In reply to Mhari 'Stormbolt' (msg # 2):

"Very well," Raelle says, looking around. Holding out her arm, she whistles, and Bob (her trained huntri) swoops down from the sky and lands on her arm. She seems to look at it for a second, as though they are communicating silently.

16:26, Today: Raelle Pellegrino rolled 20 using 1d20.  Sense Danger.  Eased by Bob the huntri. One Level of Effort (3 Intellect - 2 Edge = 1 INT point).  Well, that is kind of good.

In reply to Raelle Pellegrino (msg # 6):

Mhari stands well back Mass-Blaster at the ready and covering, giving Raelle room to do her scouting... and enjoying the view of the 'easy on the eyes' explorer with a smile.

Though he is watching Raelle he makes sure to pan his gaze around ~ keeping watch and looking for threats that might come from different approaches as they methodically search the treacherous ravine confines...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:40, Sun 12 June 2022.

Raelle notes no immediate risks of bodily harm in the area.  She would advise not consuming mass quantities of the drit (but that's almost always true).

Deeper within the crevasse, after it becomes a cave of its own and slopes into realms rules by the ravenous ghosts of the path, there lies danger, danger co-mingled with riches and wonders.  This she is certain of.

After her huntri takes flight again, Raelle takes her Strong glass shield off her back - preparing to crouch behind it so Mhari can shoot over her and takes lead.  She carefully looks around her as she goes, making sure to take note of any tracks or other debris an animal (human or otherwise) might leave behind.

07:26, Today: Raelle Pellegrino rolled 9 using 1d20.  Perception. 2 Levels of Effort [1 for cost, 1 from Curious] (3 Intellect - 2 Edge = 1)

Raelle is able to pick out Buojrez's tracks from her earlier excursion, the battle with the strange cold creature she spoke of, the remains beneath the surface.  Little seems to have changed here since then.  A few leaves have blown in.  A handful of tiny creatures have crossed the cave floor.  Nothing else is new.

They now pass deeper into the cave than anyone from the clave has gone.  The walls begin to narrow some.  There is less sand and debris on the ground, more bare rock, long-fused drit.  Soon it will be too dark to see, at least for the average human.

Alberic tips his hat, and squints into the darkness, then pulls a glowglobe from one of his pockets. "This'll give us an hour's light, unless anyone has a better source?"

Mhari nods and takes the moment to activate his Glow-Globe and set it to hovering near his shoulder, but dims the radiance to just above a candlelight so as not to blind Raelle's dark vision, "All good Alberic... would not do us any good to stumble around in the dark.  You stay with the back of the party so they can all see... my glow-globe will give Raelle with its dim radiance ample light to see Very well with her talents."

"Let's all keep moving... and alert!"

Hefting his Mass-Blaster Rifle... he nods to Raelle to continue... giving her a little distance to provide her cover without being right on top of her...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:24, Mon 04 July 2022.

As the tunnel narrows, there are signs of ... uniformity?  It becomes clear, as the path becomes straighter and the walls and ceilings more like even planes that they are entering a deliberate ... work of some kind.  Construction?  Mine? Subterranean village?  Laboratory?  Right now, there's no overt evidence of prior purpose, although the layers of rot and detritus on the floor, the erosion of parts of the lower walls suggests that there has been no functional maintenance for ... centuries?  Perhaps eons?

Alberic nods at Mhari's instruction, and remains at the back of the party, as it begins to advance snapping open the glow globe and letting it float up to head height. He glances around carefully, occasionally rolling up his sleeve to check a small screen embedded in his left arm, and a few rows of flickering LEDs where lights dance in response to some unknown stimulus.

OOC: I'm not sure if Mhari meant for only himself and Raelle to move forwards, or whether everyone is going. Alberic has inferred the latter.

Either way, he'll use Sense "Magic" to detect whether the Numenera are active in the area.

Raelle blinks a few times as her eyes adjust to the dim light before cautiously moving forward through the passage.  She keeps looking around to see if she notices anything.

The passage continues ... deeper, darker, colder.  There are gradual curves from time to time so any light that may have bled in is long past hidden.

Eventually, the party reaches an end to the tunnel, quite abruptly.  There is a ... frame(?) here of long-corroded metal, squaring off the perimeter of the tunnel.  It is somewhat larger than the average doorway.  Shapes are etched (?) into it, partially obscured by dust and time.  The space bounded by the frame is slightly dusty, but smooth.  It seems to be comprised of an unfamiliar material.  Perhaps a type of crystal?  A polymer?  Alloy?  There are ... swirls (?) in the coloration, but no texture on the surface.  It may be almost translucent or internally reflective, but that's difficult to tell.

On their walk, Alberic has sensed nothing active, nothing awake.

Mhari regards the ...'doorframe' barrier.

"Is that a dusty window of glass? Or perhaps some 'powered' force barrier... like the last door we found in the Ruined City previously?"

Looking over at Alberic, "Do you have a excavator's brush to dust off the doorframe to take a look at those markings on the doorframe?  Perhaps we should take some clean rubbing of the markings to see if its some kind of writing or controls?"

Mhari will concentrate on his lightning talent ability to 'Charge' power Artifacts... to see if he can 'feel' power flowing to the doorframe in the form of electrical current...

{ooc: Basically Mhari is trying to see if the Doorframe is a device that 'Can' be powered or charge and if its already powered or holding a charge.  Not actually trying to charge the device, not sure if a 'roll' is needed ~ but I'll spend the 1 Int to find out?}
[Cost: Int 1pt {-2 edge} / 0pt]
Charge (1+ Int) - You can charge an artifact or other device (except a cypher)
so that it can be used once.  The cost is 1 Intellect point plus 1 point per level of the device.  Action.


11:37, Today: Mhari 'Stormbolt' rolled 1 using 1d20.  Charge Artifact {Not actually charging-Determining if if can be powered}, 1 lvl of effort}. – 1
- 'shrug' so nothing.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:39, Wed 20 July 2022.

Alberic nods at Mhari's suggestion. "Sounds wise."

He carefully turns the palm of his left, mechanical, hand to the door frame, and a pressurised jet of air springs out, clearing the dust away. He sweeps it across the whole area, to clear the dust, then peers at the markings.

OOC: Hedge Magic. 1 Intellect - 3 Edge = 0 Cost.

Mhari's electricity arcs over the frame of the door and, with an extremely bright flash of light, shatters a small part of the surrounding stone it is set into.  He gets the sense that the tunnel is built into a material that is oddly reactive to electrical pulses.  Anything stronger than what he attempted could have been ... very bad.  It will take a while for the flashes in his vision to dissipate.

Alberic's efforts are more successful, and the frame is cleared of dust, though still tarnished.  There is definitely some type of writing or other intentional markings/shapes in the frame.  They familiar enough to tickle the back of the wright's brain, but nothing obvious.

OOC: Deciphering or otherwise figuring the meaning of the symbols/markings will require a roll, difficulty 7.  Anyone who spent time in Yenth would have an asset to this task.

Alberic studies the symbols carefully, and with great interest. There is a faint whine as a cooling fan comes on somewhere inside him, and there is the smell of warm solder.

15:02, Today: Alberic rolled 16 using 1d20.  Decipher Runes. No time spent in Yenth (Alberic arrived from Jargolamis via the Pocket Dimension), so no assets. 3 Levels of Effort. Cost 7 Intellect - 3 Edge = 4 Intellect.

Despite having never been to the city of Yenth, Alberic's studies of numenera have included texts and treatises on the extradimensional portal there.  The trade with the humans(?) on the other side of the portal is part of Yenth's economic might and influence.

What Alberic sees before him here, in the depths of this tunnel, is another portal to New Yenth (as the Ninth Worlders call the extradimensional realm), although one that is not functional at this time.  It is far smaller than the one in Yenth, and it's mechanisms are (likely?) encased in the rock around them.

"Careful." Alberic warns as it dawns on him what the structure is. "This looks like some kind of extradimensional portal. I wonder if this is the source of our mysterious visitors?" After a little more study, he frowns. "Judging from these markings, it goes to New Yenth... I've never seen the portal in Yenth, except in sketches, but these markings? Very similar. Have any of you had the pleasure of seeing the portal there first hand? Or meeting the people on the other side?"

He pauses, taking his pipe and puffing thoughtfully, producing a cloud of bright pink smoke. "Of course, if there's a portal to Yenth here,  maybe there other portals that go elsewhere. I think the Order  will want to know of this..."

As she moves down the passage, Raelle takes out a can of spray paint and begins making marks along the wall, indicating the direction to go when exiting.  The paint glows a dull greenish yellow in the dim light, casting enough light to be seen in the darkness, but not inhibit any night vision.  When she gets to the "door", she makes a larger symbol on the ground indicating a possible entrance.

Raelle begins to search for some mechanism to open or activate the possible entrance.

10:38, Today: Raelle Pellegrino rolled 7 using 1d20.  Searching (Trained with one level of effort, 3 INT - 2 Edge = 1 INT).

Raelle finds no obvious mechanism to activate the portal.  The paint markings are clear on the walls.

In the narrow darkness of the cave (tunnel? shaft?), their breathing is sometimes the only sound, and still seems to echo in the encasing stone.

"Perhaps the Aeon Priests in Yenth can provide some advice on how to operate it?" Alberic suggests.

In reply to Alberic (msg # 25):

Mhari will step forward and gesture for Raelle to step behind him, "You do your job well Raelle.. fall back behind me... so if something decides to exit this portal... it will meet the Glaive first!"

Stepping next to Alberic, "Yes, I have been to Yenth... these marking do look very similar.. for shame I did not delve into the lore of the Yenth gate when I had the chance.  We should Certainly inform the Aeon Priests, if this gate connects it could be a significant find... and if it goes somewhere else... it could be a deadly threat!"

"I think it prudent we do not poke at tech that is recognizable as potentially already partially understood... when a little patience can allow us to safely probe its nature. We know its here.. its clearly marked and it is a recognizable tech that might with someone familiar with it be utilized safely.  Let's fall back to camp and make our reports.  Slow and careful is the best when dealing with unknown Numena."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:13, Tue 16 Aug 2022.

Alberic nods, cheerfully. "Back to camp, then!"

The walk back the clave feels much shorter than their exploration did, though it covered roughly the same distance.  The woman from the cave is seated near the gates on a half-broken stool.  A least two bowls of food lie on the ground near her, their contents splattered violently on the walls.  She looks displeased.

Mhari follows the Exploration Team back to the Clave taking up the rear guard as they exit the cave system.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:20, Tue 30 Aug 2022.

OOC: Please move to the Trade and Commerce thread.