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[Ozarck]

You run a self diagnostic. It comes back nominal. A magical scan of the region shows no magical interference or sensory anomalies.

Robot farseeing shows living beings, like small animals, interacting with the environment in a similar fashion to elsewhere, as if they have full sensory input.

So, it seems that it is neither a problem in your systems, a magical blockage, nor a natural lack of sensory input in the environment. Really weird.

[Pancaek]

extremely so. Assuming I'm still right next to the portal, jump back through to Omega base and explain the situation. Maybe one of the lads has an idea about what's going on here.

[Ozarck]

Alright. You come back and alert the lads. They send drones and animals through next.

Now, the techs offer you a choice: they have a couple portals with some potentially dangerous readings, whether from the environment itself or from possible hostile beings near the gates. Ordinarily they would have already closed these portals off, since they are mostly concerned with evacuation, and are looking for a safe place. But, One of the portals has a couple especially strong readings regarding "generators, nullifiers, and amplitudes," and the other has some strong spiritual/psychic readings "from a source that appears to share some of Omega's core values." How they can tell this, if they can at all, is left unsaid. But they acknowledge that they are uncertain of the intentions of whatever is generating these readings. Still, it is enough to get their attention.

So your choice is: normal gate, potentially environmentally hostile gate, potentially hostile creatures, or something else.

[Pancaek]

Let's go with the strong spiritual/psychic readings "from a source that appears to share some of Omega's core values."

Have the lads repeat Omega's core values and any other info they have on this portal to me before I step through though, just in case.

[Ozarck]

Omega's core values:
Loyalty to Queen and Realm
Judgment upon Injustice
Maintaining the Social Contract
Cosmic Balance
Survival

more or less

Alright, you step through the portal. The atmosphere is corrosive and clearly toxic to most organics you have encountered so far. Fortunately for you, you were lathered down with some kind of grease before entering, and that is protecting your shell as you adjust to the new environment. You get a sense for what about the atmosphere is corrosive and think you can create a sort of counteragent for yourself.

THe land is yellow, and rocky. You are surrounded by weathered, squared stones, some still part of the walls they once formed. The sky is a dull steel color. TO the left, you see only walls. Behind you, the land rises gradually in rolling slopes, covered in scattered stone remains, and reddish vegetation. To the right, the land falls away, revealing barren regions below. The glimmer of city lights shows along the slopes, with a clear boundary along their lower edge, as if the city cuts off abruptly at a specific elevation. A waterfall pours out of the mountainside, tumbling away in a series of cataracts. THe water is a thick green color, though, so probably not drinkable for most organics. Ahead, you see open pathways and a courtyard. There are signs of life in the sky, on the slopes, and toward the city. No apparent signs of life in the immediate surrounding ruins or in the low elevations.

[Pancaek]

Can the legion actually do anything with a world like this? If no, just head back through the portal.

If yes, start heading for the city. Scout ahead with robutt computing for danger first, though.

[Ozarck]

Can the legion actually do anything with a world like this? If no, just head back through the portal.

If yes, start heading for the city. Scout ahead with robutt computing for danger first, though.

Well, you're not there for the world, you're there to make contact with the intelligence which shares some of Omega's core values.

[hidden] you head right, clamber over some debris, and find yourself at the top of a steep incline - a similar incline facing you across a twenty meter divide. Nothing but the howl of wind greets you. You've lost sight of the city, but from the looks of it, that's because you descended a bit, and the opposing ridge blocks your view.

[Pancaek]

Scope out the inclines and the divide, both with my regular sensors and with robot computing. Assess if the inclines are climable by me and if there's anything dangerous in this divide.

If everything seems okay, cross the divide and climb up the other side, continueing my march towards the city.

[Ozarck]

(5 )robot computing has you backtrack to your starting point, head forward instead of directly toward the slope, and along a path which meets with a bridge over the ravine.

The path leads into a residential area - low, round dwellings with flat roofs are spaced wide apart, with patches of artificially arranged rock formations located in between. you see transparent, amorphous bloblike creatures navigating the stone gardens, or passing between the structures, or gathered in small groups in wider clearings, doing something to the soil. You suspect that your target is further in, and that the bloblike creatures are not the only residents of the dwellings.

[Pancaek]

Start heading further in being careful not to step on anything delicate, structure or bloblike creature. Be a good guest.

[Ozarck]

As you progress, the buildings get closer together and taller, until you have to start walkign under outcroppings of buildings or through tunnels, or even up on top of some buildings. Seems to be the general course of travel, so you are confident, at least, that you are not being rude. However, the city quickly becomes rather mazelike in it's layout, vertically as well as horizontally. You do find a sort of thoroughfare, with well lit, broad windows displaying what you assume is merchandise, and your oflactory sensors detect a hint of acrid smoke, like the smell of a welder. You wonder if that is from manufacturing, or if that is a pleasing smell of cooking in this caustic world. The thoroughfare's denizens warble, click, and howl in a cacaphonous harmony that sounds much like organic bazaars anywhere you've traveled. The mix of residential aspects - what look like clotheslines with some kind of garment strung across the way high up, potted plants, and smaller versions of the denizens playing with what you assume are pets - and business - the hawker's call, the bright signs and prominently displayed wares, and a certain hint of something else all mix to give you a feeling of unease.

[Pancaek]

Let's try to robot compute to see if the entity I'm looking for is anywhere closeby, relatively speaking.

If yes, head in its direction.

If not, approach the first adult I see and say the following. (If I get directions, follow them.)

"Statement: Greetings, gentlebeing. I am a humble traveller into your lands, and I seek to talk with your leader and/or elder. Could you point me in the right direction?"

[Ozarck]

(2) your computing is at a loss: Error: too many variables.

(4) the being listens to your request, then speaks back at you in it's own language. Seeing your blank stare, it begins pointing at objects and other beings and speaking very slowly.

 Crash language tutorial, go!

[Egan_BW]

PYLON notices a scurrying rat and vaporizes it.

[Pancaek]

Let's try doing that trick I pulled with the Goblins again. Try to cross-reference what he's saying with languages in my databanks from my time in the magister's "service", and piece together a way to converse with the being.

If succesful, ask him to speak to their leader/elder.

If unsuccesful, try some other form of communication. Pictograms, maybe. Interpretive dance?