01 08 11

<shadowmyre> Location (all): The Sanctum Sanctorum; Time: 8:30pm (EST)
Adisa arrives, in his union suit.
<shadowmyre> An unseasonable storm is dropping a torrent of rain from an angry sky. A thin mist coats the area, leaving visibility at a premium. Thunder crackles ominously as intermittent blasts of lightning tear through the sky.
<The_Paladin> Huh. I wonder if it's the Ne'ata, Doc Strange, the Avatara, or just a bad storm. Any ideas, Niles?
Adisa points up. "Not my fault. Just getting that out of the way."
The_Physician teleports in, ready for anything.
<shadowmyre> ((Teleporting in… to the sanctum? Outside it? Are you meeting up and knocking on the door, or just showing up and going in individually?))
<The_Paladin> ((Sorry, I was under the impression that we were all together. Saves on cab faire.))
<shadowmyre> ((Just checking. Who's knocking on the door or otherwise announcing themself?))
<Adisa> ((Adisa is outside the door to strange, staying warm and dry and prepared to allocate a stone to that effect.))
<The_Paladin> ((Andre is asking Niles the question when he shows up, and standing next to Adisa.))
The_Physician greets his friends
<The_Physician> Greetings friends. How do you fare this evening?
<Adisa> "Good. A bit weirded out, but good never the less."
The_Paladin shrugs armored shoulders as an answer
<The_Physician> Are we ready then? I will announce us
<Adisa> "Go ahead."
<shadowmyre> ((-andre's first line. Insert line now))
<shadowmyre> ((Andre just said "Huh. I wonder if it's the Ne'ata, Doc Strange, the Avatara, or just a bad storm. Any ideas, Niles?"))
<shadowmyre> ((-andre +The_Paladin))
The_Physician ponders
The_Physician does a scan for magic presences
<The_Physician> Nothing that I can detect from this range good sir paladin
<shadowmyre> The door opens, Wong bowing to the group as he ushers them inside. Though there are small towels set off to the side of the foyer, they aren't needed due to Adisa's efforts.
<The_Paladin> It was more rhetorical than actual, but that's nice to know.
<The_Physician> How are you this evening Wong?
<shadowmyre> Wong: Quite well, Mr. Regan, thank you. And yourselves? Come in, come in.
Adisa goes inside at Wong's invitation.
The_Physician steps inside
The_Paladin enters with a murmmered "Thanks you." and wipes his feet clean
<shadowmyre> Wong: The ambassador has not arrived yet, but the master is in the sitting room, if you would like to join him?
<Adisa> "Lead the way, please."
<shadowmyre> Wong: Of course. Just this way.
<The_Physician> Thank you Wong.
Adisa follows Wong.
The_Paladin follows
The_Physician follows
<shadowmyre> Wong leads the three down a short hall, which opens into a largeish room filled with chairs, a rectangular coffee table the chairs are arrayed around. The walls are covered with bookshelves, not a space left bare for even a small painting. Three windows dominate one wall.
The_Paladin sits nearer to teh corner of the room where he can see the door and windows clearly
<shadowmyre> Strange stands facing the windows, a glass of something dark in his hand as he stares into the sky, though he turns when the group enters. "Make yourselves comfortable. The ambassador will be a bit late due to our… inclement weather."
<The_Physician> Doctor, how do you fare this evening?
<The_Paladin> Thank you, sir.
Adisa finds a comfortable seat.
<shadowmyre> Strange turns, moving away from the window and taking the nearby highbacked chair. "Pensive, Niles. I'm not certain what the Ne'Ata hope to gain here."
<The_Physician> We have a theory on that.
<The_Physician> Well, what they are looking for that is.
<The_Paladin> They may try to enlist your aide to find someone or something.
<The_Paladin> I will let Niles explain it though. I am certain he has connected the dots better than I have.
<shadowmyre> Strange nods to Niles. "If you would?"
The_Physician explains about the circlet and the possibility that the Ne'Ata may want to acquire it.
<The_Paladin> If that is the case though, there is still a missing piece. Or, rather another piece to make it complete.
<Adisa> "The Emperor of Man."
The_Paladin nods
<shadowmyre> Strange nods. "This appearance, with such activity from you three, is unlikely to be a coincidence. I gathered that you'd be involved in some way, though that was just a hunch." He shrugs. "Still, if I was wrong, you'd at least get a nice meal."
<Adisa> "And really, what more can one ask for?"
<shadowmyre> "Why do you suspect they seek the circlet?"
<The_Physician> We are most grateful to be here and for your hospitality sir.
<The_Physician> Paladin, would you like to field that question?
<The_Paladin> I do not know that I can really. We have reason to believe that when the circlet is united it has the potential to end, or perhaps save, the galaxy and possibly the universe.
<The_Paladin> Or at least some people believe that to be the case.
<The_Paladin> The crystalline structure of the technology of the ne'ata reminds me of the circlet.
<Adisa> "Hm… I didn't make that connection. Good thought."
<The_Paladin> But the circelt apparently operates on magical principles, so I really have no idea if it is related since their technology doe snot seem to.
<The_Paladin> (*edit, does not)
<Adisa> "Their technology is weird… frankly we still have no idea what their power source is. Our best guess is that they are low level psychics and the crystalline structures amplify their natural tallents."
<Adisa> ((*talents))
<The_Paladin> Or that the crystal is a parasite and they are just hosts.
<The_Paladin> So it feeds on light of some kind.
<Adisa> "It's possible that the ships are the aliens, and the Ne'Ata we see and talk to are accessories created purely for communicating with the weird bipedal aliens the galaxy seems to be full of."
<Adisa> "That would go well with them apparently not having a word for 'incarceration'."
<The_Paladin> The low level psychic bond would imply a hive mind of some kind, wouldn't it?
<Adisa> "Not necessarily. There are several alien species that universally psychic without being a hive mind."
<Adisa> ((*that are))
<The_Paladin> So we are really as in the dark as you are, sir. If they come in and abduct me we'll know more.
<shadowmyre> "Professor Xavier has confirmed that the Ne'Ata are psychic, but at a slightly lower rate than humans. As well, they boast fewer mystics. This is a marginal thing, mind you, and their mystics and psychics are better integrated into their military."
<shadowmyre> "Well. If they'll find abducting you rather problematic. You aren't exactly an easy person to catch."
<shadowmyre> ((-if))
<The_Physician> Well, there is some kind of magic in their tech, but definitely more technological than magical.
<Adisa> "Hm… that's very interesting. So much for them being the power source."
<shadowmyre> "Don't discount that quite yet, Dr. T'Challa. We're still very much in the dark about how they operate."
<Adisa> "I suppose there is no logical reason why there can't be a fourth… system for lack of a better term… beyond magic, psychic, and physics."
<shadowmyre> "'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy' indeed."
The_Paladin watches the storm through the windows
<Adisa> "You said the weather was what was delaying the ambassador?"
<The_Paladin> That or they have read up on their Machiavelli
<Adisa> "Oh? How so?"
<shadowmyre> "Yes. They've agreed to limit themselves to more restricted modes of transportation. I suspect no one warned them about New York traffic."
<The_Paladin> Gthering all of the supposed threats into one place at one time to strike. Or just to be rude without being rude.
<Adisa> "Hm… if you have all of three dimensional space at your disposal, you might be surprised at how crowded it is when you find yourself confined to a two dimensional plane."
<Adisa> "That would imply that the good doctor was the only threat they knew about, as you and I crashed the party."
<shadowmyre> Wong knocks twice on the door before entering. "The ambassador reports that they have 'managed to navigate the maze of two-dimensional limitations' and should arrive within ten minutes. Shall I serve dinner?"
Adisa chuckles at that.
The_Paladin sits back, feeling a little excitement mingled with trpidation at meeting his first alien life form.
<shadowmyre> Strange: "Yes, let's have dinner first. If they turn hostile, then at least we've had a last meal." He chuckles. Wong turns to go, then turns back, glancing at the group. "I presume that there are no problems with traditional Szechuan cooking? The ambassador requested something with a little spice."
The_Physician mentally prepares himself for some quick magic if the need should arise.
Adisa mentally prepares himself for Szechuan cooking.
<The_Paladin> Like the place in Western Heights or like the one down on 42nd?
<shadowmyre> "Similar, but with some heat. You'll find the dandan noodles less sweet, and more soupy."
<Adisa> "I don't have any problems with it."
<shadowmyre> "The dumplings should be virtually identical."
<The_Paladin> Milk with dinner please.
<The_Paladin> Oh….
The_Paladin realizes that he is wearing a suit of armor to the dinner table.
The_Physician shoots him the "We are among friends" look.
<shadowmyre> Wong smiles as he nods. "Milk will be made available sir. I'll set the table." He slips from the room.
The_Paladin crafts the helemt so that it exposes his chin and mouth in a sort of half mask-helmet
<shadowmyre> Strange rises. "I'll see about helping Wong, and leave you gentleman to any necessary last minute preparations you might have." Strange nods, then leaves as well.
<Adisa> "Well, I'm as prepared for my first close encounter of the third kind as I can get. I'll join Dr. Strange."
<The_Paladin> I'll stay here.
The_Paladin takes a last minute look around for defensible positions and weaknesses of the room's layout.
The_Physician waits there to get himself centered for the encounter.
Adisa joins Strange in setting the table.
The_Paladin joins the other sin teh dining room.
The_Physician goes in last.
<shadowmyre> ->Andre: The room is roughly rectangular in shape, with the corners chopped off making it a long, distorted octagon. There are two tables, a longer one in the middle of the room with several chairs, and a serving area next to a set of double doors where steam and the sounds of boiling oil escape (presumably the kitchen). Wong is setting dishes on the serving area, as Strange works some magic on the dining room table, which shudders under his incantations, changing in shape to grow slightly, making more places for people to sit. The room itself has wards across the walls, granting the house some chance of surviving should a pitched battle open up in the room.
<shadowmyre> ->Andre: Seating at the far end gives a view of all the doors, but places the back against a window. Seating in the middle, furthest away from the kitchen gives a view of all doors and windows, and places the back against a wall.
<shadowmyre> Presumably, Strange will sit at one head of the table, with the Ne'Ata ambassador at the other.
The_Paladin moves to the more defensible position at the table.
<The_Paladin> Doctor Strange. What provisions are we taking for the safety of the ambassador?
<The_Paladin> In arriving here that is. I know that the house is well warded once inside.
<The_Physician> The house is well warded from the outside as well.
<The_Physician> that is why I just did not teleport in.
<The_Physician> Well, that, and it would be horribly rude.
<The_Paladin> And the means of transportation on this two dimensional plane?
<shadowmyre> Strange glances over, his ministrations on the table completed. "Once they've entered my home and are on neutral ground, their security is my concern. Until then, they're military invaders under flag of truce. That makes their safety their concern. I believe they were coming by car."
Adisa places a steaming plate of… something covered in a golden yellow sauce… on the table.
<shadowmyre> * LOG END *

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