[2025/05/28 14:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me waits stoically
[2025/05/28 14:23] Sapphire: ack
[2025/05/28 14:23] Sapphire: -=- -=- -=- -=-
[2025/05/28 14:23] Sapphire: > When last we left off, the group that has not yet named themselves were being shown around the local area by the town guards. The'd found a decently protected spherical metal barn to let your recently commandeer'd wing-snakes rest in, and then walked up to town through fields of strange red fruits that grow in the middle of their vines.
[2025/05/28 14:24] Sonja Bikergrrl: Do we have active quests?
[2025/05/28 14:24] Sapphire: Yes, calculating....
[2025/05/28 14:27] Sapphire: Connection to Central Intellect: Distant
[2025/05/28 14:27] Sapphire: > Active Missions: Determine origin and motive of invaders. Gather useful advanced resources for repairs. Collect cores for functional upgrades.
[2025/05/28 14:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: We need to get back on the ship
[2025/05/28 14:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: but we need resources and cores first
[2025/05/28 14:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: What might these cores be and where might we reasonably find them?
[2025/05/28 14:30] Mecha: I think there was a more populated area nearby maybe we can look there
[2025/05/28 14:31] Sonja Bikergrrl: right. Let's do that
[2025/05/28 14:32] Sapphire: You're currently at the edge of the local town, a place assembled from cubes of metal and triangles of wood, while the local populace are well tanned and dressed in colorful clothings.
[2025/05/28 14:32] Sapphire: You can hear the sound of some sort of energetic tool humming and sizzling, along with the intermittant hammering of metal. One particularly tall building is roofed with slates in an evil amber color, while an open patio of benches and tables has several passerby around and the sizzle of some sort of vegetable and cheese in the air.
[2025/05/28 14:32] Sapphire: Your own apperances are odd enough to attract attention, but seemingly not alarm, you're only the third strangest things in town, probably beaten by the two-headed woman riding a glass snail through the street.
[2025/05/28 14:32] Sapphire: The locals seem to be using a local currency of chips of rectancular metal about a finger-sized each, though several other shiny things can be seen changing hands in a similar way.
[2025/05/28 14:32] Sapphire: ( Sorry for the delay, still booting my brain back into creative mode after work and glitchy AC )
[2025/05/28 14:33] Mecha: Wait two headed woman on a... They met Angelica?
[2025/05/28 14:33] Mecha: Robin walks through taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Do we get hungry? Is that a thing for us?
[2025/05/28 14:33] Sonja Bikergrrl: what is the hue of an evil amber and how does the hex code vary from a good amber colour?
[2025/05/28 14:38] Sapphire: You don't currently know snail-lady's name(s). As for hunger, you seem to have a low but non-zero need for food. The smell is tempting but you are not urgently hungry. Trying to go a third day without food might be troublesome.
[2025/05/28 14:38] Sapphire: As for the evil amber, it's a sort of yellow that has stolen elements of good ruby, and contaminated it with paleness. Further pondering on this question surfaces discordant memories, distantly associating that shade of amber with assistance and wisdom, compared to other memories that insist it is a color of invasion and theft. Intellect check against 15 to tease apart the details.
[2025/05/28 14:39] D20: Sonja Bikergrrl rolls 13
[2025/05/28 14:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: that good?
[2025/05/28 14:39] Sapphire: just under, but you could pay 2 intellect pool to cover the difference
[2025/05/28 14:40] Sonja Bikergrrl: Eh. I'll call it good.
[2025/05/28 14:41] Sapphire: Novaya, you recall a hazy mix of darkened buildings, soft clothing, intermingled with a figure levitating and shouting. The context appears to be lost.
[2025/05/28 14:41] Sapphire: Robin, your partner is standing perfectly still, staring off into space.
[2025/05/28 14:43] Mecha: Robin waves a hand in front of her before gently shaking her."Hey, you okay?"
[2025/05/28 14:43] Sonja Bikergrrl: do i respond?
[2025/05/28 14:43] Sapphire: if you wish
[2025/05/28 14:44] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "We need to go in there."
[2025/05/28 14:46] Mecha: ... Go in where?
[2025/05/28 14:46] Sonja Bikergrrl: In that tall amber building.
[2025/05/28 14:48] Mecha: Robin raises an eyebrow."Lead the way then
[2025/05/28 14:48] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: Leads the way!
[2025/05/28 14:51] Sapphire: The trip to the amber-roofed building is unimpeded. Indeed, the roads seem to easily lead to the large, trianglar building with an open archway and clear synth doors mounted to the front of the wood, currently open in any case. Inside, several pews of wooden benches and tables are arranged in a circle with a small round platform in the middle. The walls are adorned with murals of floating obelisks and figures with flowing capes exploring strange mazes of metal.
[2025/05/28 14:51] Sapphire: Several people are inside, currently gathered around two of the tables while the central pad is empty, dressed much like the people outside. The one who sits apart from them, reading from a long scroll, is an androgynous person in long yellow robes with a tall hood adorned with long wires standing upright and a necklace of blinking lights. They look up when you appear standing outside the door, rolling their scroll back up.
[2025/05/28 14:52] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: wanders in: "Good day and service."
[2025/05/28 14:54] Mecha: Robin follows in
[2025/05/28 14:56] Mecha: Um, we come in peace?
[2025/05/28 14:56] Sapphire: "A pleasure to welcome new travelers," they answer, pressing the scroll into a pocket at their side and approaching. "The Church of Truth welcomes all who would seek to learn and assist with their community. I am known as Mother Argon." Their attention seems to scan up and down you both, eyes lingering on various of your equipment and physiology. "Within my churches doors, humans, abhumans, and mutants alike are all welcomed"
[2025/05/28 14:57] Mecha: Abhumans and Mutants?
[2025/05/28 14:57] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Good to know, we come seeking truth in all its' forms and expressions. So... just what is it you do here?"
[2025/05/28 14:59] Sapphire: Their brows quirk in surprise at the question for a moment. "Ah, the usual distinction is that a mutant began life as a human, and was then modified, possibly before birth, to a new form. While an abhuman looks very similar to a human, they are ultimately of different species or kind." They turn to reply to Novaya. "I share and discover knowledge, sharing it with the interested of our community when it settles down, and sharing it with our brother churches."
[2025/05/28 15:01] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "And what knowledge has been discovered that might be shared? How can we increase your knowledge?"
[2025/05/28 15:05] Mecha: Robin nudges Novaya."How can we what? I don't even know what I am."She whispers.
[2025/05/28 15:07] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: (whispers back): "Diplomacy. AKA, bluff and bullshit."
[2025/05/28 15:07] Mecha: Robin shrugs and lets Novaya take the reigns
[2025/05/28 15:07] Sapphire: "Many things. The tending of plants and their needs across different places, how you might avoid the notice of the great monsters that travel the forests here and beyond the clock of kala." They gesture to one of the open tables and walk to it. "We are always interested in newfound Numenera and artifacts, or places they might be found. I would suspect your own origins would be quite enlightening."
[2025/05/28 15:07] Sapphire: Novaya and Robin, a hissing voice in the back of your brain insists you are currently in hostile terretory. Several of the mural sections are a match for long ago invaders.
[2025/05/28 15:07] Sapphire: "You two have the looks of someone seeking rather specific knowlege, and I suspect we could arrange a trade or deal. What are you looking for?"
[2025/05/28 15:08] Sapphire: ( What are you bluffing at this time? )
[2025/05/28 15:09] Sonja Bikergrrl: Not bluffing yet.
[2025/05/28 15:10] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Sure we could, what sort of trade are you thinking of. And what can you tell me about those? It looks most fascinating." (Points to mural)
[2025/05/28 15:11] Mecha: With the voice Robin shakes her head and stands back. A step back towards the door, but just one
[2025/05/28 15:16] Sapphire: "Ah, these tales are public knowledge. These depict the early travels of our churches founder, the Amber Pope," they explain, walking to the first one. "In his youth, a humble rancher of aneen with a penchant for curiosity and just enough reflexes and wit to survive the dangers he encountered, learning more and more every step of the way. Exploring the Cavern of Relentless Whispers, and determining that the whispers are in fact the repeated echos of every word spoken within it's halls, but across thousands of years and the languages of a hundred peoples. When he traveled upwards to the Amber Monolith that loomed over the village of his birth, braving the myriad dangers and traps within to seek the secrets within it's core. Many of those have been critical
[2025/05/28 15:16] Sapphire: to our mission, allowing just to resist the monsters and horrors of the lands around us, and to build new armors and devices to protect ourselves."
[2025/05/28 15:19] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Indeed, a worthy endeavour. No doubt to prove our worthiness to your goal, you perhaps require us to go on a minor quest? We accept, what would you have us find and retrieve for you?"
[2025/05/28 15:20] Sapphire: "Ahem," they cough, turning back to focus. "My tales get away from myself at times. For trades, knowledge for knowledge or cyphers for cyphers are the ones I have found work best. I've been curious about the shielded bubble in the middle of the lake for instance, but have not yet found a way to open a way through that does not reseal itself within a fraction of a second." They close their eyes. "Jeremiah was too eagar to go in, and lost a significant portion of his hand when he attempted to go through. We've constructed a partial prostesis for him, but I do not yet feel it is a sufficient replacement."
[2025/05/28 15:21] Mecha: Robin looks at Novaya in surprise."Um.. yes minor quests."
[2025/05/28 15:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: (nods): "Very well, we'll investigate this artifact and report back with our findings. Until then, I shall bid you a good day."
[2025/05/28 15:22] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya to Robin: "Yes. Let's go, get this done."
[2025/05/28 15:22] Mecha: okay, hehe yes let's go
[2025/05/28 15:23] Sapphire: "Very well, I hope to see you again soon, sir or miss..?" They lifts their brow curiously.
[2025/05/28 15:24] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya smiles over a shoulder from the door. "My name, Megan, will suffice."
[2025/05/28 15:25] Mecha: But.. YEah and my name is Edalyn, call me Eda
[2025/05/28 15:27] Sapphire: Mother Argon thanks you again, repeating the names Megan and Edalyn to remember. As you leave the building, a tension in your backs releases partially, the impression from earlier hissing with rage now that it is no longer dampened by fear.
[2025/05/28 15:27] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Guess we better check the lake out."
[2025/05/28 15:29] Mecha: Robin nods and follows out, and once they are outside she looks at Novaya."You felt that too?"
[2025/05/28 15:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Mmhmm. Any ideas what that's about?"
[2025/05/28 15:31] Mecha: No, No idea but I think there is something funky in there."
[2025/05/28 15:31] Sonja Bikergrrl: Any way to find out / remember?
[2025/05/28 15:33] Sapphire: Gathering clues, investigating them. Intellect Difficulty against 12 to ponder the ones you've recently accumulated, plus any relevant skill you might have
[2025/05/28 15:34] Sonja Bikergrrl: So, roll d20? Nothing to modify
[2025/05/28 15:35] Sapphire: you can always pump Intellect pool into it as well, but yes, d20
[2025/05/28 15:35] D20: Sonja Bikergrrl rolls 2
[2025/05/28 15:35] Sonja Bikergrrl: offs
[2025/05/28 15:35] D20: Mecha rolls 15
[2025/05/28 15:37] Sapphire: Edalyn, you realize that the shape of the monolith on the murals is a very close match to the one you emerged from aside from the color, and some of the twisted mazes of metal and crystal looked fairly similar to your own.
[2025/05/28 15:39] Mecha: Robin looks over to Novaya."You notice this looks a lot like where we came from?
[2025/05/28 15:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Kinda...? I guess."
[2025/05/28 15:41] Mecha: Aside from the colors and mazes of metal. It's something to think about it... though I am not sure what that means... aside from the voice, warning us."
[2025/05/28 15:42] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Well, let's worry about it after we get into that ball at the lake."
[2025/05/28 15:42] Sapphire: What tools do you intend to deploy to traverse the lake?
[2025/05/28 15:42] Sonja Bikergrrl: We walk there?
[2025/05/28 15:43] Sapphire: on water?
[2025/05/28 15:43] Sapphire: I suppose you might consider the on water part a "later" problem
[2025/05/28 15:44] Sonja Bikergrrl: can we not swim? Or find something to float on
[2025/05/28 15:44] Mecha: Robin is curious as to the plan as well
[2025/05/28 15:44] Sapphire: Fair enough I suppose. Both heading directly to the lake from town?
[2025/05/28 15:45] Mecha: yep
[2025/05/28 15:49] Sapphire: The trip is a fairly pleasant walk through the vine-fruit fields again, downhill and to a rocky beach, large slabs of black slate and cracked fragments. The shimmering bubble is just visible in the distance, round and yellow protecting an angular black obelisk sticking up out of the water.
[2025/05/28 15:50] Sonja Bikergrrl: An obelisk, eh? How is it protecting?
[2025/05/28 15:51] Sapphire: presumably by surrounding it with a field of yellow energy that prevents people reaching it
[2025/05/28 15:51] Sonja Bikergrrl: is the obelisk outside the sphere or inside?
[2025/05/28 15:53] Sapphire: inside the sphere, and half submerged (at least) in the water
[2025/05/28 15:53] Sonja Bikergrrl: oh wait
[2025/05/28 15:53] Sonja Bikergrrl: the obelisk is inside a protective sphere
[2025/05/28 15:53] Sapphire: *nods*
[2025/05/28 15:54] Sonja Bikergrrl: is there water in the sphere?
[2025/05/28 15:54] Sapphire: looks like probably yes. How do you intend to get closer?
[2025/05/28 15:54] Mecha: I'm going to go check the sphere and see how solid it is
[2025/05/28 15:55] Mecha: Nm it's in the middle of water
[2025/05/28 15:55] Sonja Bikergrrl: Walk round the shore to the closest point and look; if it's full of water it should match, if it's not full of water it should look like a hole
[2025/05/28 15:58] Sapphire: It's a pretty big lake, note. You walk around for several minutes, coming across a stretch of shallow land that goes towards the obelisk, a rocky causeway perhaps two inches below the surface of the water. It looks like a mix of the black slate and some sort of dark green plant or algae on it.
[2025/05/28 15:59] Sonja Bikergrrl: Let's get close to the sphere as I safely can
[2025/05/28 16:00] Sapphire: "Safely" you say... hmmmm....
[2025/05/28 16:00] Sonja Bikergrrl: well, I don't want to wind up in the water if I can't swim
[2025/05/28 16:00] Sonja Bikergrrl: I'm assuming the causeway goes to the sphere
[2025/05/28 16:00] Mecha: Let me try, if I can make it you'll know it's good to cross
[2025/05/28 16:00] Sapphire: Looks like it should do
[2025/05/28 16:01] Sapphire: going together or one at a time?
[2025/05/28 16:01] Sonja Bikergrrl: together I guess, up to sphere at least
[2025/05/28 16:01] Mecha: /me nods
[2025/05/28 16:02] Sapphire: You start heading down the causeway, the algae is... very slippery and squishy under your feet, and the two inches of water will complicate sudden movement.
[2025/05/28 16:03] Sonja Bikergrrl: okay... can I swim?
[2025/05/28 16:03] Sapphire: even without a skill, a normal human would be able to manage on a Might check against 6
[2025/05/28 16:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: okay, time to swim out to it
[2025/05/28 16:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: d20?
[2025/05/28 16:04] Sapphire: yeah
[2025/05/28 16:04] D20: Sonja Bikergrrl rolls 11
[2025/05/28 16:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: \o/
[2025/05/28 16:04] Sapphire: Robin, also swimming or walking?
[2025/05/28 16:04] Mecha: I am going to walk, save the swimming for if necessary
[2025/05/28 16:05] Sapphire: Noted! So as you get about a third of the way to the sphere, Robin notices a large glassy lump has risen out of the water and started roving along the causeway, spirals on it's side.
[2025/05/28 16:06] Mecha: how tall is it?
[2025/05/28 16:07] Sapphire: perhaps four feet tall
[2025/05/28 16:08] Mecha: okay since the spirals are on the side Robin is going to leap frog over the lump. Since Flex skill is still on jumping*That's what it was, right?*
[2025/05/28 16:08] Sapphire: Last I heard yeah
[2025/05/28 16:09] Sapphire: the water complicates the jump and adds a difficulty, while the skill counter acts it. Roll against difficulty 9
[2025/05/28 16:10] Mecha: Going to spend effort as well
[2025/05/28 16:10] Sapphire: ok, that gets the diff down to 6
[2025/05/28 16:10] Mecha: If This one reads it right should drop it to 6, and this one is likely to roll a 1
[2025/05/28 16:10] D20: Mecha rolls 1
[2025/05/28 16:11] Sonja Bikergrrl: ...
[2025/05/28 16:11] Mecha: FUCKING CALLED IT!
[2025/05/28 16:11] Mecha: Er.. Sorry for that outburst
[2025/05/28 16:13] Sapphire: Robin makes a running jump, hits a sticky puddle of algae and tumbles forwards face-first into the side of the glassy-shelled creature, with a painful *crack* sound. The lower tentacles of the creatures bottom reach out and start licking at your limbs, some potent enzyme starting to dissolve your gemstone skin for 4 might damage.
[2025/05/28 16:13] Sapphire: You may now consider yourselves in Combat
[2025/05/28 16:13] Sapphire: Novaya! you're swimming in the water, what do you plan to do about this situation?
[2025/05/28 16:13] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "Fuck!" I rush in as fast as I can to peel this thing off and fling it far as I can away
[2025/05/28 16:15] Sapphire: Trying to pick up and throw the hard-shelled tentacle'd creature, Might (Strength) difficulty 15 as you find yourself straining against however it holds itself down to surfaces
[2025/05/28 16:15] D20: Sonja Bikergrrl rolls 15
[2025/05/28 16:15] Sapphire: :)
[2025/05/28 16:15] Sonja Bikergrrl: *snerk*
[2025/05/28 16:15] Mecha: Robin grabs her face and rolls to fell off the causeway, since this thing hasn't grabbed me
[2025/05/28 16:15] Sonja Bikergrrl: It's glass, you say?
[2025/05/28 16:16] Sapphire: With herculean strength, Novaya grabs and lifts the glassy-shelled snail, tearing it away from the causeway, leaving it's thin but plentiful tentacles wriggling in the air.
[2025/05/28 16:16] Sapphire: You said you were flinging it "away", I presume into the water?
[2025/05/28 16:16] Sonja Bikergrrl: last I heard, glass shatters
[2025/05/28 16:17] Sonja Bikergrrl: Powerbomb it down to the rockiest part of the causeway
[2025/05/28 16:17] Sapphire: is that like suplexing but forwards?
[2025/05/28 16:18] Sonja Bikergrrl: Eh. It's heavier than water, let's just toss it away
[2025/05/28 16:19] Sapphire: Got it! The big beast is lobbed off to the side, *splonking* into the water and sinking out of sight.
[2025/05/28 16:19] Sonja Bikergrrl: Novaya: "And fucking stay away if you know what's good for you!"
[2025/05/28 16:19] Sapphire: From the corner of your vision, there's a second one behind you! It's approaching at the speed.... of a lazy snail, though it is occupying the return path.
[2025/05/28 16:19] Mecha: Considering this ones luck does it land on Robin?
[2025/05/28 16:19] Sapphire: Robin is on the causeway, not in the water
[2025/05/28 16:20] Sapphire: well, in two inches of water
[2025/05/28 16:20] Sonja Bikergrrl: okay, let's do the Novaya dance again
[2025/05/28 16:20] Sapphire: gonna go bother the second one?
[2025/05/28 16:20] Sonja Bikergrrl: is it threatening us?
[2025/05/28 16:21] Sapphire: not especially, assuming you don't sit still for ten minutes as it approaches
[2025/05/28 16:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: let's check that sphere out fast
[2025/05/28 16:22] Sapphire: Alright then.
[2025/05/28 16:22] Sapphire: walking or swimming the second third?
[2025/05/28 16:22] Sonja Bikergrrl: I think swim
[2025/05/28 16:22] Mecha: Robin nods holding her face.From hitting the creature and the crack, broken nose? any bleeding? as she goes into the water
[2025/05/28 16:23] Sapphire: A bit of oozing gel from the side of Robin's nose, messy but not life threatening.
[2025/05/28 16:23] Mecha: ok
[2025/05/28 16:23] Sapphire: Might (swimming) test against 6 to get the rest of the way
[2025/05/28 16:23] D20: Sonja Bikergrrl rolls 12
[2025/05/28 16:24] Sonja Bikergrrl: \o/
[2025/05/28 16:24] Sapphire: Robin?
[2025/05/28 16:24] D20: Mecha rolls 11
[2025/05/28 16:26] Sapphire: You manage to swim the rest of the way, arriving close to the edge of the shimmering energy sphere. Now that you're closer, it seems like the water level inside the shell is *higher* by about two inches.
[2025/05/28 16:26] Sonja Bikergrrl: Interesting. Is the barrier solid? Is the barrier hard like metal, or soft like rubber, does ot give?
[2025/05/28 16:27] Sapphire: feeling it with your hand?
[2025/05/28 16:27] Sonja Bikergrrl: yes
[2025/05/28 16:29] Sapphire: It feels quite solid, like hardened stone and hot to the touch. The lake water here is somewhat warmer too, now that you think on it.
[2025/05/28 16:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: So I can't push my hand in
[2025/05/28 16:31] Sapphire: Not at this time, no
[2025/05/28 16:31] Sapphire: with that level of force, at least
[2025/05/28 16:32] Mecha: How deep does the water go?
[2025/05/28 16:32] Sonja Bikergrrl: how hot can I stand before harm?
[2025/05/28 16:33] Sapphire: The water here without the causeway? you're treading water with perhaps tens of feet of water below you.
[2025/05/28 16:33] Sapphire: Novaya, if you hold your palm there for about thirty seconds it'll add up to a point of might damage
[2025/05/28 16:34] Sonja Bikergrrl: okay, time to go. let's get Robin ashore and see if I can do anything for her
[2025/05/28 16:35] Sonja Bikergrrl: Going to have to duck out too, it's awful late
[2025/05/28 16:36] Sapphire: heading back, picking up next session from the beach to lick your wounds that you already dunked into the lake?
[2025/05/28 16:36] Sonja Bikergrrl: yep
[2025/05/28 16:37] Mecha: /me nods."Sounds good
[2025/05/28 16:39] Sapphire: hope you had fun
[2025/05/28 16:39] Mecha: /me nods."It was definitely fun." :)
[2025/05/28 16:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: good game