synodiporia_ooc | Arcana Dodgeball: Final Summary

Week 1:

Fool

Ambrose does his best to check in and learn something useful, but that’s a difficult prospect with as obtuse of a patron as Don Orlea is. Kinji also makes a valiant attempt at getting the truth of the matter. Natsumi is just plain frustrated.

Magician

Gale is at least willing to talk computer metaphors with ROSE. Beato, as a former game master of a similar board, presses for what information she can get, including whether the Travelers are looking at being pitted directly against each other (answer: for the most part, no) and how the World factors in (answer: ROSE isn’t telling). Tick-Tock does his level best to get out of this whole being-marked business. Armin opts for caution.

Priestess

Sabetha checks for traps. Davesprite is less than thrilled with this cryptic bullshit. Death meets a like-minded entity. Thorne has a nice long chat with ‘Selene,’ confirming, among other things, that the King in Yellow’s sigil is gone for good (something Emperor confirms in his strop with Altair); she later takes a visual of the conversation space to the network. Phillip has a look at absolutely everything. Luci spikes the hot chocolate.

Empress

Mei keeps herself busy, between the sheer number of folks she has to talk to one-on-one and sneaking into Liminal proper to comfort everyone. Claudia has hopes for a rather more productive conversation than they managed in Newport. Jules didn’t do anything, he swears. Faed isn’t pleased to learn he’s been marked since Newport and didn’t even know it. Minako learns that Rose (the baby, that is) has been deemed off-limits in terms of marking; speaking of Rose, the whole Washburne family gets called in for a chat with Their Imperial Grandparents. Maria is no longer quite so sure if Mei the nice lady and Empress the Illuminant-buster are two different people, and is extremely upset about it. McGonagall enjoys the cocoa. Imriel reacts… badly to being so trapped. Mikasa isn’t so pleased about being cut off from everyone. Eliza is unsettled.

Emperor

Altair throws an A-plus hissy fit, once he realises who he’s talking to. In the process, Emperor lets a couple juicy tidbits slip, including the implication that the Travelers are somehow responsible for Star’s death, and that at least some measure of care - if not benevolence - has been applied to the Travelers’ time in between jaunts. Because of Altair’s interest in the servers, he has to call ROSE in as backup, possibly lending credence to the theory that at least some of the Traveling experience is a simulation of some sort. Shinji calls Emperor on his Totally Not Desperation in picking him, but Emperor decides what Shinji really needs in his life is A Father Figure, and leaves the conversation/game of catch feeling rather more confident about things. Lupa isn’t what you’d call thrilled about being branded by yet another powerful entity, but appreciates Emperor’s Leader-to-Leader approach, at least. Liara wonders why the Arcana are bothering with private chats now, of all times.

Week 2:

Lovers

Jean asks why Lovers marked him in the first place if she ‘shouldn’t have.’ Elphaba is worried that the For Real Marriage with Zak may not go too well in the long haul; meanwhile, Zak vents his ire over stabbing Elphie during the first week’s illusions, drawing out an interesting tidbit on the nature of death during jaunts. Souji makes a new connection, and asks Psyche why she aided Devil on the Grid.

Chariot

Kanji, finally afforded a chance to talk with Chariot, gets down to business, and some interesting answers about why the Arcana need the Travelers. Eren is pretty pissed with this whole show - right up until Chariot actually apologises for the hurt caused to Eren and his friends by the game. Zed doesn’t want to go home; the two being a game of HORSE (of course). Korra tries to figure out the cause for celebration.

Strength

Rise appreciates the new decor. Kenzaki checks out the roses. Cassandra wants to know what’s so special about her. Steph is upset with the Arcana’s general lack of apparent courtesy. Gabrielle is pretty confused with this whole setup. Jay is fussy. Han has a bad feeling about this. Pod finds herself hoping an offering isn’t required.

Hermit

Daneel is worried that his time with the Travelers is distracting from, and interfering with his ability to execute, his Purpose back home. This eventually prompts SAGE to shift forms in order to better communicate. Near more or less figured this was coming. Jotaro meets a doge. Both Near and Jotaro make rather ill-advised attempts to communicate with SAGE-as-dog, getting themselves rather overwhelmed with information in the process.

Meanwhile, back in Liminal Space…

Altair presents a Totally Unbiased Report of his conversation with Emperor and Magician, prompting speculation about what exactly killed Star, whether it had anything to do with Moebius, and what can be gleaned from not even half of the story.

Week 3:

Justice

Jolie reverts to her shadow shape. Drizzt acquires some pants. Dakki tries to understand just what it is Justice wants from her. Jaina has a bad feeling about this, like her father before her. Jess attempts to understand the stakes.

Hanged Man

Tachibana is none too pleased with being whisked off to an apparent torture chamber, but still goes to make sure the tangled proxy is all right. Helena gives Pendu a hand with its voice box.

Death

Before his host shows up to chat, Naoki bridges the gap to the network proper, showing off the rather macabre decor; he does cut the group conversation short, though, when Death arrives (and blames Devil for most of the decorating scheme). Yosuke doesn’t think much of the electric chair. Matthew gets thrown for a loop almost immediately, but tries to focus on the most important aspect of all this to him - namely, that something like the Marks doesn’t come without a price. Malik doesn’t wait to get into the heavy questions. Toby actually goes to taste the blood, in hopes of learning something from it.

Devil

Melissa opts to empty her gun into Devil, even if the rounds don’t appear to be doing anything; she makes a valiant effort to get some information, but Devil isn’t what you’d call forthcoming with anything other than taunts. Dorian is supremely turned off by the blood goblet - and dismayed to see Devil again, to put it mildly.

Meanwhile, back in Liminal Space…

Masshuu, finding himself in the Void the foreign dragons banished shrine dragons to, decides to get down to business and kill and interrogate one of the locals. Altair, determined not to let him hurt any innocents, takes him on in a fight, and they both end up Liminal Dead, the first time deaths have occurred in Liminal Space since before Moebius.

Week 4:

Tower

Rorschach attempts to refuse. Rosalie wins points by knocking over the wine glass. Hajime goes on the offensive, or at least tries to.

Moon

Riddick immediately starts fishing for answers, learning a lot about the nature of dungeons in the process. Raidou is over 9000 kinds of Done. Alcuin sweet-talks Moon into showing him a snapshot of the Arcana playing their game - which, thanks to his perfect memory and other mental skills, he can now review and analyse at his leisure. Melisande attempts to learn what these games with the gods mean. Tybalt takes issue with the wine selection.

Sun

Amanda is down for a little excitement; the Roadrash Kid, meanwhile, is surprised he’s included in Sun’s calculus at all. Naoto apologises for perceived ineffectiveness on the job, and sets about trying to learn what she can. Chie is absolutely shocked and pleased that someone wants her.

Judgement

Xena finds herself sympathising with Penuel’s cause more than she’d expected to. Cass is unsure what to make of being popped off to a side room by herself. Lyall meets an oddly familiar presence. Right is rather stunned to be meeting an angel. Feli asks who was responsible for the room.

Meanwhile, in the floor…

Matthew and Altair undergo the consequences for killing each other in Liminal Space, which mostly involves a lot of goo and only having each other for company.

And with that, I (Jill) have completed my last full-blown summary, since full modship is going to take up a good deal of time. Starting with the upcoming jaunt, PG will be assuming summary-writing duties.

Arcana Dodgeball: Final Summary

Additions/Clarifications