Alyssa finds the vehicle's operation straightforward and not difficult.  It even has headlights, which are much appreciated in the darkness.  The slope of the crater is a fairly simple trail to follow, and as long as she steers around the occasional rock slide or patch of heavy vegetation, her progress is fairly steady, chasing after the sunset that was scattered by the strange purplish cloud.

As she makes her way along, slowly and safely, Alyssa notices two competing sets of illumination visible to her.  The first is the giant wall of fog itself, which seems to shimmer with it's own internal luminescence.  She's too far away to discern more.  Closer at hand, Alyssa sees sparks bursting along the ground.  Slightly bluish, seemingly random in size, frequency, and distribution, the area affected seems to be right in her path.

Alyssa stops the vehicle. She's bothered by the blue lights. Could they endanger the workings of the vehicle? Perhaps they are electrical in nature?

From this distance, the flashing seems to be electrical discharges, but Alyssa isn't close enough to understand more.

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 139):

Alyssa sighed. She couldn't figure out exactly what the sparks were and if they could be a danger to her and the vehicle. She decided to press on regardless in hope that she could avoid the sparks. She could not see any other option at the moment. She had to catch up with the strangers in the bowl, her survival was dependent on that.

Alyssa hears a rich baritone voice behind her.  "You've gotten yourself into an unenviable situation, newcomer.  Your presence is unexpected.  The danger you are is not."

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 141):

Alyssa stops the vehicle and turns around to get a look at the stranger.

There is no human (or humanoid or automaton) behind her, at least that she can see.  The only light now comes from the pale glow of the giant purplish fog and the occasional flashes in the field in front of her.  Alyssa sees, maybe?, a bit of fur low on one of the back seats.

"Don't stop.  Those ithsyn are quite hungry.  They've associated your scent with the scent of this vehicle.  They were gaining on you even before your moment of indecision."

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 143):

"So then I guess I'll just have to run through these electrical discharges then?" Alyssa asks the disembodied voice and then starts to accelerate the vehicle without waiting for the mysterious voice's reply.

"Yes, but avoiding the strong discharges will keep you alive longer and this contraption rolling farther.  It is a difficult predicament."  The voice pauses a moment.  "Would you like some advice or do you prefer to improvise?"

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 145):

Alyssa started to feel silly. She brought the vehicle to a halt again. "Sorry. I had have a stressful day. I've been teleported to no one knows where and now a disembodied voice is trying to give me advice. We haven't even been properly introduced. You also tell me that I'm hunted by some beasts. So what do you propose that I do?"

"I am far from disembodied.  'Tis pity your eyes can't tell the difference.  And don't be offended by a lack of introduction.  I offered none to the explorers you're seeking, either."  There is a pause, followed by a licking sound.  Outside the glass(?) dome of the vehicle, Alyssa can hear both the crackling of electricity and a more distant screeching.

"As for a recommended course of action, the most potent discharges have a series of three small sparks before they erupt.  That should give you enough notice to avoid them, and perhaps even lead the ithsyn into one.  You should really hurry if you want to avoid being eaten.  They can see you now."

Less than two hundred yards back, three sets of trifurcated maws ringed with razor teeth were illuminated in a bright flash.

"Thank you" Alyssa says as she moves the vehicle forward trying to see that pattern the voice speaks of.

I guess I'll have to roll for something? Speed perhaps?

In reply to Alyssa Yulo (msg # 148):

Alyssa tries to figure out the pattern of the sparks and she hopes that she can use that to her advantage.

22:12, Today: Alyssa Yulo rolled 15 using 1d20.  Intellect roll.

22:12, Today: Alyssa Yulo rolled 2 using 1d20.  Speed roll (with one level of effort).

Well, trying to trick an ithsyn into the sparks. I assume that the speed roll is probably failed.

Alyssa's sharp eyes are able to spot the pattern indicative of the worst discharges and she's able to steer the cart out of the way, even at full speed.  More than once, she is nearly blinded by strong bolts striking the ground or arching into the air beside her.

The ithsyn behind her are either lucky or wise.  Following the vehicle, they miss getting shocked, too.

Regardless, while pursuing her, they seem to be slowly losing ground.

"Well done, Child of Vigor.  You are well on your way to the hut at the top of the sloping path.  We shall likely speak again."  With that, the back seat falls silent.  All Alyssa hears is the hum of the motor, the shrieks of her pursuers, and the crackling of electricity all around her.

Alyssa accelerates hoping that the ithsyn shouldn't be able to keep her speed.

Alyssa's acceleration and swerving leads one of the ithsyn directly into a violent discharge and kills the creature immediately.  Seeing their packmate felled and being already spent from their long pursuit of the speedy, tireless cart, the other two screech in rage as they halt amidst the sparks and the smell of burnt flesh and feathers.  As Alyssa takes stock of the horrifying sounds and their meaning, her driving skills fail and a smaller bolt strikes the outside of the car, cracking the glass bubble and blackening the metal body.  At least it drives well enough.

Safe from predation (at least for the moment), Alyssa is able to continue her drive with slightly less recklessness.

Perhaps twenty minutes later, skirting the edge of the crater as closely as she can, Alyssa notes that the density of the crystals is much reduced.  In the light, dimmer but steadier, she spots a squat, square structure along a gap in the ridge to her right.

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 152):

Alyssa stops the cart and tries to spot the group of people she saw in the bowl earlier. Are they still moving? Or have they stopped perhaps?

The hut is dark and there are no signs of life.  Alyssa can see a trail beside it that seems to lead down into the bowl.  A bit of smoke rises from somewhere not too far distant.

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 154):

Alyssa drives down the trail into the bowl hoping that the smoke she can see might be from the group she saw earlier.

The trail quickly narrows and turns.  There is no way the vehicle will be able to navigate the switchbacks on a trail clearly made for two legs and not four wheels.  Alyssa must either abandon her only protection or find another way to make contact.

"Well, I suppose this is the end of the road." Alyssa brings the vehicle to a halt and steps out. She hurriedly starts walking along the trail hoping that it will lead her to the smoke which she hope is a campfire. She shortly considers bringing along the book of the numenera she found in the vehicle, but decides to let it lie.

Discovering that it indeed had become to dark for her to actually see clearly her surroundings, Alyssa decided to return to the vehicle. She now noticed the trailer who was hitched to the vehicle. Perhaps she could find something in there she could use as a light source? Or perhaps she could just use it for shelter for the night?

There is enough light (and Alyssa's tactile explorations) to see that the trailer is secure, but not locked.  After fiddling with the latch, Alyssa opens it to find a well-lit compartment filled with various materials, including a major glow globe.  The new brightness hurts her eyes for a moment, but they quickly adjust.

In reply to Immortal Eye (msg # 159):

Alyssa picks up the glow globe and starts walking thankful for the light source, but also troubled by the possibility that the light will attract more of the ithsyn she outran earlier. She decides that she hasn't really any choice in the matter.

Returning to the gap in the rim of the crater, Alyssa finds the path to be fairly clean and level side to side as it slopes down.  There is nearly always a lip along the outer edge of the trail and many places show evidence of stonework to make the route more easily navigable.  Along the switchback turns toward the northwest, Alyssa notices the smoke is stronger and after some descent, she's able to make out what seems to be another hut against the cliff face below her.

Reaching the bottom of the trail, Alyssa finds a small, square building built into the rock.  Dim light can be seen from the two small windows, and the door is closed.