The Center of Time

[Tashtego]

Seregal takes the staff from Jastor, admiring how it captures the light.

[Sblock] I'll try and identify it - Trained in Numenera: 1d20=11 [/sblock]

He transfers the item to somewhere in his amber robes and nods. "Don't worry, Jastor," he said. "We'll see what we can do with the city."

Seregal sees if his companions have anything further to say to Jastor. Otherwise, he returns to Mox and clicks his tongue. The little anneen surges forward, dragging its laden cart behind it.

"Which way?" Seregal asks as they start to make their way down the road, out of the small town.

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

The next morning Ohm Eleven is prepared to leave with the group.
[sblock=Shopping]First he would like to make a deal for the disk of pale pink synth. To trade he has a Frigid Wall Projector (lvl 4), a Teleporter (bounder) (lvl 7) and an Infiltrator (lvl 5).[/sblock]OOC: I didn't want to jump back in until I had a chance to catch up. I have finally caught up.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Ohm, the merchant inspecting your goods for trade takes a look at what you have to barter, examining each one carefully, and pounces on the frigid wall projector eagerly. "Oh ho ho, I've been looking for one of these flash-freezers for a good long while. A fair trade, good man, a fair trade," he says, and hands over the piece of gravity-negating synth.

----

[sblock=Seregal]The device works by holding down a depression in its middle while holding the device sideways. That will let it span the entirety of the area and resonate with other devices already in place.[/sblock]

After meeting Jastor, you can all will yourselves out of Wislayn, going from the middle of the purple glass city to outside the city walls as easily as thought.

Mox will throw his body into pulling the cart, quickly rolling it down the path, his legs moving steadily as he lows in steady conversation or complaint. Seregal keeps him on task, but it seems this aneen is something of a talker.

You travel swiftly, the lack of burdens allowing you to make good time across the path. In places its paved with clear, pinkish stone. In others, pounded earth that curiously raises no dust. In one place, the road is the same color as the sky, which gives a disconcerting impression of walking across nothing. Mox has to be coaxed carefully across its surface.

You pause only for brief meals and to rest Mox, and it's getting towards sunset when you see the first glimmer of water on the horizon. A river runs off to the south, before pausing and leaping upward in a braid, soaring up thirty feet across a distance of fifty before gliding quietly back down to the ground again, as if it's quite normal for water to take a temporary leave of gravity. As you draw close to the water, you see three figures standing near the southern edge of the rising river. One seems to be an Augur. The other a human on his knees, the Augur's hands on his temple, who's shaking badly. The third is a small glowing figure pounding on the Augur to no seeming effect.

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

[sblock=More Shopping]Ohm Eleven gladly trades the Frigid Wall Projector for the disk of pale pink synth. Next he looks to make a deal for the glass panel with several squares of red glass set within. To trade he has a Teleporter (bounder) (lvl 7) and an Infiltrator (lvl 5).[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

Wisco, A Tough Nano who Lives in the Wilderness

... One Augur picks up where another trails off, racing to fill any tiny gaps. It's a strange thing, like having a conversation with a hive mind, yet of what little you've heard of Augurs, you've never heard of this behavior, and it's certainly memorable enough. Maybe it's only this village. You ask about some of the places, and share other things you've seen in your life: strange forests with singing trees, the Blade-Forest of Balm, this strange temporary jungle made by some ancient machine, and rumors about a city under an upside-down mountain...

At this last, there's a visible wave of blankness, which at first you might have thought was just another bout of the peculiar forgetfulness of these folk. Except there's a tense wariness about them, like a beast facing a great predator and that freezing into immobility might save them.

"No place you want to visit," they all say nearly at once, blurting it out in ragged chorus. If you bring it up again, the same precise response occurs. Terrified blankness, followed by a warning.

Wisco sighs as an awkward pause falls over the conversation. I should never have mentioned the damned upside-down mountain. But its too late now, he is hooked, his curiosity has been aroused and once more his path seems to have turned a circle and he is back to the mountain. I should have stuck with the original plan and just gone walkabout for a few days before taking Kolos up on his offer. But already the intention to re-join the caravan is turning to dust and being scattered by the winds of fate. Or whatever it is that leads a person to choose one path over another. Wisco really likes caravans. Long ago one had rescued him from a home that was no longer his when he was just a boy. Since then, they had taken him to all sorts of interesting places. Part of him mourns the path untaken. But already his interest is quickening at the thought of seeing more of what he has only glimpsed through the view windows.

You're starting to come to the uneasy conclusion that there is some sort of hive mind affect here, though whether it was inflicted upon them or welcomed is hard to say. But you know something about hive minds from your studies of the wilderness - they sometimes center around a single controlling entity. Your eyes alight on the greatest of the biomechanical trees of the communal hall, the physical and emotional center of the community. If you were a hive queen...

Wisco lets silence fill the space as he sits staring at the biomechanical trees for quite some time. Eventually he stands and walks over to one of the trees. Reaching out he places a hand on it.

"I like the trees," he says. "They are beautiful. And clever," he adds, inspecting the sweeping branches that form the upper structure. "I grew up in the wilderness. I love forests in particular. If ever I stop in one place long enough to settle down, perhaps I would do so in a place like this."

Wisco is not sure if the change in conversation will take. If there is a connection between what is happening in the village and the trees, perhaps it will be greeted with the same blank wariness. Or perhaps not. He can only see.

[sblock=OOC]I should really start by levelling/advancing Wisco. But time is not on my side, so I'll just jump in and sort the levelling later. For now:
1. Numenera (trained) 2 INT Effort +1 Edge [roll0] - What evidence is there that the trees have the ability to make a connection with the Augers of the village?
2. Wilderness Lore (trained) 2 INT Effort +1 Edge [roll1] - What would such a hive queen be like, and how could you identify it or even communicate?

Intention is to stay the night a do a little gentle info gathering being careful not to wear out his welcome. The next day Wisco will return to Wislaynto catch up with the others. Wisco is pretty sure at least some of them will be heading out for the upside down mountain.[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

Wisco, A Tough Nano who Lives in the Wilderness

... You pause only for brief meals and to rest Mox, and it's getting towards sunset when you see the first glimmer of water on the horizon. A river runs off to the south, before pausing and leaping upward in a braid, soaring up thirty feet across a distance of fifty before gliding quietly back down to the ground again, as if it's quite normal for water to take a temporary leave of gravity. As you draw close to the water, you see three figures standing near the southern edge of the rising river. One seems to be an Augur. The other a human on his knees, the Augur's hands on his temple, who's shaking badly. The third is a small glowing figure pounding on the Augur to no seeming effect.

"Thats quite something," says Wisco, closing up the last few yards between himself and the rest of the group. "The water I mean, not those three up ahead. Thats just odd. Shall we see what's going on?"

Without waiting for an answer, Wisco moves on down the path towards river and the three strangers.

 

[Gamgee]

Xaion

Xaion looks up at the strange water wall. Reminding him of something similar he seen long ago, granted that was when his eyes worked properly. Still he could see much more now. He keeps silent and in pace with the others. He isn't sure what to make of the three odd figures.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Previously, back in Wislayn

[sblock=More Shopping]Ohm Eleven gladly trades the Frigid Wall Projector for the disk of pale pink synth. Next he looks to make a deal for the glass panel with several squares of red glass set within. To trade he has a Teleporter (bounder) (lvl 7) and an Infiltrator (lvl 5).[/sblock]

The merchant takes another look at Ohm's items, making a "hmm" sound as he considers. Then he picks up the Bounder. "Good for getting out of a tight spot, and I have a son who's going traveling. That for the thru-viewer," he says with a firm nod.

[sblock=Ohm's Stuff]Ohm, you now have a Gravity Nullifier, level 8, and an X-Ray viewer, level 7.[/sblock]

----------------

Previously, back in the Augur village

Wisco sighs as an awkward pause falls over the conversation. I should never have mentioned the damned upside-down mountain. But its too late now, he is hooked, his curiosity has been aroused and once more his path seems to have turned a circle and he is back to the mountain. I should have stuck with the original plan and just gone walkabout for a few days before taking Kolos up on his offer. But already the intention to re-join the caravan is turning to dust and being scattered by the winds of fate. Or whatever it is that leads a person to choose one path over another. Wisco really likes caravans. Long ago one had rescued him from a home that was no longer his when he was just a boy. Since then, they had taken him to all sorts of interesting places. Part of him mourns the path untaken. But already his interest is quickening at the thought of seeing more of what he has only glimpsed through the view windows.

Wisco lets silence fill the space as he sits staring at the biomechanical trees for quite some time. Eventually he stands and walks over to one of the trees. Reaching out he places a hand on it.

"I like the trees," he says. "They are beautiful. And clever," he adds, inspecting the sweeping branches that form the upper structure. "I grew up in the wilderness. I love forests in particular. If ever I stop in one place long enough to settle down, perhaps I would do so in a place like this."

Wisco is not sure if the change in conversation will take. If there is a connection between what is happening in the village and the trees, perhaps it will be greeted with the same blank wariness. Or perhaps not. He can only see.

[sblock=OOC]I should really start by leveling/advancing Wisco. But time is not on my side, so I'll just jump in and sort the leveling later. For now:
1. Numenera (trained) 2 INT Effort +1 Edge [roll0] - What evidence is there that the trees have the ability to make a connection with the Augers of the village?
2. Wilderness Lore (trained) 2 INT Effort +1 Edge [roll1] - What would such a hive queen be like, and how could you identify it or even communicate?

Intention is to stay the night a do a little gentle info gathering being careful not to wear out his welcome. The next day Wisco will return to Wislayn to catch up with the others. Wisco is pretty sure at least some of them will be heading out for the upside down mountain.[/sblock]

You feel the tree pulse under your fingers, the bark pressing roughly into your skin like its breathing. The small extrusions whip out and cover over your hand. It's not painful, and you believe with a good pull you could be free, but it holds your hand flush. A small aperture irises open, and a faint blue light pours over you.

Next to you, a slightly younger Augur woman speaks, her gray eyes going blue as she does. "Do you wish to be concentrated? You are not lacking. These others support each other, but you are self-sufficient."

-------

Right now, at the braided river arch

"Thats quite something," says Wisco, closing up the last few yards between himself and the rest of the group. "The water I mean, not those three up ahead. Thats just odd. Shall we see what's going on?"

Without waiting for an answer, Wisco moves on down the path towards river and the three strangers.

Xaion looks up at the strange water wall. Reminding him of something similar he seen long ago, granted that was when his eyes worked properly. Still he could see much more now. He keeps silent and in pace with the others. He isn't sure what to make of the three odd figures.

Coming closer, you can see a tall, noble-looking Augur with a long fall of silver hair, with fine and elegant features, pale gray eyes, wearing robes of liquid metal in gold, bronze, and blue crysteel. His hands are covered with a thin gold mesh, glowing slightly at the fingertips where he touches the human at his feet. His head is tilted back, his mouth open looking like someone taking in a desperately-needed drink of water. The human kneeling at the Augur's feet has skin dark as the void, with small round scars running down his bare arms. He wears nothing but an open vest and breeches, both made of blood-red shimmering silk. A torque of white ceramic plates encircles his throat, and two silver nodules are attached to the back of his head. He shakes like a leaf in a high wind, his face nearly ashen as the Augur touches his temples.

At the Augur's side is what looks like a manikin of gold light, pummeling the Augur with semi-insubstantial fists, trying to yank at his hands. A high-pitched noise emanates from it, a repeated cry as it alternating hits and pulls.

 

[doghead]

Wisco, a Tough Nano who Lives in the Wilderness.

Previously, back in the Augur village

Next to you, a slightly younger Augur woman speaks, her gray eyes going blue as she does. "Do you wish to be concentrated? You are not lacking. These others support each other, but you are self-sufficient."

Wisco experiences a shiver that runs down his spine. He is not sure if it is of excitement at having unlocked a piece of the puzzle, or of trepidation at the idea of being "concentrated".

Wisco considers what he has seen and what was said again. The frequent forgetfulness, the gaps in conversation, the switching of speaker mid-sentence. Does the hive mind serve as some form of shared memory from which they can draw if they forget something? It would explain much, including the brittleness; a whole community slowly forgetting who it was. It was a horrible thought. And those 'who just need to get away', were they people who had lost so much that they just forgot who they were and wondered off?

Should he accept the offer to be concentrated? There seems little point if I am self-sufficient.

But would being concentrated allow him to share the Auger's memories and to understand what was happening here? Would it in turn make him vulnerable to what they are suffering? Would it help the Auger's be more resilient if he was concentrated into the collective? Questions that he needed to ask before he made a decision. But first he needs to confirm his underlying assumption.

"Does being concentrated allow you to draw on each others' memories?"

[sblock=OOC]Assuming the answer is yes, Wisco will follow up with his other questions.[/sblock]

 

[Tashtego]

Right now, at the braided river arch

Coming closer, you can see a tall, noble-looking Augur with a long fall of silver hair, with fine and elegant features, pale gray eyes, wearing robes of liquid metal in gold, bronze, and blue crysteel. His hands are covered with a thin gold mesh, glowing slightly at the fingertips where he touches the human at his feet. His head is tilted back, his mouth open looking like someone taking in a desperately-needed drink of water. The human kneeling at the Augur's feet has skin dark as the void, with small round scars running down his bare arms. He wears nothing but an open vest and breeches, both made of blood-red shimmering silk. A torque of white ceramic plates encircles his throat, and two silver nodules are attached to the back of his head. He shakes like a leaf in a high wind, his face nearly ashen as the Augur touches his temples.

At the Augur's side is what looks like a manikin of gold light, pummeling the Augur with semi-insubstantial fists, trying to yank at his hands. A high-pitched noise emanates from it, a repeated cry as it alternating hits and pulls.

Seregal glances over at his companions and clears his throat, stepping forward, away from the cart. "Excuse me," he says, interrupting in his most charmingly-bumbling voice imaginable. "Uh, we are but simple travelers in search of directions.... That looks like an interesting ceremony." He eyes the gleaming numenera items and longs to know their secrets. Best to see if can acquire them under the guise of righteousness. He stops and starts again and calls out out to the kneeling man. "Say, uh, is everything all right?"