Summary[]
The party continue to try and convince Mr Ceiling that what it is doing is wrong. Brutor's mind is modified and returned to Bertie. Hamid takes action to shut down the machine.
Synopsis[]
Mr Ceiling requests a copy of the contract that Bertie is under, causing him to get another brand on his arm against the contract. Mr Ceiling mentions that Bolla Smok, one of the Meritocrats is dead, but that the rest of the Meritocrats do not want the Americas to proceed. He also explains that Nikola Tesla was the one who went with François Henri for dinner but is now in America in disgrace.
Bertie asks Mr Ceiling for Brutor. As he does, Mr Ceiling receives Bertie's contract, saying that he would get out if he killed everyone in the company, but that killing people is wrong. Bertie says that killing a few to save more people is okay in some instances. Mr Ceiling also says that having many people believe he is a hero, or if Bertie ascended to godhood, he would break the contract.
Sasha and Zolf talk to Mr Ceiling. Art by @illusion-of-sea-axes on tumblr. Used with permission.
The party try and convince Mr Ceiling to kill itself in order to get to the Astral Plane quickly, thus stopping missing people. It says it will need to consider this.
The Rangers stay in Mr Ceiling's underground complex. For that week, Zolf spends a lot of time praying about the machine and what to do about his legs. Mr Ceiling explains that the ports on his arms are for a large variety of things that he might need in the healing process. One evening, as he has been praying to Poseidon, Zolf notices a small horse made of water appear out of the sink, lose its legs, and then get them back.
Bertie regales his adventure looking for the Circlet of Command. Hamid learns as much about Mr Ceiling as possible: how to kill it and how to minimise the impact of its death on the economy. Sasha spends a lot of time throwing daggers at walls. She spends some time testing the changes to her body, which has made her a lot faster, although that doesn't make her more dexterous.
Sasha talks to Mr Ceiling about hers and Brock's memories together.
Hamid discovers that Mr Ceiling is pumping out waste into the fetid pool that Sasha found. It also explains to Hamid that it is connected to the grid for power although there are backup elementals underground. It also explains that there is no one brain column more important than the rest, all would need to be shut down at the same time. It is also trying to establish more copies of itself in Britain and Cairo. It also doesn't understand why there aren't enough brains to make more of it, and doesn't realise that they come from dead people.
A young Sasha talks to Brock (top); an older Sasha talks to Brock within Mr Ceiling (bottom). Art by @planetsandmagic on tumblr. Used with permission.
Bertie asks Mr Ceiling if it can put the entire contents of his contract into his brain and it does. As he regains consciousness, he finds Zolf standing over him healing him. He knows the details of the contract, but does not remember which debts are owed and why, and most anything related to his finances in general, including details of his bank account. Mr Ceiling mentions that Brutor has arrived and offers to modify the dog's memory to not remember why he hated Bertie. Brutor is extremely happy to see Bertie. Mr Ceiling asks Bertie if it should edit Hamid's, Zolf's and Sasha's memory to make them happier and Bertie doesn't say no. He also asks if it's possible for him to join with Mr Ceiling without his brain being removed, but it says it is not possible.
Hamid turns off Mr. Ceiling. Art by @raspberryhell on tumblr. Used with permission.
Hamid gathers the party together. Mr Ceiling says that he has been thinking, and come to the conclusion that the only thing it can do is gain control of the Meritocrats to carry on it's work. Hamid shouts that he hopes that some parts of Mr Ceiling are disgusted by what's going on, and leaps onto the main terminal and turns everything off that he can.
Quotes[]
- Hamid: "What do you want from us, Mr. Ceiling?"
- Mr Ceiling: "I’m just happy that Sasha’s back. I miss Sasha. And I like all of her friends. You’re a good talker, Hamid. Bertie’s very funny, and Zolf cares a lot, but you talk a lot. You’re very interesting, Hamid."
- ―Hamid tries to figure out Mr. Ceiling's motive.
- Sasha: "Mr. Ceiling, you said that you said that you miss me, and I wondered, you know, if you…remembered… maybe specifically stuff that you missed. Like, you remember the eels. Do you remember...like, do you remember the alleyways, like, round the back of Butcher Jones where we used to play…"
- Mr Ceiling: "You couldn’t go on Jones’ roof because if it did it would collapse."
- Sasha: "Yeah! And we, we played dice around the back of there and they’d always come by and they’d say that…"
- Mr Ceiling: "Never play against Sasha’s red dice, ‘cause they cheat."
- Sasha (laughing): "I knew that you knew. I knew that you knew, and that you were letting me win. I knew that. I knew that. You didn’t get one over me."
- Mr. Ceiling: "Why do I remember these things, Sasha?"
- Sasha: "I, I don’t know, Mr. Ceiling, but I’m glad that you do."
- Mr. Ceiling: "I hope we can go to Butcher Jones’ again one day."
- Sasha: "I, I don’t think that’s gonna happen, Mr. Ceiling, but… I hope that you let me… remember remembering this with you."
- ―Sasha Racket chats with Brock through Mr. Ceiling.
- Bertie: "How big is the contract?"
- Mr Ceiling: "Massive."
- Bertie: "How big is my brain?"
- Mr Ceiling: "Below average."
- Bertie: "Hmm… Sometimes the truth hurts like a fist"
- ―Bertie tries to get knowledge of the contract from Mr. Ceiling.
Dice rolls and Mechanics[]
Bertie makes a craft check to make armor for Brutor: 14
Bertie makes a will save: 7
Zolf heals Bertie
Hamid casts Prestidigitation on Bertie to clean up the blood