View source for Around A Hat in 80 Hours

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[[Category:Martin Dickson]]
[[Category: Turf]]
[[Category:Scribe Notes]]
[[Scribe_Notes#Jul_1996_AP|Scribe Notes]]<br>
== Summary ==
'''Adventure''': Around A Hat in 80 Hours<br>
'''GM''': [[Martin]]<br>
'''Season''': [[Autumn]] 797 WK<br>
; Party
* [[Bozo|Bozo Crambelly]] - Party Employer, Leader and Scribe
* [[Amaranth]] - Enhancer and Insultress
* [[Amelia]] “Ironside” Pendragon
* [[Clementine]] - Mindless looter (and a big bear too !)
* [[Ithilmor]] - Supportive follower
* [[Mary-M]] - She who plays with dolls
* [[Turf]] - Staunch to the degree of stupidity
; Mission
: Employed by Bozo to explore his extra dimensional hat.
; Original scribe notes
: [[Media:Snau9701.zip]]

==Scribe Notes==

===Arrival===

We step through the hat (with Amaranth landing on her head) and arrive on a plane called
Wonderland. Clementine hands Bozo a bug, turning it into a bug-clock in the process. We have
followed another party through, and arrive at the same point that they did. We follow their tracks.
Gradually (ie one at a time) they fade out. We head for a nearby wood.

===Signpost===

We encounter a signpost listing a variety of destinations down a single path into the woods.
We head down the path. Amaranth observes that at some points the distance to another member of
the party increases to 1000s of feet and then returns to 10s of feet, with no apparent change. We
believe we are heading through an area of planar instability, and hence decide to stick together.

===The Wabe===

We come across a clearing with a sun dial in the middle. The area DA’s as The Wabe.
Three tall birds are standing on the far side. They are Borogroves. Some small pig like creatures
called Wraths are milling about. A badger like animal with a corkscrew nose comes out from the
sundial. It is a Tove. We chat with it while keeping our distance. It warns us about Bojums. We
discover that DAs give interesting answers to interesting questions. The time is “teatime”.

===Jabberwocky===

A loud snuffling and crashing through the bush comes a large sinewy creature with big
teeth. Mary M reports that it is hungry. The various creatures scatter. We fade back into the
shrubbery. The Jabberwocky (for that’s what it is) attacks. It tramples over Turf in order to pursue
Bozo. Bozo dodges under it and jumps on its back to confuse it (it was after the hat Mary M
reported later from a great distance). The party start smiting it, with Turf doing large amounts of
damage. Ithilmor narrowly escapes being crushed by a tree that it knocks down. It eventually
makes a break for it. Clementine pursues it and launches an attack off the sundial as it takes to the
air. Bozo gives chase on Wings and does further damage to it, before it dumps him off into some
foliage. The party regroups.

===Gnomon===

We note that the gnomon on the sundial is highly magical. It is part of “The Source”.
Clementine procures it. We have a cup of tea to recuperate (it is teatime after all). We head for
Rosewood.

===Red Knight===

Come to a clearing that DAs as Kings Bishop 3. A red pavilion is in the clearing, and a
red knight mounted on a red bedecked destrier accosts us. “Be ye for Rosewood or be ye for
Whitfield ?” We are not prepared to commit at this point so we back off, and head back the way we
came.

===Paths===

We end up at a new place called “Tweedledees”. We subsequently find that the paths are
magical and tend to take you where you intend to go. This makes traveling much easier.

===Red King===

Two stout individuals fighting with wooden swords in a house, called Tweedledum and
Tweedledee. They speak strangely and often contradict each other (“contrariwise”). They are quite
loopy. We find a Red King asleep behind the house. Tweedledee thinks that we will cease to exists
if he is woken. We head off for Whitfield.

===White Knight===

We come across a clearing that is King’s Bishop 5. A white pavilion is in the clearing,
and a white knight mounted on a white bedecked destrier accosts us. “None may pass”. We discuss
this and ascertain that none may pass for this is the road to Whitfield and Whitfield is no more. We
pass.

===Humpty Dumpty===

We continue on and find a dark and gloomy part of the forest. We decide to try a
thought experiment. We sit down in a circle and concentrate on creating some picnic food. “It
won’t work you know”, comes a voice from behind us (even though we are in a circle). Humpty
Dumpty (a large egg-shaped fellow) is sitting atop a 10’ high wall that stretches off into the
distance in both directions. We experiment with the wall and find that anything passing over the
wall goes through a twist and doesn’t actually pass over but comes back. Turf does an empathy on
the wall, and is shocked and stunned - he talks about death, and screaming on and off for quite some
time. We discuss getting some sleep and Humpty states that it is safer sleeping here than if we were
deeper. We notice a small narrow path opposite which appears to go deeper. We show him the
Gnomon, which he states is part of the Source. “It’s broken, you know”. We sleep.
Dreams : We each dream of a nice spired city, except for Turf who dreams of blood. Amelia wakes up
to find that one arm and shoulder has turned to steel. This has happened to her once before, in the
dreamlands.

===Zoog===

We head for Zoog. We encounter them - monkey like creatures with blowguns that shoot
hallucinogenic thorns. Several of us resist the effects and contain Clementine who thinks she is a
fish, Mary M who thinks the whole world is made of sweets and tries to eat it, and Turf who thinks
we are all bizarre creatures, especially Ithilmore who is a whale. She sits on him.

===Walrus & Carpenter===

We met a rather plump Charles Lions Esquire, and a rather thin Mr Cartwright.
The offer to guide us, but I find them suspicious. They keenly offer to guide us to Blackwood, via
the seaside. We do not want to go near the sea. They start to guide us. It gets sandy underfoot.

We leave hastily. They follow. We come across a clearing around a mushroom. They contemplate
jumping us so we attack. They change shape and turn out to be wraith-like entities with life
draining and regeneration abilities. The carpenter’s hammer does good grievous injuries, as
Clementine and Bozo become painfully aware. The Walrus is downed, and the Carpenter captured.
We talk. He seems polite, and mildly put out with our insistence that he and his friend attacked us.
The Walrus’ body disappears. We eventually allow him to go. He fades out (in preference to
passing through a triple damage wall of dark). We have a cup of tea. The mushroom is a planar
gate - we decide to not explore it yet.

===Gingerbread House===

Koth, a shape-changing tiger of Amelia’s acquaintance passes by. We guess that
the paths are magical and take one to where one wishes to go. We decide to head for the next
broken piece of the source. We find a gingerbread house in Blackwood. The witch is crispy fried in
her own oven. A sentient puppet called Punch claims that the evil children, Hansel and Gretal
“Done her in”. Punch is rather insane. We find the weather vane to be part of the source.

Amaranth TKs it down to her possession. Meanwhile, inside, we find a magical comb and mirror.
R&R : The bug clock says we have been going for almost 23 hours now. We head back to the White
Knights which is “shallow”, and pass an Elven Harlequin fighter on the way. We rest and attempt to
heal our grievous injuries prior to trying to head deeper. Turf traps Amaranth in the pavilion’s back
room. The White Knight becomes aware of the extent of our injuries and offers us an unguent from
the “Mystic East” - a market in the direction of Rosewood. It is a cementy-glue-like substance and
is used to fix up Bozo and Clementine. The mana is “very high and gusty” as we depart, 37½ hours
since the bug died.

===Leen===

We head for the next piece of the broken source. We end up in a market place. We mill for a
while, and then spot an Elf being brought up for trial. The court clerk has a highly magical balance.
which DAs as part of the source. The Elf is found guilty of being a drainer and sentenced to death.
During the excitement, I relieve the clerk of his balance, and the bag of gold that he wasn’t too
attached to. We leave.

===Cheshire Cat===

We encounter the dread Cheshire Cat who attempt to have a quiet word with one of us.
We stay together. We head for the next piece and find another planar gate magic mushroom. We
explore.

===Arcadia===

We fall for ages, and needlessly worry over the landing which ends up being no more than a
10’ drop. There is ash all about, and Turf can hear the scream from his dream. We are on the plane
of Arcadia. We head downhill (east). We find a razed ancient Elven city. We find the centre where
a gold tablet lies in a crater. It is inscribed with ancient Elven script, and is a part of the source.
Amelia grabs it, as we hang on to her. The world closes in on us, and we are spat from the
mushroom where we fought the Walrus and the Carpenter.

===Tweedledees===

We head off towards Tweedledees, and Bozo thinks the party should head for some
unguarded treasure. We find a Roc’s nest. Clementine fossicks in the nest (and is keen to take an
egg). Bozo directs her to find a magical sword- Snickersnee. We continue on, and find some trees
that DA very interestingly. In fact they can answer any question, including what other party
member’s favourite colours are. Mary M starts asking DA questions about the Source. It notices
“Why are you trying to destroy me ?!?”. We discuss what we have discovered and find the puppet,
Punch, eavesdropping. We talk a while, and trade poems with him. We continue on to
Tweedledees. Amaranth starts a riot.

===Nonames===

We eventually manage to convince Mary M to accompany the party to Nonames.
Interesting place. Has a certain “jinny say kwa” about it. We lose Amelia for a while. Head back
to the White Knight’s for a cup of tea, before heading off to the Source.

===Rosewood===

We head down the narrow, uninviting path opposite Humpty Dumpty and come to a tee
junction. We find that the most dangerous thing on the path is Turf. He hands the sword we found
recently to Ithilmor and Bozo becomes the most dangerous. We head right. We come to the
mounted Red Knight guarding a chasm. “Stand ye for Rosewood, or stand ye for Whitfield ?” . We
stand for both. “What be ye purpose ?” The source renewed. “Restored or Redeemed ?”. After
much discussion, redeemed. “Then ye be for Whitfield. Be on your guard while in Rosewood”. He
stands aside. We continue down the path which opens onto some fields. Ill-kempt (and despairing)
peasants tend the haphazard fields. We deduce that they are dead souls. We approach the nearby
city. People are agonisingly building and, further around, dismantling the red hot stone walls with
their bare hands. Pain, torture and chaos abound. We leave.

===Whitfield===

We pass back along the path but the tee junction is no more. We find were it should be by
DAing trees that are closer to Whitfield or Rosewood. We continue and have a philosophical
discussion with the White Knight. Turf is unthinkingly noble. Ithilmor is rationally noble. Mary M
is irrationally emotive. Amelia is straightforward. Amaranth is clever. Bozo is stubborn, but
sincere. Clementine is unheedingly frivolous. We come out of the woods to ordered fields. Rows
of synchronised workers tend perfectly rectangular fields (brick ratios of 2 to 1). We head for the
city. Everybody has there tasks, and they do them over and over. Ithilmor acquires a dinner set,
and Bozo buys a chess set. In the centre of the city a tower churns out Elven soldiers wearing
porcelain plate. Ithilmor follows Turf in, and is compelled to enlist. Turf drags her back.

Amaranth experiments by tossing in a peasant girl. She comes out in the next batch, and staunchly
heads off to war. After contemplating plate armour, we follow a batch as they leave the city. In the
distance is a bridge across a chasm. The orderly ranks of white knights, clash against the rag-tag
crimson hoards coming from the Rosewood city in the distance. Dead bodies rain into the gorge.

We travel to the edge of the gorge some distance away and observe. Clementine disobeys the party
leader. Ithilmore shows she is a reliable party member. The puppet appears out of nowhere (or was
it Mary M’s pack?). We talk. He is named, Laughter He shows us a puppet show involving a good
king, who gets usurped by power, and evolves into an evil tyrant., preparing a ritual to become
immortal. We head back past the city and get noticed due to our incompatibility. We trample into
the middle of a field, where the guards won’t come (they stick to the paths). They cut out the whole
field, and throw it away (with us still inside!).

===Fighting Again===

We get back to the Mushroom clearing. The Walrus and Carpenter and plotting how
to best ambush us. We attack and vanquish them again. We head through the mushroom planar
gate.

===Things get repetitive===

We arrive on a muddy plain, with explosions in the distance. We slog towards a
nearby road and then hide as a large host travels by. A wrench occurs, and we are back where we
started, colder and tireder than before. We decide action is called for so Star Wings all round and
we head for the city in the distance. Large explosions are occurring there. We are peppered by
bolts as we cross the city walls, and head for the spire rising from the city centre. Turf and
Ithilmor abandon the party. The second to top floor has some open arches and a central courtyard.

Amaranth attempts to land through an arch that still contains a window. She is bugged, but
recovers. We remove the wards and discover the mechanism in the centre of the tower that
operates as a lifting mechanism. We crystal ball above us and find a ritual in progress. Turf and
Ithilmor re-join us. We travel up the lift. Bozo bursts into the room and takes out the Greater
Summoner. A demonic Emperor, Abaddon, Lord of the Abyss, in the form of a dragon, is trapped
in the pentacle. Turf throws a Greater Summoning counterspell at the pentacle to release him. We
flee under protective counterspells, taking the Summoner with us. Luckily, the door was pretty
small, but the demon was not happy. We flee, flew and fled.

===The Centre===

A huge explosion occurs. We come to in the “Centre”. Some time has passed - greater
than a day, less than 3 months. (“Blown into the middle of next week” quipped Amaranth). We are
on a large plain with an immense tree in the distance. One branch looks rotten. We have the
premonition of a two headed angel riding a chariot of fire coming to get us. Another round of Star
Wings and we fly towards the tree for an hour, noting the complete absence of flaming chariots. It
changes into a huge crystalline structure, with some broken bits. We continue towards it for
another hour, perceiving a total of zero burning chariots. It changes into a huge mechanism. One
part of it is not working. We get to it and explore. We find a bolt missing. We take our four bits of
the source and bring them together.

===The Source===

Wrenched again, we find ourselves at the bottom of a hill surrounded by a muddy plain.
On top of the hill is a stone blockhouse. We approach. A healer with a bloody apron answers the
door. We pretend to be important, and bluster in. Glimpses into side rooms off the long corridor,
show torture being performed. We head upstairs. The “Healers” start to get stroppy, we head
downstairs. By the time we reach the end of the downstairs corridor, there is quite a number of
them following us, armed with flensing knives, scalpels and other butchery implements. Luckily
there are steps going down. We proceed down, in an orderly manner, with the exception of Mary
M, who foolishly runs ahead, and Clementine, who, being a Big Bear, has some difficulty with the
stairs, crashing onto each landing on her way down. Mary M screams from up ahead. Turf sprints
to the rescue, and Bozo leaps into the void. Mary M has come upon two more of the butchers, who
obviously intend carving her up. Bozo’s timely arrival distracts them allowing her to rush past.

Turf charges in. Mary M attacks from behind (she seems particularly good at this). Bozo whips
past the melee, picks the lock on the far door, and finds a straight-jacketed madman chained to the
wall. He whips out his Tulwar, and cuts the madman free. The room starts to spin, the room, then
the building, the hill, and the entire plain spiral down into him. Mary M foolishly attempts to hang
onto Laughter, to no avail. He is sucked in too. It all spirals into a large vortex and then crashes
down in the form of a crystal, broken into shards.

===Seventh Plane===

We find ourselves on a grassy plain, on the seventh plane. A small boy is sitting,
crying and rocking. Present is Apolleon (aka Abaddon, Lord of the Abyss, a demonic emperor).
We get the impression that clamouring demonic hoards in the distance are closing in. We start
assembling the crystal Apolleon tells us that we have a chance to end all the misery by killing the
boy now. Mary M cuddles the demon king Belial. Abaddon tells us that the crystal is Belial’s soul,
if you put it back together, all that has happened will happen. If we do not, the universe will be
saved from much misery. Four glowing symbols appear in the following order : a crozier, a balance,
a trumpet, and a sword. They resolve into the four archangels, Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel and Michael.
They put forward their points of view (while the party continues to assemble the broken crystal) :
Raphael - Beli-El needs protection. If he is willing to return to the fold he should be accepted.

He was one of us, one of the greatest of the angels, Samiel. He followed the dark path
to better know the enemy, but he was corrupted by it, and taken by the forces of evil.
* Uriel - Justice must be done. He should pay for his crimes. (Ithilmor points out that Justice should be tempered with Mercy, which shuts him up). He later states that perhaps
* Beli-El should be given a chance to redeem himself.
* Michael - He is evil and should be destroyed !
* Gabriel - Sulks quietly, but seems to back up Michael.

Resolution - Michael steps forward with his sword to smite the boy. Turf and Bozo step into his path,
weapons drawn. Michael sneers “You dare to try to stop me”. Once Turf assured him that we were
serious he incredulously backs off. Amaranth announces that the crystal is almost complete, only a
single piece to go. Apolleon moves so as to make a grab for the last piece. Clementine blocks his
path. He frustratedly implies that we will all be sorry and walks off in a huff. Amaranth asks for
Bozo’s permission to complete the crystal. Permission is given. The boy grows into an Angel, give
a symbolic candle on his robes. He is the Angel of Magic. Michael storms off, with Gabriel trailing
after. Raphael and Uriel release vast numbers of pin pricks of light which coruscate into the new
angel, giving him strength and beauty. Beliel stays the slathering hoards, and then thanks us and
offers to grant us each a boon for the aid that we have given him. He requests some time and quiet
to contemplate his past and hence his future.