The Center of Time

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Antennae listens to Echo's words, coming to an abrupt halt as she states her intentions. It pauses, tilting its head.

"Parameters accepted. No living being will be removed unless violence if given in spite of explanations."

With that, the abhumans will begin their march up the gravity corridor, assuming the group comes along*. Behind them, the machine grows louder, its whine higher, as it moves into a higher stage of production. The abhumans will march straight up the corridor to the platform, and then up into open air. Up above, it's not nearly so hot, though still far warmer than it should be for the Shear in winter. The jungle still stands, and both Sevar Trimm's and Kolos Githian's caravans are nearby, everyone looking, at the least, strained, and at the most, terrified.

Sevar gets his voice back first, watching you emerge with a group of abhumans. "What in the name of Wind and sand is going on?!" His grip on his crossbow is white-knuckled, and the aneen under him sidles nervously.

*OOC - Anyone wanting to try to stay behind, linger to see what happens, loot cyphers on the way out, bonk abhumans on the head, try to figure out where they're coming from? Or is everyone going peaceably with the Forward Guard and onward to upside-down mountains and glory?

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

As the abhumans began their match, Ohm Eleven began looking for cyphers. But after a brief moment a look of abject fear suddenly came across his face and he screamed, "Not gonna get me again!" With that he quickly sprinted after the abhumans and began keeping pace with them.

 

[doghead]

"I'm adjusting the preparation procedure. There are to be no further attacks on living beings who do not initiate violence. If they do initiate violence, and can communicate, they must be warned and given a chance to cease hostilities before deadly force is used against them."

Wisco is impressed by Echo's quick thinking. Its a clever move.

Antennae listens to Echo's words, coming to an abrupt halt as she states her intentions. It pauses, tilting its head.

"Parameters accepted. No living being will be removed unless violence if given in spite of explanations."

Wisco releases a long slow breath. He hadn't been sure that it was going to work. It looks like they may have just wriggled out of a tight spot. He watches the abhumans head down the corridor.

"Nice work Echo."

Behind them, the machine grows louder, its whine higher, as it moves into a higher stage of production.

That's not good. Wisco turns to Echo. "We need to shut this machine down. We can't just leave it churning out new people endlessly and doing who knows what to the area above."

[sblock=Isida]I think Wisco may remain here. Its possible that this place may offer some insight into the creation of broken hounds. If Echo shuts down the process, then he will stay and investigate, if she doesn't he will attempt to do so himself once everyone is safely out.[/sblock]

Xiaon watches events unfold in silence. He is pleased that they have managed to avoid violence, although he was perfectly ready to commit it if required. The glaive transitions gracefully from a watch and fight to a watch an move stance, ready to move in behind the queue of abhumans heading for the surface. Xiaon is more than ready to get out of the place and get back on the move.

 

[fireinthedust]

Duncan follows along with Echo.

"If we separate, they may not consider us part of Echo's entourage. I'd stay close, wherever she goes."

Duncan stays close by Echo's side, sword sheathed as they move (though his fists are themselves the equal of broadswords, and the devices is still locked to his spine). He moves smoothly alongside her, showing no emotion.

"Sounds like they've been trying to get through the Sheer for some time, blocked by the mountain ring until, what, someone carved through the mountains to make a path? Who makes a machine that builds obviously weaponized abhumans, but can't get them over a mountain range? And who were they built to kill when they get there?"

"You really think you can control them long term? Maybe we should stay and look for a way to shut their production down. A few abhumans we can handle, but an army?"

 

[Tashtego]

Seregal sees if there are any interesting cyphers to quickly 'acquire' on the way out of the complex.

When he emerges, he sees the look of shock on Sevar Trimm's face. Clearing his throat, he quickly changes into his amber robes again, and adjusts them, enjoying the aura of authority they give him. Seregal walks up to Sevar. "Don't worry," he says, staring at the caravan master's face earnestly. "Everything is under control. Echo and I are experts in the field of numenera; these new, fine fellows are our friends and they're going to travel with us on our journey." He lowers his voice. "Think of how much safer the caravan will be! And you won't even have to pay them!"

Seregal smiles warmly and looks around the area, doing his best to convince the onlookers that the abhuman allies are friendly.

 

[fireinthedust]

Duncan grunts, and says to their patron:

"We barely managed to stop them from killing every human on the road. Send a fast rider to the caravan up ahead, tell them to take no hostile action against these abhumans. They're machine-made and programmed to kill attackers. If we are calm, they'll pass you by without harm. One wrong move and there's no stopping them. Make sure no one takes a pot-shot at them, or they'll attack."

He speaks to the rest of the party, after a fast rider is sent to the merchants along the route.

"Best to scare them into taking this seriously. If they're foolish enough to pick a fight, I don't know that we can stop this entire army."

He thinks, then speaks. "Do we need to go with them? Could we stay behind and go back in, maybe find a way to shut down the machines? I don't like the idea of an entire army coming out of that hole. We could find the upside down mountain without them, or even just keep one or two."

 

[Shayuri]

"I think they expect me to go with them," Echo says. "We don't all have to. I can't be sure, but I think this place might stop creating more of these creatures now that the next phase has started. And I hate to leave this place before I've had a chance to explore it more."

She gives the hatch and ladder down a wistful look.

"I suppose I can always come back."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Seregal sees if there are any interesting cyphers to quickly 'acquire' on the way out of the complex.

When he emerges, he sees the look of shock on Sevar Trimm's face. Clearing his throat, he quickly changes into his amber robes again, and adjusts them, enjoying the aura of authority they give him. Seregal walks up to Sevar. "Don't worry," he says, staring at the caravan master's face earnestly. "Everything is under control. Echo and I are experts in the field of numenera; these new, fine fellows are our friends and they're going to travel with us on our journey." He lowers his voice. "Think of how much safer the caravan will be! And you won't even have to pay them!"

Seregal smiles warmly and looks around the area, doing his best to convince the onlookers that the abhuman allies are friendly.

[sblock=Tashtego]Give me a searching roll, Difficulty Task 2 please. Int task, should that become relevant.[/sblock]

Sevarr Trim look at Father Seren as if he's lost his wits. "You're sure, Father?"

Duncan follows along with Echo.

"If we separate, they may not consider us part of Echo's entourage. I'd stay close, wherever she goes."

Duncan stays close by Echo's side, sword sheathed as they move (though his fists are themselves the equal of broadswords, and the devices is still locked to his spine). He moves smoothly alongside her, showing no emotion.

"Sounds like they've been trying to get through the Sheer for some time, blocked by the mountain ring until, what, someone carved through the mountains to make a path? Who makes a machine that builds obviously weaponized abhumans, but can't get them over a mountain range? And who were they built to kill when they get there?"

"You really think you can control them long term? Maybe we should stay and look for a way to shut their production down. A few abhumans we can handle, but an army?"

The abhuman with the antenna seems to catch part of Duncan's questions. "One of the previous cycles was able to clear the stone obstacles." It points to the walls of the Sheer. "This cycle will have easier travel."

Duncan grunts, and says to their patron:

"We barely managed to stop them from killing every human on the road. Send a fast rider to the caravan up ahead, tell them to take no hostile action against these abhumans. They're machine-made and programmed to kill attackers. If we are calm, they'll pass you by without harm. One wrong move and there's no stopping them. Make sure no one takes a pot-shot at them, or they'll attack."

He speaks to the rest of the party, after a fast rider is sent to the merchants along the route.

"Best to scare them into taking this seriously. If they're foolish enough to pick a fight, I don't know that we can stop this entire army."

He thinks, then speaks. "Do we need to go with them? Could we stay behind and go back in, maybe find a way to shut down the machines? I don't like the idea of an entire army coming out of that hole. We could find the upside down mountain without them, or even just keep one or two."

Sevarr blanches and signals frantically to one of the brehm riders. He urges his mount up and they go running down the path, shouting.

"How did you manage that?" Sevarr asks, hands shaking at the sight of all the abhumans that keep emerging from the underground chamber.

"I think they expect me to go with them," Echo says. "We don't all have to. I can't be sure, but I think this place might stop creating more of these creatures now that the next phase has started. And I hate to leave this place before I've had a chance to explore it more."

She gives the hatch and ladder down a wistful look.

"I suppose I can always come back."

The red-purple abhuman with the antenna looks at Echo curiously. "The Womb will continue to create more units to reach the place where time eats itself. We flow like blood through a vein. There must be a density to achieve the cycle, and an environment necessary to sustain the units." It points to the trees. "We will march in comfort as we follow the path, Keyholder."

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

[sblock=Wisco]You keep back along the wall as the abhumans sweep up and out, being unobtrusive and inoffensive as they go. As you watch, another batch of abhumans emerges and goes to stand on the glowing dots at the back of the room. They seem to be waiting for more to join them before moving out. You search carefully, hunting for, well, anything of note or interest. The abhumans are coming up from somewhere, so the most likely direction seems down. After hunting along the floor, you find a sturdy hatch set near the wall, this one curiously both unlocked and unalarmed. After opening it, there is a great uprush of warm air against your face, and a circle directly below the hatch. Below, some sixty feet down, you can see another vast chamber. There's a couple of powerful light sources down there, a sound of whirring machinery, and a sound of flowing liquid.[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

[sblock=Wisco]Wisco takes a moment to consider what he has seen and learnt so far. I should have asked Echo to tell me what she knew about the machine before she left ... He pushes the thought aside. It is of no assistance to him at the moment. Right now he needs to focus on the task at hand, shutting down the machine. Ideally he would like to do it using the control system. Actually, given the power of the machine, pulling out cables and other random bits is probably better left as a last resort.

Wisco considers the hatch once more. He gives some thought to heading down there to investigate. It could give him an insight into the workings of the machine. But recalling the appearance of Ohm gives him pause for thought. Ohm does not seem to be 'of the machine' in the same way that the ab-humans obviously are. It is more like he was trapped inside the machine at some point, and perhaps for some time. The unlocked and unalarmed state of the hatch makes Wisco wonder if this was the way in which Ohm entered the machine before being trapped. Its not an experience Wisco wishes to emulate.

Wisco leans forwards again to inspect the hatch and surrounding area for any signs of tampering or hacking.

Once he is done, he returns to the control panel. Standing quietly before it, he closes his eyes and replays the events in his minds eye. Eventually he opens his eyes and once again and reviews the panel, aligning what he recalled with what is before him.

OOC: Wisco is Trained in Numenera, and will throw all the effort he can into the task of working out how to turn off the machine (2 Intellect points + Edge 1 for 3 effort) to try and reduce the difficulty by 2 steps. If you want to roll for the recall task, I will do the same, 2 Int points + Edge 1. Not sure if you would consider it a Numenera task as well. Wisco doesn't have any assets I can see as being usable, unless you can consider his training in Wilderness Lore (being trained to learn and remember) an asset. You never know if you don't ask

I haven't rolled anything as the tasks are blind.[/sblock]

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

[sblock=Wisco]You examine the hatch carefully, and see there was some kind of latch, but it's been retracted and powered down. Someone has been here before. The strong waft of air up from the lower level seems to be confined to a column the precise dimensions of the opening, not stirring a hair outside of its confines.

OOC: Wisco, the recall task is an Intellect Difficulty Task 2 (need to roll a 6), though with Effort it's a DT 1 (roll a 3) and if successful will provide an asset on working with the control panel, which is a Numenera Difficulty Task 5 (roll a 15). With an asset, training, and Effort, that brings it down to a 2 as well. So roll a 3 and a 6 and you'll be able to mess about with the functions in a more functional manner. Or you could just start mashing buttons. Whatever sounds more fun. [/sblock]