[Notes for the run of May 27, 1999.] [It's a bit spotty toward the end, especially since there were multiple discussions going on and the in-character one between Paris and the H.P. was taking place in murmurs across the room.] The party flails -- er discusses how to take out the 25 orcs. Suggestions include using Mia's slow-down spell, and using Silence on the sergeants. But we soon conclude that even orcs aren't so stupid as to camp very far from the water, so there is likely an orc camp somewhere within earshot. So we decide not to attack, and instead wait for the orcs to move off so we can furt in a different direction. Paris tries to obscure our tracks, and we use the stream to obscure our scent. Calais finds the remains of the mill. It looks even more picked over than before, but nothing seems to be here now. Paris finds tracks suggesting that orcs and wolves have been here within the last few days. And right on cue, we hear another wolf howl. The pond behaves like ordinary water, and Genelle doesn't think it's the one she wants. We continue on. The assorted wolf howls behind us suddenly change. One howl, more insistent than the others, is answered by other howls. The howls start catching up to us about the time we get to the swimming hole. Mia starts to cast her water-breathing spell to let us hide in the water. The other mages and Brillig notice that this place feels odd, like the circle of trees we found elsewhere (though only the mages noticed anything there, as though it were a static magical focus not then in use, but this one is perhaps active); indeed there're some trees that seem unusual somehow. Genelle is looking into the water with an odd expression, and we see that she has no reflection. Anton looks to see if he has a reflection, and he does, but it doesn't look quite like him; it's got his two-handed sword out, and is holding Claire's bloody head. The wolves and orcs appear, and Genelle starts to walk into the water. Mia goes to follow, but instead of her reflection Mia sees the greenish visage of her dead husband. She calls to Genelle not to go in, but Genelle is intent on whatever she's doing. We hear a distant answering howl. As we prepare to meet the orcs' charge, Claire releases her Wall spell. It doesn't land quite where she aimed it, but close enough to slow some down. Anton flashes a batch of them. Some of the orcs close partway, and Anton flashes them again, but the spell fails. Claire fires a magic bolt at a wolf. Mia casts her Slow spell at the more distant orcs/wolves, but misses. The wolves start to circle around to flank us. A second magic bolt drops a wolf, but the orc rolls clear. Anton's spell again fails. Mia manages to slow some wolves. Brillig throws a rock and hits somebody. The orcs/wolves form a semicircle and keep just far enough away that we can't reach them and attack. Perhaps they're waiting for reinforcements. Hm. Genelle says "Thank you" (it's not clear to whom), and ducks under the water. Mia freaks and starts again to cast her water-breathing spell. Brillig lobs another rock, which misses. But the orcs decide it's time to charge. Mia, intent on her spell (though not total concentration), fails to notice the two headed her way, but Paris steps in front of them. Two head for Anton, who has no weapon prepared. He dodges, while Calais moves to intercept. The orc who lost his wolf swings on Brillig but misses. Brillig whacks the orc. (The wolf, badly wounded, decides to sit this fight out and slinks off, linking its shoulder.) Two orcs and their wolves go after Paris, but only one orc hits, and it doesn't penetrate her armor. She whacks it with her hammer. Calais intercepts one of Anton's attackers; the orc hits but Calais blocks, and the wolf misses. The other pair both hit Anton, but for wimpy damage. Claire says something we've never heard her say before, and a wolf yelps in confusion as its paws sink into the ground, or perhaps it's that the ground reached up and grabbed it. Paris gives a wolf a second whack, and it collapses. Another pair rides up and strikes Paris, who is stunned. Calais can't reach her, so he deals with his own pair, who miss, but so does he. Anton draws his greatsword and whacks a wolf. Claire's trapped wolf starts to wriggle free. She activates her armor, and entangles the new wolf on Paris. Brillig whacks an orc and knocks it thoroughly out. Two previously flashed orcs/wolves now close. One of them goes for Calais; the wolf can't attack (full move) but the orc does, as do the orc and wolf he was already facing. All three hit, and Calais takes some BODY and enough STUN to fall unconscious. The other new pair goes for Anton. One orc and wolf miss, but the other orc crits in the stomach. Ouch. He falls unconscious, though he barely wakes up soon after. Mia finishes readying her spell and calls out to us that we can drink from her cup in order to breathe underwater. She then casts a combat heal spell on Calais, managing to bring him barely back to consciousness. Paris unstuns, but then gets hit again, and this time falls unconscious. Brillig dives for the water. One orc tugs on his wolf and gets it to head for Mia. Another swings at Calais, who blocks from his downed position. Two other orcs fail to sway their wolves and the wolves go for Anton's downed body. He starts to dodge, so the orcs also swing. He takes a small wound and falls unconscious again. Some orcs and wolves hit Claire, but her armor stands up to them. Ditto for Mia, though her armor starts to chip away in places. Mia casts another heal, this time on Paris, who wakes up but then is hit again and falls barely unconscious. Calais, having blocked, gets to go first. He stands and swings, doing a solid hit but not downing or even stunning his opponent. Two wolves and an orc continue to tear at Anton, doing small amounts of damage. Mia casts her last combat heal, bringing Paris conscious again. Calais finally goes faster than his attackers and disengages, backing into the water. Paris is hit again but stays conscious. At the end of segment 12, an obvious magic spell goes off, seeming to be white, black, and all the colors of the rainbow. A voice somewhat like Genelle's says, "Peace. Do not attack them, and they will not attack you." We wait, and the orcs and wolves hold back, though the wolves seem frustrated and try to incite someone to attack, but we resist. After a tick, Mia and Brillig and Claire all head for Anton and start doing first aid, paramedic, healing spells, etc. The wolves and orcs eventually give up and move away. Genelle seems to be waiting for us over by the trees that we sensed earlier were part of the strangeness of the area. She looks a bit different -- more stately and serene -- and has a large scroll that says TORAT tucked under one arm, though the final T is obscured. Claire is the first to address her, saying simply, "Thank you very much." She responds, "There shall be peace at the gates of the Temple." "What temple?" "THE Temple." Anton thanks her also, calling her Genelle. She replies, "I am Genelle, and Izetta, and Arian, and Ishtar. I am the High Priestess." Mia asks, "What are you High Priestess of?" "The gods. The gods' will. The gods' mystery." (While Mia thinks she hears the apostrophe after the "s", Brillig is pretty sure it's before the "s". There is, of course, no way to tell; and, while Pat might make an error, the High Priestess won't.) Mia asks, "All of them?" The H.P. merely smiles. Mia asks, "Who ARE they?" "That is part of the mystery." The H.P. says if Anton is dead she can restore him, but much to Pat's disappointment we've managed to pull him back from the brink. After a while he is restored to consciousness, though one particularly large head wound leaves him seeing double for a while. Paris asks something, but I missed it. I think the response was that "The keys are part of the mystery." More stuff I missed, something about Paris having to answer the H.P. questions. H.P. asks her if she wants to enter the temple. "I am the last of those who will help you easily." She opens the scroll and asks, "How many are the keys of Tarot?" Paris answers something Sheryl mumbled, probably two. H.P. invites us into the temple, and into the land of Tarot. She walks into the grove of trees. Paris follows, and the rest of the party tags along. We notice that the scroll now reads TAROT, though again the final T is obscured. We find ourselves in a temple with 9 pillars on each side, and 9 frescoes above them, representing humanoid figures. Mia seems to recognise several of them. The High Priestess appears to be awaiting more questions.