"Actually, we've been heading towards an Island in the Sea of Sighs, Shih, assuming the initial research done at Monru was correct.  We'll definitely know when we get there though--as the detour to one of the moons wasn't on our original route plan either."

Ssrivan then continues his soft dictation to his delectable scribe, noting as carefully as possible his internal responses when trying to control the stones.

Shih holds his temples thinking.  "Ssrivan, my companion, that moon was certainly on our path.  Never, in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined such a fantastic journey.  And, clearly there's more.  We humans have lost so much knowledge!"

"I do believe we're north of Krenalis, the place at the top of that mountain from which we launched to the moon.  Across the sea does feel right.  But, our final destination lies to the south under that sea."

"Perhaps there's a tubeway below or some other means of transport.  If not, we have a very long and dangerous journey ahead, especially for the women among us."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:40, Sat 26 Feb 2005.

Please, nobles Shih and Ssrivan - let us share this knowledge. I am ready to navigate this particular set of obstacles as necessary.

I am concerned as to why the women in our group would be more in danger than the rest of us. I do not want to encounter anything that would bring harm to some of our most highly learned and talented voyagers. If Almodhim or Dlarumei were to be dispatched to their respective gods, could I retain my lowly skin for long?

OOC:  I've left this post in, but we would know that we're actually headed under the Sea of Sighs to the south and not, as I previously wrote, to the west.  I oopsed.  As of 2/24/05, my posts should be on target.

"Noble Neskriuma, between us and out destination is the nation of Ghatón.  Women there are treated like beasts in all respects.  The are not permitted education, clothing or any freedoms.  They eat on the floor on all fours or, at their owner's command, their bellies.  Frequently, they're not permitted use of their hands for this.  Any man can kill a woman as easily as you might kill a hma.  The owner might be a bit put out, but some shamtla and the issue is done.  They are frequently branded and collared.  If a woman speaks out of turn, she's likely to have her tongue cut out.  For defiance, other things might be cut off.  Women there are treated like the most base slaves in the worst brothel in the Empire.  And before you begin thinking of this as a man's paradise, think of your clan mothers and sisters being treated by any and all in this fashion."

"I somehow doubt that any of our women would tolerate being commanded to all fours by some low clan farmer."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:43, Sat 26 Feb 2005.

“It is true that not all cultures are as advanced as we are my friend, but it is also unthinkable to dwell on such hostile and backward ideals.  But to assure you Shih, Almodhim has proven herself time and time again as a formidable blade and cunning prowess; I would feel that few of these Ghatonese foolish enough to attempt subjugating her would find themselves hold various parts of their own anatomy before they could make a move.  Now, before you remind us of their sorcery and some of the beasts that they command, let me remind you that we have powers they have yet to experience and the ability to call demons that can level cities.  I am not boasting, nor am I over confident and if Ghaton does lie before us on our journey we will be cautious.  Besides, a few less of these fools the better for our planet.  I am interested in finding out what lies in those caves on the opposite side of the cavern from us.”

She pulls her robes around her as though steeling herself for a trip into the darkness.

"Noble Dlarumei, everything here interests me.  But, if there's anything I've learned on our trip, any direction can be frought with peril.  Ssrivan, should we at least understand why that sun on the post is indented before proceeding?  I'm as interested in that cave as I am in what is occurring below us.  My lady, does the individual who travels with us have anything to say on the matter?"

"The post is on my list of things to investigate, Shih.  The moving stones were just higher on my list of priorities, as being able to get away from here expeditiously would be of prime importance if something goes wrong while investigating the pillar."

Ssrivan wanders over to the pillars and begins to examine each one carefully.

Shih will tag along with Ssrivan to listen to his observations.  To aid his understanding, he's going to cast POE.

"Shih, I too am interested in all that this cavern holds for us and am interested in loosing some of its secrets. Those secrets which will aid us in our commission.  There are many things that we can see and learn, some now and some at another time depending on our journey and its winding path.  I can assure you that we will cross other things of notable interest, and we will investigate them as we need.  But I can also assure you that not every stone will be overturned and not every hair split.  We DO have a goal and some of these sidelines are necessary and other will simply have to wait for another time.  I know that you, as I and Ssrivan, seek knowledge and love the exploration of the unknown along with the entreating puzzle or two.” She winks at Ssrivan with that last line. “But we also don’t have the days, months or years that it might take to explore every aspect of each area we stumble into.  Mark it down in your mind and make plans for us to return at a later date.  The knowledge we gain is important but not all of it is paramount to our quest.”  She joins the two at the pillars and looks up.

“So what do you two make of it?”

"Noble lady, my frustration here is that some of the places where we travel cannot be easily visited in the future.  While I recognize we can't explore everything, I am reluctant to abandon all exploration.  The knowledge we can acquire is vastly valuable to the Empire and each of us individually.  Our group, by virtue of its eclectic composition, has unique capabilities."

Rutlan continues his examination.

At the comments about Ghatón, particularly about the 'man's paradise', Neshkriuma can be seen to stiffen somewhat.

He turns, with just a sniff of disdain showing in his voice: "Noble Shih, I find your description of the land of Ghatón to be disturbing. I for one do not consider paradise a place where women are held as chattel. I realize that we will have to entertain some accomodation to this 'culture', but we will do whatever we do only at the agreement of the women."

Also now addressing Dlarumei and Ssrivan: "I agree that there are critical elements we must learn here before we may securely proceed. Let us collect this knowledge, then plan our way forward. I consider this area to be frustratingly open to all eyes and its safety questionable. Let us be in progress on our way, soon."

"Nesh, we find ourselves in a gem-lined zrne pit without adequate means of protecting ourselves.  If the zrne wants to eat us, it will, and there's not much we can do about it.  As long as we move carefully and avoid angering the zrne, we just may come away with gems as we make our escape."

"I find Ghatón as distasteful as you.  I was simply pointing out that we have a very long journey ahead of us through territory that may pose significant risks, some of which are cultural.  For my part, I hope we find another tubeway below or, perhaps, an aircar so that we stay safely in the zrne pit." =)
This message was last updated by the player at 01:00, Sat 29 Jan 2005.

No intention to offend, Noble Shih. I believe it will be more desirable to choose when and how we leave the pit, with the gems we care to bring, rather having the zrne choose our time and method of departure for us.

I am less desirous of meeting my fate than you, and some others, may be.

I, too think we should look for less arduous and mysterious means of transport

"To your last point, my noble friend, I readily agree.  Walking the thousands of tsan to our destination would undoubtedly be arduous and mysterious!"

"Think on these words though before you jump from this magnificent pit: even with puissant sorcery, buildings today cannot last much more than 500 years and still require constant upkeep.  The Ancients built structures such as this that have lasted more than 50,000 years.  I'm more comfortable trusting in that quality of workmanship.  Besides, if something bad were to happen while hurtling at high speed through the Tekumel crust, you would be with your ancestors so fast that you would never know what exactly happened; surely a better end than gasping your last breath out on some warrior's spear or, even worse, suffering the infirmities of old age.  And then, there's the glorious options offered by my Lord Sarku.  Surely such a great warrior can see the merit in continuing to enjoy life's pleasures for eternity."  It's clear from his smile and tone that Shih's last statement is said somewhat in jest.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Tue 01 Feb 2005.

Smirking a bit, Nesh sketches a slight bow in the general direction of Shih (being careful to avoid dropping off the platform to bottomless doom).

Ssrivan is still engrossed in the pillars.  He seems to be investigating the base of one of the pillars where it connects to the stones by marking the pillar with a bit of spittle and looking to see how quickly the pillar appears to be elongating.

"If all is as I suspect, we don't want to stay here too long.  This platform is not as stable as it appears to be."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Thu 03 Feb 2005.

There is a large, low rumble coming from under foot where it seems that the stones upon which you stand seem to groan under the weight of the transport and the party.  Several of the slaves seem rather panicked and look around wild eyed at the nobles present for direction and comfort.  This brings little comfort as most of the nobles seem as shocked at this development as well.  Most, save for Jenge who stares at the top of the sun rise pillar with a smirk of knowing on his face.  He stands there alone, about five meters back away from the pillar, his gray robs hanging motionless about him.  His left arm supporting his right elbow so that he can rest his chin against his hand as he stares deeply at the pillar and moans the umhumm of understanding.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out as he looks around his feet where he repositions himself on the floor, shuffling his feet back and fourth until he seems satisfied of his position. He seems to have split the difference between the two sunrise pillars and stands exactly in the middle of them as they line the platform.  His eyes meet Ssrivan's, who is looking quite quizzically at Jenge his eyes asking about what is going on. Jenge raises a finger in Ssrivans direction as though to say, “bear with me on this one please” to which Ssrivan motions a go ahead gesture but with a look of reservation.

Jenge then turns towards the transport and raises his hands above his head.  With a sharp cry of a string of nonsensical words he claps his hands over his head and the tops of the sunrise pillars begin to turn. They both make one rotation after another in a slow methodical and simultaneous fashion, until Jenge, one again, utters some words, this time the lyrics to a children's song that all of you recognize, and moves his hips in a stiff and very un-rhythmic fashion, ending with a pelvic thrust directed at the transport.

There is another rumble and the transport starts to sink below the stone platform.  Or more precisely, the platform under the transport just starts to descend.  It is only the area under the transport that sinks slowly away with its prize; the rest of the platform remains intact and solid beneath your feet.  He then turns and faces the party, which cause the slaves to duck and cower with fear.  He laughs out loud at this and says, in a much pronounced and elongated voice, "Fear Not my Friends".  He then jumps up and down three times and swings his foot around in a very odd and irregular pattern.  Chimes in with a sailor ditty to which the entire platform including the waiting area and glass windows begin to rotate as a whole unit in a counter clockwise direction.  It is then that you notice that the large chamber is spherical, similar to the moon you just left, though far smaller and that, somehow, the platform and the windowed waiting area were part of a ring that could spin around within the chamber.  The rest of the camber remained where it was but drew closer or was left behind as the platform moved.  There was quite a bit of dust in the chamber now as it had obviously been quite some time from the last episode of this platform moving anywhere, and this brought an eerie feeling to the entire event.  It is not enough dust to chock you or to impede your vision, but you notice it flowing through the air and settling slowly over the edge of the platform down into the darkness below.

"So, my noble friend, it doesn't matter what sound or motion you make, as long as you're standing in approximately the right place and thinking what you're trying to accomplish?  It's the sound and/or motion that let the device understand that you want to accomplish something?  It then knows to interpret your surface thoughts to make it happen?"

Posting for Jenge......

“I believe that it is even simpler than that.  After our experience on the moon, when we were taken into the other world it was obvious that many things happen simply because one thinks of it.  It would appear that the ancients, or those of greater power who used these devices needed merely to do the same.  I believe that ritual gestures and ceremonies were a part of life, and so they added them into the mix.  I also believe that they added them to keep their lessers from using the devices for fear of disaster.  The mountain top was a trap and a lock that needed physical dealings in order to get to the prize.  Once there, we have passed the test and I would surmise that the rest of the areas will be less physical and more though oriented.  This, of course, presents us with a whole new set of problems, chiefly too many people pondering pointed and perplexing problems possibly all at the same time.”

Jenge smiles at his own perceived whit for a moment and continues on.  “I think that this is another tubway station, but it has at least four different tubways or directions in which to travel.”

He drones on in his pedantic fashion, paying little attention if anyone is listening.  “The rising sun would indicate the tubway that travels eastwardly, and thusly the setting sun would indicate a westwardly direction of travel.  Travel to the North or South would depend on the two center pillars with their suns depicted in one of two possible orientations.  I am assuming that one is a summer sun and one a winter sun to put the god into the northern or southern hemispheres, but I do not understand which one is which.  Also, we really don’t know where we are exactly and so to pick a direction is going to be an educated guess at best, in my opinion.”

He looks around at those listening and realizes that he has, once again, run on about a lot of information in a short time.  He pauses, with his hands turned palms up, and waits for the others to make some indication of understanding.

"Ssrivan, I believe that this platform was constructed just for us.  Still, as safety conscious as we've seen the Ancients were, I doubt that this floor will drop from under us.  Jenge, assuming you're correct, then we have but to command this floor to descend to the tubeway station.  Is there any appetite here to explore though?  Nesh, how about you?  With the right find, your family and clan would gain immeasurably.  On your own, such investigation would be frought with peril!"  At this point, seeing the look on Ssrivan's face.  "Perhaps it's frought with peril now.  But, it would be frought with even more peril were you to do it on your own.  Up for a bit of exploration before we depart?"

”And if we find massive amounts of treasures, the wealth of many lifetimes, would we abandon this charge for the emerald sphere of sighs?”  Orun asks with some bitterness in his tone.

“I for one have honor and my word that I will not break to find the sphere and return it if I can, and to do so with some haste.  If every new structure encourages us to spend days exploring it, I think we are avoiding and delaying our goal.  A few days to map out a place or to find its hidden dangers so that we can pass in safety are allowable delays, but I cannot abide treasure hunting on this quest. Besides, how would you return the items to you clan in the middle of our journey?”

"Noble Orun, not everything is the size of a chlen cart.  Still, I appreciate your words as they do strike a good compromize.  While I suspect that we can enter yonder station and lower it, I would take a moment to examine the walls at this level.  Ssrivan, with POE, do you see the little helpers all around us?"

Suiting action to words, Shih moves on a few of the tiles around the chamber walls.

Jenge stands quietly and points to the station waiting area at the end of the platform.

“That is where we will all need to be if we are to use the systems in this place.”

At first tentitively, then with greater confidence, Shih moves away from the platform supported by tiles to float about the huge area.  He intentionally stays at this level so that others can keep him in sight and vice versa.  Returning, he relates the following to the group:

"There is much to see near the walls even though it is dark and cold. There are many smaller caverns and what appears to be tubeway lines heading off in the four directions of the compass.  My brief exploration was also observed by some of the creatures we've seen moving about below.  They have to know that something's afoot.  Candidly, I'm surprised none have come up to look more closely at us."

"I see a couple of possible alternatives.  We could try to command a tubeway car to rise for the next leg of our journey.  We could get into yonder station and see if we can lower it to a tubeways station below.  On the way down, we could perhaps stop as we felt appropriate to examine something of interest."

"Thoughts anyone?"

Now that these others are aware that we know something of the workings of this place, Noble Shih, we must move. I do not think we will be allowed the luxury of lounging about while the most learned among us (Nesh nods at Ssrivan, Jenge and then returns his attention to Shih) seek further knowledge. I would be content to rest and discover at some length, but we have several items that compel us toward action.

(Nesh ticks off on his fingers)
One: we are seen and may be determined to be dangerous (or at least some untoward bits of rubbish that need to be removed) by the "helpers" in this area.
Two: We have all been charged with a sacred quest and should not dawdle in conducting it to a successful conclusion.
Three: This area is huge, with many powers, energies and persons, both known and unknown. At any time, any of these elements my conspire to push us away from our chosen destiny. Should we not continue to provide our own impetus?