The Center of Time

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

[sblock=Seregal]As you were walking out of the complex, you waited near one of the walls while the abhumans readied the platform. Under the cover of their single-mindedness and your own skill at distraction, you're able to detach several things from one of the control panels by the gravity corridors.

You find:

A cylinder of greenish goo that you rig up with an easily-smashable top - Living Solvent (lvl 1) - Once released, this organic slime dissolves 1 cubic foot of material each round. After one round per cypher level, the slime dies and becomes inert.

A round metallic disk covered with tiny tendrils - Motion Sensor (lvl 3) - Indicates when any movement occurs within short range, or when large creatures or objects move within long range (the cypher distinguishes between the two). It also indicates the number and size of the creatures or objects in motion. Once activated, it operates for one hour.

A filigree orb with four uneven rods thrust through it, banded about with a rubbery coil - Subdual Field (lvl 9) - Two rounds after being activated, the device creates an invisible field that fills a specified area (such as a cube of a certain size) within long range of the device. The field lasts for one minute. It affects the minds of thinking beings within the field, preventing them from taking hostile actions. The effect lasts as long as they remain in the field and for 1d6 rounds after, although an Intellect defense roll is allowed each round to act normally (both in the field and after leaving it).

A single round red injector with an a dotted orb - Skill Boost (Perceiving) (lvl 5) - Once activated, this boost will reduce the specific action by three steps for a number of times equal to the cypher's level. The boost lasts for 28 hours.[/sblock]

Sevarr listens to Father Seren's speech, and though he eyes Duncan warily, seems reassured by an Aeon Priest's words. "You know more about this than I, Father. We'll keep ready... just in case." For now, Sevarr and Kolos give nods for their people to stand down, but most of them look nervous at the abundance of abhumans.

--

Echo turns and heads back down the hatch. The red-purple abhuman with the antenna makes a peculiar sound to another of his brethren with a similar modification. That one, who's mottled green, whistles to the others and begins marching down the path, ignoring caravan members and aneen alike. The red-purple abhuman stays and goes after Echo.

"Keyholder, did you need access to back-records? The central core is on the base level." The red-purple abhuman will follow Echo closely, not impeding her, but not letting her out of his sight either. If anyone comes after her, the abhuman does not object, and will wait for them before activating the platform to go down.

--

[sblock=Wisco]Wisco, you consider your questions and hunt through the various menus to try to find answers. While they don't pop up directly, what does pop up is a map showing the layout of the complex. And specifically a level below this one, and a panel there marked with a bright light. It seems to be the central core, the master controls. The productions levels look as if they can be turned to a lower speed here on this level, but not turned off entirely.

If you want to reorient the corridor, you can certainly do that between abhuman waves. For the moment, the abhumans seem to be ignoring you.[/sblock]

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

As some of the others talk of heading back down into the machine, the odd man halts all movement and utters a single word, "Accessing!" After a brief moment he jumps and runs over to the hatch. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Do not go back there! The machine will EAT you!"

 

[doghead]

[sblock=Wisco]Wisco makes a decision. He reorientates the corridor to impede the return of anyone trying to get back into the machine. Then, with one last look at the display to sort out where he is going, he heads off to find the "core".

OOC: Did Wisco need to make as second Numenera check? If so he is at -2 Int pool, if not he is at full. Just wanted to check.[/sblock]

 

[iamrpgdm]

Antor follows along with Echo and the abhuman. As Ohm starts running towards them yelling, Antor stops him. "What do you mean the machine will eat us? Do you remember what happened to you?"

 

[Shayuri]

"It won't eat me," Echo says, glancing back. "I'm the keyholder. But it might eat Wisco...especially if he tries to interfere with it. We have to warn him."

She looks at the antennae abhuman. "And if there's data down there, information about the cycle...we need that. This is too big to go into blind. So yes, please, I do want to consult the archives, but first I need to find Wisco."

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

Antor follows along with Echo and the abhuman. As Ohm starts running towards them yelling, Antor stops him. "What do you mean the machine will eat us? Do you remember what happened to you?"

The strange man ponders the question for a moment. He acts like he is going to speak several times before actually replying."Not completely. It is as if the data is fragmented. I am attempting to reassemble it as I go." He smiles as if that is explanation enough.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

[sblock=Wisco]
Wisco, you reorient the corridor, and check the layout of the complex as for how to get down to the Core. You realize you were almost there before - the supplementary access shaft is that hatch with the rushing air you had investigated earlier. Examining it, it seems the air itself is the lift/lower mechanism to get to the lower level. You'd have to drop yourself into the air shaft and it should put you on the floor gently enough to avoid damage.

OOC - Being at -2 Int pool doesn't give you a penalty. You can roll Intellect based rolls all day long, even if your Int Pool is low (or empty, but that's damage track stuff, and we'll burn that bridge when you come to it). Your only worry about not being at full pool would be if you don't have enough points left to activate an Intellect cost ability or were lacking points enough if you wanted to spend Effort on an Intellect-based skill.
[/sblock]

She looks at the antennae abhuman. "And if there's data down there, information about the cycle...we need that. This is too big to go into blind. So yes, please, I do want to consult the archives, but first I need to find Wisco."

"We will attempt to locate the Wisco-unit. Are there any unique energy signatures or physical traits to differentiate the Wisco-unit?" The abhuman questions Echo as it lowers all who are going down on the platform. It listens for her answer as it goes over to the corridor. It turns to walk "down" the gravity corridor, and instead of walking down the "wall," as you all did before, it abruptly falls as if gravity has resumed its normal function!

[sblock=Shayuri]GM intervention - The abhuman plummets down the corridor, leaving you without a guide (I'll give you 2 XP, one for you, one for another player you designate). Or you can try to leap to the rescue by paying me 1 XP.[/sblock]

 

[fireinthedust]

OOC: oh my! looks like it's not linked into the machinery!

IC:

Duncan attempts to catch the abhuman leaping with his arm outstretched to catch the thing's wrist.

[roll0]

 

[fireinthedust]

ooc: (sigh) Um... you were going to veto my attempt, right?

 

[Guest 11456]

Ohm Eleven, A Mechanical Nano who Talks to Machines

As the others board the platform to descend, Ohm Eleven refuses to accompany them. "It is not going to have a chance to eat me again."