Maxim recoils from yet another b##!&-slap from this quasi-insubstantial menace. "I bet you're one of those prostitute VI's that got a little too coked up and went rogue!" he shouts as he hacks at the thing.
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Gorn keeps up his fire, the low-end laspistol looking comically small in his large hand.
"Heh. You know a lot about prostitutes, Wormy? Makes sense. I've never seen a fine-ass philly walk up to a guy, grab his head, and go 'hey, let's go back to my place so I can cuddle with your big, thick brain.'"
He walks forward as he fires. "You ever get tired of getting your butt kicked, feel free to hide behind me. This armor doesn't just look so good to get tha' chicks--it also hits back."
He flexes his bicep but resists kissing it just yet.
"Might be worth writing a book with that topic: 'Prostitutes - a holistic view.' A book with 500 pages of semi scientific b%%~&#+$ about history and social studies, but with 73 whole page illustrations of unbelievable practices from all over the universe." Imagine comments from the corner.
As the alien seems to be set on slapping Maxim, she becomes bold and sneaks up to Maxim, laying hands on him. "I'd bet it would become your best selling book."
Boreal adds another hit.
EH-RK has a hard time hitting the thing, but his shot sets the hologram up for the others to score.
The hologram changes hands, and slaps Maxim with the left. Maybe its hand hurts? This starts looking like an reenactment of an old Stan and Laurel episode.
"That's funny, Imagine, who knew you could read? But seriously, thanks sweet lips. You might want to stand back now."
Eric fires again
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Gorn finds himself palpably distracted as Imagine starts talking about prostitution and..."acts"...that might be performed therein, along with photographs.
Candid photographs.
"As long as you model for a few pics, I'd buy a copy," he says, leering at the mystic.
His supid grin turns into a frown as small bomb goes off. "Yeah, I'm not getting any closer to you now, four-eyes."
He just keeps firing. That Maxim doesn't actually wear glasses doesn't bother him.
"HEY!" Imagine retreats, being pissed. "See who comes to heal you now."
She uses the heal on herself instead.
"You know Grom, the only thing you've proven you are able to shoot is your mouth. Try to remember you're the f#!~ing NEW GUY who we just met and we don't give a s!@@ about you yet. Tone it the f@&& down or step off."
"Less talking, more killing." Boreal suggests.
Maxim, EH-RK and Boreal add to the dimishing of the hologram. Grom shoots the wall with the little weapon that doesn't want to fit right into his huge hands.
Maxim gets another knuckle sandwich.
"If you really think that way, Boreal, try pulling the trigger more than once."
As Grom misses yet again, Maxim shakes his head at this arrogantly useless man who begs to join the party only to be of no value whatsoever.
Boreal keeps shooting.
Gorm practices some more shooting. Maxim and Boreal together manage to finally overload the hologram and it zaps out with a short bright light. One can say, that this part of the museum is now out of order and probably beyond repair.
"The Maze of Ghosts was supposed to be the simple route. I wonder if Herald Tzayl is selling us down the river. Maybe his path to redemption involves sacrificing some outsiders." Maxim finds a place to sit down in the front room for a short rest.
Having recovered his wind, Maxim rejoins the group. "Might as well see where this maze of death takes us." He steps through the passageway deeper into the museum.
This portion of the hallway features animated holographic displays of manufacturing and other industrial work: a miniature version of a gas-mining vessel scoops up clouds, an alien in a jumpsuit stands at the console of an automated production line, and another sits at a large workbench performing delicate repairs on a small technological item, his face comically distorted by a large magnifying mirror. Like those before, these displays loop every few minutes, and each display features a large touch screen.
Engineering to see if I can identify the purpose of the small technological item being repaired in the hologram.
Sensing he may not understand what is being repaired in these images, Maxim asks the room, "What is being constructed and repaired in these displays?"
Eric activates his cloaking module and scouts ahead
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Gorn frowns down at the small pistol. "I'm keeping this," he rumbles before following the others.
"Heh. Whenever someone tells you to go somewhere, always pick them up by the neck and make them come with you. Only way to know its not a trap."
Well rounded in his education, Gorn studies the holo and ponders the nerd's question.
The technology doesn't react to speech. With a few more guesses is clear, that touching a screen starts another hologram to flare up.
As all step back, expecting the worst, the hologram starts it's speech in Kishaleen. This Foundry-sponsored bit of propaganda is a jingoist screed that touts the strength of the kishalee people, especially when they work together to overcome certain obstacles (a thinly veiled reference to
other cultures and civilizations).
"Yeah, this is looking more and more dubious. It's strange though, that these Kish are the same race as those we have encountered, yet this technology is beyond any of their understanding. I wonder what happened to them." Maxim proceeds deeper into the museum.
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"De-evolution," Gorn rumbles matter-of-factly as he stomps further into the labyrinth. "If you read too many books and never see the inside of a gym, your muscles atrophy...I'm sure you know what I mean.
Same thing with a civilization. If they've conquered their planet, but never push themselves to go beyond, and never encounter a worthy enemy, they'll never know another apex, and go into withdrawal.
Probably voted for Socialism or something just as bone-headed," he states without fear.
The holographic displays in this section of the hallway depict performers and creators of various forms of art. A trio of aliens in formal costumes leap and spin gracefully on a stage, another alien sits in front of some kind of instrument and tinkers away at the keys as if trying to perfect a melody, and a group of patrons stand in an art gallery admiring a sculpture of metal and glass. The displays repeat their animations every few minutes, and a large touch screen stands in front of each display. Pressing something activates a few more holograms, that offer only scathing criticism of the groups hair and wardrobe choices.
So far we haven't had any luck attempting to interact with the displays. I think it's safe to assume that if there is nothing obvious to do in these rooms, we keep moving.
Around another corner you reach the final room of the museum. The display at the end of this hallway features an official-looking room with a podium in the center. A handful of aliens in crisp suits can be seen in the background; some appear to be discussing the contents of a document, while others are examining charts and figures. A couple of banners embossed with stylized symbols flutter in a nonexistent breeze above it all.
The holographic displays at the end of this hallway are dark but have been replaced with murals depicting aliens in solemn poses, their heads looking up toward the sky and their bodies lit from within. A small shrine in the center of the murals is covered with tiny effigies crafted from wire and metal.
Ignoring the endlessly boring propaganda displays, Maxim investigates the shrine of tiny effigies.
If he finds nothing of interest, he will attempt to move the shrine to see if there is anything behind it. Maxim really has no idea what we're looking for here, but if we find nothing, that will go a long way to confirming his suspicion that Tzayl is trying to have them killed.
A flat, triangular crystal lies among the offerings on the shrine. It's clear to the trained eye that this is a data crystal.
The technology is not exactly what you're used too, but with some time, trying around and some educated guesses you get it to spill its secrets. Or what's left of them.
The message begins with a loud burst of static, followed by a feminine voice. “…chief technology officer here at SecuriTech. Our customer service representatives received your message regarding your…” Another burst of static ensues. “…and I want to assure you that we take your security issues with the utmost seriousness. After all, you are our biggest client.” An awkward chuckle is distorted by audio artifacts. “A copy of the admin keycode for your lock—for all the locks we install—resides on a server within the Foundry. This server cannot be accessed except from its physical terminal, and only SecuriTech’s chief executive officer, a few key members of our team, and I have access to that terminal. In addition, I checked the logs this morning, and no one has accessed your file in almost a year. And that was for normal…” The message ends with a final burst of static.
Eric searches the area
Maxim listens to the recording and bursts into laughter. "Hah, a keycode! I knew it was something lame like that. It's probably a f##~ing nine-digit keypad with a button that says OPEN SESAME! Screw this murder planet. I vote we just go to the Temple where the main dude holed himself up and hack the entry interface. Easy money."
Maxim retraces their steps back out of the maze.
"Your head hurts trying to keep this all straight, doesn't it?" says Maxim. "The Foundry is gonna be a death trap. The Temple is where we want to go to confront the leader of the Kish. All we gotta do is hack some cheap door tech and we're through."
As Maxim had enough of the religious games, he leaves the building that did little to provide the information needed. The question is now, where to look for this temple?
“A copy of the admin keycode for your lock—for all the locks we install—resides on a server within the Foundry. This server cannot be accessed except from its physical terminal, and only SecuriTech’s chief executive officer, a few key members of our team, and I have access to that terminal.
This doesn't make a lot of sense. The server is inside the Foundry, which you're saying is also the Temple Found, and anyone can only access the server from a terminal which is also inside, but we're outside, and even the Kish know of no other way inside than the way the other dude went in. If that's the case, we could have skipped this Maze, too.
Maxim sighs. "Let's just go back to the Maiden and blow a hole in that place with the cannons, and then walk in and mop up whoever is left alive."
"The doors of the temple are shut from within and can be opened only if Xavra allows it. And he won't allow you in. They exiled me for critisizing the decision to close it for our people."
She thinks for a moment. Perhaps if you were to listen to them, you might benefit from their insights. But first you must prove yourself worthy enough to hear those voices yourself."
"There are two places of significance where kish go when they want to hear the voices of their ancestors or seek their blessings. While these are sacred ceremonies for my people, I admit that not many kish have performed them in close to a year. Perhaps, if Xavra and his warriors had shown more devotion, they wouldn’t have been so quick to break away from tradition."
"I don’t see any harm in you enacting these rites; after all, if you do so, you might better understand the kish community.
The group leaves the museum and returns to Tzayl. Sharing the information the 'ancestors' told them and voicing the desire to try to find a way into the temple without further consulting the ancestors Tzayl points out the building to the group. "I believe the ancestors would give you further insight into this path you want to go, but as you have proven worthy, you can try on your own."
One of the more prominent buildings in Istamak. It has remained the
most intact building in the city. The main entrance to the Temple Found is located in the center of the building’s northern facing. The front plaza features an elaborate fountain with a hammer-and-anvil motif. The large front door is also emblazoned with blacksmith imagery and is free of kish graffiti. It is quite thick, sturdy, and bolted and heavily barred from the inside. You can't tell for sure, what the building was for in ancient times, but whoever built it wanted to make sure no one unauthorized gets in.
Eric notices the metal bench. He inspects it to see if it will assist them in entering the building.
Cutting through the fence, EH-RK makes his way inside and through the weeds. The bench sits there besides the metal part of the wall, that is on closer inspection a door. The door is very solid and the electronic lock, or the terminal, that is visible from the outside doesn't look like a child's toy.
This is better standard, than you have seen all over the place yet. The building must have housed something highly important to the ancestors.
"As I was saying..." Maxim concludes with small satisfaction when EH-RK discovers the door and the lock.
Maxim produces his Engineering toolkit and sets to work on the lock.
With nothing to detach, no screws to see no split to get a tool in, no power cords visible to manipulate, Maxim's engineering skills are not sufficient to get around the lock.
Maxim puts his tools away. "It can't be cracked, and it probably can't be fixed either, at least not from the outside. So let's hope it still works."
He approaches the door and knocks loudly. "Pizza delivery for a Huntmaster Xavra. Is there a Huntmaster Xavra in there?" Maxim shrugs.
To that other place we're supposed to go!
As you return to Tzayl she points you to the House of Renewal. "It houses an artifact left behind by our ancestors as a reward for the worthy. The sick and injured kish make the pilgrimage to this building and spend some time meditating in an adjacent room before stepping into the artifact. Those with worthy souls are renewed, while the unworthy are either destroyed or horribly transformed."
A set of wide semicircular steps leads up to a pair of doors in the front of this one-story building, which was once painted light blue but is now dingy from age. A half-destroyed holographic sign hangs above the entrance, and a symbol has been crudely painted across the doors. From here, it’s clear that the rear of the building has collapsed in some places.
With the share language spell provided from Tzayl you can read the word clinic in the sign.
Stepping inside you find two kish of the not so friendly brand. They grab their weapons, but don't attack yet. The walls of this room are lined with broken, dusty, and moldy furniture. Opposite the pair of double doors that leads outside, a window in the wall is closed off by a slab of opaque material. A smaller door opens near the window. Murals depicting kish with broken limbs and dark halos above their heads cover the walls.
Maxim raises his hands in the universal gesture of hey, I'm walking here. "If you are hurt, we can help."
The kish are not hurt. "<We don't need your help>" they answer in kishalee. "<What are you doing here at our sacred place?>"
"We come from the stars on a voyage of peace to your world, to seek council from the Huntmaster Xavra. We learned that before we may enter your sacred Temple, we must first prove ourselves worthy. We have already done so at the Maze of Echoes, and learned from the spirits there. Now we must also pass this test, and enter the sacred artifact and be renewed or destroyed. Would any outsider take such a chance if he did not have the greatest need to do so?
"Now, I have explained our purpose here, and it is honorable. Will you permit us to meditate in this chamber and then enter the sacred artifact?"