Deep Dweller: Start

[voidtreckermods]

After the dreams some of the voidtreckers report on day Four of Grasshopper those that have been on the train for a little while will be expecting what comes the next day. Their SCA's glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preparations and Arrival

As promised the dressing carriage is opened for optional extras. There are flight suits, similar to those they wore into space but without the helmets. There are instead hard hats and some basic climbing gear as well as bags to put supplies in. There are even a few red tents if any of those planning on tackling red's mission want to grab one, they hold six people in two inner compartments and are relatively easy to put up and take down.

They have a few hours of preparation before the announcement comes. Soon approaching system #789327772. Planet Terra. Drop order: Orange, Red, Blue, Purple. Orange to doors. Leaving the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. A sharp jerk, a judder and the view from the window changes from the void to dark cloudy skies and very red sand.

They land smoothly, and indeed it seems they have landed on train tracks. A few moments later they pull up outside a huge metal and glass building.

Orange Team

Arrival

Jumping down from the train they will find themselves outside large metal gates. Noticable is the spotlights that shine even in the day time, reflecting oddly off the red sand. It is hot and dry outside, a slight breeze sending red dust rolling around their feet.

The gates aren't locked. There is no lock though they will notice devices that are probably security cameras. The doors are glass and inside is light and airy. They enter into a large lobby, a large circular desk in the centre and a glass walled waiting room to the side.

It is empty. No people at all. All the lights are on. Time to explore.

Exploration

Going up two floors and down five the lab is large and full of all manner of interesting things. Scientific equipment, monitoring stations measuring chemical levels in the air, temperature, water levels. Where to even start is a good question. The lights remain on, which might be annoying at night.

Red Team

Arrivals

Red team to doors. The train continues travelling along the train tracks, looking out the windows they will see endless rolling red sand. Factories rising up from the ground, dotted across the landscape. As the train gets close the air outside seems hazier, through the fumes. They may even see in the distance, strange silver floating orbs.

Eventually it pulls up at a station. Just a raised block really, but easy enough for red team to disembark.

The land stretches out around them. Train tracks criss cross the surface but apart from that there don't seem to be any boundaries. No fences, roads or sign posts.

It won't take them long to find the first orbs, strange silvery spheres and seem almost liquid, until they are not.

Night Time

It grows dark quickly after sunset here, which might take them by surprise. Taking them more by surprise however may be the scraping, scuttling noises in the dark. Skittering close. There is no light out here on the surface, they are far away from the research facility that Orange found themselves in.

If anyone manages to catch a glimpse they will see grey, long limmbed creatures. They shy away from light but anyone in the dark is likely to be attacked. They fight with claws and teeth.

When the sun rises they are gone.

Blue Team

Arrival

Blue team to doors. The train continues across the landscape, passing more orbs, just floating there silently. It stops at the entrance of a cave.

The cave slopes downwards into darkness and soon turns into small tunnels. They don't need to go far when they meet the first ground of Gry. A group of young Gry, practising with spears in an wider section of cave.

Despite being very surprised at the sudden visitors no weapons are pointed at the voidtreckers, instead they are met with curiosity. They are soon led further into the tunnels and soon come to the living areas.

The Gry lead simple lives but they are all pretty fascinated to see their visitors and will allow them to look around their home and answer any questions they have.

Night Time

Most of the Gry sleep in a large communal sleeping area and the Voidtreckers are welcome to join them, though the Gry won't be insulted if they choose to seek out a more private area.

If the Voidtreckers awake in fear in the night, after strange dreams they will find they are not alone. Many of the Gry have awoken too and will reassure the Voidtreckers, tell them it is an honour to communicate with The Burrower.

Purple

Arrival

Purple team to doors. The train continues on the tracks and soon enters a tunnel itself. It's a bit of a bumpy trip, this train was clearly not made for warren systems but after some uneasy twists and turns they pull to a stop.

They are at a train station, not that it's easy to see because it is pitch black. But it is clear there are people around, some looking very confused at the very odd train.

Once the last of those going on the mission leave the train it speeds off into the darkness.

The Terran's are large and tower over most of the voidtreckers but they are friendly enough, if a little confused, once it is explained that they are here to help. They will be led over towards the collapsed section of city.

There is a lot of activity. People digging at rubble, others using their sheer size and strength to hold up beams. There is an array of rescue equipment and a group of official-looking Terran's holding large devices that are comparable to a tablet-computer and discussing solutions.

There is plenty to do to help, smaller rubble to clear, injured people to tend to. Worried Terran's to calm and reassure. Those brave enough can volunteer to use their smaller size to help get supplies through to those trapped and those with any scientific know how, great strength or magic can put their skills to good use.

Rest Time

Throughout the day people are rescued and other parts of the tunnels stabilised. There is more work to be done but the Terran's seem to be working in shifts and they will encourage their surprise allies to rest as well. They will offer to host them.

They live in large groups and will happily invite the voidtreckers into their homes. They will be curious about the voidtreckers but will also answer questions. Telling them about the strange storm and the collapse of the tunnels. They are urged to sleep early and the next day it will be back to work.

(OOC: Information is here)

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

"Amazing," said Curufin. "in my world, music is powerful, but it's rarely used as a weapon. If you can do it, I admire you."

One particular limiting factor of a powerful weapon, space.

"I'd love to see that. Let's count on it." He smiled with delighted anticipation. "What do you think of Blue Team's assignment?"

[achickenformylove]

"I am the second master of a cultivation sect, Gusu Lan. It has become our specialty to train in music, not just for fighting. We have a song called Inquiry where we can channel spirits and we can ask them questions and they answer on the guqin. It is one of our most difficult songs."

If it weren't for qiankun pouch, WangJi wouldn't be able to take his guqin off the train for something like this. At least flutes and other instruments were portable.

"Then we will arrange it. It seems we are going to speak with Gry and assist them."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Now that is sounding interesting! The spirits of the dead may be difficult to communicate with, at least if you're a mortal. That song, Inquiry, summons the spirit as well as asks it to answer questions?" He smiles. "I'd answer the questions if I were a spirit and you played that instrument for me."

He nods, pleased that Lan WangJi is willing to demonstrate his skills to satisfy Curufin's curiosity.

"What little information we have from the SCA holoscreen said that you were going to try to find out if the Gry's visions are in any way related to these mysterious spheres. If your team is going to investigate visions, it seems that they have the right expert, you. Your culture has a tradition of mystic visions, I think?"

[achickenformylove]

"Yes, it summons a spirit to it in order for them to answer, either deceased or nearly-deceased. We can not request a specific spirit to come to us, but it will be a nearby spirit. We then play our questions and the spirit will use the guqin to respond. It is a difficult song because we have to learn the language of the qin both to play the questions and understand the response. Someone like myself with enough practice can prevent a spirit from lying or avoiding answering questions." He nodded his head slightly at that comment. "Thank you."

He nodded in agreement that this is what they were doing. "I do not have much experience in interpreting visions, but the idea is not uncommon of people trying to determine if there is a meaning behind dreams, such as if it is a sign of bad luck. But I am confident that I would be able to try and figure out the problem."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Oh, you can use Inquiry to talk to the nearly-deceased, too? That could be useful. The language of the qin sounds interesting, and probably complex? How many years have you been practicing?" He smiles and nods. If he were a spirit, he'd hasten to speak to Lan WangJi.

"I'm not surprised that your people think that dreams have meaning, and may be prophetic. The meaning of dreams seems to depend heavily on the symbols and experiences of a whole culture, so the Gry elders may already be at work trying to interpret. There are also universal meanings, and I am beginning to suspect, multiversal meanings. Since you are now a traveler of the multiverse, you might be able to provide some ideas."

[achickenformylove]

"It takes many years to learn qin language alone. The two sentences taught first are 'who are you?' and 'who killed you?' which are then practiced no less than one thousand times. I have been playing since I was old enough to be able to properly reach the strings, but I did not learn qin language until later."

He nodded his head. "It is possible that they have already begun to try and figure out their visions, but assistance from those with a wider knowledge base might be able to reach a conclusion if they have not."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin listened and nodded again. "It's good to start learning an instrument early in life! And that qin language, that sounds utterly fascinating. What other questions do you ask a spirit?"

And as for the vision interpretations, "Those Gry elders are lucky to have someone like you to assist them."

[achickenformylove]

"It depends on the situation. When we were trying to find a junior who had disappeared, we were asking questions like if he had been there and where was he now. When we asked about the spirit responding to us, we found out it was the junior himself near death. His spirit was able to lead us to the exact spot where he was with the qin language."

"Thank you. It is naturally an extension of what I do back home." So it didn't seem at all strange to him.

[so_dark_a_road]

"That was timely! The young man was not dead, though almost, and his spirit was able to respond to questions. Saved his life! I expect he was grateful."

Curufin thought that would have been terrible useful to the mortals of his world during the Wars of Beleriand. People were driven out of their territories and fled as refugees. Everybody seemed always to be looking for somebody else, a friend, a family member, a clan leader. Often these lost ones were dead, but not always.

"What exactly does a cultivator do? Besides talk to the dead or the nearly-dead."

[achickenformylove]

"It was. He was lucky. He is a stubborn young man so he did not say such words out loud, but he rescued Wei Ying when he was in trouble not too long later."

If they had been dead, it might have helped. Though one could not call a specific spirit to them, it might eventually come to the guqin or another spirit might have information.

"The goal of cultivation is to channel our spiritual energy. The hope is that through practice and meditation, we can achieve immortality. Cultivators train in the noble arts such as swordsmanship and archery. Cultivation sects and rogue cultivators make their living by solving problems with ghosts and monsters."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Some people are stubbornly silent about their gratitude. It seems he showed it by rescuing your dear friend."

Oh well, worlds are different. If people could cross over from one to another, and Curufin had known about Lan WangJi's culture and the skills of the cultivators, he might have tried to recruit some.

"I see. Those seem to be noble aspirations, and the means make sense to me. The arts of sword and bow require such intense concentration and such long practice, I can easily see how your people would know that they are routes to spiritual development. We Elves don't call it that, but we know the concept. And if your world is plagued with monsters and ghosts, then I imagine the people are glad to have specialists who know how to deal with them." Although they're probably not all that happy about the rogue cultivators.

[achickenformylove]

"He is. He takes after his uncle, but he knows how to show kindness to others."

Get the feeling he doesn't like the uncle? If you guessed that, you would be right.

"Nearly every sect trains their disciples at least in those two arts. Members of the gentry also practice finer arts and learn to ride horses. Some, like my sect, also train all disciples music since that is our specialty. People are generally appreciative of the assistance. Those without golden cores have little they can do aside from put up talismans and stay inside their property after dark."

If he had known there was a question, WangJi would have clarified about rogue cultivators.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Ah, that is well. Being able to show kindness to others is essential."

Yes, Curufin gets that feeling! He's never met Jiang Cheng, but it seems this uncle is bad-tempered.

"Your society seems well-defended against monsters and ghosts, with all those specialists in the skills that keep people safe. Xue Yang mentioned the golden core. Again, we Elves have the concept, though we don't call it that."

Okay, Curuifn will ask! "What about these rogue cultivators?"

[achickenformylove]

"It is. Jin Ling understands that."

Bad-tempered was the best possible way to describe Jiang Cheng. There are more ways that WangJi might, but the rules of Gusu Lan kept him from speaking them.

Xue Yang was another, but again, speaking ill of him was not the right thing to do, especially after what had happened to him here. He was trying to at least offer peace between the two of them.

"Yes, we are for the most part. We have strong senior disciples who are passing the same to junior disciples. The disciples who will replace will be wise and capable."

"Rogue cultivators? They are cultivators who do not have a sect. They rely solely on the work they do, but with no ties to a sect, they can work in more areas."

[so_dark_a_road]

"This Jin Ling seems an intelligent young man."

Curufin had been known to speak ill of people, but not recently, and he'd prefer not to do it at all anymore. Lan WangJi had a head start in life, if the rules of his sect discouraged ill-speaking and ill-wishing others. Curufin knew that he was trying to make peace with Xue Yang, as both of them had been visitors during that time when Xue Yang was confined, and it was impossible not to overhear and appreciate the guqin music.

"It seems as though you have an ordered system of teaching and learning in your sect. That sounds very sensible and effective. Oh, so when you say rogue cultivator, you mean simply a person who learns and practices on their own, without a sect structure to guide them. Hmmm. Xue Yang would be considered one of these?"

[achickenformylove]

"He is."

"We do. Many rogue cultivators started off training in a sect then left. There is more freedom in being a rogue cultivator." Especially if you weren't high enough in the clan hierarchy. "But there is security with a sect."

At the question, he did nod. "Yes, Xue Yang would be considered a rogue cultivator."

How about if we wrap this thread and catch up later?

[so_dark_a_road]

"It seems you are lucky to have this young man, Jin Ling, as an associate, as he is lucky in his association with you."

"I understand, then. To be a rogue cultivator is not a bad thing, then. Xue Yang's problems don't stem from that, I guess, but from other events of his past."

The sound of the train's PA system crackled through the air, announcing drop order.

"Whoops, Orange is first! Lan WangJi, thank you for this conversation and all the information about your culture. Good luck with the caves and the Gry! I'm sure we'll talk again." And he picked up his gear and prepared to head for the doors.

Works for me

[achickenformylove]

WangJi nodded to confirm that Curufin had right idea about Xue Yang and rogue cultivators. They were not bad cultivators by nature, but something else had happened in his life.

"Of course." He said, not about to hold him up when he had to depart on the mission. "Good luck to you as well."