The Oculus

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila scans every room with the Detect Disease. If nothing shows up anymore then she will go to the Oculus.

At Hurk, ”But would it be growing in that jar or do they do something to it in the jar and then,” Quila pauses and twists her face and visibly shudders from the horrific idea before continuing, ”put the brain back inside the body for it to start living or animating the host body again which it will slowly consume and eat from the inside while it transforms? Because if that is the case, even Erfurth might be unwittingly a Strange in the making.”

[Attilius]

The quarter giant shrugs "More research is surely needed."

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Eslyk nods a bit relieved at HurK - "Thank you" - without knowing what HurK did other than repeating the same as with the others. She smiles at him, more relieved

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

Sept 8, 2023 6:11:39 GMT -12 Attilius said:

Hurk looks at the jars a bit then snaps his fingers loudly "I think I know why those Strange bat creatures were harvesting the brains: They use them to reproduce! The dead one we found literally had a brain for a head. They Probably put something inside the brains and then a body starts to grow from it." he shrugs "Just a guess for now until we can do more research. "

- "Who reproduce on whom? Why the mobats need brains to reproduce? Never heard of it, did you mean that the mold infects a brain and then, as a sort of ability calls for animals or creatures to carry the infection through and spread?" - seeming puzzled

[Coden Rokos (Jesse H.)]

Coden rubs the bridge of his nose.

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. If those bat-creatures can think, they might be a little upset if we interrupted their reproductive cycle."

"We don't need a comprehensive understanding in order to rescue what crew we can find and cure what ailments we can reach. But I suspect these... fungi from yonder are more than just mobats."

[Niachi]

"Yah. Back to our little traveler for a full detection and cure on his cells and psyche. Same for the crew and then maybe with a little luck, a Bug Hunt! If we can rest here, I'll revise my spells..."

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila nods and walks along with the rest to the Oculus.

[Attilius]

Moving back to the oculous with the team HurK asks "Can someone mindlink with J'lact and make sure he's traveling without problems with the 'strange' cargo?"

[DM Bob]

If you mindlink with J'lact, it can happen as you return to the Oculus chamber.

Interestingly enough, it looks as if the damage done to the side of his face has been repaired, healed or regenerated.

No disease is detected on him.

Questioning him/the Seed about the number of Strange detected earlier upon the ship will reveal the following.

"ONLY ONE ENTITY WAS DETECTED BY MY MENTAL SCANS. AT FIRST WE DID NOT DEEM IT A THREAT. IT QUICKLY BURNED IT'S WAY INTO MY FRAME. IT HAD TIME TO DO IT'S ILL WORK AS I NEEDED TO FOCUS ON SEALING THE RIFT IT CREATED. ONLY THEN WAS I ABLE TO AWAKEN MY PROXY THAT SITS BEFORE YOU."

[Attilius]

Knowing they will be here awhile with questions, HurK removes his gear & pack, sets it neatly out of the way and against the wall, then sits cross-legged in front of Efurth's chair and summons more energy from his Nexus to turn into a HurK-ling...

[Metamorphosis 18, rolled 16, -21 PsP's

System Shock 97%, rolled 73

He releases his reduction power as he morphs down into a 3' halfling.

73/161 PsP's]

"Ahhhh much better" he says with an oddly comedic higher pitch voice as he stretches out his back.

----------------------------------

Questions asked of the seed:

• Do you have a name other than 'Seed'?

• How did you initially take off, fly and stay aloft in the sky?

• What was your yearly flight path and what is your maximum flight speed?

• What sustenance do you feed on to stay alive? A type of photosynthesis?

• What are the functions of the various crystals and liquid pools we've seen on board?

• What was the Tide and how did it destroy your workings, living gardens and pens?

• What were the parameters of a "healed world"

• Once the land was deemed healed, How was the seed supposed to repopulate the world?

• What is the defining make up of the 20 crew members? Are they all family relations? Or are they each a specialist in a specific field of work such as building, husbandry, smithing, etc.

• How have you stayed sane for 14,000 years alone while your creators slept?

• Can you describe what you traveled through that made you ill when you saw something pass you in the void?

• How do you ‘see’ or perceive without eyes? Do you know of and use THE WAY?

• How did the strange burn through your frame? Acid? Heat? And what on it was emitting this burn ability? hands, mouth, mind?

• How do you know that the strange were trying to steal the STORIES OF your CREATORS and the KNOWLEDGE TO MOULD LIFE? Could they not have been stealing the crew’s brains for food or reproduction purposes of their kind?

• Are the jars a part of your cargo or did the strange bring them for your crews brains?

• Can you teach us your creators stories and how to mould life?

• What is the lightning weapon that runs and attaches to Efurth’s arm? How does it move like a creature?

• Once you and your creators are healed/resurrected will you return to the sky, if not, what are your future Athas bound plans?

• Do you have defensive/protective measures if something is attacking your outside?

• Were you aware of any creatures and their conflicts in the general vicinity around you between the time you crashed and now? If so, can you describe what and WHO you saw?

• Is the outside lightning storm your doing? And if so, what is it's purpose?

[Niachi]

Niachi pulls out a small pointed linen cap onto his head, purple with big yellow stars and crescents.

"My thinking cap..

• Was this rift arcane, mental, or unknown? 
• What area of the sky was it first discovered, compared to known maps of the stars? 
  
• Are there any of your peoples' legends, myths, or songs foretelling these Strange, or of the Seed's fate?
• Do the Strange have attributes of any known extraplanar entities known from your eons of experience?
• Regarding your 'shaping' do you have a way of growing external lungs, protective armor, and your living weaponry onto us, for breathing, speaking, and spellcasting in the Strange's spaces?
• Can you locate and open this rift for a team of properly-outfitted Strangehunters?"

[Niachi]

"Is there an arsenal aboard of spell scrolls, potionfruits, or Shaped items for various contingencies?
Can your people cast arcane spells so we can share our spellbooks?"

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Sept 8, 2023 10:17:50 GMT -12 Attilius said:

Moving back to the oculous with the team HurK asks "Can someone mindlink with J'lact and make sure he's traveling without problems with the 'strange' cargo?"

“I could,” Quila starts, “but getting in touch is going to be more difficult due to J’Lact and his brethren’s differing make-up from ours.”

For a minute Quila stands there concentrating and trying to locate J’Lact.

(OOC I roll 3 on a PS16 for Contact, already adjusted with -7 penalty, and if allowed contact Quila will Mindlink - rolled a 9 on 18.)

[DM Bob]

Questions asked of the seed:

Do you have a name other than 'Seed'?

WE ARE SURE WE ARE CALLED OTHER THINGS BY MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES, BUT THE SEED WILL DO. SER-GON-EVAUTH IS OFTEN USED AMONG THE CLAN WHEN I AM APART."

How did you initially take off, fly and stay aloft in the sky?

"BY THE COMBINED WONDERS & DREAMS OF THE ELEMENTS & THE WAY WE WERE GROWN INTO EXISTENCE. WE ARE WITH THE CONDUIT; GROWN ABOUT IT LIKE A SHELL OR SKIN.
THE CONDUIT PROVIDES MY LIFE, POWER & RESERVE."

What was your yearly flight path and what is your maximum flight speed?

WE TRAVELLED THE AETHER, IN THE MOST EASY WAY, FOLLOWING THE PUSH AND PULL OF THE SUN, MOONS AND CELESTIAL BODIES. SPEED? WE MOVED AS WE DID FROM OUR INCEPTION. AS FAST AS WAS NEEDED... WHY QUANTIFY SUCH THINGS?"

What sustenance do you feed on to stay alive? A type of photosynthesis?

"THE CONDUIT PROVIDES TIES FROM THE VERY ELEMENTAL BONDS OF THE UNIVERSE... MUCH LIKE THE TIES I FEEL IN YOU AND YOU."

The puppet halfling looks directly at the two templars. Ande first; then Quila.

What are the functions of the various crystals and liquid pools we've seen on board?

THEY FUNCTION AS I *WILL*. THEY SUSPEND THINGS NEEDED FOR MY CLAN AND THEIR CONSTRUCTS TO LIVE WHEN AWAKE."

What was the Tide and how did it destroy your workings, living gardens and pens?

THE TIDE OF BROWN WAS GROWN BY ACCIDENT, IT MULTIPIED TOO WELL AND DESTROYED OUR WATERS CAUSING MUCH WORRY. WATER IS NEEDED TO LIVE & CREATE.

What were the parameters of a "healed world?"

"THAT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, AS THE CLAN DISCUSSES EVERY CYCLE OF OUR JOURNEY. WE AGREED NOW WAS NOT THE TIME, BUT WHEN WE WERE SAVAGED, IT MADE SENSE TO MITIGATE THE DAMAGES AND LAND. WHERE WE CURRENTLY SIT WAS ONCE ENTIRELY WATER. TO THE SUN-RISE WE WERE GROWN, OUTSIDE TYR’AGI."

Once the land was deemed healed, How was the seed supposed to repopulate the world?

"THE TWENTY OF MY CLAN WERE TO REPOPULATE MANUALLY IF THERE WERE NO OR LIMITED SURVIVORS UPON THE LAND AND RESOURCES WERE VIABLE FOR REBIRTH."

What is the defining make up of the 20 crew members? Are they all family relations? Or are they each a specialist in a specific field of work such as building, husbandry, smithing, etc.

"THEY ARE CLAN, IN THEIR PRIME OF LIFE, VIRILE AND CHOSEN FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS. SOME OF THESE WORDS YOU SPEAK HAVE LITTLE MEANING TO ME, BUT YOU CAN BE ASSUMED THAT THEY HAVE SPECIFIC TASKS TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN THE DAY COMES."

How have you stayed sane for 14,000 years alone while your creators slept?

I DREAM, I SING, I TALK TO THE CONDUIT. I USED TO SPEAK WITH THOSE OF THE ORIGINAL CLANS, NOW, THEY ARE LONG PASSED. A THING USED TO SPEAK TO ME THAT TWISTED WORDS AND ANOTHER STILL SPEAKS WHEN WE APPROACH THE, WELL, HERE. ATHAS. HE WAS ONE OF THE THING'S CREATIONS, WHO NOW GUARDS THE GATES THAT SHOULD NOT BE OPENED."

Can you describe what you traveled through that made you ill when you saw something pass you in the void?

"IT IS AS ONE FEELS WHEN SICK OR... WHEN A ROOT WITHERS. AN ENERGY THAT CORRUPTS, LIKE THE CANKER YOU REMOVED."

How do you ‘see’ or perceive without eyes? Do you know of and use THE WAY?

"I HAVE EYES, I CHOOSE WHERE I WANT THEM. I CAN ALSO SEE THROUGH MY CLAN AS I DO NOW. THE WAY IS SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED, I WAS NOT BORN WITH IT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRONG TO REJECT OUTSIDE INFLUENCE, IT IS HOW I AM."

How did the strange burn through your frame? Acid? Heat? And what on it was emitting this burn ability? hands, mouth, mind?

"A TOOL OF SOME KIND THAT WAS LEFT IN THE AETHER, IT CUT THROUGH MY SHELL WITH FOCUSED FIRE."

How do you know that the strange were trying to steal the STORIES OF your CREATORS and the KNOWLEDGE TO MOULD LIFE? Could they not have been stealing the crew’s brains for food or reproduction purposes of their kind?

"BECAUSE IT TAUNTED ME, USING THIS "WAY" AS IT CUT INTO MY CHARGE'S SKULLS. HOW IT KNEW WE HELD SUCH WISDOM AND SECRETS? I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY. IT DID NOT REVEAL AS MUCH."

Are the jars a part of your cargo or did the strange bring them for your crews brains?

"THEY WERE BROUGHT INSIDE IN A NET OF LIGHT BY THE STRANGE."

Can you teach us your creators stories and how to mould life?

"THAT IS NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE. THE CLAN DECIDES SUCH MATTERS, AND THEY ARE QUITE SACRED TO THEM."

What is the lightning weapon that runs and attaches to Efurth’s arm? How does it move like a creature?

"IT IS A TOSH-MOR. IT IS ALIVE MUCH LIKE YOU OR ME."

Once you and your creators are healed/resurrected will you return to the sky, if not, what are your future Athas bound plans?

"WE DO NOT KNOW. WE FEAR THE STRANGE, WE ALSO DO NOT WISH TO STAY HERE. A DECISION WOULD NEED TO BE MADE OF THE CLAN, MYSELF AND THE CONDUIT."

Do you have defensive/protective measures if something is attacking your outside?

"YES. AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK, I WAS UNAWARE OF SUCH MALICIOUS PREMEDITATIONS & VIOLENCE. TO BE HONEST, I WAS OPEN TO THE COMPANY THE STRANGE HAD TO POSSIBLY OFFER. YOU ARE LUCKY I WAS HEALING WHEN YOU CAME HERE, OR I WOULD HAVE OPTED FOR DEFENSIVE MEASURES. YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTIONS AND HELP KEPT ME FROM AWAKENING THE OTHERS OR EJECTING THE AIR WITHIN ME."

Were you aware of any creatures and their conflicts in the general vicinity around you between the time you crashed and now? If so, can you describe what and WHO you saw?

"I SEE THE MANTIS FOLK THAT NEVER POSED A THREAT IN THE DAYS OF MY GROWTH. A THIN TALL CREATURE LIKE YOU,"

The halfling proxy points at Niachi.

"RODE A FLYING ANIMAL WITHIN RANGE OF MY SIGHT, LANDED UPON ME, BUT COULD NOT DISCOVER A WAY WITHIN AS I HAD HEALED THE BREACH."

Is the outside lightning storm your doing? And if so, what is it's purpose?

"NO. BUT THE CONDUIT MAY HAVE AN EFFECT HERE."

NIACHI:

Was this rift arcane, mental, or unknown?

"PHYSICAL. IT HEALS TO YOUR LEFT.

The halfling points to the healed over area in this very room.

What area of the sky was it first discovered, compared to known maps of the stars?

"IF YOU MEAN THE STRANGE, I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THEM SOME THOUSAND CYCLES OF THE RED SUN AGO, FURTHEST FROM OUR HOME'S ORBIT. A FAR REALM INDEED."

Are there any of your peoples' legends, myths, or songs foretelling these Strange, or of the Seed's fate?

NO, BUT THAT MAKES US WONDER IF THEY OR THEIR KIND HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

Do the Strange have attributes of any known extraplanar entities known from your eons of experience?

"NOT THAT WE ARE AWARE, AS THEY ARE ALIEN TO US AS WELL... AND THE ONLY TRUE ALIEN ENTITY WE HAVE SEEN OUTSIDE OUR OWN HOME AND SATELLITES."

Regarding your 'shaping' do you have a way of growing external lungs, protective armor, and your living weaponry onto us, for breathing, speaking, and spellcasting in the Strange's spaces?

"OUR DEFENSES ARE NEEDED HERE AND IF SHAPERS REMAIN UPON ATHAS, WE DO NOT KNOW THEM."

Can you locate and open this rift for a team of properly-outfitted Strange hunters?"

Is there an arsenal aboard of spell scrolls, potion fruits, or Shaped items for various contingencies?

Can your people cast arcane spells so we can share our spellbooks?"

"THIS MAGIC YOU SPEAK OF IS NOT OF OUR TIME, IT IS UNNATURAL MANIPULATIONS OF NATURE AS FAR AS WE UNDERSTAND IT. WE ONLY KNOW OF WHAT THE TWISTER OF WORDS TOLD US AND THE RESULTS OF THIS MAGIC THAT WE CAN SEE BEFORE US NOW. ASSERTING DOMINANCE OVER LIFE INSTEAD OF CULTIVATING IT IS A MISTAKE THAT SHOULD NOT BE REPEATED."

[DM Bob]

J'lact acknowledges and accepts the charges for the mental collect call.

"Can we mind speak in a while? The animals you left us are panicking in the mud. All hands full."