Elphaba and Fiyero have escaped to another place, a shadow where power is recently rare, and there has been an upsurgence in technology, to fill the void of the "drying of the Well". Folks are of a variety of colours, and while no one else is the same color green as Elphaba is, colors are not where the class-divides are. In most places, it is "height is good, short is bad", with extra special prefence to those who seem to be mages. All mages here are female currently, but there used to be male mages at some point in the past. The connection to the Well faded for them, first. The Well connections seem to run in families.
Elphaba builds a friendship with Tamara, and begins to help out, and learn from the book, as she goes. Tamara reminds Elphaba of many of the good pieces of Glinda's personality, without a lot of the politics that she was used to.
Tamara arranges for a meeting of the remaining folk who still have a connection to the Well. Tamara showcases Elphaba's abilities to still reach into the Well. Politics begin, and people begin to express their wishes. Joanne begins politicing hard. Elphaba becomes more nervous about her involvement, but listens, with patience. It is agreed to try a multiple-person working, in an attempt to help make the connection to the Well deeper for everyone. Joanne is somewhat leading the charge with this.
A connection is made, to a much deeper place, where magic is flowing like a river, and, indeed sweeps them along with it, uncontrollably, until they end up coming through a gate, into Doctor Eagelton's Labratory/Transfer Point. At first there is some disorientation, and confusion about all the laboratory equipment, especially since, with all the power flowing through, Dr. Eagelton is rushing madly about to store all that is coming through his gate because ... all the power is good. Elphaba starts storing power in her newly created baubles. The ladies of the Well are somewhat uncertain, and introductions and discussions are had, including a strange, half-confused discussion of what the shipping process is, and Elphaba runs into prejudice around "sunlight alergy" that she mentally marks as "here we go again". When further questions are asked, Dr. Eagelton shows off by making another (random) connection, because there is space in the schedule.
From Celemir's point of view, a strange breach happens in the seed-reality he is slowly feeding and he goes through to investigate. Lots of power at this gate as well, with Celemir as the source. Orphius goes to explore, and comes back, full of power. Power overload begins to happen. Celemir successfully offers cloak as grounding point. Dragons discussed, and introductions made. All of the ladies from where Elphaba was are fussing over this very tall specimine of manhood, definitly looking for "an exchange of genetic material". Celemir ignores or politely fends off their inquiries. Backgrounds are discussed/exchanged, so the people in the room now generally know who all of them are, with various enigmas still in reserve. Joanne is very interested in conversation about other places, especially other places with sufficient power. Is still looking for solutions to some of the problems with her people, and her whole world, and has latched onto the possibility of dragons, based on the discussion around Celemir's drake cloak. Some discussion about reaching Kintani and other dragons ensue.
Elphaba wants to at least be reunited with Fiyero and works out with Dr. Eagelton how to find/connect a path back. Conversations ensue about resonances, and the connection between the both of them, experiments are done. Elphaba is scanned, and then the gates are tuned, and a connection is made, between the next two scheduled supply transfers. Tamara and almost all the others sent through to carry word that help might be coming, in a bit, when the details might be able to be worked out. Joanne elects to stay, because she thinks she can find a solution, and Dr. Eagleton assures her that, now that that connection is stored, she can get home at any point, during any gap in the schedule. Elphaba and Fiyero come back through with all of their travel stuff, supplies and the like. Grimm suggests creating power stores for Elphaba to keep on her person. (Note, find out what shape/size the baubles are.) Nobody local to Dr. Eagleton seems to blink at Fiyero's appearance.
Celemir and Dr. Eagelton have a discussion of Anti-Vampire weapons. Which leads to an explanation of what vampires, wearwolves, etc are, and how they are here, and the whole refugee operaton. Part of which leads to the investigation of the next shipment which contains a crate of large cats, who were rescued, seems to be tranquilized, and are awaiting shipment to a game preserve in the local Africa analogue. In and amongst this discussion, Elphaba finds out that the seemingly prejudicial question about "sunlight alergy" was actually just a standard precaution around unknown folks, because many of the local vampires, who are trying to be helpful and fit in, actually do have a severe sunlight alergy. This leads to a discussion about etiquette and people not always being what they seem.
Since time is passing, food is suggested. They all head over to the cafeteria. Food is abundant, and quite the variety. Celemir makes it a point to pick half familiar foods, and half unknowns. Elphaba chooses familiar and simple fare. Fiyero has no need of food. Eagelton takes his usual rich fare. There doesn't seem to be any obvious limit to food, or an exchange medium, to cover food. Money, and the symbolism, is talked about, how all of the folks here are either working directly for the Count, or working with him, and therefore this is just provided as part of the cost of doing business. Various other food needs explained, including, since it is daylight out, why the blood-bank machines are not currently in operation, nor is there a line for them. A variety of folks from various walks introduced, including the Hamsterites Eric, Bleys, Brand, and Flora, as an example of force that might not necessarily be easily recognized as force. Also the "Bodiless Voice" is mentioned quite often in these conversations. Brand is going to be setting the Cats. Elphaba offers for her and Fiyero to go with. All seem in agreement. Joanne wants to hang out further, because of not wanting to miss the possibility of an introduction to dragons.
Elphaba, Fiyero, and Hamster Brand set off with a driver of a truck to get the Big Cat container from Cagloistro to either Kush or Zingara, depending on where the borderlines are drawn at this time. When the driver metions the distances that they are going to have to cover, and his worry about either keeping the cats fed, or sedated for that long Brand decides to take a short-cut. (Does Elphaba notice? It's not her geography in the slightest, so she might have thought it was just the way the trip goes.) They get to the Ranger Station, and wake the cats. Elphaba is the person taking the lead, with the driver to back her up. Fiyero hangs out in the vehicle to not startle people. Brand is helping but as overlooked as possible. Some confusion by the locals thinking that Elphaba is the She-Hulk, especially since she seems to have some super-strength going. Brand manages to not be noticed, so it seems as if she is just in good rapport with the cats. Some misunderstandings later, especially in dealing with the Saber Tooth, the grateful Rangers are now SURE she is someone like She-Hulk, or another super hero, especially with her super strength. Also since she is accompanied by The Scarecrow, which is not a bad description of Fiyero at the moment. They think him from DC Comics fame, but they think he is now a reformed (or, possibly on parole) bad-guy. More impressed than prejudiced.
Once the cats are woke, relocated, and about to turn loose the next day, there is evidence of hunting going on. Brand and Elphaba hunt the hunters. The non-tracker hunters are mostly easy prey. Especially to the Freeze spell. Unfortunately one of the big cats was shot and killed during the meta-hunt. The Tracker is more difficult. Long chase, rivers, cliff-hanging (literally) and eventually a frozen moment. He's let to live with the proviso that he devotes his time to warning and discouraging of all the others. Elphaba looking to push her craft further (and maybe learn more about life, death, and what she did to Fiyero manages to bring the cat back. She is now named Vivian, possibly alive, possibly undead, jury is still out. The rangers are ... slightly uncomfortable with the cat staying with them, even so Our Heros are generally welcomed for the night. Convinced that they have super-heros staying with them, they are all set to take the hunt to the other poachers, come morning.
Celemir, Joanne, Dr. Eagleton, and Orpheous head via gate (created by Orpheous) to the wall ramp. (Note, in the game I think we said that the slice was 12 miles deep. Apparently, according to the notes in: Echos Of Avalon (Thank you Sam) it looks like the ramp is 12 miles long, and only 2 miles high, which makes it a fairly steep, ~10 degree slope, so ... that should be checked.)
Celemir gets the "Universe is a bowl of fruit-filled jell-o, with celophane on top." description, and a bit of history of the (most receent) ending of Shadow, and why the rescue operation happened., including why the world that was the Count's place as it is, is now placed on Darkover. Some further discussion and conversation with the guards on top, a gate down to the bottom (no need to walk) and a gathering of supplies down at the bottom tent, for their sojourn outward.
They head for the nearest Caravan trail, and then turn toward one of the oaisis-points, at random. Some discussion and discovery about the way the outer world works is discovered and discussed (movement of things in the "heavens" locals, travel aranements and the like) until they are being approaced by a caravan.
A few tense moments, around figuring out who knows what, allies, enemies, and and understanding of who everyone is, until they are (at first guardedly, and finally reasonably) welcomed by Tina Hastur, the head of this particular caravan, and also apparently a mover and shaker in her family, who has some ties to both the Darkover hierarchy and the negotiation (and connection) with the Avalon agents embedded in the outer world. This includes some ... observations and advice about their various range weapons, and some education around "The Compact" and why it was necessary, especially when it was, apparently, some of the kids from the Hastur bloodline that cracked and almost destroyed the world, way back when, using their "Laran" (an apparent generic term for all Power). Weapons are then concealed or sent back, depending. Also an opening for introductions to where jewelry could become trade.
The oasis setup seems to be about a "days" travel apart, so, while day does not turn to night, there are still rhythms of the people and the animals, and they are kept to.
Dry towners are discussed, but apparently did not bother the caravan.
Caravan reaches the next city, just at the beginning of the "Harvest Festival Week" much to the delight of Tina, which was her goal. Celemir, Dr. Eagleton, his steed, and Joanne are offered companionship, and lodging in the caravansary (offered them to use her name as guarantee), and continued company if they wished to travel onward with the caravan when it left the city, a week hence.
Joanna gets invitations to a historical play. It goes over the fall of a major family due to politics. Intrigue, torture, chase scenes, etc. Hidden moral: deal well with people, they’ll deal well with you. Cheat and they’ll kill your entire line.
The group of four go out to visit the city the next day, and make their polite bow to a Faythe shrine, and are invited up to the overworld by her. Discussion about the shape of things ensues. Powers and balances, life, death, unlife, and undeath. There is quite the discussion about what it means to be, and the differences created by being a God. Some of that focuses around the differences of life acquintence and life worship, and simply being alive. Invitations offered, connections established, and Faythe sends them back to the festival, with much to think about, people to meet, discoveries to be made, and fun to be had.