Regarding Sanctions (Shortly after the Glatisant fight of the Rise Era)

[youandyoualone]

Although I know that clean-up from the battle with the Glatisant and the message gleaned from its remains is likely of the utmost importance as of now--as well as the matter of the unintelligible Familiars and Spirit Companions--I do have some news that I hope will aid in improving the lot of the Adversaries of the earliest era.

Before her vocabulary became limited to a single word, the vixen who attached herself to me instructed me on how I might use Oracular knowledge to glean further knowledge on Sanctions. What I have learned is this:

These Sanctions use the power of existing bonds between people, either the ones doing the Sanctioning or those bonded with the person Sanctioned. As these bonds are real in the Realm of Dreams, they can prevent action just as well as rope or shackles might--although 'tis only acts with intention they can prevent, not accidental acts, for it is the dream of action that they prevent.

They can be entered into willingly and with consent, but unless that consent was explicitly and deliberately part of that Sanction, rescinding consent would not break the Sanction.

After learning this, I wished to know more of how one would break the Sanctions and Fidelite, who was then still in possession of her full vocabulary, advised me to build a Dreamcatcher and have it gather energy in the Questing Country of the earliest era for roughly a week. Fortunately, I was already there after the bridge broke.

Shortly before the battle started, my Dreamcatcher was deemed sufficiently filled by my still-coherent Familiar, and now that the fighting has concluded, I have had time to look within to see what might break the Sanctions. That information was granted to me in a series of three visions:

The first, of bitter and acrimonious arguments between Champions and Oracles, leading to the severing of a bond group, also severing all Sanctions they created.

The second, of a cabal of Adversaries furtively meeting, banding together, forming a fresh bond--overwriting the Sanction with the energy of their alliance.

And the third and most intriguing, of a heavy, metal-hafted mace, light wavering around its head like one reads in reports of desert mirages.

Comments

[triggerhappytraitor]

Even Hirose-- the Trial with Hirose's father's memories-- was working to unlock the secrets of immortal life. [[a wry note there, considering the ichor currently in his veins...]]

[youandyoualone]

I see...

Perhaps he ought to have asked a vampire for aid.

[triggerhappytraitor]

That sort of thing doesn't exist back home. Just the Undead. And I doubt any of them would have been willing to help a human like that.

[youandyoualone]

... I thought vampires were a kind of undead?

[He is Slightly Confused now.]

[triggerhappytraitor]

It's something different. The Undead of my world are immortal creatures, created to do battle for the species they represented in order to determine the dominant species of the world. The name Undead refers to their immortality, and that they never can die.

[youandyoualone]

Elua's balls. And this Battle Fight you mentioned, that is how they accomplish this?

[triggerhappytraitor]

Yeah.

Originally, it was at the start of the world, before there was any other life on the planet. So the Battle only affected those who were part of it.

[[a long, deep, exhausted sigh follows]]

Having it restart in a fully populated world...

[youandyoualone]

... seems a recipe for disaster.

[triggerhappytraitor]

...Yeah.

[[Disaster seemed... somehow too mild of a word for what it all had been]]

And the only tool we had to fight them with was still just a prototype at the time. We were lucky that the Undead were in a bit of a state of shock when first released, and just ran for freedom. By the time the Fight started in earnest...

[[He had had what, a week of training before the first time the Searcher had gone off? Less? He couldn't even remember any longer. It had felt like barely hours...]]

[youandyoualone]

What did you fight them with? Swords? Guns? [Some other, more sophisticated future weapon?]

[triggerhappytraitor]

In a way.

The only thing that can harm an Undead, enough to defeat it and seal it-- is the power of another Undead. With the Rider system... the power of the Undead can be borrowed, used by someone who's compatible with the Ace.

[youandyoualone]

The 'Ace?'

[So Tachibana was borrowing the power of monsters for his own. Interesting.]

[triggerhappytraitor]

Category Ace. The Undead each have a suit and a level, like a deck of cards, and each card has its own ability that it can grant when Rouzed. For the Ace, it's 'Change.' [[There's the impression that that word is actually in English, rather than just translated]]

[youandyoualone]

How does one Rouze?

[He may be making mental notes on this to attend to later. The standard deck of cards did not exist when he comes from. Playing cards themselves are a novelty for the wealthy, brought back from far-off Khebbel-im-Akkad.

He's played card games by now, but those happen to be the Eurogames that Alcuin's lady has brought back to liminal space. Which means he's played a lot more Dominion than anything else. (He's very good at it.)]

[triggerhappytraitor]

Did you want the technical explanation or the basic demonstration?

[[because he helped develop this system, he could go on about the physics, metaphysics and biologic alchemy that went behind it all, but he somehow didn't think most people would be able to follow it. It wasn't exactly common science, after all..]]

[youandyoualone]

I would like both, but I fear I do not have the background to understand the first. After all, we did not even have electricity in my time.

[triggerhappytraitor]

That far back?

After these labs have finished running, I'm planning on going back out to take out a few more Nightmares. You're welcome to come along, if you'd like.

[youandyoualone]

I am told that my time is the equivalent of either the thirteenth or fourteenth century of the common era.

And I would like to come along. I do not know how useful I will myself be, although I was a swordsman of no mean skill in life, but I would like to see your rider system in action. Where should I meet you?

[triggerhappytraitor]

I'm not exactly a skilled fighter by any means. Just a practiced one. One of the benefits of the System is that much of its output is tied to the mental state of the person using it, so it can translate a will into a way.

By the bridge to the past in about... 45 minutes? [[Should give him enough time to update his documentation and get the next test running]]

should we keep the thread here or should i find him in the log?

[youandyoualone]

About that, yes. I look forward to it.

Action~

[triggerhappytraitor]

Good to his word, Tachibana is at the bridge when he said he would be, his expression distant and pensive, thoughts running deep under the surface as he looked out a nothing.

Garren had stayed back at the restaurant, clinging to Ryo (who could still understand him), leaving Tachibana alone with his thoughts.

He glanced up at Delaunay's approach, giving the man a small nod as he pulled himself back to the present, posture shifting slightly.

Re: Action~

[youandyoualone]

Delaunay gives him a nod in return. He bears the sword that Kinji gave to him. It is not quite the same as his own blade back home, but he has practiced with it and feels that he will be able to wield it well, provided he is not overwhelmed by the sheer number of the Nightmares.

"Tachibana," he says. "It is good to meet you in person finally. I think my infiltration from Yensid inadvertently ended up at your wedding to Helena."

[triggerhappytraitor]

There is a bit of an over dramatic reaction at the mention of that wedding, Tachibana swiftly looking away, lips pressed together as he started fidgeting with his watch, entire posture awkward and uncomfortable.

"Wouldn't be surprising. I think Gavin invited the entire world to his father's wedding."

Not his wedding. Nope nope, not at all. The actions of his overlay in that world... He still didn't know what to think about.

...and this was not the time for that.

"...Shall we get started?"

[youandyoualone]

Interesting. Delaunay files that bit of information away too.

"Yes," Delaunay says. "I would very much like to see this... 'Rouzing process' of yours."

And since you've seen the show I don't have to link the transform, yay

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana nodded, reaching into his pocket for his Buckle. "Transforming is always the first step in any of it," he explained, sliding the Ace into the slot. "Make sure you stay out of the way of the field, it can cause considerable injury to someone who isn't in sync with it," he warned.

Warning given, he held the belt up to his waist, the buckle activating and forming the belt around him. With some overdramatic motions and yelling (that was 100% in line with Questing Country standards) the blue-grey field of almost staticy energy projected outwards a few feet in front of him, and he stepped through, armor forming around him.