents to track her down and delete her from the program entirely.  The Oracle and Zero-One are at a sort of detente in their eternal struggle against each other.

(So look at her words carefully.  She says she is not a "subject" to the computer that dominates the Matrix.  She does not say she is not part of the Matrix.  She is, in fact, a bug in the program...an errant AI that could destroy Zero-One if she wanted...but that would destroy her (them?) in the process.)

Jade says, "Zion?"

Codec scrunches his face into a scowl. [god this could be bad...] "But it speaks of ebbing forth. Was Zion in existance before the Matrix?" Codec replies.


OOC: Thanks for the info.

Screed nods, "Well, I'm not up on all the history, but I believe Zion was the last bastion of human society fighting the machines before they won...so much.  As for 'ebbing forth', I don't know. It is a mixture of words that is kind of confusing.  Ebb means to recede or to possibly decline whereas forth used in this instance seems to be creation, growth."

The brainiac is just getting started.  "Now, with literature, and by the way I hate 'literature'," he says with the two finger apostrophes, "They often use words to give feelings instead of their meanings.  Sooo, ebb could be used to show the slow flow of the machines creation and growth to it's present day situation including the matrix which has to be the 'it' in this line.

Anyone smell cookies?  I could really go for some right now."  He looks to see if there is a reaction from Pythia from Jade's quip.

Pythia says, "I'm afraid Zion is the incorrect answer."  She seems genuinely sad.

Then you see a fleshy arm reach up from the pit as a...a creature that looks nothing less than zombie-like begins to crawl out of the pit.  Its face is distorted and expressionless.  As it rises up, you take an instinctive and repulsive step back.

And then you think that it doesn't really look so much like a zombie as a patchwork human, deformed in some grotesque way that even Dr. Frankenstein could not have imagined.

It does not seem friendly.

...45...44...43...
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:58, Thu 08 Nov 2007.

"What about your 'mind'?" Cistron inquires, "..It fits that criteria."

"Our minds cannot fit as they are imprisoned within the Matrix itself. The Matrix is a prison for the both the mind and body." Codec proclaims as he takes a step back from the pit nervously checking his buckler and glancing his holster with his hand...

"I guess you could say the soul, but that seems like an off guess. Maybe God or Fate? Those seem off too. Why would a machine have knowledge of concepts that abstract and illogical."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:59, Fri 09 Nov 2007.

Jade is visibly frightened by the creature.  She lifts her M-16 and, at the slightest hint of aggression, fires at it.

Jade fires at the zombie-like monstrosity.  She hits the sluggish thing with several bullets from the M-16.  Then, with sudden ferocity and speed, it rushes toward her.  It is unclear how much her bullets have actually harmed the creature.

It sends its dirty claw-like hand out, hitting her across the face and creating three long gashes there from the claws.  (2 dmg)

Jade empties her M-16 into the thing, and prepares to reload.  "Some help would be nice," she says to the others as she is backing away from the creature.

Screed raises his eyebrows and says, "Sure, try giving another answer to see if it goes away."  Thinking even more help would probably be appreciated, he pulls his blaster and fires off a threeshot at the zombie.

Jade fires off her M-16, which riddles the thing's body with holes.  Screed also hits one out of three shots before it has a chance to reach Jade.  Its body slumps to the ground, and it begins to disintegrate into ash and a liquid goo right before your eyes.

Codec backs a little farther from the pit, "What about your Imagination? Is that correct?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:08, Fri 16 Nov 2007.

Screed pipes in, "She's got to say it, not us.  We each will get our own.  It's writting on the inside lid of the game box."  He shakes his head and chuckles possibly trying to relieve his own stress as he checks his pistol out to make sure it's okay.

Jade takes a few seconds to think, realizing that her time is running out.  Then she says, "I think I've got it!  Is it a programmer?  Like a computer programmer?"

Screed swings back to where the zombie came out and pulls out his laser pistol also aiming both of them and waiting.

Pythia smiles.  "That is correct, Jade.  A programmer created us and the rules we must abide by, yet a programmer is not bound by our rules but by the rules of nature created by the ultimate programmer."

She turns to Screed.  "I sense much fear in you, especially of what may happen to you in the Matrix where things are not always in control.  But what do you fear most of all?  For you, perhaps a slightly more difficult riddle, but fear not, for only an incorrect guess can hurt you.

"Every man this domain will rule,
And in this demesne remains quite cool,
Though kicking and screaming for postponement,
He struggles to avoid enthronement.
But once there, never moving, never yearning,
His throne nevermore spurning,
He rules quite contented,
In this kingdom he is presented."

She smiles again.  "You have one minute to answer if you are to receive the reward this quest brings you for."

60...59...58...

Screed looks at the feminine form as she wonders at his fear to which he chuckles aloud, "Oh, sorry, I'm not scared, just bored and maybe a little worried that this whole situation, including the matrix is the product of an insane mind."

He raises his eyebrows in mock disbelief and sighs as she moves into the riddle to which he says immediately, "Well, I'm guessing the throne is not a toilet.  Let's see..." he adds as his mind drifts off for a moment.

"Unfortunately," she says, "your goal is to determine what the riddle is...not what it is not."

57...56...55...

"Well 'demesne' could be an old term for land or domain...It speaks of a domain that rules over everyone too, but doesn't want the throne. Do you guys think it could be the Merovingians?"

OOC: Remember that every "real day" is 15 seconds for thinking about solving the riddle.  The riddle was posted on Friday...  Because it was the weekend, I'll only take a total of 15 seconds for the weekend.

You are pondering and discussing the riddle while Pythia waits patiently.
43...42...41...
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:16, Mon 19 Nov 2007.

Screed comments, "A coffin?  Death?."  He pauses as he looks at the others, "Maybe, I'll try the others after."

OOC:Whoops, sorry, forgot about the day per 15 seconds...

Pythia smiles.  "Very good.  A coffin it is."

She then turns to Codec.  "And now let us test your mettle and your mind with this riddle:

"Between the pyramid of Egypt and the New York skyline,
A medieval circus you will find.
Kitty-cornered to a lion, can you ever spot,
The glowing walls of this place, but not in Camelot,
With castle and dragon and rooms far and wide,
The answer is the city where Excalibur lies."

Screed pumps his arm in victory as he hisses, "Yesss!"  He ponders Codec's riddle having a few ideas but is worried about throwing out things and taking over.  One can tell because he starts talking but stops immediately a couple of times.  He finally waits.

Codec listens to the question...[*sigh*]. [it's where excalibur lies...excalibur, exaclibur...umm crap what did they teach me back in school when I was in the Matrix?!?] He furls up his hair in frustration trying to remember.

[not Shangri-La{too oriental}, not Atlantis {no dragons}, not Uru{what was that anyways}, not Madagascar{uru?}, not NJ{exotic, but no castles...}, not...Not what? Avalon? or is it Tir Na nOg?]

"Is the answer Avalon? If not is it Tir Na nOg?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:20, Mon 19 Nov 2007.

She shakes her head.  "The answer is not Avalon, I'm afraid."

One of those inhuman yet human creatures pulls itself from the pit.

"Also," she says, "I'm afraid the answer is not Tir Na nOg either."

Yet another of the creatures extracts itself from the pit.  They are both lumbering toward Codec.

45...44...43...

Screed whispers to Codec as he fires a three shot at the new beast,

Which one?

There is one on the right with a head like a pumpkin with skin stretched over it and an extra arm, and then there is the one on the left that is hunched over and hairy in almost a werewolf-like fashion.

I will assume that Screed is to the right of Codec and therefore will shoot for the pumpkin one on the right.

Codec starts sweating a little. [crapcrapcrap...] Screed whispers into his ear. [no way! wait...New York hotel, that pyramid one, Camelot, Circus Circus........Damn, he's right!]

Codec shouts out before the pumpkinhead can pull itself from the pit, "Las Vegas!"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:07, Wed 21 Nov 2007.

Screed nods at the big boss lady wondering what she would say as he prepares for another shot.

Jade will fire at the same mutant thing that Screed is firing at, her M-16 on automatic fire.

Jade and Screed fire.  Screed's bullet hits the creature in the face, and Jade knocks it to the ground.  The other one, however, reaches Codec.  He has to jump back and duck as he yells out, "Las Vegas."

The creature...misses Codec with its claws.

The Oracle, as though not seeing Codec's plight, says, "Very good."

Codec begins to retreat as the monster-thing tilts its head and tracks him.  It seems to completely ignore everyone else, and the Oracle says, "And for Cistron, here is your riddle:

"Half of my number is more than four,
Yet I am more than half a score.
Add to me when bakers are near,
But though my days may be numbered, or months I make a year.

I went to Vegas on a showboat,
And met a man with a white goat;
He had seven sheep,
And two cats for each,
He brought his three wives,
And each had three sons,
And a daughter who sang in quatrain.
Man, goat, sheep, cats, wives, sons, daughters.
How many were going to Vegas?"

59...58...57...

The creature spots Codec and begins to charge him again.  Meanwhile you have all had a chance to reload your weapons.

Jade switches gears and fires at the other mutant thing just like before.

Codec jumps back just in time as claws fly past his face.

His gun flies out and he empties his clip at the creature keeping his buckler secured in one hand.

[2 riddles? Add to me when bakers are near, bakers doz=13-1=12=mon/yr=12? RIDDLE 2: 1+1+7+(7*2)+3+(3*3)+3=38?]

"Cistron, the first should be 12 and the second 38 to Vegas!"

Screed shouts, "No! One wnet to Vegas!"  He fires another shot at the monster.

"First question is 12, Cistron answers. The second, depends on the wording: 2 men, 1 goat, 3 wives.. The riddle doesn't actually specify that he brought the rest to Vegas (goats, sheep, cats, sons, daughter); only that he had owned them. So my answer for the second one is '6.'

Screed shakes his head, "Okay, okay, you're on a showboat so I guess you do have to be going in the same direction, then again, how many rivers are there in deserts in Nevada?"

Pythia says, "12 is correct, but unfortunately, 6 is not."

One of those creatures crawls out of the pit.  It looks like large, bulky man covered in pockmarks with a hunched back and bulging eyes.  Long streams of saliva fall from his open mouth, where you see a row of pointy teeth.  Its hands end in talon-like fingers.

It begins to move quickly toward Cistron.

39...38...37...

Screed begins firing not being able to answer more that what has already been said.  It had to be those answers, though he has not checked the math in his head.


14:22, Today: Screed rolled 9 using 3d6. threeshot blasteriffic, skill 17. .

Jade locks and loads her M-16 to fight yet another mutant creature.  She says, "I think Screed was right on his guess.  I think there's only one going to Vegas because everyone else is going the opposite direction, so they're leaving Vegas."

"Hey who said they were going to Vegas at all? Maybe they were on the wrong boat? But what do I know? Not much according to these riddles."
Codec says and smiles.

He points his gun in defense at any more charging beasties ready to shoot.

OOC: Okay, I think Cistron is out for a bit, and I think we have permanently lost Shadow.  I'll proceed under that assumption.

Cistron guesses what Screed initially suggested and says:  "12 and 1 are the answers."

Pythia nods.  "That is correct."

Screed, Jade and Codec fire at the creature as it approaches Cistron.  They hit it several times, but then it is upon Cistron, clawing at her and getting her with one swipe (2 dmg).

The creature is too close to Cistron for you to attempt to shoot it without seriously risking Cistron too.  It is intent on attacking Cistron.

Pythia watches from above without expression, as if waiting.

"...ugh..." [some things you just gotta do yourself...] "Hold On!"

Codec brings his buckler to bear and attempts to shield rush the creature clawing down Cistron.

Jade draws her dagger and rushes the creature to get him away from Cistron, slashing at its back.

Screed watches while he scratches his neck.

The creature backhands Cistron, sending her back reeling to the ground. (1 dmg)

Jade reaches it and stabs it, hitting it in the back.  Just as it lets out a monstrous howl, Codec shield rushes it, and it staggers backwards and falls into the pit.

Pythia smiles.  "Very good.  The reach of Zero One to this place has now ended, and I can speak freely."  She gestures with her hand, and a spot in the wall opens up, leading to a far room.  "It is time for us to speak," Pythia says, and then the dais swivels again and she is gone.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:24, Wed 05 Dec 2007.

"Well. Guess there's only one way out...", Codec says as he wanders into the newly opened room.

Jade nods slowly, and follows.  Her weapon is freshly loaded, dagger within easy reach as she wipes the blood from it and helps Cistron into the new room.

Screed fires his laser a couple of times into the walls as he walks out just for the fun of it.  "So, let's see where this takes us."

Cistron staggers to her feet with the help of Jade, and follows the others into the next room