Session 118
General Summary
- Grogery used Divine Intervention to fix the issues with his spells.
- The party continued wandering somewhat aimlessly through The Phantasmagoria.
- They had a brief stop in an area where words and sounds would manifest themselves physically, midair, sometimes causing damage.
- Beyond that, it wasn't much longer until they reached an area of stability surrounded by a lake, where one of the beacons was bobbing around.
- The area was inhabited by just one alien-looking individual living in a hut on a large island in the lake. Kesmet called him "Steve", so that's his name now.
- Steve seemed to be able to tell a lot of things about the party members just by looking at them: Dwardazik was "speaking for two", Dazki had lots of unique items, Barry had a particularly empty mind, and Marvin may have been "in multiple places at the same time" and is "shar[ing] luck with another individual".
- Beyond that, though, Steve seemed fascinated by how much different their world is, calling Dwardazik's shield a "dinner plate", telling Grogery that he likes his "hat" (what hat? who knows!), and interpreting Dazki's offer to teach him how to fish as an invitation to just steal the information from Dazki's mind.
- Steve helped them get out to the beacon, which was covered in the now-all-too-familiar Turmoil goo.
- The beacon seems to have stabilized and amplified the signal of the voice who has been communicating with the party through the Rotor of Return: when it contacted them again, it was much louder, and the individual seemed to be able to talk with them for much longer than the fleeting contact they had before.
- The voice belongs to Doctor Finnigan Perry himself, "lost in space and time" but spatially locked somewhere near the Wandering Temple.
- He deflected questions about his daughter, suggesting that she should just give up looking for him.
- The other voice (heard a while ago) belongs to Captain Marshall Undersky, speaking on behalf of what he calls "The Damsel". "The Damsel" is apparently a sentient plane that devours pocket dimensions and has accidentally devoured Marshall too.
- Finnigan is worried that Dennis is back in time mucking around with some timelines, and stopping him before he can cause more damage is just one more reason why the party should try to hurry their way over to the Wandering Temple.
- After getting all the answers they could out of Finnigan, night immediately fell, and Steve went to sleep.
- With Steve now unconscious, the stability of the area waned quickly, and the more familiar chaos of the Phantasmagoria came back again.
- The lake rapidly evaporated, causing a torrential downpour, but Dwardazik did something that caused a pagoda to build itself around them out of vines.
- During the next watch, Barry did something that startled everyone awake, and there was another one of those weird literal Dimension Doors behind them.
Full Recap
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Grogery tries another Divine Intervention like he's been trying almost nightly for a while.
You were worried for a while that your deity could not hear you here. But there's something about the space, the timing, and the desperation... you decide to try again.
Grogery is asking for Pelor to restore his ability to make his Sending spell work the way that it's supposed to.
It's as if the world around you has stilled in this moment. Time seems to creep slower and slower, and as you focus, a warming light — almost like an aura around you.
As you look up, continuing your prayer for intervention, through the fog of The Phantasmagoria, you see up to clear blue skies (a welcome sight) and almost like a spotlight from the heavens down onto you. You feel the warmth of the sun — the natural, normal sun — and it reminds you of back home, in its cleanness.
In its heat.
As it shines down upon you, you can feel yourself practically sweating in concentration... sweating a sort of oily substance. As it drips down, it clings to the darker parts, to the parts shadowed by your body, eventually leaking into the shadow itself, in the shape of you. The same shadow that your body casts is now filled with your corrupted darkness.
Grogery tells it that it is where it belongs, and that it is free to go.
It looks at you, and you see your shadow forms this sort of toothy grin, a sort of space-like infinity peering through its sharp, jagged teeth. As you move to allow the sun to hit it as well, you can hear it, as it blows away into the ashen wind:
I guess blind faith *can* get you out of it.
You feel as if Pelor himself has made a decision on the very entity seeking to win over your favor. Judgment has been cast.
Grogery, turning to the party: ...well! I think that settles that. Are we ready to get going? Dazki: Yeah. Dwardazik: We're not getting any bread, then? Grogery: Oh, I can do bread.He does bread, and then they move on.
Silence is Golden
Grogery navigates them a bit further.Dwardazik: Isn't this place a little weird? Shouldn't we have been going more that way? (He points to the left.) Dazki: I can't tell, honestly. Not sure how to navigate this place. Dwardazik: I understand that, but I could've sworn I saw this rock before... really strange. Nothing seems to be as constant as I thought it would've been. Aren't things supposed to be more consistent around these beacons? Grogery: Well, we're probably not near a beacon. Kesmet: Why don't we just pick a direction and keep moving in that direction? See what happens. Marvin: That sounds like a very bad idea.
Through your calculations, you feel like you must have traversed through a beacon's area, but there is still no sign of it. There is a little wooden sign attached to a picket fence deep within the strange jungles of this area. The sign just has one symbol on it: a mouth that is crossed-out.
Dwardazik, shrugging and pointing at the sign: We doing this?
As you speak, it's as if the words themselves come into runic form, floating lazily out of your mouth letter after letter, almost cinder-like, before popping like a bubble in the heat and damaging some other party members:
We doing this?
Dazki faces away from the party and claps his hands.
Sure enough, a word appears in the air, too heavy to float, and slams into the ground:
*CLAP*
Kesmet creates a Minor Illusion in the air of the sentence, "Does this work?"
That works. The letters grow wings shortly thereafter and fly away.
Marvin plays a short jingle on his mandolin.
Musical notes and stiff lines radiate out of the mandolin, also causing some damage to some party members.
Dwardazik walks over and makes nonverbal signals towards Marvin suggesting that that was a bad idea.
Grogery motions for the others to move away and speaks a little bit in Goblinese.
Letters in Dwarvish script emanates from him. Something rustles in a nearby bush, creating some more words in the air that pop into hundreds of white, wasp-like bees:
*RUSTLE* *RUSTLE*
Dwardazik makes a "let's go" motion. The others agree, and they go.
Crossing the Finish Line in the Sand
Dazki focuses on what Kiirni had mentioned about navigating in the Phantasmagoria and guides the party a bit further.
You hear something in this area. It's faint, but it's there — a rhythmic ticking, like that of a heart, or a watch, or a metronome.
The party discusses a bit how to proceed, and then Barry guides them a little bit towards one direction.
As you head where you're heading, the ticking does get louder, and you find yourself on the banks of a large, crystal-clear beautiful lake. There are a few islands scattered about made out of a tan, almost sandstone-like material. Some of them are only about the size of a dinner plate, more like a rock just peeking out through the water. Others are almost proper islands, maybe sixty feet across. It's hard to tell distance / size, but they seem worth it. They all bob in the water — even though they are made out of rock — as if they're some sort of iceberg. You watch as a couple sink down like a stone, and a couple more elsewhere pop up.
But the ticking along its shore is stronger.
Dwardazik: This seems to be the right direction, Barry. Good job, lad! It's gettin' louder! Now, the trick is... do we do that same movement again?There's some tactical meta discussion about how to make their next short move based on the information they have and their guesses as to their exact positions.
The ticking gets quieter, and it's not long before you see yourself approaching the shoreline of a pristine lake. There are little sandstone-like islands that seem to speckle its surface. The sun-dappled area makes the lovely, cool-looking water shimmer and glitter a bit. It's weird, though: the islands — though clearly made out of some stone-like material — seem to bob in the water, more like icebergs.
Dwardazik approaches the lake, trying to look down to the bottom to see if it's a window into a different world or something.
No steep incline, this is more like a beachfront with waves occasionally caressing the muddy surface. You can see quite deep down into it: it doesn't currently hide anything weird — but, then again, this is shallow. It's almost as if the lake has followed you to where you went, even though you are now further away from the beacon.
Some more tactical meta discussion, and then another move from Barry.
Dwardazik: Man, you'd think we'd be able to find this damn place! It's like the ticking is coming from all around us!
And yet, it has not increased in intensity. It seems the same... it's really weird.
Some more tactical meta discussion, and Kesmet starts navigating, pausing after each small movement.
After the first movement, the ticking is relatively the same. This area is full of large (flavor-only) dragonfly creatures.
After the second movement, the ticking has increased again, and you are once again on the crystal-clear shores of a wonderful lake.
After the third movement: 
Eh, Steve!
You see — similar to what Marvin had generated earlier — a lovely little beach hut made out of bark and various palm fronds. Strange, tropical birdlike things flitter around a variety of "probably flowers". You see, as you watch the waves gently roll back and forth, sticking out of it slightly is a sort of oil slick. In the center, mostly submerged, is a bronze-looking rod surrounded by a variety of rings at different angles. It sways back and forth in the water, and each time it reaches an apex, it ticks.
Dazki: All right! Good job, Kesmet! Kesmet: Huh? What? I mean... Kesmet: Yeah! Totally! I meant to do that! Dwardazik: I can't believe we're actually here! Marvin: Now, this is only part of the way. We can congratulate ourselves, but we're not there yet. Dazki: Celebrate small victories when we can, though. Marvin: Certainly. Dwardazik: This sounds like an ale time! Dazki: Maybe not that much celebration...
There does seem to be a small beach hut here with what seems to be a worn-out bonfire (it's not going or anything). Two fishing rods are stuck in the sand, leaning against a branch into the lake.
They proceed towards the beach hut, Dwardazik with his weapon and shield drawn.
There is an entity within the hut. You quickly freeze upon noticing any sort of vague movement through one of the slits of the shoddily constructed hut.
Dazki knocks on the door.
The door opens up of its own volition.
Dazki: Hail! Is there anyone here?
There is definitely... something... in here:
As you open the door, a floating eyeball comes up to check you out.
Dwardazik puts his weapon away, but he keeps his shield out.
Dazki: Hail! Uh... nice to meet you! Steve, pointing to a spot on the floor: I'm sorry, could you get that for me?One of his floating eyeballs suddenly falls onto the floor and rolls into the space where he pointed. Dazki picks it up and retrieves it for him. It squirms.
As you place it in his hand, he huffs a bit of wind out of one of his nose holes, wipes it unceremoniously on his robe, and then lets it go. It goes back to floating in an orbit around his head.
Steve: Thank you. Dazki: You're welcome. We didn't expect to see anyone out here. Steve: I feel it's been a while since I've spoken, as well. Dazki: I am Dazki. It's a pleasure to meet you. What can we call you? Steve: I do not have a name. You can name me. Kesmet: You look like a "Steve". Can we go with "Steve"? Dwardazik: ...you really want to name him "Steve"? Dazki: That's fine with me. Is "Steve" an OK name for you? Steve: Greetings, Dazki. I am Steve. Kesmet: Hey, Steve? Both of his floating eyeballs come face-to-face with you as you say his name. They're very curious, and they flit and dart around you. Kesmet, leaning back, unsure: ...um... K... what do you know about The Hounds Guild? Ever heard of 'em? Steve: You are a very curious sort! I must admit, I haven't seen your kind here before. Dwardazik: Well, it was pretty difficult to get here, admittedly. Steve, ignoring Dwardazik: What are those? Knives?! Kesmet: They're daggers, but yes, they could be used — Steve: Daggers. Dwardazik: I didn't mean to be rude, but as introductions are in order, my name is Dwardazik Stoneturner Boulderhearth. It's, uh... nice to meet you, Steve. The eyes — like some child given too much sugar — approach you once you speak. Steve: I see you are talking for two! Dwardazik: That is correct. Steve: When will it ascend to further sentience, then? Oh, ...is that rude? I admit I do not know customs very well. Kesmet: Well, it's normally customary to answer people's questions about, you know, mafia... you know... stuff! Have you heard of the Hounds Guild or not?! Marvin: I don't think he has. Dwardazik: I don't know if that is rude. However, I am surprised that you could tell so easily. Is that something that you can just see? Is there something around me? Do I give off an aura? Steve: My senses are quite sharp, let's say. ...I think that's right. This language is a bit tricky, but I am picking it up better as you speak to me. Dwardazik: Well, I didn't consider it rude. And, to answer your question — because you have shared with me something quite interesting — I don't know when. When the time is right. Steve: Why do you carry a large dinner plate? Dwardazik: Are you referring to my shiel— Steve: Are you exceptionally hungry? Dwardazik: At this moment, I am not. However, if you are referring to this shield, it is a magical item that is used to protect myself from enemies, which I don't — Steve: It doesn't look happy to do it. ...bah! But who am I to say what a shield prefers? Dwardazik: ...uh... you can tell if a magical item is happy to do something? Steve, ignoring him and going back to Kesmet: Is that hair a natural color? Did you do something to it? I do very much enjoy it! Can I have it? Kesmet: ...no. Steve: It's not... removable? Kesmet: No, it's not. Is your hair removable? Grogery: Don't ask that question... Steve: I feel like it could be removable, but I choose not to remove it. Do you choose not to remove your hair? Kesmet: If removed, it can't be reattached. So I choose not to remove it. Steve: Then I see we are like-minded individuals. Kesmet: Yeah! Sure! Completely! Steve: I do hope you find out more about that mafia you enjoy. Steve focuses his attention on Dazki. Steve: You spoke first, so that makes you the most confident one. Dazki: I like to think so. Steve: Thank you again for returning my eyeball to me. Sometimes, it wanders. Dazki: Of course! Happy to help. Forgive me, it seems interesting that they do that? Where I come from, that's not something that I've ever seen. Steve: You'll find — if you're not from around here — that you'll be saying that a lot. I'm sure you've already said it. Dazki: Oh yes, absolutely. It never ceases to fascinate me. Steve: Elves, I am familiar with. You lot seem to have a lot of unique items. Dwardazik: You're familiar with elves? Steve: Well... yeah. Seems like you are too? Dazki: What do you mean "unique items", if you don't mind me asking? Steve, pointing to Dazki's scabbard: What do you keep in there? Dazki: This keeps liquids that can be put onto a blade to help it do things that you want it to do. Steve: A blade, like a knife? Like the knife guy with the green hair? Dazki: Yes, like a knife or a sword or anything of that nature. Steve: You have a sword? Dazki: I do. (He shows it.) Steve: Hmm... (his eyes go over there, uncomfortably close to the blade's edge) Dazki: Careful, it is rather sharp. Steve: It is of different make than the bow thing you carry. Dazki: It is. Steve: Bones... you don't seem like a bone guy. Most people keep their bones on the inside. Dazki: Yes. Those are not my bones, luckily. Steve: Those are not your bones? Do you have permission to be granted somebody else's bones? Marvin: I don't think they were using them anymore. Dazki: Y'know... I don't know. I found these on someone else. Steve: You "found" somebody else's bones, lying around? Dazki: They attacked me and my friends here, with said bones. Steve: So you took them as recompense for the damage they caused to your bones. I understand. (He moves on.) Steve, to Marvin: You... have you ever been in two places at the same time before? Marvin: Probably... uh, I think so... would I remember if I did? Steve: I don't know! Marvin: Why do you ask? Steve: You seem like at least part of your psyche is in two places at once. I don't know if it's rude in your culture to tell people how you feel about their soul connections...? Marvin: Nah, it happens all the time. That's normal. Steve: Why do you share luck with another individual? Marvin: Uhh.... that's... — Steve: That seems to be an unfortunate consequence, if you did not do so willingly. But, I'm not one to judge! I've made plenty of mistakes in my past, too! Marvin: Uh, that's news to me... — Steve, to Grogery: I like your hat. (He moves on.) Grogery: Wait, no! I — Grogery: But I have the Rings of Shared Suffering that we still haven't identified... Steve, to Barry: And you... are you an illusion? Do you think you're an illusion? Barry is wildly uncomfortable about the eyes flitting around him. Steve: I must say, it isn't very common for me to find a mind so empty. Have you lost something? Marvin: ...oof... Kesmet: Hey! Steve! That's kinda rude! Barry is an equal and valued member of our party. Dwardazik: Pardon me for interrupting, but you were able to see my passenger just with a glance. Are you able to see the changes that are occurring with Barry? Steve: I can perceive a lot of things. Is the man of many faces here... "Barry"? Dwardazik: Yes. Steve: "Barry" seems to make the most sense out of all of you. I assume he is your guide, yes? ...I sense I am wrong! This is fun! Dwardazik: Could you explain why you think these things? Is it because he is more changed than us? Or does it have some kind of deeper meaning...? Grogery: Well, he was to be our guide at one point. Dwardazik: That is true. Grogery: But now the relationship is more complicated. Dazki: But no less welcomed! Steve: So... is he your guide? Marvin: ...yeah! Dazki: He was at one point. Dwardazik: He is not our guide through the Phantasmagoria. But he is an equal member of the party here. We're taking an elective approach to navigation. We each apply our own skills to try and figure out where we're trying to go. Steve, looking at Dazki's journal: Ooh, what's this thing?! Dazki: This is a book. I use it to record various things that I've seen and experienced so that — even if I'm unable to learn from them in the moment — I might be able to reflect and learn from them in the future. Steve: I do hope that that's not a terrible handicap for you. I'm sorry I brought it up. Dazki: No, no, it's not a handicap! It's something that I use to attempt to make myself better. It's not rude to bring up at all. So, I know time is unusual in the Phantasmagoria — as we call it where I come from, at least (I don't know what terms those who live here use for it) but — how long have you been here? Steve: Here, specifically? Maybe... ...I don't know... eight? Marvin: Yeah! No, that... that sounds reasonable. Dazki: ...OK. Steve nods his head in agreement. Dazki: Have you seen any other people around here — Steve, interrupting: Do you know of this thing called "fishing"? Dazki: Um. I know of it. I've never been particularly good at it. Steve: Apparently, it's all the rage somewhere. Dazki: I saw there were two fishing poles out by the water. Would you like me to show you how? I'll admit, I will be a fairly poor teacher for this, as I am not great at it myself, but I mostly understand the basics.
Steve abruptly and abnormally scuttles behind Dazki and grabs the side of his head. (Survival 16) (Intelligence Save 21) It does feel a little like you're the book for a little bit, which is a bit disorienting.
Dwardazik: You all right, Dazki? Dazki: Yeah... sorry, what was that, Steve? Steve: I hope you didn't need to know how to fish. Because I know how to fish now. Dazki: ...no, I didn't need to know how, — Steve: You told me, and I am very grateful. I will try, one of these days, this "fishing". Dazki: ...there is a way we can transfer the knowledge without forcing me to lose it like that. I could've shown you the motions, and we could've discussed them. That is what I had intended. It is a little bit slower, and — Steve: I don't think you will be able to. I don't think you know how to fish anymore. Dazki: No, I can see that. But that was the intention behind my words. Sorry if I was unclear. Steve, turning his eyeless head towards Kesmet: Was that another one of those "rude" things? I thought he gave me permission! Kesmet: Yes. Yes, that's, like, one of the rudest things to do ever. Steve: Oh, yes, yes. I apologize. What would you like as compensation? Dazki: Oh! Well, I accept your apology. Perhaps you could tell us: we saw this bronze or copper... thing... in the water outside of your hut. Perhaps you could tell us about that, help us get to it, and tell us about the person(s) who put it there? Steve: Oh, yes, yes! I, too, am very interested! I was thinking about it just moments ago. Like... fourteen moments ago. Dazki: I see. Is it new? I guess it must have been there for at least fourteen moments... Steve: Uh... ... ...yes. Yes. Look at what it does. Dazki: It keeps this area from changing as much, am I right? Steve: Yes, but anybody can do that. That's not abnormal. I stop this area from misbehaving. I look after it. But that thing, it rusts the world. It's very odd. And I wish to know more. Dwardazik: Do you like it, or do you dislike it? Steve: I have no strong opinions on it until I figure it out. Dazki: Would you be able to assist us in reaching it? Steve: With your arms? Dazki: No, no, as in going to it. Do you have, like, a boat? Or... — Steve: Oh, we could go to it. Dwardazik: Then, shall we? Dazki: Would you please assist us in doing so, then? Steve: This seems like fair compensation. OK. Steve scuttles ahead, moving very oddly and abnormally quickly. Dwardazik, turning to the rest of the party: Not... quite what I expected. But, I guess, it could've been worse? Dazki: Yep. Steve, turning back around: How best would it be for you to reach this strange new area? What is your preferred method... what do you like? What are you like? Dazki: A boat or a raft? Something that could conceivably have all my friends and you on it, as we make our way into the water. Steve: A... boat. Like, like on your feet? Dazki: No, a boat that we could all sit in, as we paddle our way out. Would you like me to make a drawing? Would that help? Kesmet: Careful, you might forget what "boat" is if you teach him... Dwardazik: Yeah, listen, don't let him take your skill at drawing... Kesmet: Wait a second... ... ... (He pulls out a dagger and stares at it.) ... ...phew. OK. Dazki pulls out his journal and sketches a boat on one of its pages. Dazki: One of these, large enough so that we could all sit in it and make our way out towards the ticking device. Steve, staring at it: ...um... if that's what you desire, I'll do it.
He claps his hands together and concentrates on the sand. Emerging directly beneath you — about twenty-five feet in length — is a rather serviceable picture of a boat on a very large piece of paper.
Grogery: ...hm. Steve: Ta-da! Kesmet, making a Major Image of a boat: We need this, but make it firm. Solid. What was there was just an illustration of what we need. A two-dimensional representation. This is a three-dimensional representation. Steve: You want that? Kesmet: Yes. Steve: That seems way tougher! Kesmet: We know. Steve: I can see why you don't want to make this one yourself.Kesmet tries to touch the illusion, but it's just an illusion again.
Steve jumps over to the illusion of the boat and touches it with his hands, examining every nook and cranny. He seems to be able to touch it, even though your hand goes right through it. He crumples up the illusion and tosses it into the water.
Steve: ...oh. I thought that would work. Hold on, let me go get it. I'll try again.
He proceeds to build a large wall of stone and pushes all the water aside so he can walk over to where the beacon is, so that he can grab the crumpled-up illusion that he got.
Dazki: Uh, could you just... maybe... keep the wall of stone? That would be easy, so we could walk over there.
(Apparently, he didn't hear.) As he walks back, the wall crumpling behind his path to refill the lake, he puts the crumpled-up prismatic goo on the ground and tries to unfold it.
Steve: I think you need to make another one... I may have messed that one up. Kesmet, dispelling what's left of it: No, no, hang on. The thing that you did to get out to it, could you do that... but further, so we can get to the thing? The other thing? That way, we can use that mode of transportation instead of this boat. Steve: I thought you guys wanted a thing called a "boat"? Kesmet: Nah, we just wanted to get over there. Steve: But you said that your "preferred method" would be using a thing called a "boat", right? Dazki: That is because we did not know you had the ability to move the water like that, or to create the walls that would allow us to just walk. Steve: I find it slightly rude that you underestimate me. Dazki: It's not that we underestimate you — I apologize for that — it's that that is not something that can be done where we are from. Kesmet: It's a matter of a lack of information and knowledge, which we have now gained. Thank you. Steve: But I asked you — ... ... — never mind. What is, actually, your preferred method of travel to the beacon? Dazki: We would prefer to walk to the beacon. Kesmet: Yes, we simply cannot walk on water. Steve: OK. No, yeah, sure, fine, we'll do it the easy way. Dwardazik: Just so we're clear — in our society, it is considered rude to assume that someone can do something. Steve: That's weird. You should probably assume that anything is possible, and then kinda rule things out from there. Dazki: Well, thank you very much for teaching us that about living out here. Steve: I didn't teach you that, I just told you that. Dazki: "Telling" me that. I apologize for the mistranslation. Grogery: You told us that, which helped us to learn that. Steve: ...right. Anyway, to the tick-tock machine. (He removes the water, creating a path to the beacon.)
Bringing Home the Beacon
The beacon has a large spherical base and a series of gearworks which seem to tick and quiver, supporting a large rod that shoots into the air, with a variety of side antennae, rings, and what not at the top. It sways slightly with its various implements, making an incessantly loud ticking noise. Throughout the gearworks and the area around it is a thick dark oil. You've seen this material before, usually encased in glass or rods. In this case, a sort of quivering filament like an oil slick seems to interact with the gears, some of it disappearing into the gearwork and some of it dripping out to the side. It doesn't seem to hinder the machine at all.
Dwardazik: Quite an interesting machine... Steve: I'm more interested in the stuff. Dwardazik: You're referring to that substance? Steve scoops a big handful of it and tries to hand it to you. Steve: Yes, this stuff. There's difficulty describing it. Dwardazik takes a handful. Dazki accepts a very small amount with a gloved hand. Kesmet tries to use a Mage Hand to grab some, but it turns into an actual severed hand and falls to the floor... he uses a second Mage Hand to pick up the first one, which works as normal. Steve: It's strangely uniform. Dwardazik: We refer to this as Turmoil. Have you ever encountered it before, outside of the beacons? Steve: I thought you referred to all of this as "Turmoil"? Dazki: There have been people attempting to make a physical manifestation. This is similar to that. It's weird and complicated. Dwardazik: You know how something doesn't exist, but then when you think about it, it exists? Steve: Yes. Yeah. Totally. That's not even — Dwardazik: Yeah, I know. That is Turmoil. Grogery: So if you think about the Turmoil, now Turmoil exists physically and can do things? Steve: You can't... Dwardazik: Did you not just say that "anything is possible", Mr. Steve? This is why we're here. Maybe not this in particular, but this is of concern for us on the other side of... where we're from. Steve: I'm having difficulties expressing my thoughts on the matter. The language is constricting. Dazki: Is there a way you could express without using the language? Dwardazik: And please, no taking of memories and skills. Steve: No, no, I'll do my best here. This magical force that the land exudes — its thoughts, its wants, its needs — if none of us were here, it would go on doing whatever it would want to do. But as soon as anything changes, everything around it will change too. Think of... think of... hmm. There's this neat little game, where you try to drop a little disc down, and then a bunch of sticks get in the way. Dazki: I know the game of which you speak. Steve: If anything exists on the board and it touches the disk, the disk does something different than if the stick weren't there. Grogery: So the Turmoil is affected by the environment around it, and the environment around it is affected by the Turmoil. Constantly interplaying and changing. Steve: The area around you — as you move through these fields of energy, you carve swaths. And those swaths fill. They wouldn't have had to do that before. And that makes something different happen. Dazki: We are the pegs on the board. And if the pegs were not here, the disc would have continued falling as it would have. Steve: Kind of, I guess. Dwardazik: A difficult translation between two completely different societies. Steve: If everything was everything, and it could be anything, then at every moment, it would have to be something. So how does it determine what to be? It would have to ask the things that have already started to exist around it. ...I think we're talking in circles here. Grogery: But if there's no force or presence or consciousness observing what the Turmoil is doing, then is it actually doing anything? Does it actually matter? Can it impact things outside of what it is doing at that moment? Steve: Allow me to try to explain your path better. Imagine you exist in one place, and at one time. Just imagine it; I don't know if it's true or not. (His eyes look at Marvin.) Then you travel in a straight line. (He draws a straight line in the sand.) This energy does not travel in one place and at one time. Moreso, it travels at one place, but more like this. (He draws a spiral that intersects the line at several places.) At every point where you touch the energy's path, it'll appear like it has changed greatly. Suddenly. But if you follow its path, it's one singular line, just like yours. Dazki: How does one become able to follow its path? Steve: I'm afraid to say we are not privy to the same information as the Terra. We can only interact with it when our lines intersect, and appreciate the distance it must have traveled to get to its new state. Dazki: I see. Steve: Of course, in actuality, it is not merely a spiral. (He hovers his hand over the rough pictures. The spiral becomes more and more complex. It becomes more of a fractal, with more and more points along the straight line, until it is incomprehensible where one dot starts and another ends.) To you, it would seem like a continuous flow of chaos. But think about when the entity Terra interacts with you. It would find you just as unpredictable. Dwardazik: I never really thought about it in that kind of way. That we would be so... unpredictable. Steve: In any case, the reason why I mention this is that — which of the lines does this new form follow? Is it of Terra? Is it an illness upon Terra's flesh? Have you... — my apologies — ...have your kind infected it? Forced it along a path it wouldn't have taken? Dazki: I do not know. I know there are those who do believe that, but I don't have enough knowledge to make an accurate assessment. If so, it is not by intent, but by accident and ignorance. Steve: ... ...haha, OK. So, you will take this strange material back with you, then? Dazki: Um... ... ...I don't know that we could take all of it. Steve: Do you need a bag, then? (He produces a large burlap sack and begins to scoop Turmoil goo into it... "enough Turmoil to probably destroy way too much".) Grogery: We have no way of containing it, though. Steve, holding up the bag and shaking it around: Bag! The Turmoil is already dripping out of the bottom of the bag, clearly not interested in being contained. Dazki: This has unusual properties that we have discovered, and it cannot be transported unless one has access to a pure element from one of the elemental planes. Unfortunately, we do not have the power to access the plane of Earth, Water, Fire, or Air. Steve: Yeah... it doesn't really play nice, even with your mental fortitude. Dazki: It does not, unfortunately. Steve: Well, if you don't control it, and Terra doesn't control it, then which path does it follow? Dazki: We believe the path it follows is... there is another being who controls it and has ill intent — well, I guess I don't know that it's ill intent, but selfish intent — who we believe would harm everyone and everything including Terra for its own gain. We seek to stop the being that is creating and controlling it. Dwardazik: Yeah... that is our mission, isn't it... just keeps getting grander... Steve: OK, I suppose it is nice to have goals. Dazki: Do you know anything about the being who put this object that exudes this substance here? Steve: I do say I don't know, although the strange metal object keeps trying to tell me things. Grogery: ...like...what? Steve: I just tune it out, though. I don't tend to take advice from inanimate objects very often. Dazki: How could we hear or speak to this thing? Kesmet: Simplest way is to just ask the guy what it's saying.Dazki shakes the Turmoil off his glove, takes off the glove, and puts his hand on the beacon.
Grogery, your bag is ringing.
Grogery: Oh. OK. We're doing this again. (Glove, Rotor) Hello? A voice way too loud just yells through the Rotor, which you can also hear being retransmitted through the beacon itself. Finnigan: Hey, I've got a stable connection and all that! Does that mean you guys are definitely, mostly alive? Grogery: We're alive and right next to one of the beacons. You don't have to yell. Finnigan: Are you sure? I can hardly hear anything! Grogery: We can hear you. Finnigan: OK, so it's going really great, then! No, that's really good! ...I really need you to get to the Temple, but this connection is stable. We can discuss. Dazki: OK, we've heard two voices speaking to us. Who are you, and who is the other person who's been speaking? Finnigan: You've probably heard of me. I'm probably very famous by now — though, currently, lost in space and time. Don't worry about it, I've gotten used to it. Dazki: Do you have a name? Finnigan: I am Doctor Finnigan Perry. Grogery: Very cool. Dazki: Oh, yes, actually I have heard of you! Finnigan: I'm sure great adventurers like you are all taught my works in all the adventuring colleges and everything! Dazki: Uh... not so much, unfortunately. Grogery: There really aren't adventuring colleges. Finnigan: OK, OK, fine. Fine. I thought there would be. I don't know. Dazki: I have met your daughter, though. Finnigan: Oh? How is she? Still good? Great! We don't really have time to discuss family matters, so... Dwardazik: Lad. You just said we have time to talk. (Insight 25) He just doesn't want to talk about it. He's deflecting. Dazki: Well, she has not given up searching for you or hoping that one day you two will meet again. Finnigan: OK, well, can you tell her to stop doing that, please? Dazki: Why? Finnigan: Because I am lost in space and time, and she is going to waste her life looking for me. Dazki: How do you know? If you're "lost in space and time", then there might be a space and time to which you can return? Finnigan: See, this is why I didn't want to get into this. Dazki: All right! All right. Finnigan: You corporeal people, with your definitive location and time of day... just... you keep forgetting other states of being exist! Dazki: So, what is the other voice with you? Finnigan: Ah, yes, that is my fairly recent compatriot in this endeavour, Captain Marshall Undersky. Marvin:Dwardazik: Who's that? Finnigan: He's been speaking to me on behalf of The Damsel, and it is very, very hard to get in touch with him, as we can only really discuss when the two planes intercept on the frequency. So... just me. Thankfully, I still seem to be locked somewhere near this plane. Dazki: Who is this "Damsel"? Finnigan: That's what the Captain calls it. He's got devoured by a pocket dimension-devouring plane on accident, but it's sentient, and they seem to get along. So... it's kind-of like, "I'll protect you, you're the Damsel, and I'm the knight in shining armor". Whatever, I've never been much for the arts, so I just... it's a short word, we can go with it, it's quick to say. Dazki: ...so many questions, I don't know where to start. Grogery: For a while, it sounded like "The Damsel" was maybe just a metaphor for Terra. Finnigan: "Terra"! You've been talking to tribes, then. That's good! That's good. I don't remember if I told you not to do that, or if I told you to do that. In this timeline. Grogery: You didn't tell us one way or another, but you did sorta publish some books on the subject, so... Marvin: When do you think is the next time that Undersky will be available to talk? Finnigan: It really just seems to happen at random. I — Marvin: Would you be able to connect us if and when it does happen next? Finnigan: That's on his end, with his machine! He's the one who has the part, not me. Marvin: Well, if you happen to see him and talk to him again — which, it sounds like, will inevitably happen and you just don't know when — tell him Marvin wants a word. Finnigan: "Marvin", that name sounds familiar. Marvin: Oh, he'll know. Finnigan: What are you, like, his son or something? Marvin: Ah. Fancy that. Finnigan: Anyway, it seems like you've reached one of the beacons. That's good. It's not great, but it'll do. I will try to answer whatever questions you have. You'll just have to kinda trust me here, though — the big bad man here is planning some big bad things, and I kinda need to work to intercept some of it. Dazki: All right. Will this help you figure out the location of the temple? Finnigan: I mean, I know the location of the palace. I'm at the temple. Dazki: You're "at the palace"?! Then why do we need to get to the temple? Finnigan: OK, um... I'm spatially locked to the temple, not physically at the temple... I've been using... ... — ... ... — OK. Marshall and I have been using a modified piece of the Orrery of the Wanderer as a sort of way to contact this plane, and then subsequently contact you guys. So I actually ONLY know where the temple is, and I DON'T know where anything else is. Dazki: Ah. Then how are these beacons supposed to help us find the temple? Finnigan: They have to connect to it. Dazki: Do you know how they connect to the temple? Finnigan: I can tell you where you are... ... ...one second. Grogery: Maybe he can tell us how far away we are, and then by going to a couple of beacons, we can work out where it is? Finnigan: OK. There seems to be an inscription about this beacon in particular. By the way, I've designated this beacon "F-Zero". Dazki: OK. That helps quite a bit, actually. Thank you. Grogery: Do you happen to know where the temple is? Finnigan: That would be the question, wouldn't it? I believe it's on your map. OK, this is what the inscription says:Sometimes, being incredibly wrong is the same as being incredibly right.Marvin: I mean, a broken clock is right at least twice a day. Depending on how time and space work, and where the clock is. Finnigan: You got that? Dazki: Is there anything else that we need to know, immediately? Finnigan: Um, "immediately"? Please hurry. Because although Pendel cannot kill you directly, he's got some other plans. Dazki: How does Pendel know where we are? Finnigan: I don't think he knows where you are right now. Dazki: OK. How does he find us? Finnigan: Back when you were on the other side, he could simply listen for you. But here, it is quite difficult for him to use his abilities. "Here" being this side of The Wall™. Dazki: Good to know. Finnigan: That does not mean he can't use his abilities in his temple, though, and that's why you need to hurry! Grogery: So why are we bringing the Rotor to the temple? Is it just to take him out? Finnigan: If you do not, then things will go very bad. He does not necessarily need all the pieces; he's come up with a new plan. But I think we can stop his plan before his plan even happens. Or after. Probably not during, though. Dazki: Let's hope we do it before. Steve: That hunk of metal seems really smart. Perhaps I should start listening to inanimate objects more. Dazki: It is certainly very knowledgeable, yes. Finnigan: OK, I will answer any of your questions. The Damsel and I and Marshall, the three of us, we've got your back, man. We're gonna do our best to stop him from messing with the timeline and potentially killing a subset of your loved ones. Don't worry about it, though, 'cause we've got a plan! Kesmet: Wait, what was that thing about the "loved ones"? Grogery: Joke's on him, my birth parents are already dead. Dazki: Other important question. Have you heard of a man working with Pendel named Dennis Donahue? Finnigan: Yes, Dennis Donahue. Currently a big issue in one of the timelines. Kesmet: Where? Where? Where? When? Where? Finnigan: "Where" is a little sketchy. "When" is... before now. Dwardazik: That does make some sense based on what we experienced with Kerro Schene. Remember how the timelines were all breaking apart and he was, like, doing something in the past to affect the present? Finnigan: Yes, apparently, he's somehow traveled back through the timestream and he's going to, quote, "fuck [something] up from the inside". Grogery: Gross. Finnigan: I don't know what that means. It doesn't sound good, though. Probably, we should stop that. Grogery: So, basically, will he be able to have gone back in time if we stop Pendel on our current path? Or is he already back there doing things? Finnigan: He's back there doing stuff, probably. Waiting, most likely, for the right opportunity. I don't like it, though. I daresay that I don't like that I don't know what he's doing back there. Dazki: Would there be a way for us to go back to stop him? Finnigan: I'm working on it, but so is Pendel. Dazki: Hopefully, by the time we get to the temple, then you will have a way for us to do that. Finnigan: OK. OK. Once again, the Damsel has great faith in you, so I'm putting it all out on the table that your lives are important, in the past and in the present. Dazki: OK. I suppose we should get to the temple as soon as we can. Does anyone else have anything they need him to answer at this moment? Kesmet: Can you be a little more specific with the information about Dennis? Just a little bit? What was "sketchy" about the "where"? Finnigan: I mean, it's hard to say, but, I've got a feeling he doesn't like you. Kesmet: Yeah, I don't give a damn, where is he? Finnigan: In the past, somewhere. Kesmet: Fuck you! Grogery: What we do in the present and future might affect how he has been in the past, or something. Finnigan: I'm more concerned with what happens if we keep him in the past, all right! We can't have him muckin' around out there! He's gonna change shit! And, quite frankly, he doesn't seem very smart! Kesmet: I like this guy. What did you say your name was? I'm pretty bad with those. Dazki: He is Dr. Finnigan Perry. Dwardazik: Call him Mr. P. Finnigan: I mean, it's one thing when a pair of geniuses try to mess with the timestream. It's another thing when an evil genius tries to mess with the timestream. It's an entirely other thing when you send a rabid dog back there and tell him to "go ham"! Marvin: Sounds like you're counting yourself as one of those "geniuses". Who would be the other one? Finnigan: We're talking in circles again. Dazki: He's referring to Mr. Undersky as the other "genius". Finnigan: He's technically a captain. Dazki: Captain Undersky, excuse me. Marvin: Oh, there are several things wrong with those sentences! Dazki: All right, well, if that's all, then we will hurry to the temple as best we're able. Finnigan: OK. Dazki takes his hand off the beacon. Grogery: OK. So it sounds like we should immediately try heading to the temple and, I don't know, if we get lost then maybe we'll hit a beacon on the way. Steve: Actually, it'll be getting dark soon. I suggest you rest.
Often, the best course of action is to be just so.
A pitch that is too high and a pitch that is too low are equally the wrong note.
It's "Soon" Now
Night immediately falls, practically crashing into the sea.
Dazki moves away from the beacon, and he and the rest of the party return to where the shore would be when the water goes back. Steve follows, allowing the water to come back in his wake.
Dazki: Thank you very much for your help, Steve. That answered some of our questions and gave us even more. Steve: I didn't really do anything. Dazki: You helped us get out to the beacon. So, for that, thank you. Steve: I don't... I mean... OK. I suppose it's your custom to thank people for everything that they do? Dazki: How's this, then: we do not have enough experience or control over this place, where we could have made those walls appear. We would need much more time and practice, and you were able to accelerate that for us. Dwardazik: Your sharing of knowledge has been quite helpful. And you've actually been quite generous. I can appreciate that. Steve: What is wrong with your friend? I sense you guys are concerned about it. Dazki: His change happened against his will, and we believe that there are loved ones of his in danger who, possibly, he cannot remember because of this change. So, we're trying to help him revert to what he was before. Steve: Revert to what? Grogery: Well, he was an elf. Steve: He was an elf?! I would not have pegged that as an elf. Dazki: Yep. He was an elf some months ago. Steve: OK, well, let's just change him back. Dazki: Could... could you do that? Steve: We can change him back if he knows who he was. It's not even that hard. Grogery: He doesn't. That's kinda part of the problem. Steve: Then why don't you tell him? Grogery: We don't know either. Dazki: We did not know him as an elf. We've only known him as this. Steve: Well, somebody must have known him! If he remembers who he's supposed to be, then he can just make himself look like that, and then we do a bunch of cool hand-wavy stuff, some other things that don't have words in your language, and then bippity-boppity, man. That's it. Dazki: All right. Steve: So, I don't know... go ask some animals or something. Oh, he's a fish! We could go fishing! Dazki: He is a fish, but we need to know who he was as an elf. I don't... can you fish up elves? I don't think you can... we're not aquatic. Grogery: There are some aquatic variants. They do some stuff in the Waterscar. Dazki: Actually, can you fish up people? Steve: I don't know, I think it's usually just fish, but we can give it a go. I mean, if an elf can turn into a fish, maybe a fish can turn into an elf? Dazki: I think we probably shouldn't. If the fish want to remain fish, we should probably let them remain fish. Steve: All right. Well, I'm going to rest now. (He just stops moving.) Dazki: Shall we set up camp then, guys? General agreement. Grogery: It is interesting that it might actually be pretty easy to help Barry become who he used to be. We would need to have somebody who knew. Dazki: Yeah. Grogery: I guess that's the hard part, though, because who would even truly know him on a mental level well enough to give him a good enough picture? Dazki: I have a guess. Grogery: If we get close enough that he recovers his mental faculties, he can take over from there? Dazki, very quietly so that Barry can't hear: He did mention "she" was kidnapped and being used as ransom against him. So, whoever that is, they probably know him well enough. Barry, finally entering after a while: What are you guys talking about? Dazki: Just trying to figure some things out. This place is weird, you know. Barry: Hey, I feel kinda bad about being moved around in the watch rotation, and, I want to go back to being important. Dazki: You've always been important, but if you feel bad about being moved, then we can — Barry: If you stick me with all the people that are good at it, I'm not gonna be able to really show my worth! You gotta pair me up with the real shit people! Dwardazik: ...Barry... (He cracks his knuckles.) Grogery: Wait, you consider me to be bad at... wait, no... Dazki: No, it was me and Barry who had been on watch together for a while, and he wants to go back to that so he can prove how good he is at it. Dwardazik: Oh. OK. Grogery: So, Barry and Dazki, then me, Dwardazik, Marvin, and Kesmet would pair off.
You do notice, as you set up camp and discuss, that ever since Steve the guru has fallen asleep, there's a lot less stability around. The bark in the hut starts to peel up and roll, impacting into the ground as if it's being decayed by some sort of seawater that does not exist. The sand begins to tremble and move as little tree sprouts peek through, growing impossibly quickly. A very large eel comes out of the water, maybe about fifteen feet long, but it can't survive out of the water, so it starts to suffocate and die.
First Watch: Dwardazik and Kesmet
Dwardazik tries to meditate and focus on his area.
As you focus on the energies of the space around you, you breathe. You feel your heart as it beats steadily, discordant from the beacon that ticks distractingly outside of your zone.
The area around you begins to harden like stone instead of the softer sand. From this stone, long green vines cling to it like ivy. The ivy climbs straight up, seemingly latching onto something not tangible, not visible, eventually forming a pagoda-like structure that grows around you. The incessant ticking of the beacon no longer as irksome, as you focus on yourself.
It's fine, as the rain starts to come and the lake begins to dry up, forming clouds. Seemingly undergoing the entire water cycle in a matter of minutes, it is now a torrential downpour. What was once beachfront property next to a pristine lake has now turned into some sort of waterlogged forest, seemingly in a matter of hours.
Dwardazik wakes Dazki and Barry for their watch.
Dwardazik: I would stick to the pagoda. Gemineye and myself were able to create this with our feelings of Terra. This might be sufficient to last us through the night, I hope. Dazki: I would ask questions, but... at this point... ...sure.
Second Watch: Dazki + Barry
Dazki is very deep in thought. Fairly quiet and introspective as he looks out the pagoda. You don't notice any problems during the typhoon, but (Perception 0) Barry does think he sees something. And so he must away. Barry draws his gun, shouts some awesome cleric warcry and tries to run into the rain. Before he exits the pagoda, (Dexterity 24) Dazki grabs him.Dazki: Barry, shh. If you see something out there, it's best to keep cover in here and let it come to us. It's not going to be easy or good for us to fight out in that much rain. We're just going to sit here quietly, pretend we don't notice it, and then if it comes in here, spring into action and ambush it. Barry: Uh, I mean, speak for yourself. I'm kind-of a fish cleric, so... — Dazki: But the gun won't work out there in the water. Barry: What are you talking about?! It'll totally work! (He shoots the gun into the rain, waking everybody up.) Dazki, to the others: Sorry... sorry, everyone, you can go back to sleep. Dazki: Barry, it works in here, but if you go out there, the gun will get wet and won't shoot. Guns don't like being wet.
While you were distracted with trying to deal with Barry — Marvin, remember that door you opened before and went into that fun pocket dimension? There's another one of those doors now.
