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[Hotfire90]

"Ok, so the bore isn't going to move anytime soon, not until we repair the damage the dive has caused. We're lucky that the dive has been contained so quickly, and that we were in town of course. Anyway the dive did a real number on the bore, strongly compromising the structural integrity to such a degree that there is a high risk of the bore tearing itself apart if we were to move it.

I'll go head into town and find someone who will do the repair, and maybe find some jobs to do while we're waiting for the repairs to be done."

Head into town to find a mechanic who will repair the bore, try to negotiate a discount while I'm at it.

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: 12
Dex: 11
Spe: 12
End: 12
Awa: 12
Cun: 12
Kno: 12
Ner: 12

Skills:
Explosives 2
Mechanical 1
Survival 1
Caving 1
Chemical 2
Geology 1
3 Skill points

Inventory:
Dynamo Lantern
Field Lighter
4 TNT (explosive 4)
Bladed Shovel (Cut 3)
3 Fathoms
Crystal box of golem limbs
Golem buddy (flat disc and hooks)
Black Flame (Cut 3)
Rifle (Pierce 2) 3/10
Grappling Hook
Moon bladed staff (Cut 4, ?)
Silk shirt (oversized and bloodstained red)
Gas mask
2 lenses
A severed leg
5 ancient human books
20 copied ancient dictionary pages

[syvarris]

Nyw nods along as Ashul lays out his ideas.  "All good ideas, though I think the fragments are best left with you and Adam, rather than merely 'on the bore'.  You two are both capable of defending them, and are the only ones qualified to determine if a dive is safe.  Additionally..." Nyw turns to look at the glassy seal, pausing for a few seconds.  "...I think all future dives, whether by amateurs or yourself, should be done outside of the bore, if that is reasonably safe.  Even if the chance of catastrophic failure is low, there is little reason to risk the lives and livelihood of everyone here."

He turns to Adam suddenly, presenting something in his large armored hand.  "Ah, and speaking of the fragments--here, Adam.  Another diver appeared outside, and gave me her fragment."

Give Adam Rhea's relic fragment.  It's not gonna be used by Nyw, might as well hand it off to the guy who knows how to judge how dangerous it is.

Aside from that, watch over the mole diver.  If he seems lucid and nonhostile, untie him, but follow him wherever he goes, and be ready to punch him out again if he starts beeping.p

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

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

((One murakumo! ))
Goal: Inscrutable, which is code for "Talks like this.".

Stats:
Str: 15 
Dex: 9
Spe:11
End:14
Awa:14
Cun: 9
Kno: 8
Ner: 12

Skills:
Unarmed: +1
Defense Skill: +3 (Full Plate)
Vehicle Skill: +1
Caving: +1
Navigation: +1
Murakumo: +2


Inventory:
Full Plate Armor [Protective 4]
Ornamental Mask of the Child

Extremely crude harness, holding all Nyw's weapons:
Crystal Murakumo [Cut 6, Pierce 3]
----Enchanted to remove fragility.
Giant Guardian Hatchet [Chop 4, ]
Two knives [Cut 2, Pierce 2]
Tungsten Toothpick [Pierce 5] (10/10)
Slave Trap
Three smoke grenades
Tunnel Clearer shotgun [5/5 shotshells] [shotgun 3] [Pierce 3] (5 spare shotshells) (3 spare slugs)
Guard rifle [Pierce 2] (0/10) (0 spare rounds)

300' of silk rope
2x Silent Night
2x Black Flame
2x Cave Spider Venom
30x Path markers

Rhea's relic fragment

Followers:
Gus (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)
Baxter (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)

[Radio Controlled]

Over radio: "I thought we were going to explore the ruins with the whole team, were we not? Isn't that the reason we all came down here for?"

Clate fiddles with the radio buttons, sending out short bursts of static

Code: [Select]

... ..- .-. .

-- --- - .... ... / -- .- -.-- / .- .-. --. ..- .

-.-. .- .-. . ..-. ..- .-.. / -. --- / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- ..- .--. ...

--- .-. / . .-.. ... .


To Clate: "Well of course, you don't have to take anyone you don't think can handle themselves in the ruins.

But, should you feel comfortable with having some more of us to explore the crystal ruins, could you coax the moths into letting the rest of the team, or at least part of it, join in?"

"Suspicious. Those two have been acting rather furtively since our encounter with the Apostate Warrior and our return to Empyrean."

"Hmm. I think brother Clate is just apprehensive of losing out on getting to connect with and explore the largest site of the crystal people, given his newfound form. Seeing how we just now almost lost our bore on an unforced error, I think I can understand that."

"Ok, so the bore isn't going to move anytime soon, not until we repair the damage the dive has caused. We're lucky that the dive has been contained so quickly, and that we were in town of course. Anyway the dive did a real number on the bore, strongly compromising the structural integrity to such a degree that there is a high risk of the bore tearing itself apart if we were to move it.
I'll go head into town and find someone who will do the repair, and maybe find some jobs to do while we're waiting for the repairs to be done."

"By the Depths, that's even worse than I expected. Yes, please see if you can find some help for the repairs. We're lucky to have some fathoms in the bank right now, I think we should have enough to at least make her cave-worthy again."

He turns to Adam suddenly, presenting something in his large armored hand.  "Ah, and speaking of the fragments--here, Adam.  Another diver appeared outside, and gave me her fragment."

"Ah yes, thank you brother Nyw, I'll take it into my care for now. Do you know the name of this new diver, by any chance?"

It seems to be holding and the portal seems stable.

The seal seems to be made of glass, though thats only the closest analog you can think of. Its smooth, transparent, slightly crystalline like cut glass. And yes, its got "Roots" extending out all around it. Cutting it out would require you to cut out...hard to say but a lot of the bore's middle. It would probably require a dock and specialized tools to make sure the bore didn't collapse as you stripped sections of it away.  The thing is in there like a weed, all curled and knotted around everything.

How much damage does it seem like this 'glass' could take? Does it seem extremely fragile, or could it at least handle the stresses of regular bore travel (assuming we fix the bore)? What about strenuous or rough bore travel? And is there a way we could reinforce this thing to be more sturdy?

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: 11
Dex: 11
Spe: 13
End: 12
Awa: 12
Cun: 11
Kno: 10
Ner: 14 
Skills
Diving: +3
Stealth: +2
Occult: +1
Flammenvision!
Inventory

Soldier's chestplate
Clothing: simple priest robes, currently worn long to hide the black veins
Rubber Suit

1 ethral rifle [10 rounds]  (pierce 3)
2x black flame
2x smoke bomb
1 flashbang

3 Silent Night
4 worm blood

1 minor artifact
1 minor artifact belonging to Rhea
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
portal knives design
123 fathoms
   -loaned 40 to Cara (Tiruin)
3 unspent skillpoints

[Pancaek]

Clate sighs. But inwardly, on account of having no lungs. He turns to Kara and writes in her general direction

Friend Kara, it seems Adam and perhaps some others wish to join our journey into the crystal city. Could you perhaps convince the moths to allow additional members?

[Ozarck]

""

Nyw nods along as Ashul lays out his ideas.  "All good ideas, though I think the fragments are best left with you and Adam, rather than merely 'on the bore'.  You two are both capable of defending them, and are the only ones qualified to determine if a dive is safe.  Additionally..." Nyw turns to look at the glassy seal, pausing for a few seconds.  "...I think all future dives, whether by amateurs or yourself, should be done outside of the bore, if that is reasonably safe.  Even if the chance of catastrophic failure is low, there is little reason to risk the lives and livelihood of everyone here."

"Honored One, I think that is an unnecessary restriction, as small Dives have a small effect, even when they go wrong, and Diving into the Spheres do not seem to carry the same risk of sudden destruction. Ah, Honored One, that is a look we Abominations are well familiar with. Yes, for now I will abide by the request, unless necessary, as it was moments ago.""Missing out? Why shopuld he fear such a thing from us? Have we not been fully supportive of his interests in this matter?"

"Suspicious. Those two have been acting rather furtively since our encounter with the Apostate Warrior and our return to Empyrean."

"Hmm. I think brother Clate is just apprehensive of losing out on getting to connect with and explore the largest site of the crystal people, given his newfound form. Seeing how we just now almost lost our bore on an unforced error, I think I can understand that."

"Ok, so the bore isn't going to move anytime soon, not until we repair the damage the dive has caused. We're lucky that the dive has been contained so quickly, and that we were in town of course. Anyway the dive did a real number on the bore, strongly compromising the structural integrity to such a degree that there is a high risk of the bore tearing itself apart if we were to move it.
I'll go head into town and find someone who will do the repair, and maybe find some jobs to do while we're waiting for the repairs to be done."

"Ah, that is unfortunate. I wonder if the Bore will become strong enough to travel again, or if it wold be better to purchase another from Anvil. It might be wise to tow our little cataclysm to a more isolated area where we can study and make use of this creative corridor."

[Parisbre56]

"Okay, I'll give it a shot."

Kara leaned close to Clate, doing her best to whisper at him.

"Just be careful Clate. I'm getting the feeling they profit from the state of this place. They might not like it if we cause any 'major changes'. I'm not saying you shouldn't, do what feels best for you. I'm going to support you if it comes down to it. I'm just saying, stay on your guard around our hosts."

Try to convince the moths to let me bring some more people with me as assistants, manual labor and all that. But don't risk it if it seems they threaten to expel us, I don't want to cost Clate's chance to explore this place.

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.

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

Skills
Rifle: 1
Medical: 1
Translate: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Caving: 1
Machine Control: 1
Stealth: 1
Geology: 1
Archeology: 2
Navigation: 1
Unspent: 1

Inventory
Golden pin (in forearm)
Crystal Friend (with riding harness + Obedience Rod)
Radio
35 fathoms (1% royalty for flame)
Ethral Rifle (scope+bipod) (rifle 3, pierce 3) 6/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 6/7
Field Lighter (Fire 2)
Grappling Hook + Ethral Silk rope 200 ft
1 Dynamo Lantern (Light 3)
1 Knife (Cut/Pierce 2)
2 Slave Traps
Simple Clothes (with hood)
Cot
Book (Adventures of Pilgrim)
Deck of Cards
Kara's Diary

In Storage
15 chemical junk
22 mechanical junk
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)
Metal Card with the address of the Gilded Crow (corven Gangsters of Goldshore)
Mechanical Arm (not installed)
Bomb collar (unlocked)
All bomb collar remotes
A large number of shiny gold-like messenger path rocks

[Pancaek]

Clate writes in Kara's direction in quick, small font

"I hear your warning, friend Kara. My main goal is the uplink. Unless the link changes the situation as it stands, the rest of the city is relatively unimportant."

Let Kara talk to the moths. Meanwhile, try and use my stonesensing again to map out the points of interest in the crystal ruin, so that we don't have to walk around blindly once we finally get the gang together and move in.

Spoiler: Clate (click to show/hide)

Name: Clate
Race: Shluck
Description: To bring back the crystal race
 
Stats
Str:  12
Dex:  8
Spe:  10
End:  13
Awa:  12
Cun:  8
Kno:  14
Ner:  15

Skills
Natural +3 Caving
Natural +3 Geology
Natural Mute
Natural No clothing
Natural Stonesenses
Natural Stoneshaping

Unarmed: +2
Weapon skill: Stone Blade +2
Stealth: +1
Archeology: +2
Weaponsmith: +2
Navigation: +1
Armorsmith: +1
Chemical: +1

Inventory
Bladed Shovel - handle coated with Pseudomagnetic mortar
Knife (cut2, pierce2)
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)
100ft silk rope
6 Octahedrons - supposedly replicate materials
1 container of Pseudomagnetic mortar
labradorite/Obedience rod (on loan to Kara)
Silver ethral pendant: small silver pendant in the shape of a compound eye wreathed in white fire
Ethral archive promissory note




443 Fathoms


Crystal Babies
2. 8 sided diamond (looks like  Ramiel from EVA and floats). 8 inches to an edge
5. Pryamid with stumpy limbs
7. snake golem. Its larger than the original by several times and rougher, sort of like a squirming line of uncut gemstones, each the size of a human fist.

Warehouse/bore storage:
Bomb Collar
Slate box
Spool of thermoreactive wire.
Acoustic guitar (Metal + guardbone, totally mundane.)
Mail shirt (Made to integrate directly into the exosuit, protecting surface that houses Shluck including head.Protect 3)
Rifle (pierce2, 6/10 magazine)
Small Knife from crystal barrel
Small bowl from crystal barrel
roll of very thin and flexible stone
small cube of the extremely dense material
sharp pyramid shaped wedge thing
3 structural junk
30 chemical junk
1 gold ingot

1. Dodecahedron, no limbs, rolls. Fist sized.
6. Rolling Orb
3.  Crystal snake. hiss. 18 inches long.
4.  Spiky daddy long legs like Irony has. 1 foot legs, fist sized body.

[Ozarck]

rest away the Silent Night withdrawals, then go out and purchase 2 Silent Night (5g ea) and 1 Worm Blood (3g). 13 g deducted from my inventory and the supplies added. Since we are in Moth Town, are tehre surcharges or anything? any "Abomination/Diver" taxes?

Assume that the Mole Person has his Relic Fragment if he leaves the Bore, otherwise, while he is on the Bore, AsHul keeps it.

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

Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent.
Goal:To find God
 
Stats
Str:10  Dex:9  Spe:10  End:12  Awa:13  Cun:13  Kno:12  Ner:16

Skills (2 point unspent)
3 Diving
2 Animal Handling
1 Survival
2 Weapon skill: Guitar (1/3 to level 3)

Inventory
Relic Fragment
Moleman's relic fragment
Black Book (Genuine)
Black Book (copy, strata 1,2,4)
2 Silent Night
4 Worm Blood
100 ft of rope
1 knife (cut/pierce 2)
2 Occult Junks
some kind of lightning tree from the plane of elemental forces
Song Book (Treasure, Vomit, Dissociate, Shred)
collar made of demagnetized neodymium
1 Bone-fretted haunted electric guitar
1 mundane acoustic guitar with wave patterns in abalone and turquoise
1 Crystalline Clate Guitar
162  Fathoms (+ One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore)

[piecewise]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 Name: Rhea Alcove
Description: A female human with blonde hear. She holds a Hooked Cleaver in her right hand and wears a Mail Shirt for protection. She wears a denim shirt and denim jeans, along with tennis shoes.
Goal: To explore and learn as much as she can

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

Skills:
Weapon Skill(Cleaver): 1
Diving: 1
Unarmed: 1
Persuasion: 1
Defense Skill(Mail Armor): 1
Survival: 1
Biological: 1
Caving: 1
Navigation: 1
Animal Handling: 1

Inventory:Free Clothing
Worm Blood x2
Organic Junk x2
Hooked Cleaver
Mail Shirt

go around town and ask around to find someone who is good at repairing bores

"Ok, so the bore isn't going to move anytime soon, not until we repair the damage the dive has caused. We're lucky that the dive has been contained so quickly, and that we were in town of course. Anyway the dive did a real number on the bore, strongly compromising the structural integrity to such a degree that there is a high risk of the bore tearing itself apart if we were to move it.

I'll go head into town and find someone who will do the repair, and maybe find some jobs to do while we're waiting for the repairs to be done."

Head into town to find a mechanic who will repair the bore, try to negotiate a discount while I'm at it.

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: 12
Dex: 11
Spe: 12
End: 12
Awa: 12
Cun: 12
Kno: 12
Ner: 12

Skills:
Explosives 2
Mechanical 1
Survival 1
Caving 1
Chemical 2
Geology 1
3 Skill points

Inventory:
Dynamo Lantern
Field Lighter
4 TNT (explosive 4)
Bladed Shovel (Cut 3)
3 Fathoms
Crystal box of golem limbs
Golem buddy (flat disc and hooks)
Black Flame (Cut 3)
Rifle (Pierce 2) 3/10
Grappling Hook
Moon bladed staff (Cut 4, ?)
Silk shirt (oversized and bloodstained red)
Gas mask
2 lenses
A severed leg
5 ancient human books
20 copied ancient dictionary pages

[9]
In town Alex and Rhea manage to negotiate a good price for bore repair by first heading to the local archive and telling them about the portal embedded in the bore. The effectively trade examination and information about the portal for a discount on the repairs. They make sure not to trade the actual portal away...not yet at least.

Nyw nods along as Ashul lays out his ideas.  "All good ideas, though I think the fragments are best left with you and Adam, rather than merely 'on the bore'.  You two are both capable of defending them, and are the only ones qualified to determine if a dive is safe.  Additionally..." Nyw turns to look at the glassy seal, pausing for a few seconds.  "...I think all future dives, whether by amateurs or yourself, should be done outside of the bore, if that is reasonably safe.  Even if the chance of catastrophic failure is low, there is little reason to risk the lives and livelihood of everyone here."

He turns to Adam suddenly, presenting something in his large armored hand.  "Ah, and speaking of the fragments--here, Adam.  Another diver appeared outside, and gave me her fragment."

Give Adam Rhea's relic fragment.  It's not gonna be used by Nyw, might as well hand it off to the guy who knows how to judge how dangerous it is.

Aside from that, watch over the mole diver.  If he seems lucid and nonhostile, untie him, but follow him wherever he goes, and be ready to punch him out again if he starts beeping.p

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

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

((One murakumo! ))
Goal: Inscrutable, which is code for "Talks like this.".

Stats:
Str: 15 
Dex: 9
Spe:11
End:14
Awa:14
Cun: 9
Kno: 8
Ner: 12

Skills:
Unarmed: +1
Defense Skill: +3 (Full Plate)
Vehicle Skill: +1
Caving: +1
Navigation: +1
Murakumo: +2


Inventory:
Full Plate Armor [Protective 4]
Ornamental Mask of the Child

Extremely crude harness, holding all Nyw's weapons:
Crystal Murakumo [Cut 6, Pierce 3]
----Enchanted to remove fragility.
Giant Guardian Hatchet [Chop 4, ]
Two knives [Cut 2, Pierce 2]
Tungsten Toothpick [Pierce 5] (10/10)
Slave Trap
Three smoke grenades
Tunnel Clearer shotgun [5/5 shotshells] [shotgun 3] [Pierce 3] (5 spare shotshells) (3 spare slugs)
Guard rifle [Pierce 2] (0/10) (0 spare rounds)

300' of silk rope
2x Silent Night
2x Black Flame
2x Cave Spider Venom
30x Path markers

Rhea's relic fragment

Followers:
Gus (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)
Baxter (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)

You hand off the fragment and then squat down over the mole, staring at him intently. He seems...not murderous, so you cut his restraints and give him a hard talking to about the importance of safety.

Over radio: "I thought we were going to explore the ruins with the whole team, were we not? Isn't that the reason we all came down here for?"

Clate fiddles with the radio buttons, sending out short bursts of static

Code: [Select]

... ..- .-. .

-- --- - .... ... / -- .- -.-- / .- .-. --. ..- .

-.-. .- .-. . ..-. ..- .-.. / -. --- / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- ..- .--. ...

--- .-. / . .-.. ... .


To Clate: "Well of course, you don't have to take anyone you don't think can handle themselves in the ruins.

But, should you feel comfortable with having some more of us to explore the crystal ruins, could you coax the moths into letting the rest of the team, or at least part of it, join in?"

"Suspicious. Those two have been acting rather furtively since our encounter with the Apostate Warrior and our return to Empyrean."

"Hmm. I think brother Clate is just apprehensive of losing out on getting to connect with and explore the largest site of the crystal people, given his newfound form. Seeing how we just now almost lost our bore on an unforced error, I think I can understand that."

"Ok, so the bore isn't going to move anytime soon, not until we repair the damage the dive has caused. We're lucky that the dive has been contained so quickly, and that we were in town of course. Anyway the dive did a real number on the bore, strongly compromising the structural integrity to such a degree that there is a high risk of the bore tearing itself apart if we were to move it.
I'll go head into town and find someone who will do the repair, and maybe find some jobs to do while we're waiting for the repairs to be done."

"By the Depths, that's even worse than I expected. Yes, please see if you can find some help for the repairs. We're lucky to have some fathoms in the bank right now, I think we should have enough to at least make her cave-worthy again."

He turns to Adam suddenly, presenting something in his large armored hand.  "Ah, and speaking of the fragments--here, Adam.  Another diver appeared outside, and gave me her fragment."

"Ah yes, thank you brother Nyw, I'll take it into my care for now. Do you know the name of this new diver, by any chance?"

It seems to be holding and the portal seems stable.

The seal seems to be made of glass, though thats only the closest analog you can think of. Its smooth, transparent, slightly crystalline like cut glass. And yes, its got "Roots" extending out all around it. Cutting it out would require you to cut out...hard to say but a lot of the bore's middle. It would probably require a dock and specialized tools to make sure the bore didn't collapse as you stripped sections of it away.  The thing is in there like a weed, all curled and knotted around everything.

How much damage does it seem like this 'glass' could take? Does it seem extremely fragile, or could it at least handle the stresses of regular bore travel (assuming we fix the bore)? What about strenuous or rough bore travel? And is there a way we could reinforce this thing to be more sturdy?

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: 11
Dex: 11
Spe: 13
End: 12
Awa: 12
Cun: 11
Kno: 10
Ner: 14 
Skills
Diving: +3
Stealth: +2
Occult: +1
Flammenvision!
Inventory

Soldier's chestplate
Clothing: simple priest robes, currently worn long to hide the black veins
Rubber Suit

1 ethral rifle [10 rounds]  (pierce 3)
2x black flame
2x smoke bomb
1 flashbang

3 Silent Night
4 worm blood

1 minor artifact
1 minor artifact belonging to Rhea
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
portal knives design
123 fathoms
   -loaned 40 to Cara (Tiruin)
3 unspent skillpoints

That is an extremely difficult to know thing. The fragility of something is difficult to tell without testing it in some way, from tapping it with something hard to trying to snap a piece off. However, because it is containing the portal you reason that it must be extremely strong in that respect at least. Maybe it is just very strong against certain forces; like glass actually is. Strong yet fragile. Hmm. However, after a close inspection, you come to the conclusion that it most likely will survive regular bore travel. Rough bore travel is...well the bore itself won't survive that right now. Maybe if you reinforced both the bore AND the seal, you could feel more confident in it surviving a fight.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot."

Kara leaned close to Clate, doing her best to whisper at him.

"Just be careful Clate. I'm getting the feeling they profit from the state of this place. They might not like it if we cause any 'major changes'. I'm not saying you shouldn't, do what feels best for you. I'm going to support you if it comes down to it. I'm just saying, stay on your guard around our hosts."

Try to convince the moths to let me bring some more people with me as assistants, manual labor and all that. But don't risk it if it seems they threaten to expel us, I don't want to cost Clate's chance to explore this place.

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.

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

Skills
Rifle: 1
Medical: 1
Translate: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Caving: 1
Machine Control: 1
Stealth: 1
Geology: 1
Archeology: 2
Navigation: 1
Unspent: 1

Inventory
Golden pin (in forearm)
Crystal Friend (with riding harness + Obedience Rod)
Radio
35 fathoms (1% royalty for flame)
Ethral Rifle (scope+bipod) (rifle 3, pierce 3) 6/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 7/7
Ethral Rifle magazine 6/7
Field Lighter (Fire 2)
Grappling Hook + Ethral Silk rope 200 ft
1 Dynamo Lantern (Light 3)
1 Knife (Cut/Pierce 2)
2 Slave Traps
Simple Clothes (with hood)
Cot
Book (Adventures of Pilgrim)
Deck of Cards
Kara's Diary

In Storage
15 chemical junk
22 mechanical junk
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)
Metal Card with the address of the Gilded Crow (corven Gangsters of Goldshore)
Mechanical Arm (not installed)
Bomb collar (unlocked)
All bomb collar remotes
A large number of shiny gold-like messenger path rocks

[8]
They seem fine with you bringing people, as long as they'll follow orders and not break things.

The emphasize that last part. Several times. Slowly.

rest away the Silent Night withdrawals, then go out and purchase 2 Silent Night (5g ea) and 1 Worm Blood (3g). 13 g deducted from my inventory and the supplies added. Since we are in Moth Town, are tehre surcharges or anything? any "Abomination/Diver" taxes?

Assume that the Mole Person has his Relic Fragment if he leaves the Bore, otherwise, while he is on the Bore, AsHul keeps it.

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

Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent.
Goal:To find God
 
Stats
Str:10  Dex:9  Spe:10  End:12  Awa:13  Cun:13  Kno:12  Ner:16

Skills (2 point unspent)
3 Diving
2 Animal Handling
1 Survival
2 Weapon skill: Guitar (1/3 to level 3)

Inventory
Relic Fragment
Moleman's relic fragment
Black Book (Genuine)
Black Book (copy, strata 1,2,4)
2 Silent Night
4 Worm Blood
100 ft of rope
1 knife (cut/pierce 2)
2 Occult Junks
some kind of lightning tree from the plane of elemental forces
Song Book (Treasure, Vomit, Dissociate, Shred)
collar made of demagnetized neodymium
1 Bone-fretted haunted electric guitar
1 mundane acoustic guitar with wave patterns in abalone and turquoise
1 Crystalline Clate Guitar
162  Fathoms (+ One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore)

Deduct 20 instead. They're not as cheap out here because there isn't as much demand. Moths aren't divers as often as humans are, and we're on the outskirts, a good way from Empyrean.

[Naturegirl1999]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Rhea Alcove
Description: A female human with blonde hear. She holds a Hooked Cleaver in her right hand and wears a Mail Shirt for protection. She wears a denim shirt and denim jeans, along with tennis shoes.
Goal: To explore and learn as much as she can

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

Skills:
Weapon Skill(Cleaver): 1
Diving: 1
Unarmed: 1
Persuasion: 1
Defense Skill(Mail Armor): 1
Survival: 1
Biological: 1
Caving: 1
Navigation: 1
Animal Handling: 1

Inventory:Free Clothing
Worm Blood x2
Organic Junk x2
Hooked Cleaver
Mail Shirt

Lead the repair person to the bore

[Hotfire90]

Search for local jobs and bounties next. Focus on high paying jobs, nothing under 100 fathoms.

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: 12
Dex: 11
Spe: 12
End: 12
Awa: 12
Cun: 12
Kno: 12
Ner: 12

Skills:
Explosives 2
Mechanical 1
Survival 1
Caving 1
Chemical 2
Geology 1
3 Skill points

Inventory:
Dynamo Lantern
Field Lighter
4 TNT (explosive 4)
Bladed Shovel (Cut 3)
3 Fathoms
Crystal box of golem limbs
Golem buddy (flat disc and hooks)
Black Flame (Cut 3)
Rifle (Pierce 2) 3/10
Grappling Hook
Moon bladed staff (Cut 4, ?)
Silk shirt (oversized and bloodstained red)
Gas mask
2 lenses
A severed leg
5 ancient human books
20 copied ancient dictionary pages

[piecewise]

Clate writes in Kara's direction in quick, small font

"I hear your warning, friend Kara. My main goal is the uplink. Unless the link changes the situation as it stands, the rest of the city is relatively unimportant."

Let Kara talk to the moths. Meanwhile, try and use my stonesensing again to map out the points of interest in the crystal ruin, so that we don't have to walk around blindly once we finally get the gang together and move in.

Spoiler: Clate (click to show/hide)

Name: Clate
Race: Shluck
Description: To bring back the crystal race
 
Stats
Str:  12
Dex:  8
Spe:  10
End:  13
Awa:  12
Cun:  8
Kno:  14
Ner:  15

Skills
Natural +3 Caving
Natural +3 Geology
Natural Mute
Natural No clothing
Natural Stonesenses
Natural Stoneshaping

Unarmed: +2
Weapon skill: Stone Blade +2
Stealth: +1
Archeology: +2
Weaponsmith: +2
Navigation: +1
Armorsmith: +1
Chemical: +1

Inventory
Bladed Shovel - handle coated with Pseudomagnetic mortar
Knife (cut2, pierce2)
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)
100ft silk rope
6 Octahedrons - supposedly replicate materials
1 container of Pseudomagnetic mortar
labradorite/Obedience rod (on loan to Kara)
Silver ethral pendant: small silver pendant in the shape of a compound eye wreathed in white fire
Ethral archive promissory note




443 Fathoms


Crystal Babies
2. 8 sided diamond (looks like  Ramiel from EVA and floats). 8 inches to an edge
5. Pryamid with stumpy limbs
7. snake golem. Its larger than the original by several times and rougher, sort of like a squirming line of uncut gemstones, each the size of a human fist.

Warehouse/bore storage:
Bomb Collar
Slate box
Spool of thermoreactive wire.
Acoustic guitar (Metal + guardbone, totally mundane.)
Mail shirt (Made to integrate directly into the exosuit, protecting surface that houses Shluck including head.Protect 3)
Rifle (pierce2, 6/10 magazine)
Small Knife from crystal barrel
Small bowl from crystal barrel
roll of very thin and flexible stone
small cube of the extremely dense material
sharp pyramid shaped wedge thing
3 structural junk
30 chemical junk
1 gold ingot

1. Dodecahedron, no limbs, rolls. Fist sized.
6. Rolling Orb
3.  Crystal snake. hiss. 18 inches long.
4.  Spiky daddy long legs like Irony has. 1 foot legs, fist sized body.

Consider yourself well informed.

[Ozarck]

AsHul will loom disconcertingly over any outsiders (or Bore crew) who attempt to examine, prod, test, fiddle wiht, monkey with, tinker upon, or otherwise interfere with the Seal. He'll want detailed information on the repair plan, should such a repair be feasible. He'll be willing to explain what we know of how the portal formed and what we did to contain it.

Meanwhile, contemplate the necessary Dive to transfer some of the creative energies from the portal into one of his guitars. Would a simple summon spell be viable, or would that effectively unleash a mini portal, causing damage to the guitar and/or AsHul's person? Would the Dive need to add a Seal as well? If so, would it be easier and/or safer to simply Enchant the Guitar with Creation?

20 Fathoms total deducted for supplies.

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

Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent.
Goal:To find God
 
Stats
Str:10  Dex:9  Spe:10  End:12  Awa:13  Cun:13  Kno:12  Ner:16

Skills (2 point unspent)
3 Diving
2 Animal Handling
1 Survival
2 Weapon skill: Guitar (1/3 to level 3)

Inventory
Relic Fragment
Moleman's relic fragment
Black Book (Genuine)
Black Book (copy, strata 1,2,4)
2 Silent Night
4 Worm Blood
100 ft of rope
1 knife (cut/pierce 2)
2 Occult Junks
some kind of lightning tree from the plane of elemental forces
Song Book (Treasure, Vomit, Dissociate, Shred)
collar made of demagnetized neodymium
1 Bone-fretted haunted electric guitar
1 mundane acoustic guitar with wave patterns in abalone and turquoise
1 Crystalline Clate Guitar
155  Fathoms (+ One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore)

[syvarris]

"Ah yes, thank you brother Nyw, I'll take it into my care for now. Do you know the name of this new diver, by any chance?"

Nyw nods.  "I believe it is 'Rhea', though I did not catch her surname.  A human, like yourself, wearing strange clothes that I have not seen before."

"Honored One, I think that is an unnecessary restriction, as small Dives have a small effect, even when they go wrong, and Diving into the Spheres do not seem to carry the same risk of sudden destruction. Ah, Honored One, that is a look we Abominations are well familiar with. Yes, for now I will abide by the request, unless necessary, as it was moments ago."

"Hmm.  I will defer to your judgement then, Ashul; if you do not believe simple diving will pose a danger to this bore or its crew, then I will trust you in that.  Although, I must ask that you err on the side of caution.  If a powerful dive is necessary for whatever reason, and you have the time and freedom to do so, please, do conduct it elsewhere?  You understand my worries, I'm sure."

Guard the seal with Ashul.

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

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

((One murakumo! ))
Goal: Inscrutable, which is code for "Talks like this.".

Stats:
Str: 15 
Dex: 9
Spe:11
End:14
Awa:14
Cun: 9
Kno: 8
Ner: 12

Skills:
Unarmed: +1
Defense Skill: +3 (Full Plate)
Vehicle Skill: +1
Caving: +1
Navigation: +1
Murakumo: +2


Inventory:
Full Plate Armor [Protective 4]
Ornamental Mask of the Child

Extremely crude harness, holding all Nyw's weapons:
Crystal Murakumo [Cut 6, Pierce 3]
----Enchanted to remove fragility.
Giant Guardian Hatchet [Chop 4, ]
Two knives [Cut 2, Pierce 2]
Tungsten Toothpick [Pierce 5] (10/10)
Slave Trap
Three smoke grenades
Tunnel Clearer shotgun [5/5 shotshells] [shotgun 3] [Pierce 3] (5 spare shotshells) (3 spare slugs)
Guard rifle [Pierce 2] (0/10) (0 spare rounds)

300' of silk rope
2x Silent Night
2x Black Flame
2x Cave Spider Venom
30x Path markers

Followers:
Gus (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)
Baxter (Young human with minimal training and a small iron weapon.  Healthy.)

[Ozarck]

"Hmm.  I will defer to your judgement then, Ashul; if you do not believe simple diving will pose a danger to this bore or its crew, then I will trust you in that.  Although, I must ask that you err on the side of caution.  If a powerful dive is necessary for whatever reason, and you have the time and freedom to do so, please, do conduct it elsewhere?  You understand my worries, I'm sure."

"Of course, Honored One. Your concerns are quite reasonable. I, too, have witnessed our repeated follies, and have seen Dives bring great harm, as well as great good. This latest error cost us dearly, and I do not wish to walk that Path again."