On Samhain night, by the New Toulouse graveyard, a group of residents sits around a fire.
[9:46] Gabrielle Riel looks around at the group assembled before the fire
[9:46] Gabrielle Riel: Welcome ladies and gentlemen of New Toulouse
[9:47] Gabrielle Riel: To our first Samhain ceremony and celebration here
[9:47] Gabrielle Riel smiles
[9:47] Gabrielle Riel: I have done many a Samhain ceremony in the land of my birth, Caledon
[9:48] Gabrielle Riel: But I am no longer there....I am here with you all now
[9:48] Gabrielle Riel: Thank you for being here for this, my first one in New Toulouse
[9:48] Gabrielle Riel: Magic runs deep here - this I know
[9:49] Gabrielle Riel: And so tonight we part the veil
[9:49] Gabrielle Riel takes a deep breath
[9:49] Gabrielle Riel: Tonight is also important to me....
[9:50] Gabrielle Riel: I am sure many of you know of the tragedy that befell a daughter of our city, Miss Obedience Mactavish, in the City of New Babbage....
[9:51] Autopilotpatty Poppy nods and mumbles
[9:51] Gabrielle Riel: She was taken from us far too soon by an unknown murderer
[9:51] Roberto Viking nods and remembers the tragedy...
[9:51] Gabrielle Riel: Shot to death at the Masquerade Ball in New Babbage one week ago tonight
[9:52] Gabrielle Riel closes her eyes
[9:52] Amber Palowakski: mumbles words of anger and outrage
[9:52] Autopilotpatty Poppy: shifts positions in agitation
[9:52] Roberto Viking's soul is troubled that such a thing could happen here
[9:52] Gabrielle Riel: I knew that her move to New Babbage and her betrothal to Dr. Obelensky would be fraught with difficulty....but This....
[9:52] Tash Frakture stares into the fire... tears of sadness and anger flowing down her cheeks.
[9:53] Roberto Viking: Dr. O always seems to draw trouble around him
[9:53] Gabrielle Riel: And so tonight, when the connection between the worlds is close, I want to say goodbye to her and wish her peace
[9:54] Gabrielle Riel's eyes flash with anger
[9:54] Gabrielle Riel: Indeed Mr. Viking. Especially as he tried to kill me with his death ray.
[9:54] Autopilotpatty Poppy nods and wipes a tear away
[9:54] Gabrielle Riel smiles wickedly, but he did not know with whom he was dealing
[9:55] Roberto Viking chuckles to himself, "no indeed"
[9:55] Sinder Radikal nods... a trace of a smile flickering across his lips.
[9:55] Gabrielle Riel grins
[9:55] Amber Palowakski smiles knowingly
[9:55] Gabrielle Riel takes a deep breath
[9:56] Gabrielle Riel: Now let us commune with those that have passed
[9:56] Gabrielle Riel: We are here at the New Toulouse Cemetery
[9:56] Gabrielle Riel: Tonight we dance with the New Taloosters gone before us!
[9:56] Roberto Viking closes his eyes and enters a contemplative state, open to the other side
[9:57] Gabrielle Riel: Let us all breathe together...
[9:57] Amber Palowakski takes a deep breath, preparing her mind to commune with the dead
[9:57] Tash Frakture sways slowly back and forth... Her eyes fixated on the flames.
Photo by Autopilotpatty Poppy
[9:58] Gabrielle Riel begins to speak...
[9:58] Kelli Kristan sways slowly
[9:58] Gabrielle Riel: On this night of Samhain I mark your passing,
[9:58] Gabrielle Riel: O Summer Sun, through the sunset into the Land of the Young.
[9:58] Gabrielle Riel: I mark also the passing of all who have gone before,
and all who will go after.
[9:59] Gabrielle Riel: O gracious Goddess,
Eternal Mother, You who gives birth to the fallen,
teach me to know that in the time of the greatest darkness there is the greatest Light.
[9:59] Gabrielle Riel moves forward and stirs the fire before us
[9:59] Gabrielle Riel: Wise One of the Waning Moon,
Goddess of the starry night,
I create this fire within Your cauldron
to transform that which is plaguing me.
[10:00] Gabrielle Riel: May the energies be reversed:
From darkness, Light!
From bane, good!
From death, rebirth!
[10:01] Gabrielle Riel: Remember the way of the Wind
And breathe and blow,
Remember the way of the Fire,
And sparkle and glitter and glow,
[10:01] Gabrielle Riel: Remember the way of the Water
And ebb and flow
Remember the way of the Earth
And abide until Springtime, then grow....
What is remembered lives.
[10:02] Gabrielle Riel: Let us all remember the ancestors of New Toulouse...and let us remember Miss Obedience Mactavish
[10:02] Amber Palowakski sways gently
[10:02] Gabrielle Riel: For what is remembered lives
[10:02] Roberto Viking: images of departed ones flow past the mind's eye
[10:03] Gabrielle Riel: Samhain, Hallow'een, All Soul's
[10:03] Gabrielle Riel: Night of the dead
[10:03] Gabrielle Riel: This night death walks the streets and the dead wake
[10:03] Gabrielle Riel: Day of the Dying
[10:04] Gabrielle Riel: When the veil is thinnest between the worlds
[10:04] Gabrielle Riel: When the gates open between the worlds.
[10:04] Gabrielle Riel: Let us then thank the Gods and the elements, and celebrate Samhain this night in New Toulouse!
[10:05] Gabrielle Riel: Blessed be to one and all
[10:05] Gabrielle Riel exhales...worn out
Photo by Sinder Radikal
[10:05] Sinder Radikal inhales sharply... his eyes rolling back.
[10:06] Roberto Viking feels presences moving about at the edge of the firelight
[10:06] Amber Palowakski: Blessed be to one and all, from God and Goddess during this sun's fall
[10:06] Gabrielle Riel trembles a bit...feeling odd
[10:06] Tash Frakture shivers... her back stiffening suddenly.
[10:07] Abigail Raymaker: May God and Goddess bless the fine people of New Toulouse
[10:07] Gabrielle Riel: And now ladies and gentlemen...go into this night...or remain here and dance with us
[10:07] Gabrielle Riel: Because all ceremonies end with a dance :-)
[10:07] Amber Palowakski follows with her eyes the shapes drifting through the smoke
[10:08] Autopilotpatty Poppy trembles with cold chills creeping past my neck
[10:08] Gabrielle Riel struggles to stand for dancing, but stumbles
[10:08] Gabrielle Riel: oh goodness
[10:08] Autopilotpatty Poppy looks up, startled
[10:08] Roberto Viking reaches out, gives a steadying grip to miz Gabi's elbow
[10:08] Gabrielle Riel smiles - thank you Mr. Viking
[10:09] Gabrielle Riel shakes her head
[10:09] Gabrielle Riel: Strange, I feel....well...strange!
[10:09] Roberto Viking: an odd experience indeed
[10:09] Gabrielle Riel: Not like I usually do after a Samhain ceremony...
[10:09] Amber Palowakski: Yes indeed
[10:10] Gabrielle Riel lips curve up as she remembers the ceremony in the garden at Coughton Court in 2007
[10:10] Sinder Radikal shudders... his eyes blinking the strange trance away.
[10:10] Gabrielle Riel gasps
[10:10] Gabrielle Riel: Oh no!
[10:10] Roberto Viking: [ surreptitiously consults an instrument in his coat pocket, nods at the high reading]
[10:10] Gabrielle Riel: Poppy!
[10:10] Amber Palowakski tries to warm her hands in teh fire, but feels nothing but coldness
[10:11] Gabrielle Riel moves quickly to Poppy's side and tries to wake her
[10:11] Kelli Kristan glaces over alarmed
[10:11] Abigail Raymaker shudders
[10:11] Autopilotpatty Poppy feels terribly ill
[10:11] Autopilotpatty Poppy: so dizzy
[10:11] Roberto Viking cocks an eyebrow in Poppy's direction "Is she OK"?
[10:11] Gabrielle Riel looks around a bit desperately...I have never had anyone faint at one of my ceremonies before!
[10:11] Amber Palowakski looks in her sachel for reviving herbs
[10:12] Gabrielle Riel kneels at Poppy's side
[10:12] Gabrielle Riel: Are you ok?
[10:12] Autopilotpatty Poppy: starts to stand
[10:12] Tash Frakture looks at Poppy, her face white with fear.
[10:12] Gabrielle Riel watches Poppy faint again
[10:12] Gabrielle Riel: Oh dear!
[10:13] Gabrielle Riel shakes her again
[10:13] Autopilotpatty Poppy feels like wretching.. but.. so dizzy.. so cold
[10:13] Gabrielle Riel: Oh no :-(
[10:14] Roberto Viking passes over a peppermint from his pocket "This sometimes helps with nausia"
[10:14] Sinder Radikal glances at Poppy... Closes his eyes and begin muttering an undecipherable prayer ... over and over... swaying foreward and back.
[10:15] Amber Palowakski prepares some ginseng tea to give Patty energy
[10:15] Gabrielle Riel: Poppy...I should take you home to Edison
[10:15] Roberto Viking: I can accompany her- I'm going that way
[10:15] Gabrielle Riel looks with concern at the rest of you
[10:15] Roberto Viking: if she needs me
[10:15] Tash Frakture nervously rises to her feet.
[10:16] Gabrielle Riel: Oh thank you Mr. Viking!
[10:16] Kelli Kristan stands up slowly
[10:16] Amber Palowakski: She fainted again
[10:16] Gabrielle Riel: Please stay and dance....if you feel able....
[10:16] Roberto Viking: she almost fell in the water
[10:16] Gabrielle Riel: Oh egads!
[10:16] Autopilotpatty Poppy screams wildly!
[10:16] Amber Palowakski hands Patty a cup of ginseng tea
[10:16] Autopilotpatty Poppy screams wildly!
[10:17] Abigail Raymaker: Oh dear
[10:17] Amber Palowakski: oh dear
[10:17] Roberto Viking looks about nervously, sees nothing
[10:17] Gabrielle Riel: Please excuse me...we must get her home
[10:17] Gabrielle Riel: Blessed be to you all!
[10:17] Sinder Radikal stands suddenly... his face beaded with cold sweat.
[10:17] Roberto Viking: but notices a
from the instrument in his pocket
[10:17] Amber Palowakski: Yes, please
[10:18] Abigail Raymaker: I hope she will be okay
[10:18] Autopilotpatty Poppy shivers
[10:18] Amber Palowakski invokes the watchers around Patty
[10:18] Autopilotpatty Poppy: wipes the beads of sweat from my brow
[10:18] Sinder Radikal stares after Poppy and Gabrielle as they leave.
[10:18] Gabrielle Riel whispers thank you Amber....
[10:18] Amber Palowakski: Gabi, we forgot to invoke the Watchers before the ceremony!
[10:19] Gabrielle Riel stops
[10:19] Amber Palowakski: We might have unleashed something!
[10:19] Autopilotpatty Poppy looks up at everyone.. startled
[10:19] Autopilotpatty Poppy: afraid
[10:19] Roberto Viking walks along with Poppy and Miz Gabi, wtching over his shoulder nervously
[10:19] Gabrielle Riel: oh....
[10:19] Gabrielle Riel: This feels different :-(
[10:19] Amber Palowakski: The circle was never properly sealed
[10:19] Tash Frakture faints.
[10:19] Autopilotpatty Poppy: goodness
[10:20] Autopilotpatty Poppy: I think I'm ok
[10:20] Autopilotpatty Poppy shivers
[10:20] Gabrielle Riel sees to Tash...Tash, can you hear me?
[10:20] Amber Palowakski: Mr. Roberto, do your sensors detect where the presence is strongest?
[10:20] Kelli Kristan steps back from Tash
[10:20] Tash Frakture stirs... sitting up... looking confused and terrified.
[10:20] Roberto Viking: while Poppy was shrieking
[10:20] Autopilotpatty Poppy puts face in palms
[10:20] Gabrielle Riel looks miserable
[10:21] Autopilotpatty Poppy: frightening, frightening
[10:21] Roberto Viking: and a few minutes earlier when Miz Gabi was chanting
[10:21] Gabrielle Riel: Amber...we are going to need to be vigilant
[10:21] Amber Palowakski pulls her athame out
[10:21] Autopilotpatty Poppy looks up wide-eyed'
[10:21] Gabrielle Riel looks around
[10:21] Gabrielle Riel: We all are.
[10:21] Roberto Viking: definately a lot of energy in flux at those times
[10:22] Gabrielle Riel: I want you all tell me if you experience any more strange symptoms.
[10:22] Autopilotpatty Poppy: goodness
[10:22] Autopilotpatty Poppy: whew
[10:22] Autopilotpatty Poppy takes a deep breath
[10:22] Abigail Raymaker wispers *Oh dear, what is going on?*
[10:22] Gabrielle Riel: Of if you notice anything that seems...off...in the energy here
[10:22] Amber Palowakski starts to draw a circle of protection
[10:23] Gabrielle Riel smiles
[10:23] Autopilotpatty Poppy suddenly is so warm
[10:23] Autopilotpatty Poppy: the coldness seems gone
[10:23] Tash Frakture looks around her nervously... "I... I'm sure all will be fine come dawn." Her face clearly showing that she does not believe her own words. "I really must get home."
[10:24] Roberto Viking checks his pocket agin, frowning at the instument " polarity of the tau energy is 90 degrees off"
[10:24] Autopilotpatty Poppy: whew..
[10:24] Gabrielle Riel sways a bit, still feeling unsteady
[10:24] Gabrielle Riel: I need to return home...I need to rest
[10:25] Roberto Viking: I think we all do
[10:25] Autopilotpatty Poppy looks at Gabi with concern .. whispers that I'm feeling almost back to normal except a bit frightened
[10:25] Gabrielle Riel smiles at Poppy weakly, please rest though ok?
[10:26] Tash Frakture looks at Mr. Viking... his words meaning nothing to her... she lights a lantern and disappears quicky into the night.
[10:26] Autopilotpatty Poppy: yes, I will
[10:26] Autopilotpatty Poppy: oh no!
[10:26] Autopilotpatty Poppy: Miss Tash
[10:26] Autopilotpatty Poppy: !!
[10:27] Amber Palowakski chants to hold thehold the evil presence
[10:27] Amber Palowakski attempts to dismiss any evil spirits
[10:27] Gabrielle Riel takes a deep shuddering breath
[10:28] Tash Frakture whirls around... hearing Poppy's words... but unable to bring herself back to the fireside... she hesitates a moment, then runs off.
[10:28] Autopilotpatty Poppy slips off unnoticed into the shadows
[10:28] Kelli Kristan slips away
[10:28] Gabrielle Riel: Thank you Amber....I do hope that has closed anything I might have unintentionally opened
[10:29] Amber Palowakski closes the circle but looks concerned
[10:29] Gabrielle Riel nods
[10:29] Gabrielle Riel: I know
[10:29] Sinder Radikal bows his head and walks off slowly into the night... A feeling of dread weighing upon him heavily.
[10:29] Roberto Viking: I must be off to correlate this new data....
[10:29] Gabrielle Riel bids you all a good night
