After watching Midioto teleport Gin comments.
"He doesn't seem to be in immediate danger, so heading back to camp is probably the best idea. Camp would be the safest place to examine him."
To Luca, "Trip wires can be so easily seen and stepped over. If we were to set up alarms or more active defences then they would need something similar to operate; a bit of this on a loose string or wire could activate, or 'trigger' such when it attaches to a passer-by."On another matter, I believe you demonstrated the use of divine magic earlier. Would your deity approve of using clouds of fog to settle the smoke from the air in these caves?"
Luca listens with a polite interest as Rivet explains the art
of traps to him "Why, that does sound useful. In answer to your question, I follow the Nameless Green Moth in the night. As such, I don't expect them to mind renovating a cave or two. If you'd like, we can discuss their areas of interest further when we return to camp for the sake of both clarity and curiosity."
Right! Ok. Lets get out of here and head back to camp! ELEMENTAL! Do you want to come with us?
Oops. Wrong tongue.
** spoiler omitted **
Exasperated, he turns to Luca
SIGH.... Luca, you ask him!
"I have wonderful news my friend. I already have. I remember it like it was yesterday... Oh!"
My compatriots are known as: Gin Ammopha, He doesn't speak much, but he's quite talented with alchemical doodads. Midiotoziggeroto, He... speaks quite a bit, Actually. He's quite friendly and I have no doubt that he will temper his valuable skills, which I'm sure you remember. This is Lwazi. Hmm. Actually I don't know his last name. But he's dedicated to the betterment of our expedition, and the protection of the people therein. The goblinoid fellow goes by Rivet, he's a clever one, and our resident excavation specialist."
Luca converses with the elemental before setting out himself. At one point he speaks at length as he continues to seamlessly shift his language of choice in time with the elementals own changes. He appears to motion in the direction of each individual member of the party once as he does so.
the elemental rocks back and forth.
Midioto is able to catch enough of the Elementals speech to over to him and say; Cao? A corruption of the word Chaos?
Lwazi watches with wary interest. The elemental is strange, but seems friendly so far... but at the same time, this is the Maelstrom, and it seems to be a creature of chaos. Who is to say it will not suddenly change and become hostile?
But he is more concerned for Midioto. "Come, let us go back quickly that we might see what has happened to you, Midioto. And do you not think it might be wise to avoid teleporting for the time being, in case it is related to what happened?"
Midioto is able to catch enough of the Elementals speech to over to him and say; Cao? A corruption of the word Chaos?
"Ooh. I like Roulette myself. Has a nice ring to it and a game of roulette is kind of like talking to them."
"As Midi had noted, it would seem our friend has no name to speak of. Not entirely unexpected given the temperament of our environs. Still! Any ideas?" Luca explains his plans for the elemental on the way back to the camp.
the elemental mostly drifts quietly above the ground while the party talks.
it isn't too long before the party get back to camp, possibly still debating on a name. Things seem to have been moved about slightly, and it sounds like there's something in camp.
Roulette is cool. Ya I like that, it could work. I wonder just how large or small their population could be if they can get away without names. Maybe they use something different to identify each-other? Scent maybe?
Midioto cradles his left arm, seemingly distracted by it.
Once they clear the cave Midioto hangs back a bit, near the rear and then dissapears with a muffled reapearing a minute or so later with another
Once back with the group, Midioto recasts Defy Gravity as it had worn off, and takes to the skies.
I'll keep a lookout from up here!
Uhh... Guys? I think I hear something in the camp. Maybe something moved in while we were gone? Be on alert.
Midioto attempts to get close to the camp from about 50-60 feet in the air and see whats going on.
3 of them, I guess. He can teleport 55ft in a go, so he should be able to get a good bit of distance if not completely out of sight and be back quickly.
Do I need to make any rolls for this?
"Mmm. Understood."
Luca casts Ironskin in preparation.
Lwazi slows as they near the camp. "Be wary, Midioto! It might be able to attack you in the air!" he shouts after the teleporting psion. He takes his position near the front and advances warily.
The news of the threat of camp may have been slightly overstated or overreacted to. The movement of things was to allow space (and a fair bit was needed) for someone to be laid down near the center of camp.
The sounds were more along the lines of low mumbling and swearing.
As the crew armors up and cautiously approaches their camp, they find their perceived threat sitting up and rubbing his temples, not to mention totally unarmed and without spell components either.
Next to him is a pack of very similar equipment to the things the group was provided with, including an exact duplicate of the enchanted pickaxe the group's dwarf miner was carrying.
The half orc looks in sudden alert is he notices the approaching group, all bloodied and combat ready, scrambling to his feet and holding his left forearm out in front of himself.
"How did I get here? Who... Are... You..?"
His guard drops slightly when he notices the insignias scattered amongst the group, the same one on his pack and jacket.
Now that he's standing, it's visible that he's built like a brick tavern, specifically because he's strong of chest and limb from years of labor, but carrying a bit of a beer belly from the pay it's afforded him. He's wearing a thick, black leather trench coat with the white butterfly insignia on the left side. He's of a fair green tone as many half orcs are, not the deep green of a full orc or the soft tan of a human. Lighter colored scars(inflicted by a mixture of rocks, chains, and whips for those with the knowledge to determine such) jag their way up his chest and neck, visible due to the fact that he had on the trench coat in lieu of an actual shirt. Despite his race, he lacks the more brutal expression common at times to both halves of his lineage, instead a more focused and vigilant awareness. His hair is mid length and dark, same for his nearly kept, but short beard, reigning in the feral look of his pronounced jaw and slight tusks. A few tools hang from his black working pants, one traveler's Any-Tool, the exact same build as those issued to the group, and one metal rod that splits at the end, reminiscent of a witching rod used to find water.
He keeps his forearm between himself and the group, showing a silver ring on his loosely clenched hand, but has not drawn a weapon yet, and doesn't have any visible scabbard or sheathe. A single dagger is attached to the side of his pack, but he hasn't even glanced at it, either deciding he didn't want to draw it or realizing that if he did, he wouldn't have any chance of taking on the whole group with that alone.
The slightly injured Tengu approaches the camps intruder first. Despite being nearly a head shorter and unarmed himself, he walks forward with a confident relaxed pace, stopping just inside the newcomers reach.
"I am Luca Bloodbeak. If you do not mind my saying, you've intruded on our camp. I don't expect you've done so in a malicious manner, but I ask you state your own name and intentions as well. If you need a place to rest, I'd be both happy and obligated to oblige."
He sounds sincere at the very least. He hasn't looked back at the others in the party, suggesting he believes his own words. Or maybe he's just confident in his chances in a fight.
Lwazi is close behind Luca. He notes the symbols on the half-orc's gear.
"You also work for the White Butterfly Company?" he asks, nodding at the symbol. "Were you sent in to reinforce us?"
The half orc lowers his arm, but keeps his guard up, still not completely trusting the group, but coming around a bit.
"I'm Roy McCallow. I'm a miner for the first expedition the White Butterfly company sent into the island in the malestrom. We just got here, but some thing got the rest of my group. I got away, but I passed out later and woke up here. Did they send you to replace us? And didn't you put me here? This isn't where I was before."
Lwazi frowns. "We were the first expedition sent here," he states. "This is the first I have seen you, and I suspect it is so for the rest of our group."
He looks at the half-orc suspiciously. Was he an imposter, or some strange product of the Maelstrom?
If one was so observant as to notice, there are a few things that do a credit him as not being an imposter. Even if he'd stolen or copied the emblems from the camp, he knew things about the expedition and had the exact pickaxe White Butterfly had issued to your group. Those weren't exactly common magic items, so it's unlikely he could find one anywhere else. Any Sense of his Motivations tells you he's just as confused as you are, or an extremely good liar, which seems less likely.
"Look, I don't know how I got here. If any of you folks got truth telling magic, you can use it on me, but I'll say the same thing I'm saying right now. There's...3,4,5, six of you against me. For all I know, you knocked me unconscious at that big tower thing and drug me here. If you didn't, then something else in this crazy place decided to set me down in the middle of your camp."
Rivet taps his fingers and concentrates for a few heartbeats. Then he asks, "Berith... is it possible that the White Butterfly Company failed to mention an earlier expedition, do you think? And why would they hide such?"
Bareth fades into view on Rivet's shoulder, looking distrustful at Roy "it's not any expidition I've ever heard of. I don't recognize him..... " his voice trails off into a mutter, as he thinks about how that shouldn't be possible
"I really don't know who came first, and I'm not sure it matters. Maybe they decided we'd be more productive if we didn't know about the other, or maybe you're all just my group that got reincarnated after that thing got a hold of you. If that's it, it's not funny. If we're all telling the truth, maybe something in this place decided I needed to be with you all. I'll do whatever you want to prove I'm not lying. My head still hurts too bad from whatever it was to keep going in circles like this."
He sits heavily onto the ground, swiping his hand slowly down his face in exasperation.
"Gah I need a drink..."
Lwazi frowns more deeply. "We are in the Maelstrom," he points out. "Nearly anything is possible here. But what it is that truly happened I know not."
Barress continues to look distrustful "regardless there shouldn't have been another expedition"
Midioto s down to ground and infront of the unexpected guest.
Wait a minute! I recognize that emblem! Your from the White Butterfly? Did they send another expedition here without my knowledge? How did they activate a warp gate without my knowing about it?
At the mention of the newcomer being the "first" expedition,
The first? No, I am positive that we were the first, Why I had been working on the very technology that got us here. I don't know how you could have gotten here before we set THAT up, and I didn't hear anything about it being used before us, it is pretty cutting edge tech... Midioto thinks for a moment, then turns to the Imp Berith? You know anything about this?
When the Imp says no,
I gotta think about this for a minute...
Midioto reappears over on one of the logs nearby and pulls out his notebook with a look of intense concentration on his face...
He also seems to fumble with the book, having to prop it up in the crook of his elbow with difficulty.
"Perhpas we should contact the Company?" Lwazi suggests. "Midioto, you could do that, yes? If there's been some confusion about expeditions they might be able to tell us what has happened."
Midioto sits there for a while, deep in concentration and mumbling archaic formulas under his breath when he suddenly stops and returns to the group with another
Guys. I have a theory, but it should be theoretically impossible... Its just that, well this isn't the realm of normalcy, so maaaaayybe?
Anyways, I remember overhearing something back on Otune, it was some of the "Unspeakables" from the "Department of Mysteries" talking about a theory they had. Multiple dimensions. The idea is simple enough, just as there are multiple planes that we can connect to, specifically the Ethereal plane, which is very similar to our own, just a bit different. There are Theoretically multiple dimensions, each one a near exact copy of this reality, all of the planes and worlds combined.
IF, and thats a BIG IF, there were multiple copies of our world, but small differences between each, then it could THEORETICALLY be possible to have a White Butterfly company in each, and it could THEORETICALLY be possible to take someone from one dimension and transport him into another, or rather, into a middle ground somewhere, like the Maelstrom.
That way, both Companies could each send their first expedition, and both be first, at the same time.
The thing is, this SHOULD be an impossibility, but the Maelstrom just adds in way too many variables that I cant possibly know...
Midioto thinks some more, then pulls out a stone from under his shirt.
This may be a good time to use one of these, they are meant for emergencies and as a contingency for our return trip home, but this might necessitate their use. I only have 3 of them...
The stone he is holding is a Warp Stone.
Using this, I should be able to communicate with those back home.
Yes, Lwazi, I should be able to communicate back home using this.
Roy reacts as most people would when some appartes directly in front of them by jumping back slightly in alarm, putting his arm up
"Gah, d-don't do that..."
He takes a second and recenters himself.
"I've been working for this company for about 3 hours, at least that I was concious for, so I don't know how they run things, but either he's right or they've lied to at least one of us. If they sent both of us here, at least one of our portals should be open. We could go back and see."
Then Midioto pulls out something that can communicate with them.
"Or that. That works."
He stand and brushes himself off.
"Well, since we don't seem to have knives at my throat as much right now, I'm Roy. You all?"
Midioto s over to the other side of Roy and greets him.
Hi! I am Midiotoziggeroto! Hyperdimensional Technician for the White Butterfly. I am in charge of making sure the group has a return policy back home from here, and to study the Maelstrom from within. I love racing, apples, collecting stones, exploring new places and trying to master my Psycoportation Studies that I brought over from home.
I am fast and mobile, and I can get people out of tight places, and I'm pretty sure I can be in two places at once...
...Altho some people say I practically vibrate, or have an extreme case of ADHD...
Midioto extends his left hand to shake, but seems to reconsider as he immediately retracts it and offers his right instead.
Oop! I'll let someone else talk!
Midioto appears off to the side of the group.
the stone hums softly, ready to return the group at a moment's notice.
The half orc flinches and turns as Midioto appears behind him, making a conscious effort to keep himself from reacting with weapons every time he suddenly zaps in next to him.
He shakes his hand amicably, nearly folding Midioto's entire hand in one of his own.
"So, Luca, Midi-. Midiotoziggah... Midioto. And..."
He looks to the rest of the group.
YBareth still looks wary, still the niceties must be observed. "I am Bareth'Bealdoch Rekehit'Tenonuimochish.
"Lwazi," the catfolk says, simply.
The elemental pokes Luca.
** spoiler omitted **
Luca once more cycles through the elemental languages with ease.
"Midi, please. Your antics are startling our guest. Roy? You are welcome here as far as I'm concerned. I cant speak for everyone, but its clear enough to me that you mean no harm."
Luca extends his own hand, claws sharper and larger than usual for a tengu, though he's careful to keep them out of the way.
"Everyone? I think it's about time we sit down for something to eat. Who wants to help me gather supplies?"
He seems eager to change the course of the conversation away from suspicion.
Lwazi looks expectantly at the stone that Midioto holds.
Roy shakes hands with those offering and nods politely to those that don't.
I'll offer to do anything I can to help out since it seems something or other decided to drop me at your doorstep. That is, if you all don't mind an extra hand around. I've managed to hold onto a sustaining ring, so I won't take up much more than space. I may not know how I got here, but I feel safer here than trying to take my chances out there. At least until we can get in contact with the company and sort out what happened.
"My mother named me Rivet," the boggle puts in, not offering a hand. It never seems to work well with someone twice his height; he does return the nod. "Midi, please let me know if there truly are multiple White Butterfly Companies or if they have some other explanation. I will be assisting Luca with the cooking for now."
Now I should be able to communicate with the White Butterfly Company with one of these, however, they are some pretty powerful bits of magic so they are quite difficult to use.
Midioto fingers one of the stones.
I'll need some space.
He reapears in a space a bit off and begins setting up, then concentrates on the stone for a long while. You have NEVER seen the lad sit so still for so long...
Ghaaa! he yells out as the stone flings him 10 feet backwards.
Its ok! I was expecting this... I'll have to try again.
And he goes back to sitting crosslegged. In the air, 5ft off the ground.
This time the energies seem to explode outwards and onto the ground in front of him instead of being directed at Midioto himself.
The outline of a circle starts to appear above the dirt.
I got it guys! Quick! Gather around!
Roy watches the circle waver and bend strangely.
Is it supposed to do that?
"I was about to ask that," Lwazi comments, worriedly. He takes a couple more steps away from where Midioto is working.
Rivet turns, a can of beans and a can opener in his hands. "Well, it most certainly didn't last time. I wonder what consequences there might be to this distortion?" His headband flickers with yellow light.
With a sigh, Rivet sets down the items in his hands. "Dinner will be a little late" he says. "While I cannot say what will occur here, some amount of preparation would seem wise." He's briefly covered by a shimmering substance as he manifests a power.
Is it supposed to do that?
Its OK guys, its still OK! This should still be within my calculations, this is a different method then the one we used to get here, so it is manifesting differently.
However, this IS very powerful MagiTech and this IS a very chaotic location, so this is very difficult. But I still got it...
At least, I THINK I still got it. Ya, this is working...
Midioto, ever the optimist. :)
I'ma about to do something. One sec :P
"Roy, stand clear if you would." Luca doesn't look up as he speaks, focusing mostly on washing/sharpening his claws under a steady stream supplied by Create Water. He repeats himself as needed for the elemental.
the circle doesn't last much longer before it warps and then explodes, knocking back anyone near, but not doing any real damage.
Lwazi had been standing far enough back not to be hit hard by the shockwave, though he still takes a step back.
"Midioto," he says, his voice oddly calm, "That was not our only way home, was it?"
Midioto does a backwards flip as the force knocks him back, followed by a into the air.
That wasn't supposed to happen...
Uh oh. Not sure why it did that... That can't be good...
I do have 2 more stones left, and I do have a set of badges that should also get us back, however they are quite uncomfortable to use.
Uhh...
OhcrapIleftthoseathomeonthedesk.Ohcrapohcrapohcrap...
Midioto returns to the ground, next to Lwazi.
I DO have 2 more of those, but that was rather unstable. Otherwise we could return to our initial portal, we might have more luck there.
but... maybe?
Midioto looks visibly uncomfortable.
BUT! I can keep researching return strategies from here. Plus the Company should be able to reach out to us, from their end, if they determine there to be a problem, we just don't know when that might be...
"I think you should figure out what just happened before we try using another of those stones," Lwazi comments, his voice still carrying the same deadly calm. "It would not be good to be trapped here permanently."
He looks over at Roy. "I suppose that means that we are stuck with you, and you with us. What are your skills? We may need all we have to survive."