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[Radio Controlled]

It takes 10 units of fuel to take the path up and into the natural caves. You make it relatively quickly and immediately come across a ruin directly to the west of where the path enters the cave. Unlike the one from before, this ruin is right out in the open and visible: Its a door.  It appears to be made out of stone, with stone hinges, and is quite flat and unremarkable except for the fact that it is unimaginably huge. Its maybe 100 times the size of a normal door for humans, though it looks to be about the same in construction. In fact, it is impossibly the same. There's no way something that big should be able to follow the same plans as  a normal door but it does. And its very slightly ajar with light streaming out from inside.  You take a moment to stare at it with your wizard eyes and notice that the entire place is blacked out; must be overwhelmingly supernatural.

Continue to Goldshore? 

"This is mighty suspicious. Not only is the place completely dark to my extended perception, meaning it must have a strong magical connection, it is also the massive door of a ruin somehow both uncharted yet also extremely visible when following to regular path to goldshore. Either all of the people who went before us were blind, were very bad at journal keeping, or none who notice it tend to get out to tell the tale. If it ain't a trap or illusion outright that is.

Are you sure you are lucid enough to go scouting? You just cut up Harm's hand like it was last week's wormsteak. And we're rather undermanned to set up a decent expedition. How about we just continue for now so you and the poor woman that got cut up can rest, we can still check it out on the way back if we want."

I'd say we move on for now.

Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)

Name: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza

Description: A young man of slightly pale complexion and eternal 9 o’clock shadow, he was raised in a small village. While the village priest and passing mystics droned with endless sermons of the Church and their teachings, what had always captivated young Adam’s attention more were the stories of his Granny.

Old stories of the world as it once was, before people were forced to flee to the caves and crannies of this damp hell. Of warm days where pleasant green plants tickled your feet as you walked through them and a cool breeze blew through your hair. Where food was plentiful, nature was benign and endless vistas reached as far as they eye could see.

Adam was nominally a card-carrying member of the church, though he mostly did it for the connections and perks that brought. They were powerful and had ancient lore, all things he would need to fulfill his true heart’s desire: to return to the surface, vanquish the madness that tainted their homeland and reconquer paradise.

After his encounter with a Word of God, the edges of his vision are flickering with black flame and his skin is extremely pale with what appear to be black veins instead of the normal blue ones. It also forced him to reevaluate his views on the cthonic church and god.

Goal: Plunge the secrets of the depths below to find an answer to the horrors above.

Stats
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Spe: 11
End: 10
Awa: 11
Cun: 10
Kno: 10
Ner: 13

Skills
Diving: +3
Stealth: +2
Occult: +1
Can see things in great detail as well as look through objects such as walls. Rolls Nerve.

Inventory

1 soldier chestplate
Clothing: simple priest robes, shortened a bit so as to less restrict his movements

1 ethral rifle [10 rounds]  (pierce 2)
1 black flame

1 Silent Night
4 worm blood

1 minor artifact
1 beaker artifact (found in crystal ruins) => in locker
1 crystal construct

Transport mission papers
1 black book copy
1 black book
1 book "Artifacts of Faith"
1 empyrean city map
1 field lighter
1 radio
6 fathoms
   -loaned 40 to Cara (Tiruin)
297 fathoms (payment from pilgrim escort)
1 unspent skillpoint

[Parisbre56]

This is mighty suspicious. Not only is the place completely dark to my extended perception, meaning it must have a strong magical connection, it is also the massive door of a ruin somehow both uncharted yet also extremely visible when following to regular path to goldshore. Either all of the people who went before us were blind, were very bad at journal keeping, or none who notice it tend to get out to tell the tale. If it ain't a trap or illusion outright that is.

"Or maybe the door only opens once every 1000 years or whenever a messenger appears and this is our only chance to look at what's inside. Besides, I'm not going in, I'm just taking a peek at what's in there."

Are you sure you are lucid enough to go scouting? You just cut up Harm's hand like it was last week's wormsteak.

"Hey! Harm was the one that was trying to cut her hand, I was just helping her!"

And we're rather undermanned to set up a decent expedition.

"Not really. We have more than enough people here. And besides, I'm just going to take a peek."

How about we just continue for now so you and the poor woman that got cut up can rest, we can still check it out on the way back if we want.

"Or we can wait for me to investigate and then decide what to do. I'm completely fine. I am perfectly capable of walking, looking at things and letting you know what's going on on the radio."

[Caellath]

"While I worry about your safety, Kara, I also have the feeling that if we return later and whatever this is isn't here on the way back you'll be forever disappointed for not peeking." Vikkan commented. As much as he wanted to avoid further diving trouble after the whole thing with never having had a hand that he actually once had, the bore driver was conflicted.

[syvarris]

Nyw chuckles lightly before responding "Ahhh.  I understand now, Alex.  Well, I certainly agree that we should investigate what the church knew before sending us in here, to the best of our ability, before handing off the core.  I doubt there is any way we will leave the church with the core without bloodshed, but I see no reason to prevent you from discussing such a thing."

[Egan_BW]

^{_{"Kara, would you mind if I went with you? Would that be helpful?"}}

[Parisbre56]

"While I worry about your safety, Kara, I also have the feeling that if we return later and whatever this is isn't here on the way back you'll be forever disappointed for not peeking." Vikkan commented. As much as he wanted to avoid further diving trouble after the whole thing with never having had a hand that he actually once had, the bore driver was conflicted.

"Hey now, there's no reason to be paranoid all the time. Not everything is out to get us, not everything will kill us the moment we look at it the wrong way. Besides, if I want to become a famous explorer, I need to actually explore. I can't give in to fear and run away every time I encounter something new."

^{_{"Kara, would you mind if I went with you? Would that be helpful?"}}

"Yes! That would be great!" Kara responded a bit too enthusiastically.
She was still terribly afraid of approaching that thing. The only reason she was approaching it in the first place was that her curiosity and desire to explore were strong enough to overpower her cowardice. Actually having someone there with her made her feel a lot better, even though it didn't really change things all that much.
"Just try to stay behind me and let me take the first look. No need to take more risks than necessary."

[piecewise]

^{_{"Hmm.
That was interesting. Maybe I should have taken that medical class."}}

Check on Harm's hand. Is it functional now?

Try to follow Kara, if possible.

Spoiler: Wiellste? (click to show/hide)

Name: Wiellste Gunsmithy

Description: A young Ethral, no taller than 4 feet. Her fur is unpatterned and a milky white. Usually wears a rather plain quilted brown silk cloak, and a polished copper mask with symmetrical, spiraling lines etched on the sides.

Goal: Wiellste is like many Ethral in that she seeks to gather knowledge about the world before all else. Though being an Ethral from Knot, her skills are largely more on the practical building side than the scholarly side. She isn't particularly invested in the teachings of the Tenebrous Church, but the idea of the spheres intrigues her, especially Balarim, with it's writings and technology.

Stats:
Str:  8
Dex: 12
Spe: 10
End:  9
Awa:  7
Cun: 15
Kno: 13
Ner: 11

Skills:
SKILL 1
Weaponsmith 2
Diving 2
Pistol 1
Bore 1
Translate 1
Stealth 1

Inventory:
Silk cloak
Copper mask
Human-made revolver (Pistol 3) (6/6)

Notes

1 Fathom

His hand appears totally functional, though he should probably play it cool and rest a bit. Don't want to pop a stitch.

You follow after Kara.

Sleep it off
Also, if I’m lucid by the time we reach the door, vote for continuing on to Goldshore and hitting the ruin on the way back.

Spoiler: Harm (click to show/hide)

Name: Harmony “Harm” Li
Description: Lean and broody looking. This woman has short black hair and is partially covered in interlocking black tattoos. She wears simple black clothes, with a knee-length Maggot Wool Coat overtop. She wears a mail shirt underneath her clothes.
Goal: Overall, Harm would like to find a place where refugees and travelers could seek refuge without dealing with the dogmatic influence of the church. Right now, though, she just wants to get away.
 
Stats
Str:11
Dex:11
Spe:11
End:10
Awa:11
Cun:12
Kno:10
Ner:11

Skills
Weapon smith (3)
Mechanical (2)
Lucky Shot (1)

1 unassigned

Condition
Hand has been severed, then reattached.
Healing cut on hand.

Inventory
Radio
Mail shirt (protect 3)
Small Obsidian Knife [cut, stab 3. Fragile]
Crystal cutting utility knife (free to borrow)
Obsidian arrowhead (cut 4, fragile)
6 Octahedrons
Half a ton of obsidian
5 Large branches of crystalline lead
Lucky Shot (6/7)(14 rounds)
Short sword (cutting 3, pierce 2)
Voice in the Eyes- and intricate mechanical eye
Field Lighter
10 Path Markers
2 units mechanical junk
2 mechanical arms (belong to Kara and Vikkan)
6 sturdy glass bottles
144 fathoms

You wake up with one functional, but very sore, hand. You use it to vote for moving on.

Kara breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks Wiellste. I was so worried..."
She looked at Harm apologetically.
"Let's... pretend this didn't happen and never speak about it again?"

Mystery door! Must investigate! A small, cautious peek inside wouldn't hurt, right? EDIT: But before I get too close, attach the grappling hook to some rock and then tie it to some rope. Tie the other end to myself. Just in case it tries to suck me in.

Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)

Name: "Kara" is what most humans call her, though the closest pronunciation would be  Kr'ra-Kax
Race: Corven (advantage for climb, disadvantage for falls)
Appearance: She is a crow-like Corven with matte-black feathers. A bit short. Constantly moves her head around, examining her surroundings. Moves her tail up and down whenever she's excited.
Age: Adult, but just barely
Goal: Wants to find artifacts and experiences that she can use to make an (under)world-famous museum. Wants to prove herself to her mother and piss off her brother with her success (both financially and socially).

Status
Sacrificed left arm to reverse time (eaten by giant Shluck-like thing). Bandaged and given spider venom for the pain.

Stats
Str:9
Dex:13 
Spe:13 
End:7
Awa:12
Cun:10 
Kno:12
Ner:11

Skills
1 unspent
Rifle: 1
Medical: 1
Translate: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Caving: 1
Machine Control: 1
Stealth: 1
Geology: 1
Archeology: 1
Navigation: 1

Inventory
Radio
3 fathoms
Ethral Rifle (scope+bipod) (rifle 3, pierce 3) 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 6/7
Field Lighter (Fire 2)
Grappling Hook + Ethral Silk rope 100 ft
Simple Clothes
Kara's Diary

In Storage
Crystal Tablets (diary about All-Eater and Great Destroyer, inventory, obedience rod instructions, construct assembly instructions)
Church Documents (document ownership and events, and recommend favorable treatment)
Cot
Book (Adventures of Pilgrim)
Deck of Cards
Mechanical Arm (not installed)
Crystal Friend
Bomb collar (unlocked)
All bomb collar remotes

It takes 10 units of fuel to take the path up and into the natural caves. You make it relatively quickly and immediately come across a ruin directly to the west of where the path enters the cave. Unlike the one from before, this ruin is right out in the open and visible: Its a door.  It appears to be made out of stone, with stone hinges, and is quite flat and unremarkable except for the fact that it is unimaginably huge. Its maybe 100 times the size of a normal door for humans, though it looks to be about the same in construction. In fact, it is impossibly the same. There's no way something that big should be able to follow the same plans as  a normal door but it does. And its very slightly ajar with light streaming out from inside.  You take a moment to stare at it with your wizard eyes and notice that the entire place is blacked out; must be overwhelmingly supernatural.

Continue to Goldshore? 

"This is mighty suspicious. Not only is the place completely dark to my extended perception, meaning it must have a strong magical connection, it is also the massive door of a ruin somehow both uncharted yet also extremely visible when following to regular path to goldshore. Either all of the people who went before us were blind, were very bad at journal keeping, or none who notice it tend to get out to tell the tale. If it ain't a trap or illusion outright that is.

Are you sure you are lucid enough to go scouting? You just cut up Harm's hand like it was last week's wormsteak. And we're rather undermanned to set up a decent expedition. How about we just continue for now so you and the poor woman that got cut up can rest, we can still check it out on the way back if we want."

I'd say we move on for now.

Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)

Name: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza

Description: A young man of slightly pale complexion and eternal 9 o’clock shadow, he was raised in a small village. While the village priest and passing mystics droned with endless sermons of the Church and their teachings, what had always captivated young Adam’s attention more were the stories of his Granny.

Old stories of the world as it once was, before people were forced to flee to the caves and crannies of this damp hell. Of warm days where pleasant green plants tickled your feet as you walked through them and a cool breeze blew through your hair. Where food was plentiful, nature was benign and endless vistas reached as far as they eye could see.

Adam was nominally a card-carrying member of the church, though he mostly did it for the connections and perks that brought. They were powerful and had ancient lore, all things he would need to fulfill his true heart’s desire: to return to the surface, vanquish the madness that tainted their homeland and reconquer paradise.

After his encounter with a Word of God, the edges of his vision are flickering with black flame and his skin is extremely pale with what appear to be black veins instead of the normal blue ones. It also forced him to reevaluate his views on the cthonic church and god.

Goal: Plunge the secrets of the depths below to find an answer to the horrors above.

Stats
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Spe: 11
End: 10
Awa: 11
Cun: 10
Kno: 10
Ner: 13

Skills
Diving: +3
Stealth: +2
Occult: +1
Can see things in great detail as well as look through objects such as walls. Rolls Nerve.

Inventory

1 soldier chestplate
Clothing: simple priest robes, shortened a bit so as to less restrict his movements

1 ethral rifle [10 rounds]  (pierce 2)
1 black flame

1 Silent Night
4 worm blood

1 minor artifact
1 beaker artifact (found in crystal ruins) => in locker
1 crystal construct

Transport mission papers
1 black book copy
1 black book
1 book "Artifacts of Faith"
1 empyrean city map
1 field lighter
1 radio
6 fathoms
   -loaned 40 to Cara (Tiruin)
297 fathoms (payment from pilgrim escort)
1 unspent skillpoint

"Well, that is sure a mysterious-looking door. What do you say?"

Waiting on whether people want to stick their dick into the supernatural (again). Follow the majority and hopes democracy does not turn out to be its own downfall.

Spoiler: Vikkan Laerthe, Human Bore Driver (click to show/hide)

Name: Vikkan Laerthe

Description: A human from Anvil and a moderate Chthonic who was born and raised close in the neighborhood of the Hammerfall boreyard, where his parents were employed as menial workers. Being so close to a place so filled with machinery and boring machines left a lasting impression on Vikkan, who became a furnace helper, then a drivemaster's apprentice until he finally reached the controls of a bore. He's quite good at conducting driving bores and, most importantly, he deeply enjoys his work.

Bore love aside, Vikkan is also generally quite friendly and good-humored even when he's not behind a bore's controls. He is, however, aware of his limitations out of the control room, and he'd rather leave most other matters to more skilled people. What he lacks in intellectual education he displays in polite curiosity, and he tends to be interested in listening even to topics he can only vaguely grasp, making for a good talking and drinking buddy if nothing else.

At odds with his friendliness, he looks rugged, if young. His hair is dark brown and cut short, and he has a well-groomed handlebar mustache (though he's been known to let it grow and style it into a horseshoe at times). A small diagonal scar moves from his right eyebrow to the bridge of his nose. His skin is brown and displays a few burns thanks to a few years of furnace and boiler work. He's fairly hairy, with his shirt's sleeves covering hairy arms and a few spots of scar tissue. His uniform is made of thick cloth and utilitarian, overalls, a long-sleeved shirt and a cap. His major concession to vanity is keeping his uniform and mustache impeccable. He doesn't have a right hand.

Goal: To deep driving bores and having fun while doing it. It's not a difficult dream, even if it can be hard at times.
 
Stats
Str: 11
Dex: 11
Spe: 10
End: 11
Awa: 13
Cun: 10
Kno: 11
Ner: 11

Skills (1 point unspent)
+3 Vehicle (Bore)
+2 Navigation
+1 Defense (Mail Shirt)

Inventory
-Conductor's Clothes
-Dynamo Lantern
-Black Book (Copy)
-Field Lighter
-Mail Shirt
-Short Sword
-Rifle
-Knife
-100ft silk rope
-142 Fathoms
-Neck chain (that used to hold a black flame that actually never existed)
-Black Flame
-Clockwork arm

1 Mission and counting
Level 0: +3 Awareness
Level 1: +1 Str, Dex, End, Kno, Ner. 1 skill point unused.

The bore moves on before Kara can get out to investigate. She complains and stomps her birdy feet the whole way to Goldshore. She only stops when Adam asks her what she's been doing downstairs this whole time. She responds with "Nothing", "You can't trust Harm, she's high on pain killers!" and "What a silly question. Silly old Adam" interspersed with lots of very false and nervous laughter.


The trip to Goldshore is luckily uneventful and the bore reaches it rather quickly, trundling through caves a while before hand.  The city itself is rather interesting for the massive mechanical works over the magma. Huge piers of what looks like some kind of dark metal jut out into the magma, wreathed in what looks like an aura of mist that is constantly blowing upwards from underneath the structures. No doubt some sort of permanent Diving mechanism to keep the piers cool. Further artiface has been built upon the piers, great cranes and pulleys, dredging crucibles, reenforced piping, filtration systems, its a massive enterprise that stretches like an octopus from the edges of the magma shore out into it with many tentacles.

According to the paperwork, the goods are in the warehouses near the shore.

A shiver runs down Drett's back, vibrating him gently. Why do I feel like someone I know almost ruined someone else's limbs? He quickly shakes off the feeling, however, as he has books to study.
Hm. These books are quite interesting. I would be able to figure out the language given another reference, I feel.

Takes some of the more interesting books, as many as I can carry comfortably. Medicine has priority for me, and anything seemingly occult is next. Other sciences after that.

Drett, Doktormoth

You select a few books out of the lot and store them away. 10 total. Any more and they'd start to weigh you down and be rather awkward.

"Well, I suppose we'll walk the path God has placed before us. Trials and injustices are there to build our sols, or to refine them, as in a black fire. IF we get less than we've 'earned,' that will be a weight of sin for another to bear on their own journey into darkness."

Do a mental health self exam. what lingering effects from my three failed nerve rolls remain? Once I've done that, slowly ascend the square spiral staircase, looking around for interesting loot rooms like the library. Do not get more than two sides of a square ahead of the main group. Stay in visible contact. Watch for trouble. Retreat from trouble.

Spoiler: Not so much a character, but a mistake (click to show/hide)

Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent. Currently a dream robot
Goal:To find God
 
Stats
Str:9  Dex:8  Spe:9  End:11  Awa:12  Cun:11  Kno:11  Ner:16 (-1)

Skills
3 Diving
2 Animal Handling
1 Survival
1 Weapon skill: Guitar

Inventory
Relic Fragment
Black Book (copy, strata 1,2,4)
1 Silent Night 
3 Worm Blood
100 ft of rope
1 knife (cut/pierce 2)
2 Occult Junks
59  Fathoms (One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore, one "shiny," 57 standard)
168 Fathoms (Team Account. Kept on AsHul's person for safekeeping. Stored separately from his personal funds.

Stored at warehouse during Relic Vision:
Firing Control Module (Brass Brain)
Book of sheet music (from Balaram) [stack of about 100 pages bound by three brass rings along the top of the sheets]
his former bomb collar - made of something like demagnetized neodymium.
One Bone-fretted haunted electric guitar
One mundane acoustic guitar with wave patterns in abalone and turquoise

Notes:
Travellers' guild is offering a relic retrieval job. Local hazards ('living').

You think about your mental health, carefully considering the nature of your perception. You think that, if any problems remain, they are inconsequential.

You head up the staircase, looking for interesting rooms. You circle around once and...find yourself back with the group.

"Oh, its one of these." You say, crossing your arms and tapping a foot. "Impossible space is such an annoyance sometimes."

"Yes Nyw, I'm well aware that you're an honored undead, without you surely more of us would've been injured or killed. You do remember that the first guardian we encountered was already dead? I suspect that the Church already sent a previous group and thus knew about the dangers in the vision, and by withholding that information, they were acting maliciously towards us.

Regardless of whether you think that trying to obtain the core for ourselves is corrupt and greedy or not. We should try to find out whether the Church knew about the dangers present in the vision and whether they acted maliciously by withholding that information from us. Even if it turns out that my suspicions were incorrect, it would aid with the upcoming negotiations."

((Was the first guardian dead?  I thought the first one was the grasshopper (?) thing with the moonblade staff, and it was very alive.  If it wasn't dead, I assume this conversation doesn't happen.))

"I disagree.  While it is most certainly possible that the church was fully aware of the danger, and I would be more than happy to bring justice upon them if so, there are entirely reasonable explanations beyond simple malice.  Perhaps, before they obtained the head, another group attempted to plunder its wealth, and failing, then sold it to the church.  Or perhaps they sent in their own clergy, who were martially incapable and only barely defeated the first; thus, they would believe our own group to have little difficulty.  Or perhaps the explanation is entirely beyond my grasp, due to my own severely limited knowledge.  The fact remains that I cannot in good conscience visit punishment upon a group for wrongdoing of which I have no evidence."

Nyw sighs heavily, before continuing.  "Beyond all that, Alexander, your plan is foolish.  This group, corrupt or not, no doubt has capable and fanatical divers, and strong connections to the greater church, while we are tired, drained, and unfamiliar with the building we began our dive within.  Were we to attempt leaving with the head's treasure, we would have to forego payment in fathoms--the priests will doubtless hand the money over only after receiving their goal--and almost certainly we would be forced to fight and kill church divers.  It is unlikely all of us would survive, and even if we did escape without issue, there would likely be a price placed upon all our heads.  A price, mind, which will exceed our danger; the church will be very eager to disproportionately punish anyone who has wronged them to such an extent, lest others begin to see their weaker chapters as easy prey."

"If you wish to gain more from this trip, Alex, and believe the priests to reward us insufficiently, then we should do as was suggested earlier.  Part peaceably, then go over their heads and alert the church's internal authorities to the corruption within this chapter.  It is the safest path, and likely a lucrative one as well.  Perhaps it still will not be commensurate to our hardships, but I for one am not eager to risk others' lives just to ensure fair payment."

Stay with Ashul, argue with Alex, punch anyone who starts to do something extremely foolish, kill any monsters that attack anyone, etc etc.

Spoiler: The Unpronounceable Undead (click to show/hide)

Name: Nyw'geuq Otin Sunam; calls himself "The Lords' Child"
Description:

((No murakumo anymore.  ))
Goal: Inscrutable, which is code for "Talks like this.".

Stats:
Str:14
Dex:8
Spe:10
End:14
Awa:14
Cun:8
Kno:7
Ner:10

Skills:
Unarmed: +1
Defense Skill: +3 (Full Plate)
Vehicle Skill: +1
Caving: +1
Navigation: +1
Murakumo: +1


Inventory:
Full Plate Armor [Protective 4]
Ornamental Mask of the Child
Shattered to powder, which is held in a little cloth bag: Crystal Murakumo [Cut 6, Pierce 3, Fragile]
Giant Guardian Hatchet [Chop 4, ]

Probably left in the warehouse:
A hooked cleaver [Cut 3]
Two knives [Cut 2, Pierce 2]
Guard rifle [Pierce 2]
A bunch of bloody guard garments, to be used as raw material.

((The moon blade guardian is actually the 2nd one, we encountered the first one directly after leaving the tunnel.))

"I don't know how you came to the conclusion that I suggested that we should claim the core by force, it would be the most dangerous and frankly most idiotic way to go at it. Getting into trouble with the Church is a terrible idea, and picking a fight with them is an even worse one."

Alex took a deep breath and then continued. "Look, I'm proposing that we should try to claim the core for ourselves, and that we should try to do so by negotiating with the Church using any leverage we can find. But first and foremost we should investigate after we've dealt with the remaining guardians, taking a second more thorough look at the first guardian we encountered will be important to determine whether the Church sent a group before us. Once we're out of the vision, we question them and secure additional payment for the job. Once that is done, we should think about whether we have enough leverage over them to claim the core for ourselves."

Join Nyw in keeping watch.

Spoiler: Alex Wells (click to show/hide)

Name: Alex Wells

Description: A middle aged man standing 5'7" feet tall. He has short brown hair and an unkempt beard.

Goal: Exploring the depths and collecting its wealth.

Stats:
Str: 11
Dex: 11
Spe: 10
End: 11
Awa: 11
Cun: 12
Kno: 11
Ner: 11

Skills:
Explosives 2
Mechanical 1
Survival 1
Caving 1
Chemical 2
Geology 1
1 Skill point

Inventory:
Dynamo Lantern
Field Lighter
4 TNT
Bladed Shovel (Cut 3)
Mail Shirt
39 Fathoms
Crystal box of golem limbs
Golem buddy
Black Flame (Cut 3)
Rifle (Pierce 2) 4/10
8 Structural Junk
Grappling Hook
Moon bladed staff (Cut 4)

You both follow Ashul around, arguing as you go. You barely notice when the staircase loops, too lost in your own discussion.

Flip through my new picture books for a bit, maybe I can descipher some kind of meaning here. If not, at least I get to look at the pretty pictures.
Stick with the team should they move on

Spoiler: Clate (click to show/hide)

Name: Clate
Race: Shluck
Description: Being a Shluck, Clate is rarely seen outside of his environmental suit. Inside, he is the standard

albino mollusk, with his only true defining characteristic being the alternating white/borwn pattern of his beak, much

like on a nautilus shell. His environmental suit and exoskeltons are full of scuff marks and small blemishes from work,

but the knowledgable observer will notice that it is mechanically kept in tip-top shape. He wears a toolbelt and a satchel

to store his tools and other knickknacks, and has a blue cap perched on top of his helmet.
Goal: To create great works of craftsmanship and become filthy rich in the process.
 
Stats
Str:  8
Dex:  11
Spe:  9
End:  10
Awa:  10
Cun:  16 (+3)
Kno:  12
Ner:  11

Skills (1 point unused)
Electronics 1
Mechanical 1
Biological 1
Chemical 1
Occult 1
Weaponsmith 1
Armorsmith 1
Stealth 1
Steal 1
Explosives 1

Inventory
Clothing: A tool belt that can be modified to fit the exoskeleton, a satchel and a blue cap with "If it ain't broke, fix

it" embroidered on.
Mail shirt (Made to integrate directly into the exosuit, protecting surface that houses Shluck including head.Protect 3)
Bladed Shovel - handle coated with Pseudomagnetic mortar
Knife (cut2, pierce2)
Rifle (pierce2, 6/10 magazine)
TNT x5
Dynamo lantern
Field lighter
Path markers x10
"Muggy"(skull mug scrimshawed with "can we fix it?" on the side, "No, it's fucked." on the bottom. Has trigger on the

inside of the spine-handle that, when squeezed, caused the mandible to open and close)
1 Bow from weird eyeball creature. Produces a bone arrow when drawing the string.
3 weird picture books


2 Octahedrons - supposedly replicate materials
1 container of Pseudomagnetic mortar
labradorite/Obedience rod


100ft silk rope


3 structural junk
30 chemical junk
1 gold ingot
143 Fathoms


Crystal Babies

2. 8 sided diamond (looks like  Ramiel from EVA and floats). 8 inches to an edge
3.  Crystal snake. hiss. 18 inches long.


Warehouse/bore storage:
 1. Dodecahedron, no limbs, rolls. Fist sized.
4.  Spiky daddy long legs like Irony has. 1 foot legs, fist sized body.
5. Thing looks like (see pic). about 8 inches to a side.
7. Wheel sort of thing that has a fat inside edge and tapers to a sharp edge on the outside. Foot and a half in diameter.
1 corpse (missing: skull, neck vertebrea, some bones)
Bomb Collar
Slate box with multicolour crystal toothpick - supposedly turns someone into a gemperson.
Spool of thermoreactive wire.
Acoustic guitar (Metal + guardbone, totally mundane.)
Box with "kidnapper bell"
6 Octahedrons - supposedly replicate materials

You flip through the books a bit, trying to understand. [16]

You can't make heads of tails of it, but the pictures are pretty so you sit and look at them, kicking your robot feet back and forth absentmindedly.

[Gentlefish]

AsHul, welcome back. I did not expect you to return from that direction. Drett says, waving hello absentmindedly. These books are quite interesting... They would be moreso if I could understand them.


Other than books, is there anything else of interest in this room? Maybe something behind the books or the shelves?

Drett, Doktormoth

[Parisbre56]

Back home... I didn't expect to come back here so soon. Let's get this over with.

Find a piece of cloth or something I could turn into a hood or similar that could prevent others from recognizing me. Kara would like to avoid bumping into family members or other people who might know her, if possible.

Have I perhaps heard of that warehouse when I was living here? Do I know who runs it? Does it have a bad reputation?

Make my way to the meeting. Try to stay close to cover, preferably in a good vantage point, if it wouldn't make me look too weird.

Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)

Name: "Kara" is what most humans call her, though the closest pronunciation would be  Kr'ra-Kax
Race: Corven (advantage for climb, disadvantage for falls)
Appearance: She is a crow-like Corven with matte-black feathers. A bit short. Constantly moves her head around, examining her surroundings. Moves her tail up and down whenever she's excited.
Age: Adult, but just barely
Goal: Wants to find artifacts and experiences that she can use to make an (under)world-famous museum. Wants to prove herself to her mother and piss off her brother with her success (both financially and socially).

Status
Sacrificed left arm to reverse time (eaten by giant Shluck-like thing). Bandaged and given spider venom for the pain.

Stats
Str:9
Dex:13 
Spe:13 
End:7
Awa:12
Cun:10 
Kno:12
Ner:11

Skills
1 unspent
Rifle: 1
Medical: 1
Translate: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Caving: 1
Machine Control: 1
Stealth: 1
Geology: 1
Archeology: 1
Navigation: 1

Inventory
Radio
3 fathoms
Ethral Rifle (scope+bipod) (rifle 3, pierce 3) 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 6/7
Field Lighter (Fire 2)
Grappling Hook + Ethral Silk rope 100 ft
Simple Clothes
Kara's Diary

In Storage
Crystal Tablets (diary about All-Eater and Great Destroyer, inventory, obedience rod instructions, construct assembly instructions)
Church Documents (document ownership and events, and recommend favorable treatment)
Cot
Book (Adventures of Pilgrim)
Deck of Cards
Mechanical Arm (not installed)
Crystal Friend
Bomb collar (unlocked)
All bomb collar remotes

[The Lupanian]

How recovered am I? Is my hand back up to normal, or am I going to be having difficulty with some things?
Are prosthetic eyes a thing, if so, are they common? Would most people understand the concept?
You know what, I’m gonna cut to the chase and go see how much it would cost to get someone to safely remove one of my eyes. I’m going to want to keep the eye by the way, maybe put it in one of those glass bottles in my inventory.

Spoiler: Harm (click to show/hide)

Name: Harmony “Harm” Li
Description: Lean and broody looking. This woman has short black hair and is partially covered in interlocking black tattoos. She wears simple black clothes, with a knee-length Maggot Wool Coat overtop. She wears a mail shirt underneath her clothes.
Goal: Overall, Harm would like to find a place where refugees and travelers could seek refuge without dealing with the dogmatic influence of the church. Right now, though, she just wants to get away.
 
Stats
Str:11
Dex:11
Spe:11
End:10
Awa:11
Cun:12
Kno:10
Ner:11

Skills
Weapon smith (3)
Mechanical (2)
Lucky Shot (1)

1 unassigned

Condition
Hand has been severed, then reattached.
Healing cut on hand.

Inventory
Radio
Mail shirt (protect 3)
Small Obsidian Knife [cut, stab 3. Fragile]
Crystal cutting utility knife (free to borrow)
Obsidian arrowhead (cut 4, fragile)
6 Octahedrons
Half a ton of obsidian
5 Large branches of crystalline lead
Lucky Shot (6/7)(14 rounds)
Short sword (cutting 3, pierce 2)
Voice in the Eyes- and intricate mechanical eye
Field Lighter
10 Path Markers
2 units mechanical junk
2 mechanical arms (belong to Kara and Vikkan)
6 sturdy glass bottles
144 fathoms

[Ozarck]

"Thank you, Doctor. I wonder if any of those books focus on the prime denizens of the spheres, or of the particular workings of the Diving process. If oyu find any, or if you find any books of music, please set them aside for me.

Everyone, do not assume that going backward will be the same as going forward. If going forward loops back to the group, going backward could easily scatter us to the Seven Depths. Stay in sight until we've decided how to proceed.

Hmm. If up is not an option, we could try down. I suppose we could tie a rope on one of us and send them down the stairs to see if they reach the bottom , loop around, or disappear. Or we could bypass the stairs and lower the rope to the floor directly."

Examine the sky above. Any hint of a moon up there? Any patterns on the mostly natural floor at the bottom of the shaft? Have a peek in each of the buildings on the loop - anything catch my eye, guardian related, or musical in nature? try not to wander out of sight, if such a thing is even possible.

Spoiler: Not so much a character, but a mistake (click to show/hide)

Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent. Currently a dream robot
Goal:To find God
 
Stats
Str:9  Dex:8  Spe:9  End:11  Awa:12  Cun:11  Kno:11  Ner:16 (-1)

Skills
3 Diving
2 Animal Handling
1 Survival
1 Weapon skill: Guitar

Inventory
Relic Fragment
Black Book (copy, strata 1,2,4)
1 Silent Night 
3 Worm Blood
100 ft of rope
1 knife (cut/pierce 2)
2 Occult Junks
59  Fathoms (One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore, one "shiny," 57 standard)
168 Fathoms (Team Account. Kept on AsHul's person for safekeeping. Stored separately from his personal funds.

Stored at warehouse during Relic Vision:
Firing Control Module (Brass Brain)
Book of sheet music (from Balaram) [stack of about 100 pages bound by three brass rings along the top of the sheets]
his former bomb collar - made of something like demagnetized neodymium.
One Bone-fretted haunted electric guitar
One mundane acoustic guitar with wave patterns in abalone and turquoise

Notes:
Travellers' guild is offering a relic retrieval job. Local hazards ('living').

[Egan_BW]

^{_{"Interesting. This is your home, Kara?"}}

Continue to follow Kara like a lost puppy.

Spoiler: Wiellste? (click to show/hide)

Name: Wiellste Gunsmithy

Description: A young Ethral, no taller than 4 feet. Her fur is unpatterned and a milky white. Usually wears a rather plain quilted brown silk cloak, and a polished copper mask with symmetrical, spiraling lines etched on the sides.

Goal: Wiellste is like many Ethral in that she seeks to gather knowledge about the world before all else. Though being an Ethral from Knot, her skills are largely more on the practical building side than the scholarly side. She isn't particularly invested in the teachings of the Tenebrous Church, but the idea of the spheres intrigues her, especially Balarim, with it's writings and technology.

Stats:
Str:  8
Dex: 12
Spe: 10
End:  9
Awa:  7
Cun: 15
Kno: 13
Ner: 11

Skills:
SKILL 1
Weaponsmith 2
Diving 2
Pistol 1
Bore 1
Translate 1
Stealth 1

Inventory:
Silk cloak
Copper mask
Human-made revolver (Pistol 3) (6/6)

Notes

1 Fathom

[Parisbre56]

"Y-yes. I mean, no. It was. It used to be. Before I left. I haven't been here in... I'm not sure. Several months, at least. Hasn't changed much, at a glance."

[Egan_BW]

^{_{"Places like this take a long time to change. Bigger structures might take multiple Ethral lifespans to complete. Can make planning troublesome when the architect is long dead by the time the project is complete."}}

[Parisbre56]

"Hmm. Perhaps." Kara agreed half-heartedly.

She wasn't really all that interested in the architecture of the place, at least not at the moment. Her fear and anxiety sent her mind to much simpler tracks. It wasn't that she was expecting some great evil tower to had sprouted out of the ground or the city to have been rebuilt. It was more of that unreasonable hope that things would had magically become better. Or at least different. That she wasn't returning to the same thing she had run away from.

After a few seconds of silence she continued.
"Perhaps this is that sort of thing that only happens in novels. The hero returns to find nothing is familiar anymore. And even then, they'll often say something to the effect of 'Maybe it isn't this place that's changed, but myself.' Maybe that's the problem. I haven't changed enough."