Alyn's interest was piqued when Volmol spoke of chronal rifts. Because such a topic hit home to him. Although the robot's general interest in history was intriguing as well. Especially given how goofy these robots all were.

"Mister Volmol Seeker Sir..." he asked, continuing to play his cards in a more meek manner to cater to these robots' desire to talk about themselves.

"Do you happen by chance to know of a place called The Cloisture, by chance?" he asked. "It supposedly is as real a place as it is a fable from what I hear. But I figure one such as yourself may have heard of it in your own seeking pilgrimage." he continued.

"And chronal rifts you say? Are such things actually real? Can they be created artificially by chance, or found in nature somewhere?"

(Your attitude is good, but for asking about the Cloister, I'm gonna ask you for a new Charming roll...)

11:53, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 7 using 2d6+2 ((1,4)).

If anyone wants to try an aid action I'll take it otherwise it's a 7.

Vomol raises one digit into the air and is about to speak, when--



--This catches his interest rather more than the previous topic. "Certainly chronal rifts exist. I myself was forced to pass through the edge of one not long ago. They can be created artificially with the proper equipment of the ancients, but are also sometimes found forming on their own, but are you sure that it can't listen to what we're saying out here? Its micro-drones could conceivably be anywhere... it won't like us debating shutting it down..."

Alyn's eyebrows raised with interest. It was good to know these rifts could be replicated both via nature and technology. He wondered if he could eventually do it with psionics as well? He had telekinetic and pyrokinetic capabilities although defaulted to telepathy, but the truth was he actually had no idea what he was all truly capable of yet. But something like making a rift in space would probably take a lot more practice and self-understanding to pull off.

And this side-conversation the robot was having with them as well as interesting in its own right. But he had to focus on the cloistere.

"That's most extraordinary, Mister Seeker sir. To think such things could be found in nature and via technology!" he replied. "Oh the things you must have seen in your pilgrimage!" he continued.

"Oh yeah...speaking of which...I am sorry I had interjected with talk of time rifts and such. What were you going to say about the Cloister again?"

The Duke was loosing interest fast. Alyn and the scrap heap where using a lot of words and it was confusing his little brain. Kronorifts surely did not sound like something to eat and the groveling the new one was doing rubbed him te wrong way and he wasgrowing more and more agiated by the whole scene. To vent a little of it he kicks a rock in the general direction of the tin men.

(New Charming roll plz...)

10:21, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,5.  Charm.

Vomol seems to focus... somewhat. "...Ah, yes. Well, I've never been there myself... There are automated defenses that are very, very selective about what non-humans it lets visit, I've heard. But I certainly think that it's a place that not only exists, but that still exists and is still inhabited... The seed pods are genetically engineered to need only a little water-- planting them in the middle of the farming complex should be enough to disrupt the entire MegaCorp's supply chain... You should perhaps ask around in Gnost..."

Bored, Ajakstu gives Vonmol and his disciplines an appraising once over, to see if they are carrying anything of value, or perhaps made of valuable materials.


14:40, Today: Ajakstu Gul rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,5.  Insightful.

Ajakstu Gul does pick up on a few items that seem interesting-- something like an old portable communications device, a bottle tied to someone's waist, something like a hand grenade... but only one of these does he actually recognize for the very valuable item it is.

(Which of the three does he recognize and identify (privately, to himself) the unique properties of? The device, the bottle, or the grenade?)

Well that definitely confirmed that they were on the right path in their search for the Cloisture.

He then decided to deviate his line of questioning and see what happened. These alternate messages he was getting from Vomol were intriguing, but only mildly so compared to the Cloisture and time rifts. But still...

"So Great Seeker? What technical laboratory are you currently seeking out, that you think holds the keys to a glorious restoration for the future of this world?" he asked.

"I ask because I'm rather curious what you think such a place could hold that would allow for such a great change. Not to mention something that 6 enlightened seekers before you could not attain. I ask so that in hearing your story more, we might gain wisdom ourselves."

In reply to The GM (msg # 67):

Ajakstu smiled to himself and gently stroked Rake. Then he gently stroked his magnificent hat.

The complicated communicated device he would leave to the talkative newcomer. The implement of destruction was surely destined for The Duke.

What had caught his interest and a recognition from the vast catalog stored in his most copious mind was the bottle. Now that, that was to be his! His! HIS!

(Hm. Roll Charming, but give yourself an extra +1 bonus because Vomol MIGHT like to brag about it.)





Ajakstu suspects that the device and the grenade have hidden value as well... but the bottle, he knows what that is-- it's a Bottled Thicket-- the corked glass contains weaponized seeds... When the bottle is broken, the seeds germinate and begin an astoundingly rapid life cycle, sprouting into a dense tangle of iridescent vines within seconds, covering a roughly 12-foot circular area.

12:15, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 2,5.  Charm.

"Ahhh. The titan destroyer robot on the plains ahead... within his memory are some of the secrets I need... You're... you're talking about some sort of psychic bomb...? Perhaps all, perhaps merely the penultimate code..."

That last bit of the second conversation he was having with himself really piqued Alyn's curiosity. A psychic bomb? That sounded both...highly intriguing and kind of scary, given he was a psionicist himself. But for now he didn't want to acknowledge he was hearing this second conversation and keep Vomol going.

And the destroyer robot? Maybe he could help provide his group a good scavenging opportunity while possibly getting in good with this robot group. Why turn on them when he could find a way to manipulate them and use them later?

"Oh is that so, Seeker Sir? Well I think your journey sounds pretty important, and myself and my companions certainly don't want to do anything that would interfere with that. On the contrary...maybe we can help each other..." he said.

"You see...we're heading in that direction too. We can investigate the titan robot together I'm thinking. This way, you're group will look larger and threats that may be considering messing with you will probably think twice with our large combined group. And you can get the knowledge that titan is storing in its head, and my group gets a chance to survey a piece of history. What do you think, Vomol sir?" Alyn replied.

And of course, Alyn definitely didn't mention that he wanted to go and hack into the titan's data banks with his telepathy and learn all it juicy secrets himself, and give his companions overall a really nice scavenging opportunity as they did a "historical survey" of their own.

"It must be a sign that both of our journeys are in the same direction, and that we crossed paths like this."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:50, Fri 30 July 2021.

(I'm afraid that this suggestion is indeed gonna require a new Charming roll...)

11:46, Today: Alyn Reed rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,3.  Charm.

"Hmm... Better yet, why don't you go on ahead?" Vomol suggests. "Scout out the trail ahead for us, with your faster vehicles. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of liberty -- the cause of humanity."

This last bit, for once, makes a few of the robots around Vomol sort of glance askance at him, but he doesn't continue in that vein, so they soon seem to shrug and get over it.

The Duke on the other hand seems to be more interested in this other voice.

"The cause of humanity? Thats our cause!! Ask about that with your words Alyn"

Alyn raised a curious brow. First, the second-voice seemed to possibly be addressing them now. And second, now the Duke had taken interest. The Duke seemed to have his own sort of mad insight - perhaps now was the time to try talking to the other voice, and seeing what happened.

"We would like like to hear more, so do go on..." Alyn replied to Vomol, but this time in relation to the second voice. time to see if he could get it to respond to them actively or not.

"Tell me about the cause of humanity, and how you seek to protect it...and how you think we fit into this."

"We have a cause?" Ajakstu muttered to himself.

He rummaged around in his pack and found the gold wire leads that he had obtained earlier.

"Say, friend," he addressed Alyn. "As we are perhaps to become scouts for our mechanical employer, I propose we discuss a trade of these optimized leads for yonder bottle."

Ajakstu then smiled his most innocent smile.

15:24, Today: Ajakstu Gul rolled 9 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,5.  Charm.

The robot is both interested in those gold wire leads, but also reluctant to part with his bottle. "Mm, I don't know... how about you throw something else into the bargain...?"